Asking a favor for plotting a performance

Apr 20, 2013
71
0
Dear T11 forum members,

I've been chosen to perform on a Sweet Seventeen Birthday Party ( I don't even know that such thing still exist ) of a girl, a daughter of my father's boss.
I like to keep the theme and plot of my performance close to the event itself, but since this is a birthday party of a 17th years old adolescence, I don't know what would relate to that.

I was thinking of something more on like "Improvement of Decision Making" in which I will perform series of magic related to the girl's ability on decision making has improved as she is growing up.
But I would like to hear ideas from this forum.

Sincerely, _SIN
 
Apr 20, 2013
71
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@Steerpike

Well, let's just say, I'm doing a "favor" for my father right now. Let's just say he is not in a good "relationship" with his boss that if I manage to do good this "problem" would be solved.

I have tricks and games ready to be deployed, yet I don't know what theme would be best to go along with this particular event.
 
Sep 1, 2007
3,786
15
That was a mistake. And now you've gotten your father mixed up in it too, which is worse.

How long do you have?
 

Lyle Borders

Elite Member
Aug 5, 2008
1,604
859
Seattle, WA
www.theory11.com
Hey SinCera!

To start with, as Steerpike asked, when does this happen? The timeframe will make a big difference. If it is a few months out, you have lots of time to put together and crisp up a set. If it is soon, that changes things. Also, in addition to this, how many people will you be performing for, and are you performing for all of them at once (center stage) or are you essentially "table hopping", performing for small groups at the party?

What kinds of magic do you do? What tricks do you do that you already have down really well and are comfortable with? I would not do anything that is brand new unless you have LOTS of time to work on it and become comfortable with. Most of your magic needs to be built off of what you already are good at so when it comes time to perform that you aren't worrying about the trick. The audience causes enough stress, you don't need to add the entire "Is this going to work today?" element to the chaos.

Let us know so we can help you out.

// L
 

SteveF

Elite Member
Nov 3, 2010
80
6
I just got hired at a hospital and I perform open heart surgery in two weeks. Anyone have any tips or suggestions on any DVD's where I can learn open heart surgery?

(Would you want to be this doctor's patient? Would you hire any type of performer if you knew they accepted the gig without being prepared?)
 
Apr 17, 2013
885
4
I just got hired at a hospital and I perform open heart surgery in two weeks. Anyone have any tips or suggestions on any DVD's where I can learn open heart surgery?

I would check out the first few seasons of Grey's Anatomy. The ones with Dr. Burke. You can learn so much. Also look at the later seasons when Teddie was the cardio fellow. Now that Yang is kinda in charge you don't learn as much.
 
Dec 29, 2011
703
17
As if any magician started performing magic, after they learnt advanced scripting and pacing techinques and so on. Yes, you would be stupid to be trying to do full time work in magic, doing paid gigs with no structure, this guy is obviously young, doesn't have that much performance experience, and has a lot to learn. Go to the party, whether or not there will be a half hour set aside for everyone to sit around and watch you, or you'll be mingling and doing magic randomly for guests, thats up to you to decide, based on your rapport with all involved, and discussions with the hosts, and the image you want to project of yourself.

As for a theme, let the theme be the style you perform in, personally, I quite dislike 'themes' that aren't really related to the performance itself. And to be very frank, yours sounds boring and tacky, I dont know what your relationship is like with these people, but I get the uncomfortable feeling of you using your magic to teach 'life lessons', and everyone is just sitting around being bored and no one has fun. Make it personal, but also directly related to what you are physically doing.

You'll learn how to twist and shape your performances into what ever you like, but you cant start too technical, forgive me if I do assume you are inexperienced. Everyone has to sit around at least for a while and do strings of unconnected tricks with shaky hands and no transitions. If you're past that, excellent, getting better only gets easier from there. You can come here for advice all you want, but the best thing to do is just perform all you can, and learn all the important stuff yourself.
 
Apr 17, 2013
885
4
As if any magician started performing magic, after they learnt advanced scripting and pacing techinques and so on.

I spent the first three years working on my act, talking to theater people, learning how to script before I did anything in public. Then again, I had a mentor who pushed me to do these things. So, we are out there...
 

Ashrei

Elite Member
Sep 1, 2007
350
2
I just got hired at a hospital and I perform open heart surgery in two weeks. Anyone have any tips or suggestions on any DVD's where I can learn open heart surgery?

(Would you want to be this doctor's patient? Would you hire any type of performer if you knew they accepted the gig without being prepared?)

Moot point. Surgeons are required to go through the training before they can even be hired as a surgeon through residencies and fellowships. You don't need to build a straw-man here. He's in a pickle and the point is made. The best we can hope for is a damage control.

