talkmagic.co.uk

I was out last night in a nightclub and decided for once to take my deck with me to show some people stuff in the smokers area.Things went grand as i approached people most of them were keen to see.Of course you have your typical list of wierd people as I like to call them.I'm talking about people who act as if they know EXACTLY what your doing.I had one guy slag off the other two girls calling them stupid saying ''how can you not see what he's doing its so obvious''.He eventually p***ed off.I was going to hand him the deck and say show me but then I thought that might slow things down.Oh and don't get me started on the who wrote 'f*** off you p***k' as his signature for the cheap laugh.Funny but get a grip mate.

Apart from all that I had a nice crowd around me enjoying the 'show'

Anyways after I was finished I was thinking that there was no real point in doing what I was doing unless the people who I showed remembered the tricks or me (preferably both).It's made me realise that unless the magic has an effect on people then they're all silly tricks.I did quite a few tricks that some were talking about for a while after i.e. Card from mouth,card to mouth,card to underwear,ID and some money transpo effect.

I know this might sound self righteous but I want people talking about me when they go home and show their folded cards to their friends and family and have something to remember for a long time.Don't get me wrong though most card/coin effects are good but are they really memorable.They all become one blur with the one with the most visual image remembered.

I always find that my card coughed from mouth tends to be one of the most remembered tricks.It has pretty much most factors needed to become memorable.There's the suspense of me not getting the card the fist time,then its coughed up folded with their signature and they can pretty much keep it if they want.

Maybe it's just me being arrogant in thinking like this but I'm beginning to look at magic a little differently I have to say.

How about giving them some thing fun bar bet type thing to try on their mates?

If the card you gave them doesn't inspire them to bring the subject up later, then knowing they might have a party trick to attempt might lead into them explaining about the magician who showed it them.

Or bend a fork!

I think you hit it on the head when you said they should remember the tricks, or remember you. If I had to choose I'd rather they remember me long after they forget the tricks I do. Another magician can probably recreate the effects in my repetoire, they'd have a hard job recreating my style.

I have to say that rather than people remembering the tricks, they would remember ME blowing them away!

I'm not bothered if they don't recount some if the effects but as long as they talk about the amazing magician they met at the pub, then the jobs s good un!

When I walk in a few of my locals now, I always get bought a pint and people proclaim that I'm the 'magic man' I could never ask for more!

Alec

I know I keep recommending this book but 'The Magic of Michael Ammar' has some exellent ideas for this. The chapter is called ''Eight principles for making magic memorable''.

Are you ever at the Cafe ? Ron Jaxon wrote a good post a few days ago about spectators remembering effects which is worth a read.

jim

"Oh and don't get me started on the who wrote 'f*** off you p***k' as his signature for the cheap laugh.Funny but get a grip mate"

Man that really cracked me up! A real David Brent moment I actually laughed out loud when I read that. Genius!

jim ferguson wrote:I know I keep recommending this book but 'The Magic of Michael Ammar' has some exellent ideas for this. The chapter is called ''Eight principles for making magic memorable''.

Are you ever at the Cafe ? Ron Jaxon wrote a good post a few days ago about spectators remembering effects which is worth a read.

jim

Can you link me through PM.Sounds interesting

I think in social circumstances, the focus of an informal presentation might lead more to expose say one belief in the super natural, or some other kind of oddity. You, through your travels, have witnessed some truly strange things, and as a student of the bizarre, have dabbled in the mystical arts in such a way as to be able to preset some of these curiosities to others.

I know this kind of presentation isn't for everyone, but to those who can pull it off, the focus of interest will be you, more than the tricks. People will want to know more about where you've been , the things you've seen, and how you learned those things your able to do?

Try and see?

Flood wrote:Can you link me through PM.Sounds interesting

PM sent

jim