Hello everybody (I'm 19 years old, if that's relevant to anyone),
I have a few questions Id like to ask.
So I have been doing magic for about three years now, mostly card magic, coin magic - close up. I never really had any (stage) gigs except the few times I got hired to do some walk around magic in a few bars.
There are few reasons for this. I found that I have like HUUUGE stage fright... Like if someone would say ¨Okay, now give a round of applause to a magician that comes next on the stage˝ I would probably faint :S...
I didnt have that kind of fright when I did does walk around bar situations (as I could pick the audience and some of them were a bit drunk etc.) but if I was to be called on a stage or make my own stage show... well i just can't, my stage fright beats me up.
The other reason is this: About 2 or 3 months ago, I started checking up some mentalism. I got the Freeform mentalism by Peter Turner as it seemed awesome. When I got through it, I think I kind of felt some connection with this kind of material. Maybe it's because of Peter, I don't know. But I feel more comfortable doing mentalism and I find it easier to find relevant stories and make them up myself to tell them with the effects. I really put a lot of work into his 2 dvd set. I sat down, watched it, liked it. I took a notebook and started writing everything down (I wrote down word for word his performance so I could then translate it to my language and of course adapt it to my style, so i wasnt copying him), I wrote down all the theory and went out and started practicing.
And one other reason for stage show is, that where i come from, showbussiness is not so well spread. It's really hard to make something of it. People dont even consider what we do an art here. When they hear 'magician or mentalist' they first think of 'oh its a magic clown ha-ha-ha'.
So however. I soon started cheking up more on mentalism on forums. I found out I should really buy 13 steps by T. Corinda and Practical Mental Effects by T. Annemann. So I did. I read the 13 steps but I still have to make notes and mark things and practice ect. I still have A LOT of work to do. I don't want to perform those effect from 13 stepst and Practical Mental effects, as I find them old, but however I want to adapt them to my style and to the present age, and want to have knowledge of all those techniques and effect (so don't understand me wrong, i think both books are great, with information that will last a lifetime)
Than I stumbled across Cold Reading ( I know, I know, One step at a time, but anyway), and started checking forums. I found that there are some works that are considered a must, these include:
Richard Webster (almost all books)
Kenton Knepper - Completely Cold
Bob Cassidy - The Real Work of Cold Reading
Lee Earles books
etc.
But I heard a lot of people say it's the best to just learn a classic system with Tarot or Palmistry, but none of them suggested any books or material on this.
So firstly I'd like to appologise for such a long post. This is my story and with it comes a few questions for which answers will be very appreciated.
I'd like to know:
-If I am on the right path to becoming a good mentalist (I really like propless stuff like Peter Turner and Luke Jermay, stuff that involves vocal acrobatis, slight of mouth, psy influence, of course for stage I'd use at least a few props like b******s and maybe g*******d envelopes etc., but use as much propless stuff as possible)?
-I'd really like to know, how do I even start with inventing a whole 1 hour show/act for example, how do I construct something like that? Do I just throw effect and connect them with stories? Or do I (I always imagined this is how one should do it) sit down and get the frame of the show, than decide which material to use and then write a script (like for a movie or something) of stories which I learn and then tell when I'm on stage?
-I'd REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, like to know how to get over stage fright... I got offered to do a stage show few times, not really big, myabe for 50-100 people, of course I declined because I didn't have an act prepared, I didn't have an act prepared because it seemed useless to me since I dont have the guts to walk up on a stage in front of 100 people anyway... So how can I deal with that, I really want to start performing, I want to someday have my own show and make a living with this if possible, but as of now things dont really go into my desired direction because of stage fright
((
-About Cold Reading. I was thinking of getting Richard Webster's Psychometry from A-Z as it was the most recomended everywhere I read. And I guess just this book should give some time to process and get fluent with, correct? But how about and actual established system with an oracle like Tarot and Palmistry, where can I find material about that? I also heard Luke Jermay say that he learned CR by learning how to read with Tarot and he practiced that for 2 years. But I dont just want to pick some book in the nearest book store that someone wrote who actually belives he has secret power, I want a real study on this cards that will teach me how to use them, so where can I get material like this on system for Tarot and Palmistry Reading?
And I should mention that I am not looking to be a reader, I want to be a mentalist, and use CR to spice up performance. But for this I want to learn a proper system just like any ''psychic'' would and did, and then add it in to mentalism. So I don't just want to learn a few Barnum staments.
So this would be about it. I'm again really sorry for such a long post, but I've had this questions for a long time now and I think I possibly read every forum and every thread but still these remained in my head.
