talkmagic.co.uk

Hi guys!
I think I need some help with this... I've realized that getting a good reactions is one of the most difficult things... but with me it reaches huge proportions! Let's say I'm performing for a couple of friends that have never seen my tricks (just like what happened last night in fact), I do all my sleights right, I try to get them into talking, try to connect with them... and when the trick is finished and I think I've built all the hype.... instead of a WHOAAAA!! all they do is pull out a face like "hehehe, that's nice" and talk about something else!

Do you have any tips for me?? It's getting kind of frustrating now!!!

Cheers
E

You can't expect the homogeneous reaction from all people. People differ in how much they are impressed by magic and how they react to things in general. Besides, your friends can be the most difficult, sceptical audience, especially if they had known you before you started doing magic.

If you do not get a reaction you expect, it's not always your fault. But if you can't get it consistently, then it probably is.

Reaction: (dictionary definition)

A response to a stimulus
The state resulting from such a response

Ergo, to provoke a reaction, you have to stimulate. It's a very common misconception that everyone is wowed by magic.

Getting a reaction ISN'T DIFFICULT. But STIMULATING a reaction IS difficult.

In fact, you could make a full grown elephant appear from a thimble, and there's a handful of people out there who would just say 'so what?'.

Magic is an artform. And as with most artforms have performers, creators, students, teachers, and appreciatives.

Finding your appreciative audience, and adjusting to their needs is part of the art. Which is the main reason (thank goodness) that although magic is now widely available (thanks, Mr Berners-Lee), it doesn't mean that we have a slew of quality magicians!

Performing magic isn't about 'getting it right' and 'making it perfect'.

If that were the case, why didn't Van Gogh just PHOTOGRAPH the Sunflowers? That way, it would have been a perfect picture.

What Van Gogh, and any other artiste does is to inject some character, some creativity, some individuality.

Riding high on your list of priorities should be learning a performance inside out in terms of technicality... basically so you can do it with your eyes closed, in your sleep, with your hands tied.

THEN...

Work on your own PRESENTATION of that performance.

Add nuances, things which fit your character. Make it yours.

This is the BIG DIFFERENCE between getting a yawn, and getting a reaction.

Also important is setting the scene, and choosing your spectators wisely. You can't just jump on someone and expect them to be wowed. That's far too random.

Spectator selection can be paramount to the reaction.

Drilling friends brains to mush by repeatedly torturing them with new effects is a no-no.

wow very good post seige...this helped me out and im sure everyone else that reads it, it will help them too

thanks

In fact performing to close friends are indeed hard...

my experience weren't that nice too. I dun even get a compliment. My responses were, "The cards are on top so?", "there's no other ways except u double lifted it" and the list go on.... what made me mad most is they did not saw a single mistake i made but they just assume they are right and challenge me to do again to prove them wrong. And the problem is, if I do another time, they'll concentrate on my hand and I risk exposing the trick. So what I'd do now is just taking these reaction as one where I've accomplished my tricks whether their theories are right or wrong.

this has been posted before but its good advice,so in response to the above post, if your challenged to repeat the trick, make sure you know a different method of doing it. so you can do it slightly different and prove that what they think is wrong....

down2infinity wrote:this has been posted before but its good advice,so in response to the above post, if your challenged to repeat the trick, make sure you know a different method of doing it. so you can do it slightly different and prove that what they think is wrong....

Or, quite simply don't repeat it.

Repetition of almost ANY effect (unless it is repetition based) is a huge no-no. Stand your ground!

seige wrote:Or, quite simply don't repeat it.

Repetition of almost ANY effect (unless it is repetition based) is a huge no-no. Stand your ground!

yep that to, just distract them with something else and move on lol

Like

Take of your cloths. Paint a dirty word on your chest, tie a red ribbon to your jonson and run away. Thay never remember what trick you did.

PyroSmurf wrote:Like

Take of your cloths. Paint a dirty word on your chest, tie a red ribbon to your jonson and run away. Thay never remember what trick you did.

hey you stole half my routine

thanks seige... I guess I'll have to start to work more on that side than on my moves!

Chris Dugdale in his book, Psychological Applications For Magicians Book 2, says, When asked to perform to a group (this is in a social situation) DON't. oh dear! Well not at at first. Say, "Maybe later" Next time they ask, make them WAIT AGAIN. 3rd. time & 'you may have to prompt by naming a time or place during the meal.such as ' "When coffee is on the table I will show you something you will talk about for a very long time."' Then perform it (NOTE I said perform it NOT just 'let it off' as though to the lads in the Magic Club.)Then after you've shown the routine it's recommended that you go to the toilet, the bar or somewhere for 5 minutes. let them talk about it On your return do an encore IF YOU MUST.
Please don't do what one young man, on Talk Forum, said about 6 months ago. EVERY week he visits the local public house and 'DOES' at least 2 hours of card tricks. When will magicians learn?
The operative word here should be PERFORM. And that means careful working out of the routine, on rehearsals on the routine and scripting the routine, learning it so well you can deliver it as though for the first time.
CHECK your patter, your gestures, your eye focus,the timing of the moves; perform it TO them NOT AT them, & work hard on the Climax. They MUST know when you finish if you want a solid reaction at the end.
Allen Tipton

that's when you see experience...
thanks!

timing, pauses and most importantly SILENCE if you leave gaps, the spectators will fill those gaps due to the somewhat awkwardness. experience is the other key factor, it will come with time, but when your next designing a routine think about addin elements of timing, and silence

you will be suprised at the diefference it makes

And if you are interested in obtaining applause make sure the audience KNOWS via a look, a gesture, a pose, a tag line, that you expect it. I've always taught my actors in every production I undertake,"This is the FIRST applause cue; hold it. wait for it." After that with the right look etc. you'll get it. In Close Up it may come at unexpected times and not usually after the opening trick.This also happens with children's audiences. In a Close Up situation you are performing to 'a group of friends'. For a few minutes you become one of that group so expect the unexpected.
A look at the booklet 'How To Get More Applause' by Ken De Courcy might help. 24 pages. It costs £5:50p
Allen Tipton