You did not mention how many places you approached. It took me a few years of marketing before I landed a sweet gig.

PS: I did card challenge BCS for my short audition. I may not have used cards (even though BCS is killer) and done what Gerry recommended above but the place I got the gig is an ol western town and cards were voque there. Any CT or peek is fantastic when presented correctly. Its just something they never forget.

PSS: I would recommend getting out of the habit of calling what you do tricks.

The most incredible is you've a show

What I suggest is that you encase yourself in a block of ice and have a crane lift the block onto a 200foot pole. A helicopter makes a low pass and deposits a canvas sheet over the block of ice. After seven weeks the ice melts and the canvas falls to reveal a white tiger. Then...... what happens then? - sorry, it has been some time since I have done this one - er, I think the fire bregade comes and gets the Tiger down.... no, that cannot be right.... Well, anyways, the tiger is on the ground and it starts thashing around - suddenly, the tiger is ripped open (don't worry there is a switch, it's not a real tiger at this point), and you step out. You pull a sponge bunny from between your butt-cheeks (sorry, b***-ch**cks)and casually toss it to a tearful old woman. You then bury yourself alive and make the whole world seem to vanish.
Everyone is confused.......anyway, it works for me!

(by the way, I have the pdf for this that I stole from some b**ch, it's yours for five bucks!)

Perfect.

The best trick in the world is to have people like YOU. Ideally, you should be able to book a show without even showing a trick. If you connect with people, and are genuinely likable (not trying to manipulate people into liking you) then a lot of doors will open, no matter what line of work you are talking about.

It is easy to misread that first sentence Darrylasher! I thought you meant it was the best trick in the world that people like him can exist. That thought made me laugh.
Sorry. I don't mean any offence to anyone, including johnresales who I am sure is a nice person. I'd like to think we all are really.

Yes, your right. Tricks, to me, sound negative. Where as if you call them effects or illusions sounds more positive. At least to me.

LOL indeed! Funny. Now if I could just be funny o purpose!

Let me get this straight. You don't know what a NW is, you ask to learn cold reading in 4 weeks, you ask for other freebies and you actually got a show??
You've been in mentalism for 7 years now(:D) so I think you know what are killer "tricks".

OK, I'm going to add some unsolicited thoughts here. I hope you take it to heart, johnresales. And take it in the spirit it is intended: to help you in the long run. This is long, so get a cup of coffee.

I love magic. I have studied magic since I was 9 years old. I spent hours practicing sleights and practicing performance, and writing patter. I started performing for pay when I was 14. Parties, banquets, anyone who would have me. I also did countless free shows, just to get experience, and for love of performing. I have never been a full time magician, but I have performed for 37 years. Whether it's a card trick for one person, or a stage show for hundreds, I have always respected magic as an art form, and would never perform something without proper preparation, no matter how excited I was to try "something new." I consider myself a pretty natural performer. I probably COULD get away with taking a trick out the box and adding it to my act the next day. But I wouldn't! It might be ok. But it wouldn't be the best it could be. It takes time with a new effect to figure out how to pace it, how to sell it, how to make it something worth watching.

Because I love magic, I want others to love it, too. And to respect it. Including you, johnresales. So, to be true to myself, I have to be honest here, and tell you that it seems you do not respect the art or the Café. Looking at your posting history, as mentioned above, it's all about wanting to get something for nothing. You want quick and easy solutions and shortcuts.

I am not saying this to be mean or "call you out." Seriously, I want nothing more than for you to succeed. But the road you seem to be on will only lead to failure and frustration. If you try and sell the art short, or do things without the proper preparation and experience, you will fail, then wonder why. Many people in the same position end up blaming the audience or the art, and never look inside. Sure, we all want suggestions of what effects might be good for certain situations, but in this thread you really do seem to think that the "right" trick is the key to getting a booking. The right trick does not get the booking. The right person does.

I'm going to quote a few of your other posts here. Again, not to embarrass you, but to help you in the long run. See if you can tell a pattern:

"Whats NW? and where can I see photos of Outlaw"

"I am looking for Rubber Stamps with the ESP card design on them. Can someone please tell me where to find them. I would like to print ESP designs on paper for something" (When someone graciously gave you instructions on how to make your own, you responded that you just wanted to buy something. I bet Google would tell you exactly what you want.)

