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AndreJ New user 90 Posts |
I haven´t worked professionally yet. I´m currently working on my repertoire so if you could give som critique on this presentation I would be very happy. I would like to work bars/restaurant/parties and just close-up, no stage.
What do you think of this storyline/presentation for Crazy Mans Handcuffs -> Pinnacle -> Ring on string ending in Nested Wallets? ------ I start by asking if anyone of the spectators have children. If not, I tell them I have two children and that Im fascinated by how young kids learn things. They learn that boiling water is hot, that their tung will stick to metal if it´s cold, and that it hurts to walk into doors and walls. I then explain that the reason it hurt to walk into something is because one of Newtons law of a physics. Solid objects can't pass through each other. I would like to show this using 2 rubber bands. I then perform CMH. I then talk about how two object of the same material, according to some physicists, can pass trough each other since their molecule settings are similar (pure BS, I know). That´s why I would like to show the effect using two different objects; a ring and a rubber band. I then perform Pinnacle. My third effect is Ring on string and my way into this is saying that elastic materials could be easier to penetrate than solid materials, hence the string. I perform Ring on sting and finish with the ring in my closed hand. I then say that the most difficult thing is for an object to pass trough many different materials. I "slam" the nested wallet over my hand. The ring is gone, it´s then showed inside the nested wallet. ---- My thinking: 1. I want a personal hook in the beginning. I think that talking about peoples children is such a hook. 2. I want the effects to build in strength. 3. I want to have the opportunity to stop at the end of any single effect. 4. I don´t want any heavy or large props. 5. Instant reset. My concerns: The one thing I worry about is that the effects are too similar. It´s really a penetrating effect taking to a higher and higher level. That could be boring. Ideas, suggestions, critique...?
My background: Loved magic for 25 years, always wanted to do paid gigs but never had the courage. Faced my fears some years ago and went pro.
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Poof-Daddy Inner circle Considering Stopping At Exactly 5313 Posts |
First, Welcome to the Café,
The four effects you have there flow and work well together - which is what you want in a set. But, do you more? typical "rule" of table hopping is to have a MINIMUM of 3 sets of 3 effects (and I believe that is the BARE minimum to perform on any given night). But yes, the set you have works and it is good to keep a theme to each set rather than jump all over the place with totally different effect types. ie a card trick, cut and restored rope and a mentalism effect don't go as well together as what you have there, so I wouldn't be concerned with boredom. (7-8 penetrating tricks in a row, maybe) but that is why many go the 3 sets of 3 route. Good Luck
Cancer Sux - It is time to find a Cure
Don't spend so much time trying not to die that you forget how to live - H's wife to H on CSI Miami (paraphrased). |
S2000magician Inner circle Yorba Linda, CA 3465 Posts |
Quote:
On 2014-01-10 07:50, AndreJ wrote: Newton's Laws have to do with motion, not with whether solids can occupy the same space. I admire your effort to provide an interesting presentation, but I think you'd be better served if your citations of (relatively) well-known information were accurate. (This is very similar in feel to a magician's presentation of a poker deal, where he produces a royal flush in spades, then says that spades are the highest ranking suit in poker. It's well-known that the suits have no rank in poker.) |
AndreJ New user 90 Posts |
I agree, good point. Maybe I can change the wording to fit into the plot. I think Newton is a good person to talk about.
My background: Loved magic for 25 years, always wanted to do paid gigs but never had the courage. Faced my fears some years ago and went pro.
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55Hudson Special user Minneapolis 984 Posts |
I like the link between the three effects. Agree with the Newton point -- that jumped out at me too. Try Pauli exclusion principle (Wikipedia). People don't need to be familiar with the details (e.g., recognizing Newton versus not Pauli won't matter). something like this:
"Most people believe two solid objects can't occupy the same space or pass through one anther. But there was this physicist, Wolfgang Pauli, who figured out that it was possible back in 1925. Here, let me demonstrate...:" The fact that 99/100 won't recognize the name will not impact your story. But, as S2000 says, you don't want to get derailed right at the start with, "Wait, that's not what Newton's Laws are about!" Good start on a set. Yes you need three sets to start paying gigs, but this certainly could be one of them. With practice/experience on real people it could become a very strong set. Good luck! Hudson |
AndreJ New user 90 Posts |
Good idea Hudson, I will sure look into that.
This is one of my sets, the other two are as follows Set 2 2 card monte alt 8 brainwave deck Cluth Ambitious card with SOLO (by Mark Mason) Set 3 Still to be constructed...will be a mentalism set, the draft is: Assertive Positive negative Seven from Safwan Papers Whats in the name by Oz Pearlman
My background: Loved magic for 25 years, always wanted to do paid gigs but never had the courage. Faced my fears some years ago and went pro.
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Yellowcustard Inner circle New Zealand 1334 Posts |
Your creating something that is quite call and its good to see question about how to and patter, rather then what effects will floor.
I like the fact you have your 3 sets of 3 in mind. I urge you to stick with these and do these tricks all of the time as part of getting them ready for your set for paid gigs. If your going to talk about Newton laws. Your going to have to be spot on. However if you speak about phicsy in general then you can be a bit more open and free. Also because of the environment your in you need to keep it clean and light. I have a set that talks about magician demonstrating solid thru solid. That sentence 'solid thru solid' is what I call the point. And I repeat it at least once in every effect. That point is what I want people to take away with them. Oblivious there other bits and bobs thay take away. When we write our shows for Science In A Van they have a 'point'. for example our bubble show which cover martriles has the sentence ' a mixture is made of two or more things' we do also cover that mixtures separate and sometimes have reactions. There is also a section about gases having weight. But in it all we use that 'point' for example yes were talking about the air around us is a gas but we put in the that its made up of two or more things so its a mixture. Hope this helps I know the example is not magic related yet I hope it helps as a real world example. A good clear story can make your 3 effects so strong a tight. But if it not clear and has a begin, middle and end. the story then effect the tricks and your better doing the effects on there own. I like waht your doing keep at it.
Enjoy your magic,
and let others enjoy it as well! |
AndreJ New user 90 Posts |
Thank you for the ideas. I now totally agree that the effects should be about physics in general and not so much about a specific scientist. Chances are some wise-guy will interrupt with a phd-comment and ruin the whole plot.
Also like the beginning-middle-end advice. I believe I'm onto that one since the story is evolving. But what if I say that the first three phases (CMH/Pinnacle/Ring on string) all have been done explained by physics, but the very last part...the one where the ring goes trough different solid materials, is a real mystery. To add surprise, I could say that the two solids are the string and the hand. When it then ends up inside the nested wallets, now that's a real mystery.
My background: Loved magic for 25 years, always wanted to do paid gigs but never had the courage. Faced my fears some years ago and went pro.
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inhumaninferno Elite user 452 Posts |
Could be funny by talking about relatively well know scientific principles, but offering obviously wrong references/explanations/examples.
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AndreJ New user 90 Posts |
I thought about the plot one more time, and came to the conclusion that the whole physics thing shouldn´t be the point. Who cares about some boring physicist from the 1920s? Really?
Instead I decided to mention the fact that kids are thought that solid things can't pass through each other, but that I as a kid always questioned everything (which I indeed did). that's when I discovered that solid things (rubber bands for example) could go through solid things. I then trained this ability and applied it to other things (rings, strings, wallets). I think this accomplish two crucial point, and that is: 1. to make the "story" personal. I can relate to it since it´s partly about me, and my audience can probably recognize the questioning kid (Daddy...why, why, why?) and 2. it takes focus away from the physics facts. Most people like kids more than they like physics. I don´t want to lose attention by sounding as a boring physics teacher (although that may be another angle...taking about the most boring physics teacher ever...).
My background: Loved magic for 25 years, always wanted to do paid gigs but never had the courage. Faced my fears some years ago and went pro.
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mindhunter Inner circle Upstate NY 2280 Posts |
Quote:
On 2014-01-10 12:42, AndreJ wrote: I'm glad SEVEN has found its way in for you.... It has been a go-to for me for years. Thanks for the mention! Bryn
Bryn D. Reynolds, Author of:
"The Safwan Papers" & "The LOGAR Scrolls" Mentalism ebooks - PM any interest. My artwork: https://darkmountainarts.com |
RajeshLGov Regular user India 149 Posts |
All the Best, your idea is nice. In a walk around(if its a busy schedule) crazy mans handcuff is visual enough. "Where speech is silver, silence is Gold". Best Raj.
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Quote:
On 2014-01-10 10:30, S2000magician wrote: Ughhhh lord this a a HUGE sticking point with me. You probably guessed that though LOL. Yes it drags down EVERYTHING that a magician does! The thing is that often, heck more often than not magicians get MORE credit from an audience than they have earned. People assume you can do this or do that and without doing it intentionally they think more of us than there is. You can do miracles with a double lift. Often if you do it right people assume you the greatest second dealer/card cheat in the world. Cool. Work smarter not harder right? Them magicians go and BLOW IT BY TALKING! Even worse they say something stupid like the suit in poker thing and suddenly all that is lost. It is all evaporated in an instant. This is why scripting is SO important. Not just reading what others say and parroting it back but knowing what you are saying. It is sad exactly who I have seen use the above mentioned poker hand line s2000 mentions! I was watching a stage magician do an Abbotts (I think.) "Shooting a Ribbon Through a Woman". Oh lord he played it serious. BUT had no idea why people would laugh at the line... "unbeknownst to most men, but knownst to me, there is a spot on a woman's body that can be penetrated with a hard object". He was doing the fair circuit a million years ago and doing 4 shows a day. Got to the point where the drummer would give him a rim shot. Anyhow before I get this thread deleted know what you are saying as Bill pointed out!
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
twistedace Inner circle philadelphia 3772 Posts |
I wouldn't slam the nested wallet on the hand as a penetration. If it were me, I'd cleanly show the hand empty, then take out the nested wallets for the big reveal.
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robvh Elite user Calgary, AB 440 Posts |
I occasionally use science as a theme for my routines because I read up on the subject regularly and can speak intelligently about it. If that doesn't describe you, you may be best advised to avoid it as a theme.
Most people will follow along if you talk about the fact that there is a relatively large distance between individual atoms. The fascinating implication being that even solid objects are mostly empty space! That lays a nice groundwork for penetration effects. You have a number of options when it comes to using Nest of Wallets as a conclusion. To get your desired "build up of impossibility", your premise of "multiple materials" could work but seems thin to me. I would more towards "now, a thin rubber band is relatively soft and malleable. The more solid the material, the more challenging this becomes." I would also experiment whether slamming the wallet was the most impressive method (it seems inconsistent) or whether you want to more gently slap it onto the ring then turn your hand over and rub the ring through the material. Perhaps that will prolong the magic moment. I don't know which will play stronger. Let the audience decide! I would also suggest that you don't need to stick to the same "matter through matter" presentation. One of the things being experimented with in the world of physics is teleportation. You may have a bigger kicker if you suddenly go from multiple penetrations of the ring (which they now know you can do) to outright teleporting the ring from your hand to the center of the wallets. Cheers, Rob VH |
AndreJ New user 90 Posts |
Great advice from you all. I agree that scripting IS important, and the dicussion here is a great example of WHY it´s important.
I like the idea from robvh about going from penetration into teleportation. I just need to find a reason for taking out the nested wallet. I feel that if I just take it out and show the ring inside, the audience will (rightfully) think I had the ring in my hand and put it in the wallet as I took it out. I want the magic to happen long after the wallet is out. What´s the point of the nested wallet, from the audiences perspective?
My background: Loved magic for 25 years, always wanted to do paid gigs but never had the courage. Faced my fears some years ago and went pro.
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charliemartin Special user Rapid City, SD 779 Posts |
Diamond Jim Tyler's "Bamboozler's" all three volumes have great material..they are great openers.
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