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The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » New to magic? » » Do you worry about people knowing how you did the effect? (0 Likes) Printer Friendly Version

Bohh
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Northeast Ohio
162 Posts

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Hi,
Mabye a silly question. But, after doing the pen through dollar trick only 5 times around campus to different people, word spread. Everyone knows I did it now. Well today I walk in a room and someone asks me to do it again and I tell them that I can't because I charge for more thne 1 time, etc.

The girl sitting next to the people who asked said ooo the pen through dollar trick! I think I know how to do that. I ask her to come over and tell me, so the others can't find out, if she's right. She tells me how it's done, I don't tell her if that's the way I do it or not, but still. She said when she was in New Orleans someone was selling the effect and she purchased one.

It got me thinking, what if I do a trick and someone knows it.. What if they blabber out how it's done while I'm doing it?

Mabye I'm paranoid Smile
Niko
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England
599 Posts

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Well that is why you shouldn't do a trick too many times for everyone to know about it etc. Anyway, most people, if you tell them you are a serious magician they will understand that you don't wnat anyone to know how the trick is done because its what you do.
A similar thing happened to me, I was showing my cigarette through card trick and my magician friend was showing his bitten coin (two of our few tricks which involve gaffs, now for this reason I prefer to use totally sleight) anyway first thing these guys did was type into the internet 'bitten coin' and came up with the secret straight away. Not only did they do this, but they told everyone aroudn the school, which really annoyed me. They didn't understand - they couldn't understand that this was my interest and I was serious about magic. Well, I learned from it, and it has certainly given me a big incentive to find some really good non-gaff tricks so that I wouldn't be humiliated like that again. I will still use the tricks, but in moderation, in a routine along with other tricks. Like what you have explained, I did the trick to lots of people and did it a lot of times, perhaps making people want to find out how it is done. Anyway, you live and you learn and I certainly learned from that experience. Maybe you will learn from this too.
Anyway in response to the question, if you are doing a trick and someone says how its done, just tell them it's not true and that it's magic. perhaps have a polite word to them asking them not to reveal the secret. however if you are found out it can be annoying - people might take oyu for a person who ahs no skill and just uses gimmicked items. Show them some sleigth-of-hand tricks along with a few good looking flourishes to prove your card skill (if of course you can) and blow them away with some good ol' fashioned magic.
Hope this helps,
-Niko
When you do something right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all.
alekz
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Munich, Germany
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Quote:
On 2004-04-22 15:42, Bohh wrote:
It got me thinking, what if I do a trick and someone knows it.. What if they blabber out how it's done while I'm doing it?


Well.. what if nobody knows it? What if everyone will be blown away? Imagine THAT Smile

I think it happens that people know before how something is done. You can't prevent this.
But what you can prevent is that people find it out while you're doing it. Maybe through patter/misdirection, maybe through improving technique. Rehearsal is the magic word (I had to find this out, too..)

IIRC, there are some threads here with one-liners to say in such situations.
"Whoa, it's so quiet in here you can hear a career drop"
et cetera, et cetera. You might search those if you want to learn some of them.

Hope that helps,
Alex
Gary Barnard
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Tennessee
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Yea, I don't do a trick to the same person or audience more than once, When Im at school Ill show it to a few people but not everyone I know. I do stuff like two card monte all the time though.
Gary

"It's in the very trickery that it pleases me. But show me how
the trick is done, and I have lost my interest therein."
- Seneca the Younger, In his 45th Epistle to Lucilius
(4 B.C.-A.D. 65)
MagicAces
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Bohh remember that's its not just the trick that people like to see or at least it shouldn't be. They should want to see you doing the magic along with your personalty. If they know how its done and want to say just cut them off and laugh(not rudely though be nice about it) then say well don't let me know the secret. They always laugh.
Magic is not just about the trick itself or the workings of it, that's only 50%, showmanship is the other 50%. Well that's what I think try it and let me know how it works out.
italianmagi90023
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If they are trying to figure you out...just walk away...its not worth your time or enery..the best people to perform for are the ones who want to be amazed

thanks
mike
Bohh
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Northeast Ohio
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Hmm. That's the problem with the people I preform for now. I see now that you point it out, Mike. Every effect I do, they want to find out how it's done, and when I don't tell them they think about it forever...

I guess I need to find a new audience Smile
silent shadow
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United Kingdom
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My advise is don't do just one trick , make up a whole routine then say to the enquisitive , meet me at such a place at this time and ill show you a whole bunch of trick's.

