Pocket Management and tips

[TotalAstonishmentsCMC]

I AM BACK FROM VACATION .... I was in New York and i got tons of practice doing magic on the streets to alot of strangers (some didnt even speak english and at some family members graduation and a golf banquet .... I feel really confident now

Buttttttttt- now i really want to head out to restaurants for real to find work ..... NOW THIS IS A BIG SET BACK TO ME GETTING OUT THERE .... i am drawing a blank on how much to actually bring ... here are some questions to think about

1. How many business cards should i bring AND should i always do a trick every set to hand them out (and should that trick be different per set Eg. set 1, set 2, set 3?)
2. how many extra cards should i bring (people will sign cards and they will get bent and wet at some points) Half a deck?
3. how would you edit these sets AND/OR manage everything into your pockets :
I WILL LIST SETS WHICH ARE NOT YET COMPLETED (ANY IDEAS FOR TRICKS TO ADD TO THESE ARE GREAT)

SET 1: David copperfield arm twisting opener
VERY QUICK color changing deck (oops wrong color *snap* now they are all different
King assembly (fairly fast)
Dr. Dayleys w/ kings
Paniic by aaron fisher

SET 2: Sponge balls
?????Maybe a Coin Affect???? OR Ring thing, stirring silver and last phase of ring leader (ring routine)?????
Invisible deck

Set 3: Hopping Halves
???? ACR???? Some peice of Mentalism???
Dissapearing a spectator off of my business card (My Out to Lunch application) *maybe this can be replaced and then moved after the trick replacing it

4. how do i reset Hopping halves and Out to lunch quicker ... Should i reset them on my way to the next table .... Both reset fairly quick but resetting at a table will give them away?


Oh boy, Feel free to add any advice or notes on this ... It's a hefty bit of disscussion here ..... Really im just trying to figure out What Tricks to Put where ... I know TONS UPON TONS of card stuff which can always substitute and i have an expanded shell that i could use ... so just shoot me ANY and i mean ANY ideas yous have! .. alrighty, THANKS !!!


P.S. I know a few business card tricks like Drawn Again by Danny Archer, a few By Ammar, OTL, And one where the spectator sticks the business card in between the two cards written on the back of it ... Just incase ths information helps you guys to guide me (?)

 

[BlindDeception]

I would recommend adam wilber's working man. Also his the worker 1 and 2. They are fantastic for gigs and resteraunt magic. The Working Man DVD will answer all of your questions, its fantastic! What I usually have is left pocket- Red bicycle deck w/sharpie ( in cellophane color changing deck gimmicked card with two duplicates) Right Back Pocket- Invisible deck... Loops around my wrist and extras in my wallet! Thats all you need

 

[TotalAstonishmentsCMC]

i have the worker .... but not the working man ... i feel bad using all cards also ... especially for kids

Somehow though, your post makes me extremely relieved

 

[krab]

i have the worker .... but not the working man ... i feel bad using all cards also ... especially for kids

Somehow though, your post makes me extremely relieved

I do not use all cards. In the Adam Wilber Q and A on youtube says do not use all cards. I use coins, sponge, rubber bands, silks ect ect.

 

[BlindDeception]

i have the worker .... but not the working man ... i feel bad using all cards also ... especially for kids

Somehow though, your post makes me extremely relieved

Well you don't have to use all cards, I know though tricks like the haunted deck kids love! You could do some coin vanishes, make a dollar bill levitate kids love anything visual really. Maybe Justin Miller's Descent, they love that too! If your going to stay away from cards, do some simple ( Keep in mind simple) coin magic. Kids have a hard time following things if it isn't visual, They have the attention span of a fly. What things do you have though so I can better assist you? For ring magic check out justin millers divorce and patrick kun's reflex. They are great!

