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amshake Regular user 164 Posts |
Another GREAT suggestion that I did not see presented was to get involved with a Magic Club of some kind. Regular monthly (or more) meetings give you a chance to perform in front of people who are willing and able to give direct, meaningful advice related to the art. Practice with people who can help, not who can hurt!
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Adam Shake Vice President of the Peoria Magicians Assembly IBM and SAM Member Magic Geek |
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Ed_Millis Inner circle Yuma, AZ 2292 Posts |
Along the way, please don't forget to have fun!! So you screwed up a trick - - it just proves you're as human as anyone else. You dropped the cards - they took a wrong turn and wound up in the other bathroom - and we laugh!!
I am coming back into magic myself. And the only reason I have allowed myself to take these steps is that I resolve not to let my life rest on my success as a magician - whether that's as a "wonder worker" or a "laugh generator". Maybe you're performing tricks you shouldn't be trying right now, or maybe for the wrong people. Or maybe you're just putting too much weight on your own shoulders. You need to be having fun and enjoying your performance. Or the audience probably won't enjoy it either. A self-worker (my favorites are B'Wave and a count-the-cards routine [not the 21!!]) lets you relax and have fun with people, and not worry about "Did I do that right?". Magic shouldn't be a big rock to roll uphill - it ought to be a party you can bring with you. Ed |
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airship Inner circle In my day, I have driven 1594 Posts |
You don't have to be 'good' (whatever that is), you just have to be ENTERTAINING. The only sin you can commit as an entertainer is to be boring. If you can tell a joke, or present a trick in such a way that you're surprised YOURSELF if it works, then you've got it made.
One little example, "Pick a card, any card. Now I'll find it. There it is, right there, in your hand! See? But let's make it just a little bit harder... place it in the deck..." If nothing else, even if you fail to find their card the SECOND time, at least you'll be able to point out that you found it the FIRST time.
'The central secret of conjuring is a manipulation of interest.' - Henry Hay
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state Loyal user 202 Posts |
Get into clowning. It's amazing what being behind a costume and make-up can do to your personality and confidence. Once you build confidence as a clown, it will still be there when you take off the make-up.
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Sk8erBoi9305 Regular user 133 Posts |
Ok... dude. this is COMPLETLY fake. you're just doing this to get attention. how do you have 700 posts and you're still a noob. a noob doesn't have 700 posts worth of stuff to say.
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gaddy Inner circle Agent of Chaos 3526 Posts |
If all your posts are one sentence long, you might...
*due to the editorial policies here, words on this site attributed to me cannot necessarily be held to be my own.*
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Ed_Millis Inner circle Yuma, AZ 2292 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-01-23 12:31, Sk8erBoi9305 wrote: Not necessarily. He may be just like me - you ask a hundred questions before you ever try anything, hoping the answers you get will help you never fail. So when you _do_ fail, you need to go back and ask another hundred questions. Sometimes it's hard to just get out there and ~~DO IT~~!! Even though that's the best way to learn, it's also the most painful. Knowledge can often help avoid lots of pain - but never all of it! Ed |
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Lord Anacho Regular user Kessel-Lo, Belgium 157 Posts |
Hi all
I agree with Ed. I myself know a thing or two about stagecraft, and can follow most discussions on this Café and know perfectly well what people are talking about. I can even chip in here and there and give my 2 c But that does not mean that I am an accomplished performer, not by a long stretch. So I disagree with Sk8erBoi9305. There are even people, believe it or not, who are not interested in performing magic, they are interested on a pure theoretical basis and yes, they can offer insights. Ciao for now Erik
"The secret impresses no one. The trick you use it for is everything" (Alfred Borden in The Prestige)
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airship Inner circle In my day, I have driven 1594 Posts |
Yeah, look at me. I don't know squat and I've got over 1200 posts! Being ignorant never stopped me.
