theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards
Hey, introduction and questions about real work
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Krab makes a point...
Talk first with the establishment and find out if there is a dress code. Some places will require you to be in a certain attire. But they will tend to be more "lax" if you build good rapport first. That's how I was able to get away with doing "what I wanted". But that will come later after you have established yourself as a seasoned performer.
Talk first with the establishment and find out if there is a dress code. Some places will require you to be in a certain attire. But they will tend to be more "lax" if you build good rapport first. That's how I was able to get away with doing "what I wanted". But that will come later after you have established yourself as a seasoned performer.
Just wanted to quote that...
Since you named three stage acts who one wears a suit one in tails two who started off in suits but all four are vega stage acts not strollers at the local eatery.
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Apologies, i posted this before reading the costume posts ... 2g posted slow..... I have power now!
Also, instead of starting a new thread (and in hopes of also asking those of you willing to let me contact you in further detail) I have a few questions
How should i approach using their spoons for effects like stirring silver (ring on spoon)?
I dont feel like theyd appreciate me touching all over their eating wear. I had figured that i would carry a spoon in my back pocket and tell them i didnt want to touch they're eating wear, and that i picked it up from the restaurant (and with that id be lying in a way since i could probably bring a dominion spoon and bend it while im at it)?
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=388209&forum=5
Also many of you may want to check this out if you haven't already!
Also many of you may want to check this out if you haven't already!
I'd make it as "a matter of factly" as possible. Maybe as a waitress/waiter walks by, you can ask, "Hey, can you snag me an extra spoon?" something like that. I really didn't do much with silverware for that exact reason, but maybe some of these guys here have some advice on that...
I've been out of town, so it may be to late but...
what you wear, don't be fake. thats why i suggested jeans and a dress shirt, if you wear a suit and tie(as you ARE 16) their bound to go "ahh isn't that(adjective), he is playing at being an adult." from the moment they see you, they will think your just some kid, dressed up because he wants something. 4 months ago my cousin got married and i still had the suit. 2 weeks later i walk into a restaurant and talked with the manager. he agreed to let me work the next day, and as he got up he gave me some great advice. "kid" he said "just ditch the suit, and your welcome to try" "why" i asked. i figured he'd want a professional LOOKING person at least.
"look around, are my customers dressed to the nines" nope "my wait staff" collared-shirt and slacks, but still no. "me" dress shirt and slacks but no. "now how bout you" oh yeah definitely. "suit and tie just isnt the thing we do. your dressed wrong for the occasion"
also see the movie STEPBROTHERS, when they try to get jobs as janitors dressed in suits.
as for routines, keep it short, 5 min. is the max i go, because the food will always be more important than you. and near the end of a meal, most people just want to leave. so do it in-between the order and the food arrival, if you can. if they look like their about to say "no" say "just 1, it'll take ten seconds" that'll have them, then, do a bill change. got to love hooks. i have a line, "i was a waiter once. one night i only got tipped 5 dollars, in the whole night, so i used a little magic cheat...(do bill change) (wait till they have stopped freaking out) "1 night i got tipped these Chinese coins by mistake... (do charming Chinese challenge).
id add more but i have to get ready for work, stupid dominos, i always get corn meal on my hands, and i cant get it off.
cheers man. hope you do well.
what you wear, don't be fake. thats why i suggested jeans and a dress shirt, if you wear a suit and tie(as you ARE 16) their bound to go "ahh isn't that(adjective), he is playing at being an adult." from the moment they see you, they will think your just some kid, dressed up because he wants something. 4 months ago my cousin got married and i still had the suit. 2 weeks later i walk into a restaurant and talked with the manager. he agreed to let me work the next day, and as he got up he gave me some great advice. "kid" he said "just ditch the suit, and your welcome to try" "why" i asked. i figured he'd want a professional LOOKING person at least.
