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Dbzkid999 Elite user Canada 407 Posts |
Hello friends,
I've a recent problem while I was performing. When I did a trick or two to like 2 people, they would call their friends and say "Hey (Name), come and watch this!" Then there would be like 5 people watching me now. There's usually no tables to perform, so I perform at the benches next to the wall. Then, after 5 people are watching me, more and more people start to come (about 20). And when they come, they are watching my hands at like every angle possible (not very good to do secret moves). What would you do if you were at a situation like this? Thanks everyone. |
Tony Ley New user Orlando, FLorida 46 Posts |
Dbzkid -
There are several things that you might want to consider before you end up 'forcing' (punny, huh) yourself into a corner. You could hire a couple of convicts, print up some shirts that say 'STAFF' across their back to keep back the crowd. If, at this time, you don't really have any friends doing hard-time, you could purchase or maybe 'borrow' a bright yellow roll of 'CRIME SCENE' tape like some magicians do when they perform for children... OR, you could be sensible and TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR PERFORMING ARENA. That's right DBzkid! If you find yourself in a corner like this, you could move away from the wall first of all. Do something that happens in THEIR hands and move to a better location a few feet away. I do a LOT of training for some of the biggest theme parks in the world and teach people through 'magical' methods how to sort of 'take control' of their environment and those around them. Just what the heck am I talking about? Let me explain. Just last week, I was training a young lady at an outdoor store with lots of things to lean up against. For her this was great! Why? Well she LOVED to lean on things, slouch, etc,. Being that she was now a team member at one of the biggest entertainment resorts in the world, retraining was in order. This young lady also liked to tell me about her life just to hear her own voice. I used the fact that she liked to talk to my advantage. After realizing that she also liked to be heard, I began 'training' her not to lean. How? Simple. I would take a few steps away as though something caught my eye and stop to greet guests in an area where there was nothing to lean on. After the guests would leave, she would begin chattering again and I would say 'huh?' as though I didn't quite hear everthing she was saying. Two 'huhs?' later, she began to walk towards me from her 'leaning post' to make sure I heard her. Soon she was immediately leaving her leaning post because she knew I couldn't hear her and that I wasn't coming any closer. Eventually she began to stand where I wanted her to. When she finally was standing in the middle of the store and greeting the flow of guests like she should be, I told her exactly what I was doing. The reason I've posted this lengthy response to your question is to show that you CAN take charge not just of what your audience sees, but their physical relationship to you! It's amazing what you can get people to do. When Michael Ammar would do corporate events, he would often perform a transformation of an object by getting people to hold hands in a circle and shuffling their feet to create a 'static charge' so that the magic could take place. Have people hold hands or stand in a circle to help take the focus of what you're doing with your hands. INCLUDE them! A LOT of magicians have big internal messages flashing that say 'lookit' me, lookit' me'. It just makes people forget you sooner than if the spectators are included or feel they're an integral part of your effect. Your other concern seemed to be people wanting to see more and more and more. Remember this beautiful advertising slogan that resonates oh so powerfully to this day...K.I.S.S. This acronym stands for Keep It Simple Stupid! In your case, it actually fringes on the 'less is more' theory. Don't give them everything just because they're asking. Find a good stopping point and don't be afraid to, well, stop. Tell them you're late for something. Maybe you'll show them the effect some other time. Start a discussion by asking them how they feel about magicians and magic. Lead the conversation into one of your best effects and kill them with it! Remember that magic takes place in the arena of the SPECTATOR'S mind and we are the sponsors of this beautiful mental sporting event we call magic. I hope my babbling helps a little (I know I'm not sure what I just posted). If you have questions or concerns (which is usually the case whenever I post something), drop me an email or pm me and I try to help you out. Take care, Tony Ley |
Reis O'Brien Inner circle Seattle, WA 2467 Posts |
Or you just say to your classmates, "Nah, let's keep this just between us." That will help them understand you'd prefer things to be a bit more intimate and don't want a crowd. It also makes them feel like they're on the inside of a big secret!