 

[RedbeardThePink]

I don't really get people to sign cards, but I do WarpOne a lot and that one destroys a card every time it's performed. I just keep an extra box of random cards and occasionally refill it when it gets low. I've got a lot of extra red and blue bikes laying around. Of course, I perform with a set of hipsacks on, so it's easy for me to tote around 4 or more decks of cards and still have room for sponges, rubber bands, coins, etc. If you want a set like I have, they're available through a company called Flowtoys who makes modular LED toys for flow dancers. They're kind of fanny-pack-ish, but they come in different colors and look a little like something you'd get at a Renaissance festival. I don't know if that'll work with your getup, but I find it's a great way to carry and organize both my roaming and platform acts. I can even hang or pin a bag onto it to use as a pouch for my cups and balls act.

Also, Staples was recently having a business card sale. I got 500 printed off for $40 with a bunch of free samples of other stuff. I don't know if that's still going on, but if it is you might want to jump on that unless you have a better deal somewhere or you have a pile of cards to last you a while. I can easily go through 100 or more cards in a week and try to carry at least 30 or 40 wherever I go.

As for your sets, it looks like you've got some variety in both length and material, which is good. I always try to keep people guessing about what I'll do next.

 

[TotalAstonishmentsCMC]

Love your name by the way it always makes me think of a comic strip me and my friends use to write ...

And here are the sets with SLIGHTlY more material :

Set 1:
arm twist opener
color change deck
king assembly
dr.dayley
panic

Set 2: Sponge balls
Ring tricks / coin tricks (anyone know which one i should do, something easy yet visual) Or make them vanish off my business card?
invisible deck

Set 3:
Hopping halves
????? (a card trick maybe ?)
Drawn again

 

[magicdamadude]

I personally would almost never use playing cards in a restaurant situation. Playing cards tend to get extremely dirty in those situations, and I never want my spectators to even have an inkling that they are touching dirty props. Plus, I never like approaching new people with card magic. I don't want them to label me as another run of the mill magician-man. I like using props that are more relatable for people in those situations. The best material to have in restaurant work is stuff that is visually appealing, instantly resets or is impromptu (which means no fiddling around in the bathroom for the next table), and can be done in a loud environment. The most obvious example would be spoon bending, and let me tell you, people like them some spoon bending (done right, of course). I also love doing Stirring Silver for people in a restaurant environment. It gets them involved, it uses props that they are familiar with, and who would find pulling out a spoon in a restaurant weird?

I think that a good set for a table or group of spectators is 3 effects, four is risky. It gives you an opening, a good middle trick, and a nice closer. Plus, I would recommend having 4 or 5 sets instead of 3, depending on the way the building is laid out. If the tables are super close together, it probably wouldn't be too awesome to end up showing the same set to the table right across from the table you just performed at. Just as a couple of back up pieces in case you run into that situation.

 

[TotalAstonishmentsCMC]

I personally would almost never use playing cards in a restaurant situation. Playing cards tend to get extremely dirty in those situations, and I never want my spectators to even have an inkling that they are touching dirty props. Plus, I never like approaching new people with card magic. I don't want them to label me as another run of the mill magician-man. I like using props that are more relatable for people in those situations. The best material to have in restaurant work is stuff that is visually appealing, instantly resets or is impromptu (which means no fiddling around in the bathroom for the next table), and can be done in a loud environment. The most obvious example would be spoon bending, and let me tell you, people like them some spoon bending (done right, of course). I also love doing Stirring Silver for people in a restaurant environment. It gets them involved, it uses props that they are familiar with, and who would find pulling out a spoon in a restaurant weird?

I think that a good set for a table or group of spectators is 3 effects, four is risky. It gives you an opening, a good middle trick, and a nice closer. Plus, I would recommend having 4 or 5 sets instead of 3, depending on the way the building is laid out. If the tables are super close together, it probably wouldn't be too awesome to end up showing the same set to the table right across from the table you just performed at. Just as a couple of back up pieces in case you run into that situation.

good stuff, ill try tokeep my cards in my hands only then to avoid them from getting dirty, and i actually mention that im not just a card guy but id love to do a few card tricks for them when i do my full card set ... spoon bending sounds good but how about angles ?
and ya stirring silver would kill

 

[magicdamadude]

Hey, if card magic works for you in those situations, roll with it, man. I, personally, just don't do card magic in restaurants. Don't get me wrong, some of my strongest material is card magic, but I just wouldn't want to use them in that environment.

