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Jaxon
Inner circle
Kalamazoo, Mi.
2459 Posts
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Posted: May 30, 2005 2:35pm
In my experience the first ten seconds (or so) of a show is the most important part of a performance. It's in these few moments that they are processing an opinion of you.
I see so many performers come out with a long dialog or a trick that takes a few minutes before the audience actually experiences anything. The trick may end up successful and get a good reaction but if they had already liked you before that moment then the reactions would have probably been even stronger.
Establishing yourself is the key. A known performer can gat away with just walking out and not giving the audience much to react to right away because the audience already has an opinion of the performer. Most of us aren't like that though. We usually perform for people who have never seen us before so they'll be examining you right away to see if you're worthy of their attention.
You don't have to do a trick in the beginning. It can be a site gag, a funny line or falling on your face. What you do is up to you but just keep in mind that the sooner you establish yourself the sooner your spectators will except you as entertaining. You'll find that once you've done that they'll react to things you don't even plan on getting a reaction to.
So my advice is to give them something to laugh or wow at right from the beginning. Then you'll have their attention and acceptance for the rest of your show.
Ron Jaxon
"The map is not the Territory"
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Jeremy L.
Special user
795 Posts
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Posted: May 30, 2005 2:53pm
Great post (as usual)! 
It's sort of like:
There's no second, first impression.
Jeremy L.
Do you buy ethically?
Magic Fakes
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Father Photius
Grammar Host
El Paso, TX (Formerly Amarillo)
11727 Posts
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Posted: May 30, 2005 4:43pm
Ron your experience and professionalism shows once again! I couldn't agree with you more, if you don't catch them in your first 10 seconds, ur just another booring after dinner speaker. Just look at people flipping channels with a remote and how long they stay on any one channel.
"Now here's the man with the 25 cent hands, that two bit magician..."
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Jaxon
Inner circle
Kalamazoo, Mi.
2459 Posts
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Posted: May 30, 2005 5:45pm
That's a great example. I don't know how many times I've watched the first few seconds of a show then though, "Not interested" and moved onto another channel.
If you're ever stumped on something to do the moment you walk out there. Here's a simple one and you don't need any props to do it. You don't even need words. All you need is a table.
I do this quite often. As soon as I'm introduced I walk up to the table and do an old mime bit I saw Dick Van Dyke do when he was impersonating Stan Laurel. You sit down on an invisible chair.
Click here to see an image of me doing it (I just made the image really quick to help explain)
Your body looks just like you are sitting on a chair but the bulk of your weight is held up on your elbow. I just walk up. I do this as I wave to the audience with a silly smirk on my face. It gets a few giggles. They don't see me as just a guy who does a few tricks but as someone who is entertaining. Then I move on with my act.
There are many other options but I think this demonstrates just how much you can do in that first few seconds to get a laugh. This particular bit requires not props or words.
Ron Jaxon
"The map is not the Territory"
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Father Photius
Grammar Host
El Paso, TX (Formerly Amarillo)
11727 Posts
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Posted: May 30, 2005 10:59pm
Cute bit, tried it, not hard to do at all. Thanks!
"Now here's the man with the 25 cent hands, that two bit magician..."
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*Jamie*
New user
61 Posts
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Posted: May 31, 2005 9:11pm
Whoa. You tricked me. I thought you really were on a chair!
Great advice Ron Jaxon (for the billionth time).
-Jamie
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Chrystal
Inner circle
Canada/France
1528 Posts
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Posted: May 31, 2005 11:01pm
Wowzers Ron! That's a cute bit and does actually appear as if you are seated in a chair. I agree with you...Wow them the moment you appear on stage! Good post and advice as usual!
Chrystal
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Aloy
New user
Singapore
36 Posts
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Posted: Jun 1, 2005 2:57am
Thanks for that Jaxon, that's really insightful.
With popular media (TV, Movie, MTV, News) conditioning all of us (and especially the younger generation) with shorter attention spans and quicker judgement formation, to not capture their interest within the 1st 10 sec might mean that they have mentally "switched channels" even if they politely watch the rest of our performances.
