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SteeleFusion Regular user Glasgow, Scotland 106 Posts |
Hey
I find it quite difficult to practice mentalism as, of course, you need subjects to work with. This usually means roping in family members in my household. Unfortunately this is not always suitable for several reasons a) The main opposition is that they obviously don't beleive in my 'powers' even that of suggestion. I defy even the mighty Banachek or Osterlind to fool their Moms! "Steve..you are clearly just performing a classic Bobo switch.." b) After about the 100th CT they get used to the methods you use, which can make them almost burn a hole through both your hands and into the carpet as they watch for anything ANYTHING! The good thing is thou, that if I can perform and fool those in my house..I know I'm ready to try it on the real world. Anywho..how do they rest of you guys practice..something I find most difficult is practicing peeks when I have written the word myself, as I know the word I'm looking for, which unnaturally decreases the peeking time. I have though, made up a bag full of slips ready for the CT, each with random words which I wrote a few weeks ago, this is allowing me to get info which I didn't just write 30 seconds earlier. Any more tips? Craig |
jl17 Regular user 110 Posts |
Once you get to a certain point, the need to practice becomes lower. Granted one still needs to rehearse, but not as much. I can get a new routine, work with it, find all the angles, everything that can go wrong is rehearsed and put that routine in my show. A few years ago, that would have been very stupid. I would have blown the trick.
Right now I very rarely perform for my family or anyone else who doesn't pay me. I know it's a dumb thing to do, but I just do not have the motivation to show free magic to people. Magic to me is a business, and with any other business I wouldn't give things away for free. But, I very rarely do not add anything new to my shows. I already have my show set in stone and perform that. I do not have to think about it. I see it all too often (mostly in the IBM) people get new things and say they added it to their show and they show us at the meeting and they screw it up. I guess it is like a new toy, you have to play with it until something better comes along. Nothing wrong with that... until they blow the effect. |
deverett New user 70 Posts |
Head down to a beach, a shopping mall, a pub you don't usually frequent.
Just don't ask them if they want to see a trick When I was developing some new hypnosis routines I used the beach. Hey if I've got to look at someones face for a few minutes she might as well be attractive. Dave Everett |
Logan Five Inner circle Northern California 1434 Posts |
Doesn't Glasgow have any magic clubs or meeting places? That would be a great place to try out your stuff. In the San Francisco bay area there are many magic clubs out here.
You could also volunteer your time at a nursing home. They are always in need of entertainment. The best thing about it is that you are able to practice the effects you are working on and see what reactions you get. Rick
Self concept is destiny..
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Alikzam Elite user 434 Posts |
My girlfriend once said "I saw your double lift".
People you know are the best for the initial little practice. Then move onto situations where its informal. Friends parties, people you've just meet at social gatherings, stuff like that. It's hard though : |
Decomposed Eternal Order High Desert 12059 Posts |
"I have though, made up a bag full of slips ready for the CT, each with random words which I wrote a few weeks ago, this is allowing me to get info which I didn't just write 30 seconds earlier. "
That is a very nice way to practice the CT. I use to practice a lot of mentalism on my wife but of course she is wise to lots. She even caught me on the Cassidy Lighter Billet switch which Ive never had anyone come close to catching.
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GusVanNostrum Veteran user With automatic writing I've produced 343 Posts |
Quote:
Just don't ask them if they want to see a trick EXACTLY. Act if it is an experiment of some sort. |
green4magic Regular user 184 Posts |
JUST DO IT - to a stranger.
