I Need Help!!!

[TylerScottIllusionist]

Hey everyone!

I'm going to be a doing a magic gig this Saturday night for a local village. It's a talent show and the rules are that it has to be appropriate for all ages and can't go over 10-15 minutes. I have a routine written up and was wondering if I posted it if any of you would be willing to give me feedback. Also it would be great if we could schedule a possible webcam session and perhaps be critiqued that way as well. But any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,
-Tyler

 

[Tower of Lunatic Meat]

Hey everyone!

I'm going to be a doing a magic gig this Saturday night for a local village. It's a talent show and the rules are that it has to be appropriate for all ages and can't go over 10-15 minutes. I have a routine written up and was wondering if I posted it if any of you would be willing to give me feedback. Also it would be great if we could schedule a possible webcam session and perhaps be critiqued that way as well. But any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,
-Tyler

If you post the set list, I'll try and provide some feedback.
As far as webcam goes, it depends on the time. The only problem is that, I'm really beginner-ish, and everything looks amazing to me. I hope I can provide some feedback

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

If you post the set list, I'll try and provide some feedback.
As far as webcam goes, it depends on the time. The only problem is that, I'm really beginner-ish, and everything looks amazing to me. I hope I can provide some feedback

Brett, you are a saint dude! As far as webcam goes I am available for any time that works for you. I basically just want to know if it's entertaining or boring. I'll post my routine below.

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

-Magician enters on stage and says “Hello, my name is Tyler Scott and I’m a visual effect artist. You’re probably asking yourself what is a visual effect artist. Well it’s certainly not a magician since I’m too hipster and cool to call myself a magician…..Not really but I like to think so. If there is one thing that you shouldn’t let me fool you at tonight is that I’m too cool to be called a magican. Spoiler alert, I’m not. You see if I was a magician I would be able to take whatever money I have in my wallet *pulls out five dollars*...hey don’t judge I’m a college student. And I would be able to change it into 20s.”

· Prophet

-”You might even believe that these are actual 20s….because they are. See for yourself. *hands a 20 to a spectator* But I’m not a magician so they are actually just ones still *changes them back into ones*. You see as a visual effect artist I lead you to believe in something that your eyes think is true but it’s really not. For example watch my shirt.”

· Dresscode

-”You see that entire time you thought my shirt was one color but it’s actually been this color the whole time. It’s almost hypnotic. Sort of like what I can do with these cards.-

· Vortex

-”See how easily your eyes can play tricks on you? That is why I like to consider myself a visual effects artist instead of a magician. Because magicians do card tricks. Does anyone like card tricks?*hopefully one person will raise their hand* Good, because I don’t. *pause for hopeful laugh* But since this is technically a magic show...I’m required by law to do some card tricks. *pause for hopeful laugh* You think I’m joking but I’m not. Could the person that raised their hand please come up to the stage? You see a good magician would have been prepared for a card trick already. I’m not that good of a magician.”-

· Invisible Card X Doubting Thomas combo

-”I kid of course. I did actually bring a deck of cards with me. Now if you would please select a card. No not that one! Just kidding.”-

· Angle Z (corner of card appears under their watch/pocket?)

-”Okay so that wasn’t really a card trick as much as it was an illusion. Like I said I’m not very good at being a magician. Let me try another effect with cards. Hopefully this time it will be more of your standard card trick.” -

· Camper ( or possibly Camper X Clarity Box combo)

-”What’s actually cool about card tricks is that I actually have a haunted deck that was cursed by a Witch Doctor in Central America. It’s pretty dope. *pause for hopeful laugh* See how all the cards in this deck are facing the same way *be sure to hold up so the whole audience can see* Now tell my haunted Joker card any card you would like.” -

· Invisible Deck

-”See how that works? It’s all due to my haunted Joker card. Watch what else this Joker can do.-

· Rising Card

-”But by far my favorite part of my job is the ability to enchant. This is essentially means that I am able to grant my power to someone else. Would anyone like to become a magician tonight? *picks a spectator* How about that folks? I am outsourcing my own magic show. By far the most professional magician ever...er visual effect artist.*pause for hopeful laugh*-

· Electric Touch+ X Perfect combo

· Electric Touch+ X Rising Deck (very risky and would not have done the

other rising deck performance)

· (Or just scrap the whole “enchantment” bit and do zip-tie escape.)


-Magician then has the audience applaud the new magician and then thanks the audience and tells them to have a goodnight.-

Backups:

· Pressure

· Rubber Bands routine with a spectator(Linking Rubber Bands, Staircase,

Crazy Man Handcuffs, Steadfast, Touch)

· Raven X Vapr

· Spider Pen Pro with borrowed dollar levitation (high risk!!)

 

[Tower of Lunatic Meat]

At first glance, that seems like a lot of tricks within a 10-15 minute timeframe.

Do you know how many people will be at this event?

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

At first glance, that seems like a lot of tricks within a 10-15 minute timeframe.

Do you know how many people will be at this event?

It's on a Saturday night so I'm not expecting more than 10 people. But I could be wrong. The last gig I did at my University was very small with only 5-6 people.