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eddieloughran
Special user
942 Posts
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Posted: Jun 1, 2005 10:58am
There is a story of a well known magician who went to Slydini for lessons and he was made to spend the first lesson opening a door and walking to his performing table.
that's how important he felt the opening seconds were.
The audience impressions start before you do anything.
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mouliu
Regular user
Hongkong/Taiwan
169 Posts
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Posted: Jun 7, 2005 2:15pm
Thanks Ron, that's really a great post.
I'm a novice and have learnt a lot here. I hope this time I can contribute:
Before I did my first shows for kids just 2 days ago, I though again and again how should I appeared. Eventually, I came up with 2 different versions.
1) Sticked 1 red spongeball on nose, and started spongeballs rountine;
2) Sticked 1 red spongeball on nose, with a can of softdrink in hand, and started "restored coke cola" trick.
Both were fine. And the sound system was playing a few seconds of "Y.M.C.A" before I appeared.
Next time, I'll "sit down" as Ron does, be frustrated by an "empty" can of softdrink. Thanks Ron.
Just my 2 cents.
A novice't reflection: I like watching my audience's jaws drop, but sadly in reality I'm just too busy to enjoy it.
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Stephen Buxton
Veteran user
311 Posts
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Posted: Jun 9, 2005 2:30pm
I too am a newbie here, but I do have a few years of magic under my belt (unfortunately, a lot of doughnuts to...). Nowhere near as many years as I suspect Jaxon has, but I get by ok. I do wholeheartedly agree, the first few seconds really do count.
I introduce myself at a table with an enthusiastic:
"Hello ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Anti-climax!"
I then go on and do a standard hankerchief vanish, finishing with something that usually gets a giggle:
"I know what you're thinking... you're thinking 'I wish he'd leave us alone'"
I then go on and repeat the trick, but with a nice twist of mine (and perhaps when the door unlocks and lets me into some of the other rooms, I might share it too ;-)
With my kids shows, I use the first few minutes getting the kids to know who I am, my magic words, and to have a good laugh too. It also affords me the opportunity to suss out if anyone is likely to give me cause for grief. However, I have found with a good opening, the kids do generally behave themselves. I'm not sure why, but I guess it is a case of if they smell fear or uncertainty, they will play up to it.
I start off with asking "is everyone is here yet? If you aren't here, please put up your hands." It is amazing the number of kids who will put up their hands. Having asked them not to laugh, as it puts me off, I then do Terry Herbert's counting routine with a silly high pitched voice a few times, before doing it with a really deep voice.
And once I have gone through a number of silly magic words, we really are ready to begin. Ok, so it can take up to 5 minutes before any magic happens, but there are a lot of laughs in the that time.
If you put an infinite number of apes in front of an infinite number of computers, you get a pretty good idea of what internet chat rooms can be like
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abc
Inner circle
South African in Taiwan
1081 Posts
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Posted: Jun 10, 2005 1:23am
I think what you do depends on your audience but I do agree that the first few seconds are the most important. I teach in Taiwan and very often I have a new class that just started English lessons or I have to sub for someone. The first few seconds sets the tone for everything. But I can not do the same things for adults as I do for teenagers or for smaller children.
Very important is too make sure the first few seconds gets the attention of your "target" audience as have been said above a few times.
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calexa
Inner circle
Germany
1634 Posts
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Posted: Jun 14, 2005 7:30am
Good advice. And this is the rule whenever you meet new person - the first seconds or sometimes minutes are the most important ones.
Magixx
Optimists have more fun.....
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magicalaurie
Inner circle
1697 Posts
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Posted: Jul 7, 2005 8:03pm
You have to bring it and own it from the moment you start walking on. Be there before you enter.
You present very interesting and very relevant topics, Jaxon. Great focus.
"Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate." Captain Jack Sparrow
http://www.magicalaurie.viviti.com
http://www.magicalaurie.wordpress.com
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