close up magic – Page 8 – MagicShow.Tips

Why I make the Big Bucks!

In December everyone is a corporate entertainer. There’s more work out there than there are performers. It’s not hard to be working evenings Thursday thru Sunday, but the off peak time gigs are what separate the pros from the warm bodies!

I did a holiday party at 7:30am!

Being able to be ready and “on” that early and getting an audience to laugh is a probably one of the hardest things for a performer. Most of these people are having their first cup of coffee while you’re trying to tell jokes.

One of the challenges for shows this early is to not try to push the audience too hard. You really can’t hype them up like you can a show that would take place at 7pm. The 7am energy is much more laid back, no matter what you do! You gotta embrace it!

-Louie

Emerson and West Presents Jim Callan’s Soup to Nuts

I love my vintage magic, especially old card tricks! Today I’m going to look at Emerson and West presents Jim Callan’s Soup to Nuts. This is a classic Emerson and West style packet trick that’s uses a handful of themed cards. Here’s what it looks like per the directions:

@louiefoxx Vintage Magic Trick – Emerson and West's Soup To Nuts! #vintage #magictrick #magic #magician #louiefoxx #closeupmagic #vintagemagic #emersonandwest #packettrick #vancouverwa ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

It’s a decent trick, and here are my thoughts on it:

While I personally wouldn’t really use these novelty type cards, it’s great to play with them! I think anytime I learn a new seqeunce, it gets filed somewhere in my brain and it may help me out some day. Realistically it probably just get purged from my short term memory…but who knows.

-Louie

When to do Close Up Magic

Frequently I’m booked to perform both my stage show and roving close up magic for events. That’s the package that I suggest to people who want to book my show for their event. When I send out a proposal it always specifically says that the roving magic is prior to the stage show.

Most events that contact me want the roving magic during cocktail hour and the show later, but a few want the close up magic later in the evening after the show. If I’m roving after the show I charge more for the close up.

Why?

Simple, the roving magic is like being your own opening act. You’re getting the guests at the event to like you before you step onstage. Where if you do it after your show, it really doesn’t serve a purpose to make your show better and your show isn’t necessarily the best warm up for your close up.

Staring the show being liked can be a huge help when you perform at a convention where people have been in classes all day, then ate a big meal, had a couple of drinks and are simply worn out!

For me, it’s in my best interest, and of the event to do the roving magic first as I’m performing for a room of “friends” who like me, and not trying to convince a room of strangers to like me.

-Louie

Wireless Video Projection

A while ago I started using video projection in my magic shows. My camera set up is pretty simple, I was doing it with an HDMI cord that went direct from the camera to TV or projector. This worked, but it’s not always possible to do because of where the input is located and how much cord I travel with.

Hollyland Mars 400s Pro II for magic show video projection

I recently bought a Hollyland Mars 400s Pro II, which is an wireless video transmitter. You plug the HDMI from the camera into the transmitter and the HDMI from the receiver to the TV or projector. Now if the HDMI input for the project is across the room, or in an AV room it’s not a problem. I don’t need to run cord or travel with more than a couple of short lengths of HDMI cord.

I’ve used this twice since I got them and both times the production guy at the event commented that Hollyland makes good stuff. In fact the second time I used them the venue was also using them!

So far, I’m a fan of them!

-Louie

Five Flippy Shuffles

Once again I was playing with the Triumph card trick, trying to come up with new sequences. This one uses five shuffles:

@louiefoxx Five flippy shuffles! #cardtrick #shuffletrick #magictrick #magic #shuffle #triumph #cards ♬ Mountain at My Gates – Foals

I think the idea of multiple shuffles has been done many times before, but I like the initial display that I do when I cut the pack into four packets. I think that visually drives home that they will be mixed face up into face down. It’s like Daryl’s Triumph Display, but used before the shuffle instead of after.

-Louie

Strange Four Ace Production

I’ve been playing with a production of three cards, but it really didn’t feel right. There’s hardly ever a reason to produce three cards. One, two and four make sense but three? I guess maybe if you’re trying to wrap up a multiple selection routine, but that would be it.

The solution hit me, have a card picked, then produce the remaining three of that value. Here’s what it looks like:

@louiefoxx Four of a kind! #cardtrick #cardistry #magictrick #aces #cards ♬ Bitter Sweet Symphony – The Peppermint Posse

Here’s how to do it:

Set up: you have an ace at the bottom of the deck and the three other aces in the middle of the deck, with a pinky break below the top ace.

Working: Classic force the ace below the pinky break, and keep the break between the two aces in the middle of the deck. While they are looking at the card, use your left ring finger to pivot the card above the break 90 degrees, so it’s sticking out sideways. This is hidden by your right hand.

Set the selected card (ace) face up on the table with your left hand.

Your right hand does Derek Dingle’s Open Sesame move, with the index finger splitting the deck above the sideways cards and pivoting the card below it 90 degrees as your turn you hand over.

BOOM! You have just produced the three cards of the same value as a selected card in a flourishy way.

-Louie

Portland SAM #59

Last week I visited the Society of American Magicians Assembly #59 in Portland, OR. I love magic clubs, and it’s time for me to formally join this one. I’m currently not a member of the national Society of American Magicians, so I need to do that before I can be a member of the local assembly.

I think that of the barriers to entry with magic clubs is having to join the national and the local magic club. It looks like national SAM dues are $65 and the local club is $35, so it’s $100 to get involved. That’s a lot of money for someone who is just starting out in magic. However I do understand why the money is needed, and there is value to the $100. If someone starting in magic actually read the magazines and went to the meetings there’s more than $100 in value.

Society of American Magicians Assembly #59 in Portland, OR

After the magic club meeting, a few of us went down the street for a beer to keep magic jamming!

I’m a HUGE supporter of magic clubs as they helped me a lot growing up and I want to help them succeed. You should support your local magic club!

-Louie

The Turkey Hand!

Every year I post this trick on Thanksgiving. It’s a good example of adding a theme to a trick that already exists.

The idea for this trick is in a Jim Steinmeyer book. For holidays, look at what you already do and look for logical connections then make the trick!

Another great book with math principles for things like this is Body Mentalism by Juan Pablo Ibañez.

-Louie

My Favorite Cards!

With all of the specialty decks and different cuts or finishes on cards that are available to magicians now, what’s your favorite deck of cards?

For me, the best will always be a deck of Bicycle playing cards from the Cincinnati factory! You can’t beat them, they’re the best! Unfortunately they moved to Kentucky in 2009, so it’s been 15 years since these were made. You can still find them, and I actively seek them out when I travel.

What I love about the Cincinnati made cards is that they last a lot longer than the current cards. A deck of the current Bicycle cards will last me about an hour, where the older stock will last me days!

I’ve quietly amassed a large box of them. If they’re still sealed, then 98% of the time they’re perfect! Occasionally a sealed box will have some sort of moisture issue, but that’s rare.

I never pay more than $3 a box when I find them in out there in the wild (aka a junk shop). You can find these decks on ebay for about $5 a deck plus shipping, which I think is way to much.

If you find a deck, buy them and you’ll remember why these cards were soo great!

-Louie

Nick Trost’s Gemini Cards

Over on TikTok I post vintage magic tricks and a recent one that I did was Nick Trost’s Gemini Cards. Also, if you’re not following me over there please do, I’m at: https://www.tiktok.com/@louiefoxx

Gemini Cards is an Out of This World style of card trick. Here’s what it looks like:

@louiefoxx Will the cards match? #cardtrick #magictrick #cardmagic #shuffle #match #vintagemagic #nicktrost ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

The trick is great, and a fooler. I was trying to think of what it could be done with that aren’t playing cards. Here are some ideas:

Cards with pictures of:
-Red/Black socks
-Cats and dogs

However I don’t want to use things that are pictures drawn on playing cards. So other objects that are “card like” in their natural state.

Here are some ideas:
-paint swatches
-number flash cards: evens and odds match each other
-photographs (maybe of my dog and cat)
-postcards: I have custom made “postcards from home” that I use for a torn and restored postcard routine. I could use those and postcards from exotic places.

I think that the Gemini Cards definitely has potential, just not sure how to use it!

-Louie