Hello, my name is Capt. Merkle, and I've been interested in magic since I was a boy, but I've recently began practicing magic in the hopes of pursuing it as a profession. I have a few questions; firstly, I work at some low-pay dead-end job, and I cannot afford to go out every week and purchase the things I need, such as instructional DVDs and books (sometimes even a deck of cards.) Also, to add to my predicament, I live in Oklahoma-the scourge of the Earth. There is no one around here for me to learn from. Whenever I attempt to find assistance online, all I get is advertisements...and rightfully so, I suppose. If everyone was just giving all of the secrets away, everybody would know how it's done, and the effect would be in vain. I do what I can, but everything is so expensive. Any advice on what I can do?
Secondly, I practice when I can, and show my effects to customers at my job, and I need some advice on which effects I can show to which people. I know that children don't have the patience for a long card effect, and they are more inclined to be fascinated by simple flourishes and effects. Any advice on tricks I could do for children that would also amaze adults? Hopefully, I can eventually perform at birthday parties and such to fund my passion. Any advice on how one could go about this?
Lastly, Could anyone give me tips on how I should go about practicing? Thank you for your time, and I wish you luck in your endeavors.

-Capt. Merkle

Unfortunately, this hobby can cost you a fortune. Luckily you can get by with a little bit money to start. Coins, cards and sponge balls (great for kids) are probably the cheapest way to go as far as prop costs.

Coin work would be a good place to start since the coins don't wear out. You will need a bit of source material. My copy of David Roth's, Expert Coin Magic made easy (volume 1) took me a long way. Vols. 2&3 are good for beginners as well. You can usually find a used copy on e-bay below retail.

I'm just getting into cards now so I can't really tell you which sources are the best. The props are always inexpensive however. The thread "The trouble with the classic learning texts..." in this section covers some good information on learning card tricks.

As far as practicing goes, I always have at least one Kennedy half-dollar on me. "OK, keys, wallet, checkbook, company ID, a few coins and a deck of cards. Check." Practicing sleights while at work has become second nature for me.

Deerbourne

You should go to local library and borrow all the magic books what you can get. There are great stuff in most of the beginner stuff you can find. Reading those gives you also some foundation which to rely on. Tricks in them usually go for kids and gaffs can be made by yourself. And I am sure there are other conjurers in Oklahoma, you just need to find them out.

Good luck!

Vikke

Take Vikke's advice to heart; your local library costs NOTHING! The decimal number you want, in adult or juvenile, is 793.8.
Some of the biggest names in magic never had any money when they were starting out. J.B. Bobo got into coin magic because, he reasoned, everyone had coins and, besides, he couldn't afford anything else.
Tony Slydini became the world's greatest sleight of hand expert because he couldn't afford other props.
As for being isolated, I thought I was the only magician in our small town, when I was growing up. Turns out I was wrong; I just didn't search hard enough.
In those days, of course, there was no Internet and I wasn't even aware of magic clubs, international organizations, dealer catalogues, or magic shops.
So I had to make a lot of my own props and figure out what worked and what didn't on my own.
Captain, you want to do birthday parties eventually to "fund my passion", you say.
Far too many performers think doing kids' birthday parties is an easy way to pick up a few bucks; actually, doing kids' parties WELL is about the hardest thing you will ever do in magic!
Unlike adults, kids have no problem with telling you what they have seen and how they think you are doing something!
For performing for kids and adults together, the effect has to be short, colorful, and uncomplicated. No room here for long, involved, counting card tricks (is there ever?).
Some suggestions:
In my September 1998, Showtime column in the Linking Ring magazine, I did a piece that I now carry with me everywhere, called Ear from Coin. Kids love it and so do adults! If you are interested (or if anyone else is) just e-mail me and I'll freely send it to you.
Also: Coloring book, almost anything with sponges, coin flurries, elastic-band tricks, the list of (apparently) impromptu magic is almost endless.
Good luck.
Cheers,
Peter Marucci

Capt. Merkle,

First off, being in this business does NOT have to cost you a fortune. You do have to be very smart about what you buy as far as magic props go.