Walk up to someone and say "I'M WORKING ON MY PSYCHIC ABILITIES, TO IMPROVE THEM, WOULD YOU MIND........" I've done this on checkout lines at the grocery store if the line is long, at the bank, sitting next to someone on a bus. I mean it - JUST DO IT - You will be amazed how quickly both your technical and performance skill will improve. I have learned after performing and teaching for over 40 years in mentalism that neither technical nor performance skills improve before relatives or other magicians at clubs. Both will yes or humor you but never help you. One needs a teacher, mentor or coach for that. STAY MYSTICAL |
Thomas Rudolfo Special user Vienna, Austria, EU 640 Posts |
I also would advice you NOT to practice in magic clubs or alike. It's almost the same as if you practice for your family. They might know you and maybe some methods. So real strangers are the way to go because if you do a show you also have strangers who want to be entertained and amazed.
Good advice from Deverett. I also did it that way very often. At pubs, restaurants or even in the subway. It's good not to tell them that you want to show them something. Instead create situations in directing conversation with someone to a point where you can incorporate an effect into the converstation. You will nottice how powerful this is. It's the same to magic. When I practiced my classic palm of coins I often did it while walking. Once I was buying a ticket for subway and at the machine I produced the coin from classic palm. I didn't notice that I was watched by another man who also waited to buy a ticket. He saw the production of the coin and was totally amazed when he talked to me about this. This are the situations IMO where you could say you make magic real (to use Richards title of his wonderful booklet). Just menioned this anecdote to show that there are many situations out there in life where you can practice your abilities. Go out and keep your eyes open ) Greetings Thomas |
Piers Inner circle A Limited Edition of 1394 Posts |
This is a great thread !
I think the impromptu approach works really well... just pick someone and try it. If it all fails, at least you are never likley to see them again, and they know nothing about you, such that there can be no bad publicity. Piers. www.justgiving.com/piers-cancer-fund www.justgiving.com/Piers-Cancer-Fund-2 www.justgiving.com/Piers-Cancer-Fund-3 Finished my 4 months of Chemotherapy in 2009. 3 monthly checks since... and into 2021! As seen on the QE2 and QM2. Author of Salem's Cornucopia - SUC Book |
enigmaticmagic Veteran user Seattle 313 Posts |
Sorry to have to be the one that brings back an old thread... But this seems very relivent to me. As I also have trouble practicing. Think of a routine like PK touches. After about the second time of performing it to someone you know... They already have the method.And I wouldnt want to go perform what I don't know yet... Soooo..
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Hypnotic Winter Special user Ireland 720 Posts |
Some how I manage to fool my parents. when it is some one you know, you do not perform the same effect twice and you make sure your effect is absolutely perfect useing a mirror if it uses slights.
If it is any one that knows me well I keep my lines(or patter as some prefere to call it) to a minimum. Mr Osterlind Books are the best on really believeing what you do, study them and then go out and perform for peopele you do not know well while believeing in your own effects. H.W
When your only reality is an illusion, then illusion is reality.
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Sven Rygh Inner circle Oslo, Norway. 1945 Posts |
Except for knowing your act, moves and sleights in the blind, and your patter by heart, the only way I know about, is to perform.
For strangers, colleagues at work, friends, enemies, shop end restaurant employees, and - family. I think it is ok to screw it up now and then, as long as you have a way of getting out of it. The path is being made while walking. Sven
WWW.SVENRYGH.NO
"Keep it as simple as possible, - but no simpler" http://www.svenrygh.no/sven-rygh/presse/nrk-forst-og-sist/ http://www.svenrygh.no/video.html |
Popo Loyal user Valparaiso, IN 219 Posts |
Jl17 said that as you go on, your need to practice lowers. I see the point but I disagree. The need to practice is for many reasons. Little things such as how and where to stand, what happens if somebody walks up in the middle of a routine, and countless others that we often do not think of. As for the original point of the thread, I agree that the same crowd will burn out. have you thought about performing for free for clubs like the Lions or a Rotary. Many of these clubs look for speakers to fill a meeting and give you a free meal for speaking. Plus, you can hand out your card. Instaed of telling them that you are going to perform let them know that you do a short presentation on the magic of .... It is a good way to get performing experience and book some shows with little overhead and a lot less pressure.
