Is it just me?

Jun 27, 2008
219
1
Illinois
Hey guys I have noticed something really troubling lately. When I perform, spectators constantlygo straight to guessing the method. I don't know if it is my style of performing, I try to not present tricks as challenges but that seems to be how spectators take it. Do you have this problem? What do you do
 
Apr 14, 2011
192
0
It really depends on the spectator and how good your performance is. I only get this when my performance is on the sloppy side. I just say: "Hey, You might have it, you wanna be the magician?" If this is in front of lots of people they'll blush and say no. How good would you say your performances were? What do you do?
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
I think we would really need to have some more information to figure out why this is happening. If they are correctly guessing the method, then it most likely is that you need more practice and to be more aware of you angles. If that are incorrectly guessing the method, it most likely is your presentation.

Even though you may not be presenting your magic as a challenge, your presentation may lead the audience to focus on the method. Let me explain. If your patter is narrating what you are doing in a say-do-see manner (saying what you are going to do, doing it and then telling the audience to see) the audience is going to focus on the effect (result) and then focus on the method (your actions). The reason they do this is because all you talked about was what you were doing (actions) and then the effect (result).

Other things may also affect your spectator's perception. Sometimes we as magicians try to over prove some things. "Here is the top card of the deck, it's only one card and I'm going to put the one card back on the deck." OK, that's an exaggeration, but you get the idea. Additionally, sometimes we inadvertently telegraph the method through what we say and how we act. We tense up at the moment of a sleight or look at our hands or stop talking or even just hesitate a second -- the audience's attention is drawn to those moments.
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
It really depends on the spectator and how good your performance is. I only get this when my performance is on the sloppy side. I just say: "Hey, You might have it, you wanna be the magician?" If this is in front of lots of people they'll blush and say no. How good would you say your performances were? What do you do?

That isn't a good way to handle it. The rest of the audience will side with the spectator, especially if the correct guesses were a result of YOUR "sloppy" performance. A simple, "Hmmm, I suppose you could do it that way" usually is enough to diffuse the situation.
 
Jun 27, 2008
219
1
Illinois
The thing is I practice alot and sometimes its the easy tricks they guess. Tricks like whack your pack, believe, and simpler sandwich effects. The other day i did believe and they guy was like wow....wow.... and then guessed the first half of the trick.I don't give it away but man that is disappointing that he focused on the method instead of the feeling. I'm really not sure what to do this seems to be happening more i never ever used to encounter this issue
 
Nov 20, 2007
4,410
6
Sydney, Australia
The thing is I practice alot and sometimes its the easy tricks they guess. Tricks like whack your pack, believe, and simpler sandwich effects. The other day i did believe and they guy was like wow....wow.... and then guessed the first half of the trick.I don't give it away but man that is disappointing that he focused on the method instead of the feeling. I'm really not sure what to do this seems to be happening more i never ever used to encounter this issue

There could be a lot of reasons for it... Is it possible to record a performance? That would give us something to go by. The difficulty level of a trick should not have anything to do with a spectator's ability to guess the method unless you're not performing the harder sleights well. But it just sounds like your performance is at fault. Without anything else to go by, and assuming that your sleight of hand is solid, it sounds like you're performing tricks rather than magic.
 
Feb 4, 2008
959
3
Try videotaping yourself from various angles. Mirrors are good but they really only give you an idea of what someone standing directly in front of you, who is the same height, sees. Video is good as you can get a clearer picture of what people see.
 
Sep 11, 2010
90
0
Try videotaping yourself from various angles. Mirrors are good but they really only give you an idea of what someone standing directly in front of you, who is the same height, sees. Video is good as you can get a clearer picture of what people see.

Also, when you practice using mirrors, you get into the habit of watching your hands in the mirror. Instead, practice in front of a video camera or a wall, and try and make eye contact with the video camera or wall rahter than watching your hands. If you watch your own hands, that is where the spectator will watch.
 
Apr 14, 2011
192
0
That isn't a good way to handle it. The rest of the audience will side with the spectator, especially if the correct guesses were a result of YOUR "sloppy" performance. A simple, "Hmmm, I suppose you could do it that way" usually is enough to diffuse the situation.

Thats basically what I do :p I rarely get this. Only when performing for people my age ( 14 ish ) that I get some pretty bad hecklers. When my performance is flawless, however, I dont get it. Thanks for the advice!
 
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