|
|
Go to page 1~2 [Next] | ||||||||||
R.S. Regular user CT one day I'll have 184 Posts |
I'm sure you've all encountered a situation where you perform an effect and the spectator thinks for a moment and says, "AHA - I know how you did it!" They then proceed to give their "explanation" which, although plausible in their mind, is totally wrong! Now, obviously you cannot offer the actual explanation just to prove them wrong, but at the same time you don't want them thinking they've got it figured out, and thereby demystifying the effect. So how do you guys handle this situation?
Ron
"It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry." Thomas Paine
|
|||||||||
The Burnaby Kid Inner circle St. John's, Canada 3158 Posts |
I've always felt that the best defense against this is pre-emptive. Design your routines to prevent this sort of thinking. Ideally, if you've done your job well, they'll be unable to come up with any explanation at all, let alone a false one. You still might get the odd nut, but if you've played to everybody else properly, they'll reveal themselves to be a nut.
Otherwise, it's about audience management and confidence, and if you figure those two out, you won't have to worry about any unwanted interruptions, let alone the kind you're talking about.
JACK, the Jolly Almanac of Card Knavery, a free card magic resource for beginners.
|
|||||||||
tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
I don’t know, it’s a surreal moment, I just look up to the heavens looking for Jupiter’s help.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
|||||||||
Natanel Special user 739 Posts |
This is an excellent question. I'm not sure the best way to handle it, what do others do?
(I find as I take a more Banachek style/mental magic approach this is something I am dealing with less.)
People who work for Theory 11: Do you want a young guy without a stupid gelled haircut or eurotrash jeans for your videos? PM me.
|
|||||||||
Barry Donovan Special user 848 Posts |
I just look at them with a dead facial expression shaking my head, normally causes everyone else to laugh and they all soon forget about it
when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth
|
|||||||||
R.S. Regular user CT one day I'll have 184 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-10-19 18:12, Andrew Musgrave wrote: Thanks Andrew. Let me just add that I am not a professional, and usually I do tricks one-on-one in a casual, informal setting. So there is no "interruption" so to speak. And although the kind of reaction I am speaking about is very rare indeed, it really kills the effect when it happens - no matter how off base they may be. Again, I am not talking about instances where the performer may have flashed or perhaps mismanaged the effect, but instances where the spectator simply comes to a false conclusion about how it was done (I've even seen this when watching a TV magic special with friends and family - one of the laymen in the room says, "I KNOW he he did that - he blah blahed the blah and then he blah blahed the thingy thing... etc."). Spectator's minds do strange things when trying to connect the dots. Just wondering if it's better to address their false explanation (when they offer one) in order to somehow salvage the mystery of the effect. If it can be shown that THEIR method is either wrong, impractical, or was not employed in this effect, then they are back to square 1 (befuddlement). One way to look at it is that the spec had to have been totally ignorant of the actual methods/sleights in order to be so off-base with their wrong "explanation" (a good thing I suppose). But that's somehow not satisfying, because in THEIR mind they have it figured out. Ron
"It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry." Thomas Paine
|
|||||||||
Ben Train Inner circle Erdnase never had 4639 Posts |
If one doesn't mind going on the offensive... then it's sometimes a blessing in disguise.
Invite them down the garden path by doing something that LOOKS similar (at first) and looks like it uses the method they suggested. Then, hit 'em with a cancellation and a kicker (sometimes the kicker is enough). Something that comes to mind is this- Do a matrix. Someone says you're just moving them around quickly. Repeat it, as you comment on their "method"- (some people think I flick the coins across. Others think I have extra ones... etc). Then show them the coins are all glued to the table... Bam! Ben p.s. IF you want to go on the offensive...
If you're reading this you're my favourite magician.
Check out www.TorontoMagicCompany.com for upcoming shows, and instagram.com/train.ben for god knows what! |
|||||||||
Sazalfram Regular user 163 Posts |
Look them in the eyes and say "That's one way to do it." and continue on never confirming wether or not its how you accomplished the effect. It works even if they guessed the correct method. It leaves them with a wonderfully perplexed look on their face.
|
|||||||||
Jaz Inner circle NJ, U.S. 6111 Posts |
After they say what they think, one line might be to smile and say, "Interesting conclusion. I'll have to try that some time."
|
|||||||||
Banachek V.I.P. Houston 1086 Posts |
"that's quite clever, that would make my job so much easier."
In thoughts and Friendship
Banachek Campus Performer of the Year two years in a row Year 2000 Campus Novelty Act PEA Creativity Award Recipient http://www.banachek.com |
|||||||||
bouche Regular user 146 Posts |
I find that comments happen like that much more often in a casual setting ie. with friends and family. When performing rehearsed sets - this happens less often. Typically you have moved on to the next effect.
Too much attention to the comments will disrupt the flow of the presentation. Another result is that will likely receive further comments since you seemed so agreeable to their shared scrutiny and speculation. A quick line like Banachek's is perfect and then you move on... |
|||||||||
Bob Sanders Grammar Supervisor Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama 20504 Posts |
I'm an old Marketing professor. The customer is always right. What I have really observed is that you are not going to win this one. If you explain what really took place, you have exposed the trick. They win!
