I have a good friend who is an amazing mechanic. At least 4 or 5 thousand times a day, someone will discover that he’s a mechanic and ask him a question about a car problem that they’re experiencing. He always has a good answer and some good direction and advice for the curious car owner. Of course, the beauty is that in most cases, this results in my friend taking on a new customer. So the free advice resulted in some cash.
Other than the multiple times I’ve used this phrase in an article, how many times have you heard this phrase: “Oh, you’re a magician, show me a trick.”
Do you respond with some excuse or complaint as to why you can’t at the moment? Or do you throw out some line like, “I only perform when I’m paid” or “Hey you’re a doctor, remove my wart for free.”
My opinion of how to handle these scenarios has changed over the years. Right now, I’m leaning toward, just do a darn trick. It could make you money! So that means that you’ve got to be able to do some decent magic on the spur of the moment without asking to borrow a deck of cards, unless of course your card repertoire has been inspired by this month’s Roots and Branches, A Deck Full of Burgers.
Assuming you’re not “there” yet, let’s talk about your non-card repertoire. Can you blow someone away with a handful of borrowed change? Can you do something incredible with what’s laying around in the environment? Should you wear a P.K. ring at all times, just in case? Do you carry B’Wav in your wallet? Eugene Burger does. Does that mean you should?
These questions can only be answered by you. Being prepared with a totally impromptu effect or two can literally make you thousands of dollars, so be ready to astonish at a moment’s notice.
Until Next Month . . .
Couldn’t agree more! ‘Nuf said!
Highly agree, I have an extensive sales background, you know how many sales people spend hours and how much cash is spent to just get in front of a prospective client and we are being asked to demonstrate our product, wow. Those that refuse really need to get their head out of their rear ends and wiseup.Get rid of the ego.
A bit of paper and pencil or paper. Always prepared!
90% of the time I do something for them. The exceptions are times such as; I’m walking the halls of my kids school, where every kid there knows I’m a magician, then I usually joke it off but even so I will do something once in awhile.
Or; my bratty little niece orders me to do a trick whenever she’s bored. Too bad.
Wow . . . Dan actually read an article from this here magazine!? I’m not sure what to do now.
@Tom – you bring up an excellent point about the cost of a sale. Magicians really need to view their act and their business in a much more traditional business sense than they do.
I just read an article from Annemann where he talked about how lame it is that magi say things like “The Bird Has Vanished.” He made the comment that it would be akin to an acrobat who is doing a headstand saying, “Now, I am standing on my head!”
That was about 80 years ago, and it’s just as relevant today.
Yes Jeff the funny part is the arrogance of some magicians make their business experience quite transperant.
@Tom – Nothing Funny about that brother.
Those folks need to spend more time reading No Stone Left Unturned
I do it. But I make them work for it and I make a big theatrical moment out of it.
Okay, I’d be happy to but I will need a few things: some paper , a pen with a cap, 3 books and at least 5 people. Let’s grab some people. And a able or chair. Let’s do this.
Then I shout – free magic show about to start right now.
And I go into a street magic busking attitude where I am going to put on an actual mini 5-7 min show.
In the show I pitch my services and ways/places they could hire me. I hand out my card and gather theirs.
If I am going to do it, I do it right. And leave a real impression of what a magic person does.
Great topic!
Paul
(P.S. I am a big Dan Paulus fan!)
@Paul – I hear what you’re saying, but what about just a quick and relatively prop-less performance?
Jeffro
P.S. Who isn’t!?
If I am going to do something, I will do it right. If someone says “Do a trick” then they need to watch at least 5 minutes and be willing to gather everyone who wants to see magic (As I will only do it once) and they will need to grab a metal spoon, a pen with a cap, 2 rubber bands or some paper for me to perform with. If I am going to do it, I want to stop everything and give them a REAL (not half assed) experience. That is the only way to make it worth it for everyone involved.
@Paul – I’m not sure I agree with your premise that less than five minutes and/or minimal props equals half-@$$ or “not done right.”
I think that it’s very possible to do a short 2 or 3 minute trick with a borrowed coin or bill and totally astonish the group.
I wouldn’t consider that not “doing it right.”
Jeffro
I guess that is a benefit of magic over mentalism. It requires less in terms of premise, character development, story and time. It is far more visual and can be performed faster. So if 2 minutes works for you – I can not argue that.
@Paul – you make a good point. A mentalism routine is much more involved. Although, I can think of a handful of things that could be done quickly without a lot of build up that qualify as mentalism.
@Chet – You’re a mentalist . . . what’s your take?
Jeff, there is some mentalism which can be handled quickly. It’s not hard to do some simple mindreading that takes only a couple of minutes. That’s usually all it took during times that, for instance, the plane I was on was delayed on the runway. (Believe me, you get good REALLY fast when people are sitting behind you, beside you, and crowding from the front!)
But Paul was suggesting he set up a full busking show. That’s not only going to take more time (and I believe he wants to invest a minimum time if he’s going to perform at all) but it’s not conducive to most mentalism. Mental magic (Yes, read my article in the Gimmick.) perhaps, especially with playing cards. But to get really intimate with your audience? That might take a little more time.
Mark Lewis likes to point out that 95% (or more) of mentalists take tooooooo long to get to the point. Richard Osterlind tells me that, when he first started, his friends in the band would constantly heckle him with “Just DO it, Richard!”
There is no cut and dry answer, I can be in one situation where a simple one coin routine flurry or quick business card picture duplication will fit the need and request. Another time perhaps 5 minute reading or book test might be ready. We work and or play in a field of deception, the only rule is there are no rules!
One other thing, I have never posted here in the past that I recall but I am certain that I will in the future if all exchanges can be this productive and civil.
Yeah, Jeff – What’s happening here that everyone is being so dadburned civil?
The very idea!
@Tom – Glad to have you. If the stuff gets rude or uncivil, I usually send the culprit a private email and threaten their pets. Then somehow everything magically gets more civil.
@Chet – Don’t make me punch you!
Geoff, you can’t threaten MY pets, which include a porcupine and a ghost.
@Chet – you know what they say, you can pick your boogers and you can pick your friends, but you can’t wipe your friends on the couch.
Not if they’re toilet trained.
Oh yeah . . . I forgot about that caveat