magic show tips – Page 98

I’m Not Sorry…

One of the reasons that I’m not a fan of stock lines is that 99% of the people who use them only use them because they have heard other people use them. Not because they fit their performing persona or move their show forward, but simply because other people use them.

Recently I saw a magician and he asked where I was from, and I said “Seattle” and he replied “I’m sorry”. This is a very old gag and not a good one. I replied with several reasons why Seattle is an amazing city and he had no follow up. Was I “heckling” him? NO. He asked me a question and opened up a dialogue by putting down where I live. Had he had a joke set about why he dislikes Seattle that wasn’t connected to asking me question, then I would have been heckling. However he asked the question to me, which opened a dialogue…and he didn’t have the point of view or comedy skills to follow up. I wasn’t even funny, just factual with my response.

My point is that if you ask a question only to have your “comedy” response, you might want to rethink why you ask. Especially if your comedy response potentially insults someone. That brings me back to why I dislike how most stock lines are used, the performer doesn’t think about them. So if you use stock lines, think about them…what they are really saying beyond the laugh (if there is a laugh).

-Louie

Keep Track of Your Gear!

I frequently leave my show gear and other things in my car at airports around the country while I fly home on my days off between gigs. I lock up my gear inside my car with a bicycle cable to the car, to make it inconvenient for someone to steal, but that’s no guarantee.

I recently bought some Apple AirTag‘s and put one in my car, one in my suitcase and one in my show’s case. It gives me some peace of mind to be able to check in on them and to see that they are all still at the airport!

apple airtag to keep track of magic show props

If you travel and leave your gear in your car, I really recommend having an Apple AirTag or something similar with your gear to keep an eye on them while you’re away!

-Louie

TCC Card to Wallet…

Recently I picked up the Card To Wallet from TCC’s Magic Wallet Universe. For my close up magic shows, I use the Real Man’s Wallet and love it. I’m not trying to replace it, but looking for something that’s more of an everyday wallet for me to have in my pocket when I’m not performing.

Here’s the video for the wallet:

Ok, so I watched the video before I bought and am aware that it’s a no palm method. Personally I prefer a palming for card to wallet as I think the physical separation of the deck and wallet makes the trick stronger. Also with something like the Real Man’s Wallet the card is in a sealed spot of the wallet, there’s no way you could slip it in there. The TCC wallet lacks both of those points, the strength for me is that it’s a minimalist wallet and something that I would have on me at all times (outside of a paid show where I would have the Real Man’s Wallet).

Just a note, the card can be loaded into the wallet from a palm, but it’s kinda clunky, but possible.

Overall for $20, it’s a decent Card to Wallet, and it’s nice that I’ll have that option on my all the time.

Stage Marked Cards…

I’m working on an idea for a card trick that would be done on the stage…or at least not in a close up context. It uses two banks of cards that are duplicates, however in the course of the trick, they could get mixed up a little bit and I’ll need to sort them for reset.

The cards don’t need to be in a specific order other than the two banks being separate, so the simple solution to sorting them after the trick is marking one half. With these cards being used onstage and never handled by the audience, I can get pretty bold with the marks.

In the picture above I just took a red pen and colored in the face of the birds on half of the cards. After the trick it only takes a few seconds to sort them using the Green Angle Separation move to get the top and bottom halves separated.

It’s an easy solution for a stage routine!

-Louie

What is Magic Exposure?

Oh man, so yesterday I posted a routine for a card split routine. Part of the routine you expose a double envelope and it got me thinking about what is exposure. To me 99% of the magic that’s exposed doesn’t matter…well doesn’t matter in the context it’s exposed. I think magic that’s exposed in the moment it’s being done is the 1% that matters.

Ok, now for some of my general thoughts on exposure. I think magicians are the worst at exposure. They routinely give away “secrets” during their shows without realizing it. How they do it is when they cancel methods. For example, simply saying “no stooges” or “we haven’t prearranged anything” in a mentalism routine exposes a viable method.

Other ways things are exposed unintentionally through cancelling methods are things like, “check out the box, there’s no trap doors, mirrors, hidden assistants…” That tips three methods right there. Or at the end of a prediction when the magician/mentalist tears apart the envelope and says, “there’s nothing else in here” also exposes a method.

In the card split routine that I posted, I’m exposing a double envelope. I’d argue this method is exposed by soo many performers in the context of cancelling methods, it’s really not a secret. Also, it’s a logical method for any audience member to think of, to have an envelope with more than one prediction in it. That’s why it’s a common thing that magicians or mentalists expose to eliminate a method.

