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gomerel Elite user 458 Posts |
I was doing a trick (coin squeeze) for fellow magicians. One pointed out that I was putting my hand on my lap (below table level) when I had no need to and covering more of the prop than necessary. He said this just raised suspicion. Throughout most of the trick I can casually have my hands open and visible. Wonderful advice. Can anyone give me other general guidelines or where to find them?
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DWRackley Inner circle Chattanooga, TN 1909 Posts |
Just some general ideas, but if you keep these in mind, it’ll help a bunch.
In general, you need to pay attention to what you’re doing when you’re not “hiding” something, and make it look the same when you ARE hiding something. This may not mean changing the sleight. It could mean changing what “innocent” looks like. If you MUST have your hand cupped in a certain way when it’s guilty, keep it that way when it’s innocent as well. As for ditching and picking up, have a reason for every move. This can be subtle or extreme. I’ve seen one guy sneeze violently just for the purpose of wiping his hand. More rational might be reaching into a pocket to retrieve a pencil, and leaving the palmed coin behind in the process. If you absolutely must “reach” into a place that’s out of sight, make it irrelevant. Remember that a large move covers a small one. When you go for your lap with the left, make a grand gesture with the right. For example, while you’re showing the cup to be empty by swinging it in a wide arc to your audience, they’re much less likely to notice the other hand dipping slightly below the table. Perhaps others here might recommend a good book on misdirection. Sorry, but I can’t think of one right now. (When I started, books hadn’t been invented!) Best of Luck
...what if I could read your mind?
Chattanooga's Premier Mentalist Donatelli and Company at ChattanoogaPerformers.com also on FaceBook |
pradell Special user Alaska 560 Posts |
Slydini and Dai Vernon were two masters of magic who first spent much of their time thinking about how to make everything they did in a magic effect look like normal natural movements and actions, and then practiced their art to the point where the things they did appeared to occur effortlessly. Check them out.
:magicrabbit: |
Mark Jarvis Regular user 172 Posts |
Hi Gomerel,
As a follow on to Pradell and DWRackley, The "Magic of Slydini" by Lewis Ganson and "The Magical World of Slydini" and "The Best of Slydini....And More" both written by Karl Fulves are good books to learn how Slydini executed misdirection in his performances. The following are some of Slydini's thoughts on misdirection as documented in these books. The strongest misdirection is provided by looking directly at your audience, not your hands. Motions and patter must be coordinated and timed to the exact psychological second. Both timing and misdirection are indispensable to a magical performance. You may be able to produce or vanish an object using one or the other. But to create an illusion you must combine them perfectly. The average spectator wants to believe you. Believe that you actually made a coin disappear. Don't disappoint them. If you don't believe it has vanished, then you will disappoint your audience as they will not believe you either. Gestures and mannerisms are used as misdirection or to show your hands clean. They are very useful but don't exaggerate your movements. Waving your hands like windmills only promotes mistrust. However, keeping them still for to long will make your magic static and uninspiring. Find a middle ground. Use timing and misdirection to fool the mind, NOT THE EYE. Look directly at your spectators this will compel them to look at you. Your look should convey excitement or enthusiasm. If working with a volunteer, don't worry about where the audience is looking, they will look where the volunteer is looking. You, yourself must believe what you are saying. Use tone and expression to communicate this. If gestures and mannerisms are used to convey use them throughout your performance, not just when you are executing a sleight. If a move or a sleight is awkward, don't do it. Study it and change it if you like the effect, until it suits your mannerisms. The hands and arms must be relaxed. The movements must be unhurried, logical and natural. This will keep the audience relaxed and not suspicious. Mark
Mark Jarvis
The Magic Of Magic Solon, Ohio The Magic Is In Your Hands http://www.themagicofmagic.com |
volto Special user 603 Posts |
The advice above is fantastic. Three other things that have helped me - first, make sure your routine works for you. Picking the right routine is half the battle. Second, practice until you're not even thinking about it any more, let alone worrying about it - and finally, keep the pace flowing. You can get away with anything if you keep the pace right.
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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
Quote:
On 2012-09-28 15:30, gomerel wrote: That is your 1st mistake, doing magic for fellow magicians. If putting your hand on your lap is a natural gesture you do often, then it does not matter, not doing it would raise more suspicion then doing it, in your case. A magician that was looking for something would not anything he could not see. |
thatmatt New user 51 Posts |
Try to avoid showing a trick more than once to the same audience, and also try to choose an audience who likes magic, one that is supportive of what you are doing. It is surprising to find out that not all people enjoy illusions, but it is true. I have come across quite a few situations in which people seemed pestered by street magicians who stopped them for just one trick. A few of the passersby reacted very impolitely.
