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Rappel Veteran user Memphis Tn. 303 Posts |
Hi,I have agreed to participate in a "comic and fantasy convention" that I would be teaching a few "Harry Potter" magic tricks to school children from 1st-7th grade. The set-up is I'll be in a room and a group of kids will be brought in for about 20 minutes, I do my lecture, and then they are taken to the next room to hear another lecture from someone else concerning fantasy or comics.
My issue is, I have seen the movies, but did not read the books. I'm familiar with the basic characters and story, but I'm no Potter Geek. I plan on watching the films again and read up more on the subject, but I don't have time to read the books. My question is this, are there any links available or suggestions that can help me choose what tricks to teach, preferably science type of tricks I would think. Thanks, Rappel |
The Mighty Fool Inner circle I feel like a big-top tent having 2140 Posts |
Well, some of the spells from the book which may be duplicated by the humble means of our magic-community are:
"Lumos"---Creates light----You can use D'Lites (white if you have them, but red should be fine) "Wyngardium Leviosa"---Makes objects float----Use IT or a zombie effect, or a floating table if you have one. "Avakadavra"---Kills people----Hmmm.....better skip that one! "Reparo"---Re-assembles objects----Do a T&R effect or mabye a coil effect. "Incendio"---Starts a fire----Use any effect with flash string / paper, etc. (preferably with the pyrofreak gimmick)
Everybody wants to beleive.....we just help them along.
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Mary Mowder Inner circle Sacramento / Elk Grove, CA 3659 Posts |
You're going to teach a few effects to a room full of Kids in 20 mins? Sounds like it's coming up fast as well.
Why would you say yes to this? It seems destined to fail. I know you are stuck now and we've all said yes when we shouldn't have. I'd call them back and TRY to sell them on a 20 min show which would give them better value and be less frustrating (and disrespectful of Magic) for all. Tell them the varying age groups and time make it impossible. I'd use the Magic words The Mighty Fool suggests. Rachel Wild Colombini 's DVD. "Wild About Harry" might help. Only $10. DON'T try teaching these effects to the kids. That would be WRONG. http://www.wildcolombini.com http://www.wildcolombini.com/cart/produc......s_id=248 I'm sorry I can't (and wouldn't) offer you help towards the teaching goal. You've got to get out of that. Good Luck! -Mary Mowder |
Rappel Veteran user Memphis Tn. 303 Posts |
Maybe you misread the post Mighty Fool. lol I'll be teaching the tricks to the kids. Tricks that are easy, and can relate with the Harry Potter world. But I won't expose anything that would not be easily available on a library book. I want to use this opportunity to intorduce the art of magic to these school children and go home with a trick or two they can learn in a few minutes to try on their friends and family.... of course after lots of practice. It would be like one of the "teach a trick" segments you would see on a television magic show. More of a " Mr. Wizard" science magic.
My plan is to perform some of my magic, related to Harry Potter in the first 5 minutes then the last 15 minutes on teaching the kids a couple of very simple tricks or a "science trick". I KNOW I can teach a group of kids a couple of very simple tricks to pull on their friends and family in 15 minutes. |
The Mighty Fool Inner circle I feel like a big-top tent having 2140 Posts |
Oh, I see. Uhm.....hrmmmm.......
Good luck!
Everybody wants to beleive.....we just help them along.
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The Mighty Fool Inner circle I feel like a big-top tent having 2140 Posts |
Just kidding!
One easy-to-learn trick would be the good ol' double-sided envelope, which was shown on "Masters of magic" so you'd be within ethics to teach it. As for a 'sciency' effect, how about Penn & Teller's carbonation-transfer? Again, this was already published in Maxim, so thered be no harm in teaching it.
Everybody wants to beleive.....we just help them along.
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TRUMPETMAN Special user Naples, FL 705 Posts |
I would keep it as simple as possible so the kids leave with at least one or two things they can share with their friends and parents after leaving the lecture. Stuff like the crayon color prediction can be played up with patter about divination class (Professor Trelawney in the books and movies) to become well over five minutes of fun, depending on your performance style. Consider wearing some type of robes so you look like one of the professors at Hogwartz. Go to your local library and look up a couple of simple tricks. Despite the junk seen on Youtube, very few kids read magic books anymore, so pretty much anything out of a beginners magic book will seem fresh to them. By teaching something from a published library book on magic, you won't be breaking the code. Also, Mary had good advice on trying to make it more of a show, and less of a class. Even in the HP movies and books, professors sometimes demonstrated things that they did not teach the students. Perhaps do two effects for show, and two for teaching ?
Mark Pettey
Naples, FL facebook.com/robbietheringmaster |
Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts |
I'd teach the water to ice trick that uses the sponge in the bottom of the Styrofoam glass. It's easy and can have a Harry Potter charms and spell feeling to it.
Also you should come up with your own character name and not try to do one from the books as it gives you much more leeway. I've also noticed that few kids these days have read the books and get most of their Harry Potter knowledge from the movies. So you don't need the nearly encyclopedic knowledge of all things Harry that you did when the craze was at it's highest when the books were out and anxiously awaited.
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
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