Tag: magic

The $200 in 30 Minutes Pan Handler…

The other day I was having coffee at one of my favorite coffee shops in between shows. While I was drinking my coffee, I notice a lady sitting on a bench outside. She was chatting with everyone that walked by for a few minutes each. At the end of the conversation everyone gave her money. … Continue reading “The $200 in 30 Minutes Pan Handler…”

The other day I was having coffee at one of my favorite coffee shops in between shows. While I was drinking my coffee, I notice a lady sitting on a bench outside. She was chatting with everyone that walked by for a few minutes each. At the end of the conversation everyone gave her money. It took a few groups of people for me to realize she was a “pan handler“.


I wouldn’t call what she was doing “pan handling” as it was a higher level than simply putting out a cup and asking for money. The majority of people gave twenty dollars each, and I saw her get a fifty dollar bill!


So why was she making so much when the guy at the corner with the cardboard sign was making virtually nothing? Simple, she had a story and she pitched that story and didn’t ask for money until you were invested in her life. The guy at the corner with the cardboard sign doesn’t have a story and you aren’t invested in his life before he’s asking for money.


What does this have to do with being a better magician? In your show you can tell your story and get people invested in you, or you can do tricks. Both work, however one gets singles, and the other gets double sawbucks!

Ideas Become Reality…

I’ve been keeping notebooks for idea for magic since I was a teenager. Most of the ideas from the early ones are horrible, but every now and then I’ll flip through them and find something interesting. About 10 years ago I had an idea for a trick, but it was missing something that would make … Continue reading “Ideas Become Reality…”

I’ve been keeping notebooks for idea for magic since I was a teenager. Most of the ideas from the early ones are horrible, but every now and then I’ll flip through them and find something interesting. About 10 years ago I had an idea for a trick, but it was missing something that would make it functional.


I was running at the gym and notice something triggered an “ah-ha moment” that made the idea work. When I got home, I created the two parts on my 3D printer and printed them up. Here’s one of them in the CAD Program:

And here’s the other one that’s printed out:

Now that I have these two pieces, I’ve assembled the trick and am happy to report that the trick works!


The sad news is that in the 10 years since I had the idea my performing style has changed a lot and this really doesn’t fit how I perform. However it’s been in my head for so long, I’m going to keep developing it at home and try to figure out a way to make it work.


TLDR: Always keep an eye out for solutions to a problem

Your Own Versions…

Many years ago I read that Steve Fearson wanted to create his version of classic magic illusions. A quick Google Search and I managed to find the quote: “About 10 years ago I took it upon myself to reinvent 3 of magic’s greatest stage illusions, adapting them so that they could be performed in a … Continue reading “Your Own Versions…”

Many years ago I read that Steve Fearson wanted to create his version of classic magic illusions. A quick Google Search and I managed to find the quote:

“About 10 years ago I took it upon myself to reinvent 3 of magic’s greatest stage illusions, adapting them so that they could be performed in a close up situation. The three illusions were the levitation of a person, the sawing in half illusion and the vanish.”
– Steve Fearson


That’s a quote that stuck with me for some reason. I’ve worked to create my version of tricks that I like. By my version, it’s a reworking of the trick, not simply a different sequence of events. I’ve marketed several of these tricks and am working on a patent for one of them.


I’m writing up my version of the “floating dollar trick”. My main issue with the classic version of the trick, is that if the gimmick breaks, you are toast, the trick doesn’t work…and the gimmick is super fragile. My version has multiple redundant gimmicks. Here’s a demo of it:



I think me not being happy with things how they are, has led me to some interesting solutions to fixing what I don’t like about many magic tricks. In fact some days that’s my creative exercise, taking tricks I don’t like and trying to make a version of them that I do like.


The moral of this post is to customize your magic to fit you and what you need from your gimmicks!

Unusual Challenges…

If you are a professional performer, you will run it to all sorts of unanticipated challenge in your career.  For 10 days this month I’m performing at the airport in Seattle.  One of the unusual challenges is getting my props past security, and since I’m there to 10 days, being able to do any repairs … Continue reading “Unusual Challenges…”

If you are a professional performer, you will run it to all sorts of unanticipated challenge in your career.  For 10 days this month I’m performing at the airport in Seattle. 



One of the unusual challenges is getting my props past security, and since I’m there to 10 days, being able to do any repairs on the spot.  The big challenge is that I can’t really bring tools or anything sharp past the security check points…and all of my props needed to be approved and cleared by security. 





Once my gear goes past security, it lives there for the whole run.   That means I can’t use any of the props for shows outside of the airport.  That was an important consideration when pitching what material I was going to do.  If my main show was stuck at the airport, I’d need a back up set of props to use.  I do have a back up set of my main show (mostly), and it has come in handy many times.  


Be ready and most importantly, be flexible with the challenges that come with performing in different venues!  

Great Minds Think Alike…

Last week I was watching Death by Magic on Netflix.  It’s a decent magic show, a lot of the old school magicians probably won’t like how it’s shot.  It’s done in the “Post David Blaine Style” with a lot more camera cuts.  I’ve got nothing against that, however some people (usually older magicians) do.  On one … Continue reading “Great Minds Think Alike…”

Last week I was watching Death by Magic on Netflix.  It’s a decent magic show, a lot of the old school magicians probably won’t like how it’s shot.  It’s done in the “Post David Blaine Style” with a lot more camera cuts.  I’ve got nothing against that, however some people (usually older magicians) do. 

On one episode he doe a trick where he talks about naming your first car.  Then he ends up producing a license plate with that name on it.  Sounds like a routine I wrote about in a blog post a  few weeks ago.  You can read the blog post here.  

Obviously the team at Death by Magic didn’t read my post and quickly put the trick into the show.  The show’s first episode was four days after my blog post.  Someone at the Death by Magic team thought of it, it’s not a huge leap to get from the idea of a license plate prediction to the presentational hook of the name of your first car.  

Many magicians think that if they have an idea, no one else could possibly have that idea.  That’s 100% false.  It’s totally possible and happens all the time.  I’ve seen many magicians accuse other magicians of stealing ideas, when their idea was something that you’d think of if you spent any time playing with that idea. 

Cases where someone is doing complete act is an entirely different thing.  Once you add up all the bits and the order they take place the idea of them thinking the of all of that and ending up at the exact same place is very unlikely.  

How I view it, is if someone has the same idea as me and it’s not a blatant case of them ripping me off, I’m fine with that. 

TLDR: Don’t get upset if someone has the same idea as you. 

Magic Trick Bucket List…

Are there any magic tricks that you’ve always wanted to perform?  I’m not talking about the flavor of the month, new trick that just came out.  A trick that you read about or saw as a kid, and you still think about decades later?  I’ve had many, and luckily for me I’ve gotten to do … Continue reading “Magic Trick Bucket List…”

Are there any magic tricks that you’ve always wanted to perform?  I’m not talking about the flavor of the month, new trick that just came out.  A trick that you read about or saw as a kid, and you still think about decades later? 

I’ve had many, and luckily for me I’ve gotten to do many of them.  In the summer I do some library shows and those have allowed me to work on new tricks for my show and do them a lot in a short amount  of time.   What’s great about that is I quickly figure out if I like the trick or not. If I like the trick and so do audiences, then I can move that trick up to my main show. 

Usually the tricks I’ve always wanted to do don’t make it into the main show.  However it’s nice to have done them and scratched the itch and no longer feel the need to do them.   There is one trick that I keep coming back to, and that’s the Multiplying Billiard Balls.  


I did a version of Alan Wakeling’s routine on a tour of 90-ish shows.  The routine got really tight and while I liked it, I think it didn’t connect with the audience as much as I thought it should.  I did a routine one summer that produced 4 balls with no shell! I really enjoying doing that routine, as it had some creative moves in it. 

I frequently do a ball manipulation sequence in my show, and that for the most part keeps me satisfied and I don’t feel I need to work on the multiplying balls.  That is until recently.  I had an idea for a non traditional version of the trick.   This version only uses one ball that the audience is aware of.   I’m excited about working on this trick because it’s so unusual!  

That brings me back to John Carney’s book Magic by Design.  In this book he talks about how there are tricks  you will constantly come back to.  It’s because they may not be right for you now, but they may be right for you in a year.   I totally agree with him, I find ideas in notebooks that I didn’t expand at the time, but that’s probably because I couldn’t.  I lacked the knowledge, or hadn’t thought of a second part to it that would make the trick possible.  

 

TLDR:  Keep revisiting old tricks that you like. 

I Practice With Good Tools…

A couple of nights ago I was hanging out with a couple of magicians and one of them asked if the rumor about Bicycle Cards that are sold are Costco was true.  If you don’t know,  the rumor is that the Bicycle Cards there are “seconds” and not as good as ones you’d buy elsewhere.  … Continue reading “I Practice With Good Tools…”

A couple of nights ago I was hanging out with a couple of magicians and one of them asked if the rumor about Bicycle Cards that are sold are Costco was true.  If you don’t know,  the rumor is that the Bicycle Cards there are “seconds” and not as good as ones you’d buy elsewhere. 

I think that the cards at Costco are the same ones you’d get elsewhere.  I also think that Bicycle’s standard card has become junk over the last 15 or so years. I use them, but I only use them at gigs because a deck of cards at a gig lasts me about an hour.  After an hour the deck is missing so many cards it’s not usable.  

After a Bicycle deck is broken in, I don’t think they handle well.  So personally I buy higher quality cards for my own non-show use.  I find that I practice more frequently using better decks of cards.   Here’s the current deck I’m using:

I know that 90% of the “higher quality” cards are printed at the USPCC, however I’m pretty sure they are not printed on the standard stock.  Having better tools that last longer gets me to practice more.  I’m learning moves I’ll never use, but it sure is fun!

An Ending to a Gag…

If you’ve ever seen my magic lecture, there are a couple of main points to it. First is to take what you are doing a step further.  The second is to put endings to things. This blog post covers both of them.  I’ve always liked the Fifty Two on One gag card.   If you don’t … Continue reading “An Ending to a Gag…”

If you’ve ever seen my magic lecture, there are a couple of main points to it. First is to take what you are doing a step further.  The second is to put endings to things. This blog post covers both of them. 

I’ve always liked the Fifty Two on One gag card.   If you don’t know what this is, it’s a card with all the cards on its face.  

How you use it, is you set it face down as your prediction.  You ask someone to say any card, let’s say they name the King of Diamonds.  You say, “your card is right here” as you turn over the card and point to the king of diamonds.  

Funny gag, but it really needs a punch to it.  How can we turn the gag into a trick?   We could glue a king of diamonds onto the back of the card, and put our prediction in an envelope and force the king of diamonds.  Now we get the gag, followed by turning the card over to show you knew their card. 

That’s a good trick.  It’s been done, but still a decent card revelation.   Let’s take it up a notch:

By using a flap card we’ve added a magic trick to the revelation.  Honestly I don’t know if this is better than just turning the card over, but it’s certainly a lot more magical!  

Also by using the flap card for the change, we’ve added an ending to the trick AND taken it a step further.  This is actually something I’ve wanted to make for a long time and just finally making one.  I’ll try it out sometime soon and see how it plays.  



Louie

Repeat Engagement…

Last night I performed at a gig that I’ve been performing at for something like 17 of the last 20 years.  It’s now getting to the point where people who were kids when I first started doing this gig are bringing their kids to the show!   While I was setting up the show a kid … Continue reading “Repeat Engagement…”

Last night I performed at a gig that I’ve been performing at for something like 17 of the last 20 years.  It’s now getting to the point where people who were kids when I first started doing this gig are bringing their kids to the show!  

While I was setting up the show a kid that was probably 10 years old comes in and asks if I’m the magician.  I tell her “yes“, then she proceeds to start grabbing all of my props.  I tell her, she can look all she wants, but she can’t touch anything.   Her reply was, “why can’t I touch?”  This is not the first time I’ve played this game with a kid, so I simply say, “There’s a lot of breakable things in my show and if anything gets broken before the show I can’t do the show.”  That answer satisfied her and she left.  

I knew she was going to be someone I’d have to keep an eye on during the show. 

Once showtime hit, this girl wouldn’t shut up.  She was playing with some sort of toy, not directly engaged in the show, but constantly yelling out things.  I’m not going to engage with a kid where there is nothing to be gained.  She wasn’t invested in the show and there really wasn’t anywhere to go with what she was saying.   I chose to ignore her.  

Instead, I decided to focus my energy on the kids who where paying attention.  I let them shine brighter than her.   I also played a lot more and the show went over great.  I think the silver lining to having to deal with her, is it made me be more present in the show and to mine for gold a bit deeper and I found it!

So the moral of the story is keep plugging away!

Magic Clubs and Newer Magicians…

I love magic, and I love supporting magic.  I support magic wherever I go, by going to see shows, visiting magic clubs, visiting with magicians, and doing good magic.  One thing that gets me about magic clubs is a lot of the “old guard” are so set in their ways they can’t see past their … Continue reading “Magic Clubs and Newer Magicians…”

I love magic, and I love supporting magic.  I support magic wherever I go, by going to see shows, visiting magic clubs, visiting with magicians, and doing good magic. 

One thing that gets me about magic clubs is a lot of the “old guard” are so set in their ways they can’t see past their own biases.  This isn’t good for people newer into magic.  Frequently at one of the magic clubs in my area (there are three) when someone does a card trick an older magician will say “oh god, another card trick…” outloud for every one to hear. 


This isn’t good for magic.  People get into magic for a lot of reasons, and to tell them their reason is wrong hurts magic. It makes it less welcoming for new people.  

Also, the advice that is given to newer magicians is horrible.  One of the worst pieces of advice when someone tries something new is, “stick to the classics, they are classics for a reason…”   Whenever I hear that I want to ask them to take out their phone and tell me what kind of music is on it…is it classical?  Do they use a Acomputer…or stone a chisel (the classic method)?   

Jim Steinmeyer wrote an awesome book called, Allow Me To Give You Some Really Awful Advice.  


 This book should be required reading for all leadership and pretty much anyone giving advice about magic at a magic club.  They should also read Joshua Jay’s article from Magic Magazine called What Do Audiences Really Think.    

Jim and Joshua’s writings confirm and back up with data why 90% of advice given at most magic clubs is wrong.  Magicians need to be out there doing what they love, and innovating, not living in the 1970’s.  We also need to be positive to newer magicians and tell them what they are doing right, not what we like or don’t like.