"look around, are my customers dressed to the nines" nope "my wait staff" collared-shirt and slacks, but still no. "me" dress shirt and slacks but no. "now how bout you" oh yeah definitely. "suit and tie just isnt the thing we do. your dressed wrong for the occasion"
also see the movie STEPBROTHERS, when they try to get jobs as janitors dressed in suits.
as for routines, keep it short, 5 min. is the max i go, because the food will always be more important than you. and near the end of a meal, most people just want to leave. so do it in-between the order and the food arrival, if you can. if they look like their about to say "no" say "just 1, it'll take ten seconds" that'll have them, then, do a bill change. got to love hooks. i have a line, "i was a waiter once. one night i only got tipped 5 dollars, in the whole night, so i used a little magic cheat...(do bill change) (wait till they have stopped freaking out) "1 night i got tipped these Chinese coins by mistake... (do charming Chinese challenge).
id add more but i have to get ready for work, stupid dominos, i always get corn meal on my hands, and i cant get it off.
cheers man. hope you do well.
Never have I though that someone under 18 in slacks was playing an adult.
What I have used for about 20 years is three sets of three or four effects that flow well into each other. Meaning a good opener a nice filler and a powerful closer. With three sets of three different effect you are far enough away from table one by the time you get to table four that there is no over lap in what someone might have seen. Stay away from 100% cards. Stay away from anything to do with your mouth and watch out about fire because of local fire codes. You always work between when the order is taken and before the food comes out. Be prepared to work long if back of house has a mistake and needs to refire. If someone says no Do not try to force your self on the table just say thank you and move on to the next table. Make friends with the staff in front of house. Talk to the server. Make them your friends.
Have something for the repeat dinners. Have something just for kids. Do not use something that needs a long reset If it takes you more than 30 seconds to reset don't use it. You have to be able to reset on your way to the next table. If you have to duck out for five minutes every three tables it looks bad. So if you can't reset while walking it is too long for your man set.
Now you are saying "But Krab, I could just carry three or four decks set for one effect." True you could but you are working with limited pocket space and even more limited if you are using a topit.
"What I have used for about 20 years is three sets of three or four effects that flow well into each other. Meaning a good opener a nice filler and a powerful closer. With three sets of three different effect you are far enough away from table one by the time you get to table four that there is no over lap in what someone might have seen. Stay away from 100% cards. Stay away from anything to do with your mouth and watch out about fire because of local fire codes. You always work between when the order is taken and before the food comes out. Be prepared to work long if back of house has a mistake and needs to refire. If someone says no Do not try to force your self on the table just say thank you and move on to the next table. Make friends with the staff in front of house. Talk to the server. Make them your friends."
ill 2nd that in a heartbeat, learned real quick to change it up as i jump tables, because people like to say "that's how you did it"
thats also a reason im a fan of gimmicks in a performance, if done correctly, (there quick to reset, and the effect is done well) it tends to slam people hard. while ACR's are powerful, it takes time to build to that finally, time that could be for 2 different, but equality powerful tricks. but its always good for when "if back of house has a mistake and needs to refire."
check out "the worker part 1" by adam wilber for two quick reset, powerful gimmick tricks that i have in my card box at all time, and sense they take up no space, you dont run into the, "4 decks, 2 pockets" problem we all run into.
ill 2nd that in a heartbeat, learned real quick to change it up as i jump tables, because people like to say "that's how you did it"
thats also a reason im a fan of gimmicks in a performance, if done correctly, (there quick to reset, and the effect is done well) it tends to slam people hard. while ACR's are powerful, it takes time to build to that finally, time that could be for 2 different, but equality powerful tricks. but its always good for when "if back of house has a mistake and needs to refire."
check out "the worker part 1" by adam wilber for two quick reset, powerful gimmick tricks that i have in my card box at all time, and sense they take up no space, you dont run into the, "4 decks, 2 pockets" problem we all run into.
Awesome stuff here, I have one set down but sometimes it takes about 11 mins sometimes only 6 or 7 ... so i have to try to trim out some un necessary stuff .....