Tip #1: If people are calling it, "The years hottest trick" or saying, "It brought the house down at FISM", it's not worth your time or the $30 they're selling it for. I've got 5 or 6 items that "rocked at FISM" and they're collecting dust because they are impractical, have difficult resets and are not able to be examined by the audience.

That said, if you want a book that could change your life and perhaps your entire perspective in business, pick up, "Ziglar On Selling" by Zig Ziglar. It's about $15 at your local Barnes & Noble (or other bookseller).

Zig is a master motivator and master sales trainer. You'll get things out of that book that will put you YEARS ahead of any competition in your area.

That said, you're in Oklahoma. I'm over here in New Mexico. I often thought there "just wasn't a market for magic" in New Mexico. Boy was I wrong. I'd bet my life savings that if you execute a business plan properly in Oklahoma, you'd find a small fortune.

But who to entertain?

Tip #2 - A lot of people will say, "Start with kids birthday parties" in order to get experience. This is a critical mistake that could burn you out rapidly. That fact is birthday parties are one of the most difficult markets to work.

Even you think you might like to do that to fund your passion. But I'm telling you this: check the market out - give it a fair shake - but don't be surprised if you want to pull your hair out.

So I'd definitely say Peter Marucci is right on with that one.

Good luck mate and just truck along!

Also if you're looking for a good source for magic props check out http://www.hocus-pocus.com Sign up as a member (FREE FREE FREE) and they send you newsletters with all sorts of disgustingly good deals!

Cheers!

Robert Bloor

RobertBloor,

Sorry, I wasn't trying to imply that this was an expensive hobby, just one that can eat up a lot of money if you have it lying around. I spent a lot of money at first on books and videos that did me no good at all. With time, my purchases became more selective and I found the core material that has truly helped me.

Now that I'm broke I keep going back to Bobo, Royal Road and Tarbell (v 1&2)- I haven't needed to buy anything in a long time.

Deerbourne

Sponge Balls are great for EVERYONE.

Use a empty chapstick tube for bill-in-tube magic! they cost pennies! I went to a local second hand store and got a metal cup for 1.00 and I use this for a couple of chop cup routines! look on the net for magic props for sale and then ask yourself can I make this or find something equivelant to this! Here are some links to free tricks on the web to get started!!

http://gcgordy.crosswinds.net/frameset6.html
http://web.superb.net/cardtric/
http://www.trickmagic.com/
hope this helps!

Deerborne,

I know what you meant. Coming from my point of view, I was a magician who bought all the cool new tricks and have thousands of dollars of stuff just sitting in boxes.

My current show with all the props I have and all the marketing I've invested in is way less than what I have overall.

And the best part? I make about 20 times more money doing this show than I ever could have with all the hot tricks I bought.

The point...it can cost you (like you said), but if we're wise about our buying (which I wasn't), then no, it does not have to cost a fortune.

But your point is well taken. I hope I didn't come across as disputing it.

Cheers!

Robert Bloor

Hey, thanks guys for all the information. You've been most helpful. Also, to Robert Bloor, you and Peter Marucci said that I shouldn't start out with birthday parties. What should I start out with?
Also, I'm interested in learning tons of card sleights and flourishes, and can't seem to find any books/DVDs that focus mainly on these two areas. Any suggestions?
Also, I've happened upon a magic shop in Tulsa, and would like information on what I should steer clear of. Also, I'm thinking of purchasing a prop called "The Raven" for some street magic in my town, but I need to know if it's a good buy.
Does anyone have any tips on how I can improve my Color-Monte trick? I'm having a bit of difficulty with a single card flourish where I wave my hand and put the card behind it. I can't seem to figure out how I can flip my hand AND the card over, so that I can freely show both sides of my hand. Any tips?
Thanks again for taking the time to help me out. I appreciate it more than you know

-Capt. Merkle

Captain,

Are you performing the color monte with the "two red diamonds and one blue diamond"? If that's the case, I don't know what move you're talking about. I do that trick and it's easy as cake.

