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bropaul Loyal user Florida 222 Posts |
Well the season in the Southeast is doing just fine, but I have a question... I've been doing street magic for over 30 years and I have never had the problem that I'm having this year. I get the people to stop. I have a nice crowd. I have my rope line out. BUT I am having a problem bringing them to the line.
Granted, this is the first time I've worked in the Great American Southeast, but it's the last 5 feet that I'm having a problem with. The have stopped. Their ready to watch a show, but I'm having a problem moving them up to the line to get that solid edge. It's a battle during the whole show and I let them go until I know I have them and then move them in, but it is usually the last 5 minutes of the show. Hats are great, but I really like that tight edge from as close to the beginning as I can. I've even walked over the line myself and showed them what the show would look like "up close". They agree with me that it is better that way, and I explain that I have to go back to the stage area and all they have to do is step 5 feet forward, but it is work. More work then I've ever done before. Makes me nervous. Am I loosing my touch, or is this a new thing, or is it a regional thing... I really don't know, but I'm not too proud to ask up here with all you guys doing what you do so well. I have worked on this before, and it varies with each crowd, but it seems that this season is the first season that I've had to work this hard... So any suggestions would be accepted gratefully from all you magic guru's out there. Thanks in advance. It's just getting to be season and the crowds are starting to thicken up so shoot me the ideas... |
Leeman Special user Hollywood, CA 709 Posts |
Durring the short time that I busked I never used a rope, but I was also doing more of a sidewalk show with smaller audinces so my advice is from a theoretical standpoint. maybe the audince thinks that the rope is the end of the stage and they don't want to crowd you, thinking that maybe durring the show you will walk all the way to the edge of the stage area. Maybe you can try not using a rope or setting the rope closer to your table and then if by chance the crown does line up next to the rope you can move the table back a little bit, or move the table foreward if they still stop short of your line.
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Mario Morris Inner circle Mario Morris 2044 Posts |
Hi Bropaul
Great to hear from you, As you know best of all, trial and error will give you a result. I have worked both with a rope and without a rope. There are benefits with both. With out: This draws them in close by its very nature and the closer you get them in the faster the crowd grows behind them. Once you got them in the palm of your hand you can push them out to where you would normally lay your rope. I have found this to be one of the most effective ways to pull a crowd. With a rope: This may or may not work, you could turn this into a comedy moment IE. You stand with them five feet away from the rope, using the classic lines like "After the count of 3 we will or walk towards the rope together" asking "are you ready? Get ready? Hear we go are you ready" (words to that effect). I suggest you don’t put a foot forward until you have there heads nodding in aggreement. Mind you if you find you can not over come this then I don't think I could. Happy New Year. Mario PS You could highlight health and safety issues. Lady and gents pleases put one foot in front of the other and step up to the rope, we call it walking. This will allow the shoppers to pass on by if they whish to and it will keep me in good standing with the store holders. I will even come and help you we can do it TOGETHER. (Now you’re standing with them) Are you ready after the count of three and so on. |
BroDavid Inner circle America’s North Coast, Ohio 3176 Posts |
OK, I said I wasn't going to post here anymore, but I can't pass this one up.
BroPaul, it may work for you, I think you are a strong enough personality to pull it off, but it would not work for everyone as it would obviously take a special relationship with the crowd.. Disclaimer: I have not done this, but the picture in my mind is just too good to go without sharing. And usually this is how I build my show, from the pictures as I analyze what has previously happened or hasn't happened as I would have liked. So here it is. How about making a couple of "Wizard of Oz" jokes, you pick em yourself depending on what might be going on with the general area.(If you see a dog, you could do a "Toto" reference/joke.) Then after telling them what you want them to do, step up to the line; if they ha vent yet complied, you go out to audiences and tell them to think of you as the tin man or the scarecrow, somebody else can be Dorothy, now "everybody in the front row, remember the Wizard of OZ, when they were going to see the magic?" Good, you got the picture, now everybody lock arms", then while facing them, you say, "We are off to see the Wizard!". Do it a couple of times. Then you join in the middle and take a big step forward holding tights to arms of the two specs (one on each side) and again say; "We are off to see the Wizard". And take another step if required, doing the same. When you get them right where you want them, you can just say aloud to no one in particular, "OK Dorothy, we are here". Now for the magic! As I said, I haven't tried this, but I think a strong performing personality could pull it off, and it gets everyone one thinking the same, and the picture of Dorothy, the tin man, lion, etc, linked arms, taking a step forward should give them the mental picture of stepping forward, and it should be fun for them to go to Oz for a moment. And I always like to get the crowd making noise. It loosens them up. BroDavid
If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.