Just to compare sets and to get some ideas ( I'M DRAWING A HUGE BLANK TODAY) can you guys list one or two sets you perform?
Just to compare sets and to get some ideas ( I'M DRAWING A HUGE BLANK TODAY) can you guys list one or two sets you perform?
The Dan Harlan download I linked talked about how to make your sets. You need to make a list of everything you know and everything you are learning. That is the first step.
Here is one of my sets.
I open with Mismade Bill, then go into Crazy Man's Hand Cuffs on their hands, followed by Alan Wong's Star Gazer Rubber band effect, then go into a sloppy triumph and end with a peak wallet routine that gives them my business card at the end.
Notice the variety. I don't open with cards, I open with a quick hitting mis-made bill routine to catch their attention. I am ending with a mentalism peek wallet routine that ends with me giving them my business card that was just used in the closer.
I open with Mismade Bill, then go into Crazy Man's Hand Cuffs on their hands, followed by Alan Wong's Star Gazer Rubber band effect, then go into a sloppy triumph and end with a peak wallet routine that gives them my business card at the end.
Notice the variety. I don't open with cards, I open with a quick hitting mis-made bill routine to catch their attention. I am ending with a mentalism peek wallet routine that ends with me giving them my business card that was just used in the closer.
I tend to open with Gypsy Floss and then go into Chicago Surprise.
Usually at gigs I have a bit more variety. Gypsy Floss & Extreme Burn at the beginning to break the ice, then when people are sitting down I do Chicago Surprise and routine from The Art of Switching Decks, then if there is time I might do something with a memdeck.
Usually at gigs I have a bit more variety. Gypsy Floss & Extreme Burn at the beginning to break the ice, then when people are sitting down I do Chicago Surprise and routine from The Art of Switching Decks, then if there is time I might do something with a memdeck.
Nice to see a fellow Virginian on here! I'm from Staunton myself, but I occasionally travel to Richmond for Ravencon and would love to check out their magic shop! If you're interested in learning from someone out there, I believe they have a ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, and there may also be a Society of American Magicians out that way. See if you can look into those. Most groups will let you visit for a while before they start asking you to join the ring, so it's a good way to get out there and meet some potential performers/mentors.
As for the rest of your questions, I'm afraid my answer will be a bit daunting, but there is truth in it and it's not meant to discourage.
You've got a ways to go before you're going to be able to transition to professional performance. You may be able to get a small gig here and there, which is fine if you're ready for that, but professionals, by and large, are not terrified at the prospect of drawing up a contract.
You already know some of the obstacles in the way, but I'll start with the one you probably least want to hear: your age. Being 16 feels like being an adult when you're 16, but adults look at 16-year-olds and usually see children. When I tried to get into professional magic performance the first time I was about 19, and it was still hard to get taken seriously because I looked like a kid. The air of maturity and professionalism tends to come from life experience and is not easy to fake. What you wear isn't going to have a big impact, either. At 19 I was dressing business casual or suiting up and my magic went nowhere. Now that I'm 26 I usually go into public dressed as a pink wizard, and I'm having more success with magic and performance than I ever have. Many magicians will say "Be yourself and don't dress in a ridiculous costume," but acting a character and dressing outlandishly has done the opposite of slowing my magic down.
Experience is going to be your next challenge. Many professionals will tell you they worked the craft for 10, 20, or more years before even beginning the transition into professional performance. You'll want to learn a broad array of sleights, methods, props, and gimmicks and of all the stuff you'll learn, you'll only use a small percentage of the actual effects for performance because you want to boil performances (especially shows) down to your best and favorite magic. Most professionals I've met have a STRONG foundation in classic magic, a working knowledge of current magic, and enough know-how and experience to build and/or create their own props, gimmicks, and effects from the things they know.