"Does anyone know of a version of Changeling without the coins?"

In the following case, you wanted someone to tell you what your OWN trick was that you "couldn't remember":
"I just started getting back into my shows and in my bag I found a paper with all five ESP logos on it and then two ESP card glues back to back. So I know that it must be something that I make them pick on of the logos from the paper but I don't remember. Maybe its a number things? can clues?"

"Does anyone know of any Cold Reading E-Books that I can download for free? Also any Mentalism E-Books for free?"

"Thanks, yes. I am looking to make items move and etc. thanks for the tips do you know of any ebooks"

"I been doing some Mentalism for about 7 years but would like to add some cold reading to a up and coming show. I need something easy"

That last one is the most telling. I honestly lack any confidence that you have been doing mentalism for 7 years. Anyone who has done mentalism for even 6 months knows that there is NO easy cold reading. It's not like asking for an easy card trick. Cold reading takes years of practice and failure and trial and error to perform. It's not something you just "add to a [sic] up an [sic] coming show" unless you have done it off stage and in "safe" settings for a long time.

You have been asked to tell us something about yourself and your experience, and you either don't respond, or you give evasive and minimal answers. I have only been a member for a short time, but if you look at my history, anyone can see that I am willing to give help to others, and I have told of my experiences very openly. My profile, like many others here, even includes my website. There is no doubt as to who I am. Heck, with a couple clicks, anyone can see my address and phone number! I would have no shame asking for help here, because anyone can see I am not a "taker." In your case, you seem to just want quick answers and shortcuts, with no contribution, or even any information about who you are, what your experience is, or what your goals are.

The people here are extremely helpful and gracious. This is an incredible community, and a priceless resource. As I consider becoming more active in performing again, I don't know what I would do without the incredible amount of knowledge here. In an art where secrecy is valued, and the practitioners are famously competitive, the amount of sharing that goes on here is mind-blowing.

Others have advised you to find a mentor. That is good advice.

Now, I could be totally wrong. Maybe you are just a fantastic and gifted performer, with tons of experience under your belt, and contracts lined up for years of TV specials. But since you are not telling us anything, I can only go by how you come across in your posts. And based on that, I will offer you this advice. Take it or leave it, but keep in mind that if I didn't care about magic or your sucess, I would not be taking the time to write all this. I have much better things I could be doing, but such is my passion for the art that I have to respond.

First: forget about getting any paying gigs. If you don't love the art, if you aren't willing to invest the time and practice into learning, you will never succeed. If you are trying to learn just to get a gig, you may indeed get a gig based on a few good effects, but that's all you will have. What if you get called back? Will you come here, asking everyone for 5 more easy but super-impressive tricks that will make you look like a fantastic performer? Lack of experience and practice will show very quickly. You will be left standing naked in front of a crowd who sees you as a fraud. You will ruin any future chances of performing because a bad reputation travels 5 times as fast as good one. Before you accept a penny to perform anywhere, make sure you are first worth anyone even watching you for free. An audience invests something far greater than money: their time and attention. Once you demand their attention, YOU OWE THEM. You better be good enough to deserve their time.

Second: Study. Lock yourself in a room, or in a library. Read read read. As a kid, I rode my bike through the streets of Detroit for 7 miles to get to the library with the best magic collection. Read. Study. Magic and Showmanship, Amateur Magician's Handbook, The Handbook of Mental Magic, 13 Steps, Anneman, Hugard, Tarbell, Bobo, etc etc etc. There is enough magic in any 2 good magic books to keep you busy your entire life. Read those books with a notebook and pen in your hand. Write down what's important. Learn the sleights. Heck, learn some card sleights that take 6 months to perfect, even if you never show them to anyone! Learn them because you love to learn. Learn them in order to learn discipline. ONLY by investing time will you learn what works for you and your personality.

Third: Practice. Practice, practice, practice. In front of a mirror. While you are reading. While you are watching TV. When I was learning the sleights in The Amateur Magician's Handbook, I would often fall asleep with cards or coins in my hand, and wake up the next morning to pick up where I left off. It doesn't matter if I used those sleights that often or not. It helped to make me a better performer. It instilled discipline, and paid off later in confidence and comfort with myself and my props. So practice, over and over and over until you can do the effect without thinking. Practice in front of your family and friends. Get feedback, and listen to it. If something doesn't work, figure out why. If it does work, figure out why.