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Rob Johnston Inner circle Utah 2060 Posts |
Whenever I do magic I try to get a wall at my weak angles, no matter who is there. A major rule is that you do NOT ask others to move or relocate....instead you do so yourself.
"Genius is another word for magic, and the whole point of magic is that it is inexplicable." - Margot Fonteyn
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MagicAndBlackjack Elite user 442 Posts |
This happened to me when I started doing magic for friends at school. Just do tricks that are almost angleproof and make sure you direct their attention wehre you want it to be. Don't look at your hands if you're doing a sneaky sleight.
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Dbzkid999 Elite user Canada 407 Posts |
But when people see someone with cards, they're curious on what is happening so they come and observe. After a trick, they stay. Then moore and more come. There are even some people right behing me.
What can I say to the person behind me to go somewhere else? Or say something to make people go away? Thanks. |
Reis O'Brien Inner circle Seattle, WA 2467 Posts |
Look, man... just get up the sand to tell them to go away or to stand in front of you. Try something like, "Whoa, it's getting a little too crowded for my taste," or " Why don't you guys come around to the front so you can see this better. You don't want to miss this!" Or, you could always stop playing with your cards at school if people keep bugging you.
Quite frankly, I think you're inviting disaster. You seem to want the attention but can't handle it if it doesn't follow your script. You've stepped up to the plate, so either swing or go sit down. |
7th_Son Elite user Australia 437 Posts |
Magic always draws a crowd.
"Here's to our wives and girlfriends...may they never meet!" - Groucho Marx
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dreidy Regular user Sydney, Australia 156 Posts |
When I do magic at school and I start to get crowded, I just tell them to sit down or I'll give them a detention. Of course it helps that I'm the teacher. Seriously though, just stop doing the trick until they move back.
In fact, stopping and waiting is one of the best forms of misdirection I've found, when I've 'stopped' I've used the distraction to load cards into someone's coat pocket and to undo a deck cut and swap out gaffed coins. Also, even when I'm outside and it's less formal - for example supervising during lunch - don't perform unless there's a wall behind me, that way there's at least 180 degrees I don't have to worry about. David. |
JJDrew Loyal user Arizona 221 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-02-13 02:52, Astinus wrote: Why not? If you can comfortably find a way to move yourself, fine, but if I'm confronted with people pushing in too close or getting at bad angles, I've never had a problem drawing an imaginary line on the ground and getting the crowd to stay behind it. Make something up as a justification, but people in an audience expect you to be in control of the situation and will usually do what you request, no questions asked. As far as they're concerned, you're the performer, you must have a good reason for what you're asking. A psychological experiment was once conducted in which subjects were asked to add long lists of arbitrary numbers. No explanation was given to the subjects as to WHY they should add these numbers, they were just told to. The goal of the study was to measure how long people would keep adding up lists before questioning why it was necessary or refusing to continue. Know what happened? No one ever asked. They were there to be test subjects, someone in a lab coat told them what to do, and they did it. In nearly every instance the people conducting the study were forced to give up before the subjects said anything. |
rvigon Loyal user uk 266 Posts |
If all else faills use the wall 2 your advantage as a flat wall behing you cuts all angels down to a 180 degree specturam and a corner to as little as 90
"No brilliance is required in magic, just determination and relatively clean fingernails."
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Ollie1235 Special user England 533 Posts |
If it gets to crowded then just say you need to get to lesson or break etc and tell the origanal spectator to meet you some where at dinner etc.
(thats if your not a big fan of having lots of spectators around you like me) |
Aus Special user Australia 996 Posts |
The fast way bettwen two points is a stright line. What I mean here is simple ask them nicely if they could give you a litte room. I'm sure they will not see it as being rude or anything. Just make sure that you put it to them so it is to there benfit as it is to yours, and you should be right.
Magically Aus |
JackDaniel Veteran user nevada 376 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-02-12 22:56, Tony Ley wrote: This post is worth reading through again, nice combination of humour and experience, Good job Tony!!! Jack.
Visit the magic of Vegas and your life will change forever..
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