My first routine. Tell me what's wrong...

worldwideme

worldwideme

Apr 5, 2009
874
1
29
Illinois
hey sorry about the super duper long title,

but, my first routine i'm gonna start doing this summer, and i wanted to get the help of all you guys, I've never done a full routine before, and i wanted your advice on whether or not this sounds good,

-Flow/Frozen talking about the different states of matter and deposition

-stripper deck/ and other tricks with the sevens, talking about superstitions

-sponge balls, talking about the nature of spongeballs, (they attract or make great ear cleaners etc)

-astral projection by jay sankey, talking about mind power

-i thought about doing control for a closer, but. I've been told that its a bad idea,

questions:

-length?
-fluidity?
-better closer?
-maybe changing the order?
-anything at all is welcome

i do plan to take this to the street and busk with this routine, so if that changes anything...

cheers,
web
 
M

MattSmithies

Jul 8, 2008
144
1
35
Tintagel
what do you want people to perceive you as when you do your magic?

Do you concentrate on the effect, your character, the performance or something else?

May I ask what character development you have experimented with?

Matt
 
M

Mr. Jane

Dec 24, 2009
61
0
Well I'll be a bit kind about this since it seems you are trying to actually become a magician and not just a another card technician.

First of all get rid of your entire routine, in the sense that you need to restart from scratch.

Here's why, you want people to believe you can supposedly or make some crazy explanation of principles of water, then go onto a card effect? That doesn't mix well, and will lose most of the astonishment from the first effect, the second part being that you have dramatically different effects. You tried to make the presence of presentation sound similar but they are far to different for anybody to make a capable routine out of it.

What do you want to do? Now what can you do? What type of environment is this going to be in? Mix those three together and while the ending result may not be what you want you know what you should being with and what you can improve to become better.

My advice is to get either get a different card effect or get rid of it all together. You don't need cards and like I have told many people, I have three card effects I use in magic, and only one in my mentalism act.

If you want to keep the same sort of presentation then go with something like Blueprint, Two card monte, Subway variation, or Here then There. These are all very good because you could use with each one a lapse in concentration presentation. This is of course my type and you are free to use it, or make it your own after some time.

You have to make the effects about the presentation and performance not about the actual effect. The cards are to often used not as a medium for your magic but as the magic. If you understand that at all then you should get my previous paragraph.

Control is fine if you have are older, and while some may disagree stating "I'm 14 and I fry everybody with this noob." Well those are your friends and not adults with working minds that don't interpret some younger child or teen having the ability to stop their pulse.

Try to find something that would completely blow them away and you can leave instantly. Some effect you can just leave at, leaving some sort of souvenir almost.

If you want, I have roughly a week left I could spend quite a bit of time working with you on getting your first routine ready. My credentials are over 11 years of magic, 5 professionally and 3 years as professional mentalist. This is not to brag or show off my ego, but to let you understand I do know what I'm talking about and taking seasoned personal advice is always something to hope for. Send me a PM if you'd like.
 
Sir FansAlot

Sir FansAlot

Sep 3, 2007
1,231
0
I would personally advise on the other side of the coin. The advise given is very good, however you are just beginning magic. In your situation the most important thing is to perform what you like and test the waters. You have some solid material and you do not have to make it all perfect right away. The audience isn't looking for a huge magic story that completely makes sense. They are looking to see some magic, and you are on the right track.

Peace.
 
ultimate_cloud

ultimate_cloud

Jul 26, 2008
28
0
You've gotten a lot of good advice so far, and you should try and take what everyone says into consideration. It may seem like quite a bit, but It's all helpful.

