Tag: magic

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

Be Self Sustaining…

I love tricks that have unusual visuals.  Here’s one of my favorite “novelty” card tricks that I do:   The problem with it is the recent batch of gimmicks that have come in have had a very short lifespan compared to the ones I was using a year or two ago.  I bought a bunch … Continue reading “Be Self Sustaining…”

I love tricks that have unusual visuals.  Here’s one of my favorite “novelty” card tricks that I do:

 

The problem with it is the recent batch of gimmicks that have come in have had a very short lifespan compared to the ones I was using a year or two ago.  I bought a bunch of them over a year ago and down to my last one.  I have a feeling that the glue that was used had degraded over time and that’s why they gimmicks aren’t lasting as long.

 

Luckily I know how to make this style of gimmicked card.  I started playing with them when I was a teenager when I got the book Gaffed to the Hilt.  If you’ve never made your own gaff cards, the DVD Gimmicked by Andost is a great resource.

I have some time today and am going to make up some of the cards for the hole punch trick.  The main reason I’m making instead of buying is simple, I have one left and they’ve been lasting me 1-2 shows, I won’t have time to order more and have them by when I’d need them.

Making my own makes me be able to operate without being a slave to shipping times.  I’d still rather order them than make them myself, however that’s not an option if I want to do the trick at my gig today and tomorrow.

 

The moral of the story is that if you are going to have a prop that you use a lot of, have a back up, or if it’s like this card that has a limited life buy a bunch of back ups.  Better yet learn to make and repair them!

Louie

Zen and the Art of Stealing Other People’s Material…

A buddy of mine had a trick of his stolen a few years ago.  We know it was stolen because we were in a show with the guy that stole the bit.  Later when we asked him about where he learned it, he openly admitted he saw my friend do it and he started doing … Continue reading “Zen and the Art of Stealing Other People’s Material…”

A buddy of mine had a trick of his stolen a few years ago.  We know it was stolen because we were in a show with the guy that stole the bit.  Later when we asked him about where he learned it, he openly admitted he saw my friend do it and he started doing it.   My friend asked him to stop doing the trick…the guy didn’t.

 

Now let’s fast forward to today.  The tricks originator has recently run into several people who learned the stolen trick from the guy that stole the trick.  That made my friend upset and he contacted the trick thief and asked him to stop doing it and to not teach it to other people.

 

The trick thief’s response amazed me.  Here are some quotes from the thief’s response and my commentary:

 

  • “When I first saw you do this I was inspired”  Great, be inspired to create, not take!
  • “I don’t feel like I would have the right to police what people do and don’t do as far as material.”  Ummm…if you created it and the only reason another person is doing it is because they saw you do it, then yes, you have the right to ask them to stop.  I do understand there’s the independent invention thing, and that does happen a lot, but it’s not in this case.
  • “People do material that I feel I made up as well.”   This is the same as saying, “I’m not racist, I have black friends…”  it’s a way of justifying taking.  Also if you are someone that freely takes stuff, then of course you can’t have a problem when your stuff gets taken.

 

At the end of the day takers gonna take  and there’s really nothing you can do about it.  People who do original material and going to fade away and it sucks when someone takes your bit.  In magic there are a many creators that have stopped performing because of this.  I know of several magic creators that no longer put out marketed material because of it getting knocked off.  They’ve lost the incentive to create.

 

You can justify taking a bit all day long, however in the end it’s only going to hurt the industry as a whole.  Creative acts will stop working publicly, then the well will dry for the acts that only take and not create.  This leaves a industry that will stagnate.

 

How do you get material if you aren’t creative?

Easy, hire a creative person…or actually put in the work and starting writing down ideas.  Either way works and pushes the industry forward.

 

Louie

Ambitious Card…

A couple weeks I performed at Wonderground in Las Vegas.  This is a monthly magic/variety show put on by Jeff McBride.  It’s a very fun show and if you get the chance, I highly recommend doing it!   The one thing that stresses me out about this show is the close up, I’m fine with … Continue reading “Ambitious Card…”

A couple weeks I performed at Wonderground in Las Vegas.  This is a monthly magic/variety show put on by Jeff McBride.  It’s a very fun show and if you get the chance, I highly recommend doing it!

