Carry your own load (ew)....

To give you some advice I need to tell you a story:

When I first moved to Vegas I started working with a group called "Short Bus Comics". It was all of the experimental and outcast comedians. The ones doing weird characters or experimental stuff. It was aptly named.

Around the same time I saw a post on a forum by a magician lamenting how the video he put up could have been better if the audience member he selected had been more enthusiastic or whatever. My first thought was, "It's not up to the audience member to carry the routine. It should be the performer." 

Those two things made me decide to scrap all of my audience participation material I was doing and not do anything with someone else on stage with me until I had 30 minutes of material I could carry with just myself on stage. Now I could still interact with the audience. Throw them stuff, borrow things, go into the audience, etc, but I wanted a more "comedy club" feel to my material and less "birthday party clown". It forced me to create presentations that were more engaging, entertaining and "adult". 

I eventually had a solid 30 minutes and started adding the odd borrow-a-person routines back into my shows. Those bits got stronger because of the lessons I learned flying solo. It was a necessary challenge to let my performing persona shine through and not be distracted by another warm body on stage with me. 

So my advice for you is to try the same thing. Not necessarily the 30 minute thing, but find ways to be entertaining without the help of someone else.With Covid still fresh on people's minds, the time is nigh to work on material of this type. Learn to write jokes, find magic that stands by itself, maybe develop a silent routine or two to slip in between the talking bits?

Also, I know this journal has been quiet for a while. Unfortunately/fortunately I have been busy with consulting/prop making/escape room making/performing. I do have a backlog of topics I want to complain about and I will try to get to them soon so stay tuned.

Until then...

Like a pin drop...

I wonder if magicians can hear the sound of an appearing metal cane. Do they think the loud sound of rapidly expanding spring steel is what magic sounds like when it's happening. I got news for you. If you can hear it, so can everyone else.

I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am.

There are ways to do it where it doesn't sound like a pterodactyl swooping out of the sky. There are (read: were) canes that used to be pretty damned silent but good luck finding those for a good price. You could use plastic but they usually look like crooked and wobbly. 

Personally I prefer the production out of a scarf like Shimada and Dimmare were oft to do. (If you don't know what I'm talking about Scott Cervine can show you.) 

So next time you want to fire of an appearing cane ask yourself, "Is this what magic sounds like or am I just fooling myself?" 

It's likely the latter.

Lo-Vision...

Have you ever seen a performer on stage doing a card trick and had trouble seeing the selected card? Perhaps in a photo or video of your own performance? Well if you can’t see it, then neither can anyone else.

Even Zombies know the importance of Jumbo Index

I have no idea why some magicians have such a disdain for jumbo index playing cards. Actually that’s not true. I know some think they look “tricky” or unfamiliar. However if you happen to use any kind of vanity deck that argument goes right out the window.

It’s fine if you don’t want to use them for close-up. However, have you ever tried to identify a court card from a distance? It’s damn near impossible. 

When you are onstage it’s very important for things to be clear, especially if you are doing card tricks. There are simple things that may seem small but make a HUGE difference. Having the card signed with a red chisel tip marker, the way you force the card (if you do that), and having a deck of cards that is visible to everyone in the room. Some of your audience will likely need glasses or have them.It's your job to make sure that these tiny but important details are thought of and implemented for the sake of your audience.

Don't fear the reaper Ted...

The little easy...

Sorry for my absence as of late. I haven't really been that angry at anything in the magic scene.... at least not enough to write about. There is plenty of regular asshattery but I have just grown numb to it.

 This is what everyday on the Cafe looks like

So in lieu of angst I will offer up some advice. As someone who has been doing stage magic since before some of you were born, let me dole out this brain dripping: Make Things Easy On Yourself! I have learned the hard way that if it happens once it can and WILL happen again. Fix it before the next show or it might bite you in the... well... you know ^...

Everything needs to flow as seamlessly as it can. This way you don't have to worry about something falling, not being in the right spot, or moving from it's (possibly secret) location. When you know you don't have to worry about things falling to pieces you can focus on your performance which is the more important part.