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Mario Morris Inner circle Mario Morris 2044 Posts |
BroDavid
It is good to hear from you. I must admit that is very funny. Mario |
jgravelle Loyal user Milwaukee (Head shown not actual size) 270 Posts |
Without sounding like I'm cold reading here... is it by chance a yellow rope?
Us city-fied folks have been routinely conditioned to stand behind the yellow line, stay off the yellow curb, avoid the yellow police tape, don't eat the yellow-- Well, you get the idea. You might want to draw chalk footprints where you'd like people to place their feet... maybe a warning: "Place feet here to avoid accidental levitation" or something along those lines... Regards, -jjg |
Zack Special user 551 Posts |
Ladies and gentlemen, street performing is protected by the united states constitution. They can, however, cite me for BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK...which is what you're doing right now. The LAPD has made their opinion very clear on this matter. Lets hear it for the LAPD. (Somebody claps)
Must be from out of town. Come to LA...we'll treat you like a king. Seriously though, howmany LAPD officers does it take to push a handcuffed prisoner down a flight of stairs? The @$%^&*(%$# FELL! |
Jim Wilder Special user Birmingham, AL 954 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-01-19 13:47, Zack wrote: :lol: That is good stuff! |
bropaul Loyal user Florida 222 Posts |
Well now... The rum is soaking in and this thread is giving me some ideas. BroDavid... I want to party with you. It is a great visual. I think I can pull it off and I'm going to give it a try this weekend... If not for the edge, just for the fun of it. I'll let you know.
As for the rest of you, thanks. I think with this and the PM's from the folks that don't want to publicly post, I've got some great, and I mean great ideas. I haven't been up here for a while and if someone could let me in on the skinny I'd like to know what happened. Sometimes I get un-intouch and when I come back there are some major and I mean major changes. Thanks in advance. As for me, I'm thankful for all your advice public or otherwise and I now have some work to do and some writing to do. I worked today and put some of it into use and my hats went up 1/3. Not a bad average and all thanks to folks like you. I hope I can help out when needed to pay you back... Or maybe I'll just send a check... Yea right. |
bropaul Loyal user Florida 222 Posts |
Jgravelle:
Not a yellow rope. It's white. But I know what you mean. |
bropaul Loyal user Florida 222 Posts |
Mario:
Good points. I'm giving it all a try. As of tonight I think I have found a solution. PM me and I'll tip it off. The bit about getting them to make an "agreement" is brilliant! No matter what the bit is I feel the "agreement" is solid. Things are great here. I hope this finds you well and are you working now? Stay in touch, I'll do the same. |
Chance Inner circle 1385 Posts |
BroPaul, I know Florida pretty well, and folks from different areas do behave differently. Exactly where are you, and what's your main pitch?
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bropaul Loyal user Florida 222 Posts |
Chance:
Fort Myers... It's warm and healthy. Things are looking up. Tough pitch because permits are limited to 6. Got lucky this year, but who knows with the politics of a small town. |
Chance Inner circle 1385 Posts |
So... from your experience so far in Ft Myers, what seems to be the average age of your audience members? Or, another way of phrasing it might be, what's the percentage of families with kids vs. retired people?
And what does the main pitch look like there? (Park land, shopping street, beachfront promenade, etc?...) |
BroDavid Inner circle America’s North Coast, Ohio 3176 Posts |
Brother Paul,
I will be coming down to Florida for a few days in late February, up around the Orlando area, so if I can get away to run down to Ft Myers, I will look you up. But I could ask my wife about it, since she has friends living there.. But she will probably want to go along, and then she would want me to hang out with her and them too... so at second thought.. I guess it probably wouldnt work after all.... But if it looks like there is any chance it would work, I will PM you and get a time and location, so we can catch your act. BroDavid
If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.
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bwarren3 Special user 518 Posts |
Brodavid,
Great idea.....I'm still laughing because I can actually picture Bropaul doing this right on the street. THAT is PURE entertainment and should result in a fatter hat depending on the crowd. I would think that most of the crowds this would work for. So far, I haven't needed a rope because I like them in close. If I need them to back up a little I just ask them to back up just a little so the munchkins can see also. Why do they always turn around and look??? Bill |
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