I am considering doing several large County fairs here in the UK,(attendance 150,000 people over 3 days.
I will take space within a large 20,000 sq foot marquee, so its kind of indoors, here is a link to a typical event, at the bottom of the page is a picture of a similar marquee/ tent.
http://www.danco.co.uk/festivals-shows/p......-trials/

My question is; Would there be too much light in that enviroment? What ways would you suggest blacking out my
8 foot by 8 foot pitch.


I beleive Will Roya pitchs a Floating Bill and DVD package. - Good idea or not?

Thanks

Steve

I don't care for the floating bill or floating card.Both are too hard for any kid to learn and all they get is I.T.and some wax and a card or just the T.I.They have to be so disappointed when they open the package and find that's all they got for their money.I'm sure this "folating effect" has keep many kids OUT of magic as they just dumb it in a draw at home and never do another magic trick again.

Give them some value for their money and something they can do and be happy with.There are many easy to do effects out there without ripping off kids.

I have stated this many thime here about the "float" effects.Thats my two cents in this matter.

Don

To answer your question, I have pitched the hummer card in pretty bright daylight and had maybe 2 or 3 out of 100 say they see something. For some reason, people behind the stand often see more than those right in front. I don't usually use a big joint, but that may help with the angles. Keep the card in the air for as SHORT a time as possible, and always moving when you are outside. Watch out for the wind too.

As for the moral dilemma, I hate to disagree with Don Driver, as you are an authority on the subject and I have purchased manuscripts and videos from you. The truth is, the floating bill/card/lightweight object practically sells itself. I get a lot of adults who want to try it out for themselves. When kids are interested (which they often are) I tell them the trick is recommended for ages at least 10 and up, and only if you really want to practice. I will always recommend the deck of cards or coloring book. If they still want it and I haven't scared them (or their parents) away from it with my warnings, I sell it with no qualms.

When the group is mostly kids, I don't even bother with the levitation trick. I show stuff I think they can do, since that is what the sign says.

TrickyEric;
I am not doing the Hummer Card, or working outside it will be inside a large tent / marquee so should have no problems with direct sunlight or wind. But I am worried about the amount of ambient light.
What other products do you sell, TT? Anything else?

DonDriver;
I don't agree with your oppinion about selling to kids, - the Svengali is also hard for kids to handle and understand, I know as a kid I dumped the one I bought in a drawer! - Could not do it and still can"t !!
The Floating bill with a quality instructional DVD, wax and IT is a beautiful and magical effect that is actually easier than Svengali in my oppinion.

Thanks

Steve

Don't you think that what is "hard" or "easy" is in the mind? I truly had a heck of a time learning the cards, even WITH Don's DVD. I am not exaggerating when I say that I stood in front of the TV and practiced the demo HUNDREDS of times. I could do the DL manipulation OK but RARELY got the cards back in the correct order. It was REALLY frustrating. Especially to my wife.

On the other hand, my WIFE watched it 3-4 times, could do it almost immediately and couldn't understand how I could be SOOO stupid.

Then there is the son of one of the vendors at the gun shows, an 8-YO kid that bought a deck, watched me awhile, then BEGGED me to let him demo them. I finally did and even tho he was so short he had to kneel on my stool to demo, sold them very well. In fact, he did a riffle shuffle that I have not YET learned how to do. The 1st time I saw him do it, I said, "HEY DON'T DO THAT, you'll get the cards mixed up!"

"No, I won't. Watch.¨

He did it and sure enough, they weren't.

"Where'd you learn that?¨

"Well, the cards fall in 2s and...¨ He could do it and I STILL can't.

So saying that most kids won't use the cards--Who cares?

I can tell you that the strippers I sell are rarely used. It is the type of tool that someone will buy, go home, put it in a drawer. A year later, he¡¦ll see it in the drawer, take it out and say, "Hey, that's that tool I bought at the ______ show.¨ And put it back in the drawer and forget about it. Who cares?

A couple of kids were bugging their mom to buy some worms yesterday. She said, "Hey, you got 'em last time and lost the string, you never played with 'em. I'm sure not gonna buy any more now."

But she did. Hey--2 for 10 is a bargain!

Will the kids play with 'em? Who cares?

Jon

I hate to plug Mark Lewis' book because he seems to have made a bad name for himself on the Café, but that move and many others are described in "The Long and the Short of It"

At flea markets I have a lot of luck with the magic coloring book. I sell out of them every time. Nickels to Dimes does fairly well. I have not tried pitching a TT, but when I sold D'Lites at another venue (indoors) people often had the same reaction the pitchman in Myrtle Beach (I forget his name) claimed to experience. People of other ethnicities sometimes expect it to match exactly (I'll freely admit sometimes it doesn't match at all) and no matter how much convincing I try to do, they think they are being sold a product that is not inclusive for them. I would probably feel the same way if I didn't have a magic background.

With that said, most people had no problems with it, but that is the D'Lite.

There is nothing to learn - they fall two at a time, just shuffle like you already know how to do. It just works.





That would have been me. : )



-JoeJoe

Eric, I have that book and STILL can't do it. However, I don't need to shuffle the cards--only cut 'em.

And when someone says, "Heck. I could never do those tricks--I can't even shuffle cards."

I can say, "Did you notice? I can't either--I only cut 'em. Bet you can do THAT!!"

Jon

My "Float This" DVD is my number one seller. (Which I also wholesale by the way) Most kids will pick it up in ten minutes from watching my DVD if they really want to learn it. If they want a trick they don't have to pracice I'll sell them something else.

As far as lighting, I've only had a problem with direct sunlight, any other kind of light is fine.

If it does flash (only a few people may notice). If you think they notice or they call you out on it; just say (Some people think it is a string, some people think it is magnet, some people think it is static.) Usally plants enough doubt so if they are really interested you can make the sale. I could go on and on...

PS - As far as Don's comment about IT keeping kids out of magic... I can say this: I've been working the same fairs for a few years now, I have loads of kids and adults come up to me telling me how they learned it and wanted to buy whatever new items I have. I usally don't have many new items though because the Float This is still doing good numbers year after year.

Its a rip off...I know it and everyone posting here knows it...PERIOD !!!

Jon-O makes a good point. There's no reason to shuffle the cards in the pitch. Keep it simple. Leave the showing off for the shows. And yeah, Joe Joe is that guy! It was a video of his (and another pitchman in my area) who turned me onto the Nickels to Dimes for pitching.




My line is "Some people think it's magnets, some people think it's strings, some people actually BUY THE KIT!"
Gets a nice laugh.

Magic Makers do a good set; DVD, Wax and IT complete, about $4 US.

Does anyone pitch the TT because again Magic Makers make a combo set of that at the same price. They also do a Svengali combo with DVD for about $4.

Steve

Steve,
I sell my DVD with gimmick about the same price wholesale. Also you don't need a video with the TT and deck because they have a online video you can send them to.

Thanks for that Will. You mean that you have produced your own online Video for TT and Sven? or are you saying Magic Makers are doing that?
I prefer the idea of them actualy seeing the DVD that they are getting in the deal though, rather than just telling them to go to an online source, - why not do that with the Float DVD too?

Steve

I have a floating dollar bill that is NOT a rip-off ... with my tube system, you can strip thread blindfolded.

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......m=218&15

-JoeJoe

Shelved this idea now ! but thank you all for your input.

Steve