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Reflex New user 13 Posts |
I was just wondering what you guys say to someone at a party, in the mall, at the airport, in a bar or anywhere you want to start a conversation with someone. Do you just say, hey guys, look at this. Or, hey I want to show you something? I am looking for some creative ideas on this so if anyone has any insight, please share.
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Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts |
I generally don't talk to people I don't know at parties, malls or the airport. I don't go to bars and I don't engage in guerrilla magic so I never inflict magic on the unsuspecting.
If I were to want too show magic to stangers I'd probably just sit at a table doing various card manipulations and wait for people to approach me to ask what I was doing
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
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avislash New user 17 Posts |
Wanna see a trick? lol pretty much ya, but usually people at school see me with my cards out practicing something or something and they usually aproach me lol
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gaddy Inner circle Agent of Chaos 3526 Posts |
One of the 1st. things that happens in my social circles is the exchange of business cards. Learn a number of "card tricks" and you've got an in.
It's rather easy to steer a conversation at a party to the subject of the occult or psychic phenomena. If you do bizarre magic or mentalism, that's another in. Any poker players out there? The ballgame is WAY open there. Do your friends have children? Show 'em one to amuse the kids with, preferably one you can "share" with them. What I am trying to say is that magic is not a way to start a conversation, but it IS an exellent tool to propel a conversation past the first 7 minutes, which is when most spontaneous topics of conversation stall and end. G
*due to the editorial policies here, words on this site attributed to me cannot necessarily be held to be my own.*
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
I usually start off with a sponge rabbit. I pretend to pluck it from the air. It is a good attention getter. I remain silent doing a few more moves with the same rabbit (vanishes, transfer, etc.). Next, the spectators begin to ask me questions.
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sniper1 Veteran user malta eu 343 Posts |
Hmmmmmm I find mentalism to be the best in informal situations , usually I start myself by saying something along the lines of , " I know something about you , or I have an intuition about you " this immediatlky puts them in a state of curiosity
THE MOST CRAZY MAGICIAN ON THE MALTESE ISLANDS
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SeoMagi New user 54 Posts |
I like bringing the crowd to me by messing around with D'Lites at night or invisible thread in the daytime. I'll do it for a couple of minutes to get a couple of spectators, then move on to high-reaction tricks to get a couple more. From there, I find that it's just self-circulating.
I also like opening with mentalism, especially in a party situation. I've found it effective to shake hands with someone new, look at their palm and say something like, "That's very interesting." <What?> "Well you can tell a lot about a person by the way they shake hands." -- which leads into a cold reading which leads into just about anything. My favorite way, however, to approach is by creating magic from something already in the situation, whether or not you planted it. Here, there needn't be any technique for the approach. You can just go up to anyone shuffling a deck before a hand of poker, or grab the Healed and Sealed you covertly placed nearby. Anyway, just my two cents. Take it easy. |
AAC New user 55 Posts |
I don't know for a fact, but I can think of one trick that -could- start a conversation, as I've never done magic to a stranger before, this is pure speculation...
Have a prediction written down on a piece of papper in your pocket, or whereever... Run up to the person "Hey, you're the guy!" What? "I did a trick to you in a dream, lets see if you get the same card as you did in the dream." Force that same card, blah blah, you know what to do. Follow the trick up with "So whats your name anyway?" As I said I've never done magic on a stranger before, but it seems like a logical way to start a coversation. |
The magic cracker New user 24 Posts |
I havn't either but that deos sound a bit logical
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Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts |
AAC...I like it. You might tune it thus: "In my dream your name was Bob (or Karen, etc.) is that your real name?" If it is you have a further miracle. If not, ask for their name....and on you go.
I can only think of some props you could either have out or introduce that would 'seem' natural. Color Changing Knife for instance. You could be sitting there rubbing at the handle...look up at someone who may have caught your eye and ask them have they seen anything like this before...and, go into a quick routine. A money trick like Wonderland Dollar is perfect because you can just have it out, in full view and you don't have the problems you would have with Greed say. You can have W.D. out and be looking at the small trap door. I've done this and it almost begs for someone to ask you what the door in the bill is, etc. Obviously anyone a little more outgoing than I could take any good quick little thing like the vanish or appearence of a TT silk and simply walk up to someone and use it to get something going. For me it has always seemed better to use the curiosity of the other person to draw them in. A topic like this always makes me think: Serial killers are out there looking for some way to meet folks......ooooooooo....O.k., it IS October! All best,
Brad Burt
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Hagerman Regular user 108 Posts |
ACC.. that's great line to use on a girl!