If you simply agree with them and move on, it will be their problem to make the trick work that way when the are boasting to others. They lose! But still can't win. You can regain control of your audience. That is good enough if you can entertain them. Don't lose control of your show. Work your plan, not theirs! I know that it is aggravating. Why give it extra time? Bob Sanders Magic By Sander |
|||||||||
tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
I have been accused of using trick cards in the past when I wasn't.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
|||||||||
MickeyPainless Inner circle California 6065 Posts |
The first time this came about for me it was my snobby sis in law who is VERY quick to tell anyone that will listen which Ivy league collage she graduated from and just how smart she is. When she guessed (quite wrong) I just smiled and stated "Well so much for that high dollar education"! Uhhhhhhhhhhhh, not cool! I alienated her and I feel it made me look as much if not more of a jerk than her!
I have since become much less arrogant and if it comes up now I usually just smile and say "Hmmmmmm, good guess and that might just work"! I have disclosed nothing and I don't appear busted while maintaining a fun and casual manner! Good topic, Mick |
|||||||||
evikshin Special user 893 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-10-20 01:21, MickeyPainless wrote: I think I probably would've said the same that you said, depending on my comfort level with the spectator. It is a pretty good come back, I must say! Evikshin |
|||||||||
Jeff O Loyal user 274 Posts |
That was a good come back Mickey, but I'm sorry about your current relationship status with her now.
Magic hurts. . . I guess. |
|||||||||
Picard Elite user 411 Posts |
From my experience, if the spectator states that he knows how it's done, in 99% of the cases his method is wrong or blatantly obvious. (if he really did get it, try to improve the presentation of the effect or if you think you can't improve much just dismiss the effect-it's obviously not worth it)
I would just hand him my deck of cards and say: "You know how it's done? Great, go on and show us, I am really interested in your handling". Since it's obvious to him and everyone that YOU are the card guy here he will usually refuse your request and will not try to offer any more explanations. If he is that persistent and actually tries to perform what you just did it will in most cases look terrible and pretty obvious to everyone and he will end up as being stupid. If you have such luck that he performs the effect flawlessly (very unlikely) show your appreciation and say: "Very good, I might actually use you as my helper". In some of the next routines you can ask him to find the card that someone has selected, obviously he will have no clue - "Looks like I'll have to find another helper" and they you proceed with the routine where another spectator does something magical. |
|||||||||
Ben Train Inner circle Erdnase never had 4639 Posts |
Maybe I'm in the minority here, (or maybe because I'm jacked up on energy drinks and going mad after pulling an all nighter to work on my thesis paper) but I believe that the audience WANTS to be rocked.
Sure, there are exceptions, but when people start yelling out solutions it means, to me, the following: 1. They were watching really close 2. They are interested (even if it is only in catching something). If someone is interested enough in my material to not only watch, but think about it and create a dialogue, the LEAST I can do is open up their world for them and blow their brains out onto the floor. Yes, we all get busted. I got busted TODAY with something (dammit!) but that's noth THEIR fault- it's ours. Either we chose bad material or we performed it poorly. Try again. Do something fool proof. Something with no explanation. And, if possible, cancel what they thought you previously did. Leave them with no room to go except to worship you as the g-d you are (or, balloon- making sock monkey. Whatever). As far as them having some knowledge... guys- we take this WAAAAAY more seriously then they do. No matter HOW many youtube videos they've watched, I DOUBT they've sat down with the inner chronicles. I'll leave you with a quote I'm fond of from ARaS (I'm calling Expert that from now on...), proving, as Baker once said, the book is as modern now as it was when it was written: The enthusiast will not rest until every slight in the calendar has been perfectly mastered, so that he may be enabled to nonplus and squelch [oooh, I love that! Squelch!] that particularly obnoxious but ever present individual, who with his smattering of the commoner slights always knows "exactly how it is done". -Page 127 Ben p.s. If Sobe Arush is wrong, then, well, I'm going to prison. This stuff is my crack. And magic is my crack. Which means... wait... Sobe drinks are my magic? Help me baby jesus and/or Chad Long! I'm off to bed.
If you're reading this you're my favourite magician.
Check out www.TorontoMagicCompany.com for upcoming shows, and instagram.com/train.ben for god knows what! |
|||||||||
MickeyPainless Inner circle California 6065 Posts |
***If Sobe Arush is wrong, then, well, I'm going to prison.***
Ben, We may end up at the same prison! I drink a bare min. of 2 large AdRush per day! Add several coffees and cappuccinos interspersed throughout the day and I can conquer the world! MickeyBuzzless |
|||||||||
ilmungo Loyal user 272 Posts |
I have used Sazalfram's suggestion to good results in the past: "Mmm... That would be one way to do it, yes...", I say slowly and as if I was testing the feasibility of what they suggested in my head. That conveys the idea that I have never heard of that possibility before, but yeah, upon considering it, they aren't total idiots for suggesting that. That still manages to communicate to everyone else that the guess is wrong, while not making the guesser feel "put down".
Other times, if I'm in a more playful mood, I'll steal a line from Tommy Wonder, and say something along the lines of: "Oh, is that how it's done? Did you know I became a magician to find out how I do this? I still don't know! I just do the move [do so] and the card comes to the top! [or what have you]". (Preferably this last bit is done in a way that implicitly disproves the solution they've just come up with, but that's not always possible...) Conversely, I would discourage from challenging the spectator by asking them to perform the effect "if they know how it's done". Not only because that will definitely alienate at least one member of the audience, and make you look defensive, but also because it is perfectly legitimate for a spectator to try to work out the method in his or her head; to ask them to keep their thoughts to themselves is to ask them to be spectating puppets, good only for clapping and ooh-ing and aah-ing on command. If you want a real audience you have to be prepared to have a real interaction with them. Cheers, Luigi |
|||||||||
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » The workers » » Handling Spectator's "Wrong" Explanation (0 Likes) | ||||||||||
Go to page 1~2 [Next] |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.04 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |