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alextheamazing New user 15 Posts |
Hey all,
I'm doing a grocery story opening in about a month. Trying to put some sets together. I think I've got two I'm going to stick with so far. This is the first. I start with a sponge ball. I let them examine it and then put it in their hand. I go into my pocket, gather some magic fairy dust (and finger palm another sponge ball) and sprinkle it on their hand. WHen they open their hand, there are two sponge balls. I take them both, and I take one, go to put it in my pocket, but also finger palm that one. Then I put the one remaining in their hand, close it, sprinkle fairy dust, and when they open their hand, there are three. Next, I take out my Svengali deck, cut to the force card and ask them to remember it. Then I put the pack back in my pocket. I take out a red hankerchief, and ask them to hold it. Then I take out a yellow hankerchief and my thumb tip (covertly). I Make the yellow silk dissapear and reappaer. Then I ask them to hold the yello silk in their other hand. I ask them what their card was before. THey tell me. I say. Oh. I bet I have that somewhere. I take out the deck, transfer the red silk to the hand with the yellow silk. I put the deck in their hands (I'll probably switch out the deck for a normal deck so they can examine it). THen I reach into my right pocket, and pull out a card. I take the deck out of their hand and put it in the hand wiht the other silks. Then I ask them to hold the card and I put it in their hand facedown. I keep on looking around baffled, and then stop and say. Oh. Hold on. What card do you have in your hand there. They turn it over and it's their card. That's what I was thinking for my first strolling routine. Does that make sense? What do you think? For the second, I'm going to do ust a standard vanish, magic pass and reappear of a coin. The two in the hand one in the pocket trick with fifty cent pieces. And then a few card tricks. Have them pick a card, shuffle and it comes to the top of the deck. Have them pick one out of three cards and whatever card they picked magically goes that far down in the deck. If it's a five, it will be five cards down, etc...And then put two halves of the deck facing each other. Remove card from the bottom, put on top and cards now all magically face the same direction. I'll rotate between those three. What do you all think of those two sets? Maybe I'll throw in a scotch and soda if I get bored... I'm new to gigs, so thoughts are welcome. |
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AdamChance Special user 656 Posts |
Are you just using a Svengali deck to force a card? and then taking that forced card out of your pocket?
I think there are much better ways to force a card and do a revelation. also, I don't really think I understand the role of the silk vanish within that card trick. with the sponge balls, I feel like you should do a rentention vanish at some point to make it disappear from your hand and appear in their hand. it's a great idea to do an ambtious card routine where their card comes to the top of the deck. do it with a signed card, and ideally have it end up in some impossible location. in a walk around set, you could just go out there with a deck of cards, a sharpie and some sponge balls and just do an ACR and sponge ball routine over and over again. so my advice would be to practice those two routines and rely on them. |
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alextheamazing New user 15 Posts |
Great suggestions. The silk bit is just a trick... the inclusion within the card trick was just to add to their confusion. I don't really know ambitious card. I can bring their card to top but I got to shuffle to do. Ill look into ambitious. Goid idea with balls and retention pass. Thanks
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Mark Boody Illusionist Inner circle 1366 Posts |
"Confusion is NOT magic" Dai Vernon
Only he who can see the invisible can do the impossible. Frank L. Gaines
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ldl1017 Elite user 476 Posts |
Alex,
I've done a couple of grocery store openings. you want to keep the people moving and shopping. That's the reason for a store opening. Catch families with children and do a quick sponge ball item or silk and TT for the kiddies and then let them move on. Don't linger to long. The owners/managers want to see the people checking out. Don't do a typical three trick set. Just my opinion here. Lou
“I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.”
Billy Joel |
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alextheamazing New user 15 Posts |
Thank you. that is great advice. Much appreciated.
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twistedace Inner circle philadelphia 3772 Posts |
Honestly, please don't take offense, you do NOT sound ready to take on a paid gig yet. You asked for advice/feedback. The effects you have prepared and are asking about are confusing, transparent, and absolute beginner material. How long have you been studying magic? Do you have other effects you perform well? My advice is to learn some simple, but effective card effects. Check out Ammar's Easy to Master Card Miracles if you're into learning from DVDs.
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themagicguy Loyal user Australia 280 Posts |
Don't you do the juggling act? If so I would recommend you do that. A grocery store on opening day will be pretty busy, that way you could keep everyone entertained and the crowd moving. If the kids come up to you perform a silk vanish and or sponge routine. As other have said you are not ready, but I guess you gotta start somewhere.
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jay leslie V.I.P. Southern California 9498 Posts |
I agree with the above but it's worth reading my rabbit story.
