|
|
Tanner New user 51 Posts |
What is the proper magic per amount of time ratio, or at least a good rule of thumb, when staring busking? I am applying to perform street magic on Church St. in Burlington, VT. I have separated my magic into two categories.
The first is magic that is relatively quick, and the second is magic that is relatively long. Quick routines might invovle a card or coin trick, whereas longer effects might involve cups and balls, linking rings, and a bill in lemon routine. The longer tricks I can stretch out with more byplay with the audience. What should I concentrate on, and how long should my act be? I realize that there are many factors here, but what I am mainly concerned with is making sure that there is a proper amount of magic in the show, but not to overload it with magic. I appreciate your help in these matters. T. PS - I have not yet ordered any books or DVDs on the art of street performance, but am still asking this question just to get some basic ideas before I order any books. |
Jim Wilder Special user Birmingham, AL 954 Posts |
Trial by fire.
Though there are some "standards" I suppose, the best is to find what works for you by getting out and doing. Have a strategy in mind, but know when to bend, break, or abandon. |
music Special user 627 Posts |
See "Crowd Keepers: The Art of Krowd Keeping" by Gazzo this might be of some help.
|
Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
Tanner,
Burlington will probably be a GREAT place to work. I dated a girl who went to UVM about a zillion years ago and I remember it as place that had a nice amount of activity. As far as what tricks you do it really doesn't matter. Take three or four things that you do really well, do not have angle issues, are light to lug around, and will play in a stand up setting. The most important thing is to get out there and do it. Know that your first time out will probably not be a positive experience and dare to be bad. Doing the tricks in front of people and finding out what works and what doesn't should be your goal. As far as structuring a show goes there are a million posts here and in the first year archives that you can go through. It has all been said a million times and is here for your perusal. Krowd Keepers, The Cellini DVDs, Brother Paul's lecture notes, Whit Hayden's notes on street magic, etc. etc. the list goes on. There is a ton of material out there on the subject of structuring your show, lines to use, and interacting with your audience. But really, get out there and fall on your face a couple of times. Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
BroDavid Inner circle America’s North Coast, Ohio 3176 Posts |
As was already suggested, you have to see what works for you.
Then it is a matter of purpose, practice, and presentation. Purpose: What is your goal? Do you want to do do a couple of long shows, or a lot of shorter ones? Will you build the tip until you get 2-10 people or will you keep building until you have 50? How long will your show be? Practice: Put some effects together and do them until you can do them in your sleep. Presentation: Structure your performance. Organize the effects by purpose (attention getters to start, meat in the middle, and slam dunk, so good that nothing can follow it - closers) not just by the length. Then back to the Practicing... Most of my practicing comes by performing. My routines differ based on the crowd denisty and location, but what stays the same with all is that they consist of three phases; 1. Quick visual magic that can be widely seen to draw the edge. 2. Basic middle stuff that gets a lot of folks involved. (could be 2-3-4 effects ) 3. The big finish! Lots of dialog, jokes and crowd involvement, and then knock their socks off. My basic normal routine goes for 12-14 minutes, and I do 3-4 an hour. Everything I do fits in my case table and knapsack, so it is light and easy to carry. I don't do anything that won't reset easily, and nothing that I cant do in my sleep, and surrounded. Just some thoughts... BroDavid
If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.
|
bropaul Loyal user Florida 222 Posts |
Ahhh... Starting out on the streets... What a rush! Jump in the magic is fine. Take 3 of your best stand up routines and a half dozen good (or bad) lines and go to work. Put them in order and find a nice spot where you can stop 25 to 100 people and let 'em have it.
