I want to find out how does one get to be able to afford all the big illusions that I see many performing out there. It just gets me and makes me wonder how young people that are 14 and up (around that age) can afford them ?

Also I would like someone to tell me and help in giving me information on how does someone goes about in putting a stage show with the lights, music and all that ?
Also tips, and help in advertising/promoting the magic shows.

I have been performing for a few years. I do all types of events and specialize in kids magic shows. Even now things slow trying to find out ways of advertising my magic shows to get more business and all that. U know what I mean ?

I have always dreamed and wanted to one day be able to have a stage show with the lights and all that and at least 1 big illusions. So far that hasn't happen. After all I don't get that lucky.

I have been trying to ask for help different places and so far everyone has refused and critize me. C'mon I just need help. Don't we all ? Also see that many out there get to perform at the end the same routines and all that like many have done on tv and other shows. Just want to know as well how everyone get to learn them and find out all that and such.

If someone understand what I mean and understands my frustration as well and what I want to accomplish please let me know and feel free to contact me. I appreciate any help you can give me and such.

Thanks in advance for reading this posting and any future help !

Take care and hear from you all soon.

Parents with money.



Well, it doesn't happen overnight. Most of us didn't wake up one morning and decide "I think I'll buy some stage lights and sound equipment today, right after I pick up 4 illusions for the show that I have decided to do".

Doing a larger show requires a financial investment. Most magicians begin with used equipment, purchased from another magician who does not want the trick any longer. Another option is to purchase the building plans to an illusion and have a local carpenter build it for you.

There is no "easy way", short of inheriting the money or winning the lottery. We can all sympathize with your frustration, but there is no shortcut.

Thanks for the information. I know it requires $$$$ (money). I am sure we all wish can have easy money - disposable - to afford everything easy but is not like that.

I was just also asking to find out how you see everyone doing the same routines and same patters. How they found them out and such and accomplish that ? besides buying them of course. You can go and buy the stuff but not all the routines out there come written like that but at the end they all do the same thing and get customize stuff and such.

Thanks for the info about the buying used, the illusion plans, etc...
I have heard that before.

Just wanted to know how everyone out there seem to accomplish the same and more. Like what is the "secret" to that and the process for that. Do you need connections and other "ways" ? I know I know... besides money !$$$ LOL

I am building my illusions right now. I am only building ones that are in public domain.

I am slowly putting my illusion show together. I purchased a Lester Lake Guillotine last June and a chair suspension in November.

Most young illusionists started small. I started doing birthday parties and am now doing stage shows, slowly saving money to build and buy bigger things.

You need to take time and start slow. You sound young, are you 14 like your post mentions?

What shows are you doing now? Like Christopher said, it is not overnight. Take your time and build up your show.

There are performers that are copying each other, but the copycats are the ones that go nowhere. You do not want to be one of them. It takes time to come up with your own routines and patter, and that is what takes time, along with practicing.

As far as getting refused information, don't post questions that are searching for secrets, people will not tell you. "Been trying to find out how is that done and also to find out more information about that trick to see if I can add it to my show." is not something you want to say when asking about an effect.

Ok - thanks for the info. I know how to start small and go from there. But I am also looking for help and tips and such on how to advertise my business and get gigs... without gigs can't get money to buy the illusions and more tricks in general.

Me 14 ? LOL I wish !
No, I am 32 and I have been doing magic shows for a while. I specialize in children magic shows. I am also a magic dealer.

Thanks again and appreciate your input at any time and help !

There is a ton of marketing advice in the Tricky Business section.

Do you have a website? If so, is it optimized for search engines? Are you listed in any magician directories
Put up business cards on community bulletin boards.

When ever I do a birthday party, I do free closeup for the adults, which I do not advertise, so that they the person who hired thinks they got more for their money, so they are likely to recommend me to friends. Also when doing closeup, I have my business cards in a holder on my table. I also use my business card in one of my closeup routines.

I also donate shows. I was contacted by the local ambulance corps for their family fun day. I said I will do the show for them, all they have to do is put me in the fliers.

Do whatever it takes for people to see your name and contact info.

Also, if you want to get a stage show, start buying effects! You don't have to have a show that takes a truck to carry. You can fill an auditorium with effects that fit in a suitcase. Start building the show.

Mrwiz, I am moving my shop to St. Pete Florida in May. Look me up if you get in town!

Jack

I was just on your website, and you seem to have a lot of props.

Just because you use a prop in a kids show, does not mean it can only entertain kids. I have fooled and entertained rooms full of adults with hippity hop rabbits (I say that because I see them on your website)

A great book, if you don't have it already, is Mark Wilson's Encyclopedia of Magic. It has tons of great effects and information.

Remember, magic is not just the props, but the entertainment you provide. Check out this thread for ideas: http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......rum=8&55 You can get 15 minutes with rope, scissors and a ring, and to be honest, you can get better reactions from that than a $5000 box (how many of those boxes will it take to fill 15 minutes ).

You also said that you regret coming here. DON'T regret it. Look at all of the information you are getting in just this thread alone!

I hope I did not offend you when I asked if you were 14. It was not my intention, just a serious question, since you mentioned that number.

Yes, I do have a web site and is listed on the search engines.


I have done several free shows for organizations and charities and such. My name has been added in their advertisement and such. Even though still not much really. So I have done and been doing all that as you mentioned already and also been leaving my business cards here and there and on boards too.

I know that can entertain adults with kids routines. Done it many times already and they had no idea they have just seen "a kid routine" and they enjoy it more at times than the kids LOL

I have done also 2 shows that have been on a stage and have had music to them and stuff like that. Simple thing and not all that ya now. But at the end people liked the show and such.