Look at us manipulating behavior. Using their curiosity against them. This is what magic is all about. Making them to think how you want them to think is the art. I agree, this is better; otherwise you risk being labeled a "show off". I'm guilty! I use to drop a coin and plant it right at my target's feet. I'd search for it and milk this until it was picked up and handed to me. A quick coin roll followed as a gesture of appreciation. Judging from her response, I would continue or not. I would feel guilty doing this now. I'm with Payne on this one: "I never inflict magic on the unsuspecting." I now believe that we should not deceive unless were are first given permission. (But I might try ACC's line.) Brad, its those serial killers out there who give guys that look like me a bad rep! |
vonbodan New user 23 Posts |
Well that one is easy for me. I have my stage name tattooed down my forearm. So the first thing people say and ask is what does that say? Then I say "Vonbodan". From there it is smooth sailing.
Vonbodan |
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-10-11 17:26, Reflex wrote: First I check my intent. What is my objective. To pass the time? To see if they might be interested in me for "other" reasons than just idle chit-chat? That done, it all starts with "hello" and being genuinely curious about them. AND OPEN TO THEIR RESPONSES. As to using magic... when appropriate. A wand makes an awkward crutch.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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Graydini New user 20 Posts |
I used to be more quite than I am (I still am, but I’m getting better every day.) and magic has really helped me to break out of my shell.
I’m a card and coin guy and sometimes I just take the deck and do some flourishes like card springs, Charlier cuts, etc… to get attention. I would think that those get the most attention because it’s the most auditory and visual thing I do, and I prefer this as I’m ready to go into a card effect (where I have significantly more material than coins.). But I Just realized, I have gotten more people to stop and talk to me when I was flurrying with a coin (Making it vanish, appear, vanish, etc…) or doing a simple coin roll. I just learned an approach from David Williamsons “Slight of Dave” for Restaurant work that I think should be great for any time you just want to show a stranger magic. It goes like this: I would walk around the person I’m targeting and look lost or confused, then say “excuse me, I’m the Wandering magician, I was just Wandering if you want to see a magic trick”. This has got me great reactions because even if they don’t want to see a trick, that line was entertaining in and of itself. Hope this Helps, God Bless. -Grayden |
airship Inner circle In my day, I have driven 1594 Posts |
If I'm at dinner with a friend who has invited someone along that I don't know, I'll often start by folding an origami shirt out of a dollar bill. I do this right after ordering. Usually they ask what I'm doing, but if they don't they always make a comment about how 'cute' the shirt is when I'm done. Then I tell them I do it to leave as part of my tip at the end of the meal. They usually like that idea. That can then lead into a few 'impromptu' magic tricks and the conversation flows from there.
'The central secret of conjuring is a manipulation of interest.' - Henry Hay
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thumbslinger Elite user This is a good number: 458 Posts |
Just yesterday we were registering three businesses. The names were different: Fitmaven, Thumbslinger and Sapphire Monkey. The lady at the counter asked the nature of each. (Personal Training/natural health, guitar instruction and graphic design). She was immediately interested.
Picking up on that, I saw she had a large box of the big paperclips and immediately knew I was going to do Daniel Garcia's method of paper-clip bending which is easy, very visual and astonsihing to the general person. She handed us our official documents (paper-clipped) so I yanked it off and said, "Can I just ask you one other thing?" "Would you straighten out this paper clip as best as you can? I want to show you a little something." For those 10 seconds, the attention of all was off our little 9 month old an on a paper clip! They all had raised eyebrows... one said, "can I have one of your cards?" Communication is much more simple than so many make it out to be.
Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed and Tommy Emmanuel are all you need to study to learn to play guitar.
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Face Elite user 495 Posts |
It really depends about the situation, location, age of the people around, gender, etc. I usually don't use one certain sentence
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magicleo New user 63 Posts |
I take a magician's ring and make a paperclip float with it. Usually, that's all it takes. People come up to me.
Oh yeah, appropriate garb is essential for people to know. Adult-wise, the magicians' uniform is good, but as a teenager or child, the tricks can (and usually) do it all. -Greg |
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