So if it needs a magnet, hook, velcro, ring of hot glue to keep it from rolling off the table, felt, fishing hooks, snap gums, broken popsicle stick, tampon applicator, whatever... then make it happen.

You'll be glad you did.

And it's a sexy lamp with the assist!

Ok so bear with me on this post. It might get a little weird.

In writing there is a number of unofficial "tests" such as "the Bechdel test". As with most things, people start to add to that kind of stuff and eventually you end up with something like the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

That aside, I found an interesting test that could be applied to magic. It's called The Sexy Lamp Test. It goes a little something like this:

"I’ve got another test that works just as well. The Sexy Lamp test. If you can take out a female character and replace her with a sexy lamp, YOU’RE A FUCKING HACK.” - Kelly Sue DeConnick

Taken into context for magic, if your magic assistant could be replaced by a sexy table, you might want to rethink how much you are paying that person because they are essentially a prop. 

 You wouldn't have to pay this as much to do the show.

There is so much great dynamic by-play that can be achieved by adding a second person to the act so why waste that by just using them to steal things from or ditch onto?  

So take a step back and either start writing or head out to your local Ikea. Your call.

The illusion of giving a damn...

It's interesting to me what performers focus on and on the flip side neglect. "I bought this big box and made it look all shiny and nice but I need a cloth to hold in front of me... I know i will use this bed sheet"".

There is actually nothing wrong with using a bed sheet but at least frame it up a bit with some color on the sides to give it some definition and stand out a bit. All your props should look like you put some thought into them even if you didn't. This goes for costuming as well. It doesn't take much to make off the rack look like custom made. Something sparkly here, a little bias tape there and VIOLA, you look like a performer!

Sometimes when you stare too much at the big picture you miss the little details.

Tiny objects, big reactions?

One thing I cannot stand is when a magician makes a small item vanish (because that is the best thing they could come up with apparently) and then demand applause for it. It's even worse when they expect it to be a BIG reaction and just hold a pose until the audience gives them that all too often heard pity applause. (I am mainly referring to stage and manip acts here)

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with doing a simple vanish of an object BUT (and this is a big butt) it should further the narrative of the routine. It can't be done "just because". There needs to be motivation or a reason. If it's just for the hell of it you have a LARGE field of vision for people to back track to. As a stage performer you don't have the luxury of being up close and personal to misdirect someone. You gotta be sneaky.

PS - Can we stop vanishing or color changing or whatever you do to an object and thn just reproduce it because you have no other way to ditch it? FIND A WAY!!

PPS - I had a magic trick come out Friday.

Open your presence...

A couple days ago I went and saw some bands I like. One of them puts on a great show by being energetic and just in the moment. Watching them made me very aware of something I already knew but became inspired to write about here...

Stage Presence: Sometimes you're just born with it.

It's not something you can buy or apply. It can be learned to a  point but some people just naturally exude that special something that makes them more interesting than everyone else once they are on some elevated platform.

No amount of sleight of hand, costuming, or money can get it for you. You either have it or you don't. It's a natural talent, plain and simple. It's a mix of confidence, control, ego, and insanity.

You need to WANT to be up there. You HAVE to be into it. You MUST believe it. No amount of words I throw at you will help explain it. You just have to get it...

Get it?

PS: I have another article in the recent Vanish Magazine. Read it yah poozers.

Happy Ending?

Alright guys, lemme set the record straight here, bigger is not better!

I see a number of magicians who think that the way to end a manip routine is to produce some big cartoony over-sized prop.

This makes you look like a children's magic show magician! Seriously. Using objects out of place with reality will not gel terribly well with a real world audience. They will more wonder where you got it from or who made it for you. Using objects people know and have handled and SEEN is usually the way to go. there are exceptions. If an object is fairly nondescript like a ball, then you are alright. Even jumbo playing cards are ok... in some instances.

You don't NEED that huge ending that everyone else does. There are other and usually better ways to finish. Don't rely on your props to get you thru an act, work on your personality and character and let THAT be your guide.

Put down the jumbo crack pipe folks, thaz all I ask.

Bizzaro.