As for not starting in birthday parties - don't. There are other places to perform that aren't birthday parties. Put a small packet of information together about your show and get it to your Parks & Rec department. They can get you shows also. (And you get paid.)


When I first started I did 3 birthday parties and then I did a real show in my high school talent show for 500 people. It killed!

You might want to try contacting your local Rotary, Kiwanis & Civitan clubs (did I leave any out?) they regularly have major club meetings and special events you might perform for.

They may or may not be able to pay you. If they do it's probably not much. But keep in mind the people who are members of these clubs are doctors, business presidents & VPs, some may even be legislators etc. SUPERB contacts.

As for the Raven for street magic...
It depends on how you look at street magic. The right way or the wrong way. (Oh I'm gonna get it now)

The wrong way to do street magic: See David Blaine
The right way to do street magic: See Gazzo, Doug Conn, Dante, Kozmo etc.

The Raven is not used in their shows. There's a reason too. It's not entertaining.

Speaking of which after all my years of purchasing magic tricks, I found the very best effects are those that are entertaining, NOT shocking.

My Cups & Balls routine is entertaining for nearly 15 minutes before ANY shock value is created.

The pom pom pole is one of my favorites - 5 minutes of entertainment before I get to ANY surprise.

Vanishing Bandana - same story.

And the list goes on.

The tricks that I have/had that aren't entertaining are all "shock" tricks.

The Raven (even though I've since sold it)
Ariston Rising Card (FISM Winner - Mostly garbage)
Perspex Prediction (what? I can't even imagine using this)

Decked Out (yea right. completely impractical)

Anyhow - go for what entertains, not for what shocks.
(as a side note, I've completely screwed up Cups & Balls before and it STILL is entertaining)

Card flourish vids...
Jeff McBride's Art of Manipulation tapes are killer. I can't do half the stuff in there. (Okay, ANY of the stuff) The guy is amazing. Having arthritic fingers makes 'finger flickin' nearly impossible for me.

Avoid the following...
Tricks that are the "rave" at FISM. FISM tricks are meant to fool magicians. They do squat for the lay person and are impossible to perform under scrutiny.

Also avoid "hot tricks" or effects that seem "so amazing you have to have it."

Always seek entertainment value before shock value.

Cheers and post up or eMail me if ya need help!

Robert Bloor

Dear Robert,

Yes, I'm performing that Color-Monte effect, and I've perfected it. However, I'm looking to find some way to add to it. It just seems to me like it's missing something. I mean, people love it, but I dunno...maybe I'm just a perfectionist
Also, thanks for the information on where to get performances, but I have a bit of stage fright when it comes to performing for more than a few people. Any tips on how to overcome this. Should I do a couple of small parties to get some experience performing in front of a crowd? I mean, I'm nervous and my hands are shaking a bit after just showing some effects to just a few people. It just means so much to me, you know?
Thanks for stopping me from wasting my money on the Raven. I'll take your advice and pick up the ones you mentioned. I'll have to scoop up that Jeff McBride video. It sounds right up my alley
A couple of months ago I bought an effect called Floating Match on Card. I thought it would be great to show kids, and one of them reached for the match and broke all but one of the strings. The other card that came with it was also broken (all but one string broken) soon after, even though I don't recall a kid grabbing it. It was ridiculous...less than a week after I spent almost $12 on it, it was useless. Well, not totally useless, but practically. It's not very exciting when you see the very tip of the match come up just a little tiny bit. Is this another example of what you were saying to avoid effects that seem s "so amazing I have to have it?"
Also, any tips on how I can backpalm more than one card? I mean, I went to this magic shop I came across the other day, and the magician there Steve Lancaster backpalmed an entire deck after I selected a card. It was insane. I can barely do a couple of cards. Any tips?
Lastly, Any tips on palming coins? I can't seem to get them to stay in my hand without falling out or looking disgustingly unnatural. Am I just missing the exact spot I need to put it?
Thank you for all of your advice.