I hope you all took time to read this and I thank you greatly for taking time to reply.
I have a few questions Id like to ask.
So I have been doing magic for about three years now, mostly card magic, coin magic - close up. I never really had any (stage) gigs except the few times I got hired to do some walk around magic in a few bars.
There are few reasons for this. I found that I have like HUUUGE stage fright... Like if someone would say ¨Okay, now give a round of applause to a magician that comes next on the stage˝ I would probably faint :S...
I didnt have that kind of fright when I did does walk around bar situations (as I could pick the audience and some of them were a bit drunk etc.) but if I was to be called on a stage or make my own stage show... well i just can't, my stage fright beats me up.
The other reason is this: About 2 or 3 months ago, I started checking up some mentalism. I got the Freeform mentalism by Peter Turner as it seemed awesome. When I got through it, I think I kind of felt some connection with this kind of material. Maybe it's because of Peter, I don't know. But I feel more comfortable doing mentalism and I find it easier to find relevant stories and make them up myself to tell them with the effects. I really put a lot of work into his 2 dvd set. I sat down, watched it, liked it. I took a notebook and started writing everything down (I wrote down word for word his performance so I could then translate it to my language and of course adapt it to my style, so i wasnt copying him), I wrote down all the theory and went out and started practicing.
And one other reason for stage show is, that where i come from, showbussiness is not so well spread. It's really hard to make something of it. People dont even consider what we do an art here. When they hear 'magician or mentalist' they first think of 'oh its a magic clown ha-ha-ha'.
So however. I soon started cheking up more on mentalism on forums. I found out I should really buy 13 steps by T. Corinda and Practical Mental Effects by T. Annemann. So I did. I read the 13 steps but I still have to make notes and mark things and practice ect. I still have A LOT of work to do. I don't want to perform those effect from 13 stepst and Practical Mental effects, as I find them old, but however I want to adapt them to my style and to the present age, and want to have knowledge of all those techniques and effect (so don't understand me wrong, i think both books are great, with information that will last a lifetime)
Than I stumbled across Cold Reading ( I know, I know, One step at a time, but anyway), and started checking forums. I found that there are some works that are considered a must, these include:
Richard Webster (almost all books)
Kenton Knepper - Completely Cold
Bob Cassidy - The Real Work of Cold Reading
Lee Earles books
etc.
But I heard a lot of people say it's the best to just learn a classic system with Tarot or Palmistry, but none of them suggested any books or material on this.
So firstly I'd like to appologise for such a long post. This is my story and with it comes a few questions for which answers will be very appreciated.
I'd like to know:
-If I am on the right path to becoming a good mentalist (I really like propless stuff like Peter Turner and Luke Jermay, stuff that involves vocal acrobatis, slight of mouth, psy influence, of course for stage I'd use at least a few props like b******s and maybe g*******d envelopes etc., but use as much propless stuff as possible)?
-I'd really like to know, how do I even start with inventing a whole 1 hour show/act for example, how do I construct something like that? Do I just throw effect and connect them with stories? Or do I (I always imagined this is how one should do it) sit down and get the frame of the show, than decide which material to use and then write a script (like for a movie or something) of stories which I learn and then tell when I'm on stage?
-I'd REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, like to know how to get over stage fright... I got offered to do a stage show few times, not really big, myabe for 50-100 people, of course I declined because I didn't have an act prepared, I didn't have an act prepared because it seemed useless to me since I dont have the guts to walk up on a stage in front of 100 people anyway... So how can I deal with that, I really want to start performing, I want to someday have my own show and make a living with this if possible, but as of now things dont really go into my desired direction because of stage fright
((-About Cold Reading. I was thinking of getting Richard Webster's Psychometry from A-Z as it was the most recomended everywhere I read. And I guess just this book should give some time to process and get fluent with, correct? But how about and actual established system with an oracle like Tarot and Palmistry, where can I find material about that? I also heard Luke Jermay say that he learned CR by learning how to read with Tarot and he practiced that for 2 years. But I dont just want to pick some book in the nearest book store that someone wrote who actually belives he has secret power, I want a real study on this cards that will teach me how to use them, so where can I get material like this on system for Tarot and Palmistry Reading?
And I should mention that I am not looking to be a reader, I want to be a mentalist, and use CR to spice up performance. But for this I want to learn a proper system just like any ''psychic'' would and did, and then add it in to mentalism. So I don't just want to learn a few Barnum staments.
So this would be about it. I'm again really sorry for such a long post, but I've had this questions for a long time now and I think I possibly read every forum and every thread but still these remained in my head.
I hope you all took time to read this and I thank you greatly for taking time to reply.
