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MagieFraudster New user 95 Posts |
Chris Ramsay has a super popular YouTube channel. On Sunday he posted 5 "tricks" for getting restaurant and bar gigs. I put "tricks" in quotation marks because some YouTube commenters complained that they thought this meant magic tricks instead of marketing tricks. To be fair, two of the five ideas are methods or uses for effects.
Here's the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhXAal3N......s_digest There are definitely good ideas in here, however some of the proposed executions seem a little sketchy to me. He suggests going to a place you want to book and immediately start performing for customers and wait staff. I want to see a <strike>arm wrestling match</strike> moderated debate between Ramsay and Christopher Lyle about this. He suggests sending an ID to a prospective client in a locked box. Sending a prediction is a great idea, but actually sending an ID out of your hands seems reckless. Especially when there's a note saying that inside is a deck of cards with a card reversed. There are definitely people out there who will break the box open. One of his ideas is to offer to do a sample set immediately while the manager is there, and to instant stooge the customers to overreact and tell the manager how awesome you were. This is bad because it's unlikely these people will be actors and the manager will assume you've planted your friends (which is what I thought he was going to say). There are definitely good ideas in here, and overall I like what he does on his channel-- this is not a slam of Ramsay-- but this video bugs me because magicians with little or no experience booking gigs are going to go into restaurants and bars and do this stuff, and it's already hard out here for a pimp. |
ebackes88 Regular user 153 Posts |
I don't think these are great tips personally. I'll admit I am kind of biased because I don't care for Chris, I think he's I won't go into why. Maybe some of these could work, but he doesn't come across to me as an actual working pro, I can't imagine him ever working a restaurant or corporate party. I could be wrong, who knows
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
I stopped watching in the middle of tip one. Throw cards up and let them fall in a neighboring table? Seriously?
And the thing of sit at a table and order something small is just so crazy. Yes servers love you to take up a table ordering next to nothing to try to con your way into a job. I have always thought if you can't get the job up front and honest with the manager don't bother. That is just how I approach things. You may have differing views.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Quote:
On May 12, 2017, Dannydoyle wrote: I certainly have no experience in THIS area of the business, but, I have about 60 successful years of experience, selling myself to clients, agents, and managers of school assembly bureaus. I agree with Danny, and, others above who have a "difference of opinion" (!!!) with this, IMO, "hare brained" idea!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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MagieFraudster New user 95 Posts |
Quote:
On May 12, 2017, Dick Oslund wrote: I didn't want to be too harsh, but hare brained seems pretty apt. |
davidpaul$ Inner circle Georgetown, South Carolina 3086 Posts |
Just a comment. Bill Malone on one of his dvd sets mentions one of Chris Ramsay's tips from years ago as a tool to getting a restaurant gig.
Also on the dvd, Corporate Close-Up from RSVP magic another tip about getting tables to applaud was encouraged to make the magician look good. So at least a couple of the tips according to these other sources are not that hair- brained.
Guilt will betray you before technique betrays you!
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
OK David! You are correct! I should have been more specific.
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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jay leslie V.I.P. Southern California 9498 Posts |
There are some people that crash parties and make a booking out of it. Hustle Hustle shows how it works - but me personally - I used to be able to do that when I was young but the fear of rejection would stop me from doing that today - no matter what the venue is.
Although, I was at a bar several years ago, doing something for an acquaintance and the owner came over and wanted to hire me. Unfortunately he had the idea that I worked for tips.
Jay Leslie
www.TheHouseOfEnchantment.com |
Maxyedid Special user Panama 843 Posts |
Everything is relative
NEW BOOK! "Semi-Automatic Miracles" - INSTANT Best-Seller at Lybrary.com
https://www.lybrary.com/semiautomatic-card-miracles-p-925333.html chaos handlings, out of hands effects, and more |
Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Is your statement, relative? To What?
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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mrsmiles Elite user 442 Posts |
There are no gig-getting tricks; just magicians who get gigs.
