I have a real problem with performing effects that involve some sort of gimmick, either purchased (i.e. Electric Touch, M5, Superman, etc.) or homemade (i.e. TnR, Tagged, Factory Sealed, etc.). What would you guys recommend to get over this, I guess, phobia.
gimmicks
- Thread starter 10magicman21
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What exactly is your problem with these gimmicks?
Are you "scared" to perform the effects, or do they not work for you?
The only way to get over this phobia is performing. Just try to go out and perform these effects for other people
and you will see, that you will get more comfortable with the gimmicks. ("Just do it")
If they don't work for you, just tell us your problems, and we'll try to help
-Konrad
Are you "scared" to perform the effects, or do they not work for you?
The only way to get over this phobia is performing. Just try to go out and perform these effects for other people
and you will see, that you will get more comfortable with the gimmicks. ("Just do it")
If they don't work for you, just tell us your problems, and we'll try to help
-Konrad
Using a gimmick is no different than using a prop -- except that the audience doesn't know how the gimmick works. I suspect your problem is a fear of getting "caught" or the audience asking to examine the gimmick.
The first problem is solved by practicing until you have the performance perfect and by getting over what I call magician's guilt. Magician's guilt is the idea that you are hiding something and therefor you act guilty -- cuing the audience into the fact that you are hiding something (sort of a self-fulfilling prophesy). The best way to get rid of magician's guilt is to focus on the effect (what the audience sees) and to make that your reality (i.e. convince yourself that is what is happening). After enough practice, the method should be automatic (muscle memory) and your silent script (what you say to yourself as you are performing) should be the effect. For example, if you are doing a double lift -- the motion should be automatic in the context of the effect (that is you do it without thinking) and your silent script should be "I'm turning over a single card."
The second problem is a matter of presentation and audience control. Presentation in that you should not be presenting magic as a challenge -- look what I do and you can't or I bet you can't figure out how this works. It is not you showing the spectators how good you are, but about drawing the spectators into your magic. Audience control is just that - you have to know how to control your audience. This means that they only do things when you tell them to. This also means that you anticipate the audience's reaction and structure your performance to account for that. For example, when using an invisible deck, I switch the deck in or out for a regular deck and as part of the performance let the audience handle the regular deck.
I know that is general, but if you give us a sense of your specific problems and specific gimmicks we can help you develop strategies for getting comfortable using them.
The first problem is solved by practicing until you have the performance perfect and by getting over what I call magician's guilt. Magician's guilt is the idea that you are hiding something and therefor you act guilty -- cuing the audience into the fact that you are hiding something (sort of a self-fulfilling prophesy). The best way to get rid of magician's guilt is to focus on the effect (what the audience sees) and to make that your reality (i.e. convince yourself that is what is happening). After enough practice, the method should be automatic (muscle memory) and your silent script (what you say to yourself as you are performing) should be the effect. For example, if you are doing a double lift -- the motion should be automatic in the context of the effect (that is you do it without thinking) and your silent script should be "I'm turning over a single card."
The second problem is a matter of presentation and audience control. Presentation in that you should not be presenting magic as a challenge -- look what I do and you can't or I bet you can't figure out how this works. It is not you showing the spectators how good you are, but about drawing the spectators into your magic. Audience control is just that - you have to know how to control your audience. This means that they only do things when you tell them to. This also means that you anticipate the audience's reaction and structure your performance to account for that. For example, when using an invisible deck, I switch the deck in or out for a regular deck and as part of the performance let the audience handle the regular deck.
I know that is general, but if you give us a sense of your specific problems and specific gimmicks we can help you develop strategies for getting comfortable using them.
To add on to when spectators ask to examine the card that is gimmicked, I always have a duplicate, normal card there for either a top or bottom change or any other switch of your pleasing. This is great and eliminates the suspicion because they really do handle the card themselves. It is a lot of crowd control though, that is the most important, but sometimes you come across a really skeptical and stubborn heckler kind of spectator. In those situations it is nice to have a way out such as the top change.
In terms of your fear of using gimmicks, just practice a lot. When you get the handling down so ou don't flash the gimmick, then you will feel more comfortable. This will help it seem like it is a normal card and there is nothing suspicious in your performance.
Basically, my tips for gimmicks is practice a lot, act natural and like yourself, and have a way out. If someone does catch it though, it doesn't matter. Just say thanks and walk away. There are plenty of others out there who won't know about it, and soon those people who saw it will forget the entire mess up and goon with their lives. Everybody messes up. I hope that helps you get rid of your fears.
In terms of your fear of using gimmicks, just practice a lot. When you get the handling down so ou don't flash the gimmick, then you will feel more comfortable. This will help it seem like it is a normal card and there is nothing suspicious in your performance.
Basically, my tips for gimmicks is practice a lot, act natural and like yourself, and have a way out. If someone does catch it though, it doesn't matter. Just say thanks and walk away. There are plenty of others out there who won't know about it, and soon those people who saw it will forget the entire mess up and goon with their lives. Everybody messes up. I hope that helps you get rid of your fears.
i understand how you feel about gimmicks, i used to hate to use gimmicks too, i always liked to hand everything out for display right after the effect is done, but there is always so much you can achieve with just a pack of playing cards or a few coins. just try out some gimmicks, it can open up to countless possibilities.
personally i prefer to use gimmicks that is self contained or flexible like Smoke by alan rorrison, oxy clean coin routine by eric jones and my absolute favourite, loops by yigal mesika.
personally i prefer to use gimmicks that is self contained or flexible like Smoke by alan rorrison, oxy clean coin routine by eric jones and my absolute favourite, loops by yigal mesika.