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ralphs007 Inner circle 1087 Posts |
Hi
I read this phrase all the time,"Audience Management Skills". What tips do you have for developing these skills. I realize performing, helps refine these skills but I'm looking for tips, for improving Audience Management. For example , turning the spectators hand palm down, so that they don't open it to soon,to reveal a loaded sponge ball. Thanks Ralph PS I do mostly strolling magic at party's .
"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him".
James D. Miles |
pradell Special user Alaska 560 Posts |
Audience management has a lot to do with the audience's perception of the authority of the character who you choose to act out as a magician. If you project confidence and authority, give good eye contact, clear instructions to your assistants, and engage your audience, they will follow your direction, look where you direct them to look, and do what you want them to do. These skills are not easy to acquire. They come naturally to some and not to others. But one way to learn and hone them is to continually perform until the process of doing the tricks is ingrained and you can focus more on relaxing and interacting with the audience. If you are so nervous about the moves, the audience will consciously or subconsciously become suspicious, distracted by your nervousness, and may focus more on trying to figure out the trick than to follow your interesting magical story that you are telling. Your job is to suspend their disbelief and to bring a sense of wonder to their lives. Figuring out how to do this with your own personality and appearance is something you will need to work on.
:magicrabbit: |
Wes65 Inner circle I've said very little in 1219 Posts |
I don't know if this will help or not but I have come up with four C's that I try to drill into my head. They are not so much audience management skills but they make the audience easier to manage.
Be Competent, Be Confident, Be Courageous, and above all Be Charming. Being Competent means to be prepared and know what you are doing. Being Confident means to know that you know what you are doing. Being Courageous means to let it show that you know that you know what you are doing. Being charming means to get the audience on your side and get them rooting for you and not against you. The first three mean nothing without the last. If you are very young or very old the last one comes easier. Make them laugh and you've got them on your side. Show a little weakness...a little humanity. Be humble (No, that's not a contradiction; you can be confident and humble at the same time).
Wes
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MagikDavid Loyal user Cincinnati, OH 297 Posts |
Great advice, Wes65!!! Very well stated.
Dave
One good thing about being wrong...
Is the pleasure it brings to others. |
molsen Special user Copenhagen 552 Posts |
I think another aspect of audience management is not ot try too hard. I sometimes see magicians that almost turn a spectator into a prop when using a volunteer. That is not very entertaining.
A relaxed positive attitude goes a long way. Make them feel that you will entertain them instead of tricking them. Then they will most often cooperate with you because they are curious about where the magic is going to take them. That is much better than them being on guard. Michael |
Ronald72 Loyal user Holland 249 Posts |
Ralph, I suggest to read Maximum Entertainment by Ken Weber. There you will find some answers.
My best, Ronald |
TheRaven Special user 597 Posts |
I can't help but think of the techniques Cesar Millan the Dog Whisperer uses on dogs -- project calm assertive energy. In military and police disciplines they call this command presence - acting, appearing, being calm, cool, professional and in control.
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Ronald72 Loyal user Holland 249 Posts |
That is maybe what you prefer to look like when the audience watching you on stage. that's a personal choice. You ought it to the audience to be professional etc but audience management is quit different then training dogs. It also comes down to witch assistent to choose to do magic with you or how to treat a heckler. And there you go on your personal character to handle that situation. By a dog there are some straight and general solutions. I have a dog and I have do a lot of training with her, to me it isn't comparing to audience and stage management at all. And I kove my dog very much but I choose not to see my audience, who respect me to let me do my show, to see as dogs.
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TheRaven Special user 597 Posts |
I only intended to draw a parallel to the somewhat intangable persona that a magician projects not to imply that the audience is being trained like a dog. It isn't really dog "training" per se of which I was speaking. If you project an image that is calm and in control animals are more likely to respect you. If you are nervous and insecure, they will sometimes sense that and pounce. You don't have to be trying to "train" them to take advantage of this behavior. It is true just being around them. It is more psychology than training.
