|
|
|
|||
| Go to page [Previous] 1~2 | ||||||||||
George Ledo Magic Café Columnist SF Bay Area 3042 Posts 
|
Hmmmmm... I wonder if that was that noise I heard...
That's our departed buddy Burt, aka The Great Burtini, doing his famous Cups and Mice routine
www.georgefledo.net Latest column: "Sorry about the photos in my posts here" |
|||||||||
Whit Haydn V.I.P. 5449 Posts
|
Hard to find good help these days...
 |
|||||||||
Dave V Inner circle Las Vegas, NV 4824 Posts
|
That's easy. If he crawls out from under the ladder and returns to work the next day, he's a keeper!
No trees were killed in the making of this message, but a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
|
|||||||||
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts
|
Quote:
On 2006-05-08 10:52, kregg wrote: Although I may not always be content with the results of my aim, my personal motto is that every show is an audition for my next one. I take my work very seriously, but I am beyond taking myself seriously. I want to have fun and I want the audience to have fun. Oddly, neither seems to be the exclusive cause or effect of the other. It seems to be a circular path. Ironically, the work is easier, but it took a lot of hard work to enjoy that ease. I am reminded of words of wisdom from the book, "Magic by Gosh": "YOU ARE THE MAGIC". That's good enough for me.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
|||||||||
Patrick Differ Inner circle 1540 Posts
|
This concept is key and critical to all facets of life itself. When you're performing, it ain't the trick, it's you. When you're looking for the work, it ain't the tricks, it's what you can do. When you're talking to somebody, it isn't what you say, it's how you say it. When you're trying to convince someone of something, it ain't the facts, it's how you present them.
It's multi-faceted. It works on different levels. It's multi-layered. It's what's on the outside and what's on the inside. It's...it's...it's like an onion! :hmm:
Will you walk into my parlour? said the Spider to the Fly,
Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy; The way into my parlour is up a winding stair, And I've a many curious things to show when you are there. Oh no, no, said the little Fly, to ask me is in vain, For who goes up your winding stair -can ne'er come down again. |
|||||||||
magicalaurie Inner circle Ontario, Canada 2962 Posts
|
Breathe, Patrick.
I got some GREAT advice once. "Only YOU can make it happen." |
|||||||||
Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24315 Posts
|
Quote:
On 2006-05-12 23:54, Patrick Differ wrote: That's the other part of the riddle.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
|||||||||
|
George Ledo Magic Café Columnist SF Bay Area 3042 Posts
|
Going back to my original post for a moment...
We went to opening night last night. The show received a standing ovation from about half the audience, which is not bad considering there were still some problems with the light cues. Anyway, I was sitting there considering the comments made here since I started this thread. And I came up with the same feelings I had during the tech rehearsal: these people were not presenting themselves -- they were presenting their songs and dances. The singing was superb, and a couple of the dance numbers were wonderfully done, but, even during the frequent solos, I was watching and listening to the dances and the songs. The individuals performing them were just the medium. I didn't get a feeling of who they were as human beings, even after getting to know them backstage. It's such a subtle difference, but it is a difference.
That's our departed buddy Burt, aka The Great Burtini, doing his famous Cups and Mice routine
www.georgefledo.net Latest column: "Sorry about the photos in my posts here" |
|||||||||
|
Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24315 Posts
|
Howie Schwarzman once chided me for not using the whole stage. He said, "When you come out, you must establish very quickly that you OWN the stage." Then I watched his show, and realized what he meant. That is a big part of selling yourself. It's not all of it. But it is a big part.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
|||||||||
saxmangeoff Veteran user Moscow, ID, USA 353 Posts
|
A big part of this is confidence. Take two people: one has flawless technique, but performs with an attitude of "I sure hope you guys like this." The second has ok, but not great, technique, but performs with an attitude of "I know you guys are going to like this."
Assuming they're both at least minimally competent, I bet the audience prefers guy number 2. You have to really believe that you belong on the stage, or it'll eat you alive. Geoff
"You must practice your material until it becomes boring, then practice it until it becomes beautiful." -- Bill Palmer
|
|||||||||
|
George Ledo Magic Café Columnist SF Bay Area 3042 Posts
|
I agree that a good part of it is confidence, but there's another aspect to it.
The first guy you mentioned usually comes across like, for instance, "Here's a song. I hope you like the song." Not me. The song. The second guy usually comes across like, "Hey, I'm here for you. I'm going to sing a song for you." I hope you like me. When it comes right down to it, is this really much different than a job interview?
That's our departed buddy Burt, aka The Great Burtini, doing his famous Cups and Mice routine
www.georgefledo.net Latest column: "Sorry about the photos in my posts here" |
|||||||||
|
Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24315 Posts
|
Have you ever gone for an audition, hoping that they wouldn't hire you, because you disagreed with the company's corporate policy?