'The central secret of conjuring is a manipulation of interest.' - Henry Hay
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donrodrigo Special user U.S.A. and Europe 635 Posts |
Hi Noobini;
Crawl before you walk.We all heard that one. Fact is I'm still crawling don't you think.Point is and punn inteded through our life we are always learning.No matter how seasoned a professional is.Try first with your family they are your best audience,and they will tell you what is wrong,you'll feel more at ease with them,then move on to your friends,and so on,and so on.. (As the Italians say never give up ROME wasnt built in a day.) |
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The Amazing Noobini Inner circle Oslo, Norway 1658 Posts |
Thanks everyone! In the month or maybe five weeks since my bad performance experience I haven't had another opportunity to perform again. I guess I need to find a way of asking people more directly if they want to see something. Because the chance simply never comes around by itself.
I live alone and work alone and most of my friends I keep in contact with by email and phone. They're all married or working too much or living elsewhere by now. Although I do see the same few people every day when I stop by my local café. I will reconsider applying for a local Magic Circle membership. It costs quite a bit but it will probably do me a lot of good to be able to interact directly with someone. If I won't just sit quietly at the back, that is. For me magic has been something done alone in private. I have had little opportunity to work on the performance part of it. Which of course is the reasons for my insecurities. I will not attempt any kind of semi-professional engagement until I have had at least two years more of practice and preparation. But being able to perform a trick every now and then as a hobbyist would be good. As of now I don't know how that situation could naturally come about, but we'll see. Thank you again everyone for your help!
"Talk about melodrama... and being born in the wrong part of the world." (Raf Robert)
"You, my friend, have a lot to learn." (S. Youell) "Nonsensical Raving of a lunatic mind..." (Larry) |
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Mumblemore Inner circle 1429 Posts |
I would also say, perhaps contrary to some pros, that there comes a point where you just gotta perform in public. I wasn't ready, but I don't think I embarrassed the art of magic (some posters suggest you have to practice to perfection before performing, but if we did that we'd never reach the point). Good luck. Just take the plunge.
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mmreed Inner circle Harrisburg, PA 1432 Posts |
I find myself feeling this way when it comes to cards. I can't even shuffle without making a mess. I know it comes down to practice, but its soooo aggravating when practicing only to have things fly all over the place. I often feel very "gimpy".
Mark Reed
Wedding and Event Entertainment |
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Haardwire New user Southampton 4 Posts |
Hi Noobini,
I'm new here, so hope you won't be offended by my 10c worth, but here goes anyway. One of the earlier posts talked about scripting. This is a huge key to sucess. Know what you're going to say, when, and critically, why! The patter needs to be logical & entertaining. When Goshman did the spongeballs, one great line for the ladies when they discovered 2 in their hand was "Does that feel natural to you? You'll notice one is bigger. One is always bigger!" or something like that anyway. The point being, it always got a laugh, & if he needed a distraction for a move, he'd got it. I was lucky enough to meet the late great Ken Brookes when he ran his magic studio in london. All the effects he sold were scripted to perfection. Genuis. That set the pattern for me. If I don't know what to say or when, I dump the effect Hecklers are a nightmare, but on the odd occasion when they threaten to ruin things, I sometimes use one effect or another with a sucker ending, with them as the sucker (though don't make them feel too small, you never really want to offend anyone). If I think I have someone who'll be awkward replacing a card in the deck, I defend that in one of 2 ways. One, if you force the card, it doesn't matter if the card really gets lost in the deck. If that happens you can switch to another effect. 2, Simply cut the deck yourself for them to replace the card. I use the fan force as it's never failed me. Actually, I always force when dealing with family & friends as they feel some god given right to try to mess things up. Maybe familiarity really breeds contempt. Who knows. Anyway, hope some of that helps. Kind regards Nick
Anything is possible
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0045 New user 70 Posts |
The late great Tommy Cooper made a living out of doing "bad" magic, this stemmed from his very first performance when everything seemed to go wrong for him.
The reactions and laughs he got as a result of his blunders were ten times better than he had hoped for had everything gone to plan and set the course for an exemplary career. He became an expert magician and member of the Magic Circle but continued doing "bad" magic for the rest of his life. Don't be put off but continue to perform and enjoy it when things go wrong, we all screw up occasionally and hopefully we learn something when we do. Regards 0045 |
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The Amazing Noobini Inner circle Oslo, Norway 1658 Posts |
Thank you again everyone for your ideas and support! I have actually planned a few tricks along the lines that 0045 describe. More or less. I feel that it is easier to take a humble approach than to show off for someone who is a little bit timid. Also I plan to do more things where the spectator seems to be the one causing the magic to happen, not me.