Regarding spoon bending, it really depends on what kind of bends you do. In my routine, I do 3 phases, and only the third phase could be really considered angle sensitive, but it is whatever you like and what you would be comfortable doing in front of spectators. There are plenty of bends out there. Routining them together isn't too difficult. What is difficult is finding the right misdirection in order to create those bends invisibly.

 

[TotalAstonishmentsCMC]

Hey, if card magic works for you in those situations, roll with it, man. I, personally, just don't do card magic in restaurants. Don't get me wrong, some of my strongest material is card magic, but I just wouldn't want to use them in that environment.

Regarding spoon bending, it really depends on what kind of bends you do. In my routine, I do 3 phases, and only the third phase could be really considered angle sensitive, but it is whatever you like and what you would be comfortable doing in front of spectators. There are plenty of bends out there. Routining them together isn't too difficult. What is difficult is finding the right misdirection in order to create those bends invisibly.

I'll probably do some phases from dee christophers metal ....

dbMagic- how does this sound ...

Items will be listed, what i use it for otherwise will be marked -like this-
PANTS

Front left: Regular cards(blue/red DB card, 3 kings on top one on bottom) rubber bands around card box, sharpie
-cards after panic appear here-

Front right: Sponge balls, Ribbon

Inner Front right: Halved business cards for OTL

Back Left: Extra cards (half deck), invisibe deck, spoon
-ditch sponge balls here after trick- -Invisible deck is palmed for a catch production-

Back right: panic cards, Coin pouch-ish thing
-panic cards get ditched back here-
VEST
Inner vest: business cards (regular and OTL prepared)
...............................................................................

I move the sponge balls back to my front pocket as i "search" for the invisible deck

Any advice??

 

[magicdamadude]

It sounds like you have your setup pretty well thought out. I wish you the best of luck with performing! There isn't a whole lot I can say about where you should put your props because you know the routines, and I'm not thinking in my mind how they should transition. As you do these sets, you will figure out if the things you have are in the correct pockets and if your props couldn't be in better places. You sound like you have a good start with those things.

One bit of advice in working shows (or magic in general, for that matter): Never stop questioning yourself. Always try to keep improving. If you have a night that just bombs, there might be a reason. Learn to be vocally self critical. Never settle for anything. Always remember that if you ever think you've got the best routines in the business, someone has just now come up with something better. Don't think I mean that in a condescending or negative way. Use that as fuel to make yourself want to be on a level with those guys. Restaurant work is a fantastic way to hone your skills and really dig deep into practicing your performing, your sleights, and everything in between. If there are problems with your routines, working in restaurants and doing that routine often will help you identify the issue. If there are holes in your act, this will help you fill them. You will meet every type of spectator planet earth has to offer; this opportunity will prepare you for the future.

OOH! Keep a notebook for afterthoughts. Right after your gig (I mean right after. Don't do anything else. Don't shower, don't go to sleep, don't do anything.), try and focus on what you could have done better that night, or what didn't go the way you wanted. You can write positive stuff that happened, but we are strictly focusing on how we can improve. Keeping notes on positive points only serve as a morality boost. That way, you have food for thought until your next gig, it'll help you prevent the problem from occurring again if you can find a solution. This process can help you develop killer routines that are great workers and ultimately, we work towards creating a routine that cannot fail.

Just my two cents

 

[TotalAstonishmentsCMC]

Confident and ready ... and ya, im always questioning things .. thats why my posts are all over the place hahaha

what do i do for people who have already seen me last week ?

 

[magicdamadude]

Confident and ready ... and ya, im always questioning things .. thats why my posts are all over the place hahaha

what do i do for people who have already seen me last week ?

When you have returning customers, it has the potential to be a nice break for you. You can simply ask them if they remembered what you showed them before. Most people will remember bits and pieces at least, and that should give you enough hints to be able to tell which set you showed them. Most people realize that as a performer, you won't remember everyone's faces. It's not a bad thing to just ask what they've seen. If you are at their table and have already agreed to seeing your work again, obviously they like you. And, on the opposite side of the spectrum, if they decline your offer, then you won't have to worry what you've shown them last time cause you're not showing them anything else!