I believe that in a similar way, if you project an image to your audience that is calm and in control they are more likely to respect you. That is the only point I was trying to illustrate with the analogy. |
Hansel Inner circle Puerto Rico 2492 Posts |
Maximum Entertainment and Five Points of Magic are GREAT resources! BUT , sorry about this,trying in the real world is the best deal! Seeing fellow performers acting and trying the technique yourself bring you the right information about hoe to deal with people and what material works or no! Anyway "Maximum Entertainment" by Ken Weber and " The five points in Magic" by the one and only Juan Tamariz are GREAT resources on that topic!
All my best, Hansel!
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ralphs007 Inner circle 1087 Posts |
Hi
Thanks to everybody for there reply!
"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him".
James D. Miles |
guitarmagic Elite user Southern Louisiana 425 Posts |
How does one respond to the spectator saying:
1. Stop . . . let me see that hand! 2. Somehow that bill was hanging by a thread, right? 3. That was cool . . . must have been slight of hand. Any other situations that others have experienced that were challenging?
Why is it that on one side of the world a person looks at a picture of the Grand Canyon and says, "it looks so real." At the same time on the other side of the world a person looks at the Grand Canyon and says, "it looks like a picture."
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Hansel Inner circle Puerto Rico 2492 Posts |
Guitarmagic:
The right action for a heckler its not at the moment , its after. I like some Heckler stoppers but I never use one. I ignore the person... that's IT! Assuming that you are talking in a strolling situation,Make yourself look like you never heard about anything and ran away when finish THE TRICK IN WHAT THE HECKLER DO HIS THING! Best wishes, Hansel!
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guitarmagic Elite user Southern Louisiana 425 Posts |
Have you had anyone who would not let you ignore them?
Why is it that on one side of the world a person looks at a picture of the Grand Canyon and says, "it looks so real." At the same time on the other side of the world a person looks at the Grand Canyon and says, "it looks like a picture."
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M Sini Inner circle 1359 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-07-31 17:15, guitarmagic wrote: Only once. I'm not trying to stereotype any groups but it was someone who claimed to be extremely religious. That's fine with me. 9Heck, I just got home from working an event for a local church's youth group.) I was doing walk around at a party with around 200 guests. She kept saying I was doing the devil's work....yada, yada, yada. After one set for a group of people I pulled her aside and explained to her that I don't claim to have any special powers or abilities and what I was doing is strictly for entertainment. That had always worked in the past for me. However, she continued to follow me around for the next 30 minutes or so still interrupting me and insulting me and the people I was performing for. Eventually I asked her to help me with something. I won't write out the entire presentation but I forced three 6's on her. She freaked out and left the party. I then overheard a few people ask, who she was and who invited her. I didn't have any complaints from the person who hired me. I agree it's best to ignore a heckler but this person was insulting the other spectators as well. |
ralphs007 Inner circle 1087 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-07-28 15:52, Hansel wrote: Quote:
On 2009-07-28 03:07, The Bark wrote: Hi I just ordered my copy of,"Maximum Entertainment by Ken Weber". Thanks Ralph
"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him".
James D. Miles |
Hansel Inner circle Puerto Rico 2492 Posts |
You cant go wrong w/ that book!
My best wishes, Hansel!
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John Long Inner circle New Jersey 2826 Posts |
Knepper addresses some of this in Wonder Words:
For example, use the word "and": Please close you hand around the ball AND turn your hand over. The assistant is more likely to do what you say when you tell the person to do 2 things simultaneously. Also, saying "I need you to stand over here" instead of "I would like you to stand over here".
Breathtaking Magic;
Not Breath Taking |
slyhand Inner circle Good ole Virginia 1908 Posts |
If they come up with their own explanation as to how the magic was accomplished whether it's right or wrong, I usually say, "You know, that's what most people think." I then go on with the routine.
Saying that does not tell them anything. At the very least it says to them that most people guess wrong.
I am getting so tired of slitting the throats of people who say that I am a violent psychopath.
Alec |
guitarmagic Elite user Southern Louisiana 425 Posts |
Thanks for the helpful ideas, insights and contingencies in dealing with challenging spectators. I know as my presentation improves these problems will lessen.
Thanks again to all of you!!!
Why is it that on one side of the world a person looks at a picture of the Grand Canyon and says, "it looks so real." At the same time on the other side of the world a person looks at the Grand Canyon and says, "it looks like a picture."
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