Make it a regular event once a week , rather than one trick every day (i know it's hard to resist when we get new trick's) this way you have more time to practice and have something to look forward to , rather than doing a quicky on a wim.

Having an arsenal of magic to hand will take the pressure off you , once your've performed the first , don't take question's , bring their attention onto the next effect , or do some flourish move .

Good luck in the future.
Magic or just an illusion? it's a free choice .... isn't it?
full circle
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Pascagoula, Ms.
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Hey a fellow magician! Maybe you can show us a trick. But don`t tell me how do do it, cause I want to believe in magic, don`t you? You must already know the rules....SSSHHHH! As you put your index finger to your lips, in the shush manner. Try to get them on your side buy joining you in secrecy.....John
"A person who can laugh at himself, will never fail to be amused".
Chris C.
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If I can, I always try to change a trick so people don't recognize it. For example, use something else instead of a dollar, such as a buisness card or prediction, and focus on your presentation.
lonewolf
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Hmmm... I used to be quite bothered by it.. But nowadays not anymore. You can't really stop them.

I just tell them straight if they prove to be a problem. I'm presenting magic, not a puzzle. So experience the magic, not solve the puzzle.

Cheers
kihei kid
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Dog House
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Quote:
On 2004-04-22 15:42, Bohh wrote:
It got me thinking, what if I do a trick and someone knows it.. What if they blabber out how it's done while I'm doing it?

Mabye I'm paranoid Smile


Don’t go borrowing trouble.
In loving memory of Hughie Thomasson 1952-2007.

You brought something beautiful to this world, you touched my heart, my soul and my life. You will be greatly missed.

Until we meet again “my old friend”.
Dirko
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Michigan
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If you concentrate more on the entertainment people relax more and don't try to figure it out! The first step is having a good charachter. Godd luck!
Rob Johnston
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Utah
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Keep in mind that if you worry about that, it will affect your confidence and then affect your performance for the worse.
"Genius is another word for magic, and the whole point of magic is that it is inexplicable." - Margot Fonteyn
Thinker
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Brazil
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Usually I stop to do a trick when the people around are trying to find out how its done.
If someone say "I know how its done", say, "So keep it to yourself, maybe you can do it later for us"
I'm no professional, and I guess that this makes people feel more comfortable to say those things, when is someone professional, I think they respect a lot more(maybe I'm wrong, but I don't' think so).
I don't know, but I don't think Ammar or Daryl have to deal with those things everyday.
lonewolf
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Hi thinker,

I dunno but I find it a struggle between keeping the atmosphere light hearted and telling people off if they are too intrusive to the magic.

Won't you **** some people off by telling them those things?
blindbo
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Bucks County, PA
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Quote:
On 2004-04-22 15:42, Bohh wrote:
The girl sitting next to the people who asked said ooo the pen through dollar trick! I think I know how to do that. I ask her to come over and tell me,...


You've received a filling of good advice so far on how to handle the magic. I'd like to offer advice on how to handle the girl.
Ask her to whisper in your ear the secret and if she's right, you'll give her a kiss. Oh, and since its a whisper, you can rely on magicians' choice.
rannie
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Right on blindbo! I love it!

Rannie
"If you can't teach an old dog new tricks, trick the old dog to learn."

-Rannie Raymundo-
aka The Boss
aka The Manila Enforcer

www.rannieraymundo.com
www.tapm.proboards80.net
Moonlit Knight
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U.S.
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Everyone knows you did it? Well, there are two things you can do:
1. give up doing that "trick" for the people at your school
2. find other methods for doing the same thing or something similar
"Join the dance... Follow on! With a twist of the world we go."
- Genesis "Dancing With The Moonlit Knight"
GypsyPirate
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Say "Really? Ask me about it later, and if you're right, I'll teach you a trick." Then regardless of wheather they are right or not, tell them they are close or whatever, and them teach them some simple kid trick, making it sound complex, talking about misdirection and whatnot. I always teach them how to lose two cards in the deck, and pull them to the top. (i.e. losing the 6D and 9H, and having the 6H and 9D on top). Really get into the explanation of misdirection like this is a big secret that no onw knows, and this way, the next time you are doing tricks, they watch with a new interest, and keep quiet.

If it's a one-time spectator, then just reply with something witty and keep talking so they can't finish their thought.

If you are using a gaffed coin or deck, be able to switch back immediatly to hand out for examination. I learned this when doing the coin bite. I practiced my sleight and now can hand the quarter back at any point during the trick.
Magic Mark

"How'd you do that?" ... "Very carefully."
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