I want money from card magic?

Sep 1, 2007
3,786
15
i want to apply for a job (magician) at any 4/5 stars hotels
on what conditions they accept me

I think I already know the answer to this question, but I don't want to look presumptuous, so... What actual work experience do you have as a magician? How long have you been doing paid shows? What experience do you have writing sales letters and doing mailers and auditions?
 
Jul 22, 2013
222
1
California
Also, I would work on your writing/grammar skills so that when you contact them, you will seem more professional. My apologies, but 'on what conditions they accept me' sounds like somebody learning a language for a first time. If you are indeed learning English, I apologize for picking at your dialect, but it will not help your job search.
 
Also, I would work on your writing/grammar skills so that when you contact them, you will seem more professional. My apologies, but 'on what conditions they accept me' sounds like somebody learning a language for a first time. If you are indeed learning English, I apologize for picking at your dialect, but it will not help your job search.

Parker,
Judging from his other posts on here I'm going to say that English isn't his native language. Given that I think he gets a pass with us on grammar here on the boards.

But Parker and Steer both are right about written communications IloveStreetMagic. If you want to book a show working at a Hotel or resort you're probably going to have to make a few phone calls, and type up some marketing material to show them why they want to hire you.

If you don't have a show already developed, spend some time thinking about what you want to do, and how you want to present it. Pitching a client on a show concept is much easier than trying to just sell them on hiring you "to do some magic for them."
 
Jun 22, 2013
59
0
New York
thinking is quite fair .. as why one should not use his special skills in earnings once there are many more chances to waiting .. but the process you have to go through for a recruitment is the very first to be cleared
 
Oct 1, 2010
97
1
Also, I would work on your writing/grammar skills so that when you contact them, you will seem more professional. My apologies, but 'on what conditions they accept me' sounds like somebody learning a language for a first time. If you are indeed learning English, I apologize for picking at your dialect, but it will not help your job search.

i have been doing card magic and flourishes for 6 years now i can do most dan and dave stuff , chad nelson , daniel garcia , wayne houchin , etc
 
Sep 1, 2007
3,786
15
I'm seeing words, but none of them answering my questions. How long have you been doing paid gigs?

At this point, the answer is looking increasingly likely that you've never done a paid gig in your life. And I'm also uncertain you really have your fundamentals in order. Regardless, if you've never done a paid gig in your life, you're not getting a 4-star hotel gig. It's just not happening. You haven't proven yourself.

What books do you have? Don't give me names of guys who put out DVDs, I want to know what books you have.
 
Nov 1, 2007
145
0
i want to apply for a job (magician) at any 4/5 stars hotels
on what conditions they accept me

Why do I want to hire you? You can do effects, but you are not performing tricks into a webcam at a company picnic. Your position requires crowd control brought only through experience - you have to be genuine and clear, your show must be adaptable to suit the situation, and you generally must assume a certain character who is not yourself in order to entertain for any amount of time. Are you comfortable with the theatrics and the personal engagement that good magic has to have? Are you comfortable with most forms of hand magic?

As Steerpike pointed out, you naming the magicians whose material you have bought leads us to believe that you lack the experience necessary.
 
Apr 17, 2013
885
4
The sad true is English is pretty much the world's language. It would help to know where in the world you lived. To know if it is a tourist destination. To know if you need to take English as a second language course.

What are your goals? Do you want to do a parlor show strolling, stage? Understand that card flourishing is not magic, it's juggling, it's something to show off. Also, and I know I might take flack on this forum for this but... there is more magic than cards. If you want to do strolling close-up or a parlor show, then you really need more. Learn cups and balls maybe some rubber band effects. Linking safety pin, sponge balls, chop cup, coin work, break out of the card only thing.

Remember, everyone's grandfather or uncle does card tricks. People want to see magic. Something that they can't explain. Watch a video of Slydini. That man was a master of close-up magic. Find some video of Derek Dingle and Dai Vernon. See what was done before to know where to go.
 
Sep 1, 2007
3,786
15
Remember, everyone's grandfather or uncle does card tricks.

I'm going to reinforce this point. Cards are what's in vogue right now, but that also means that calling yourself a card specialist (I have too much self-respect to say "cardistry" with any sincerity) won't get anywhere because you are supremely disposable and replaceable. Seth Godin wrote a book called "Purple Cow" about why doing what everyone else is doing is a fast track to failure.

And I've been trying to broach the subject for a while now, but since the threadstarter has yet to address a single one of my posts or answer my questions my conscience is clear enough to be frank. Knowing only the in vogue DVD card tricks, having never performed a paid gig in your life, and then declaring that you want to be the house magician at a 5-star hotel... is like buying a pair of Nikes, never going to the gym, and then signing yourself up for the Iron Man Triathlon.
 