Sadly, I don't spend enough time with more serious themed patter to be of help. I would lean more towards something that makes the birthday girl look good, non-lecture like performance. If you are doing this as a favor, making that girl happy and entertained should be the priority, not sure how I feel about 'improved decision-making' theme.
 
Sep 1, 2007
3,786
15
not sure how I feel about 'improved decision-making' theme.

To put it bluntly, it's a terrible idea. It's another case of magicians thinking that they know better than the audience what is and is not entertaining, that everyone else will find our ideas fascinating. For a teenage girl's birthday party, your job is to make her look like the proverbial "belle of ball." They don't want to hear you talk. Your job is to make her look good. And in this case, to make your dad look good, which shouldn't have happened in the first place. I will continue to remind you of that point until you assure me that you're not going to make that mistake again.

That said, SinCera you need to hurry the hell up and answer the questions being asked of you. The longer you stall, the more screwed you are, and by extension so is your dad. How much time do you have? What material do you already have at your disposal? Are you stationary or strolling? How many people are going to be there?
 
Apr 20, 2013
71
0
okay, let me put it this way.

I DO have an experience in large stage magic.
I DO have an act ready to go.
I DO study theatrical performance and acting.
I DO have a plot and script that is ready to be deployed.
I DO have a lot of time, the birthday will be on 27 of December.
I DO prepared everything for this birthday party of her.

What I ask is actually a new idea or a plot that I can add or twist into my act, or maybe completely renew my act since right now I'm quite not satisfied that I do not make any progress on stage magic since 2 years of professional performing (I keep stuck on the same ideas nearly all the time, kind of creative block). But thank you all for your humble input. Maybe my words and statement is messed up when I open the thread. If this still goes south, it would be better for me if I close the thread.


PS.
Now I know where I screwed up on the first post. Right after I said "I like to keep the act close to the theme of the event", I should've said "and I would like to refresh my acts, as well to improve my performance"
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Ashrei

Elite Member
Sep 1, 2007
350
2
Eh, now that sounded more like a teenager's tantrum...
To think I was trying to stick out for ya...

I have no doubt you have those qualifying statements. (maybe some, but not enough to bug you with it)
My biggest question is, have you spoken with your client (father's boss) about what he is expecting and what to be expected in terms of number of guest, area for performance, 'theme of birthday', what kind of things she takes interests in. These are not humble input, more of trying to understand what is set up already so we can advise you as you asked us to.

We have no idea what your act is, so how can we help add or twist things into your act? Do I just start scream out effects after effects until you say, 'hey that's a good idea' and Frankenstein something?

Point is, we need details of what they want you to accomplish, what you want to accomplish, and at current level what you can accomplish for this birthday.
 
Apr 20, 2013
71
0
@Ashrei

I have spoken with the client. He is expecting of audience involvement and his daughter as the main star of the event. It would be an invite-only party, so he's assuming around 50-100 guests.
The theme of the birthday is, well, basically the daughter herself. There are no particular theme towards the party itself, and I'm assuming that it would be like a high-roller buffet dining, though I would ask later for confirmation.

My usual act would be Book Test that I modified so that the 1st audience ( in this case it will be the daughter ) "predicts" the prediction. Or a Russian Roullete , with the daughter as the one choosing which for who.

Oh and one more thing, client don't mind how long the act will be. He even said "a 5-15 minutes act will be good enough". So I'm implying, I would go to one main attraction, not a step-up act.

I just need an idea, in which you would say something like "Oh, how about you make the daughter........" not the actual effect, just an idea. And if I could figure it out before deadline, I would rehearse and use that. I'm just quite unsatisfied with my progress of performance for the past years. So, what I'm trying to accomplish is basically selfish: "To Improve Myself".

I'm sorry if I sounded raged on the previous post.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
So you've got a decent amount of time, and you've got experience.

You usually open with a book test? To be honest, I don't think that's a good idea. It's too slow an effect to open with, and it involves too much commitment from the audience who has just met you. I'm of the school of thought that says the first thing you do should be punchy and not involve audience participation.

If your act is generic enough that us simply tossing out random suggestions can help you, I think that's the problem.

You need to create a theme for yourself. A character. That character will put restrictions on what you can and cannot include in your act and automatically helps you create acts because it gives you a central idea to work around.

What's your character?
 
May 15, 2012
17
0
Malaysia
ok , plotting is very needed in all of magic , without plot just like a human without soul
so if you need to impress someone , plot is necessary .
But after i read some book and discuss with my friends(he is a quite good magician)
we get a conclusion , plot cant be defined .
So i really hard to explain to you what you need to do .
Besides , plot have explicit and implicit ,so you need to found it yourself .
 
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