I recently bought Greg Wilson's on the spot videos. I think that they are fantastic. I am working on his 3/4 routine and find more coins appearing on the floor than in my hand. But anyway, my real question is regarding his pickpocketing routine and, to a lesser extent, his watch steal. You must need a big set of onions to try these. Has any of you ever been caught and if so, what do you do.

When practicing watch stealing the best thing to do when you get caught is just play it off. That's what I do and it gets a laugh.
I say, "I am trying to take your watch here. Will you hold still?"
Then if you don't get caught it's just that much better.
Sweet

Shawn D is right -- make a gag out of it. I've yet to see the spectator's do anything but play along and have fun with it if you take that approach.

Hey,

You have come to the right place with this question. Many threads are written on stealing watches!

There was a time when I experimented with doing watch steals in my restaurant and party work. For me personally, this type of effect is very appealing. There is one catch. I do not like to "touch" people that closely to accomplish the steals. People do not like it either. If you have the personal performing style to get away with it, go ahead! For me, my magic is more thought provoking and visual. Meaning, I do not get so close to spectators that I touch them to get a watch.

Just me and my two cents worth!

I think that a watch steal is an incredible tool that many magicians do not tap into because they either are worried about being caught or they don't think that it will fit into their routine. About getting caught. You will only get caught as much as you don't practice. It is like everything in magic in that, the more you practice, the better you will become. As for it not fitting into the routine, that is up to you. But when I steal a watch, and I see that spectator's face light up, it's worth it to make it fit into my routine.

I am like you Bascomb. I am not a touching person. I feel it invades there space. That's just me though. So what I like to do is during a cut and restored rope routine when I have the spectator hold the rope. I say now you hold your hand up here, grab there wrist, snag the watch, and let go. That easy and quick. Don't have to do a lot of touching. It is also natural looking.

It is not like I have to hold their wrist to help them wave a wand to get the watch and if you don't get it then they don't look at you crazy like why was he grabing my wrist. Now in the routine I say if you can blow the knot off of the rope I have a free gift for you. I give them back the watch. Like JRbenho said it is worth the practice just to see the look on their face when you have their watch.

I really loved the Watch Steal when I first saw it on Greg Wilson, the effect is mindblowing, actually contemplated on going out and get a vid on that alone. Too bad Greg only showed a method for taking those "traditional" watches. That said, the rest of his stuff is equally awesome.

I love his studio assistant; I mean, I love the pen trick and 3/4. Outstanding.

I was Greg's victim, er I mean, assistant when he was in town doing a lecture. I am pretty observant, but Greg has a real way of putting someone at ease. His personality is such that it really wouldn't matter if he got the watch or not, but the laugh is sure bigger that way.

He got my watch twice, my glasses at least three times, and I cannot remember how many times he got my pen. The glasses thing was great, since while everyone was laughing I looked up to see him wearing them. His watch steal was really impressive, because the setup for it happened long before he ever came near the watch.

He is a very touchy person, and though I am normally uncomfortable being touched by someone I don't know, his mixture of magic, comedy, and honest good will is quite disarming. I was proud to be his "fool for a day" and Greg was very kind to me. I wasn't a setup, I was just lucky enough to be chosen.

Greg graciously gave me a set of his lecture notes afterward. I purchased a few of his products, and liked On the Spot quite a lot. Bang for your buck though, his Double Take video is an awesome study on the double lift. While it doesn't contain every double lift known to mankind, he teaches several different kinds, and I was finally able to be completely confident in my double lift.

I recently bought this video & I still laugh watching his performances of "Head Trip" & "Sponge Napkins". Especially the girl's reaction at the end of tape 1, just priceless. ROFLMAO!!!

Yea, Head Trip was great.
Greg's performances on that tape made me want to get back into the old Paper Balls Over The Head effect.

Steve

For COMPLETE work on getting the watches, there's a great video - "The Watch Steal Video" by the Late Great Chappy Brazil and Charles Bach.

It covers ALL types of watches. WARNING!!! Once you get your first watch, you'll be hooked. It can become addictive!

Pete

I've not watched this dvd for a long time but pulled it off the shelf for a quick watch this morning. It's brilliant and has stood the test of time. I totally agree with what Guy Portlock says in his review of it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGOSBARIDzg&feature=related

That 3/4 routine I find very difficult. Does anyone else think the same thing? I started practicing that routine back in 1999 I believe when the video first came out. Took me about decade to get it down. And yes I still drop coins once in awhile. I was ready to quit at one time. Im glad I didn't its an awesome routine and spectators freak out when they see it. But I do still believe that move is run by the devil. I hope other folks can get that routine down quicker than me. Its probably the most difficult routine Ive ever come across. But its worth it!

I LOVE this routine! I still remember several magicians doing this on TV (Mark Wilson was one, I believe). I think Doug Henning did it, as well.

Therntier,

As mentioned above, Greg obviously has the personality to help him close the gap, and be so touchy-feely. However, pickpocketing may not be as difficult as it seems at first. The watch steals need a fair bit of misdirection as well as technique to be effective. Seems to me that's on the far end of the spectrum as far as difficulty in taking things off a person is concerned. I would start with his pen steals, and or, glasses that are hanging from an outside pocket, similar to how a pen might sit. This seems an easy way to get started--you could show an interest in someone's pen, take it, look at it, put it back and steal it out again. Not too hard, right?

Greg's DVD and the Chappy Brazil one make a great combo. I've seen James Brown doing watch steals and he is just so smooth with it, my attempts are always a bit hit and miss. It's just such a tricky thing to practice. Best advice - don't OPEN with a watch steal (lol) it can easily be misinterpreted! Establish yourself as an entertainer and get right in their body space a lot first. Then do the steal.

Never did a watch steal, mainly because I can't figure out how this type of effect is practiced well before your first performance, as obviously, you can't practice alone in your room, you need a real spectator to practice on. Does one just go into it cold, being willing to fail time after time as you practice on live people until you finally get the hang of it?

I don't get it. Someone please turn the light on for me.

I suppose you could ask a friend for help, but that would compromise the surprise.

In "The Watch Steal Video" they recommend practicing the technique using a mostly used paper towel roll. If you leave about a centimeter of paper towel wrapped around the roll it will be about the right size as a wrist. Put a watch on it and hold it in your left hand while you practice stealing the watch with your right (or vice versa). I think they had some technique where you could prop it up somehow but it's been quite a while since I watched it. At any rate, something like that should get you most of the way there.