I recently saw a Fred Kaps video on YouTube which was just incredible where he fails brilliantly again and again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMjxkHM-hQM&feature=related (found this link in another thread here recently but I don't remember who discovered it). Tommy Cooper I haven't seen since long before I begun with magic myself . I'll have a look again. As has been stated before, the problem is just that I haven't yet had enough experience. Still haven't had another opportunity to do magic for someone since I wrote the first post. Time goes by fast. Based on how long has gone by between my last few performance attempts, I will realistically probably not be doing a magic trick for someone more than maybe three times this year. So that means more practice with a mirror and also a video camera. Thanks again everyone!
"Talk about melodrama... and being born in the wrong part of the world." (Raf Robert)
"You, my friend, have a lot to learn." (S. Youell) "Nonsensical Raving of a lunatic mind..." (Larry) |
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MMCRANIUM New user JOHN CRANE 5 Posts |
Greetings Noobini!
If your not already a public speaker, I would suggest that you take a Dale Carnegie Class or join Toastmasters International (a public speaking club). By getting in front of a group regularly your comfort zone will expand considerably. Become entertaining without the props 1st...then gradually add a trick or two to your talks. Before you know it, you'll have broken through...& be comfortable and confident performing in front of family, friends or strangers!!! Hope this helps!! Enthusiastically, MMCranium |
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NurseRob Elite user Dallas, TX 469 Posts |
Noobini sir, I salute you for your honesty with yourself, to face your troubles, and address them in a resolute way. Taking your inner desire to to perform through the reality of it's difficulties is a personal journey of growth. While you are able to embrace your noobness now, you will emerge from it one day with skills and ability, and fond memories of your hard times well behind you. We fellow nooblets applaud you for your courage!
Ut imago est animi voltus sic indices oculi ~
The face is a picture of the mind as the eyes are its interpreter ~Cicero |
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ammon New user 12 Posts |
I have not read all of the suggestions here, but just an idea. Get lots of experience in performance. Go to a park or food court at the mall, and do one or two tricks. Move on to the next group.
Get your face in front of lots of people. Don't worry about mistakes, just get lots of "face time". |
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The Amazing Noobini Inner circle Oslo, Norway 1658 Posts |
Since I started this thread some 3 months ago I haven't had a single opportunity to perform for anyone. I am basically a loner and I am absurdly shy. I will never go to any park and approach anyone with magic. I am unable to do that. Here in Norway nobody would stop and look anyway. In any case I am simply not that kind of a person.
As far as I know there are no toastmaster clubs or anything like that here. There are 3 toastmasters for hire in the phone book in the entire country but no courses or anything else that can be joined. As people around me become more and more aware that I'm still learning this mysterious magic stuff, I will probably be asked to do something at some point in the future, although most people seem to think it is a stupid thing to do with one's time compared to things like doing sports or drinking. My best option is to try to find the courage to not refuse when/if the opportunity arises. I have now added a cheat sheet to my wallet where I have listed things like 8 different ways of finding a selected card that I can do with any deck at any time. And some other neat stuff I do fairly well like color separation effects. I just need to be reminded of what I actually know because in the past I have been unable to remember a single thing I know when asked. So there it is. I will never be a magician. I am too high strung and I started too late in life. I will never be able to talk to a woman I really really like, I will never get a drivers license and I will never get through a job interview for anything I would actually like to do. Technically I am a loser. I cannot lick these problems. I'm almost 40 and I have tried it all. So be it. In order for there to be winners there also have to be losers. A simple equation. I don't really care anymore. I'm not saying this to get sympathy. In fact I would rather not get anything like that. I'm fine and content on my level in life. I still love learning magic for my own enjoyment and I enjoy interacting with you fine people here. It is good enough, I think. Thank you all for your continued support and suggestions!
"Talk about melodrama... and being born in the wrong part of the world." (Raf Robert)
"You, my friend, have a lot to learn." (S. Youell) "Nonsensical Raving of a lunatic mind..." (Larry) |
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