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Magical Lady Loyal user 275 Posts |
Hi Craig,
I have always been told that the best way to gain experience and to improve technique is quite simply, to go out there and do it! It doesn't have to be huge audiences or even particularly attentive audiences at times! *smile* The point is, if you are out there, performing, you are - or should be - getting better and more proficient/professional at what you do all the time. If you make mistakes - that's okay - you're learning - mistakes are allowed! I'm sure there aren't ANY of those we consider to be BIG NAMES in mentalism who havent made at least a few if not AN AWFUL LOT of mistakes on their way to BECOMING those very same 'BIG NAMES'! In many ways I don't even BEGIN to consider myself as a mentalist - don't suppose I will either for a VERY long time to come, not even one in training, as I know ONLY the very basics and certainly don't perform every night of the week in front of theatre audiences like many others do from here on the Café, but I DO perform -albeit in SMALL gatherings, in schools and in front of friends, at get togethers and parties etc. So whilst I thoroughly enjoy every moment of it - I suppose in some people's minds that makes me FAR from a mentalist, and that's okay. I LOVE what Im learning and I LOVE what I'm seeing. So whilst I am perfectly sure that I won't ever become a great name in mentalism, maybe one day - I TOO will graduate to larger audiences and enjoy an even bigger buzz from the performances I give! For the time being however, Im happy to make the odd mistake now and then - in the knowledge that its a learning process - and one which I am enjoying IMMENSELY!! One TINY bit of something which MAY help? Instead of writing out words yourself for CT practice? If its solo practice? Just tear up or cut out squares from the newspaper or a magazing for example? And determine to 'READ' the word most central to the piece of paper? Just something which I've done. Most importantly in my humble opinion? - ENJOY THE JOURNEY!! I CERTAINLY am! |
DoctorCognos Elite user 413 Posts |
Nobody knows what you are trying to do, so anywhere along the line that you can take it in a different direction.
On the other hand, most family/friends (if you have either of them) get a sloppy unpracticed effect from you. That is why you shouldn't perfrom for them until you have nailed it down. Treat them like any other audince and try to do your best. Even thought they aren't going to pay, you should treat like like less than a first class audience because they are a great practice field. But if you want to keep using them, you had better keep amazing them. Stangers don't know if this is the first or 1000th time you do this routine, and there are lots more strangers than family/fiends so keep doing it in the real world, and let your poor family/friends rest...
The Doctor Knows.....
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Sensio Special user I promise I won't exceed 641 Posts |
If what they see seems to them to be mental magic then most of them will not buy into it as real and will try to catch you out. If, on the other hand, you show them pieces of mentalism, then things change to your benefit...
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SteeleFusion Regular user Glasgow, Scotland 106 Posts |
Hey everyone,
and thanks for all the advice. I'm certain this won't only help me, but help others who are sure to have similar situations. I must admit, I prefer practicing my routines on people I barely know, and I do tend to approach it with the sort of presentation "You know..lets try something interesting.." Keep up the tips, guys. Craig |
sbays Inner circle Burbank, CA 1065 Posts |
I have a black t-shirt with white letters printed on it that says, "You can read minds, ask me how" I wear this sometimes if I going to the movies etc. It works every time, as someone always asks me how. The cool thing about this line is it interests the person right away since it is about THEM!
When they ask, that is you opportunity to do a few bits. I wouldn't try putting on a professional mentalism show this way, but it's a good way to get some practice in. You can also have this put on a button and pin it to your shirt. Approaching someone cold and asking them if they would like to see something works too, but prepare yourself for rejection. Sometimes they just don't want to participate, so do not take it personally.
"Opportunity may only knock once, but temptation leans on the doorbell."
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SteeleFusion Regular user Glasgow, Scotland 106 Posts |
Sbays,
I have a similar T-shirt (based on an Alan Partridge episode) which says "MENTALIST" on the front. Although obviously most people don't know what a meantalist is.. Craig |
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