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How to Be a Professional Magician…

Right now we’re deep into the corporate holiday party performing season. Tomorrow being the second Saturday of December which is the most requested day for holiday parties.   That means if you aren’t working tomorrow you should be.  The number one question I get from magicians starting out  is, “How do I get shows?”  The answer … Continue reading “How to Be a Professional Magician…”

Right now we’re deep into the corporate holiday party performing season. Tomorrow being the second Saturday of December which is the most requested day for holiday parties.   That means if you aren’t working tomorrow you should be. 

The number one question I get from magicians starting out  is, “How do I get shows?”  The answer for me was giving to me when I saw Rudy Coby lecture in the late 1990’s was to constantly be working. 

So how do you do that if you don’t have any work?  Simple, look for it and then take it.  Don’t worry about the money, just take the gig.  

I know this flies in the face of what every magician in facebook groups tell you when they say things like, “you must charge at least $xxx.xx”. You need stage time to get good before you can charge money.  

For me when I was about 19 or 20 I started performing in these late night “after hours” shows.  These would be after the bars closed.  You would work for maybe 10 bucks, however I was honing my craft, developing my style, and most importantly failing!

As a performing, especially when starting out, you need to take risks, you need to push some boundries and you need to fall flat on your face.  This is really hard to do at a $2,000 gig, but it’s easy to do for ten bucks.  

Another venue I started performing at when I was first starting out was retirement communities.  I learned that they had a monthly budget for entertainment.  These shows didn’t pay a ton, but there were a lot of them!  

I eventually wrote a book on doing shows at retirement communities. This book covers how to contact them, how to book them and even some tips on doing the gig. You can get more info on this at www.perform4seniors.com.

The key is to simply get out and perform.  When I was starting out the internet didn’t really exist.  Now it’s easier than ever to find an open mic.  A quick search on Craigslist shows several listings looking for performers.  

Go out and do perform!

Louie

Taking it Further

If you’ve ever seen my lecture, the main point of it is how can you take the magic that you do one step further.  That next step could be method, could be presentation, or the look of the trick.  That’s something I try to do with everything I do in my show. It’s this thinking … Continue reading “Taking it Further”

If you’ve ever seen my lecture, the main point of it is how can you take the magic that you do one step further.  That next step could be method, could be presentation, or the look of the trick.  That’s something I try to do with everything I do in my show.

It’s this thinking that’s led to the creation of all of my marketed tricks.  For example in the Evaporation trick, I needed to make some liquid vanish for my liquid in light bulb trick which is marketed under the name Applause Please.  This trick takes the milk in light bulb a step further.

I didn’t like the look of a milk pitcher and went out to search for other solutions.  A “ghost bottle” wasn’t practical for what I was doing.  After many different designs the Evaporation as it is now has created.

How are you going to take whatever you do a step further?

Louie

 

 

More Evaporations!

We’re in the middle of the busy holiday performing season, however my distributer is almost out of Evaporations, so I’m fitting some manufacturing time into my busy schedule! I’m amazed that in just over a year I’ve sold over 1,200 of the Evaporation tricks…thank you to everyone that has purchased one! louie www.evaporationtrick.com

We’re in the middle of the busy holiday performing season, however my distributer is almost out of Evaporations, so I’m fitting some manufacturing time into my busy schedule!

IMG_1389.JPG
I’m amazed that in just over a year I’ve sold over 1,200 of the Evaporation tricks…thank you to everyone that has purchased one!

louie
www.evaporationtrick.com

Evaporation Routine

When I created the Evaporation gimmick I used it in my show for a routine that I only teach at my magic lectures (for now). I haven’t done this routine in my show for a while, in fact I stopped doing this routine about the time I started marketing the trick. THEN…magicians would come to … Continue reading “Evaporation Routine”

When I created the Evaporation gimmick I used it in my show for a routine that I only teach at my magic lectures (for now). I haven’t done this routine in my show for a while, in fact I stopped doing this routine about the time I started marketing the trick.

THEN…magicians would come to my shows and ask me why I didn’t use the Evaporation in my shows.  So I sat down and wrote an new routine at the beginning of the summer and I’ve done it over a hundred times over the summer. It’s a solid routine that runs about 8 minutes and has a lot of laughs.   If you are in the Fresno, CA area I’m performing the next 13 days at the Big Frenso Fair and I’ll be doing this routine all day in my shows. Come out and check out a show and see how I’m personally using the Evaporation gimmick

fresno

Honestly I think the new routine is better than the old one, has less prep an is easier to do.  Also if you’re in the Fresno area I’m doing a magic lecture on 10/6 and will teach both routines that I’ve done with the Evaporation trick.

Louie

Another Evaporation Review

The Evaporation trick just got a great review at “official review on the website www.mylovelyassistant.com: This is a very clever, very practical gimmick for vanishing liquid. You are supplied with a Sunny D bottle, written instructions, and a DVD that teaches you how to use the prop, and how to replace your gimmick… …I’m not … Continue reading “Another Evaporation Review”

The Evaporation trick just got a great review at “official review on the website www.mylovelyassistant.com:

This is a very clever, very practical gimmick for vanishing liquid. You are supplied with a Sunny D bottle, written instructions, and a DVD that teaches you how to use the prop, and how to replace your gimmick…

…I’m not big on liquid tricks, but this seems very practical and usable. All the bases are covered. This is one of those props that each magician will have a different use for.

While the instructions aren’t the most glamorous, the prop is extremely usable, and does exactly what it’s advertised to do!

Four and a Half Stars

You can read the full review at http://www.mylovelyassistant.com/products/view/20122#reviews

Louie

Portland Magic Jam

If you are in the Portland, Oregon area I’ll be at the Portland Magic Jam today and a little bit Saturday morning. If you want to check out the evaporation trick in person swing by, ask me for a demo and I’ll show it to you! Louie

If you are in the Portland, Oregon area I’ll be at the Portland Magic Jam today and a little bit Saturday morning.

If you want to check out the evaporation trick in person swing by, ask me for a demo and I’ll show it to you!

Louie

Vanishing Cup

Another use for the Evaporation trick would be for a magic effect where a cup or bowl with liquid disappears like in this : vanishing bowl However using the Evaporation gimmick that will turn this into a one person trick. You could use an cup / bowl, cloth and a servante on the table and … Continue reading “Vanishing Cup”

Another use for the Evaporation trick would be for a magic effect where a cup or bowl with liquid disappears like in this :

vanishing bowl

However using the Evaporation gimmick that will turn this into a one person trick. You could use an cup / bowl, cloth and a servante on the table and you Are good to go! Or you could use a use a tray, cup/bowl and cloth. Since there’d be no liquid in the cup or bowl you could do the “move” yourself and simply toss the tray into your case.

No mess or extra people.