Filler Tricks

[DannyT]

If this has been posted before, I'm sorry but I've searched and couldn't find any results.

After performing big effects such as the invisible deck, why is it important to perform filler tricks after? What is the importance of performing small tricks in between powerful effects?

I've heard it before, but I don't understand it. I'll perform something that gets great reactions and then move onto a small trick; like the first part of "rubbermade" where the ring penetrates the rubber band, and gets nothing. No reactions at all. So, what's the point of it?
To bring them back to the first part of the "witches hat" for another rising climax?

Also, I'd like to ask what are some small tricks you perform for in between effects?

Thanks.

 

[Creeper]

Your doing something wrong if you get nothing from the first part of rubbermade...

 

[AsherF]

Maybe it's just the way I am as a performer, but I know that if I get that phenomenal reaction, I'm going to put my cards or whatever prop I might have, down. and End my set. It depends on the setting of course, because if you have to put on a 30 minute show, you have to put on a 30 minute show... or an hour, however long. But otherwise, Magic should be left for the audiences mind to interpret and bounce around. Give them one or two effects, if you get a remarkable reaction, end. leave the room, leave the area. Let your magic become a mystery, let you as an artist become this myth. Why risk going back to a so so effect? Remember, almost any effect can get you that reaction. It's about your performance. I'd much rather see a magician on the street show me 1-2 things that I deem incredible and miraculous, the greatest thing I have ever seen in my entire life, than to be stopped on the street and sit through 5-6 so so effects and maybe 1 amazing effect mixed in their somewhere.

 

[RickEverhart]

Danny,

I don't know if I would call them "filler" tricks but I know what you mean. Sometimes we space out the "big boy" tricks that we know are going to knock their socks off and put some so so ones in between.

I try to use effects that are very different from one another so that the interest level stays at its peak. That is why I only perform 1-2 card effects per table and then go to rubber bands, dollar bills, some mentalism, and other props I have.

If I have an effect that doesn't even"excite me" when performing it...then I usually ditch it and move on to trying to purchase another effect that may fit my routine.

I normally give an effect numerous performances and try different patter before ditching an effect. Everyone is different.

Sometimes the so so or "filler" tricks just need a completely different angle thrown at them. Try to get people involved with it somehow.

Believe it or not...I bought Bannon's Twisted Sister's 6 years ago and hated it. I couldn't get the presentation right and I thought it was just as "filler". It sat in my dresser for years. Fast forward to last year and I now close my close up routine with it. It kills.

 

[joshrobarts]

personally, what you call filler tricks i call opportunities for patter. in between heavy hitters i like to use tricks that allow me to talk more with my spec. or audience and share some info, get to know them and tell them about me. its also a good time for some humor. The tricks should still be on point and maybe you can improve a weaker trick with a more powerful performance. Like for instance, i'll do something like an ACR and get a huge reaction at the end, then lighten the mood and bring people back to standby for the next big hit with something comical like "be honest what is it" or something where i can goof of and get them laughing.

 

[KeoSilver]

I wouldn't say patter with people in between big effects but take the time to socialize with your audience. Win them over then continue on to another big trick.

To answer the second part of your post, the filler I do is the thumb thing where you take your thumb off and put it back on, an object vanish of some sort but that really is the only filler I use. But then again I do not perform daily and I am sure many other people have smaller effects that they do.

 

[AlfieWhattamMagic]

Your doing something wrong if you get nothing from the first part of rubbermade...

Diitttooo ive have people scream at that part

 

[Rev]

Maybe it's just the way I am as a performer, but I know that if I get that phenomenal reaction, I'm going to put my cards or whatever prop I might have, down. and End my set.

Let your magic become a mystery, let you as an artist become this myth.
.

Spot on! I agree with this to the word! If you perform an effect and everyone freaks, just leave it at that so there memory of that moment stays vivid in their mind. No point clouding their memory with lots of more mediocre effects.

