The million dollar question (7 effects)

May 17, 2011
50
0
I've done magic for about 4-6 years now on and off. And I have fallen, most prominently in the "much more magic than you need" trap. Over 4ish years I feel like I've learned a tone, but can't do much. A while back I saw Toby, a member here, make a podcast about working on a cruise ship (here: http://forums.theory11.com/showthread.php?36838-Working-as-a-Magician-on-a-Cruise-Ship!/page4 ) I found this interesting and though I've never considered working in magic before and I'm still not planing to make it a career, I'd like to try this out eventually, just as an experience.
Optimistic as I may be about getting a job despite not planning to be a professional I'm still realistic enough to know I need to be good. And inspiring myself off of Toby's mention that you need 7 tricks I am giving myself 2 years to perfect (......lets say ameliorate) 7 effects, no more no less. 7 effects that have practical application and that I enjoy preforming. That gives me 100 days per trick (about) and with a good foundation in terms of basic magic knowledge I think that 100 day per effect will be enough to get me started on the right path (the path of quality.)
Ideally I like gaff-less, hardcore, coin work but I realize that this is not a plausible due to the main issue of angles which shoots the whole thing to hell in this kind of work as Toby mentions. So I want just suggestion on which effect and why should pick that one. Of course from there I'll pick and choose and try different ones before settling on 7. I'm hoping that focusing on only a small number at a time and more importantly perfecting them 1 by one will help me improve and get out of the "different tricks for the same people" trap.

So, let me know what you think would be a good effect to learn and if this seems like a good way to proceed. Thank you.
 
Sep 1, 2007
1,395
8
37
Belgrade, Serbia
I've done magic for about 4-6 years now on and off. And I have fallen, most prominently in the "much more magic than you need" trap. Over 4ish years I feel like I've learned a tone, but can't do much. A while back I saw Toby, a member here, make a podcast about working on a cruise ship (here: http://forums.theory11.com/showthread.php?36838-Working-as-a-Magician-on-a-Cruise-Ship!/page4 ) I found this interesting and though I've never considered working in magic before and I'm still not planing to make it a career, I'd like to try this out eventually, just as an experience.
Optimistic as I may be about getting a job despite not planning to be a professional I'm still realistic enough to know I need to be good. And inspiring myself off of Toby's mention that you need 7 tricks I am giving myself 2 years to perfect (......lets say ameliorate) 7 effects, no more no less. 7 effects that have practical application and that I enjoy preforming. That gives me 100 days per trick (about) and with a good foundation in terms of basic magic knowledge I think that 100 day per effect will be enough to get me started on the right path (the path of quality.)
Ideally I like gaff-less, hardcore, coin work but I realize that this is not a plausible due to the main issue of angles which shoots the whole thing to hell in this kind of work as Toby mentions. So I want just suggestion on which effect and why should pick that one. Of course from there I'll pick and choose and try different ones before settling on 7. I'm hoping that focusing on only a small number at a time and more importantly perfecting them 1 by one will help me improve and get out of the "different tricks for the same people" trap.

