Learn from Every Gig - Todays Lesson

[RickEverhart]

Hey guys, just returned from doing a 45 minute family / kids show, outdoors in the heat for an audience of 50 people. Kids ranged from age 4 to highs chool and there were about 15 adults as well.

The show went awesome but I had one major gripe and maybe some of you have had this happen. I am not sure how to fix it, but this was the scenario.

The client had me set up my table and props and layed out 4 big blankets in front of my table for the children. I made sure that there was at least 10 feet in front of my for calling volunteers up like normal.

I begin my show and then.....all of the sudden more and more adults start showing up and moving chairs around and they are literally killing my angles. They have positioned themselves practically 45 degrees behind my on both sides behind my table and set up. Clearly from here they can see things, effects, how props work, etc.

I was not happy...but there was NO WHERE else for them to go. The show had already started. I wasn't going to move my entire set up another 15 feet back after I began the opening effect.

At least 3 of my effects out of the 12 I know a few of the adults could see how they worked and I could hear them whispering....ugh. I was a little pieved.

What would some of you guys have done in this situation? Have any of you had a similar experience? This wasn't a case of me just moving backwards...that wasn't possible.

 

[Luis Vega]

Hey guys, just returned from doing a 45 minute family / kids show, outdoors in the heat for an audience of 50 people. Kids ranged from age 4 to highs chool and there were about 15 adults as well.

The show went awesome but I had one major gripe and maybe some of you have had this happen. I am not sure how to fix it, but this was the scenario.

The client had me set up my table and props and layed out 4 big blankets in front of my table for the children. I made sure that there was at least 10 feet in front of my for calling volunteers up like normal.

I begin my show and then.....all of the sudden more and more adults start showing up and moving chairs around and they are literally killing my angles. They have positioned themselves practically 45 degrees behind my on both sides behind my table and set up. Clearly from here they can see things, effects, how props work, etc.

I was not happy...but there was NO WHERE else for them to go. The show had already started. I wasn't going to move my entire set up another 15 feet back after I began the opening effect.

At least 3 of my effects out of the 12 I know a few of the adults could see how they worked and I could hear them whispering....ugh. I was a little pieved.

What would some of you guys have done in this situation? Have any of you had a similar experience? This wasn't a case of me just moving backwards...that wasn't possible.

well something similar happenend to me sometime ago...

I was on a gig and some people started to move their chairs in the same way as you...

the only thing I could really suggest...is to think ahead, the next show I supervised how the chairs were positioned and ask the restaturant employees to not move them, I also put some extra chairs in case some people show up late so I could be covered anytime...

 

[SKSleighofHand]

Hi Reverhart,

Well, first of all, I want to say I am sorry that your show does not work out due to the angles. But, if I were in your situation, it is all about the audience control.

For example, when I perform magic to high school students, and most of the time, they are like pushing each other to see my magic. So, I always tell them, "Back away, give a magician some space". Most of the times, they do as so.

 

[GusEds]

For example, when I perform magic to high school students, and most of the time, they are like pushing each other to see my magic. So, I always tell them, "Back away, give a magician some space". Most of the times, they do as so.

I don't think that would work in said situation as there was no space for the adults to move! Everhart, I think what I would've done is improvised my entire performance on the premises of moving forward and engaging the children.

I'm not sure as to whom your show was geared to, but it sounds to me like it could've been worked out had you moved up towards the children, and maybe focused on them whilst at the same time entertaining the adults with some tricks and jokes - that way, even if they do happen to see something, they'll disregard it because it wasn't specifically FOR THEM to see. Feel me?

Then again, I don't know if they paid to specifically see you perform for them, or any other circumstances.

Food for thought!

 

[Mat La Vore]

What would some of you guys have done in this situation? Have any of you had a similar experience? This wasn't a case of me just moving backwards...that wasn't possible.

I had a similar experience once. I had already started and then more people started coming over to watch. There wasn't enough room so some of them started going behind me, and a few of them had videocameras.

Each time I just said, "Come around to this side so you can see. There's nothing to see back there but my back."

It worked fine each time, but two guys said, "It's OK, we're fine back here." I just told them I couldn't do my show with anyone behind me and asked if they would mind coming back to the front with the rest of the audience and they complied. I was just straight-forward with my request, and they seemed to be fine with obliging.

I think as long as the people behind you aren't there because they're heckling you, but because they honestly want to see better, they won't mind moving back to the front and will understand they can't watch "behind the scenes" during a magic performance unless invited.

I think it's just a matter of taking control of the situation.

 

[DannyT]

Whenever I perform and people are standing behind me just trying to see how everything works, I just say, "Hey, the shows a lot better from the front".(sarcastically)

However, in your situation, you really had no control over the situation since they had no where else to go.
The best thing you could do now is just learn from experience.
Bring and set up props to put beside/behind you to cover the bad angles so people couldn't see if they wanted to.
Let me explain . . .
I went to a McGyver lecture by Scott Francis, where he taught how to make props/tricks cheap.
He had colored fabric set up on 3 sets of tent poles(in the shape of rectangles+ stands) when he would perform corporate events to add a little bit of excitement when business men would walk into the room in which he performed.