You will know fast what is working and what is not. The audience will be judging you and will give you the verdict, instantly. Pass the hat. Let them go and do it again making some changes. By the end of the day you will have the base of a show. Now it's just working, working, working. I agree with Bro. David shoot for 10 to 15 minutes. It seems like the days of the 45 minute intersection shows have gone away. At least for me. I can do a bunch of small shows and make the same amount without all the "big show" hassle. But that really depends on what you are looking to do. Good luck and let us know how it works for you. |
Zack Special user 553 Posts |
Quote:
I agree with Bro. David shoot for 10 to 15 minutes. It seems like the days of the 45 minute intersection shows have gone away. At least for me. I can do a bunch of small shows and make the same amount without all the "big show" hassle. But that really depends on what you are looking to do. I also agree...short and sweet...more hats more money. |
chrisrkline Special user Little Rock 965 Posts |
OK, I need some encouragement here. I will be going out later this month to work the streets for the first time, actually passing the hat.
But my routine is longer. I have a Gazzo C&Bs that I have done for nearly a year, Bro. Pauls Rope routine, and Whit Haydn's Four Ring routine to start. Well, I can't do this in 15 minutes. I may be pressed to do it in 30 minutes. Please tell me, some of you very experienced people that some rank beginner isn't going to die and have people leaving and throwing fruit at him if he goes over 15. Please. Someone still does longer shows don't they? Don't they? The fear of the audience leaving is the big fear for me.
Chris
|
bropaul Loyal user Florida 222 Posts |
Just a thought... My rope routine can be shaved to 3 to 4 minutes. Drop the last linking sequence, where you toss the ring up and link it, of Whit's routine that will give you a 6 minute ring routine and finish with the cups. You'll be dropping your hat in a cool 14 to 15 minutes tops.
That's a jammin' show. Not a lot of room for audience by play, but you'll hit 'em hard and fast. Let us know how it works out. |
chrisrkline Special user Little Rock 965 Posts |
My cups runs about 15 minutes by itself. I do a lot of byplay with that right now. I do your rope routine in about 4 minutes and I can cut the rings. I tend to direct most of my talking about what I am doing in the rope routine to one kid anyway, with asides to the whole crowd, so there is some interaction there. It may take a month to take the rings anywhere, so I may do a quick card effect in between the rope and cups (Paul Harris' Las Vegas Leaper or Chicago Surprise.) But I don't really want to shorten the routine, to be honest. I will if necessary, but I would rather not.
Chris
|
Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
Chris,
If your show is an entertaining 30 minutes don't sweat it just make sure the pitch you pick is congruent to a larger show. i.e. you will not be blocking traffic when you have 50 or so people. If the pitch is a smaller pitch and you can only draw 15 or 20 people max I would only do two tricks and cut the show to 12 or 15 min. I would open with Bro Paul's routine and close with the cups or the rings. Both routines will close and if you are kicking out the kinks or trying to keep both routines fresh just rotate your finale. No law says you have to close with the same trick every show. Gazzo's cups can play without being too rushed in 10 or 15 minutes (I used to steam roll through the routine without the bits and gags using only the lines in just under 4 minutes flat and it was AWFUL!). Bro Paul's rope routine is EXTREMELY flexible (just one of the things I love about it) so you can play it as long or as short as you like just to draw an edge and then just break into the cups and balls or the rings. If you decide to close with the rings that is a shorter routine and I would add another 5 minute trick. Some type of card discovery, in mouth, on back, in wallet as a middle then do the rings. Or you could open with the old standby, vanishing handkerchief, then rope, then rings. If you do all the bits of business with Gazzo's cups it contains enough variety that with just one other trick as a draw like Bro Paul's rope trick it will seem like you are doing a lot more magic than you are. Also keep in mind that the show doesn't start till you have that 15. By the time you finish the rope trick you should have 15 people in front of you. If you do not, milk it, be funny, and build that edge. That being said, your small show may run 30 min when you include the building of the edge. A lot of people do not take that into account and start to rush it. Wait till you have that 15 and then the show should go 12 to 15 minutes from there. Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
chrisrkline Special user Little Rock 965 Posts |
I did the cups last fall in 7 minutes with no gags at a convention and I thought it was weak. I might do better in 10 to 12, but with some gags, it will be longer. I got the rings because although I love the rope routine, I wasn't sure how it would play drawing an edge. I intend to walk in front of my table and talk to people and ask their names and invite them to the show. I thought that having rings in hand would be a good draw (and Whit's routine is great.) I also thought about quick card stuff to draw an edge, but I was worried about getting bogged down with two or three doing something like Triumph while others are walking past. I really want to be out front talking to people.
