Pictures – Page 106 – MagicShow.Tips

See A Show!

I love going to see a magic shows, and recently I drove almost four hours (due to traffic) to see Jason Andrews and Neils Dunker perform in Hoquiam, WA. I’m really surprised more magicians don’t go out and support live magic shows. For $20 the show was an amazing deal! One of the things that … Continue reading “See A Show!”

One of the things that I liked was that they show was two performers who basically did their own solo stuff, however they did interact onstage. That’s the hardest part of two people touring together. You can do it as a two act show with an opener and a closer, or you can intertwine them a little bit.

Jason and Niels did a couple of bits where they both were on stage and that really gives a feeling of a show, and not two people doing their separate acts. There’s not a right or wrong way to do it. Stand up comedy and bands use the two separate act formula and it works. However in this show in a theater it made it “gel” a bit better.

It was a fun show, you should check it out if it’s in your town.

Make It Yourself…

One of the things that I try to do in my show is not to use props that other people use. It could be the same prop, but mine looks different. Usually the reason mine looks different is because I made it myself (or had it made for me). I read a long time ago in an SH Sharpe book on magic theory that when you make the prop the pride your have from making it will show in your performance and that’s something that’s stuck in my head.

Recently I searched for a set of large walnuts to make my own set for the three shell game. I finally found some in the Ukraine had them shipped to me. I altered one of them a little bit and made a mold of it, and then cast my own set of shell game shells in resin.

These shells are larger than most shells, but not too large. I’ve used them in a couple of gigs and they’re working out great. The next step is to learn to reduce the tiny air bubbles in them.

Staging Challenges

One of the biggest challenges performing a magic show that’s not in a formal theater is being seen. These challenges range from pillars in the room, not being on a raised stage, or lighting. Sometimes you can fix these problems and sometimes you can’t and just have to deal with them. Last night my challenge … Continue reading “Staging Challenges”

One of the biggest challenges performing a magic show that’s not in a formal theater is being seen. These challenges range from pillars in the room, not being on a raised stage, or lighting. Sometimes you can fix these problems and sometimes you can’t and just have to deal with them.

Last night my challenge was lighting. I was performing at a comedy night at a bar. Look a the pic below, the stage is on the left side and you can see the two speakers on each side of the stage.

The stage is in the darkest spot of the room. There’s no light there. Unfortunately there’s not much you can do about it because of how the room is. I can’t move the bar of the booths, the stage is pretty much in the only place it can be.

The next option is bringing in some light trees, sure, but then that brings up a new set of challenges, like blocking sight lines, taping down cords and where to put them. Also I refuse to travel with light trees. If I’m performing in the dark, that’s 100% the venue’s issue and one that’s not easily solved by me.

My solution was to do my show on the floor in front of the stage. There was a lot more light there. It’s not the ideal situation for my show, but the best for the circumstances I was given.

Live it!

When I was a kid I remember Michael Close in his lecture talking about how to get good patter ideas for your tricks. His advice was to go out and do stuff that’s not magic related. Living a life aside from magic will add depth to you onstage. Personally for me, I love magic and … Continue reading “Live it!”

When I was a kid I remember Michael Close in his lecture talking about how to get good patter ideas for your tricks. His advice was to go out and do stuff that’s not magic related. Living a life aside from magic will add depth to you onstage.

Personally for me, I love magic and it’s a huge part of my life and something that I’m very passionate about. However I do have a lot of other interests. Things like travel, urban exploring and leather craft. Having those interests gives my show depth.

Earlier this week the podcast that I co host did an interview with Carisa Hendrix where she talks about her life.

You can listen to it here:

http://oddandoffbeat.com/podcast/episode-93-carisa-hendrix-in-studio/

Got out and add to your life experience!

Keep Playing…

Another thing that I learned while I was in Nashville was about the beginnings of Elvis’s performing career. I don’t remember who wrote it (it was a band member, or agent) said that, “Elvis got on stage, jumped around and carried on, then the bass player would start carrying on, then the next guy. ” What they were doing onstage was playing around and having fun.

One of the bands I saw in Nashville was had four performers (only three are pictured) and only one of them was having fun onstage. In the band the bass player was having a blast, or at least he did a dang good job acting that he was having a ton of fun. His enthusiasm really carried across the audience.

When you are on stage, have fun and play around. Try something new, be whatever your version of silly is, and whatever your version of comedy is, don’t be so serious.

