|
|
Go to page [Previous] 1~2~3~4 | ||||||||||
CDS Regular user MI 109 Posts |
Howdy all...
For my patter I look to old(older then the 60's) magic books and wiser conjurers... currently I have found that the Sid Lorraine stuff is good stuff... and I am looking for Al Baker patter ... any one have? Why is it that back in the day there was booklets on patter? Now I don't see any patter booklets..? Chuck Stroud |
|||||||||
haywire Special user Philadelphia 760 Posts |
When I first got interested in magic I had no patter. I'd do the "look!" "watch"!
thing. It works, but does not work as well as a carefully planned bit of story about each effect. I find that well written patter can draw the audience in, hold their attention, and if done well it can build suspense for what is about to happen. If your patter is well written you'll know it because you will have and hold their total attention. Some magicians forget your not a real magician. Your an actor playing the part of a magician, and that's great advice. A real magician wouldn't just vanish objects without reason or explanation. Neither should you. I find myself using a lot of things that at one time I would have thought was corny. After using some of it for awhile I find it makes sense, and people even ask me about the lines later (so I know they are paying attention). "An old alchemist and wizard I met in tibet taught me to transform metals" (Copper to silver kinda trick) "The earths core pulses with gravitron waves" Magician's have known for centuries about them. If you know how to feel the waves you can do some incredible things with them" (Floating/levitating trick) After a performance someone once asked me how long I was in tibet. Another person asked me if scientists were studying "gravitron waves" now. I'd love it if we could start a new thread of some patter ideas... I beleieve everyone should write their own words, but I routinely borrow ideas and concepts from others. I simply adjust them to fit me. Steven |
|||||||||
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Quote:
On 2005-07-25 12:44, haywire wrote:...I'd love it if we could start a new thread of some patter ideas. Come on over to the bizarre section.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
|
|||||||||
MHamel New user New Hampshire 71 Posts |
Heres another thought. Not all patter has to be a story or theme. Granted that is a good way to connect with people.
I have a number of effects where I say the same thing every time I perform it. The patter is not so much a story but it is me connecting with the audience. In the effect I "mess up" finding a card then without any funny moves change it visually to the chosen card. The patter isn't a story but more so the REAL ME. its only considered patter because it was designed with the trick in mind but when you brake it down it is more of a conversation getting people involved... Its a little hard to explain but my main point is sometimes we hear "patter" and instantly think we have to create a totally original story for it to be good. Sometime just truly connecting with an audience is just as good if not better. I can tell you a story about a dream catcher but if your not interested who really cares... Hope something in this scattered message made sense! -Marc Hamel |
|||||||||
Alex Rapattoni Loyal user Seattle, Wa 229 Posts |
Every time I show my fiancé a new trick, she usually tears the "patter" apart, telling me that it's not me. I usually try to add some jokes in there, but she reminds menthT I take a serious approach to magic, even though I'm a joker in real life. She is basically my director, she tells me when something looks weird and that I need to do it another way. She has been very helpful, and I think everyone needs to find someone that can be so candid with them about there magic. Someone wo can tell them "it would look more magical this way" or " why did you say that? That's just confusing and not funny". As much as any other performance art, I think magicians need directors.
Weird is part of the job.
|
|||||||||
djurmann Inner circle thinks time to practice and stop writing 1481 Posts |
There is patter from books, original patter, copied patter for me it makes little difference. Recycled will still more often than not be new to the audience. BUT where I think people fall down is they have their routine, they love it, nurture it, and perform it....irrespective of the response.
I know a magician from one of the magic shops, genius magician, brilliant....I heard he was on you tube and went to look. Much of the patter he used was good, but one piece just fell flat. It was the same patter he was using years later when he performed the same routine for a group of us....and it still fell flat. My feeling then and now was if it doesn't work, let it go. |
|||||||||
Sealegs Inner circle The UK, Portsmouth 2596 Posts |
Generally magicians do not put in as much time, thought and critical assessment of their scripting of a piece of magic as they do to learning the moves, sleights and handling that they believe makes the effect work.
What makes an effect work in mechanical terms is not the same as what makes an effect come to life as a perfomance piece. With a patter/talking magic act the language that they use and how they use it has, at the very least, as much weight and importance as the sleights, moves and plots of the effects that they/we look to perform. Scripting is the main hurdle I have when considering a new piece for my show. The idea, effect and how to mechanically achieve the desired outcome, in purely functional terms, is a comparative 'walk in the park'. The scripting, by comparison, is a hard hack with a blunt machete through the Jungle in which I more often than not do not manage to emerge from. BUT... I make my living from performing. The hobbyist/amateur often (usually in fact) has a different set of goals, agenda, and reasons for performing their magic. I would not want to pour scorn or derision on what others do just because it doesn't meet my standards for what I would require for myself. Maybe if the performer is happy in what they do that's enough for them. I can't see very much wrong with that. I might not enjoy the performance but so what. The performance isn't meant for me. For those that aren't hobbyists and amateurs the market place eventually decides who has a good scripts that brings their magic effects to life. The 'bad patter' in this environment simply will not survive. So I'm happy to accept it for what it is while, when appropriate, giving encouragement, help and prompting to show what more thoughtful scripting, maybe, has the potential to be.
Neal Austin
"The golden rule is that there are no golden rules." G.B. Shaw |
|||||||||
paullong Regular user 157 Posts |
Surely it's about communication with your audience?
I've seen many (many!) magicians who are technically brilliant but they're obviously running the same words with the same timing etc. for their effect. I instinctively know this and mentally turn off. If a magician doesn't care about their communication, then the audience can't care about the magic. Without this care, it's just impossible, with it it can be magical. Paul |
|||||||||
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » We double dare you! » » Does most patter suck? (0 Likes) | ||||||||||
Go to page [Previous] 1~2~3~4 |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 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 < |