If your trick relies simply on an A/B prediction where the mystery hinges upon you simply opening one side or another of an envelope, your trick probably isn’t very magically sound. You need to add a lot more layers to your trick to make it a decent trick.

-Louie

Card Split Routine

Yesterday I posted a video of a method for a “card split” effect. I mentioned I don’t think I’ll ever do it, however last night I thought of a routine for it, or at least a way to give it some context and it’s not just showing an 8 of hearts and turning it into two 4 of hearts.

Here we go:

You start with a prediction envelope on the table and a deck of cards. You drop cards onto the table and someone from the audience stops you at any point and you show the card they stopped at. It’s the eight of hearts.

You open the envelope and take out a card, it’s the four of hearts. You admit you messed up and that it’s a trick envelope and you opened the wrong side. You flip the envelope over and open the other side, but that side also has a four of hearts!

You admit you really screwed up the trick and put the same card in both sides of the envelope! You then realize that an 8 is actually two 4’s, so technically you got it right!

You then rip the eight of hearts in half and each half then turns into a four of hearts!

There’s not much to the routine, just a drop force and a double envelope…well that and the gaffed card for the card split.
-Louie

MC Technique…

Last week I was at an event an MC’d one of their shows. When I’m an MC, my goal is to keep the show moving and not do time myself…but to be memorable. This is different from the advice I frequently be hear which is, “an MC should be invisible.” I think the MC should be the host at the party, and you should know the host if you’re attending the party!

When I MC, I have an opening warm up bit, a few bits for emergencies, and notes, lots of notes. I have the introduction for the act and ideas for jokes based on watching video or my past experience with their act. Then during their act I will write jokes based on what I see.

As I use up a note or joke, I crumble it up and leave it on the table.

The reason I leave them on the table is sometimes I need to reference something I’ve written before. By leaving a messy table, it gives me access to everything I’ve written.

At the end of the show, I have a table of crumpled up papers. I really enjoy working as an MC, however it’s a lot of work compared to just being an act in the show.

I think the key is to not make the show about you, but at the same time it’s your show!

-Louie

Card Routine…

I’m playing with a little card sequence where I reveal a selected card three times. The first uses two hands, the second time one hand and the third time is no hands. Here’s an early test version of the current version:

I need to figure out a slightly less clunky way to get into the third card reveal (haunted deck). I’m not sure if there’s going to be a streamlined way due to using the method along with the other two card productions (Piet Forton Pop Out and Daryl’s Hot Shot Cut).

One idea I had was to do this as a multiple selection, however from a method standpoint, I can’t really do the final phase with the card in the deck the whole time. I’d need to take it out.

…well, if I put each selection back into the deck after the reveal, I could switch the second card for the third card, and could set up the Haunted Deck at that point. The drawback is that I visually like the cards staying on the table after each reveal.

I’ll play with it and see how audience like it…

-Louie

Simplifying Show Set Up

I’m trying to carry less stuff with me when I’m on the road with my show. I used to carry a powerbank, USB micro cord, lightning cord and a USB wall adapter. I use this to plug in the show’s iphone that I run my music off of.

Recently someone showed me a powerbank that has the wall adapter and cords built in!

The nice thing is everything folds into the power bank, so I’ve eliminated carrying two cord and a wall adapter. I’m a fan of this, simplifying what I carry to it’s more direct to set up and strike the show. Sure eliminating two cords and a wall adapter isn’t much…but it’s less to haul.

-Louie

Jumbo Card Boxes

For years I’ve been quietly hoarding the old stock Bicycle 8082 Jumbo Cards. These are about twice as thick as what bicycle currently makes. The cards are amazing and super durable, unfortunately the boxes aren’t. I’ve been stockpiling the decks for the boxes, more than for the cards.

In the past Billy Diamond had made a box that you cut out from a giant sheet of plastic that held the Bicycle 8082 Jumbo Cards, and that was an OK solution. However he now makes a fully assembled plastic box for 8082 cards and they’re amazing!

These are a bit price at about $40 a box, but they’re much more durable than the old stock boxes that you’ll pay $40 a deck for. It’s a much better deal to have a box that will last longer and will stay looking sharp!

If you use Jumbo Cards, look into these boxes!
https://brandingentertainers.com/shop/jumbo-deck-plastic-card-boxes/

-Louie