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MichaelCGM Inner circle Oklahoma City 2286 Posts |
Quote: I'm sorry, Dick. I don't understand the point of your response to me. Could you please explain?On 2013-12-19 15:49, Dick Oslund wrote: |
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Quentin Inner circle 1020 Posts |
I believe Dick meant that he operated to give the best show possible under any circumstances for his convenience and peace of mind. In other words he did his thinking and hard work beforehand.
If you are in the position of doing two, three or four shows in a day, all in different venues, you quickly realise that doing the shows is the easy bit. Packing, re-setting, travelling and getting-in is where the hard work and stress lies. Every minute counts. And you have to be able to do it without looking stressed to the client. You have to be able to spread confidence, fun and good humour on and off stage. So you work out as much as you can in advance to make your job as stress-free as possible. The less you have to worry about, the better your show will be. It isn't just Andre Kole who has his assistants pack the illusions away into the trucks during the show. Copperfield does it when on tour. Years back, I read his get-in and get-out times. Everything is timed to the last minute including bringing in and setting up his own stage. Billy McComb got fed up losing luggage and decided that everything in his show would have to fit in his carry-on bag. Enough for three fifty-minute shows. What you do in your show depends a lot on your criteria and performing style. I've seen many magicians perform out of a briefcase or out of their pockets. Some were great and some were rubbish. Likewise magicians with loads of props. The vast majority of professional close-up magicians who may be performing at twenty tables or more will only use tricks with instant or no reset. You could say it is purely for their convenience but it is especially for the convenience of allowing them to give their audience the best presentation possible under pressure. Having said that, I do not work from a small case and never have for children's shows. I arrive twenty minutes beforehand and need ten to set up and five to pack away. |
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MichaelCGM Inner circle Oklahoma City 2286 Posts |
Quote: I believe that is the case for all seasoned professionals. I'm just wondering why Dick directed his comments to me, specifically. But I'll wait for his response, since I'm sure that we can agree that Dick knew what he meant better than we could. On 2013-12-20 05:12, Quentin wrote: |
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wwhokie1 Special user 512 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-12-18 19:36, MichaelCGM wrote: Agree completely, don't sacrifice the show for my convenience. I try to figure out how to put things away in such a manner that it makes packing up more convenient, but only if I can do so without effecting the show. I did a show yesterday and accidentally discarded an item on top of something else I needed. Later I had to dig for a couple of seconds to find what I needed. That messed up the flow of the show, and with kids (I had 4 year old to teenagers and a few adults.) you cannot give them a lull or they will fill it. I verbally covered that time, but even a couple of seconds can become a major disruption in the flow of the show. |
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wwhokie1 Special user 512 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-12-20 09:15, wwhokie1 wrote: |
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MichaelCGM Inner circle Oklahoma City 2286 Posts |
Quote: That's what I mean. If one can do so, without affecting the show... great! And you're absolutely right about kids filling any lull in the action. On 2013-12-20 09:15, wwhokie1 wrote: |
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
Packing while performing only describes to those who have tight back to back gigs. It refers goods to time management. It occurs to me multiple times a month. At times multiple times a day. It is something I am going to stick with. My max time of repacking something is about 12 seconds. I use the following line once in my show if I have to while putting something away: "Turn to the person next to you, shake their hand and say the magic word...... Turn the other way, shake that person's hand and say the magic word".
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MichaelCGM Inner circle Oklahoma City 2286 Posts |
I’ve always been fortunate, in my 50+ years as a magician. I remember carrying a lot of props in my show back East – even paying assistants and roadies at one time. When I moved to OK, I switched to a briefcase act. But, even way back then, I always dumped and reloaded after the show. I just scheduled my multiple bookings to allow for both travel time and a few minutes for reset in my van or car.
