Best Opener
- Thread starter ElisG
- Start date
No offense, but I think 2 and a half months is easily enough time to master one trick. All this "you need to practice your pinky break for 25 milleniums to fully master it~!", bs has gone to far now, I can easily get a trick to a performable stage in a couple of months. The rest of your post is tl;dr, after I read that segment...
Meh, 10 weeks is a couple of weeks imo, maybe I should've said "few"
. Do you used a version of CIP that's published, or is it your own handling?That is too bad ElisG, you may have learned something - a couple of weeks is very different than 10 weeks - that would be a couple of months. Perhaps when you ask for something, you should be more clear - but you shouldn't dismiss something that could have helped you...but when you say it is too long...you didn't read it...that displays the kind of magician and person you are - good luck seeking help in the future. Guess I should have named a trick:
So I will - Ball and Vase - on video, it may be at your level.
So I will - Ball and Vase - on video, it may be at your level.
Sorry, I didn't expect someone to nitpick every detail of my post and tell me why I was wrong, while I was just posing a simple question. I would've specified a date if the emphasis was on the timing of the event, but it wasn't, so your point is irrelevant, now gtfo
In my opinion, start out with a rope routine, maybe a short professors nightmare (3 phases aprox.). People are very use to seeing cards so when you pull out a deck, people will take you as the average magician, you want to go into a group of people making sure they have little to know standards as to what you are going to perform and in my opinion, a short rope routine does just that.
I hope this helps and be sure to let me know how your gig goes!
I hope this helps and be sure to let me know how your gig goes!
Yeah, I was sorta thinking the same thing, but do you think that Ropes are assosiated with the stereotype 'magician' who pull bunnies out of hats? I'm not sure, but I was considering doing a routine I devised from 'Fiber Optics', it has the advantage of being able to be viewed from a distance, to catch other tables interests.
Cheers.
Sorry ElisG - I thought perhaps you were the type of guy that wanted to learn more than tricks, and make use of what you may already do. Apprently you want tricks listed, rather than solid advice from a pro.
So here is a list of openers for you to pick from:
Coins across
Twisting the aces
Card to wallet
Color changing knives
Crazy man's handcuffs
Oil and water
Cups and balls
Three card monte
Any card at any number
Linking rings
$100 bill switch
Professor's nightmare
Cut and restored rope
Miser's dream
Ace productions
Ambitious card
Card through window
Rising card
Multiplying balls
Sponge balls
Matrix
Sympathetic coins
Chink-a-chink
Card to pocket
Card under the glass
Color changing deck (of cards)
Torn and restored card
Card warp
Coins through the table
Triumph
There - all of those can be used as openers...read my other post to understand why, and feel free to PM with questions on other things that an opener may need.
Sorry if I came off aggressive - but many of the people in this post don't care about magic enough to work on it hard - as I know guys that have done it for 2 months and are better than guys that have done it for 2 years.
On that note - gtfo yourself
M.
So here is a list of openers for you to pick from:
Coins across
Twisting the aces
Card to wallet
Color changing knives
Crazy man's handcuffs
Oil and water
Cups and balls
Three card monte
Any card at any number
Linking rings
$100 bill switch
Professor's nightmare
Cut and restored rope
Miser's dream
Ace productions
Ambitious card
Card through window
Rising card
Multiplying balls
Sponge balls
Matrix
Sympathetic coins
Chink-a-chink
Card to pocket
Card under the glass
Color changing deck (of cards)
Torn and restored card
Card warp
Coins through the table
Triumph
There - all of those can be used as openers...read my other post to understand why, and feel free to PM with questions on other things that an opener may need.
Sorry if I came off aggressive - but many of the people in this post don't care about magic enough to work on it hard - as I know guys that have done it for 2 months and are better than guys that have done it for 2 years.
On that note - gtfo yourself
M.
This makes me wonder what your opener is.
To someone who does not have a show sometime soon and still wanting to get a perfect routine down just in case, what would be the best opener dealing with cards?
I was going to say that, but now I'm forced to say On the Spot from Penguin Magic.
Hey ElisG,
No offense to other posters, but there's some bad advice for openers here. Technically you can open with anything, and if presented well, you can get positive reactions. But for an opener to be really good and effective, it should beperhaps)visual, straightforward and to the point, powerful, and importantly short.
