Ok here goes, I tried producing a parakeet from a silk ribbon using Womach's Gizmo and I had a lil problem...It was a normal stage show, say for an audience of like 200/300. The reaction I got from the audience was not one which I had expected to get. It seemed to me as if they could not see the parakeet. My question is, DO you guys have the same problem and what do you do to ESTABLISH the production of a parakeet. Are parakeet productions really Feasible on stage??

I never use a parakeet. The only bird I used so far are doves. Was the lighting good? Was it a solid color item back stage of the parakeet?, because contrast is important. Did the parakeet flap her wings? Did you make a move requesting an applause? Or it could of been each person did not want to be the first to show an applause. The best way to find out is to try it a few more times, then add everything together.

Honestly, She did flap, its a white bird so its jus like a dove...the audience did applaud but its was not one with wow...Maybe a few more tries will set things straight. Maybe I should stick to parakeets in house and backyard parties. thanks Mike!

Maybe training the bird to fly from your hand to your shoulder, or something. The bird also needs to contrast from your costume and silk you use to produce it. Say if you wear a black or blue costume and use a black or blue silk, you might want to produce a pink or yellow parakeet. Hope this helps. Have never worked with parakeets, just using my stage craft and applying it to bird magic.

-Matt

http://www.magicalbirds.com Buy Daves parakeet video. End of story. haha! U will learn a TONNNNN from his video.

Wadini

I have found that by having the bird jump to my shoulder, or run up to it, really shows off that yes it is a bird. In over 1,100 shows of using parakeets, I have always been able to get a reaction, and I say that in the most humble way. I think that if you can have a chance to look at your video of your performance and ask youself what you wish you did differently, you'll be able to fix the problem.

Here are a couple solutions:
1) Leave your parakeet full flighted and train it to fly back to you after it appears.
2) If you clip the wings, quickly turn your fingers so the bird is caught slightly off balance and flaps his wings really hard. In the process he will step up to the next finger, and also attract a lot of attention.
3) Have him jump to your shoulder.
4) Have him walk across a bright colored rope from you to a prop, so he passes in front of your black backdrop. This gives animation to the effect to show he's real, shows that you can train your parakeet, and gives the audience that "awww..." feeling.

Just a few thoughts. I wish you the best of luck.

Dave

Thanks a lot Dave. I'm still sourcing for ur secrets of bird magic series and cant find them...do you have any left to sell?? I'm looking for DVDS

I do have a couple of VHS left. email me DaveWomach@Yahoo.com, and we can work out a deal if you'd like.

Thing is, I don't have a VHS player...looking for dvds...any help??

I also have the same problem. Actually people do react with a big "ooooooooooh" but they realize there is a bird a few seconds after it is produced...

They get a reaction for being "cute". I've been able to do it in front of audiences as large as 3,000 people, and get reactions. The reaction comes more from them running up or down my arm. I also have some parakeets that are fly back birds. So they appear, fly out, and come back to me just like doves would. They always get the better reaction that the parakeet that doesn't fly. As for fly back training check out my dvd at http://www.magicalbirds.com. The DVD called Taming Training and Tricks vol 4 (flight). It teaches some of the basics. Also, my new DVD at the top of the page teaches how to "target train" which can easily be used for flight training as well. I've trained a parakeet in less than a week to do this behavior using the methods I explain on the DVD.

hope that helps!

Cool Dave...Will check it out. Cheers! I gave away my 4 parakeets to somone in need of them. Anyways, I stopped performing with them. Perhaps I'll add them to the show again.