 

The one thing that stresses me out about this show is the close up, I’m fine with the stage show.   It stresses me out because there aren’t a lot of original plots in my close up set, sure I have my own twists on things, but at it’s core it’s Ambitious Card.

 

About a week before  I performed at Wondgeround I was visiting with Nick Lewin and we chatted about the close up stressing me out.

My concern was that the Ambitious Card was too common of a trick for the audience there.  Not all of the audience there are magicians, however they are magic fans, so they’ve seen it.    Nick commented that it’s the “greatest card trick” and I agree…that’s why it’s so common.  The plot is simple and when done right it’s impossible!

 

I ended up doing a trick where someone feeds me marshmallows.  It played well!
Louie Foxx at Wonderground in Las Vegas

Personally I think there is one trick when done correctly that might be better than the Ambitious Card, and that is Any Card at Any Number. It’s got a simple plot:

Name a card, name a number, count down to that number and the card is there.

The problem with ACAAN is that is gets mucked up when people try to make it easier.  They limit selections or use convoluted processes to make the trick work.  Also what I think most of people who do this for a non-magician audience misses is repeating it.  You need to do it twice.

 

So that’s my thoughts on the best and close second for card tricks.

Play Around…

When I’m out performing mingling magic (aka roving close up) I frequently throw something into my pocket that’s not part of my normal set.  It could be a full trick, gimmick, prop, or whatever.   A couple of nights ago I  put a pair of blank dice in my pocket.  Years ago I published a … Continue reading “Play Around…”

When I’m out performing mingling magic (aka roving close up) I frequently throw something into my pocket that’s not part of my normal set.  It could be a full trick, gimmick, prop, or whatever.

 

A couple of nights ago I  put a pair of blank dice in my pocket.  blank dice magic trickYears ago I published a trick with blank dice in the Linking Ring Magazine.  Basically the gist of it was someone selected a card.  They rolled the blank dice, told you the number they rolled, and you dealt down the number they rolled.  The selected card was at the number.   This is based on an Eddie Fields trick that uses a name.

 

Here’s video from the first table I did it at the other night…it’s been years since I did the trick:

After I did the trick in the video above, I realized it needed another phase.  For the next phase I added this trick that’s part of my normal card set, but using the “rolled” numbers instead of any number:

Now I’ve got a little routine…but it needed an ending.  So I’m ending it with a third phase where they shuffle the cards, roll again and deal down to that number. This time the card is not there.  It’s folded up in my wallet.

 

I like that in this routine, each time the card is found it’s in a different state.  First it’s face down, next it’s face up and finally it’s folded up.  By the end of the night it went from OK to pretty good!

 

So the moral of the story is don’t be afraid to play around!

 

Louie

Don’t Rely on Apps…

I recently has my trick “Splitting Image” reviewed in Vanish Magazine (December 2018 issue) it got 5 out of 5 stars!  Here’s the review, and then I’ll make a couple comments  it after: REVIEW BY NICK LEWIN Louie Foxx will probably be familiar to readers of Vanish Magazine from his excellent column and the routines … Continue reading “Don’t Rely on Apps…”

I recently has my trick “Splitting Image” reviewed in Vanish Magazine (December 2018 issue) it got 5 out of 5 stars!  Here’s the review, and then I’ll make a couple comments  it after:

REVIEW BY NICK LEWIN

Louie Foxx will probably be familiar to readers of Vanish Magazine from his excellent column and the routines he contributes. Louie and I met up recently in Las Vegas and he showed me this routine. I loved it. I have been performing it ever since and can  assure you that it is an absolute winner. It even leaves the spectator with a very cool photographic souvenir. I consider this one of the finest new close-up items I have seen in years.


The effect is a decidedly different take on both the torn and restored bill and the mis-made dollar bill. The performer borrows a phone and takes a picture of the spectator holding a dollar bill. The magician rips the dollar in two and then restores it into a single dollar bill that is now “inside out.” When when the spectator looks at the picture he took of the dollar with their phone, it has magically changed into a picture of the mis-made dollar bill.


This item is GREAT magic with a series of surprises that will astound any layman. The phone is a genuine borrowed phone with no special apps, pre-work or Internet access needed. The two special bills are superbly made and take the Mis-Made Bill to a new level. This is one of these special effects that is as much fun to perform as it is too watch. At this price it is a bargain, heck at twice the price it would be a bargain. You will carry this trick with you and use it a lot.

 

Highly recommended.

OK, that’s a positive review and Nick notices a couple things about the trick that are important to me. Mainly that it’s a cellphone trick that doesn’t use anything but an actual borrowed cellphone.

 

A couple months ago I was in a show where a magician asked the audience to download an app to do a trick.  This is what’s wrong with magic on a cellphone, once they download the app, it’s the app that does the magic, not you.   This particular show the magician hit another problem, no one took out their phone to download the app.  Then after some begging, someone took out their phone, but they had no cell service!  Finally someone did the trick using the app that was already on the performer’s phone…and the trick didn’t work!!!

 

This illustrates my policy that any trick that uses a phone must just use the phone, no “magic” apps, no internet…just a borrowed phone.  I’ve published a couple methods for book tests using the Kindle or iBook app on a borrowed phone.   Sure the tricks are harder as they will end up using some sleight of hand on your end, but it’s better than a trick failing!

 

Louie

 

Not Everything Has To Make Money…

One thing that drives me nuts is when performers in online groups say things like, “I won’t get out of bed for less that $500…”.   That’s fine, you can have a price that you won’t work for less than, however you are missing out on a lot of opportunities.   What I mean by “opportunities” … Continue reading “Not Everything Has To Make Money…”

One thing that drives me nuts is when performers in online groups say things like, “I won’t get out of bed for less that $500…”.   That’s fine, you can have a price that you won’t work for less than, however you are missing out on a lot of opportunities.

 

What I mean by “opportunities” is chances to perform in cool shows that have a lot more value than a paycheck.  Here’s an example, last year and this year I’m performing at the Southern Sideshow Hootenanny in New Orleans.  This is a festival of sideshow performers and variety acts from around the world. Southern sideshow hootenanny

 

All of the acts are getting paid the same, and many of their rates are thousands of dollars for a single show…yet they are working for a fraction of their normal rate.

 

Why?

 

Easy, this is part of something bigger than a one off paycheck.  They are building their brand within their industry AND networking.  I’ve made a lot of great connections with people at festivals like this which have yielded more money than I would have made if I got my normal fee for that show.

 

Then for me the greatest value is to work with great acts!  There’s an old saying, “you are the sum of the 4 people you are around the most”.  What that means is if you hang out with people that aren’t good performers, you’re going to have a hard time getting good.  However if you hang out with people that are amazing performers, it will elevate you and push you to be better.

These festivals are great chances to meet and become friends with amazing artists!  Go out and apply to a festival and up your game as a performer!

Louie

Subway Stradivarious or Bucket Drummer

A few years ago the Washington Post did an “experiment” where they had a concert violinist play a Stradivarius for people in the subway  (You can read the article here).  This recently popped up again on my Facebook feed and and I have some thoughts on it.   Here’s the video: You can be the best … Continue reading “Subway Stradivarious or Bucket Drummer”

A few years ago the Washington Post did an “experiment” where they had a concert violinist play a Stradivarius for people in the subway  (You can read the article here).  This recently popped up again on my Facebook feed and and I have some thoughts on it.

 

Here’s the video:


You can be the best musician, play the best instrument, but that doesn’t mean you are the right person for the job.  Street performing is a skill, just like playing in a theater is a skill, and those skills don’t necessarily translate.   I bet the guys paying drums on a $2 bucket were making a lot more than him.

 

So why didn’t the violinist build a crowd?

 

Years ago I was told by Tom Frank that before picking a spot to busk, you look the people’s feet.  Are the fast or slow?  The violinist picked a commuter spot.  Not a good choice and any experienced busker probably wouldn’t line up for that pitch.

 

Look at the location, you really can’t build a crowd without completely blocking the foot traffic.  It’s essentially between two doors.  If someone wanted to stop and watch, it wouldn’t be comfortable. They’d have people walking in front of them, or into them.

 

They also picked doing it at “rush hour”…guess why they call it rush hour?  People are in a rush!  You’ll do better before or after rush hour when people have more time.

 

Based on a Q & A I read from the author of the article, that place normally doesn’t allow street performers, so they had to get special permission for it.  So the place didn’t have a street performing culture, which is another big factor.

 

Look at the successful street performers, where do they go?  Do they go where business commuters go, or do they go where tourists go?  Spoiler alert, they go where tourists or people not on business are.  Those  people have more time.  I’m very curious how well the violinist would have done if you put him in a place with a street performing culture?

 

Even if you gave him a good time at a good spot, he wouldn’t have done as well as the guy playing the bucket on his first time out.  He’s playing “ambient music” versus “interactive music”.  Ambient music people walk by, stop for a bit, toss a buck in the violin case and go about their day.  Interactive music would be he says hi people, has little “bits”, sees a guy wearing a band shirt, calls attention to it and  plays the hook from one of that bands songs.  It’s a different style of performing, you can’t do you “theater act” as is on the street and expect the same results.

 

I guess the takeaway from this is that if you are moving venues as a performer, you should expect a learning curve!

Louie

Another Presentation for the License Plate Prediction…

A couple of days ago I wrote about a post about the License Plate Prediction trick (you can read it here).  I was thinking about it some more and came up with another, probably better presentation.  The idea is that in high school you named your car.   You have a list of the top baby names … Continue reading “Another Presentation for the License Plate Prediction…”

A couple of days ago I wrote about a post about the License Plate Prediction trick (you can read it here).  I was thinking about it some more and came up with another, probably better presentation.  The idea is that in high school you named your car.   You have a list of the top baby names from the year you bought your car. You run scissors down the list and they saw stop whenever they want.  You cut the list at that point. They read the first name from where the list was cut and end up matching your license plate.

 

Mind reading magic trick

 

This would simply be the trick where you have the list of names printed upside down.  So when you cut the list, the name at the top where they think you cut it is actually the last name on your list.  That’s a simple and effective force for a trick like this that is list bases.

 

I think there’s tons of room for fun in this trick. “I named my car “Carl” and would tell my mom that carl and I are going out. It was month before she realized that Carl wasn’t real.”  

 

Now that I’ve got the hook and the method, it’s just a matter of writing the script and testing it out. 

 

Louie

Recommended Reading

Right now I’m reading John Carney’s book Magic By Design. It’s a book on theory of how to become a better magical performer.  One of the things he mentioned was writing down your “ideals” for your magic. Some guidelines as an artist of what you want for your magic / show.   Here’s some of … Continue reading “Recommended Reading”

Right now I’m reading John Carney’s book Magic By Design.

Magic by Design by John CarneyIt’s a book on theory of how to become a better magical performer.  One of the things he mentioned was writing down your “ideals” for your magic. Some guidelines as an artist of what you want for your magic / show.

 

Here’s some of mine:

  • The magic has to be good.  By that there can be no easy explanations of how things work.  
  • Every trick has to have a unique visual.  
  • I have to sweat.  I need to work on stage.
  • The audience has to feel like this “isn’t just another magic show”
  • The audience gets to know me during the show
  • The material has to “move the show forward”

 

I’m sure that I’ll come up with more, but this is just the quick list I’ve come up with.  There’s not much to it, however I’ve always said that creating with rules is so much easier than creating without rules!

 

I’m only a few pages into the book, but I highly recommend it!

 

Louie