-Capt. Merkle

Dear fellow conjurers,

Something I forgot to add to my previous post: when is the best time to replace your cards? Also, any tips on what I can do to get the most life out of my cards? I read on another thread that I should BUY cards cheaply from Sam's, but I haven't read any that specifically discuss ways of proper card care. Any suggestions?

-Capt. Merkle

Capt.,

I buy my cards at Sam's because they're so cheap per deck. You should replace them when they start to look beaten and worn.

As far as palming, that's sort of a personal topic. haha ;-) Just practice and you'll find a spot comfortable and effective.

The floating match...Yep. It's one of them.
If the only the you can do with a trick is exactly what you see, then it's probably garbage.

Remember to think "Is this trick entertaining?" If you got to a magic shop and within 5 minutes have seen 8 or 9 instant tricks (ala floating match), then you're probably not being entertained.

Backpalming - I don't know as I don't do any finger flicking. So far in my career I've been extremely successful without it. But it you're looking to learn moves like that, I reckon (boy I sound red) the Jeff McBride tapes would serve you well.

As for stage fright...just perform man. I get it everytime I perform and I've been doing this regularly for the last 8 years.

Perhaps someone else would have a valuable tip on beating stage fright?

Robert Bloor

Robert,

Thanks for the info. I'll be sure to steer clear from the instant tricks. I'll go to the magic shop today, and pick up the Jeff McBride vids. Hey, do you know where I can find the book, The Encyclopedia of Playing Card Flourishes, buy Jerry Cestkowski? Guess it's pretty hard to find. How do you feel about the Card College series? Is it a wise investment?

-Capt. Merkle

Hi everyone,

My first post. As far as beating stage fright, I would say the best thing to do is to have confidence in your act. And the best way to get confidence is to know the technical aspects of your trick cold, and to have your patter down too. If you don't have to worry about messing up, you'll be able to concentrate on having fun and entertaining your audience. Practice!

Other than that, it is good to have some experience in front of smaller crowds. The more you perform, the less nervous you will get. And remember that even if you screw up something, the people in the audience don't usually even realize that you messed up.

Hey Captain, I live here in Oklahoma, I know how you feel about the being all alone. BUT everybody is right, you just have to look harder, do you know about the OKC magic club, it's a great way to meet professional magicians, also Tulsa has a good club too, I met Micheal Ammar there. I met Bill Malone and Roger Clause in OKC. So it's there it's just sneaking around you like a shadow-monster-thing. ok so I suggest that you go to the magic shops in town and ask about where to go to the magic club meeting(or pm me) Costume Funhouse-with Dean Johnson and Party Bazzar with david bazzaro, are both great magic stores. Or if your in Tulsa, Tophat magic, and one other one not too far from there. Let me know what you find out.

Like most I too have sent thousands on props.

Just for fun I have just checked one of my cabaret cases - 40 min act in it and only approx. $300 worth of stuff in there, so just one show will more that pay to replace it.

The problem is with an effect is "can YOU use it"? And feel comfortable with it?

Yes I can do Interlude and Ziz zag (and owned them), but they did not suit my personallity and fit in.
A deck of cards, a paper bag and a knife can give you a 10 min routine.

Can’t remember who said it but “The magic is you”.

Paula

Captain,

Way back in January you said you have stage fright. I hope you have overcome that by now, but if not, may I suggest you join Toastmasters? It will help you become comfortable speaking (performing?) in front of a group.

All the best!
Bruce

Here is where you find the encyclopedia of playing card flourishes.

What a nice thread that got revived.
Here is my 3 step solution.
1 Toastmasters is not only a great place to learn and practise public speaking but an awesome place to network and meet people who can HIRE you.
2 Start with table hopping it is a steady flow of cash if you can get a regular gig. You can use coins, cards, a TT and some of the effects you mentioned before to get started.
3 Read business books too that will make you financially successful
Then save at least 50% of the money you earn from magic and use 25 of that to put into an investment account and use the other 25 to save and spend later on props, books, DVDs etc.
In no time you would be confident, have some nice props and know how to make good money and use it to get ahead. You do not have to spend any of your hard earned money in your dead end job.
Enjoy