Just to throw in my two cents, I think the best advice I'd ever gotten when I was rather new to magic was

"Your too new to the art to worry about a routine just yet. You should just go out and perform for people. Perform the tricks you like to perform, and perform them well. Give the spectators the show they want to see. Once your done performing for the night, I want you to go home, sit down with a pen and paper, and think. Think about the things that worked and didn't worked. What did you enjoy doing? What did the spectators enjoy seeing? Write it all down. Look at it. Analyze it. Your have the most valuable information you'll ever come across right there in front of you, use it to better yourself. If the audience called you out on something, practice it. If your audience didn't react to an effect, try and find out what went wrong. Did you lose their attention, could they not follow the effect, Was it just not something they enjoyed seeing? Whatever it is, try and do something better. You can pick apart every part of your performance like that. Every trick, every move, every single second of your act. Whatever your brain touches on, write it all down. Illustrate if you can, even if it's stick drawing only you can understand. It will help you. All of this will come together to tell you what you like, what you do well, what your audience likes, and what they react to. All of that information and more is there, and as long as you know how to handle it you can use it to shape your character. You'll find your magic becoming something you love performing, and your audience loves being a part of. And then you'll realize you already have natural routines that you run through without even thinking. Routines that fit your situation, and your audience, and you'll be a better performer because of it."

I'm sorry that's so long, and it's not a perfect quote, but a good friend of mine who had been performing magic for years professionally told me that, and I took it to heart. I have a library of magic journals. I write down everything I can remember from every performance, and try and analyze it, and better myself. It's helped me find myself within the art, and helped me make my performances something most everyone enjoys seeing. The idea of a journal might not work for everyone, but it has been invaluable to me, and it may be the same way for you.
 
Sir FansAlot

Sir FansAlot

Sep 3, 2007
1,231
0
I'd agree completely with ultimate_cloud. You don't have to write down every possible thought that came to mind. But just to note some stuff down is invaluable. After awhile you might see your simple notes turning into an organized notebook. Start small, and then just go with the flow.
 
worldwideme

worldwideme

Apr 5, 2009
874
1
29
Illinois
great stuff guys i feel i left some things out of my OP that could be of great importance

this routine is something a buddy of mine and i will take to the streets, just goofin around with me doin magic, and him possibly running a video camera, which a video record might possibly be invaluable to keeping a journal as you guys said.

keep the stuff comin and i hope someday to incorporate this routine into a christian evangelism thing i plan to do someday, where i go around telling people about my faith through my talents and gifts in magic
 
Sir FansAlot

Sir FansAlot

Sep 3, 2007
1,231
0
worldwideme said:
great stuff guys i feel i left some things out of my OP that could be of great importance

this routine is something a buddy of mine and i will take to the streets, just goofin around with me doin magic, and him possibly running a video camera, which a video record might possibly be invaluable to keeping a journal as you guys said.

keep the stuff comin and i hope someday to incorporate this routine into a christian evangelism thing i plan to do someday, where i go around telling people about my faith through my talents and gifts in magic
Click to expand...


Nothing wrong with that at all. I used to play chess alot and me and my buddy went to Venice to try to play people for money. It didn't work out so well, but it was cool in the way we are allowed to.
 
worldwideme

worldwideme

Apr 5, 2009
874
1
29
Illinois
Sir FansAlot said:
Nothing wrong with that at all. I used to play chess alot and me and my buddy went to Venice to try to play people for money. It didn't work out so well, but it was cool in the way we are allowed to.
Click to expand...

well. i wasnt concerned with weather or not you guys agreed with what i wanted to do. just thought it could help you guys, help me.
 
Steerpike

Steerpike

Sep 1, 2007
3,786
15
Bit of advice paraphrasing Bob Cassidy.

When Megadeth take the stage, they play music. Note that no one asks Dave to also do a little dance routine, juggle, or recite the Gettysburg Address.

What's wrong with doing all mind reading?
 
Steerpike

Steerpike

Sep 1, 2007
3,786
15
The point is you shouldn't feel like you have to do a little bit of everything in one routine. There's no need for it. A routine that revolves around one theme can actually be much more powerful, whether that theme be based on props or scripting.

Banachek's Pre-Thoughts is about predictions and premonitions. Do you really think the show would be improved by adding PK effects?
 
D

D ICE R

Mar 6, 2008
1,483
3
A Land Down Under
I believe that Steerspike was referring more to your presentational approach than your effects themselves.

You go from demonstrations of science to superstition finally with some precognition and control of life and death. The real thing is there is no direction to it.

You mentioned that this will be something you take to the streets this effect list could last easily 20 - 30 minutes how would you plan to stop them for that amount of time.
 
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