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timotley New user Adelaide, Australia 3 Posts |
I've been performing a Q&A routine in one of my shows for years, and it's one of my favourite routines. That show is booked for a run soon, and I've been wracking my brains trying to figure out how to make it Covid-safe. I normally use billets, which the whole audience fills out pre-show, in the queue. My issue is the writing utensils. I normally use golf pencils, and recycle a couple hundred every night. But that's obviously a problem now. I don't really want to wipe down 150 pens every single morning. And it's a long run (over 20 shows).
I think I've solved the billet collection issues with social distancing, and the billet distribution pre-show. But the darned writing utensil has me stuck. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Or entirely different approaches? |
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Dylenium New user 52 Posts |
There are no wipe disinfectant sprays that you can buy. We use them at the chess club to disinfect the pieces after each game (since we also don't want to wipe 32 pieces every half hour) They work well and don't leave any stains. Hope that helps.
Dylan |
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Haruspex New user 62 Posts |
I would just let them keep it.
If you look online you can buy golf pencils in bulk for about 5 cent a piece. with the 150 spectators each show you mention above that's $7.50 a show. Depending on the time you have you may want to have them printed with your details. If you buy a couple of 1000 pieces at once it will probably not cost you allot more than the 5 cents a piece mentioned above. |
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Mark Timon Special user 594 Posts |
Select just seven people instead.
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Chaz93 Inner circle Texas 1754 Posts |
Apply some dynamite and get rid of the billets altogether.
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Wravyn Inner circle 3479 Posts |
Quote:
On Nov 19, 2020, Haruspex wrote: I agree, and you can personalize them too. https://www.gpencil.com/category/persona......cils.php |
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Docc Hilford V.I.P. 377 Posts |
I’d get those pencils printed with your contact info.
They keep them of course. Or perform The Perfect Mental Club Act and not need writing. Peace Docc |
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David Thiel Inner circle Western Canada...where all that oil is 4005 Posts |
What I am going to suggest may sound odd. But hear me out.
I did away with billets, pencils etc. about three years ago and haven't looked back since. Here's the process. You start off by reading an old book called Dynamite Mentalism (available on Lybrary). I think any "overview" book of Co*d Reading would do...but this is one of my favourites. You will learn that most people are concerned with questions having to do with money, love, health and work. By this I mean the VAST MAJORITY of your audience, if forced to ask a question, WILL ask in one of these four categories. Everything that follows is built on that premise and so far it's always worked for me. I explain to the audience that if they have a question in mind, they should empty their minds of everything except that one SPECIFIC question and, as I walk by, make direct eye contact with me. I come off the stage and pause near the front of the audience and WITHOUT LOOKING AT ANYONE SPECIFICALLY I will say "There's someone near me who is thinking about a love issue." THEN I look around for the person who has been thinking this thought. (There ALWAYS is one.) They react instantly because, as far as they know, their mind has just been read. The rest of the process is exactly as it would be if you had just done a CT with them -- or were working from any other scrap of information. You 'read' them accordingly...and since YOU decide the question, there are no worries about dealing with some kind of prickly question -- or a health issue. (I am never comfortable answering questions about health because I am not qualified in any respect to answer questions in that topic. Just ask my wife. I have also never felt it's right for me to deal with future looking "fortune teller" questions.) By using this approach YOU control the flow of the questions as well as your answers. The whole routine appears completely impromptu...because it is. The person who responds to you initially is already convinced that you read their thoughts. Ultimately you are doing the same reading you would do in private. You're just doing this one in front of the audience...without the truly private components obviously. It's an approach that doesn't have you handing out anything or touching the audience. It is perfectly suited to COVID sensitive shows. Admittedly it's not the easiest method -- since you need a solid handle on using CR and BL. I will say that the first time I did this my knees were sweating and I was very nervous. But it's always worked really well for me. Sometimes it's been the highlight of the show, and there is no way the audience can backtrack what you've done...because nothing was ever written down. The people you are talking to are people you've genuinely never met before. In many respects it is the perfect routine...once you get proficient with the above techniques and can use them with confidence. Start small if you don't have a solid grasp of the techniques by incorporating CR and BL as components of your other routines. It takes hard work certainly...but the potential payoff is HUGE in EVERY effect you perform. Will you miss once in a while? Of course. But I am not sure the audience even remembers the misses. They mostly remember the hits. In order to accomplish truly powerful effects, I think performers have to take risks. As long as the performer is an even half way competent reader the results are remarkable. Well...they've been remarkable for me, anyway. I hope this is helpful. David
Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Except bears. Bears will kill you.