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gomerel Elite user 458 Posts |
Thanks everyone. I knew some of these things but some not. And they are all good reminders.
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gomerel Elite user 458 Posts |
I looked at a lot of YouTube videos of this trick (coin squeeze). Most very bad. I was struck by how hard most of the presenters spent way too much time "proving" how solid the tubes and slug are. Talk about unnatural moves. Duh. They are brass. We get it. Go ahead with the trick.
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Michael_MacDonald 1964 - 2016 Washington 2034 Posts |
The most common mistake in magic is the need to prove something is not what it is. this is called magicians guilt. the next is to try and explain what you are doing before you do it. both of these just give the watcher something to focus on other then what he should be.
the rules I live by for my magical performance are. 1) I must believe I'm doing real magic. I say this because the moment I doubt what I'm doing it shows on my face and in my body language. this is picked up subconsciously by someone watching. the way to achieve this is to practice the slight over and over while watching a mirror or a video feed until it fools you over and over. what this does is it gives you something to focus on instead of looking at your hands. it gives you a watchers perspective of whats going to be seen. the last and most important thing is that it gives you the practical experience needed to perfect the move. now take that slight and put it in the full routine. this is done with all the slights in any given routine so that the completed work is honed and purged of any moves that are wasted or unneeded for the working of the routine. 2) change any routine to fit YOU! if the routine is strong enough for you to want it in your set then you need to alter it to fit your personality and body structure. it must fit your character or it will be seen as unnatural and viewed as a puzzle to be figured out. 3) when adding a routine performance set make sure that it flows smoothly without seems and pauses. make sure it will not hamper or contradict the other material your presenting. once it has been added into the set its time to practice the set, gage its timing, get an overr all feel for what your trying to get a crossed. 4) practice until its so natural that your mind is doing one thing and your body is on auto pilot. training your muscle memory is the only way to free your self of magicians guild and let you start to believe in what your presenting. I hope I put this in a way that will make sense and be of use to you. and again this is just how I work out things for my self. Michael |
highcard New user 48 Posts |
There is some fantastic advice given in this thread. Making guilty and innocent moves look the same is truly helpful. Tricky to master but once you do, it's amazing what you can do. Misdirection is also a fine art to learn and handy with any type of magic when you can do it well.
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Dougini Inner circle The Beautiful State Of Maine 7130 Posts |
Also doing a suspicious move on an off-beat moment helps a LOT! Drummers you know what an off-beat is! Mickey Silver has one of the best off-beats I have ever seen. He fooled ME! Those of you who know me, you know how hard that can be.
Learn the off-beat. Learn to direct attention elsewhere, even for a second! Michael Ammar does this with his Cups & Balls routine. The off-beat. So simple...so effective! Doug |
sirbrad Inner circle PA 2096 Posts |
Other magicians tend to be overly critical to boost their own ego, worry more about what your audiences think and say. Magicians know where to look and will pick stuff apart that laymen never see. They don't care about what looks "natural" nor do they study the psychology of everything you are doing all the while thinking they are better. Let feedback from laymen be your guide as they are the ones who pay the check not other magicians who are your competitors.
The great trouble with magicians is the fact that they believe when they have bought a certain trick or piece of apparatus, and know the method or procedure, that they are full-fledged mystifiers. -- Harry Houdini
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sirbrad Inner circle PA 2096 Posts |
Quote:
On 2012-10-01 18:56, Dougini wrote: Yeah I like fake suspicious moves as they are great misdirection.
The great trouble with magicians is the fact that they believe when they have bought a certain trick or piece of apparatus, and know the method or procedure, that they are full-fledged mystifiers. -- Harry Houdini
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syko159 New user 23 Posts |
Sometimes I will do a really obvious suspicious move as misdirection so they think they know what to expect next. Then when they realize they are wrong a few times, they will be looking for it less.
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MagicianFromHades New user 43 Posts |
Pretend to hide somthing in the hand that DOES NOT have the "coin"
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gomerel Elite user 458 Posts |
Hehehe
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MagicianFromHades New user 43 Posts |
Actually, that happens a lot, like I show them their card, but the card I put on the table IS NOT their card, and before I can stop them, the reach out and turn over the card thus therefore ruining the trick. If I tell them not to before hand, it will look suspicious. I hate it when something like that happens.
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Dr Art Regular user 170 Posts |
The "off beat" is a very good tool for misdirection. It also controls the audience and takes the heat off any moves that you are doing. The ability to learn about doing the move while you relax, makes the audience relax at the same time and pay less attention to what you are doing. Greg Wilson is a master at this and if you watch his video On the Spot you will learn more about the off beat and not getting caught with your moves.
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derrenshowman New user 52 Posts |
Very good advice given here ..thanks
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