Apr 17, 2013
885
4
I'm going to reinforce this point. Cards are what's in vogue right now, but that also means that calling yourself a card specialist (I have too much self-respect to say "cardistry" with any sincerity) won't get anywhere because you are supremely disposable and replaceable. Seth Godin wrote a book called "Purple Cow" about why doing what everyone else is doing is a fast track to failure.

I thank God every day that my mentor kept me away from most card effects. Granted I do know a good bit of card work, but I could drop every card trick and still have thirty solid workers. I could do whole sets and never touch a deck of cards. Even when I do use cards, mostly it's not the standard card stuff. They are simply props for the story I'm telling.

This is what I have been on my soap box about. The younger guys need to learn that there was magic before David Blaine. That there were ways to learn before Youtube and downloads. I'm willing to bet most magicians under 25 have no clue what 793.8 means. I think magic as a whole would be well served if magicians would pick up a book on magic they do not normally do. Pick up a set of sponge balls, grab a hank of rope, a bag of rubber bands or some half dollars and step outside of your comfort zoned and branch out. It will make you a better magician.
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
Here is a bit advice, and ignore people telling you what brand of magic or entertainment is in or out.

The one thing though is that unless you have a reputation, MOST 4/5 star hotels will not hire you. Now I do not know what the circumstances are in your country, but I would suggest you either try busking for a little bit or trying to create a restaurant set that you could do when or if you decide to perform at bars or restaurants. (Again, I don't know what the culture is like over there and MOST of the people here on the board don't either..) So you will have to change things accordingly to your situation.

Good luck.
 
Apr 17, 2013
885
4
Here is a bit advice, and ignore people telling you what brand of magic or entertainment is in or out.

Not saying what is in or out. We were telling him how to stand out from the sea of card workers out there. Would you rather see 10 guys all doing the same "hot" tricks, or the one guy who is doing something other than cards and doing them well?

Out of interest, what does 793.8 mean?

793.8 is the Dewey Decimal number of the magic books at the library.
 
Sep 1, 2007
3,786
15
Here is a bit advice, and ignore people telling you what brand of magic or entertainment is in or out.

Yes, don't take advice from working professionals who have committed themselves to a lengthy study of business and marketing. That said, here's the fact of the matter: just saying that you specialize in cards is not good enough to convince people that you are indisposable. Being a distinctive personality with a highly unique show is worth far more than all the flavor-of-the-month DVDs in the world. Or do you want to claim otherwise?

The one thing though is that unless you have a reputation, MOST 4/5 star hotels will not hire you.

Most? Try all. The more affluent and high-end the client the more value the place on their time and the less likely they are to take a risk on someone who cannot demonstrate a value that's going to get them a sizable return on investment. A friend of mine is a millionaire in the restaurant business, and she'll confirm all of this.
 
Apr 17, 2013
885
4
Yes, don't take advice from working professionals who have committed themselves to a lengthy study of business and marketing. That said, here's the fact of the matter: just saying that you specialize in cards is not good enough to convince people that you are indisposable. Being a distinctive personality with a highly unique show is worth far more than all the flavor-of-the-month DVDs in the world.

QFTFT!!!!!

Gaetan Bloom said in one of his lectures "Don't be a specialist. A specialist knows less and less about more and more on a little subject." Meaning, sure you know 400 card tricks, but you are lost if you loose your cards. Be curious about magic. All of magic. Be different. Take time to learn effects outside of your comfort zone.

When I got back into performing I took a look around to see what everyone else was doing. What I saw was magic seemed to have stopped in 1997 with that first David Blaine special. I knew if I wanted to stand out I needed to step away from a deck of cards and go all Slydini on people. I dusted off my Vernon books and lecture notes. Pulled up old articles about the Vernon touch. How to be more natural. I went through my 30 years of Tops from the 1930's-1960's.

Right now I'm working on putting Rope Nut Knot into my rope set. I'm also going back over the Mark Wilson book for the sponge ball section. (one of the best places to get your basics down in sponge) Like I said earlier I could drop cards from my acts and not miss a beat. I would replace the cards in Matrix with business cards. There is so much great magic out there with paper money, coins, ropes, rubber bands and safety pins that only a select few of us are doing. That is one of the reasons why we stand out. We aren't just another guy with cards. Magic is the means by which we tell stories to entertain. Effects our are tools to tell the story. If everyone is telling the same story then it gets boring.
 
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