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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
This question may seem basic, but I would like to hear from you fellas about the pros and cons of using livestock in one's act. I have doves and a couple rabbits that I bought intending to use them in my show, but they ended up becoming pets. I was just wondering what I should be aware of before I adapt them into my show. You know, the basics, to help me make the right decision.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
I have two suggestions for you. First, read through the posts in this forum. There is a wealth of information that will guide you in the right direction to determine if you really should add livestock to your act.
Second, get the Tony Clark videos, "Unmasked, Unmasked 2 and behind the seams". They will tell you just about everything you need to know to get into the world of animals in magic.
Where the magic begins
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glodmagic Special user USA 501 Posts |
The pros are that they will greatly enhance your act!
The cons are ................none , because you already are caring for them.
Remember ANY of your posts here can be Googled by your customers and Clients. Just entering your name in Google can bring up your negative comments that stay for years!
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Traylen New user 36 Posts |
Acutally there is a con: they can be unpredictable and all of a sudden start flying around or something like that.
What the eye sees, the ear hears, the mind believes.
-Harry Houdini |
DaveWomach Elite user Dave Womach 453 Posts |
I can honestly say that the only reason I am working as a professional magician today is because of my dove act. It forced me to come up with more material for the rest of my show, because I kept getting booked for the bird act, and needed to fill more time. Putting birds into my act was the greatest addiction... I mean addition to my show.
I think Sperris and a few others out there can share a similar story. Hope this helps! Dave http://www.DaveWomach.com
Dave Womach
Orlando, FL - USA http://www.MagicMasterSummit.com http://www.David-DaVinci.com http://www.BirdTricks.com http://www.ParakeetMagic.com |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Traylen: I wouldn't call flying around a con. With proper training, they shouldn't be flying. Occassionally one will take off or not land exactly where he is supposed to but in the overall scheme of things, it's just like any other part of your act. Practice, practice, practice.
Where the magic begins
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Traylen New user 36 Posts |
Yeah I know Dave. But it does happen, I just ment that sometimes animals can be unpredictable. Nothing wrong with it. You just need to be ready for it. I was not talking about doves solely.
What the eye sees, the ear hears, the mind believes.
-Harry Houdini |
DaveWomach Elite user Dave Womach 453 Posts |
I've found that sometimes the unpredictable side of animals (espeically my cockatoo) has made the show more memorable! For some reason, audiences think it's the funniest thing when the bird poops on the stage. Now I've worked out timing with it, and have a few good jokes that follow. Sometimes turning the cons into pros can really change a show!
I do have to say that the biggest con is traveling with them, espeically on United Airlines. However, if you can work around this, it's worth it! Dave http://www.DaveWomach.com PS - Always travel with plenty of extra paper towels! Ha!
Dave Womach
Orlando, FL - USA http://www.MagicMasterSummit.com http://www.David-DaVinci.com http://www.BirdTricks.com http://www.ParakeetMagic.com |
sperris Special user http://www.Anti-Conjuror.com 881 Posts |
Even if you're using one dove, or any live animal for that matter, it can really add A LOT to a show. Just producing one or two instead of doing a whole act can add another element and feel to your show. I actually constructed my act the opposite way of, from what I understand and have heard, the majority are. I first put together a commercial birthday show when I was 10 years old. I took the money from those shows and used them to finiance a "signature" act. It wasn't until I was 14 that I started selling the dove act with my show. This was because I wanted to get some awards under my belt so I could use my bird act as an added bonus and an excuse to charge more money since I was basically booking another show. I used the bonus features of how it uses live animals and has won me such and such awards that many clients bought it too! Now the tide has turned back again because it is a hassle to travel with all 10 birds that I use in my act I sell them seperate again, plus the rockstar like character of the bird act can sometimes clash with my talking material if I'm doing a conservative corporate show. Even if the bird "drops" one on the stage, my favorite one-liner that I use and it shatters everyone is: "no, I said SIT".
sperris
DANSPERRY.COM
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Lou Hilario Inner circle 2235 Posts |
Pros: Your act gets more color with livestock. It is more magical to produce a live animal than an object. Both kids and adults enjoy watching livestock.
Cons: Travelling and transporting them. Loading and hiding them before your show starts. If it is too hot, you might not want to use livestock. The more livestock, the more assistants you need.
Magic, Illusions, Juggling, Puppet & Parrot Show ^0^
http://www.louhilario.net |
JustinDavid Veteran user 370 Posts |
Lol Dan that just floored me over here..
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Bob Sanders Grammar Supervisor Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama 20504 Posts |
Animals in a show certainly add work and other problems. However, what they do for the show is more than worth it. After all these years of magic, people still don't know my name. But the minute they see the picture with the dove, they remember me and we are suddenly old friends. Remember that the audience came to the show to solve their problems, not ours. This is their only exposure to these animals in most cases.
Don't confuse the magician with the stars! The audience does not. Bob, servant to show animals Bob Sanders Magic By Sander |
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