My books are here: www.magicpendulums.com www.MidnightMagicAndMentalism.com |
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snm Special user 550 Posts |
Quote:
On Nov 27, 2020, Docc Hilford wrote: When are you going to put it back on your store? |
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kleqy Regular user 105 Posts |
Maybe with every pen you hand them,you could also hand them with it some wipes?Just saying:)
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Philemon Vanderbeck Inner circle Seattle, WA 4694 Posts |
Quote:
On Nov 27, 2020, Docc Hilford wrote: Any chance I can upgrade my original VHS copy to a DVD version (without paying full price)?
Professor Philemon Vanderbeck
That Creepy Magician "I use my sixth sense to create the illusion of possessing the other five." |
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Scott Special user UK 799 Posts |
Quote:
On Nov 28, 2020, David Thiel wrote: So David has just explained in a detailed summary, a whole Q&A act that is as close to real as you are going to get. I know three guys who make a living using just the Q&A the way David has described it here. If you put the work in you end up with a sensational routine that you can do just about anywhere with no set up and no props. It does however take experience to pull it off convincingly which is why you don't see many mentalists doing it. Thanks David. |
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Mindpro Eternal Order 10585 Posts |
Amen!
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snm Special user 550 Posts |
Quote:
On Nov 28, 2020, David Thiel wrote: My brain has apparently shutdown for the evening... what is BL? |
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snm Special user 550 Posts |
I'm guessing perhaps body language? Barnum language? (I've only heard them referred to as Barnum statements)
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David Thiel Inner circle Western Canada...where all that oil is 4005 Posts |
Sorry guys. It is Body Language.
Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Except bears. Bears will kill you.
My books are here: www.magicpendulums.com www.MidnightMagicAndMentalism.com |
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Celloboy Special user London, England 534 Posts |
Yeah, in these Covid times I’ve been doing Q&A over Zoom with no gimmicks. It’s honestly not as scary as it sounds. Once you get a handle on the basic techniques it’s a really wonderful way to get the most out of your personality.
If you’re looking for some hands on teaching I’m doing a full lecture on the 17th all about readings (built on having given 8000 readings in 2020 alone). Link for that is in my footer. I’m also happy to answer any questions anyone has about it in general. Just drop me a DM!
How to give readings for magicians:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-give-readings-for-magicians-tickets-138321153293?aff= |
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lucavolpe Inner circle Italy - London 3349 Posts |
Tell everyone to write their question on their phone and to send you an email.
You on stage download the email open randomly some of them and give a reading. Also at the end they all have your email which is a good business! There are various version of this idea in my book Social Media Marketing for Magicians and Mentalists. www.lulu.com/spotlight/lucavolpe
Luca Volpe
"The Italian Mentalist" https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/lucavolpe http://www.lucavolpe.com |
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Stunninger Inner circle 2818 Posts |
‘Reading Tools’ in the book Momentous Oddities by the ParaLab team is excellent. They teach an approach for how to get impressions about and genuinely read people.
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DocBenWiz Special user Meridian, Idaho 992 Posts |
Quote:
On Nov 19, 2020, Mark Timon wrote: Seven people sounds like Dr A's Special Q & A ala Docc Hilford?
"Pay no attention to that strange man behind the curtain" (it's only "Doc Benjamin from the Amazing Wizardelia Wagon")
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