A Mentalism Idea…

Today I was thinking of the Seven Keys To Baldplate routine. It’s the trick where you have seven keys, and only one opens a lock, and somehow that’s the key selected (or only one not selected). There are tons of methods to this trick, but I think Stewart Judah’s is the best. In that method … Continue reading “A Mentalism Idea…”

Today I was thinking of the Seven Keys To Baldplate routine. It’s the trick where you have seven keys, and only one opens a lock, and somehow that’s the key selected (or only one not selected). There are tons of methods to this trick, but I think Stewart Judah’s is the best. In that method any key will work or won’t work in the lock.

Typically people lock things like a finger ring or money to the lock. The idea I had for the trick was to lock someone’s belt loop to a chain. The other end of that chain could be attached to me, a chair, or whatever. You could even have multiple locks with multiple people that are locked together. Every finds the key that opens their lock.

The idea of chaining someone to something is an interesting visual and I think would lend itself to some interesting situational comedy. I think having people on the end of the lock instead of a ring will make it play bigger. The next challenge would be coming up with a routine.

Finishing a Book…

After starting to read the book Principia by Harapn Ong about a year ago, I finally finished it. It’s a book that I’d read a bit of it, then put it down and pick it back up a month later. It’s a great book, and there are a couple things in it that I’ve used … Continue reading “Finishing a Book…”

After starting to read the book Principia by Harapn Ong about a year ago, I finally finished it. It’s a book that I’d read a bit of it, then put it down and pick it back up a month later. It’s a great book, and there are a couple things in it that I’ve used throughout the year.

Near the end of the book there are a couple of essay’s on the Trick That Cannot Be Explained. These are fantastic! There’s some great theory in them, not just on the card trick, but on tricks using multiple outs.

Also near the end, there’s a trick where the cards get mixed face up and face down. You find their selected card, and no the cards don’t all magically fix themselves. The cards not fixing themselves is what I think makes this trick great, and something that I think is going to go into my impromptu card magic toolbox.

If you do card magic, check out this book!

First Attempt…

Yesterday I finished my first attempt at making a clear coin for the Silver Extraction magic trick. I made the mold in silicone and cast it in a clear resin. The clear coin ended up having a lot more air bubbles in it than I would like it to have. At the end of the … Continue reading “First Attempt…”

Yesterday I finished my first attempt at making a clear coin for the Silver Extraction magic trick. I made the mold in silicone and cast it in a clear resin. The clear coin ended up having a lot more air bubbles in it than I would like it to have. At the end of the day, it’s a clear coin and would work for the trick.

After doing some research on the causes of the air bubbles, what it will take to remove them from future castings is something I’m not really set up right now to handle. I learned a lot from making this, mostly that clear castings are going to be a pain in the butt!!

Making Magic

One thing I like to do when I’m learning to new things is to do them whenever I can for projects that I won’t necessarily use, but someone will. Right now I’m learning more about making silicone molds and casting things in resin. My current project is making some coins that will be clear. This … Continue reading “Making Magic”

One thing I like to do when I’m learning to new things is to do them whenever I can for projects that I won’t necessarily use, but someone will. Right now I’m learning more about making silicone molds and casting things in resin.

My current project is making some coins that will be clear. This will be for the a trick similar to the Silver Extraction Coin trick.

Above is the mold for the coins. After making the mold, I think there are a few changes I would make to it. We’ll see if these turn out.

Economy of Motion…

Recently I added the Silk in Light Bulb trick to my show. Essentially a silk that has disappeared reappears inside a light bulb. To do this or similar “in light bulb” type of tricks I’ve always used glass light bulbs. I hollowed out real glass light bulbs and used those. These look great and work … Continue reading “Economy of Motion…”

Recently I added the Silk in Light Bulb trick to my show. Essentially a silk that has disappeared reappears inside a light bulb. To do this or similar “in light bulb” type of tricks I’ve always used glass light bulbs. I hollowed out real glass light bulbs and used those. These look great and work great, but travelling with them is a pain as they are fragile.

About a week ago I was talking to another magician and he mentioned he started using plastic light bulbs. These have the metal base that unscrews giving you access to the inside. I ordered some and they showed up a couple days later. They look great, and I’m glad I ordered them, it’s going to make travelling much easier.

One problem with this style light bulb is how long it takes to unscrew it. There’s too much threading on the base:

I took my Dremel and sanded off some of the threading:

Now it unscrews in less than one twist. That speeds up the moment from when the audience realizes it’s the silk in the light bulb to when you are displaying it.

Look at your show and figure out where there’s wasted procedural motion. Once you find that, try to figure out ways to eliminate it. That will tighten up your show.