Fourth: Learn about showmanship. Read Henning Nelms' Magic and Showmanship. Learn what a silent script is. Learn how to cast the audience. Learn how to cue the audience for applause. Learn the difference between an act and a few tricks. The difference is HUGE and if you don't know why, you will never have a successful act. You will only ever have a few tricks that may fool someone but will leave no lasting impression, and it will certainly not be anything that anyone would ever actually pay money for.

Fifth: ONLY when you have mastered all of this, and have enough for 15 or 20 minutes of SOLID material should you even begin to think about trying to get hired somewhere. Go do your 15 minutes for anyone who will have you, for free if necessary. Retirement homes, hospitals, organizations you are involved in, family parties... there are many places to perfect your act. Famous comedians do free shows at comedy clubs just to work out their material in front of an audience before they charge for it. Find an open-mike night at a local club where you can try your stuff.

Sixth: Offer your 15 or 20 minutes for banquets and parties. Get some experience in front of different audiences before you try to offer your services to headline at a lounge. Keep this in mind: a club owner wants to make money. He makes money by selling drinks. He brings in a performer who will draw a crowd who will buy drinks. Or who will keep people there longer than they would have stayed, and bought drinks. A bad performer will not only NOT draw a crowd, but will keep people away or make people leave early. Like Slim said above: you have to show the they will make more money with you than without you, or what's the point.

Seven: repeat the cycle. Start at number one again. Read. Read some more. Learn. Learn the routines from the books, but don't copy them. Make them your own.

Years ago, I remember James Randi telling a story about how he had become a full time professional, and was much in demand. He was living his dream, making his living at magic, and was booked solid. During this time he met with much more experienced magician whom he respected. The older magician told him that at some point, he would know that he had really arrived as a performer. Randi said nothing, but inside he took umbrage at the suggestion that he had not yet "arrived." He thought he had arrived some time ago. What did this other magician know? Years went by, and Randi did a show where seemingly everything went wrong. Yet, because of his experience and knowledge, he was able to overcome the probems, and make the show a success. As he sat backstage going over the performance, he realized what the older magician meant. His hard work had paid off, and now he was really a magician.

What will you do if you something goes wrong? If you have learned some quick and easy tricks, and you take them to an audience, and something goes wrong... they will be all over you. No one wants to endure a show-off. And if that's how you appear, one false move will get you busted. If the audience is not on your side, they are your enemy. They WILL grab things out of your hands, demand to examine something you don't want them to, demand to see your hand empty when you can't show it that way. You MUST win them over from your first word, and get them on your side before you even try to impress them with how clever you are. If the audience likes you, and is having a good time, they will be on your side. And if they are on your side, you can drop your back-palmed card and just smile and say "oops" and they will still be rooting for you.

I'm telling you all this because I love magic, and I want you to love it too. I want success for you. But I also want to protect magic from people who think it can be "easily mastered in three easy steps," and the result is that a bad performance (or rather a bad performer) can give magic itself a bad image. I don't want that to happen. My lengthy post is just my opinion. The other Café members may agree or disagree. But as long-winded as it is, it's just scratching the surface of what kind of commitment is needed to even start to think about printing a business card. Take it to heart.

-Darryl

Wow great advice.

Somebody please sticky Daryll's post at the top of this forum!

Great, great words, and lovely to see such passion. I must admit I had dismissed Johns post as a joke or someone mucking around.

mescalito

Sticky it!

That post needs a sticky.
brilliant post

Awww, shucks, thanks guys. Yer making me all... um... sticky!

Too bad JohnResales doesn'tcome to this forum anymore(at least I think). Some prove that you were right on what you wrote!

Heh, well, if he wants an easy answer, I guess he figured out he was in the wrong place.

I, too, wondered if he was just goofing off. But I figured if anyone else came looking for easy answers through the search function, I'd go ahead and do my preaching.

-Darryl

He had posted on a number of other sites too... one of highlights was...

"criss angel knife trick: Did anyone see this trick down. He has someone put a knife under a paper cup and then two other cups don't have anything under it. He knows which one to hit and not hit.
can this be done with the pk ring some how?"

I think John maybe a little younger than he's making out.

mescalito

By far the single best post I have read on the café in years!

nice work darryl, few would have been a patient as you. (myself included).