|
|
Irfaan New user South Africa 56 Posts |
Hello
I perform Sankey's Leaving Home a lot, it's not part of my routine, but I always carry it as it makes a great impromptu effect. I've performed it dozens, if not hundreds of times with FANTASTIC reactions. When I practice it at home (which I do about about once a day - because I perform it so often I feel that I've "got it down") I maybe drop the key say once every twenty or thirty times (I mean, who doesn't!?). However, when I do it for people, I'm VERY careful, and have therefore never dropped the key during the striking vanish. Until today. So I start the effect by "pulling" the key off the string. I thought it was perfect. The woman who was watching got this amazed look on her face, then immediately demanded to see my other hand! Of course she couldn't, because the hand was "dirty". But what tipped her off?? Anyway, I sidestepped by saying, "But watch the key, this is going to be really weird" (something to that effect) as I prepared for the vanish. Luckily this seemed to shift her attention well. Then I drop the key during the vanish! I was crestfallen. Devastated. DEEPLY ashamed. I can't believe I ruined it that way. It almost makes me want to quit magic altogether. Has this ever happened to you? Through inadvertent error you expose a great effect? How do you recover? How do you live with yourself? Should I be banned from magic?
I Believe
|
nattefrost Special user 703 Posts |
It's happened to me, but not with that particular trick. You just move on. I used to get so nervous before I did a trick because I thought I would mess it up and embarrass myself. You just have to live with it. I once did a trick at my job for 6 people and the trick went pefrectly. After the trick was OVER, now this is embarrassing, someone noticed as I was putting the cards away one was double faced. He sereamed, as everyone was walking away, Wait! What the hell is that? Everyone came back. I tried to recover with a switch but it was too late. It bothered me for the rest of the day. The next day there was notes in one of my folders that said "fake", "phony", etc. That even made it worse. But I kept doing what I was doing and for the one trick I messed up, there have been dozens that I did where the same guy was like "Oh my God, How the hell did you do that?" After seeing the masked magician messing a self working trick up on you-tube, anything can happen. Go back to this person if possible and redeem yourself. That's what I did. And as for the person asking "what's in the other hand", I believe that it's just a commom thing to say from a spectator. They do it to me, even when there's NOTHING in it!! You should not be banned, that's absurd. Use this to motivate yourself and keep performing.
|
karthik New user 61 Posts |
Hi Riley,
The key dropped for me too on one occassion when I did the vanish....everyone looked where the key fell and one of the spectators gave it me .. I just gathered all my nerves and said something like 'sometimes these keys act like mon-keys and get too jumpy '(I know its too corny..but it did get a couple of laughs) and then just did what I was supposed to do.. it went well... I didn't do this as the only effect or the closer of my act ..and looking at the overall reaction of the crowd enjoying..i dint feel the dropping of the key spoilt the 'experience' ... I ditto nattefrost's thoughts on the 'whats in the other hand'.. don't be so hard on yourself and get up, dust off and run! regards |
Father Photius Grammar Host El Paso, TX (Formerly Amarillo) 17161 Posts |
We all blow one once in a while. Don't let it worry you. I either at that point stop and say "We will now pause for a moment of silent prayer for this trick which just died" then bow my head and remain silent. It always gets a laugh, especially the longer I stay silent. Or I say "Hey, it's just a trick."
Of course you could act surprised and say something like "Well, I'll be. Where in the heck did that come from?" like you are surprised too.
"Now here's the man with the 25 cent hands, that two bit magician..."
|
cardboardninjas New user 50 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-03-27 11:49, Father Photius wrote: Haha, that's pretty funny. Anytime I mess up I just make something up and make it seem like its part of the trick. I messed up a color change because the waitress at a restaurant got my cards wet so I just made it seem like I meant to do what I had done on accident... |
AlienSpaceBat Regular user 152 Posts |
I think it happens to everyone at some time.
First time I dropped my cards face up, I was mortified - I couldn't think of anything to say. The last time it happened I said something about the signed card not always rising to the top of the deck, sometimes it makes a bid for freedom ... Don't worry about it, most times the spectators will be on your side if you carry on with another effect. |
MagikDavid Loyal user Cincinnati, OH 297 Posts |
Riley... Don't over-react. It happens to even the most seasoned magicians. Part of the learning process, is finding ways to cope when things go wrong. As you practice your routines, try to incorporate those mishap scenarios... and think of how you'll handle the situation. Others above have given some great ideas on what to say. In each case, the underlying idea is to act unmoved. If you have a total breakdown and appear devastated, this will cause your audience to view you as unconfident and incompetent. Let's face it... mishaps will happen. Just make a remark... shrug it off... and most importantly... maintain your composure.
The great Simon Lovell was shuffling his cards in a bar, and a card dropped on the floor. He looked down on the floor and pointed at the card and said to his audience, "HEY LOOK!!! A DESERTER!" He then went on with his act an blew their minds. Hope this helps. Dave
One good thing about being wrong...
