I am putting together a pickpocket act. I have James Freedmans stealing the show and Mastering art of pickpocketing by nicholas byrd and the other guy (offtopic stealing the show is 10x better than art of pickpocketing, art of pickpocketing is actually pretty bad) I also have eddie coats booklet. I also have On the spot by gregory wilson.

So I know the basics, and "can" pickpocket (but don't master!(offcourse )).

But like the topic says I want to know about putting together an act. What should it include, what do you think are killers. something like 10-15min act.
POST YOUR IDEAS! I have some ideas but I won't help you, cause I want to know what do you think. You can PM me if you don't want to post your acts here.

also:
Do you know any pickpocket book/video that will teach how to put together a pickpocket act and tell what it should include.

The problem with a pickpocket act in and of itself is how long do you do it? It is tough to be a full evening act, as people get sick of it pretty quick. I mean after 10 minutes they kind of are saying," alright I get it".

To come up with more than 10 minutes will be your challenge. Realistically there is only so much you can steal. Watches, wallets, suspenders, glasses, belts, really it gets thin after that.

The real problem is that the audience often sees what is happening and often it looks like you are abusing the spectators... avoid that. Try to see videos of various performers and see what you think. Ricki Dunn was good as humor was the key.

Pete Biro said
...Try to see videos of various performers and see what you think....

I was just going to ask where I can find some videos from different performers. I mean whole show, not just clips.

Also I was thinking of doing some just pickpocket acts (10min?) eg could perform when you are booked to maybe some "boring" event where is every year same things, dancers,speaks...
Then another that would be longer where I could kind of use pickpocket as one effect and then throw it there and there during the magic.

When I first became interested in pickpocketing I was also frustrated at the lack of resources available for routining. I set about putting together a routine piece by piece,learning to incorporate one steal at a time into an act, as the prospect of diving head first into an entire act seems just plain silly to me. Also I wanted to present pickpocketing as pickpocketing and not wrapped up in magic. This is an area I think still remains largely under written.
I perform mainly as a strolling performer which also raised the challenge of pickpocketing for an audience that is aware of what you are going to do. That is, I think that in most situations it is better that the audience is told prior to your performance that you are a pickpocket, especially if you are new to it and are not certain that every steal will go by without incident.
The routine I came up with was introduced as a lesson in pickpocketing where I set up an impossible challenge situation that incorporates magic and pickpocketing methodolgy to accomplish as several guaranteed steals and also allows the opportunity for additional steals if they are on. From the audience perspective there is no magic in the routine. I have since developed two more of these routines and together they can be presented as an entire act. In strolling situations I am able to introduce the PP angle and avoid the problems of getting caught "unannounced" and know that there is always a strong finish even if the additional steals don't happen or are less than perfect. For me this has been the best way to become familiar with the mechanics of stealing in real performing situations without the risk.

This may come out the wrong way and believe me I don't meen it to. I went to your site and watched your video. Very funny the kids loved it. You seem kind of young. Like a teenager, If I am mistaken please don't take offense.
Putting this kind of act is something that you need to wait till your older I think. I was in my late teens doing magic and really wanted to put a pickpocket act together but a mentor of mine told me to wait till I had some age and some life experiences, in fact he told me not to work on it but to study as much as I could about it. Which I did, I didn't start doing my pickpocket act untill 4 years ago, rehersed for a year before I put it in my show. I am now 34 so I waited and I glad I did as a young 20 something it would have been much harder to do the steals as people wouldn't have trusted me on a stage with them up in front of the lights and crowd doing what I am doing. I am in no way telling you not to pursue it as it is a great art if done well and with time and age it will get better. This is just from personal experience.

tpdmagic

I am kind of happy that material is not readily available on how to pick pocket. After all there are enough pickpockets and they don't need any help with ideas. I have never been pickpocketed but know many many people who have.

Andrély stealing a watch in fism 2003

youtube.com

Regards

Seconded. Didn't like the thought of this subforum's creation or the fact that it's not 50+ posts to view. ':-/

C'mon, don't moralise, we're all magicians trying to get information!
And what is better than getting 'personal' help from real people?
I'm happy magicians are helping magicians in every subject!
Pickpocketing is a form of magic too.

I didn't like that video very much...

I agree about the age thing. I don't do a pickpocket act but I do steal watches in close up and on stage. Age, and the way you return the watch to its owner are important. Otherwise you wil come across as a smarty pants.

I agree with you... Great words.

I really like the idea of my watch switchinng places with the spectator. It does take some of the focus off of the returning of thier watch.
It is a magical effect within itself and really takes the heat off of how you deliver the spectators watch. You see they are more concerned with how you put the watch on them or better how you made this impossible feat take place. I think it also removes the idea that you stole in the first place.
One thing about picking pockets thier are people out there that no matter how good and how nice you are will want to kick your a*s for invading there person. Afterall you are showing them that they really are not that safe in this big world after you have asked them to trust you.

Of course if you choose people who are smaller and much weaker than you then you do not have to worry about this trivial matter.