I went for an audition once, because my booking agent sent me. They wanted a ventriloquist (which I did, back then). The company was Occidental Petroleum. When the audition started, before I said anything, the people conducting the interview said, "We need someone who can help us with public relations for one of our subsidiaries, Hooker Chemical. We've been having trouble living down the problem since that incident with the Love Canal."
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
|||||||||
Lee Darrow V.I.P. Chicago, IL USA 3588 Posts
|
Quote:
On 2006-05-09 01:16, Bill Palmer wrote: To be honest, I believe from talking with several people who worked with Victor, that he cared about the audience's experience more, which is why he wanted those seats filled - because he knew that the reactions would be better, more fulfilling and funnier, from a packed house. Not to mention that he really ENJOYED sharing his humor, his FUN with as many people as possible at every performance. When he appeared in Chicago in the late 90's, he came on stage a bit late and pulled the following joke that brought down the house: "I apologize for being a bit late. I'm staying down the street at the Pick Congress Hotel and I missed the 7:30 elevator." Long pause..... "They told me that there'd be another one at 8:45." Long Pause..... "Thursday" Long Pause..... "October Seventeenth" Long Pause..... "Two thousand and four" Long Pause..... "teen." Now THAT's timing, gentlepeople! and it also allowed a couple of people to get settled, at which point he did the joke about being late, noted by others above... A wonderful talent and, when he played Claire de Lune as his opening after Intermission, there wasn't a dry eye in the house, either. It was transcendent. Lee Darrow, C.H.
http://www.leedarrow.com
<BR>"Because NICE Matters!" |
|||||||||
|
George Ledo Magic Café Columnist SF Bay Area 3042 Posts
|
Not to resurrect this thread, but Donna was watching American Idol last night and I found myself watching it for a bit too.
Those three singers weren't singing as much as they were selling themselves as celebrities-in-the-making. I almost felt like what they were singing was totally lost in how they were presenting it. Yet their voices were technically (and arguably) very good. Is there a lesson to be learned here?
That's our departed buddy Burt, aka The Great Burtini, doing his famous Cups and Mice routine
www.georgefledo.net Latest column: "Sorry about the photos in my posts here" |
|||||||||
landmark Inner circle within a triangle 5194 Posts
|
American Idol . . . interesting. The problem there is that they are not selling themselves, but selling their idea of what a popular singer should be. They are all wannabees instead of giving a real piece of themselves. I really don't want to hear someone else do a lousy imitation of a Ray Charles song. Sing it from who you are, and maybe I might be moved.
In magic, we have say, David Blaine, who like him or not, is offering a piece of himself. Then there are the imitators. They think they are selling themselves, but they're not. They're selling their ability to simulate David Blaine. In such cases, you wish they would at least sell the magic. Jack Shalom
Click here to get Gerald Deutsch's Perverse Magic: The First Sixteen Years
All proceeds to Open Heart Magic charity. |
|||||||||
|
George Ledo Magic Café Columnist SF Bay Area 3042 Posts
|
Okay, good point.
That's our departed buddy Burt, aka The Great Burtini, doing his famous Cups and Mice routine
www.georgefledo.net Latest column: "Sorry about the photos in my posts here" |
|||||||||
|
saxmangeoff Veteran user Moscow, ID, USA 353 Posts
|
"American Idol" is an interesting example, because once you get down to the final handful, they are all good (very good) singers. So the technical side is pretty much a given. The comments from the "judges" most often involve song choice (i.e. does the song really fit the performer) and/or the performance/presentation of the song. It's really about "selling themselves," and for some of them, they haven't yet figured out the "self" they're trying to sell. Taylor has enough experience that he has pretty much known from day one what he's selling. Katharine, however, seems often quite unsure of what she's selling. She's very attractive, and does a great job of flirting with the camera, and she seems to rely on that. Until she can sell the person inside the pretty face, she'll never take the country by storm.
Talking to a few people, I often hear comments like "I like Taylor" and "Katharine is a really good singer." Fits in with this topic perfectly. They like TAYLOR. They also like Katharine's VOICE. Guess who I think will win American Idol? Geoff
"You must practice your material until it becomes boring, then practice it until it becomes beautiful." -- Bill Palmer
|
|||||||||
|
Jerrine Special user Busking is work. 629 Posts
|
The guy that dances bad and makes Bolton sound good?
|
|||||||||
|
Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts
|
I'll tell you my personal favorite magician who had what you spoke of in the first post. Mike Rogers. Mike was a fabulous magician, but he was an even better person. Mike could have performed the Crazy Cube and Snapper puzzle and pretty much have gotten that same response. That's because the magic didn't carry Mike. Mike carried the magic. I still can't believe he's gone.
Best,
Brad Burt
|
|||||||||
| The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Food for thought » » Selling the magic... selling yourself (0 Likes) | ||||||||||
| Go to page [Previous] 1~2 | ||||||||||
Posted: May 10, 2006 12:40 am 
| [ Top of Page ] |
|
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.06 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 < 
|