theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards

Suggestions for openers?

A

anth0ny

Dec 16, 2008
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0
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Toledo, OH
hey guys,
i actually have a couple questions regarding openers.
1. how many small tricks (warming up the crowd kind of tricks) do you reccomend before performing your main trick. for example on David Blaine specials, im sure he warms them up b4 showcasing the strong tricks that we see on tv.

2. Can you guys suggest some good openers, preferrebly (SpellCheck) impromptu tricks.

Thanks. All advice is welcome

Sorry if this has already been posted.
 
biddle, a quick triumph, 2 card monte, here then there since you can open with it prepared. I would NOT suggest opening with an ACR. An ACR should be a powerful multiphase routine if your doing it, it should take time, and an opener should be visual and QUICK, while an ACR you should take your time on.


additional.

personally i have found myself doing a few different openers lately, i really really like opening with a quick coin production and a short routine into a change into a deck appearance. I also really enjoy doing a quick pen routine ive been playing with which is a combination of Recapped and Marksmanship. If im in more formal setting in a walk around gig, you really cannot beat flash paper. flashy, attention grabbing and quick. great opener for anything
 
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I usually do a trasnpo first... No gimmick tricks first as I think people are always out to get you right away.
 
Chad Nelson's Rum Jungle is what I open with. It seems to show off skill on my part, but they are always surprised when they can change a card too! It get's them ready to go for what they're about to witness, and shows that they can help too ;)
 
Idk why everyone is only mentioning cards? Maybe I missed something. I find its best not to open with a card trick. Money, coins, toothpick, or rubber band magic usually makes great openers. When approaching people on the street, they seem much more interested if you offer to show them some magic with something other than cards, because most people have seen tons of card tricks.

**Anything involving fire (matches lighters, flash paper) works wonders.

Some of my favorite openers..

2 dollar window
5 + 1 transpo
Simple flashy coin routine
Crazy man's handcuffs
Slink
Jacobs Ladder
Tagged (Ferguson)
Spongeballs
Matchbite

If you are stuck on cards, try producing a deck of cards using flash paper. If someone sees a magician produce a deck of cards in a big fireball, they are probably going to want to stay and watch (I know I would)
 
Or instead of a card trick you could take a dollar bill and change it into 4 quarters in your hand.(I will not share my method for this,cause its my baby)
Or if you just HHAAVEE to do a card trick you could say you forgot your deck of cards at home but then proceed to draw a deck of cards on a small piece of paper.
You light it and a deck of cards appears out of no where.
(obviously flash paper)
Then go into your next tricks and so on..
 
cedwards90 said:
Idk why everyone is only mentioning cards? Maybe I missed something. I find its best not to open with a card trick. Money, coins, toothpick, or rubber band magic usually makes great openers. When approaching people on the street, they seem much more interested if you offer to show them some magic with something other than cards, because most people have seen tons of card tricks.

**Anything involving fire (matches lighters, flash paper) works wonders.

Some of my favorite openers..

2 dollar window
5 + 1 transpo
Simple flashy coin routine
Crazy man's handcuffs
Slink
Jacobs Ladder
Tagged (Ferguson)
Spongeballs
Matchbite

If you are stuck on cards, try producing a deck of cards using flash paper. If someone sees a magician produce a deck of cards in a big fireball, they are probably going to want to stay and watch (I know I would)
Click to expand...

Finally,someone not dependant of pasteboard. Funny,you had my exact idea for the cards.
The thing is,cards are sooo much easier to do magic with. The material is endless and its a lot less work to do a card trick opener than anything else.
Though much less entertaining.
 
I alway like to open with Jay Sankey's Hypothesis Production found on his Anywhere Anytime DVD. It's a continuous coin production and the patter is perfect for an opener.

If you're looking for card tricks, i generally open my card set with Rum Jungle by Chad Nelson. But i do a different version of that. I just love the concept of changing a random card to a selected card and changing that card to another selected card.

The thing to remeber with openers is that they must be SHORT. Try to get a trick where the magical effect happens within the first 30 seconds. Cuz if you linger on for too long, you've lost their attention.

Now you can also use an ACR as an opener. Even though you may have a long ACR, as long as the first rise happens quickly, it makes for a great opener.

In the end, it's all up to preference.
 
Well first off is this a opener for Table Hopping magic or for something else. I'd honestly suggest that if you are performing for friends. You don't really NEED and opener. Openers are generally for people who a set. For friends, you can pretty much go with the flow and perform whatever you want as long it the next thing doesn't look super lame.

You could do David Regals Sudden Deck II if you want.

Or if you want to avoid cards, you could do coin magic or whatever.
 
It would have to be angle zero for me. A stunning piece of instant magic that can happen quickly and be made into something truly dramatic. Sure its not entirely impromptu, but its still worth using. As an opener, it is different to a card trick your specatators may have seen before and will therefore grasp their attention, making them eager to see more and likely to react in a brilliant ay to any following tricks you perform.

Just my opinion, thats all. One other suggesstion is to perform the Chicago opener. Its simple in terms of sleights, and truly astonding and baffling. This will again leave your spectator eager for more.
 
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Thank you praetoritevong, I knew it had another name and i couldn't for the life of me remember what it was, thats just what I have heard it called before :)
 
Starter

Hey, you should start with an ace production of some form and then continue with another trick that requires aces or can use aces such as the iskabible sandwich (sorry for bad spelling). Or search and destroy by Aaron Fisher. That is a good opener or early trick I believe as it really softens people and makes then not so observant as the trick is done almost entierly in their hands
Josh
 
In terms of magic, I typically produce some sort of giveaway for the spectators. When I was the featured entertainment in high-end restaurants or resorts, I was a fan of making a bottle of champagne appear from under a silk to introduce myself. My business card would be conveniently pinned into the cork of the bottle. In terms of street magic, I would make a pack of matches or pack of gum appear from a sudden flash of fire to naturally lead into a following effect. It would give me a perfect opportunity to perform Dan White and Dan Hauss' Lit or Richard Sanders' Trident Sugarless Bill.

I've been making the move into more serious mentalism in recent years, and I find that my favorite opener right now is System 88 by Docc Hilford. I'm a major fan of it. After asking a spectator five questions, you proceed to tell her very specific and intimate details about her personal life. It's a very emotional, interactive effect and is structured perfectly for an opening sequence. It looks and feels like cold-reading, but it doesn't require any such skill. Rumor has it that PUAs used similar ploys to attract women and after experimenting with this effect, I can definitely understand how it would work.

How many warm-up effects should you do before the meat of your routine? One is all you should need. Seriously, especially if you plan on working professionally and doing magic for a living. One 'warm-up' is all you could afford. That's why an opening effect needs to be loud and captivating. It needs to be interactive and demonstrate who you are and what you do. Once you put that out on the table, the audience should be able to make their decision as to whether or not you're worth their time, and that will illustrate exactly what kind of quality performer you are. That's the truth. You really shouldn't compare yourself to what you see on television, because the methods employed on TV and the ways in which telemagicians acquire those kinds of reactions are often unrealistic in the real world working environment.

RS.

 
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