So, let me know what you think would be a good effect to learn and if this seems like a good way to proceed. Thank you.
Hey buddy! I'm so glad my video and thread inspired you, it really means a lot!
Onto your question: 7 tricks is a great foundation, and I support you 100%. I wouldn't necessarily perfect them one at a time, because practicing, perfecting, performing and working on only one trick for 100 days can be a little bit brain washing and may do you more harm then good. It's always useful to leave that effect for a week or two after you've worked on it for a while, just to get a break and get a new perspective, and then get back to it after couple of weeks with "new eyes". So working on 3 tricks at a time is better then working on only 1. It's more productive and more interesting for you.
Also, I would recommend that you have some "fillers", aka. tricks that you don't really plan on perfecting, but you like performing them anyways. So when you actually go out to perform, you can do 2-3 of your main effects that you are working on, and the rest are the fillers to keep yourself entertained and release the pressure.
As far as which 7 tricks you should perfect, no one can tell you that. At least not in a way of which tricks exactly, but I will give you some pointers to which side you should lean if you plan on doing this professionally.
They should be:
-Angle proof, or as close to that as you can get.
-No reset, instant reset or a reset that you can do in performance
-Tricks that you can do over and over again, in a row (meaning that they don't use some material that you will run out of very quickly, that you don't have to go to the bathroom to reset, self contained so you don't need to use something that you may not find etc.)
-Tricks that are performed at chest height and take a lot of "air space". Think of "Asher Twist" for example, where everything happens at crotch level and your hands move 2 inches apart, and compare that with "Fiber Optics" rope routine where everything is chest height and your arms are spread out wide. Visibility is the key.
-Tricks that can be done in the hands and don't require a lot/if any table space. Any trick that you can do in the hands at chest level is better than the best trick you can do that requires a lot of table space. Talking about restaurant magic of course. You won't have a lot of table space to begin with, it's rude to move peoples plates and glasses around, plus visibility is greatly lessened if you have to use the table top.
-Visual is always better. If you can find a very visual trick at chest height, you'll have a winner (think of a very visual "3 fly"). If people can understand the effect without much talking, even better.

Now, you also want to have different tricks for different tables, situations, age groups etc. It would be best if you had a different trick for every of these situations:
-Small table (2-4 people)
-Large table (10-12 people)
-Old people mixed (man and women)
-Old people male only
-Old people women only
-Young to adult mixed
-Young to adult males
-Young to adult women
-Kids mixed
-Kids boys only
-Kids girls only
-Couples young (honeymoon, anniversary)
-Couples old
-Business people (highly intellectual, lawyers, doctors, managers etc.)
-Families
-Mixed table with all ages and genders

Some of the tricks you will be able to do for different table groups, but you will also need some specific ones for certain groups.
Since it's pretty late over here, and I'm about to go to bed, that's all I could think of for now. If you have any questions, please ask, I'll be glad to help you out.
 
May 17, 2011
50
0
Hey,

Thank you very much, this is very helpful, I think your right about doing one trick over and over, once I see what I'm going to work on I'll make sure to keep things interesting as to not discourage myself.
I'll look true the kind of magic I like and see if I can find things that cover the criteria you've set, this will help narrow down my decision to really the most versatile stuff in terms of performance.
I do have one question for you if you don't mind. With tricks like Invisible deck, were the spectator must be above your hands for the effect to work, how does this work when people are sitting down? I've always wondered this and it just feels unnatural when ever I try it. Thank you again for your help.
 
Sep 1, 2007
1,395
8
37
Belgrade, Serbia
I do have one question for you if you don't mind. With tricks like Invisible deck, were the spectator must be above your hands for the effect to work, how does this work when people are sitting down? I've always wondered this and it just feels unnatural when ever I try it. Thank you again for your help.
Very simple. That should be problem for me the most, since I'm 6'6", but it never is. Because even if people are sitting at a table, their heads are still above your waist level (unless they are sitting on the floor or ridiculously low chairs). I did perform Invisible Deck for people sitting on the floor, and me standing, and all you have to do is just tilt your wrists forward, so the top of the deck will be facing them. If this is too unnatural to do standing up straight, just lean forward a little bit, it works like a charm.
 
Oct 19, 2012
65
1
bangalore
Very simple. That should be problem for me the most, since I'm 6'6", but it never is. Because even if people are sitting at a table, their heads are still above your waist level (unless they are sitting on the floor or ridiculously low chairs). I did perform Invisible Deck for people sitting on the floor, and me standing, and all you have to do is just tilt your wrists forward, so the top of the deck will be facing them. If this is too unnatural to do standing up straight, just lean forward a little bit, it works like a charm.

Can you please recommend some tricks that can be performed at the chest level ?? Cause i cant think of any right now . Thanks :)
 
May 17, 2011
50
0
Thanks, I guess I'm still missing a lot of experience preforming, I'll work on that. And like you said a cruise ship does seem like a good place to gather preforming experience.
 
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