Also, to answer the original question, i think to some degree it comes down to routining. Don't perform an incredibly powerful effect and then follow it up with something more trivial. For example, 'Control' by Wayne Houchin is extremely powerful when done right. In the eyes of the spectator you essentially just died for a moment, so i think you could probably forgive them for showing little interest when you follow it up with unlinking a couple of rubberbands!


Rev

 

[D ICE R]

I see so many magicians and mentalists too who do not know how structure a set. No matter how long or short the performance is, think of and set you do as a story.

It needs to have highs and lows however as a whole it needs to grow. There are many other factors that help make an effective story. The biggest issue that I have is there is no flow with the show. If you do an ACR and Biddle Trick how do you make them tie together.

 

[DannyT]

Maybe it's just the way I am as a performer, but I know that if I get that phenomenal reaction, I'm going to put my cards or whatever prop I might have, down. and End my set.

I was thinking more on the lines of performing for the people waiting for a table in a restaurant. You're there to kill time essentially so they wont leave.

I guess I could go into talking and socializing after the big effects a bit, but was I right in starting the magic back up with going into a small trick for another routine?

 

[Morgan B]

Every effect you do should build off your last. In a fight with the Heavy Weight Champ you wouldn’t follow up your hardest punch with a soft one...nor would you throw a soft one and work your way up to your hardest. You would throw hard punch after hard punch to knock your opponent out.

Constructing a set has to be the same way. Now, there are a few reasons why an effect won’t get the response you want. They can be:

- you aren’t practiced enough on the effect/might have flashed
- the effect is confusing or doesn’t connect with the audience
- they are still wow’d by the last thing they saw, and the next one does not register
- the effect is weak and is closer to a “trick” or puzzle than the concept of magic – think Finger Chopper

These are just a few reasons an effect won’t play.

I structure my sets so they offer variety – this way I am not building from weak to strong, but strong to strong with a variety of effects.

I try to include something that has been “magic’d” (for a lack of better terms) usually in the form of a give way – card that has been torn and restored, something where something permanent happened – think “The Pothole trick by M. Close.

I think the problem is that if you see something as “filler” between the good effects, then that is exactly what it is. Audiences don’t see routines, they see magic commercials. Every effect is a new story line that has a beginning middle and end on its own. Now, I don’t think every piece you perform has to be theatrical piece, some pieces can help link your show together. However, if it isn’t playing for you, start to examine why...and don’t be afraid to ask people if they liked it or not, and why. You will be surprised at the honest feedback you get to improve your show. It can be hard to swallow, but keep in mind that it is better you get corrected once, then screw up for years because your ego is too fragile to handle the information you desire to give people the proper amazing moments they deserve.

If you are certain it is not you, then you can start to look at the effect itself. As for Rubber Made, I don’t see it as a middle effect, perhaps more an opener to create interest. Also, it is really “look at me” magic, rather than a participating type of effect that has the audience involved at a certain level. This in itself can be the killer. I used to use coin work as a middle piece, but realized that it served me better to open with, as it proved my abilities without being invasive. Before, I would take the leap to be connected to start, but then disconnect by doing coin work. I think we forget what the impact of what the performance part of the magic does, when we perform, as we are so focused on the impact of the effect.

Keep at it Danny. Remember, no piece of magic is small, as long as you can give it value through presentation, entertainment, and performing it with justice – that being said, there are TRICKS in what we do, and audiences know the difference between something impossible and amazing, and something that is tricky and puzzling.

 

[AsherF]

I was thinking more on the lines of performing for the people waiting for a table in a restaurant. You're there to kill time essentially so they wont leave.

I guess I could go into talking and socializing after the big effects a bit, but was I right in starting the magic back up with going into a small trick for another routine?

I think the same rule would apply though. No need to overload on effects. 1-2 should still be plenty effective. I remember hearing Eric Mead gave these private shows in Aspen, Colorado. And had very little effects. He let the audience truly savor the moment of astonishment rather than load them with unnecessary filler. Learn to be an entertaining person without having effects at every turn. And it's always smart to arrange to have your big effect as your finale.

 

[LuseifHo]

What you ask is really a situational thing. I know you already provided your situaton but I'll just touch up on what I think.

