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Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts |
> My name is **** but my friends call me Houdini
> because I like doing magic. I > am 13 years old and I like going up to people and > showing them some magic > tricks. I get nerves when I do this. Can you help me with some advice on controlling my fear? Dear ****: Performance 'nerves' are one of the oldest things around. There is really only one way to REALLY get over them and that is to just keep on keeping on. In other words, you HAVE to perform. I guarantee that I was the shyest, most nervous performer you have ever known. You get over it. That said there are a couple of rules that can help. Rule #1- Practice. Practice until you can do the trick in your sleep. Rule #2- Practice. Look at an analyze EVERYTHING that you think might go wrong with the trick. What would happen if you dropped it? What would happen if the spectator takes a card, you find it and they lie about what card it is? (Solution: ALWAYS have a selected card signed by the person who picked it!) You get the idea. If the above rules seem like too much work then you probably shouldn't be in magic. I'm not saying that to be mean, it's just the way it is. If you want to nail folks with your magic then you have to work at it. Most serious magicians I have known have an almost Puritan work ethic. If you want people to LIKE you when you do magic don't: Act superior. No one likes a 'smarty' they like smart people. Look amazed yourself if possible. Don' do your magic in a challenging manner. Do it as if you have just found a frog that dances and sings and you REALLY....CAN .... show them your dancing and singing frog. Good luck bro, Brad Burt
Brad Burt
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ClouDsss Inner circle 1799 Posts |
Sorry to butt in here but jus wanted to add another point
IMO (and a few others - refer to the ortiz discussion in 2003) failing a trick and making a fool out of yourself in front of a crowd isn't that bad a thing. it makes you realise that when you leave the place at the end of the day, you were still the same as you were when you walked in. It can help you reduce the fear of performing. In the long run, as ur fear decreases, so will your nervousness. P.S. not all people want the magicians to fail. theres really a lot of people who wish that you succeed in your magic Keep practising and enjoy the long road ahead in your magic life cheerios
Think outside the box, cos people are all thinking inside now!! - ClouDsss
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calexa Inner circle Germany 1635 Posts |
In my eyes very good advice.
Magixx
Optimists have more fun.....
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zur Special user California 671 Posts |
Good advice!
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irossall Special user Snohomish, Washington 529 Posts |
Quote:
On 2005-01-12 19:55, ClouDsss wrote: This is just one reason that you want the audience to like you. When someone really likes you they don't want you to fail they want you to succeed. If the Magician comes out with the "look what I can do that you can't" attitude then most if not everyone in the audience will hope that you not only fail but fail miserably. Just be friendly and enjoy the audience and most of all HAVE FUN then if something goes wrong and you can't recover, your audience will be pulling for you and will want to see your next effect and most of all root for your success. Of course there is a heckler (jerk) in many audiences but believe me the audience won't think much of the heckler and will side with you if they like you. Go forth and have fun Iven
Give the gift of Life, Be an Organ Donor.
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bg Veteran user Indy 313 Posts |
The best thing that ever happened for me was the first time I screwed up a trick and got busted.
After that I knew what the results were from getting caught and I've not worried about it since. Often the fear of messing up a trick is worse than it actually is. Great advice Brad! |
Jailhouse Jonny New user 81 Posts |
One thing to consider "It's a card trick, not brain surgery." No one gets hurt if I can't find your card. Now this does not apply if you are doing death defying escapes with real danger involved. Having outs like a invisible/brainwave/phil deck will help you feel confident if something goes wrong you can fix it in a card trick, but someday, somewhere a trick will fail, it happens to all of us. Humor and a stock line will often help one move on. May I suggest one carry an envelope that has this prediction in it "I will screw up this trick!"
One other bit of advice is to tell 3 jokes before you even get into magic with people. You can tell a lot of how someone is going to view magic by how they react to the jokes. Plus it allows the audience or participant to interact with you in some small way. Get them to like you and ease into it before you even begin the magic. |
Kent Wong Inner circle Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 2458 Posts |
I once read a book about Houdini and the tremedous crowds he was able to generate from his death defying escapes. In that book, Houdini was quoted as saying, "No one really wants to see me die, but they all want to be there when it happens". I think there's a lot of truth in that statement.
No one wants to see the magician fail, but it's the "possiblity" of failure that captivates them.
"Believing is Seeing"
<BR>______________________ <BR> <BR>www.kentwongmagic.com |
ragtop New user california 58 Posts |
Don't forget the B.B.A.
What's the B.B.A.? The Brady Bunch Axiom - picture your audience in their underwear! |
thumbslinger Elite user This is a good number: 458 Posts |
Another B.B.A: Don't get the Cindy Freeze....."Baton, Rouge!! Baton, Rouge"....haha
Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed and Tommy Emmanuel are all you need to study to learn to play guitar.
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saxmangeoff Veteran user Moscow, ID, USA 353 Posts |
Quote:
Don't do your magic in a challenging manner. Do it as if you have just found a frog that dances and sings and you REALLY....CAN .... show them your dancing and singing frog. What a great, succinct, description of what our performances should be like! Thanks for sharing the letter! Geoff
"You must practice your material until it becomes boring, then practice it until it becomes beautiful." -- Bill Palmer
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Allan Olive Regular user Charlotte 180 Posts |
I have a friend how is the complete oposite of me when it comes to performing for others. He can go up to anybody, anytime, anyplace, anywhere and perform for them. I have seen him mess up a trick or two, but he laughs it off and keeps on going.
That is not me by a long shot. I have posted a similar thread and recieved some great advice to help me to overcome my fear to perform. Just watching my friend do what he does really encourages me. Find someone with that kind of boldness to shadow for awhile and watch what they do. It may help you. Allan |
Attilio Regular user Toronto Canada 136 Posts |
Great advice guys!!! also if you want some additional tips (not that you'll need any. the advice given here is fantastic) there are a few topics already posted in the Café. do a few searches and I'm sure you'll find everything you need to beet the nervousness
Attilio |
alson Regular user 143 Posts |
I think everyone has that fear at some times or other .When you first start you it feels like hurting you ,but after you do so many shows that same fear is what help you. It keeps you in check. You, as time goes along with your skill ,will find
that kind of fear will take of it self . I was told when I first started my an escape artist to be able to do the trick in the dark without any looking at my hands ,then I was ready to show the trick to who ever. I think this is a little much ,but I still learn my trick that well . Alson |
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