Hastily put together, but here's a little something

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLKh3vil_......&index=1

S&N, Nice routine.

Very good!

Very nice.

Looks great to me .

Pen was a nice addition

Very good.

Yep, pretty neat.

Looks fine s&n

Very good. Congratulations.
Maybe look from time to time for a second friendly to the spectators.
Then there will be a sort of interaction between you and the spectators. Now, it is if you do the routine for yourself.

Ok, SmileAndNod: I'm taking a minute or two to offer you some suggestions. But, before I offer suggestions, I would like to ask you why you "apologize, (your introduction to the video)--"Hastily put together" -- and then why you almost timidly offer your routine?

An amateur LOVES his hobby (amateur from the Latin, AMATUS=loved) A professional also loves his "work". Both amateurs and professionals need to have a POSITIVE, "professional attitude".

A performer who steps on the stage with an apology,is not going to get a very positive response from the audience. If you aint PROUD to "SERVE" it, DON'T "SERVE" IT!

Unless your "character" on stage is a "wimpy" timid character, don't be timid about what or how you perform.

Understandably,performing before peers is a challenge--especially if you're just starting out. So, PRACTICE! (UNTIL YOU CAN DO "IT" IN YOUR SLEEP!)

However, "Practice makes perfect"--is NOT TRUE. PROPER practice (practice with a mentor or coach who knows how and why)can produce perfection.

Now, a bit of positive criticism: You did a "watch me do this' routine. --MEH!!! (MAGIC is not inherently entertaining) If you want to entertain me (that's what the spectator is saying mentally) you must INVOLVE me. Don't talk TO ME or AT ME. Talk WITH Me.

Magic is a VISUAL ART FORM, but the performer must still COMMUNICATE. --Either vocally or with facial expression or body language. If you don't INVOLVE your audience,, you'll soon find that you'll be perorming all alone.

You have learned how to "do" some moves. But moves aint magic! What you did might be compared to a pianist playing the notes of a scale. (THAT AINT MUSIC!)

MAGIC doesn't happen "on the stage". MAGIC ONLY HAPPENS IN THE MINDS OF THE AUDIENCE. You need to learn about TIMING, TEMPO, AND TIME. (Not an impossible task)

I hope I havn't "rained" on your parade! If a little shower has happened, I hope that I've helped with a parasol or two.

Best wishes!

SmileAndNod, some good moves in your routine. If you stay with magic, the one-coin routine is something you'll probably be working on for the rest of your life. If I may make a suggestion, try going back and forth between left and right hands a bit. If the coin appears in the right hand one time, it could appear in the left hand the next time.

Dick Oslund, I believe that at least some magic is inherently enertaining. Take any manipulation act. There is very little going on there except the magic. And people find being blown away by close-up magic entertaining as well.

Sorry Ray, I've been around too long.

NO!!! magic is NOT inherently entertaining. MAGIC HAPPENS O N L Y IN THE MINDS OF THE SPECTATORS. In the last 60 years, I've seen some very UNentertainin magicians. >>>I dare you to read on>>>

I remember a regional convention 20 years ago. 3 magicians and 1 juggler in first half of the evening public show. Opening: a local part timer. He "died" on stage. #2 act: a NEW YORK PRO. He committed "suicide" on stage, #3 a New YORK PRO (who still writes for one of the "big" magazines.) He also "died", horribly and slowly. #4 a local juggler. He fought with gravity, and gravity won! Intermission::: Several hundred "magicians" stayed seated. About 500! public went to the box office and ASKED FOR THEIR MONEY BACK!!! Fortunately, Tom Ogden was MC and he opened the second half. but the public had already LEFT. Tom gave the magicians their money's worth. Oh, Mark Wilson closed the show with tricks he had done as a young man, and he "DONE GOOD" also.

At an SAM NATIONAL CONVENTION about 35 years ago, a similar situation to that just mentioned happened. During the first half, the public, who had bought tickets, were leaving so fast that a LINE formed at the exit doors.

