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sdgiu Elite user The Boonies, NC 456 Posts |
I'm going to be doing a comedy magic act for some friends at church, and I have some old stuff that I am going to use that I know will work, but I have some new ideas that I would like to bounce off you to see if you think it'll get the reaction I'm looking for.
So I'll be adding things to this as I get closer to the date. Please feel free to tell me if something doesn't sound quite right, or if you can add a twist. Idea #1 Mentalist Routine Background Our church has one of those projection screens, on which I'll have a rabbit in hat (or something) projected, and a man in the booth. We don't have a choir, we have a praise team, therefore a band, soooo I have my choice of drummers for rimshots. Routine I'll have a volunteer on stage facing the audience. I'll have my back to the audience when they make their choices (cards, colors, or whatever). And of course I'll have my man in the projection booth feeding me the answers (in 10' letters), so my volunteer will think I am Kreskin, and the crowd should be rolling. Now, can anyone give me a good spin on this, or should I play it as is? I plan on doing about 30-45 minutes total, as we may do other things that night also. It's set up as a dinner with entertainment, of which I will be the finale. I have free reign, so it should be fun. We've all known each other for years, but I've never done anything like this around them, so they don't know what to expect. The only magic I've done around here has been regular, quasi-serious stuff, so the surprise factor should work well in my favor "IF" I can play it right. I nearly shocked some people to death the last place I did something like this. Up till then they thought I was a quiet respectable kinda guy, so the shock factor worked really well in my favor there. Don't get me wrong, I don't do "SHOCKING" stuff. I just surprised them. Well that's all for now. More later. Thanks Steve zzz |
NJJ Inner circle 6437 Posts |
Sounds great. Do you want to have a REAL magicial finale at the end?
And also, will there be kids? Because if there are kids they will yell out the method as soon as they see it. |
sdgiu Elite user The Boonies, NC 456 Posts |
Thank you for your kind remarks.
You're right about the kids part, but we usually have a babysitter for these things. If not, that's OK too, because I can use them (sometimes people don't see things I want them to see and you're right, the kids won't miss anything) so with the stuff I am going to use, it sometimes actually helps to have kids there. I haven't actually decided on a finale. I've been playing with the idea of a REAL one. But if I use a real one, after all the silly stuff I'm gonna do, it'll have to be a real whopper. I was thinking of something like making David Copperfield disappear. Steve zzz P.S. If you have any ideas for a finale or anything else, I'd sure appreciate hearing them. |
BryanDreyfus Loyal user 293 Posts |
I have found that 30 minutes for a dinner with entertainment type of gig is more than enough...plus you mention that there will be other things planned.
KISS: "keep is simple stupid" should also be "keep it simply short". Cute idea with projection.
Oh sure, I can spell "Antidisestablishmentarianism", but I can't type t-h-e.
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Josh the Superfluous Inner circle The man of 1881 Posts |
It would be nice if you could do something with the projection, at the end of the bit, that was in fact magical.
Maybe if you had three spectators start by selecting an object from a box, a colored silk from a bag, and a card from a deck. Have them hold up each item as you make your predictions (projections). Then when it's time to name the cards don't have them hold them out, but have the projectionist project the 3 cards above their heads. I don't know how fast slides can change, but it would be funny to have the rabbit graphic set to go just in case someone turns around. Just some thoughts, -Josh
What do you want in a site? "Honesty, integrity and decency." -Mike Doogan
"I hate it, I hate my ironic lovechild. I didn't even have anything to do with it" Josh #2 |
sdgiu Elite user The Boonies, NC 456 Posts |
Sorry it's been so long since I've been on, but things Got REALLY buuussssssyyyyyyyyyyyyy.
Bryan thanks for the suggestion. I've been aware of the "KISS" principle for a long time now, however, it does seem to evade me when it is most important. I'll take your advice and try to keep it toward the front of my brain. Thanks again Steve zzz Josh The projector is one of those high speed video projectors, and it's hooked up to a computer, DVD player, and VCR so the possibilities are endless. I think you are right, but I am not sure exactly what to do. I was planning on doing the Invisible Deck for a finale, but your ideas sound like they would be as good if not better. Now look at the mess you've put me into. I'm going to have to think. Thanks again Josh Steve zzz P.S. The rabbit in hat icon will definitely be on standby in case of emergency... |
0pus Inner circle New Jersey 1739 Posts |
Here are a couple of ideas for the projector.
First, it may be used as an adjunct to the "Thought Projector" routine where you force a card on a spectator and he is to "project" his card to another spectator using a newly developed thought projector (a manual eggbeater which he holds to his forehead while turning the crank). The second spectator does not seem to "receive" the thought, but the projected image gradually fades in a huge five of clubs. Magi says, "I think you may have aimed it wrong." He asks the audience to call out the name of the card and they do. A second thought would be to perform some close up magic, but use the projector in order to let the entire audience see it. You have an assistant act as the closeup cameraman, with a fake camera. The cameraman can do some comedy bits, using the camera from weird angles, getting in the way, etc. Meanwhile, projected on the screen is a pre-recorded bit that bears only nominal relation to what is going on on the stage. If a card trick, the projector could reflect a series of extremely skillful flourishes, while on stage you are merely taking the cards out of the box and removing the jokers and advert cards. You could then go into your routine, with the projection showing the cards flying all over the place, the projected hands abandoning cards and starting a cups and balls routine, playing with a matchbox car, doing finger tricks, having a puppet come up, etc. From the audience reaction you realize something is amiss and look up at the projection. You throw the cameraman off the stage and warn the projectionist to pay closer attention. Then return and finish the trick. I think a trick that might be good here is the card on the seat, where you are coaching the spectator to do the trick, so that the feats of "skill" appear to be those of the spectator at first. 0pus |
Reg Rozee Special user Vancouver, Canada 592 Posts |
Opus, that second part in particular was absolutely killer funny! No pressure Steve, but I am dying to hear about someone trying that so I can hear how it turns out!
-Reg {*}
Reality is what doesn't go away when you stop believing in it. -Phillip K. Dick
Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes? -Chico Marx |
Michael Dustman Inner circle Columbus, Ohio 1220 Posts |
This is a standard bit in any show or lecture David Williamson does. He arranges to have the cameraman record him prior to the event in the same locale he is performing and will do everything mentioned above and more, such as eating a sandwich, pouring drinks etc.
Last year at Operacadabra, he made a deck vanish via a camera cut and it reappeared as John Carney's head. He also did a similar routine that brought down the house at Magi-Fest this year as he walked off for a drink while the cameraman was still aiming at the table, all the while the screen was showing incredible flourishes. |
0pus Inner circle New Jersey 1739 Posts |
Sorry. I never saw Williamson do this.
0pus |
sdgiu Elite user The Boonies, NC 456 Posts |
Thanks for the ideas guys, those ideas are great no matter where they come from. Don't worry Reg, I can't wait wait to see how it turns out too, I wonder who I can get to do it? Are you free that weekend???
Anyway, while I was reading that opus/DW trick I had several ideas for it also (which have probably already been put into someone elses act) I wonder why that works that way? Very few great inventions/discoveries have been made that weren't come upon simultaneously by several people sometimes in different parts of the world. And as Schmee (first mate from the movie "Hook") said: Schmee: "oive just ad an epiphany, loightening just struck moy brain (excuse the bad attempt @ the accents) Perhaps serendipity really is in the air. Something of a static charge, that just travels around looking for the right receptors to strike. AAAAAAAAAAAh probly not, just coincidence Steve zzz |
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