You could go out and purchase these tent poles for cheap. Their just flimsy poles that connect to each other, so you could make any shape you wanted big/small.
Go to a fabric store and get stretchy fabric to pull over the poles.
All this sounds expensive, but it's really not. And honestly, to never have this situation happen again, it's worth it. It also makes you look more professional.
Put a logo on the fronts of these of whatever you want.
Set them up along side of you, and behind you.
If your outside, then have something to weigh them down.
And that's it.
Pm me if you have any questions.

 

[Zac Eckstein]

Hey guys, just returned from doing a 45 minute family / kids show, outdoors in the heat for an audience of 50 people. Kids ranged from age 4 to highs chool and there were about 15 adults as well.

The show went awesome but I had one major gripe and maybe some of you have had this happen. I am not sure how to fix it, but this was the scenario.

The client had me set up my table and props and layed out 4 big blankets in front of my table for the children. I made sure that there was at least 10 feet in front of my for calling volunteers up like normal.

I begin my show and then.....all of the sudden more and more adults start showing up and moving chairs around and they are literally killing my angles. They have positioned themselves practically 45 degrees behind my on both sides behind my table and set up. Clearly from here they can see things, effects, how props work, etc.

I was not happy...but there was NO WHERE else for them to go. The show had already started. I wasn't going to move my entire set up another 15 feet back after I began the opening effect.

At least 3 of my effects out of the 12 I know a few of the adults could see how they worked and I could hear them whispering....ugh. I was a little pieved.

What would some of you guys have done in this situation? Have any of you had a similar experience? This wasn't a case of me just moving backwards...that wasn't possible.

Oh my God. That happened to me twice in a row. They were both churches. For some dumb reason every one sits and everything is cool. then all of a sudden, people are in a 90 degree angle around me! I was pissed. i know how you feel bro. Both times I couldn't move even if I wanted to. The first time I had a wall behind me. Second time I had a wall to left and back of me.

Here are some pics.

 

[RickEverhart]

Wow...glad I am not the only one this has happened to. The show was geared towards the kids mainly but the adults all of the sudden thought, "Hey...this guy is pretty good and the real deal...we want to come see too."

Luis, great advice. I should have just told the client that I needed all the chairs set up a head of time prior to the show so I could set up accordingly. It was kind of a whirlwind where people were all sitting under tents and in the garage and then just carried their chairs over "after" they saw I was good and the kids were having a blast.

SK, if I was strolling or in a position to control the crowd, I would have. This wasn't the case. The people showed up with the chairs, crowded around in every little crevace they could find and even if I would have told them to please move there wasn't anywhere for them to go. This was on a good sized front yard too.

Gus...that is kind of what I tried to do. I tried to just cater to the kids but the adults on my bad angles were seeing everything and I had no cover so then they began to whisper and talk about the effects.

Mat, I normally do the same thing. I tell them the magic happens out front and there is nothing back behind me but in this case, yeah...wasn't anywhere for them to move to so I think I was pretty much screwed...ha ha. The adults were actually nice who could see stuff, didn't heckle, just talked amongst themselves that they could see this or that.

Danny...thanks for the tip. I may be able to rig something up with some small PVC plastic pipe and some type of banner to cover the side angles. Good promotional stuff too and makes the show look bigger.

Zac, glad you have been there buddy. It is a bad feeling when you know there is no immediate fix to the problem and certain people can see things.

Thanks my friends. It is always a pleasure to brainstorm and hear what other workers have to share who have been there.

All in all it was a super show and the adults took 20 business cards and one of them rebooked me for a private party in 2 weeks.

 

[steven23234]

This is why even when you have a stage"area often floor level with spectators." and seating there should always be a few, often gimmicked tricks that can be performed surrounded. You are more of a magician if you use a gimmick and no one knows then if you knowingly expose a slight. Also I agree 100% with what was said above. Thank you for sharing your experience with us

 

[RickEverhart]

I wasn't worried about my sleights...it was my gimmicked effects where a door holding something swings to the back, or my mismade bill routine with the extra flap dollar in the back, etc.

Oh well. Live and learn. I just hope that other people can learn from this experience.

It just goes to show you that even after years of experience you always have room to grow and become better. You'll only know if you are out there performing in the trenches and actually doing it than sitting in front of a web cam.

 

[Randomwrath]

Ugh yes, this has happened to me before, twice. My friend and I do a lot of shows with a local storyteller. Problem is, we have a tendency to get a little...shall we say creative with our methods, which leaves us with some impressive if not very angly tricks. Both times, we made our performances with the expectation of performing in a certain venue, but due to weather, we were moved inside to a different location, thus allowing people to sit all the way around us. The best we managed to do both times was getting family to sit to the far left, and fellow performers to sit to the far right. This mostly solved the problem, though I know a few people still saw the method, particularly in the first performance. I can only take comfort in the fact that anybody who did see the method must have come away with the impression that all magicians are bats**t insane...

 

[praetoritevong]

If possible, it is always helpful to scout the performance area beforehand. Place yourself if they place you somewhere that won't work, and obtain a good estimate of how many people will turn up. From there, you can get a good idea about how the space is going to be filled up, and adjust accordingly.

 

[danielmontagne]

maybe you should search for an emergency trick, when everybody is around you, you stop everything and does something very visual , maybe with flash paper, something that's show them whithout telling them to stay in front of you