talkmagic.co.uk

For those who think exposure on TV has no implications in the real world and that it doesn't affect magicians because *bogus* methods are employed, please read this below. It is for a trade show I am doing in October. I sold them on the idea of magic being used to attract people to the stand, to keep them thee yadda yadda ya. I remember the company asking about teaching tricks like the TV show did but I told them it was not really something I could do.

Below is an extract of an email I received this morning:


"Just to confirm can you please make sure that you have an element of teaching
simple tricks in your routine the promo literature I have sent out leads with the headline.

'Come & Learn Tricks of the Trade With ********' "


I can't go back to the company and say I won't teach tricks. The literature has already been sent. They obviously want me to teach tricks. What I am going to have to explain is that I will not teach any of the tricks I am going to perform. I doubt that will stop people asking me to explain the secrets behind those tricks.

So, could anyone advise me on what tricks I can teach at a trade show stand to serious business men & women? I am not in a position to say I won't do it without losing the job.

If anyone who supports SoM, or even anyone associated with the show, is reading this, the THANKS FOR NOTHING!!!

Jon

Jon - if you made it clear to the organisers that you wouldn't be teaching tricks then they're pushing things a bit to now expect you to do so.

OK, so you don't want to upset a customer and/or lose a booking so perhaps some very, very simple and basic card tricks - self working kinda things - might satisfy honour all round? It all depends on whether the folks at the show are there to learn tricks or are there for the trade show - and how many of them will be genuinely interested in learning magic. Don't panic, I doubt the whole show will be a disaster if the visitors don't all go home and start doing magic.

you could always do a marvin and take some stripper decks etc etc, even make a little profit on them.

If You've got magic for dummies or know anyone who does borrow it and show them a few of the simple tricks in there.If you don't have it E-mail me and I'll send you a few of the simple tricks in there. A good thing to do is to show them a trick which can be done in two completely different ways. Show them the simplest way and teach them it, then do it the other way but don't teach them that.

Of course, there's always the classic torn & restored cigarrette paper where you do the trick, 'show' them how to do it but you add that kicker at the end where the hidden ball of torn paper is magically restored.

I remember reading about a trick called something like 'Backstage' where the magician says that he will show the audience what goes on behind the trick to let them in on the secret.

I can't remember any more about it but that it had a great kicker ending.

This could 'contractually' get you round the idea of revealing how a trick is done perhaps

regards,
Valentino

how about the one handed pass from the ninja video? the pater around that is after showing the spec how the pass is done and then doing the 'imposible' one handed pass!

Hi Jon,

I've worked with business people in an environment where some teaching was required.
One that has gone down very well is the spot paddles, I don't feel too bad teaching this as it's been available in many kids sets and yet done properly it really blows them away. I've also taught card sandwich, where you show 3 cards and the middle card after being removed by the spec, changes into a joker using a gaff rather than a sleight. It could of course change to a card with the company name on.

All you need to do is teach one or two tricks and don't assume that they will not be impressed with these beginner type tricks. If they want to learn more professional stuff among the many reasons for saying No can be that until they can master the paddles and such there is no way they would be able to do them.

Hope that helps

Er, perhaps I could just point out that the gig Jon was referring to was scheduled for October 2003.

Ha Lol, I'm guessing not much use then

LOL... sorry guys... don't know why i bought this post back to life!!! didnt notice the date anyway... how did it go Jon?

A friend of mine has just phoned, having returned from a long weekend in London (Tuesday? Stag weekend - say no more eh?). While there, he says he encountered a, shall we say "magician without portfolio", in a pub up west who showed him and his mates an effect then offered to show them how to do it in private for 20 quid each. He's a big bloke, my mate, and so agreed and followed this joker outside expecting to have a manly tussle to get his cash back after a rip off. Instead he was simply shown the method and had an opportunity to try it on a couple of strangers. He basically bought an effect from a man in the pub!

Hmmm. On one level, I'm impresed at the entrepreneurship, but then again, I'm a bit appalled but I'm not sure why.