All this shows done them in different parts of Florida. I used to live in South Florida and now living in North Florida. Also seems that is Florida and not good. Then again I seen that many of the magicians out there are in many other states and only a few in Florida. Seen that the ones making it are not in FL for sure. LOL Maybe I have been in the wrong State for a long time. LOL


I know can fill a suitcase with a whole show no matter what. Just wanting to see what effects I can learn, add to my show, (collection), and also mainly to get more gigs. Advertise my business and such.
I will look in the Tricky Business section as you mentioned to see what info I can find there that can help me and I can learn from others have posted - discussed about.

You mentioned you saw my web site ? I take you found out my web site without me telling you wich one is it. LOL

Yup I know is not all about the props but the presentation and such. I do that like that in my shows and all that.

In conclusion just gets me and was wondering and wanting to know how people do it and such since there are so many out there doing such and succeding. I don't seem to be able much and not such luck.

Thanks again.

Jack Murray: Where are you now ?
I been to St. Pete once to visit. That's about it.

I am in the North Florida Panhandle area. Just saw your web site and see you sell all the big illusions and very expensive. Need to save lots of money in order to buy any of them. When I have the $ then I will get one.
To bad they don't have "rent to own" ilusions like they do this days for TV's, furniture, and all that. LOL

No you didn't offended me when you said if I was 14. That is why I said I wish. Many of us wish that can be teenagers again but knowing what we know now. LOL

The amount of magicians in any given state on the site does not represent the number of magicians that are performing in the state, just the ones that choose to be listed.

Since I do not know how you perform or your style, it is hard to recommend any tricks, my suggestion is to go on youtube and watch videos of other magicians, not for the routines and patter, but for the effects that they are doing. Write down a description of the effect and if you don't know the name of it, ask! Think about how you would entertain an audience with it.

Mark Wilson's book is a great resource. So is the Jeff McBride stage magic DVD series. Any dvd under the title "Worlds Greatest Magic" is excellent. They are put out by L&L Publishing.

Do you have a routine that you can open with that is strong as well as something strong to close with? can you list some effects that you do already?

I found your website by googling "Mr Wiz magic florida" and confirmed it with the name Javi from the AIM name you listed in your profile.

To get your picture, got to this link: http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/bb_profile.php?mode=edit and upload it.

Oh, that explains how you found my web site. Well it also shows that I can be found online LOL

Thanks for the info on uploading my picture. Will do.

Back to you Mr. Wiz. I happen to be a great illusionist, or what I prefer to call an 'illuzionist', note the way cool 'z'. Back to the question at hand. If you get plans or can make your own plans check with a local trade school and see if they can help you out. My wifes uncle (or what we cool people call unkle) is retired from a big trade school in Mass. but he would hook me up with talented kids to make all kinds of stuff for next to nothing or nothing. Worth considering.

Yours in leather clad stage prancing,
The Great Santerio (formerly of Jacksonville)

MagicSanta:

Ha ha... you're funny.

What do you mean exactly by local trade school ?
I am bad and have no skills to build things or handyman so not good at that. Wish I was. So when it comes to that I have to look/find other people to do the job that needs to be done when it comes to "handyman work".

Where you located ?
Yes, I noticed the "z" in your illuzionist !
Do you have a web site that you advertise your magic shows ?

Hear from you soon.

If you purchase illusion plans (public domain, or original plans!), you can go to a local carpenter or cabinet maker and they can build it for you, rather than going to an illusion builder. It is likely to bee a quite a bit cheaper.

Other sources to look for lower priced illusions are

http://www.magicauction.com
http://www.illusionsource.com

The best way to start is to start small and grow. This is again not an overnight thing. It will take a lot of small shows to help build up for a new addition.

Look around at what is out there from plans, to what builders are offering. You are at one of the best resourced boards in the magic industry. Use it to your advatage by asking questions. There are several people here that are truly knowlegable. Use it cause the best thing is we all work togeather to build our industry. Even though we are competition to each other, we all work togeather to keep this industry alive. How can you beat that!!

Best,

This post might have more truth than you want to hear, so please forgive me up front if I come across too blunt.

Buying a stage illusion is like buying any other big ticket item in your life.

You could charge it on a credit card, and then work at paying that off (with interest). Not necessarily the best option. Same for getting a loan to buy it. A lot less likely, and not a great option.

OR, the BETTER way to do it, is to save up money every month, and then buy the thing with the money you saved up for the purchase.

If you want it quicker, then book more shows right now, and earn the money quicker.

In other words, make your own luck!

And also, shortcuts usually do you more harm then good, because you don't learn the discipline of how to be successful. This is why poor people who win the lottery frequently burn through their money and end up right back where they started.

- Donald

P.S. Re: the topic of marketing / promotion. Here's a link to one thread to get you started:

--> Magic Café thread titled... Help......ustomers

As you were told earlier, there is lots of help in the Tricky Business section of the Café, if you take the time to read through all of the posts. Also, there are marketing books and courses out there that will help you to learn about the business aspect of your shows.

I am a firm believer in the idea of investing in your education. You need to spend money, as well as time, to learn how to be better. Life is not handed to you on a silver platter.

P.S. There are really dual paths you will need to follow. (1) You will need to learn to be a better performer. Props are only one tiny part of that. (2) And, you will need to learn to be a better marketer / business person.

Wow, I find the term "parents with money" offensive.

I am 14 going on 15 and everything I buy I do with the money I made from my shows that I booked. in the end it al results in hard work, My parents are probably the most supportave when it comes to my magic. But they would NEVER just buy an illusion for me, I have to earn it and make the magic happen myself.

magic mike