My advice to you is to hone your craft. Rather than using the next few years trying to break into the professional market at a difficult time, continue practicing and learning so that when you're old enough for age to be less of a factor, you'll be the best magician you could be at that time. Focus on expanding your knowledge of magic, learning what works for you, and performing on a volunteer/part-time basis (street magic, people you know, talent shows and charity events, etc.). This will give you the experience you'll need in order to have the option of performing professionally later on. If you can get some gigs and you're comfortable doing them, go ahead and jump on it for the experience, but professional magic is going to be a seriously uphill battle where you are at this moment. By giving yourself some time to grow, you may be able to level the field.
Edit: Not sure who posted this, but do NOT offer to work for tips if you get a restaurant gig, even if your'e not asking for pay. If the manager has even a quarter of a brain in his head he won't hire you for fear of pissing off the waitstaff, and if he doesn't then YOU will piss off the waitstaff by cutting into their tips. If you're working a restaurant, either don't take tips or give your tips to the servers whose tables you're working. That seems harsh and unfair, but servers in Virginia (and many other states) work for 2.13 an hour and their tips are pretty much their whole income since that hourly pay usually gets eaten by taxes. As a professional performer, it is not good business to upset the working class, especially the staff in the places you perform.
As for the rest of your questions, I'm afraid my answer will be a bit daunting, but there is truth in it and it's not meant to discourage.
You've got a ways to go before you're going to be able to transition to professional performance. You may be able to get a small gig here and there, which is fine if you're ready for that, but professionals, by and large, are not terrified at the prospect of drawing up a contract.
You already know some of the obstacles in the way, but I'll start with the one you probably least want to hear: your age. Being 16 feels like being an adult when you're 16, but adults look at 16-year-olds and usually see children. When I tried to get into professional magic performance the first time I was about 19, and it was still hard to get taken seriously because I looked like a kid. The air of maturity and professionalism tends to come from life experience and is not easy to fake. What you wear isn't going to have a big impact, either. At 19 I was dressing business casual or suiting up and my magic went nowhere. Now that I'm 26 I usually go into public dressed as a pink wizard, and I'm having more success with magic and performance than I ever have. Many magicians will say "Be yourself and don't dress in a ridiculous costume," but acting a character and dressing outlandishly has done the opposite of slowing my magic down.
Experience is going to be your next challenge. Many professionals will tell you they worked the craft for 10, 20, or more years before even beginning the transition into professional performance. You'll want to learn a broad array of sleights, methods, props, and gimmicks and of all the stuff you'll learn, you'll only use a small percentage of the actual effects for performance because you want to boil performances (especially shows) down to your best and favorite magic. Most professionals I've met have a STRONG foundation in classic magic, a working knowledge of current magic, and enough know-how and experience to build and/or create their own props, gimmicks, and effects from the things they know.
My advice to you is to hone your craft. Rather than using the next few years trying to break into the professional market at a difficult time, continue practicing and learning so that when you're old enough for age to be less of a factor, you'll be the best magician you could be at that time. Focus on expanding your knowledge of magic, learning what works for you, and performing on a volunteer/part-time basis (street magic, people you know, talent shows and charity events, etc.). This will give you the experience you'll need in order to have the option of performing professionally later on. If you can get some gigs and you're comfortable doing them, go ahead and jump on it for the experience, but professional magic is going to be a seriously uphill battle where you are at this moment. By giving yourself some time to grow, you may be able to level the field.
Edit: Not sure who posted this, but do NOT offer to work for tips if you get a restaurant gig, even if your'e not asking for pay. If the manager has even a quarter of a brain in his head he won't hire you for fear of pissing off the waitstaff, and if he doesn't then YOU will piss off the waitstaff by cutting into their tips. If you're working a restaurant, either don't take tips or give your tips to the servers whose tables you're working. That seems harsh and unfair, but servers in Virginia (and many other states) work for 2.13 an hour and their tips are pretty much their whole income since that hourly pay usually gets eaten by taxes. As a professional performer, it is not good business to upset the working class, especially the staff in the places you perform.
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