Marketing ideas are valuable, but I agree that I am not much impressed by the one's proposed by Chris R.
mrsmiles
(UK) |
Christopher Lyle Inner circle Dallas, Texas 5698 Posts |
If you want to know the best way to get restaurant gigs, this resource may help: sleightlydelsuional.com
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius For a Good Time...CLICK HERE! |
mrsmiles Elite user 442 Posts |
As with the consensus of opinion thus far, I think Ramsey’s ideas are not great - Danny’s comments on this topic, for example, are particularly ‘on the money’ I feel.
Let’s also be wary of adding undue weight to Ramsey by saying Bill Malone made the same comments; sure, he said something similar - but in much less crass & in more nuanced ways (than Ramsey). I feel that with this channel and ones like it on YouTube there is a lot of ‘form over substance’ personified. Can’t help feeling also that a lot of these free videos one sees on YouTube by those with some ability like Ramsey (as opposed to the pimply adolescents who ‘teach’ magic but actually butcher it) are more about building subscribers for advertisers & thus revenue for themselves. The providers of these channels certainly have a degree of technical ability - but their prime aim is really revenue and they do not care who sees their advice nor really care how it is filtered or understood & how it may put into practice by those who see it. They do have a degree of ability for sure - but a PhD in, and overdose of, ambition. Moreover I think that one or two providers of these channels think that If they can look cool enough, display enough tattoos & have enough girls screaming at their magic that they will surely be seen by a producer as the next TV star that they crave to be. The ‘real’ teachers of magic will still either provide the service at a fee (via a dvd for example made by professional companies) or mentor the inexperienced in person for free out of a love of the art & a wish to put something back in, or provide bite-sized pieces of genuinely free information here on the Café. Sometimes they generously provide very long pieces & essays. In short, I very much feel that Magic on these free channels is often essentially just ‘click bait’. Sorry if this forthright opinion offends (though I hope that most of you will see some sense in it) but it is just my opinion...
mrsmiles
(UK) |
Dollarbill Inner circle Colorado 1005 Posts |
I think what wasnt said by Chris was the fact that you just don't do this for any/ every occasion. You need to have a pocket full of those (marketing) tricks just like you need to have a pocket full of magic for a certain occasion. I always worked people at bars, grocery lines for kids, and in the beginning always hung out at the brick and morter Ancient Times until we moved to CO. That 1 idea is very situational. Not everybody can pull that off. You better be witty and Chris seems to have that. I don't think the video said 10 "Sure fire Secrets" that will land you a gig everytime. $.02. db. Happy New Year!
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Maestro Special user 801 Posts |
I do think its kind of funny to take advice on how to get a job from somebody completely covered with tattoos! Nothing wrong with it just kind of funny to me. I'm sure he probably gets lots of work, but wouldn't fit me
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Dollarbill Inner circle Colorado 1005 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 1, 2018, Maestro wrote: Your first statement sounds ignorant. There are all kinds of guys out there that are covered in tattoos. Take a look at Tyler-Rabbit. Would you take advice on how to fix your car from some guy with tattoos? or how to cook a recipe? Also, I'm pretty sure a guy who has his own room full of threads (although most comments are old) here on the Café' has plenty of work,,,,,,and madd skills. $.02. Just sayin' |
Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 1, 2018, Dollarbill wrote: As far as tattoos go I don't see the correlation either. I don't have any only because of my fear of commitment. Your last sentence baffles me though. Those things often do not necessarily follow either.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
WitchDocChris Inner circle York, PA 2614 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 1, 2018, Maestro wrote: So, because he looks different to what you want to look like, his advice has no chance of helping you? It's not a smart move to dismiss someone purely because of their looks - unless you're looking for advice on how to look, I guess. Pretty much any successful person probably has some information that can help you become successful yourself. It pays to listen to them and digest what they say, and see how it can apply to yourself.
Christopher
Witch Doctor Psycho Seance book: https://tinyurl.com/y873bbr4 Boffo eBook: https://tinyurl.com/387sxkcd |
Maestro Special user 801 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 2, 2018, WitchDocChris wrote: Sorry didn't meant to offend. I don't judge anyone by what they look like. I actually have a tattoo myself: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PH0SHg_8YRM/maxresdefault.jpg |
Dollarbill Inner circle Colorado 1005 Posts |
I was actually going to repost here and say that "i'm not tryin to be an arse". but the comment does sound "off". .
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