The reason is the purpose for the opener is to establish credibility. If you have already established that, then you don't even really need an opener. They just need to be fast and effective. -not necessarily complicated.
When I worked in the restaurant, I used a TT and made a 18'' diamond silk appear and vanish. Simple, visual, and makes people want more.
Lately I've been using more flash paper, so now I make it appear with a flash of fire and then make it vanish using the TT.
The shorter the better. A lot of table situations, you only have 2-5 min, so you don't want your opener to take up half the time.
hope that helps.
j
No offense to other posters, but there's some bad advice for openers here. Technically you can open with anything, and if presented well, you can get positive reactions. But for an opener to be really good and effective, it should be
perhaps)visual, straightforward and to the point, powerful, and importantly short. The reason is the purpose for the opener is to establish credibility. If you have already established that, then you don't even really need an opener. They just need to be fast and effective. -not necessarily complicated.
When I worked in the restaurant, I used a TT and made a 18'' diamond silk appear and vanish. Simple, visual, and makes people want more.
Lately I've been using more flash paper, so now I make it appear with a flash of fire and then make it vanish using the TT.
The shorter the better. A lot of table situations, you only have 2-5 min, so you don't want your opener to take up half the time.
hope that helps.
j
some really great advice jtmorris - and more to the point of what should be talked about here. Good for you!
I liked these points:
echnically you can open with anything, and if presented well, you can get positive reactions. But for an opener to be really good and effective, it should beperhaps)visual, straightforward and to the point, powerful
I don't agree with short so much, but not the opposite either, as in long...but I do agree magic has to happen pretty soon after the "magic" has started - so I agree, in a side ways approach.
Also, I have had a VARIETY of time durations form 10 minutes to 30 minutes at each table...so again, this matters on what you show and how you build.
REGARDLESS - you gave some solid advice, and perhaps the first strong post in this thread. Cheers mate.
I liked these points:
echnically you can open with anything, and if presented well, you can get positive reactions. But for an opener to be really good and effective, it should beperhaps)visual, straightforward and to the point, powerful
I don't agree with short so much, but not the opposite either, as in long...but I do agree magic has to happen pretty soon after the "magic" has started - so I agree, in a side ways approach.
Also, I have had a VARIETY of time durations form 10 minutes to 30 minutes at each table...so again, this matters on what you show and how you build.
REGARDLESS - you gave some solid advice, and perhaps the first strong post in this thread. Cheers mate.
...to add one more thing...
remember, your real opener is when you approach the table...hopefully NOT with a deck of cards in your hand. The shows starts when you walk up to the table...so really....what is a good opener?
How about introducing yourself - how about talking now about what you can say...different ways to approach the group BEFORE magic comes out.
MORE important questions than....what is your favourite trick to show them first!! Right?
remember, your real opener is when you approach the table...hopefully NOT with a deck of cards in your hand. The shows starts when you walk up to the table...so really....what is a good opener?
How about introducing yourself - how about talking now about what you can say...different ways to approach the group BEFORE magic comes out.
MORE important questions than....what is your favourite trick to show them first!! Right?
How do you approach people.
Is is different when approaching a group of teenagers than with elders?
How do you bring about your magic to a table?
Hey DannyT,
My approach is mine - and it is one thing that makes me different, so I won't share what I do exactly - but I will tell you this.
For the most part - approach with who you are - if you are a fun guy, walk up to the table and allow that to come across...if you are serious and intelligent, introduce yourself in that way.
The best advice I would give you - approach the table in the same manner you would if you weren't a magician. Be a decent human being, and you will be a decent magician. Shake hands, connect with conversation, and make sure any concern is placed to rest.
Often people are concerned with - is this going to cost me anything, will this guy suck, is this the manager? Most haven't seen magic in restaurants, so keep that in mind.
Hope this helps.
Cheers.
My approach is mine - and it is one thing that makes me different, so I won't share what I do exactly - but I will tell you this.
For the most part - approach with who you are - if you are a fun guy, walk up to the table and allow that to come across...if you are serious and intelligent, introduce yourself in that way.
The best advice I would give you - approach the table in the same manner you would if you weren't a magician. Be a decent human being, and you will be a decent magician. Shake hands, connect with conversation, and make sure any concern is placed to rest.
Often people are concerned with - is this going to cost me anything, will this guy suck, is this the manager? Most haven't seen magic in restaurants, so keep that in mind.
Hope this helps.
Cheers.