This morning I watched recording of a local magician’s livestream of magic. It was pretty rough to watch, it was almost four minutes into the video before he started doing a trick.
What happened the first four minutes?
He spent that time apologizing for not being able to do a coin trick. Then explaining why he couldn’t do it. Finally he apologized for his livestream being a livestream and not an in person show.
When you perform, you should be performing! Don’t tell me why you can’t do something, or the limitations of the venue (yes, livestream is a venue).
In a live show, would you start by apologizing and having no entertainment for 4 minutes?
Heck no.
Do your opener, once you’ve established yourself, you can mention a limitation as it becomes relevant.
Tag: opening trick
Opener?
Earlier today someone in a Facebook group asked “What’s a good opener for kids that I can buy…” There are a few things wrong with this question. I also think this type of question shows what’s wrong with magic, no one wants to think or work, yes they all want to be thought of as … Continue reading “Opener?”
Earlier today someone in a Facebook group asked “What’s a good opener for kids that I can buy...” There are a few things wrong with this question. I also think this type of question shows what’s wrong with magic, no one wants to think or work, yes they all want to be thought of as “artists”.
My first problem with the post is that they are asking for advice about their show without offering us any information about their show. The opener sets the one for your show, if you do a more serious show, your opener will be a lot different from the opener of a comedy act. Just because someone says something is a good opener, doesn’t mean it’s a good one for YOU.
The next issue is that they should be learning their craft. Why aren’t they making a list of what they want to accomplish with their opener? Then do some research and find a trick that fits it, instead of asking a bunch of strangers to feed it to you.
My final problem is they are asking what to buy. I could be wrong, but that’s implying they want something that’s fully formed, and easy to do. They don’t want to work. They don’t want to write the script, or learn some sleight of hand.
My advice is to do the work when you’re a beginner, it makes doing the work later much easier!
Nothing Worse Than a Sloppy Start
Having been at a conference where I got to see a lot of different acts of differing levels of experience perform, one thing that I really noticed was the opening. Not so much their opening trick/song/etc, but how they walked on to the stage. People talk about about your opening trick, but the few seconds … Continue reading “Nothing Worse Than a Sloppy Start”
Having been at a conference where I got to see a lot of different acts of differing levels of experience perform, one thing that I really noticed was the opening. Not so much their opening trick/song/etc, but how they walked on to the stage. People talk about about your opening trick, but the few seconds before you get to your opening trick is often overlooked.
Here’s an example of a band I saw. They were introduced, they walked onto the stage, plugged in their instruments, and then started to play. Here’s another example of another band the same night. They were introduced, a video started to play to the bands music. It was a 30 second sizzle reel, then the signer walks on to the stage as the lights comes up singing a continuation of the song that was in the sizzle reel with the band onstage already playing.
Guess who got a lot more work?
Give up? It was the second band.
The second band didn’t waste anytime, they were professional, it felt like a stadium act! How do you enter the stage? I do it with energy, and it’s part of the bit, there’s not fumbling while I try to figure out my first trick. I walk out, greet the audience and it’s on!
You need to put as much thought into how you get from the wings of the stage to your opening trick as you put into your opening trick. You can lose the audience on your walk to the microphone.