Make balloon animals while they walk. Pull manufacturers coupons out of their ears, Juggle oranges. The owners should have probably just hired a stilt walker because all they really want is excitement and colourful movement but they sure don't want you to stop the flow of traffic. - - - - - - Several years ago, a City Council paid me to entertain at an Ikea opening (not ikea but the city itself paid me). When I arrived the ikea manager said "Look... We really want shoppers looking & buying, no offence, So what can you do "Over There" in that corner, out of everyone's way?" I hid the show behind the elevator and took the rabbit out of his cage. The rabbit waved to everyone getting on the escalator. No show, no interaction and the manager was very happy. The Rep from City Council said "The manager was happy" so he was happy and he reported back to the City Council that Ikea was happy. Everyone was happy, especially me because... That was a lot of "waving hello" for three hours and a thousand dollars And don't forget about the two 20 minute breaks so my rabbit could rest!
Jay Leslie
www.TheHouseOfEnchantment.com |
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Alex>>>>>>>>>>>>
KEEP IT SIMPLE! Your first projected "set" is too long, too complicated, too confusing. Remember what I said a day or two ago. EYE CANDY EFFECTS!--for that kind of gig. You are only there to add a little fun to the promotion. You are putting too many 'ingredients' in the soup pot! No one will be able to identify 'what they are eating'! --and, they really wont care! Remember those shoppers didn't come to that store to see YOU! They came to buy groceries. Leave the scotch and soda at home! If you get bored performing, don't perform!!! (Get involved in some other hobby.) Just because you own a Svengali, doesn't mean that you must use it. (Three grocery bags of props to that birthday party!!!)>>>>>THE PERFORMER IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE PROP.<<<<< Go back and read again, that post about doing magic for people in a QUEUE!!!!! Remember what I told David Fillary! A quick visual,(SIMPLE & FUN) followed (maybe) BY a second. Doing three would be the absolute EXCEPTON! An ACROBATIC CARD ROUTINE IS MUCH TOO LONG FOR A GIG LIKE THIS. Your second projected set:::Same comments as the first set. NOW, GO BACK AND READ ldl1017's post AND Mark Boody's post AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN! NOW, GO BACK AND READ TWISTEDACE'S POST. He is telling it like it is! Never mind his last sentence (at this point) This store promotion is a chance to try a FEW, SIMPLE, SHORT TRICKS. PERIOD! You told me that you wanted to do kid parties. Don't be like the mosquito visiting his first nudist camp! Pick one target! You asked me this noon in your email what I thought of your Svengali bit, I didn't have time to reply then. So, now you ask the question in a public forum and I replied in a public forum.
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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jay leslie V.I.P. Southern California 9498 Posts |
Mosquito... What mosquito?
Jay Leslie
www.TheHouseOfEnchantment.com |
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AdamChance Special user 656 Posts |
Just out of curiousity (and you of course don't have to answer if you don't want too)... are you getting paid for this grocery store opening gig? and if so, how much?
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
JAY LESLIE & THE MAGIC GUY HAVE BOTH SAID 'IT" VERY WELL.
Jay>>>if you don't mind, I shall "use" your rabbit story! Thank you!!!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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alextheamazing New user 15 Posts |
Thanks everyone. Sounds like I need to reevaluate.
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ROBERT BLAKE Inner circle 1472 Posts |
Alex, do you know the effect THE MISER'S DREAM? well picture this: you have a grocery bag, you walk around and produce spongeballs (make them orange looks like an orange) just wolk up to a child and produce a ball behind her/his ear. put the ball in the grocery bag. do this 5 or 7 times then turn over the bag and show one big 12" spong ball. all you need is one normal size and one big spongball and a paper bag. idf yoou sense the want more do you spange ball routine. this is enough programm. your second set is just as spare show.
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MeetMagicMike Inner circle Gainesville Fl 3501 Posts |
I'm glad I didn't have all this advice when I was starting. Not that it isn't good advice. It's just that I managed to do ok and I was probably pretty bad by some peoples standards at the beginning.
Alex, Take what you find valuable from this thread but don't be intimidated or discouraged. |
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Zombie Magic Inner circle I went out for a beer and now have 8733 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-10-21 21:29, twistedace wrote: Alex did what 99% of "Magicians" you'll ever meet can't do: he got a paid gig. I knew someone that was about as bad as you could get performing magic and he worked constantly. He had a great personality and was very funny. Alex, use the KISS method for this gig. People of all ages still go nuts over the vanishing a little red silk. |
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twistedace Inner circle philadelphia 3772 Posts |
He did get a paying gig. However based on the questions being asked and the material he has prepared it does not sound like he is ready to accept a paying gig. I sucked too when I first started accepting paying gigs. We all did. It's how we learn. However, I'm comparing my experience to his and I know that I had some solid material before accepting a paid gig. This is why I asked if there were any other routines that he already did well. I agree with using the KISS principle.
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
I would like to submit that KIS-MIF is a much better ACRONYM. (Keep It Simple - Make It Fun)
Dear Zombi: IMHO, Your 'magician' --"who was as bad as you could get" is/was the EXCEPTON THAT PROVES THE RULE.
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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puggo Inner circle 2022 Posts |
Yes, you have to start somewhere, yes, credit for getting the gig and yes, most are bad (or at least not great)when they start...
But good advice (particularly on performance at such venues) can help a new magi strive to be the best they be. I completely agree with KIS-MIF, poor sleight of hand can put people off magic. Good luck |
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