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mitchb2 Elite user 455 Posts |
How do you get across to people not to grab props, cards, etc?
You can't actually say "Don't touch my trick cards or you'll see the secret!" My brother-in-law is such a jerk that I won't do any tricks if he's around. My kids really make me mad, because they've learned some tricks themselves, and they should know better than to grab at something or try to get behind my hands. I'm going to start working on Ultimate 3 Card Monte as soon as it arrives, and all I can think about is someone grabbing the cards. |
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solareflipz Veteran user Orlando, Fl 308 Posts |
I don't mean to sound crude, but if your audience is grabbing your props during your performance then there's something you need to fix with your presentation and audience management. When you perform, you should learn how to set a boundary between you and your audience. I highly recommend that you read Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz as he covers these topics very well. On top of audience management, your audience is made out of people who you've known for a very long time and because you've known them for a long time, they know you never had magical powers before so why would they have a reason to believe that you do now? Because they're family, of course they'll be skeptical. I advise that you perform outside your household and perform for friends and strangers. If your brother in law of your kids keep being grabby after trying to set that boundary, then simply don't show them anything and save your magic for someone who will appreciate it. Anyway, good luck with your magic!
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Josh Riel Inner circle of hell 1995 Posts |
Some people are never going to be good spectators. You'll see them, and learn to focus elsewhere.
I've had long talks with my kids, and when I perform I involve them in different ways to keep them occupied and not feel ignored (Kids have a tough time with that). Otherwise, time and experience has been my training grounds for performance without as much worry about the troublesome spec. Also, I try to avoid tricks that need gaffs, but that is just me. Anyway, anyone who says "I never let that happen" or "That never happens to me cause I'm great" are fooling themselves. If nothing else they have had plenty of experience with the meddlesome audience and have since learned to control it somewhat. Don't feel bad, just look for ways around it and ways to improve. Also, create a fun atmosphere not a confrontational one. If your trying to fool them for the sake of fooling them, they will naturally try to avoid being fooled. If you are performing magic for everyone to enjoy, they will be more apt to just enjoy it.
Magic is doing improbable things with odd items that, under normal circumstances, would be unnessecary and quite often undesirable.
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sethb Inner circle The Jersey Shore 2719 Posts |
Audience management skills are something that comes with performing experience. We have all had "grabbers," although my own experience has been that as my performance skills improve, there are less grabbing incidents (or maybe just better audiences, who knows?). If you present your effects in a confident (not arrogant) manner, and take full command of the situation, grabbing shouldn't be a big issue.
In any event, you will find that unfortunately, there are just some people who can "be dressed up but not taken anywhere," as they say. There are also people with big or odd egos who view magic as some sort of personal challenge to their intelligence, and who refuse to join in the fun of being mystified. There is no law that says you have to perform for such ignorant and stupid people, so don't. Small children are a different story, because they aren't old enough to have the manners and the conditioning to know what to do or how to behave; it seems logical to them to grab something to see how it works. There are ways of dealing with this, too, check the Kid's Performers Section here at the Café'. SETH
"Watch the Professor!!" -- Al Flosso (1895-1976)
"The better you are, the closer they watch" -- Darwin Ortiz, STRONG MAGIC |
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mmreed Inner circle Harrisburg, PA 1432 Posts |
Just get a few of the Electric Touch effects and soon they will not come near you!
Mark Reed
Wedding and Event Entertainment |
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Jaz Inner circle NJ, U.S. 6111 Posts |
A tip for "Ultimate 3 Card Monte".
Learn some Monte sleights with the normal cards, same values as U3CM. Have the regular cards in the deck but also have U3CM on top or bottom. Do the sleight routine first and then make a switch. You can ditch U3CM if need be. |
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abc Inner circle South African in Taiwan 1081 Posts |
Magic should be entertaining not pure trickery. People who grab things do so (often not always) because they miss the point of entertainment. Sometimes it is more a reaction of amazement and they do it because they can not believe what just happened. If someone is purely trying to grab things because he has to know the secret like your brother in law then just don't do tricks in front of him. If he asks why, then say because you are trying to work on how to make what you do entertaining and not to try and trick him and it is pointless for you to try something on someone that wont work.
You have to understand that a big part of entertainment in magic is the magic. As for your kids. Do you really expect your kids to see the value in what you do? They are just kids. Kids are like that. Don't expect your kids to have the mental capacity and manners of an adult. If they did they would be pretty boring kids. |
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Andy the cardician Inner circle A street named after my dad 3362 Posts |
Get it out of their sight.
Cards never lie
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YoelMagic New user 7 Posts |
I used to have this problem. I started performing at my family meetings. It was cool because it expose me to a real audience, but as happened to you, (but in this case was my grand father) someone try to spoil my stuff. I solve that problem when I get to show him that I was a real magician - performing at different venues, I was the real thing. Then a new problem appeared, the "I-know-how-to-do-it-kid", you know is really annoying. I start performing some effects that built up in a way that makes audience believe they know how it's done, but suddenly you destroy that believe with a move. For example: for kid's shows "The Vanishing Elephant" is a great option, or for close-up the color changing card or any changing effect, adding some moves to clean it. I guess experience is what will give you the opportunity to get to people and gain some respect. But never give up and ENJOY MAGIC.