 

[mclintock]

As an amateur my opinion is pretty useless, however I agree with Brett, it just seems like a lot to fit into the time frame.

 

[sidesquare]

Yeah, you could just do a couple of tricks out of your repertoire. I'd suggest a couple rubber band tricks first. Then some sort of triumph, and finish with the invisible deck. Keep the patter to a minimum...

 

[obrienmagic]

Divide your set into three parts. The best flow for any set is as follows;

-Opener: Something flashy that establishes what your show will be about (Theme).
-Middle: This is the beef of your set. The main focus of the theme.
-Closer: Something that builds to a climax and ends the routine.

I would say try to keep the set to around 10 mins. You only need 1 or two effects in each section of the routine. Performing and talking (patter) are what will make the effect entertaining. This way you don't accidentally go over on your time trying to rush through the performance and cram as many tricks in one as you can.

Here is an example of my set for my close-up show:

My theme is "Imagination"

-Opener: A fun rose routine where i produce a rose then magically make the pedals jump from hand to hand (like a sponge ball routine) finally ending with the pedals vanishing an re-appearing on the flower. (approx 2-3 mins total)
-Middle: Ring routine where i make my finger ring appear, vanish and pass through my fingers. Then i go into a linking ring routine using the finger ring. (approx 3-4 mins total)
Closer: Card magic using blank cards. I print the deck then do a fun ambitious card type effect where the spectator's signature moves from card to card. The trick ends with the deck going blank once again! (approx 3-4 mins total).

this would be ideal for a 15 min set because it is around 11 mins or so. If i accidentally go over or take too long on a particular effect, then i know i won't go over on my time.

Hope any of this helps

 

[Tower of Lunatic Meat]

All right. When you said 'talent show', I was expecting anywhere from 50-200. But 10 at max brings things a bit more into perspective.

Let's see. You have a lot going on, You have bills, a shirt change, and a lot of card tricks.

The big thing I noticed was that the only cohesion was by what you had scripted. For example: with 'Prophet', is that once you perform it, that's it. You don't do anything else with the bills but ditch them. I am not sure if you have any other bill magic in your inventory, but I think that if you want to use it, there needs to be some way to 'bridge the gap' between bill and card magic. At the very least, maybe have them write a chosen card on a bill.

I think 'Pressure' would work best as opener. I'm thinking if you want to go for the 'visual effects' angle, 'Pressure' would work best, as there really isn't much of a way to blend the trick into other tricks than by patter and script. You could get someones phone to witness 'inside the magic', have them start taping, then you seal their phone in a balloon. OR you have them go to their camera feature and you take a photo of the camera inside the balloon. I don't have 'Pressure' so I'm only go off of what I see in a preview video

I think 'Clarity Box' should be your closer as it appears that it works best as a final reveal. Maybe have the thing contain all the cards that were chosen throughout the show. Again, I'm not sure what it's limitations are, so I'm working off of previews and description.

I hope this helps in some capacity

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions. One thing I have noticed is that my set routines almost never go to plan how I wrote them out to be. Things need to be either cut or added on the fly. I average about a minute for the full routine of a particular effect so I figure if I keep it around 7 to no more than 10 I should be fine in that area.

I really like obrienmagic's suggestion of keeping it in threes. I may delete Prophet from my routine but for now I will keep it because I think it's a strong opener that will resonate with college students. I go to school with some of the most elite students in the world so it's going to be a real challenge to entertain them. I think what I will do is Prophet as my opening joke about "not being a magician" and then demonstrate Prophet as the spectator's phone records it going through a balloon. Then use Vortex to conclude that it was all under a hypnotic spell and that will be the climax of that plot line. Then I can go into the card routines since Vortex would make a nice transition into my card set. Opening with Invisible Card, then Angle Z, and then closing with camper. I think the audience would get tired of seeing card effects at that point so I might just do the zip tie escape.

My question is, for Angle Z, if I'm not able to load the corner of the card onto the spectator's body where would be a mind blowingly impossible location for me to put it? I'm thinking either a water bottle that's full and transparent or in a window.

 

[RealityOne]

I think that your presentation of yourself as a "visual effects artist" and not a magician is strained. I tried to read that as a lay person and my thoughts (in the order I thought of them are as follows (need to expand quote to see purple comments):

-Magician enters on stage and says “Hello, my name is Tyler Scott and I’m a visual effect artist. You’re probably asking yourself what is a visual effect artist. Well it’s certainly not a magician since I’m too hipster and cool to call myself a magician…..Not really but I like to think so.

OK, that's really pretentious, does it really matter what we call him?

If there is one thing that you shouldn’t let me fool you at tonight is that I’m too cool to be called a magican. Spoiler alert, I’m not. You see if I was a magician I would be able to take whatever money I have in my wallet *pulls out five dollars*...hey don’t judge I’m a college student. And I would be able to change it into 20s.”

So now he is doing a magic trick?

· Prophet

-”You might even believe that these are actual 20s….because they are. See for yourself. *hands a 20 to a spectator* But I’m not a magician so they are actually just ones still *changes them back into ones*. You see as a visual effect artist I lead you to believe in something that your eyes think is true but it’s really not.