I don't perform a set audience for a time often as I'm not a professional. Done it a few times but yeah... will talk about that later.

I see fillers as things to continue the wave of magic. You don't want dead air between tricks/ routines. Although it would work to follow routine with routine, hitting your audience square in the face with masterpiece after masterpiece, I think that might exhaust them a bit. It's like watching a movie with explosions after explosions. People think "holy crap thats amazing!" way too many times that they just find it overwhelming.
It is true that most tricks can become deadly if you give them the right time and work into the presentation but you don't want all of them to smash your audience. Performing should be like a work out. It starts out slow, builds up, reaches a peak, rest for a bit, reach a peak, rest for a bit, reach a peak, (throw away your cool down and end with a bang).
When I read your first post, I immediatly thought of Malone. He uses comedy and short sleights as fillers. He has just finished a routine/ trick. Then he jokes, laughs, socializes, and once in a while he coughs up some cards. People acknowledge the end of a routine, they relax, they take in what they just saw and want to let their mind get ready for the next thing. If you show them trick after trick, they will probably forget most of what you perform earlier and it all just becomes one big mess of awesome.
"how was the show?"
"awesome"
"whatd he do?"
"i dont know but it was awesome"
Fillers allow their mind to comprehend each section/part of your routine, allowing it to settle into their minds and lock in. They will remember each part clearly and know how your show progressed.
The fillers continue the wave by not stopping totally. You dont want to be performing card magic and lets say some tricks require a setup or some other "four of a kind". Fillers are just words, patter, and maybe small effects which fill up the dead space
You don't want
"and there is your selection!"
"oh wow"
"wait a second" *rummage rummage*
"now pick a card"
You want it to flow.
"and there is your selection!"
"oh wow"
"now have i told you about the...." *rummaging* *little flourish over here, little production over there* "..and thats what she said."
"hahaha!"
"and now will you pick a card"
Fillers are not to be used as another trick though. If you perform an amazing trick and suddenly cool down with something less impressive, your audience will definitely just think about that last one and talk about that one, deeming what you just shown them as "cool". If you performed a killer invisible deck, you wouldn't really want to follow that up with a inversion plot would you? Fillers are just there to continue your flow of amazingness until the next big thing.
For example you perform a killer card trick and want to move onto the next killer. You may finish and start shuffling cards, "accidentally" shuffling them face up and face down once without noticing. Your audience notice, they tell you, you show that nothing is wrong, no biggie. In their minds, they think "what the hell did I just see? that was weird..." but they dont think its one of your tricks, so its not necessarily a "oh.. thought he would do something better..." They will still remember it but will remember it as an amazing small moment instead of a let down after a mind rape.

As for non show/ set performances as in for friends and what not. I would just end with the biggest thing I have at that point. Like... what could you possibly follow up with after you perform that trick which is pure luck? "shuffle, and pick a random card, now you there name a random card, it matches? great!" What would possibly top that? I have successfully performed that 8 times in total and have stopped immediatly after it. Anyting after it would just be small beans. If you are performing a set show or anything, I would just stay away from oppurtunities like that. Sure the payback is amazing when it works, but what if it works mid show. The second half of your show will just look weak in comparison. You could try it right before your finale but why would you want to cut out your finale? its called a finale for a reason.

 

[worldwideme]

progression.

you want your set to have a similar curve to a story. an exposition, rising action, climax,

a super effective way to achieve progression is to slowly make the conditions under which you perform it more and more constricting. (daryls ACR, the last phase he wraps the deck with rope)

i see the benefit in making certain effects weaker. to nail them with the stronger. but it is important to not follow the strongest with a weaker effect. in film and theater they call it anti-climatic. its not good. like Asher said. leave after the climax.

but dont start to close to the climax either. build to it. its like a crescendo in music. try to make it as smooth a progression as possible. and sometimes you gotta start softer so you can build.

i'll stick with the ACR it wouldnt be near as cool if one skipped the middle section and went from a face down insertion of a card to (daryls) tied with rope phase.

so one adds tons of little things in between them, he would have a face down insertion. followed by a signed face down insertion. followed by a signed face up insertion. all the way building to the Daryls Rope bit at the end. all the phases could use a classic pass. but to the audience, each time its more and more amazing.


does that make sense?

