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Eshly wrote:It is for the public, and the time will vary. It has been as short as 12 minutes, but I am hoping to eventually do a full 2 hour routine. (ambitious perhaps, but there you go)

Woah.... Be careful.... As *short* as 12 minutes??? That's a long routine!!! It looks like you're aiming for a full show rather than a routine. Walk before you can run!


Sean

I never tossed my Add-A-Number out to the audience - rather had it sitting on a table at the side of the stage and I asked specs to jot a number down as they left the stage after helping out with an effect....

.... Thank you.... thank you so much

I've just realised how obvious that is, and how brilliant. If you were here I'd hug you

IIRC, even DB didn't let the Add-A-Number loose in the crowd during the 'Evening Of Wonders' show - it was carried round by a helper and given to audience members to write in.

Nice idea I suppose, but I only have my girlfriend as an assistant


Tom
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I think that's the point of add a number's. You're not a magician and generally most people aren't going to WANT to see it because to them it's just a regular writing pad (why would they want to see something that they have at home?). The point is that you predicted the total.

And speaking of DB (of course ), he has based large parts of his stage shows on principles or gaffs costing less than £10. Thus, the theory that expensive tricks help does not stand up. I know you were being facetious, Eshly, but if you're going to throw out bait like that...

Eshly wrote:"Content is unavailable"






By the way, by coincidence I bought "Collared" today, which is an effect where you name a "pet" and the name appears on the back of a toy dogs collar; (Deleted by Mods - please don't reveal methods Eshly)
Now I think this is a lot like the Al Koran Medallion effect, so far as I know, where can I see a full version of the proper (Medallion) thing, and make this more impressive?


Tom
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Try this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWKbDTak ... L&index=28

Instead of using a box for the medallion, I've been experimenting with using a bag with a drawstring. The Rt Rev Mark Lewis suggests that the coin without the box is enough and he could be right.

Eshly, I don't mean to sound unfair but if I was you I'd read over Corinda and Annemann again and learn what's in there. When you're building a routine think about what you want to achieve, exactly what is going to happen and then worry about the methods. From what I've read it doens't really sound like you've got an idea for a routine at the moment, instead you're trying to piece effects together to create it.

Think of a theme, think of how you want your act to run. Don't even think about methods just yet, pencil down ideas and when you've got the outline of your act on paper, go back to the start and then start fleshing out the methods.

Lady of Mystery wrote:Think of a theme, think of how you want your act to run. Don't even think about methods just yet...

Wot she said.

Ted wrote:

Lady of Mystery wrote:Think of a theme, think of how you want your act to run. Don't even think about methods just yet...

Wot she said.

Seconded!

I agree, you are completely right when you say the plan for the general idea of the show should come first; the problem is I don't know what I want the show to be. It kind of needs a 'main event' and at the moment that looks to be either a Q&A or a saeonce style effect.

I think I need more experiance seeing live shows; does anyone know any good DVDs of full length live shows that are out? (Beard, do you have one yet?) I'm hoping if I watch enough material I can widen my knowledge and create a few more new ideas.

Currantly my show plan is based around "Mind Games" and it may well be called something similar to that in the title. However it cannot just be a sring of 'mind games', it must build to a crescendo! (currantly this is a Q&A)


I am also goin to feature and 'explain' some of the previous psycick hoaxes that have fooled the world in the past.

Tom
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How much experience do you have of performing live already? I'd strongly recommend getting yourself down to some open mic spots, etc and trying out some 5-10 minute routines - this will let you see what works and what doesn't work. What happens when a spec says/does something that you're not expecting? What's your 'cover' as you make your way back on track? You mentioned earlier about a trick needing to be 100% foolproof - I'd wager that NO trick is 100% foolproof, so what can you do when it goes wrong?

