LIVE strolling mentalism clips - corporate event

[Benji Bruce]

A friend of mine went to my gig last night and recorded me performing so I thought you guys might want to check it out.

Quarter Bend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erCvSlMcn6o

PK Time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jviQUqjaaeU

PK Touch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Os-rfuZ_0k

 

[Austin Fields]

Pretty good man, good promotional videos.

You're playing the methods pretty well but there's a lot more that you could do with the presentation to make the effects way stronger than they are. Obviously you've got the methods working without fail, so start working with things like suggestion. See if you can get the person's hand to heat up as the time changes, or her arm starts tingling. Try to the quarter bend in the spectator's hand? The touches routine didn't have a whole ton of build up either, none of the effects really did so maybe you cut that part of the effects out. Even still, the reactions weren't where they could be.

Solid job overall man, keep fighting to get better and better though. The stronger it is, the more memorable.

 

[Mat La Vore]

I agree with everything Beans25 above me said. Good videos to have up for sure. You have a natural charm about you that people seem to enjoy, and you have the workings of the effects down well. Looks good overall. I've been using the same three effects and the same three methods youre using for a number of years now too. So good choices in effects.

As Beans25 said, if you added some suggestion in to the routines, it would take them up a few notches. I do the same coin bend you do (best gimmick I ever bought) but I do the coin bend in the spectator hand with a hypnotic stiff arm. Really brings the effect up quite a bit as well as makes it bigger and more visual for those around. Also, for PK Time, you have to make them feel those hands turning in their hand, man. (Check out some of Luke Jermay's stuff if you haven't already. Especially Building Blocks and 7 Deceptions.) Also, for PK Touches your hands come really close to the spectator's arm at a rapid speed. Obviously it played well here, but I'm sure there are times when some spectators leave and think about it and assume you somehow touched them when your hands were waving all around their arm. You can be a lot more casual and minimal with it, which will in turn make the effect a lot more direct and clear for the spectators watching. The clearer it is for those watching that there's no way you could have possibly touched the first volunteer the better.

Enjoyed the clips, Benji. Looks like your spectators did as well when you were there filming. Definitely good stuff, and it's good to see you out there. Keep up the good work.

 

[velcrowe]

Outstanding, Benji.

Gotta disagree with the two posters above. Not sure what kind of venue they thought your were at, but given the amount of time you had with each group and the low-key setting, I thought it was great!

"Reactions weren't where they could be"... ? It was a cocktail party. Nice scenes of calm bewilderment are to be expected from great magic there... Not people freaking out and yelling.

Just my opinion, anyway.

 

[Mat La Vore]

Outstanding, Benji.

Gotta disagree with the two posters above. Not sure what kind of venue they thought your were at, but given the amount of time you had with each group and the low-key setting, I thought it was great!

"Reactions weren't where they could be"... ? It was a cocktail party. Nice scenes of calm bewilderment are to be expected from great magic there... Not people freaking out and yelling.

Just my opinion, anyway.

Well, I feel confident in saying the venue "the two posters above" thought he was performing at was the same one you saw in the video. Also, how do you know how much time he had with each group? There is no information suggesting any type of time restriction. Anyhow, that really has nothing to do with the comments above to which you referenced. Also, I thought Benji got excellent reactions from his spectators, but if you ever try selling yourself as someone who is going to create "calm bewilderment" at your client's cocktail party, I hope you don't expect to book the gig.

Don't be so quick to disagree with constructive criticism in lieu of blind admiration. I agree with you, Benji's performances were good. But they could have been better. Whenever I watch myself on video I find things I didn't like or want to improve upon as well. And I'm always grateful when other performers offer honest constructive feedback as well. I have no doubt that anyone driven to be great--and Benji seems to be that type--doesn't appreciate some respectful constructive feedback. This is how we improve. This is how the good become great, and the great become legendary. One improvement at a time and accepting no excuses to not improve.

Again, good work, Benji. Look forward to seeing more from you, man.

 

[velcrowe]

Also, how do you know how much time he had with each group?

I don't. Just thought that maybe he might not have had a substantial amount of time to add the suggestions you offered, that's all.

if you ever try selling yourself as someone who is going to create "calm bewilderment" at your client's cocktail party, I hope you don't expect to book the gig.

I didn't say a thing about the appropriate reactions one needs to "sell" in order to get a gig. I simply made the observation that, at a cocktail party, a calm reaction can still be a very good one if the spectator is genuinely stumped. You didn't say anything about the spectator's reactions in your original post anyway, so I'm not sure why you felt the need to defend yourself here by insinuating (backhandedly, I might add) that I try to book gigs incorrectly.

Don't be so quick to disagree with constructive criticism...

I wasn't stalking you, waiting for the moment you posted just to be a contrarian. Perhaps don't be so quick to disagree with someone who disagrees with your constructive criticism?

...in lieu of blind admiration.

Now you're just being silly. I couldn't be blind otherwise I couldn't see the videos.

Again, good work, Benji. Look forward to seeing more from you, man.

Agreed!

 

[formula]

First time I've seen videos of you performing Benji and I loved it, you have a real style and charm that I didn't expect judging from your picture.

