talkmagic.co.uk

I recently found the PERFECT place for walkaround magic; it litterally could not have been any more perfect.

Anyway, I am sending off a letter asking for an interview, and if I can do a couple of nights there for free and see if they like me. I just wanted to ask for general advice, because although I doubt I will get the gig -being 17- I am still nervous about the interview (if I get one, which I hope I do).

It is a large pub/resturant and has quite a good crowd, it is not "rough" or anything.


Any advice?

Tom
xx

Advice for what? The interview?, performing magic? the food? what?

The interview... and walkaround... either of those generally :p

xx

If you get the interview be yourself, don't try and do to much and go ott.
The person interviewing you will ask you to show him/her a trick, again keep it simple but effective, which ever is your strongest effect! Don't try and and do something new! Treat it s any other interview where you are trying to get a job.

If you get the job, then try using the search function as im sure this has been discussed many times before. Walk before you can run!

I remember someone (maybe Jay Sankey on his Restaurant DVD) saying that you should approach in interview with a mind to perform three effects. Any less may be too little - any more may be too much.

That rule has stuck with me and has served me OK - even when not in interview scenarios, three seems to be a nice number of effects to perform in one go.

I'd absolutely agree with Taffy - keep them simple... self working if possible (I know you won't like that, Tom!) but remember that the interviewer isn't there to be impressed with your magical skills but rather your ability to entertain his clientele.

Without dropping any names, a well known magician was at my gig on Sunday night and when chatting to him afterwards, he asked me how I had performed a particular force for a routine that hadn't gone particularly well. I told him that I hadn't forced anything, but rather had divined the details by a much more 'skilful' method. He thought for a long time and then said "Do you not think a force would have simpler, cleaner and easier for the audience to follow?".... and he was right!

Keep it simple and cut to the chase! Especially in a walkaround environment, you won't have a captive audience hanging on your every word desperate to know how you did things - they'll just want to be entertained.

Good luck with it


Sean

Thanks Sean, I'll do my best. I think I'll go for four tricks, three main ones, and a back up.

Brail Reading (imp pad)
Smart-ass (always a confusing one to work out, and plays big)
Tossed Out Deck (if a big audience is nearby)
and ID (always a nice backup)


Sound good to you? Should I offer to perform the tricks straight away, or wait till asked?

Tom
xx

Wait until you're asked to do a trick, don't rush things.

Be careful about relying on the Tossed-Out Deck. Chances are an interview will be carried out when the place is quiet, or even closed so it may well be just you and him there.

I'd be tempted to go with nothing more than a deck of cards... but ask if the pub has a deck you could use (only use yours if they haven't!). I've gotten gigs in the past with nothing more than a selection of Out Of This World, Four Coincidences, Dr Daley and Richardson's presentation of ACAAN. All can be done with no set up, a borrowed deck and the spec can shuffle the cards between each trick. Also, you can give all of those tricks listed above a (loose) 'mentalism' spin if you want to.

*EDIT* and if you're going to try OOTW, get them to cut the deck in half after they've shuffled it so the trick is over more quickly. Trust me, it plays just as big!

If he's impressed with that, you can ask "Imagine how good I am when I'm using my own gear!" (Actually - No, don't do that.. too cocky!!!)


Sean

When I had my 1st restaurant interview, there was no one there but me and the manager so tossed out and smart ass is a no no, you wont be doing this in a walkaround /restaurant gig. You need to do something that YOU could do in your sleep, and that would work in the restaurant/walkaround environment environment!

Remember that you will be there to entertain the guests and to bring them back, you do not want to be a pain in the *rse and push people away, or come across as being more than a problem than asset!


ID deck is good, as is an acr, remember keep it simple!

The first thing I'd do is make sure you know exactly what you have to offer.
Don't turn up and when they ask who you are and why you are here and what you can do say..."Ermm... magic? Wanna see?"

Make sure you know your selling point. You can provide entertainment between ordering and serving, you can entertain at the bar and mingle. It is a non pressure performance.

For all they know, they might be expecting someone to stand on stage and perform a set.
Make sure you work out the advantages of what you do, why they need it and want it and then sell it to them.

My versions of Smart-ass and Tossed out Deck are close up, don't worry; I use a special TOD too which means it is perfectly usable from anyone between 3 and 5 people, and can be examined and shuffled.

All the deck switching is done seemlessly, so the spectators think it is the same pack; this is except for the ID pack, which has PREDICTION written across it.


Tom
xx

Thinking about it, maybe you need more experience before being set loose in a restaurant. Without sounding too disrespectful you are 17 without much experience, and you do not want to give close up magician a bad name, as this is happening all the time!

Try and hone your talents and experience by working at old peoples homes and free venues such as this before excepting paid work!

You wouldn't go and apply for a job in any other profession without experience or knowledge, and that is exactly what you are asking for!

Eshly wrote: between 3 and 5 people, and can be examined and shuffled.


Tom
xx

But what happens if it's just you and the boss there?

And I'd seriously consider a series of self working tricks that can be used with a single borrowed deck.... Karl Fulves is your friend in this situation!

Remember - Keep it simple.

Think about it! Some tables are only 2 people out for dinner!

Listen to the advice being given by working pros!!!!

I always have a lot more tricks on me than just those four I listed, in my jacket alone there is enough material to do over a dozen mentalism tricks.

I generally don't do tricks with borrowed decks, never been asked too. But I know a few

Tom
xx

Eshly wrote:
I generally don't do tricks with borrowed decks, never been asked too. But I know a few

Tom
xx

The idea isn't to wait to be asked to do a trick with a borrowed deck! If someone asks you to perform an effect, imagine how much more impressive it is if you say casually "yes, alright... have you got a deck of cards? Doesn't even matter if it's not a full deck, I can still prove to you that I can read your mind, just by using an incomplete deck of cards that I've never seen before".

Then, in their mind, you will have performed a number of mental feats without any props at all... Of course, you will have used props (their deck!!!) but they'll know that there was no possibility of it being marked, gimmicked or anything like that.

Also - learn the Hoy Book Test. If the pub has got a couple of books lying around, you're quids in!

Don't underestimate the power of a simple trick!!!