Hey, I am new here(first post actually), and am planning to audition to an event. Does anyone have any tips for patter, confidence, ect?

Thanks!

-technogeek

Use a routine you're intimately familiar and comfortable with. It should be the type of routine you feel you could do in your sleep.

Gear any script towards the event, if possible/appropriate.

Dress nicely, wash and style your hair, clean and trim your nails, wear socks and decent shoes, brush your teeth/swish with mouth wash. All of these are things a professor told us in a class intended to prepare folks for job interviews.

Thanks

That's great advice from WitchDoc. Don't forget that as much as they want to see if your magic is good, they also just want to see that you're a good guy to work with. Before a theater audition I always ask myself "Assuming that everybody else is exactly as good an actor as me - no better, no worse - why should I get the job?" All other things even, the stuff above will make you imminently more hire-able than a guy who ignores it.

A few more: Be on time! Remember people's names. Consider that the audition starts about a block away from the location. Don't sign in, sit around fiddling with cards until you're called into the room, and then turn on your charm. Every single person you meet along the way could be a confidant of the casting director. Make sure from the moment you arrive, everyone who meets you thinks you'd be a good guy to have back.

As for confidence, remember that they *want* you to be amazing. They start out 100% on your side. They aren't searching for a reason to say "No". They hate saying "No", because their job isn't over until they say "Yes".

Excellent points.

What's the gig? That may make a difference.

You've gotten great advice. I'd just emphasize one thing, which was kind of covered by Chris: audition from the middle of your skill set, not the edge of it. I get that you want to give them your hottest, hardest stuff. But resist that temptation. Instead, perform something right smack dab in the middle of your skill set: not too easy, but also not the most difficult because you'll be nervous and tend to screw it up. No high wire acts for an audition!

A couple other tips:

You can sell yourself with magic before you even seem to begin the audition. For some reason, it can be easier to close the deal when they don't think you're auditioning yet. When their emotions aren't guarded yet and can be more easily influenced.

If it feels appropriate, I do this during the introductions or discussion, with a very quick one-coin transposition and vanish that I learned from Ben Earl -- sorry, don't remember what it's called -- which is a very simple (but not easy), super strong effect that you do right under their noses in 30 seconds or less. It doesn't feel like a performance, but it wows them. And you just pull a coin from your pocket and you're on. No prep, no "props" as far as they are concerned. Just casual. They don't even know you're auditioning, yet. But it's deadly. And before you even "begin," they are impressed with your skill. It's an emotional hook technique.

The second little thing is to hit them on your way out the door with a request for follow-up, which pushes them to decide on you immediately. As you're leaving, hand on the door and the door open, suddenly turn around as if it just occurred to you, and ask if Tuesday would be good to follow up. Or if you should send your contract over by email. Or some question that moves the ball down the field but doesn't require an immediate commitment. It not only pushes them subtly to make a decision in your favor right then, but you'll also get a feel for it if they are not sold on you (so your hopes aren't too high).

But mostly, you already got the good advice. Good luck! Let us know how it went!

Thank you so much, Dan.

That was the most detailed guide I've seen in a while

Some really nice points here.