Today, when I have multiple shows (as many as four back-to-back), I carry duplicates of the props that are necessary to the show. That is, if they don’t repack quickly at a 7-11. I always carry duplicate, ironed silks, neatly folded and placed in marked zip-lock bags. For more expensive effects, for which I don’t carry duplicates, I simply switch them out with another similar effect. All my effects are bought for (1) Entertainment Value, (2) Plays Big / Packs Flat, and (3) Quick Reset. I only need five minutes to repack a complete show, in my trunk. When booking, I allow for travel time (as we all do), plus a few minutes to stop for a drink, check or ask for directions, and repack one or more briefcases. For me… it’s just a matter of time management. But as I clearly said above,” I'm not saying that one is right or wrong for taking the time to put things away as one performs. I'm just saying that, for my show, it's a no-no.” It’s always great to see how much we can all differ in our approaches, yet still provide great quality entertainment. |
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
HI Michael! "COLD TYPE" again!
The word "CONVENIENCE" grabbed my attention! I think friend Oliver said it well for me! I produced and presented the program that I did, NOT for 'CONVENIENCE', but for PRACTICAL REASONS. Neil Foster (who did, if I remember, two school tours--and he had Jeanne to help set and pack, and load in and out--and I were discussing the vicissitudes of "the road", and Neil put it quite bluntly: "...doing the program was the least of our worries! The real worry was getting in and out, and getting down the road to the next school!" Thirty years ago, a good friend, was booked by Betty Carlson for a school tour. He insisted on changing into a tuxedo, carrying lights and a sound system, plus doing a lot of set up effects (including livestock). He had a nervous breakdown after a few weeks, and it was necessary for me to finish his tour. Fortunately, I had a short season that year. (I was doing a lecture tour)so I could 'sub' for him. A few years later, Bob Roth (another bureau manager) phoned me for help in finding another magician to finish a tour for the young magician that Bob had on the road. The young guy was trying to do illusions and 'big props'. He couldn't make the dates on time. I suggested Jeff Helding, whom I was mentoring. (Jeff worked out of a single prop case, as I had shown him.)Jeff did so well that Bob booked 3 or 4 extra weeks, and signed Jeff for the following year. Your stage set looks great! And, it's obvious that you have a PLAN! (Fail to plan--and you plan to fail!) --Although, I still don't "like" DITCH BOXES OR BAGS!!!' (De gustibus, etc.!!! Back in 1971, a friend made a MERV TAYLOR type SUITCASE TABLE for me. I took a few weeks off,and went deer hunting that winter, and spent two weeks in the woods. Never saw a deer! I sat on a pine stump and PLANNED THE BLOCKING for every prop. When I hit the road a month later, everything "worked", (no "waste motion") When a performer books his own time, he can allow for loading in and out, setting and striking, --and even time for lunch! He can even check, in advance, the parking situation, the right door to load in, whether there's a platform or ? ETC. It aint so for a bureau booked tour! I have worked EVERY POSSIBLE SITUATION! (including "al fresco" (that's outdoors) for up to a thousand Junior High kids. You haven't lived until you've had a fire truck (with sirens)rush by in the middle of your program! Remember Harry Kellar's comment about the circus parade!? I've played Oklahoma. Out in the panhandle, I had a Jr. High with 28 kids! --and there were High Schools with a thousand plus! Did you know Seymour Davis? Joe Irving??? Frances Marshall once told me that "...you school show workers are keeping magic alive out there in those 'tall grass towns'' (old circus term) I started playing the "knowledge boxes on the kerosene lamp circuit" when I was a teenager (I'm now 82). My first one was in October 1945. I played it on percentage and made #26.00. I was 13. Grown men were working a week for $25.!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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MichaelCGM Inner circle Oklahoma City 2286 Posts |
Hi Dick. I thought there was something that rubbed you the wrong way in my post. I'm glad that it was mostly semantics. I could point out that the PRACTICAL REASONS are based on our CONVENIENCE, but that would still be semantics. Whatever the reason for onstage packing-as-we-go, I'm not saying that it's a bad thing. I'm just saying that I don't do it - sorta, kinda. I do put things back into sections of my briefcase, if it amounts to no more than the time it might take to just set the item down, as I reach for the next item. And, from the sound of some of the posts, that's what some are doing when they say they are "packing" as they go. But, if it involves more of my attention than just placing it in a certain location, it goes into the dump bag. And, as you so eloquently stated... "De gustibus non est disputandum!" Have a great day and a glorious Christmas, Dick.
PS: I didn't know Seymour Davis, but I've met his daughters and I'm a member of his namesake IBM Ring (Ring 46 - The Seymore Davis Ring). |
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TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
I have a line/bit/gag/whatever I do between every 2 tricks. Same one every time.
It's all just part of the act.
www.theambitiouscard.com Hand Crafted Magic
Trophy Husband, Father of the Year Candidate, Chippendale's Dancer applicant, Unofficial World Record Holder. |
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TonyB2009 Inner circle 5006 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-12-23 12:37, MichaelCGM wrote: I would respectfully dispute that. For me, at least, packing small and resetting as I go (which basically means the stuff goes back in the right pocket) is all about my image of a magician. We all have our own images of what a magician should be, and my image does not include colourful props, big boxes or livestock. As a child I remember Doug Henning in jeans and a t-shirt, and Paul Daniels standing on a bare stage with a few simple items in his hands. I read about Adam the Simple in The Man Who Was Magic, and Merlin, who certainly used no boxes when he did magic. So the approach is designed to gel with my image of what a magician is, not to help me get ready for repeat shows. The fact that I am ready to walk on as soon as I walk in the door is just a nice side effect. My image of a ventriloquist is of someone with a number of puppets, and as I get more into that, the show is becoming less convenient for me. But I won't complain because I am still being true to my image of what I should be doing. So it is all about the show, not the convenience.
Check out Tony's new thriller Dead or Alive http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alive-Varrick-Bo......n+carson
http://www.PartyMagic.ie |
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MichaelCGM Inner circle Oklahoma City 2286 Posts |
Quote: I have no clue as to what, exactly you dispute. On 2013-12-24 05:48, TonyB2009 wrote: |
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TonyB2009 Inner circle 5006 Posts |
...the PRACTICAL REASONS are based on our CONVENIENCE...
That is what I dispute. For some of us at least the decision to travel light is NOT based on practicality and convenience. It is based on philosophy. Everything else you say I have no dispute with.
Check out Tony's new thriller Dead or Alive http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alive-Varrick-Bo......n+carson
http://www.PartyMagic.ie |
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MichaelCGM Inner circle Oklahoma City 2286 Posts |
Quote: Ahhhhh... now I see. You may have misunderstood my intent. I'm not talking about traveling light vs. carrying a lot of props. I'm talking about the terms "practical" vs "convenient." If you've read my other posts in the thread, you know that I prefer to travel light as well. It fits my preferred “image,” as you call it. My preferred image is that the effects I do use things that people see every day, rather than props that look like they were made, specifically for magic tricks. So, I believe we agree.
On 2013-12-24 18:30, TonyB2009 wrote: What I was addressing was whether replacing items in a certain, specific location (like certain pockets, as you mentioned), after using them is "practical" or "convenient," or whether those two terms are interchangeable. Of course, it’s practical to put the items in certain pockets, since we need some sort of organization, but it is also a matter of convenience, since we don’t have to fumble when we need a certain prop. So, I don’t think we disagree. In fact, I think that I’m more in tune with your philosophy than with others who have responded. Merry Christmas, Tony! |
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TonyB2009 Inner circle 5006 Posts |
Michael. I see we are on the same side. Which is no great surprise really, as I found myself agreeing with everything else you said!
Merry Christmas back at you.
Check out Tony's new thriller Dead or Alive http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alive-Varrick-Bo......n+carson
http://www.PartyMagic.ie |
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