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mitchb2 Elite user 455 Posts |
It occurred to me that I should have said "Point to where you think the Ace is," not "Where do you think the Ace is." I guess it's a subtlety that sets some bounds for them. Live and learn.
Here's another question: When somebody tries to guess (i.e. you have trick cards, you have an extra coin, etc.), do you respond? Do you just ignore it, or do you say "Nice try," or try to have some snappy comeback? |
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Geoff Weber Inner circle Washington DC 1384 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-04-04 10:37, mitchb2 wrote: "It could be smoke and mirrors, or it could be a camera trick, but the possibility that's the most fun, is that maybe, its real magic. You like to have fun don't you? Well then for now, lets just say its magic." |
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Mr. Ree Elite user Sedona AZ 414 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-04-04 10:37, mitchb2 wrote: I'm still working this out for myself but it seems my response changes based on: 1.Who I am dealing with, child, adult, relative. 2.What I am doing, my response is different with a close-up group than it is with a group in a living-room (parlor) situation. 3. How the person says it. I guess I'm saying unfortunately that I can't seem to get by with only one or two responses. Maybe this is just me. Basic rule that always applies for me: I don't get mad and I don't show that it bothers me, even if it sometimes does. Trying to take the "more fun" way. ================================================ Why did I say I am still working on this? One of the most recent "tough" problems was a very disruptive 11 year old. He was the only one and he is also know as a trouble maker. I did something for the first time that seemed to work OK but wasn't a lot of fun. After one of his several loud comments I politely smiled at his Mom, really in a caring way, and she quietly moved him from the front with the kids to the back with the adults. Nothing more was said.
An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it.
---- William Bernbach (1911 - 1982) ---- (After 25 years of PCs, everything switched to Macs, June 2008) |
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sethb Inner circle The Jersey Shore 2719 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-04-04 10:37, mitchb2 wrote: When somebody tries to guess (i.e. you have trick cards, you have an extra coin, etc.), do you respond? Do you just ignore it, or do you say "Nice try," or try to have some snappy comeback? Nine times out of ten it actually will be a guess, so I always say "That's a good guess," and that usually takes care of it. And even if it's a correct guess, it would still work. SETH
"Watch the Professor!!" -- Al Flosso (1895-1976)
"The better you are, the closer they watch" -- Darwin Ortiz, STRONG MAGIC |
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abc Inner circle South African in Taiwan 1081 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-04-04 10:37, mitchb2 wrote: I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to this question. What is your character and personality? Who is asking and what is the situation. The main thing is to never look caught out. A comment like "Of course it si trick cards. Do I look like a real magician?" would be very funny for some and a horrible failure for others. The correct response comes with experience. |
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Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts |
It is ALWAYS about YOUR control of the situation. We all know that some folks are going to grab. Awareness is key. Proximity is next. Ask folks to stand far enough from you that they can't beat you to the draw! They don't 'want' to stand where you ask? Then there's no magic. Simple. The possible difficulty arises in getting them where you want them in such a pleasant manner that no one is offended, etc.
There are a myriad of ways to phrase your request so that folks will 'want' to do what you ask. Just rememeber: Be pleasant. As the main character in the movie Harvey said...you can be clever or pleasant. He found that after years of being clever pleasant was better. If you have not seen the movie mentioned above I HIGHLY recommend that you do so. It offers an education on audience manipulation that every performer can benefit from. All very best,
Brad Burt
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Eoas New user Australia 40 Posts |
Soo many comments on magic Café about jerk brother-in-laws. I think the answer to your question is send them (via disappearing act of course) to a land I like to call Neverland - where you'll NEVER see them again.
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Chappo Special user Bris Vegas 754 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-04-12 21:15, Eoas wrote: If only... If only... A better way to is to bulk up at the gym and get bigger then them. Then bash them if they continue their smart-arse comments. It worked for me
The rules of a sleight of hand artist, Are three, and all others are vain,
The 1st & the 2nd are practice... And the 3rd one is practice again - 'Magic of the Hands', Edward Victor (1940) |
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dragee New user 52 Posts |
I would keep it away before they can touch it
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Tablic New user 100 Posts |
I don't work much with objects that can't be examined. However, for the instances in which I do, I make sure to have a few outs.
The options are along the lines of: having another effect prepared so I can go straight into that, having a way to dispose of the gimmick (i.e., use some form of misdirection to either dump the item or switch it), or just simply put the stuff away with saying, 'show's over, folks'. Then there's always the possibility of finding a routine in which a gimmick is used but the handling allows you to end clean. |
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cosmicsecret Special user Germany - Mannheim 504 Posts |
What ive learned is to keep your props in your near,the closer the props are to you - then the chances are less that a guy will reach across the table to grab your stuff.
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