 

[Benji Bruce]

First time I've seen videos of you performing Benji and I loved it, you have a real style and charm that I didn't expect judging from your picture.

Thanks.

There are tons of videos on my youtube page and website if you want to check them out

 

[Austin Fields]

Outstanding, Benji.

Gotta disagree with the two posters above. Not sure what kind of venue they thought your were at, but given the amount of time you had with each group and the low-key setting, I thought it was great!

"Reactions weren't where they could be"... ? It was a cocktail party. Nice scenes of calm bewilderment are to be expected from great magic there... Not people freaking out and yelling.

Just my opinion, anyway.

I understand where you're coming from, but those venues were very possible to do some suggestion in. Actually that was probably the best place I've ever seen to do walk around mentalism, I NEVER get a venue like that. It seemed very calm and easy going .

Anyway, no, the reactions weren't what they could have been, and in our field, being known isn't enough. If you're a great marketer then that will get you started, but to sustain you must be the best. It's that simple. You can do all the marketing in the world, but word of mouth is going to be taken with more validity than any other form of marketing. If people are talking about you, you'll get higher paying gigs, more repeat bookings and overall happier clients.

Not sure what type of venues you've worked, but rarely do people actually freak out and yell, especially with mentalism. David Blaine is the only magician I've seen get "consistent" yells, and even then I'm sure he has far more footage of people being stunned than screaming. Why would you ever tone down your work in an attempt to fit the venue? They pay a very good amount of money for me to be at that venue, and I'll give them everything I've got because I've worked for it, and they paid for it.

 

[Randy]

I understand where you're coming from, but those venues were very possible to do some suggestion in. Actually that was probably the best place I've ever seen to do walk around mentalism, I NEVER get a venue like that. It seemed very calm and easy going .

Anyway, no, the reactions weren't what they could have been, and in our field, being known isn't enough. If you're a great marketer then that will get you started, but to sustain you must be the best. It's that simple. You can do all the marketing in the world, but word of mouth is going to be taken with more validity than any other form of marketing. If people are talking about you, you'll get higher paying gigs, more repeat bookings and overall happier clients.

Not sure what type of venues you've worked, but rarely do people actually freak out and yell, especially with mentalism. David Blaine is the only magician I've seen get "consistent" yells, and even then I'm sure he has far more footage of people being stunned than screaming. Why would you ever tone down your work in an attempt to fit the venue? They pay a very good amount of money for me to be at that venue, and I'll give them everything I've got because I've worked for it, and they paid for it.

People in real life situations don't normally freak out and go ballistic over a magic effect or anything. The reason the people in the video didn't go nuts is because he was a corporate event and because they were being filmed. So they are obviously going to control themselves in the way they react.

The other thing is that not many people will react the same way you've seen on TV or in the DVD's you buy. Many people often do react with a calm bewilderment or just a look of shock and astonishment, and maybe a word of "OMG" or "How is that possible?".

 

[Mat La Vore]

People in real life situations don't normally freak out and go ballistic over a magic effect or anything. The reason the people in the video didn't go nuts is because he was a corporate event and because they were being filmed. So they are obviously going to control themselves in the way they react...

This is not directed toward Benji--as I've already said, I think he got excellent reactions--but in my experience you are dead wrong. In fact, it was just last night at a wine bar I was performing at that I had the two reserved owners, dressed up and talking wine with their customers, soon running about and cursing like uninhibited teenagers. I regularly do make "people in real life situations," such as "corporate events," "freak out and go ballistic over a magic effect," completely unrestrained in "controlling themselves in the way they react." I'm not saying this to brag--as I've seen many other performers incite those same reactions--but just to support my point of disagreement. You may not be getting those reactions, but your experience isn't a universal one for all performers. For a long time I didn't get those reactions either. And that was because I wasn't earning them.

Also, just to be clear, I'm not saying this is the reaction one should necessarily be aiming for, or even that it is the best reaction to get. "Calm bewilderment" is never something I aim for though either. I don't ever want a spectator to feel calmed when I perform. "Astonished into silence" is something I very much appreciate though.

 

[eostresh]

For what it is worth I'll side with you on this Mat. I also didn't think that Mat's constructive criticism was in any way "Harsh" on Benji. Nor did I think it took anything away from Benji's performance. Benji isn't a good magician who is trying to up his game so he can start to book $1000.00 gigs. He is already a great magician who IS booking $1000.00 gigs. Benji's next step is to the "big time." Getting not just regional but National exposure. To do that you really need to dial in all the minutia that separates the "pretty goods" from the "Totally uneffing Believables!" So the critiques other experience performers give him will naturally sound a little more nitpicky than critiques of less skilled magicians and mentalists who are still flashing gimmicks or unintentionally drawing attention to particular techniques.

I hope to someday be as good a performer as Banji is now and when I get there I hope there are guys like Mat La Vore who can still give me advice on how to get better.

 

[mariyafrankjon]

I agree. Time has made every thing possible and effective. It is really appreciable.

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corporate events miami

 

[DarellChristensen]

A friend of mine went to my gig last night and recorded me performing so I thought you guys might want to check it out.

Quarter Bend:

PK Time:

PK Touch:

Well, I must say that videos are too good. I really liked them.