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sorry, just realised i used that quote button incorrectly got it now...

Thanks

Najis

That's because they're my own

Well I say they're my own but in actual fact they're variations on tricks already out there.

Faster Than A Speeding Ace is my take on Jon Allen's Double Back, but without any gimmicks. Double Back was the inspiration but it's really just a reworking of Dr Daley's Last Trick, even though I had no knowledge of that effect at the time.

Hot Shot Estimation is a very quick and direct effect using a card control and the Hot Shot Cut. Basically, a card is selected and replaced in the deck then I "Hot Shoot" it out of the deck.

The Thought of Hot Dog trick is a variation on the Hot Dog Card Trick. This effect was passed on to me by a friend and so I don't have much crediting information, but if neccessary I can get hold of it. Basically, a card is selected, lost in the deck. Three predictions are then made and placed between the spectator's palm. Their selection disappears from inbetween their own hands and reappears face up in the middle of the deck, which has been in plain view on the table all along.

I hope that helps

Hmm so you asked for a critique of your routine and stated which effects you were doing but most of them were effects you knew we wouldn't know, since they were your own.
Probably why you didn't get anyone giving a critique then, beyond what had already been stated

GoldFish wrote:Just for interest's sake, here are my two routines that I was planning to use...Pick it to peices

The "pick it to peices" comment was meant to be tongue in cheek (hence the little smiley face ) because I've seen it happen before here, regardless of what people have said. Sorry if you're not familiar with the effects I used, hopefully the explaination I provided above will clarify and if you wish you can critique the routines more "accurately". Sorry for any confusion.

Ah, I took pick it to pieces with a smiley face to mean you were quite happy for it to be picked to pieces.
I don't really think there is too much point looking at the effects in detail, the main issues have already been raised ie quick, visual and surefire. I suppose you could add it's best to have a mixture of card and non card too.
So since you know exactly what routines you did ask yourself did they and in particular the opening routine fit with the above criteria? Personally I wouldn't use an effect that required such a major re-set that I needed to carry multiple packs of cards already set up. It would need to be mind blowingly good for that effort and pocket space.

First off, well done Will, on your first gig and for getting throught it....you must feel on a high, I know I did after my first gig.....

We all make mistakes and as it's been said, as long as we learn from them...

As dat says, I try to get my fee when I arrive but never leave without it, as I usually issue a mini contract to my booker, I have some comeback. At most of my gigs the booker is there all the time....I try to judge it, if it's a wedding reception, I don't want to wait through all the speaches which can go on for an hour or more to get paid, so I make sure the booker pays me when I arrive.

Also one of the important questions to ask when talking over the booking is how many people will you be performing to.....or how many tables, if you are performing to 24 tables you should have sort of worked out that if you do 5 to 6 minutes at each table then thats almost 2 and a half hours work.....and get paid for that amount of time........so if you were expecting a meal too then in all seriousness you should have started performing the minute you got in the door...why wait for the owner......what was that all about....just get on with it......you could have caught up with him half way through or at a natural break in your performance or even when you were eating your meal.

In the event that you can only get the booker to agree on paying you for the agreed shorter time, you have to emphasise that you will not be able to do everyone in that time frame and as dat said, ask the booker if he has anyone special he would like you to do in that time....as you don't want his guests complaining that they didn't see the magician as he wont understand unless you have explained before hand that its not possible to do everyone in the time he has booked you for.

I also agree that your first effect must be straight to the point, or as has been said, quick, visual and surefire.......I will also add that I never do anything that means speading the cards on the table.......everything must be thought out so that what you do, doesn't involve the table at all......think of it as if the table doesn't exist and you are performing to a group sat in chairs with no table.....use their hands as the table. If you must spread the cards, spread them between your hands or fan them in a large fan.

I also try to do effects that have between 1% and zero chance of failure.....we all fail at some point, but your outs must be thought about to the last degree.....I also know you can't think of every out for every situation, but try to think of effects that you can do in your sleep or with your eyes shut and do them, forget knuckle busting routines....lay audiences want to see magic and entertainment not knuckle busting moves.

And just for the record....at every table I force the card, always.....I use the stop cut force....it works well in their hands and it's a great force...that way if they want to shuffle the cards they can and there is no problems.

I hope the above is some help....overall I think you did well to get through it and now you have broken the ice of your first gig, you can use your experience to prepare for your next one.....

Nice GoldFish ...this was very very interesting ....

Thanks for your warts and all description of your experience.

I am really new to magic and find it very comforting to hear that you had a couple of mishaps but also made a success of the evening.

I read a lot on this site about performance and I understand how important that is to the trick. I greatly admire close up magic and am in total terror of giving myself away when I do it.

Good luck with future gigs, I for one will look forward to reading about them