 

[fkace63]

classic force

the classic force is a great filler when you're doing card stuff because it is so versatile. You can revelal their selection by reading their mind, reading their poker face, calling a buddy who knows what card they picked, etc...

you can have 2 tricks planned, but due to the classic force have a very complete feeling "set" with 3 or 4 effects. If your classic force is strong, you have a miracle on your hands at minimum once a performance. And it can always be different.

also a "filler trick" can be a miracle, like using a color change to find a selection. when you act like you're not even trying, the audience imagines what would happen if you actually did try.

lastly it depends on what your standards of a filler trick are. Doc dailey's last effect is a miracle, but could be seen as filler to some. perform high quality effects.

 

[DannyT]

Thanks Morgan B, AsherF, LuseifHo, and worldwideme.
I wrote down notes from your posts and will begin to associate your ideas and thoughts with my routines later this week.
Thanks for all your help.

Until then, if I have any questions I'll ask in this thread or pm you directly.
Anyone else feel free to add to this thread as of I can't get enough knowledge on this subject.
Thanks again.

 

[RealityOne]

As others have said, this is a matter of proper routining.

A a big or powerful effect such as the Invisible Deck shouldn't be the first effect you perform. Your routine needs to build up to those effects. Do two other effects that involve a reversed card or a prediction and then get into the invisible deck. Have the patter for the effects flow so that the effects are tied together in the spectator's mind.

Have a couple of other routines you can perform following your initial routine. Each of those routines should consist of two to three effects that are tied together by a common theme and/or patter. There should be a clear break between the routines so that the spectator knows that you doing something different. Hopefully, the end of the prior routine brought some reactions and applause that it is clear you are moving on to something else. Sometimes it helps to change props, for example going from cards to coins.

There are some effects that are closers and cannot be followed by anything (e.g. Control). Use those in the secondary routines and perform them only when time and interest permits.

 

[AsherF]

Thanks Morgan B, AsherF, LuseifHo, and worldwideme.
I wrote down notes from your posts and will begin to associate your ideas and thoughts with my routines later this week.
Thanks for all your help.

Until then, if I have any questions I'll ask in this thread or pm you directly.
Anyone else feel free to add to this thread as of I can't get enough knowledge on this subject.
Thanks again.

Glad to have been a help. Keep on keeping on.

 

[worldwideme]

if you seriously want to study this and gain a strong understanding of how to construct a set and make it strong..


strong magic. by darwin ortiz

if you make the purchase, you wont regret it. i promise you.

 

[RikAllen]

I try to include something that has been “magic’d” (for a lack of better terms) usually in the form of a give way – card that has been torn and restored, something where something permanent happened – think “The Pothole trick by M. Close.

You were looking for the word altered magically.


I agree with every effect needing to be strong. If you take enough time in between effects to let the mood settle, no need to go directly into the next effect, through conversation. Even in the middle of an effect you can take a moment and let the first climax sink in before moving on within the effect (like an ACR).

Too many times a magician will rush from one effect into the next without continuing to build rapport or taking time to acknowledge the audience. You have to remember that this is the first time any of your audience has seen this particular effect, even if you've performed it 10,000 times, it's all new to them.

Instead of going trick to trick to trick to trick to Thank you for watching, maybe try and have fun through conversation and getting to know people in between the magic. Introduce yourself however you normally do and then perform your first effect. After you do that, reintroduce yourself and ask what everyone does for a living (or what grade they're in...what they used to do if they're retired...) and get used to transitioning from conversation into your next trick.

Just a few things I think on the subject, I'm by no means a professional but this is something I've thought about a lot. Hope some of it strengthened or created a new view for you.

Also, Strong Magic is probably one of the better reads on the subject so I just wanted to second the recommendation.