theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards
Help me with showmanship...
- Thread starter Bumblebee
- Start date
I have never been said that..in fact I really don´t understand your problem..would you care to elaborate?
If people that are watching you are saying that you need to be more of a showman, then I think that you should build up your effects more, and milk them for all that they're worth. If you're already doing this, then I agree with Luis Vega that you should elaborate on your problem.
My advise is watch videos of people doing any sort of acting, mime, or even magic and analyze what makes them good or bad. Being a "showman" may come naturally, but sometimes it takes work. While you are doing your analysis think about things that you could do that would make improve your show. Don't copy other people's gestures and actions unless it fits who you are. Of course, building your effects and squeezing every last drop out of them is almost always a great way to improve you routines, but there are other ways to make your show more interesting.
Absolutely second this.
Also check out Maximum Entertainment and Strong Magic (books related to the topic).
Get "Scripting Magic" by Pete McCabe, as well as the other fine books named above.
Without having seen your act, I don't know what to tell you. But there are a million ways to go with the presentation - you could be dramatic and build up the impossibility and conditions you're doing the trick under, or you could play up a ridiculous premise that explains the trick. You could be self-effacing and deadpan, you could be zany... you could be you with some snappy writing...
Take a trick you do, look up a good performance by someone whose work and style you like. Try to analyze what that presentation has that you're lacking. Try rehearsing and performing a strong presentation of a trick you do and see what it is that makes people react to it. We don't hand a guy a guitar and expect him to make his own scales, chords and harmonies - he learns by playing other people's music until he's mastered his craft.
Showmanship is a skill like any other, and it can be learned and improved on.
It's all about practice man. If you are thinking like this then you will not advance your performance.
What I did when I was in your situation was take a week off from performing, sit down with a pen and paper, and think about who you are. Build your character around your personality.
From there build routines that have a common theme whether they be sleight of hand demonstration, sci-fi, or whatever. Take the tricks you put in and wrap them into a story or theme. Use your imagination. Take the time to script them out.
Read the Fitskee Trilogy, I know, I know, reading is hard and DVD's are T3H UB3R. But trust me, if you want to succeed you'll read.
This is very sound advice. Sometimes the best way for us to cultivate our own sense of showmanship is by mimicking others. For an example, the new character I'm developing is far louder and a bit more "old queen" than I've ever done in the past... I'm modeling his outward image and flamboyance from two sources; midway pitchmen and a combination of Robert Preston in the film "Victor Victoria" and Liberace. This is not "natural" to me so I'm having to practice it by drenching myself in films, audio recordings, etc. so as to program my brain. In addition to this I am acting out those parts of said sources, so I can get down the gestures, cadence, etc.
So start off by finding entertainers (not necessarily magicians) that inspire you and whom you appreciate, who seem to fit the kind of person you wish to be seen as and start mirroring them. Though you might initially do an actual impersonation of them, this will change as you get more and more comfortable with the persona.
Then There's the Hard Part... you have to get out and just do it!
I'd recommend finding scripts for pitches such as Svengali decks and learn how to sell the hell out of them on the streets, at festivals, swap meets, etc. Then again, a season on the road with a side show (a real, circus styled back lot side show) will teach you tons about showmanship and show biz.
I just want to third the notion of watching other people who perform in order to get a sense of showmanship.
Watch everything from tv and movies to comedians and broadway musicals. If I had to suggest a book that indirectly helped me realize how much can go into showmanship it would be Born Standing Up by Steve Martin (also gives a good look into show business from someone who made it big).
As far as building dramatic magic you can watch great performers and see what they do. A lot of people get down on others who use the same exact patter as the creator, but sometimes that's a great starting point for beginners. It's time tested and known to work-so why would you change it? Maybe tune it to your character, but overall you know it's going to work, why overhaul it?
Eventually you'll want to re-script every piece of magic you do, but there is no shame in copying the creator when you're just starting out...just remember to think about Why that presentation entertains people.
Watch everything from tv and movies to comedians and broadway musicals. If I had to suggest a book that indirectly helped me realize how much can go into showmanship it would be Born Standing Up by Steve Martin (also gives a good look into show business from someone who made it big).
As far as building dramatic magic you can watch great performers and see what they do. A lot of people get down on others who use the same exact patter as the creator, but sometimes that's a great starting point for beginners. It's time tested and known to work-so why would you change it? Maybe tune it to your character, but overall you know it's going to work, why overhaul it?
Eventually you'll want to re-script every piece of magic you do, but there is no shame in copying the creator when you're just starting out...just remember to think about Why that presentation entertains people.