Is the pleasure it brings to others. |
pradell Special user Alaska 560 Posts |
Years ago, when I was in 6th or 7th grade and did a cigarette vanish trick before the entire class, the cigarette flew off of the device on my hand, hit the wall and fell to the floor. Everyone laughed. Just like you stated above, "I was crestfallen. Devastated. DEEPLY ashamed. I can't believe I ruined it that way. It almost makes me want to quit magic altogether." Today, I look back at that show and realize that I had just got my first great laugh! Wow, they thought that was funny!!!! It was MY REACTION to the event that conveyed to the audience that I screwed up and felt bad about it. Audiences don't know what you are going to do. They have no idea whether you meant to drop the key or not. So when it happens, go with it. Make the drop part of the trick somehow. Invent a funny line, or have an "out" that you can use to flow your routine into the next trick. And be aware that the most important thing is not that the tricks go right or wrong. It is YOUR REACTION to what you are doing that is important. You are an actor playing the part of a magician. When things go wrong, act! Create a character who reacts to magic "goofs" in an unusual way. That way, the screw up becomes part of your persona, part of the show itself. Entertaining the audience and enjoying your art is much more important than merely fooling everyone.
:magicrabbit: |
Mike Ross New user Vancouver, Canada 61 Posts |
Maybe it's your eyes?
|
Mike Ross New user Vancouver, Canada 61 Posts |
Sometimes I make I face when doing sleights.
|
Mike Ross New user Vancouver, Canada 61 Posts |
Like DLs, all the time.
|
abc Inner circle South African in Taiwan 1081 Posts |
In my personal opinion, I think you got nervous when she asked to see the other hand and you were over-thinking what you had to do next and therefor messed up. It's no big deal though.
These lines that everone mentions will come to you. I did some comedy club magic in my younger days and one night, when I messed a trick up completely, I said "and now for my next %^& up, could I have any audience member as an assistant other than Roy' (I can't remember his name)." It was appropriate for the situation. At a kids party, I dropped a toy rabbit and then pretended that the rabbit attacked me. The kids loved it and I never finished the trick. If you are comfortable in the situation and you need a "line" to get out of a mess, say what you would say nrmally if you wanted to say something funny. If I saw Father Photius ask for a moment of silence, it would be very funny. If I did it would look overly rehearsed. Pick what works for you and don't worry about messing up one trick. If you worry about every trivk you mess up, you will be dead from worrying in the next 5 years. |
homegrown New user Toronto, Canada 85 Posts |
Heh. It happens all the time. I got busted a few times doing paperclipped, but it's about how you recover also- so now I do paperclipped in my own way- and it doesn't get busted or even thought of. No matter how many times I did the closing move at home, it doesn't make up for real world experience- and part of the experience is.. well getting busted heh
Cheers (just glad to see other people than me getting busted lol) |
Irfaan New user South Africa 56 Posts |
Thanks for the advise everybody
I Believe
|
airship Inner circle In my day, I have driven 1594 Posts |
Guys who run hurdles every day trip over one every once in awhile. Pole vaulters miss. Runners trip. Football players slip on the grass.
Hey, nobody's perfect. Just do what they do, pick yourself up and move on.
'The central secret of conjuring is a manipulation of interest.' - Henry Hay
|
cyberdog New user 51 Posts |
It's happning to everyone everywhere but the importent thing is to learn from your mistakes and practice, practice,practice!
|
rdsachs New user 13 Posts |
This is lightly different but still relevant: I get exactly the same problem but with specific people... for some reason whenever I perform for my girlfriend ( my biggest critic) I freeze up and she always always catches me devastating my self confidence but with other people in the times where something has gone wrong (and it has happened more than once) I move on and people don't remember it at the end or if someone says you did this and this I smile confidently and say nope that's not how it worked, watch this and make them think I'm going to show them it again but move onto something different throwing them off and theyre left with that memory and not me messing up...
My very first ever stage performance I tried to steal someone's watch on stage as my closer and got caught in front of everyone.. that really killed me and as I went off backstage I started cursing and saying how horribly it went and it turned out my microphone was on the whole time and everyone heard... People after the show told me it was the funniest thing in the entire evening! |
Slartibartfast Loyal user Southern Illinois 230 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-03-27 10:11, nattefrost wrote: Huh? Did they think you were doing real magic? Sometimes you want to scream at people "What did you expect? IT'S A TRICK!"
If you can pull it off in a biker bar without being violated by a corn dog, more power to you.
-- Gwyd, the Unusual "YOUR Signature...speaks volumns (sic) as to your lack of understanding." --T.V. |
gaddy Inner circle Agent of Chaos 3526 Posts |
"Wow, that's the first time I've ever screwed that up.... TODAY!"
*due to the editorial policies here, words on this site attributed to me cannot necessarily be held to be my own.*
|
Perry D Winkle Regular user 173 Posts |
Every situation is different I guess. My magic is fun, and while I take practicing it very seriously, I also put my pleasure in performing first. On the rare occasion that I flash, or blow a trick, I usually unleash some goofy patter and redirect the spectator's attention to another effect saying, 'Yes, I thought you were too smart for that but you didn't see this coming!'
One time I was performing for some children and I had a blue sponge ball underneath the back of my shirt and against my waist. I keep it there in case I decide to do a color change. Anyhoo, it actually fell out at one point and rolled across the floor. A little girl said, 'Hey, whats that ball!' and I looked at the ball with disgust and said, 'That ball is a traitor.' The parents howled! It got a bigger reaction than had I done the color change. To me, I'm there to entertain, if I did that then I did my job. They aren't paying you to feed the masses by splitting up bread and fish. |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » New to magic? » » When a spectator spots the method (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.03 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |