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RandomEffects Veteran user Boston, MA 323 Posts |
Controlling and reading a crowd is probaly the one skill that simply takes time to learn. Like Dan Hustle said in his posting you need a line for everything, but it also just takes time to learn what works for you.
How you deal with a heckler can make or break your show. Too easy on him and you let the crowd think its alright to keep heckling you. Too hard and a lot of them will feel uncomfortable (uncomfortable= NO Tips). I hope that everyone can share some of the many ways that they deal with heckelers so that we can all learn from each other. I love replying to my own strings. While I have just re-started out doing street performance I have discovered that one situation you NEED a line for is the kid in the audience who will not shut up. You can't get away with some of the lines that you use for adults because most of the time they don't get the point or care. The other problem is that the audience is always amused by the kid giving the magician a hard time. By chance I happened to discover a great way out of it. I will look at the child and say "Do you have any more questions?" He of course does. I then produce or just pull out a magic 8-ball and hand it to him. You can toss in the silly "didn't predict that one did you" joke too. This wows the audience, makes me look cool, and gives the kid something to play with for at least 5 minutes so I can finish the act. It is really surprising the effect this gets from the crowd, both laughs and bewilderment, and puts me back in the spotlight, where I of course belong! Mat |
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R Allen New user Two Rivers, Wisconsin 18 Posts |
That is totally awesome!
~Rob
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MAGICTOM Veteran user Dallas, Tx 354 Posts |
Love it!!
I'm heading to the store today to get one.. Thanks Mat!! Tom One more tip.. I have found that most of my hecklers in the end become the most loyal spectators that leave the show claiming that "you are Awesome! Better than David Blaine, Check this guy out! He's amazing.." I think this is normally because this heckler is the kid or adult that has it all figured out.. I look at this type of person not as a challenge, but as an opportunity.. I have one or two tricks that use audience participation and are fail proof.. everyone has these, the tricks that you can always rely on.. sometimes known as "magician foolers" because the method, even if it is simple, is so hidden and so clever that the spectator that "knows it all" cannot avoid being perplexed and amazed.. I save these tricks for hecklers, and often make them a spectator participant.. it has worked every time! not just some times, not just occasionally, BUT every time. as much as I want to leave, and give the loudmouth a whack with my scepter.. I stick it out and enjoy thoroughly the rewards of converting the Jack-*** to a friend and loyal advertisement tool.. I have also heard a lot of magicians bomb the show by approaching the method above and loose credibility completely.. I guess my day will come and I may re-think my strategies. but so far it has worked wonderfully and I couldn't be happier. and again, I love the 8-ball thing Take it easy Tom
No Man is his craft's master the first day!
J.B. Bobo |
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Peter Marucci Inner circle 5389 Posts |
Absolutely wonderful 8-Ball bit, Mat!
I love it! |
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yosef_dov Loyal user NYC area 242 Posts |
Greetings...
I think you just caused the stock price of whoever makes 8 balls to shoot up... I'm a gitten one too! JN |
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johnstu Regular user London 161 Posts |
In "Strong Magic" Darwin Ortiz recommends ignoring hecklers except in extreme circumstances. His argument being that they crave attention and by acknowledging their existance you are giving it to them.
I generally only perform for friends so luckily don't often encounter hecklers so of course I have no idea if this advice is any good. |
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Brian Proctor Inner circle Somewhere 2323 Posts |
I tend to poke them in the eye with my color changing knife. But then it changes the color of my knife to a color I do not even have in my knife set. I can be mean to hecklers. Just kidding.
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RandomEffects Veteran user Boston, MA 323 Posts |
Johnstu,
While i am sure that ortiz does recomend ignoring them, i don't think he was thinking of street performance. I find that a crowd you gather on the street is a lot more fickle than those in a rest or at a party. The reason being is that generally they are walking by and happen to notice you. Thusly we need to capture and keep their attention and by letting a heckler get away with anything will decrease the amount of attention on us and thusly increase trhe chances that they are gonna walk on. By bringing them into the act and making them part of it we keep the attention and the focus upon us. Mat |
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TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
Quote:
On 2002-11-03 03:42, Brian Proctor wrote: heh heh. Seriously, I am quite stern and do not hesitate. This, for me, really helps establish that the spectators are not to mess around. I also try to follow any reproof with urging the spectator to participate so they know there are no hard feelings. e.g., "Don't touch that please. Here, hold this instead. Now ...."
www.theambitiouscard.com Hand Crafted Magic
Trophy Husband, Father of the Year Candidate, Chippendale's Dancer applicant, Unofficial World Record Holder. |
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secondbaseman Loyal user Amsterdam 225 Posts |
guys what is a heckler??
:S greetings niels |
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RandomEffects Veteran user Boston, MA 323 Posts |
A heckler is anyone who is causing a distraction or trouble in the crowd you have gathered.
There are different types of hecklers out there though. It is usually someone who is always yelling out" it's in your other hand" and "I know how he does it" "It's up your sleeve". Those are examples of mild hecklers and if you know your job they can dealt with. The troublesome hecklers are the ones who attack you, ala "You Suck!" and other such comment. The worst part is that guys like that will often watch you a perform a couple of times just so they can bust your balls by knowing what is going to happen. Hope you avoid them, Mat |
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MAGICTOM Veteran user Dallas, Tx 354 Posts |
Hey Second baseman..
Just perform for your friends a lot..*L* soon they will all be hecklers and they will help you prepare for stranger audiences.. This is a good thing.. because your friends know you well, and if you can get an effect past them, then you know you are ready to perform for the rest of the world.. So I guess what I am trying to say, is to appreciate the Heckling you get from friends and family and use the experience to deal with the bad apples that are out there.. at least one in almost every crowd. Good luck Tom
No Man is his craft's master the first day!
J.B. Bobo |
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secondbaseman Loyal user Amsterdam 225 Posts |
Thanks for the tips guys
greetings niels |
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James Malone-Lee New user 24 Posts |
What is an 8-Ball?
James |
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RandomEffects Veteran user Boston, MA 323 Posts |
The classic toy that looks like an 8-ball bit is larger than a softball. You would shake, ask a question, then turn it over and inside was a die floating in liquid with allkinds of answers on it. When you turned it over one side of the die would float up to the little window and give an answer to you question.
Mat |
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Jim Davis Special user What is....? Utah 945 Posts |
Does anyone have a Magic Eight ball production harness for sale?
If not time to make one!! What a great one! As far a hecklers go, I love 'em! They have produce some of the funniest lines, greatest laughs, and made me re-think my routining. Sure they are a real pain sometimes, but face it, there is antogonists everywhere in life, and can use them to make yourself better. I do try and avoid the "stingers".. since I don't want to be on the same plane they are.. but sometime even I can't help myself.
Diamond Jim Davis "The Cardslinger" ~~~ Magic from the '80's....................the 1880's!
<BR><BR> <BR><BR>Don't just be a magician, be a human interest! <BR><BR> <BR><BR>[url]www.periodplayers.com[/ur |
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Ron Giesecke Special user Redding, Ca. 947 Posts |
I have to admit that hecklers are sometimes useful, since many of them sit perched atop their little critical vantage point and wait for any logical incongruity to go wafting across the prairie.
This is why I never perform a torn and restored card effect for anyone but the most amenable audience, because the logical problems are immense ("if you wanted it put back together, why did you tear it up?"). This can also aid in redirecting a routine. Hecklers are usually far from original, and they many times will barf out the same observation/theory/conclusion that the previous cadre did, so maybe a calculated circumvention of these situations would be ideal. Of course, there is the proverbial thorn in the flesh. In the private shows, you have to either co-opt the idiot and get him working for you, or ignore him (and I mean "him" generically.) The public shows, are another matter, and a stern, clear, and polite request to stop doing what they are doing is usually enough to move them along. Like Mike Close says in his "Workers" series. "Life is too short to try changing these people." (I think I paraphrase him actually). --Ron |
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erik New user Bucks County, PA 90 Posts |
I love the 8-ball idea, it is great!
I thought it is worth noting, that now that the magic 8-ball has been around for many years, and has hit nostalgic status, there are many knock-offs, of all sizes. I recently saw a key chain version. There is some info & background Here! and from the source: Here! So, if you find them cheap enough (try a dollar store?) you might consider letting them keep it. (also, easier to produce magically) -erik |
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ed rhodes Inner circle Rhode Island 2885 Posts |
Quote:
This is why I never perform a torn and restored card effect for anyone but the most amenable audience, because the logical problems are immense ("if you wanted it put back together, why did you tear it up?"). "Because if I didn't tear it up first, I couldn't put it back together! You gotta think logically sometimes!" My other favorite is when a kid pops up with "I know how that trick's done!" I say; "Wow, you mean there's a TRICK to this? I've been doing it the hard way all this time!" and go back to what I'm doing. ...Sometimes you just have to say; "Sorry, I'm going to stop... we're obviously not in the mood." It's dangerous... but I've had people hush hecklers on that one.
"...and if you're too afraid of goin' astray, you won't go anywhere." - Granny Weatherwax
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Adam V Special user 603 Posts |
I saw a street performer working yesterday and as he was running around gathering a crowd and being funny, he was getting a few "hecklerish" comments from a small group of 13 year old boys. He tried interacting with them but they weren't interested. So what did he do? He simply walked up to the ringleader, covered his headset mike and said in a very polite way "I don't mind you guys watching the show and having fun but try not to spoil it for people please." I couldn't believe it but this worked perfectly.
My theory is that at that age you're starting to realise that you have the power to beat adults. If you, a 13 year old boy can stuff up a professional, adult performed then you must therefore be better than him. When the performed talked to them it was like he was saying "Yes, you have the ability to ruin my show. I acknowledge this so now you don't have to prove it." That seemed to be enough for the guys so they left it alone, stayed to watch the show and weren't a problem.
Adam V - 9 out of 10 dentists recommend him.
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