I posted on here about a show I did a month or two ago whereby right at the beginning of a mind-reading routine another spec (inadvertently) blurted out the name of the actor I was 'trying' to divine from the volunteer. Luckily, I come from a career where I spent 8 hrs a day presenting in front of classrooms, so I find thinking on my feet relatively easy. Ask yourself how you'd react in those sorts of situations with dozens (if not hundreds) of pairs of eyes watching you. Don't rely on the trick to bail you out - audiences love the 'magician in trouble' scenario and usually think it's part of the act. But what happens when you really are in trouble? An impressive revelation isn't going to save the day if you've stumbled and stooped your way through a minefield to get there!

Now, I could, of course, be telling you nothing that you don't already know and you may already have plenty of performing expereince. In which case, I hope you'll forgive me but if you want some pointers of open mic spots, I'm sure there are plenty of people on here who could help - all depends on where you're based, of course

Sean

Klangster1971 wrote:How much experience do you have of performing live already? I'd strongly recommend getting yourself down to some open mic spots, etc and trying out some 5-10 minute routines - this will let you see what works and what doesn't work. What happens when a spec says/does something that you're not expecting? What's your 'cover' as you make your way back on track? You mentioned earlier about a trick needing to be 100% foolproof - I'd wager that NO trick is 100% foolproof, so what can you do when it goes wrong?

I posted on here about a show I did a month or two ago whereby right at the beginning of a mind-reading routine another spec (inadvertently) blurted out the name of the actor I was 'trying' to divine from the volunteer. Luckily, I come from a career where I spent 8 hrs a day presenting in front of classrooms, so I find thinking on my feet relatively easy. Ask yourself how you'd react in those sorts of situations with dozens (if not hundreds) of pairs of eyes watching you. Don't rely on the trick to bail you out - audiences love the 'magician in trouble' scenario and usually think it's part of the act. But what happens when you really are in trouble? An impressive revelation isn't going to save the day if you've stumbled and stooped your way through a minefield to get there!

Now, I could, of course, be telling you nothing that you don't already know and you may already have plenty of performing expereince. In which case, I hope you'll forgive me but if you want some pointers of open mic spots, I'm sure there are plenty of people on here who could help - all depends on where you're based, of course

Sean

Please don't think i don't want your advice! I do! Its great! I don't think I am foolish, but I am certainly not a pro and you have already given me many great tips

By the way I am based in Newcastle, England.



Now, as for what I would do in that situation.... hmm.... well its never happened yet; apart from once when I was doing a close-up trick (Tossed-Out-Deck) and the last guy said:

"Nah I had the Ace of Hearts"
"Really? I see... hang on a moment... what does it say on the side of this deck please?"
"Prediction" (all my Invisible Decks have this written on them)
"Exactly... and if you look closer... there is one card turned over."




Now so far as I can remember that is the only time a trick has gone badly wrong for me, as I always have two or three ways of performing or revealing the tricks during close-up magic, but when it comes to stage magic I don't have as much experience.

I have been in a 2 talent shows, I won one of them, and I've done some work at a circus a few times (when my Manic Depression went so hyper I just jumped on a free platform and did an hours "naked mentalism" with just a pen and paper). But to be honest I don't have much real experience beyond that if we are talking stage work.



What do you think is a good way to learn how to "recover" from trouble during a trick? I'd love to know your thoughts


Tom
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The only way to learn how to deal with those awkward little situations to to face them and that comes from experience. Sometimes you just need to know when to try to recover and when to just let it pass with an 'opps, I was wrong then'. Some times that's a better way to go than trying to recover something, even if it was caused by an awkward spec.

Lady of Mystery wrote:The only way to learn how to deal with those awkward little situations to to face them and that comes from experience. Sometimes you just need to know when to try to recover and when to just let it pass with an 'opps, I was wrong then'. Some times that's a better way to go than trying to recover something, even if it was caused by an awkward spec.

And again... seconded!

The first rule of comedy is that you learn to die before you learn to live. It's the same with magic and mentalism. That's the reality of the situation. Anyone who's ever performed knows that you learn your chops in front of a crowd, not from reading long, pedantic, scolding lectures on "being believable" and doing things "properly". You find your own way by being the first you. Anyone dishing out mountains of advice and yet who doesn't once cover failures in all those millions of words has clearly never actually been there.