Creating Routines

[fmos2]

Hi guys,

Bit of a broad question but I'd like some advice on how should I go about creating a card magic routine. It would be great if I could get your views on a number of these questions in particular:

How long should the routine be? Should you have more than one routine? Are routines composed of effects you personally like or should you be picking effects from a variety of categories, even though they may not necessarily be your favourite? Are effects within a routine required to be arranged in some particular way I.e weakest to strongest effect?Is it important to transition from one effect to another with some sort of patter or do you just dive straight into it?

Any of your thoughts with regards to the above questions, as well as recommendations to resources where I can read more about routining would be much appreciated.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

There aren't really many rules in this. It's mostly guidelines.

A routine should be a few tricks linked together with a common theme of some sort. In extremely general terms, you can link routines by their prop, or by their script.

A routine should be long enough to convey the desired effect. That may be one trick with extra scripting, it may be many tricks.

Side note: Effect and trick are not the same thing. A trick is the thing you're doing in the performance, the effect is what the audience perceives is happening. 2 Card Monte is a trick, the effect is two cards transpose with two other cards from out of the volunteer's hand.

The routine should contain the tricks that will create the desired effect. I've never considered favoring my "favorite" tricks - I write a routine and work it until it creates the effect I want. I do have favorite routines, though.

The tricks you put into the routine should be arranged in such an order that it creates the effect you desire.

Transitions are very important - If you routine doesn't have smooth transitions between the various tricks inside the routine, it won't make sense as a routine - it will just seem like a jumble of tricks. Likewise, if your act doesn't have good transitions between routines, it will seem like a jumbled mess. Luckily, creating transitions between routines is easier than making smooth flowing routines.

Curious though - when you say routine, do you actually mean act?

 

[Lord Magic]

Hi guys,

Bit of a broad question but I'd like some advice on how should I go about creating a card magic routine. It would be great if I could get your views on a number of these questions in particular:

How long should the routine be? Should you have more than one routine? Are routines composed of effects you personally like or should you be picking effects from a variety of categories, even though they may not necessarily be your favourite? Are effects within a routine required to be arranged in some particular way I.e weakest to strongest effect?Is it important to transition from one effect to another with some sort of patter or do you just dive straight into it?

Any of your thoughts with regards to the above questions, as well as recommendations to resources where I can read more about routining would be much appreciated.

So...

1) I am biased towards shorter more impactful routines, but essentially it must go according to WHERE you are performing. A fairly quick routine for those standing in a queue or waiting for a train please. An elaborate routine for an amazing stage show where you are the star! A medium-length routine (specifically 7-10 minutes) for your personal performances, like your father's birthday maybe?

2) Yes. What if you HAVE to perform more than one routines and you did not forsee that situation? What if you performed that routine and a few more people came to watch you and now you have to perform with your previous audience INCLUDED?

3) They may not be your absolute favourites but the thumb-rule here is always perform tricks that you like, or else you won't be enthusiastic and neither will your audience be so. BUT...why would you want to do an effect you don't like? Any effect you learn is because at some point in your life you liked it. If you don't like it now, just try to rekindle that old enthusiasm.

4) Yup. If you perform an amazing trick first, your audience expects the same, if not more, from you. So you can't perform a weaker trick after that. The thing is, the first effect should not be weak. It should be attention-grabbing and the one that requires the least amount of brain power from the spectator to comprehend. Something simple, like a 4-ace production? Then you can perform a cool slightly longer effect. And then the strongest. And if you are performing more than three effects, simply put, YES they must be ordered from the least impactful to the most.

5) Again, yes, I guess you should transition your effects. Or else it just appears weird. Like "So there go the 4-aces, now pick a card..." then "...so there appears the card from the sealed packet! Look at this coin closely though..." and then "...weird coin right? Now can you think of a number?". Just an example but should help. Of course the whole goal is not to provide a transition, but to make what you are doing seem connected. So maybe at the end, not at the middle, you can say something like "And that, friends, is the weirdness of perception". Sounds cool right?

At the end, just film the routine and see it once as if you are a simple spectator with no biasedness, with no favouritism, with no opinions. And see at the endhow yoj like it. More often than not, your spectators will feel the same way!!!


Hope it helps

 

[Maaz Hasan]

Take these guys' advice. Then, You can do this:

Start with an opener - a hard hitting trick that doesn't take up too much time

Put some tweeners in - longer, more entertaining tricks with a similar patter. Connect them all together with similar patter.

Then end with a powerful closer. A hard hitting longer trick that involves people and closes up your routine

 

[RealityOne]

So...

4) Yup. If you perform an amazing trick first, your audience expects the same, if not more, from you. So you can't perform a weaker trick after that. The thing is, the first effect should not be weak. It should be attention-grabbing and the one that requires the least amount of brain power from the spectator to comprehend. Something simple, like a 4-ace production? Then you can perform a cool slightly longer effect. And then the strongest. And if you are performing more than three effects, simply put, YES they must be ordered from the least impactful to the most.

Why wouldn't all of the effects you perform be equally powerful? I like the idea that the late, great Eugene Burger talked about... performances need to have "texture." That is, each effect you perform has a different "feel" to it.

Bit of a broad question but I'd like some advice on how should I go about creating a card magic routine.

So, let's talk terminology.