As a young guy (in the mid '40s and early '50s, I DID a swayve and deboner (well, I tried to be! "manipulation" act. (coins, including a 5 coin star--both hands simultaneously--Downs palm, Misers Dream, Steeplechase i.e. coin roll with four coins simultaneouslly ---billiard balls---white glove split fans---and all the flourishes with cards--and bare hand silk productions, dyeing, ETC. I called on an agent. He booked a "showing" date. I did it. He said, "Put away the white gloves, the white tie and tails. Make 'em laugh, and I'll get you work" I did, and he did.

I've made a living most of my life as a magician. I played Senior High Schools (and got standing ovations) that most magicians would have been afraid to even think of playing (except my friend, Tom Ogden). I've played colleges (and got standing ovations). As a teenager, I worked the toughest audiences in the world: SIDESHOWS on a carnival. I have even played a couple national magicians' conventions. Hell, I even worked the Castle a couple times. Once I got established, I NEVER HAD TO A S K FOR WORK. Agents and managers would call me!

A & N has obviously worked hard to learn to do MOVES (SLEIGHTS). But, he never made eye contact with the audience.He never looked at the audience as he did them. He didn't relate. Old pro's call this M A S T * * * A T I N G ON STAGE. I'm being very blunt. See my notes above. (INVOLVEMENT IS ESSENTIAL). He appears to be a pleasant young man. I think he could learn to present a nice little routine, if someone would mentor a bit.

We have too many "mentors" today, who don't have the knowledge or ability to mentor. NEMO DAT QUOD NON HABET! That's Latin for: NO ONE GIVES WHAT HE DOES NOT HAVE. To put it in a little more "folksy" way: YOU CAN'T NO MORE TEACH WHAT YOU AINT LEARNED, THAN YOU CAN GO BACK TO WHERE YOU AINT BEEN.

MOVES (SLEIGHTS) ARE TECHNIQUES THAT A MAGICIAN USES WHEN HE PERFORMS A 'TRICK'. TRICKS ARE MERELY 'TOOLS'. IF THE MAGICIAN USES THE TOOLS PROPERLY, THOSE TOOLS CAN PROVIDE ENTERTAINMENT. A carpenter needs the right techniques to use his tools correctly. The carpenter's job is to build a house. (or whatever). If he just uses those tools to show you how good he is at pounding nails into a board, he's only pounding nails. If a magician just does moves, it's basically the same thing.

I fully realize that analogies only "limp",

I'm now 81 and retired. I still do spot dates. I still make 'em laugh. I still do some card flourishes,I still do a ball routine (not multiplying balls--that's just manipulation)I still do "stuff" with silks and rope, and yes, I even do a 3 ring routine. And, I don't think you would want to follow my Misers Dream.

PS: I didn't write what I said to A&N to be mean. I wrote it to hopefully help him realize that there is more to tricks than doing a whole bunch of sleights.

Dick Oslund
(sneaky,underhanded,devious and surreptitious itinerant mountebanc)

Great to have you here, Dick. Welcome.

Appreciate your views and perspectives. Not sure most here have the sort of experiences you shared but there is a lot to be learned from the guys that have done such varied work. Must've been quite a journey. I love magic but can't compare my experiences to yours, though I've had quite a few really good moments with it all over the years. Still enjoying this stuff as I did when I was a kid. I see you are too.

Anyway, welcome.

-Mb

I appreciate the feedback guys!

However, keep in mind that all you are seeing of me is this short little video. It seems as if all I focus on is the moves because that is all I was presenting. In another thread I was asked to prove my skills, so I shot a quick video doing that and thought to share it with you guys.

Me being timid is because this is the stuff that I'm working on and NOT stuff that I perform.

My persona when putting a couple sleights up for everyone to look at is not the same as my persona when I am performing in person. Basically, I'm not trying to entertain you guys, so I just show you the sleights. It's the other way around when I perform in the real world though.

Again, thanks for your thoughts.