To be honest, I am not sure that I could often get 50 people where I have looked. The riverfront has some wide areas and walking and park like areas along with restaurants and bars and a large food market. I might be able to find some spots, but I need to get down there when it is warmer. I will keep what you are all saying in my mind, and I do appreciate the help from all you guys.
Chris
|
Zack Special user 553 Posts |
You'll be fine! Just get out there and do it. Then report back to us and tell us what went wrong and we'll help you fix it. Don't get into "analysis paralysis". Get out there and make some mistakes.
Quote:
The fear of the audience leaving is the big fear for me. Guess what. Its going to happen. A lot. You should be afraid of the fear, not of the audience leaving. You'll lose crowds even when your show is tight, its the price of doing business. A thirty minute show is fine. (Although I do all the tricks you mention, and it never comes out to thirty for me.) |
Popo Loyal user Valparaiso, IN 219 Posts |
I have been busking balloons for some time now but I still considewr myself quite a novice. I have done some street shows with them and just set up and vended. I do watch other street performers as much as I can and study them. What I am finding is it is more important to worry about how you connect with the crowd then what you do or how long it goes. Certainly many people would not stand and watch a show for a very long time but I will watch something entertaining and before I know it a half hour has gone by. I don't feel cheated, I feel entertained. I try to make friends with the people around me, vendors, store managers, security, and then get a small crowd laughing. Then I pop a balloon loudly. The next thing I know I have a fairly good sized crowd around. Now it is all about selling me, not the balloons. This is just my thoughts on it. As I said, I am a novice at best.
|
BroDavid Inner circle America’s North Coast, Ohio 3176 Posts |
As with all advice given here, relative to what I previously said; your mileage may vary.
When I put the cups and balls into my act (I am working on it now through the winter, and will break it out in spring..) I will either have a longer routine, or will cut something else back. I personally like the rythm of 15 minute on and 5-7 minutes off kind of pace, but that is just what my curent act is best at, and what I have become used to doing. But when my new act starts out with a capehart-like ring routine, and goes rope or card in the middle and Gazzo cups closing, I won't be too suprised if I also end at 25-30 mins. And as Danny so rightly said, if you are entertaining, and can keep them involved, there is nothing wrong with 30 minutes or more. The real time constraint is that when the magic is gone for them, you had better stop trying to deliver it. But as long as they as having a good entertaining time, and the crowd is either growing or stays at a peak, you may as well keep giving them waht they want to see. If you have a Gazzo-like Cups and Balls routine down with lots of good audience interaction and byplay, you probably wont need anything else. Just do the cups and balls alone. It has all of the same elements as a whole street set; intro, buildup, climax. Gazzo does it that way, and although he admittedly is a very special talent, if you can get away with it, go for it. BroDavid
If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.
|
RBerman New user 3 Posts |
Quote:
If you have a Gazzo-like Cups and Balls routine down with lots of good audience interaction and byplay, you probably wont need anything else. Just do the cups and balls alone. It has all of the same elements as a whole street set; intro, buildup, climax. Gazzo does it that way, and although he admittedly is a very special talent, if you can get away with it, go for it. Nah, you need something to lead into it. Even if its only one card trick. I usually do a card under glass routine, and then go into it. But if I have enough people, frequenlty I'll just do Fechter's "I got a surprise for you" (Its a quick two card transposition) and then go straight into the cups. You're right though, the cups IS a complete show ONCE YOU"VE GOT THE PEOPLE. |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » The side walk shuffle » » Trying to put together my act (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.03 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |