stage magic – Page 24 – MagicShow.Tips

Trying a New Idea!

Sometimes I have an idea and I have no idea what an audience will think of it. That’s where open mics come in! I simply drove down to an open mic and gave the idea a try in front of real people.

My idea was for the card to pocket routine that I used to do. The second time the card goes to my pocket I wanted smoke to come out of my pocket, then reach in and pull the card out.

The smoke was easy, as a while ago I picked up a remote control smoke gimmick. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it, but knew if I didn’t get it that I’d come up with a cool idea for it and wouldn’t be able to find them. I just taped it inside of my pocket . When I tried it, it got the reaction I was looking for! It made the appearance of the card more of a moment.

If you have an idea that needs an audience, go find an open mic and give it a try!

-Louie

Pavel’s Rope Magic

Pavel is probably most famous for The Walking Knot, which is a great trick! Pavel was before my time, so I don’t know a ton about him. He did put out some VHS tapes when I was a teenager, so that’s where I know him from.

I came across a great trick of his called Jumping Silks on Rope. The name says it all, here’s what it looks like:

@louiefoxx Watch the blue handkerchief! #magictrick #magic #ropetrick #ropemagic #handkerchief #silk #silkmagic #pavel #vintagemagic ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

The method is super clever and it’s a great little transposition of the location of something tied to rope. He has a bonus trick that comes with it that uses a bracelet that hops from knot to knot.

@louiefoxx What the heck is a bangle #magictrick #magic #ropetrick #ropemagic #bangle #pavel #vintagemagic ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

I wish I had a way to use this trick as it’s fun to do! Unfortunately it really doesn’t fit my show right now, but maybe in the future?

-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

All American Magic Theater

A couple of weeks ago I performed in a show at the All American Magic Theater in Portland OR. It’s a fun little theater in a magic shop inside of a mall.

It’s always fun to perform in a variety show! One of the challenges for me since I’m used to doing 45-70 mins is doing a shorter 15 min set. A 15 min set is structured very differently than a longer full show. As an act, your opener is less of a “warm up” and you kinda need to get right into the act.

It’s fun to flex that different show length muscle!
-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

Go to the Light!

When I was at the a booking conference last week, I took a coupe of pictures of a music duo that was playing. The guy in the center was playing way too far forward, and was in the dark.

In the picture it looks better than it did in person, in person he was totally in the dark! You can see the difference in the next picture when he took a few steps backwards.

Being in the “hot” area makes a huge difference. Many years ago comedian Jim Wiggins (RIP) gave me a talk about making sure that I was in the light and how much of a difference it makes. I do my best to try to stay in the light, and it always helps if there’s an act before you that you can watch were they’re lit and where they’re in the dark!

Stay in the light!
-Louie

Floating a Person

One of the classic magic tricks is making a person float. Aside from doing it as a stage illusion, there’s no practical way to do it for smaller shows that’s as good. Like anything you have to make tradeoffs when you change the method. In this case the method includes the stage.

One of the popular ones looks like this:

I’ve written about this before, but the picture above recently passed through my Instagram feed. I think one of the things that I don’t like about it wrapping up the person in the cloth. It just doesn’t look right. Look at the area circled in red below:

Is there a solution to keeping the cloth uniform below the floating person?

Maybe if the cloth with just draped over the person, and left dangling?

Nathan Burton has a decent solution and leaves the board in view:

I like this a little bit better, it’s like he’s making the board float with someone on it. That could lead to a presentation idea with the line, “your seat bottom wil act as a floatation device“. That could be a fun comedy angle for a levitation.

I don’t know the solution to a practical levitation that’s done with the audience closer. And like I mentioned earlier, there are always trade offs when you make a stage illusion smaller and add an untrained assistant from the audience.

-Louie

Another Booking Conference!

Last night I got home from another booking conference and saw some amazing acts!

One of the helpful things about going to these conferences and seeing all the other acts showcase is that you kinda know where you are in the pack. You can gauge whether you’re a top tier act, or whatever.

It’s also inspiring to see people do their best 15 minutes of material! I totally recommend checking one of these out if you get a chance, even if it’s just to watch acts!

-Louie

Trading with my Opener

Last week I performed at a comedy club in Wisconsin. I reached out to my opener and offered to trade him something from where I live for something local to the him. He said yes, and here’s what we swapped:

I brought him a couple of bags of Tim’s Cascade chips which are a pacific northwest thing and they make strange flavors and he brought me a couple types of cheese curds from Wisconsin!

If you’re travelling and have a local opener, reach out to them and offer and exchange, it’s a fun ice breaker, but it also get’s you the good version of the local thing!

-Louie