As @ChristopherT said, an "effect" is what the audiences sees - a card rising to the top, a coin disappearing, etc. A pick a card/ lose a card / find a card trick is a single effect. The Biddle Trick (which has a great history HERE) is an effect. I like to think of performances from the audience's point of view, so I use the word "effect" to refer to what is being performed.

I like to use Larry Haas' definition of a "trick" as being the magician's method for accomplishing an effect.

A "routine" is a series of effects involving the same props (ambitious card, matrix, linking rings, cups & balls, etc.) and the same or different effects. A card effect with multiple phases would be a routine. A routine may be able to involve multiple props. A good example is Pips a Poppin which involves a card effect and sponge balls. Another example would be to make a wand appear and then use it in a cups and balls routine.

A "set" or an "act" is a series of three or four effects and routines performed in sequence taking ten to fifteen minutes

A "show" is a series of five or more effects and routines performed in sequence taking a half hour to an hour or more.

The effects and routines in a set or show are typically tied together by the magician's character. You also can weave an underlying theme into the set or show through your presentation - that is a much more difficult.

It sounds like you are trying to develop a "set." Pick effects that transition easily from one to another (i.e. don't have to switch decks). Pick effects that are very different from each other to provide the audience some variety and texture. Pick the effects that you think have the strongest reaction and that showcase your character and presentation.

 

[fmos2]

Thanks for all your help guys. A common theme seems to be emerging here regarding my misunderstanding of different terminology.

@RealityOne, thanks for the detailed description of each type of performance. Like you said, I think I am trying to develop a set but I'm slightly confused how a set is different from a routine if you can have different effects within a routine as well?

 

[RealityOne]

I'm slightly confused how a set is different from a routine if you can have different effects within a routine as well?

The Ambitious Card Routine is a routine because it involves multiple effects (actually, the same effect repeated under different conditions) using the same prop that build to a finale. A Cups & Balls routine is a routine because it involves multiple effects (vanishes, reappearances under different circumstances) using the same props that build to a finale. A 3-Fly coin routine is a routine... yeah, you get the pattern. In a routine, the different effects are sufficiently related that they build upon each other to reach a finale. The audience reaction should be a building of excitement with each effect within the routine with the last effect bring the audience to react.

A set contains multiple effects (or routines) that are not related. So a set could be a sponge ball routine, a Ninja rings routine and an ambitious card routine. A set also could be the Biddle Trick, Scarne's Drunken Poker Deal and Paul Harris's Las Vegas Leaper. Each effect or routine in a set are not related and don't depend on each other. Each part of a set builds its own excitement and at the end of that part the audience reacts and then you start the building of excitement with the next effect or routine.

 

[Lord Magic]

Why wouldn't all of the effects you perform be equally powerful? I like the idea that the late, great Eugene Burger talked about... performances need to have "texture." That is, each effect you perform has a different "feel" to it.



So, let's talk terminology.

As @ChristopherT said, an "effect" is what the audiences sees - a card rising to the top, a coin disappearing, etc. A pick a card/ lose a card / find a card trick is a single effect. The Biddle Trick (which has a great history HERE) is an effect. I like to think of performances from the audience's point of view, so I use the word "effect" to refer to what is being performed.

I like to use Larry Haas' definition of a "trick" as being the magician's method for accomplishing an effect.

A "routine" is a series of effects involving the same props (ambitious card, matrix, linking rings, cups & balls, etc.) and the same or different effects. A card effect with multiple phases would be a routine. A routine may be able to involve multiple props. A good example is Pips a Poppin which involves a card effect and sponge balls. Another example would be to make a wand appear and then use it in a cups and balls routine.

A "set" or an "act" is a series of three or four effects and routines performed in sequence taking ten to fifteen minutes

A "show" is a series of five or more effects and routines performed in sequence taking a half hour to an hour or more.

The effects and routines in a set or show are typically tied together by the magician's character. You also can weave an underlying theme into the set or show through your presentation - that is a much more difficult.

It sounds like you are trying to develop a "set." Pick effects that transition easily from one to another (i.e. don't have to switch decks). Pick effects that are very different from each other to provide the audience some variety and texture. Pick the effects that you think have the strongest reaction and that showcase your character and presentation.

All the tricks can be equally powerful, sure. But the thing I am trying to highlight is that they cannot be in a descending order of impacts, know what I ,mean?

 

[RealityOne]

But the thing I am trying to highlight is that they cannot be in a descending order of impacts

If you have a weaker effect, replace it with a stronger one. You should have no tolerance for weak magic.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

I put a line in Boffo I always liked: If you have room for filler in your show, cut out the filler and make it a shorter show.

 

[Lord Magic]

If you have a weaker effect, replace it with a stronger one. You should have no tolerance for weak magic.

if it IS practically possible to have only strong effects in a repertoire, then maybe it is okay.
But to me that sounds only theoretically possible.
Won't there always be some effects which are great to perform in an off-beat situation to friends?
And an ace production is always great for a starter, but I never think of any ace production as SERIOUSLY STRONG.

But each guy has his own opinions, right?

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

It is practical to only perform strong material.

Even casual material can be strong.

 

[RealityOne]

if it IS practically possible to have only strong effects in a repertoire, then maybe it is okay.
But to me that sounds only theoretically possible.

With all the magic effects out there, why would you waste your time learning and performing something that isn't strong? What is preventing you from performing only strong effects?

And an ace production is always great for a starter, but I never think of any ace production as SERIOUSLY STRONG.

So why not start with something else?