OK, nice trick.

For example watch my shirt.”

· Dresscode

-”You see that entire time you thought my shirt was one color but it’s actually been this color the whole time. It’s almost hypnotic. Sort of like what I can do with these cards.-

· Vortex

-”See how easily your eyes can play tricks on you? That is why I like to consider myself a visual effects artist instead of a magician.

This is getting old. I don't think anyone else but him cares about what we call him.

Because magicians do card tricks. Does anyone like card tricks?*hopefully one person will raise their hand* Good, because I don’t. *pause for hopeful laugh* But since this is technically a magic show...I’m required by law to do some card tricks. *pause for hopeful laugh*

Not funny. Actually, the fact that it isn't funny is almost funny in a sad, pathetic way.

You think I’m joking but I’m not. Could the person that raised their hand please come up to the stage? You see a good magician would have been prepared for a card trick already. I’m not that good of a magician.”-

PLEASE STOP. I'm getting embarrassed for you. I feel bad for the guy going up on stage.

· Invisible Card X Doubting Thomas combo

-”I kid of course. I did actually bring a deck of cards with me. Now if you would please select a card. No not that one! Just kidding.”-

Obviously, a visual effects artist is worse than a magician. This guy doesn't realize how awful this is.

· Angle Z (corner of card appears under their watch/pocket?)

-”Okay so that wasn’t really a card trick as much as it was an illusion. Like I said I’m not very good at being a magician. Let me try another effect with cards. Hopefully this time it will be more of your standard card trick.” -

· Camper ( or possibly Camper X Clarity Box combo)

-”What’s actually cool about card tricks is that I actually have a haunted deck that was cursed by a Witch Doctor in Central America. It’s pretty dope. *pause for hopeful laugh*

*Nobody Laughs* Is it over yet? Can it be over? Please, someone, put him out of his misery.

See how all the cards in this deck are facing the same way *be sure to hold up so the whole audience can see* Now tell my haunted Joker card any card you would like.” -

What the... he wants the guy to talk to his cards? He probably talks to his cards all the time because he has no social skills. I guess that is true of most magicians.

· Invisible Deck

-”See how that works? It’s all due to my haunted Joker card. Watch what else this Joker can do.-

Really? Does he really expect us to think that the Joker does that? This guy is really bad.

· Rising Card

-”But by far my favorite part of my job is the ability to enchant. This is essentially means that I am able to grant my power to someone else. Would anyone like to become a magician tonight?

Please, don't pick me, don't pick me, don't pick me. Oh good, he picked that pretty girl. I feel bad for her.

*picks a spectator* How about that folks? I am outsourcing my own magic show. By far the most professional magician ever...er visual effect artist.*pause for hopeful laugh*-

*Nobody Laughs Again* Oh my god, is this painful. How much longer do we have to suffer?

· Electric Touch+ X Perfect combo

· Electric Touch+ X Rising Deck (very risky and would not have done the

other rising deck performance)

· (Or just scrap the whole “enchantment” bit and do zip-tie escape.)


-Magician then has the audience applaud the new magician and then thanks the audience and tells them to have a goodnight.-

Thank god its over. Good thing I didn't pay money for this.

Please don't use that presentation. It is truly CRINGEWORTHY.

Try rewriting the presentation without the self-deprciating humor and cliches. Drop the phrase "visual effects artist" -- its not fooling anyone. Try beginning this way:

"The art of magic is making people trust their senses. We are taught to trust what we see. Magic preys upon that trust because what our senses tell us is not reality. Because of that, magic doesn't happen in my hands but actually happens in your mind. So, sit back, relax, trust your senses and open your mind so you can believe that the impossible is actually possible."

That begining tells them that you are going to fool them, but asks them to enjoy what they know is an illusion. In essence, you've said you are a "visual effects artist" without the pretense, self-depricating humor and bad jokes. You are now free to be what Robert-Houdin called the actor playing the part of the magician.

Much of the bad jokes are your way of compensating for your lack of confidence in performance. Your way of dealing with your inability to connect with the audience using magic. For the effects, tell a story. There should be a prologue and epilogue (see the writings of Ascanio, Lavand and Giobbi). Make what you say IMPORTANT to the audience. Answer the question that Steerpike (for those who remember him) would ask, "Why should I care?"

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

I think that your presentation of yourself as a "visual effects artist" and not a magician is strained. I tried to read that as a lay person and my thoughts (in the order I thought of them are as follows (need to expand quote to see purple comments):



Please don't use that presentation. It is truly CRINGEWORTHY.

Try rewriting the presentation without the self-deprciating humor and cliches. Drop the phrase "visual effects artist" -- its not fooling anyone. Try beginning this way:

"The art of magic is making people trust their senses. We are taught to trust what we see. Magic preys upon that trust because what our senses tell us is not reality. Because of that, magic doesn't happen in my hands but actually happens in your mind. So, sit back, relax, trust your senses and open your mind so you can believe that the impossible is actually possible."

That begining tells them that you are going to fool them, but asks them to enjoy what they know is an illusion. In essence, you've said you are a "visual effects artist" without the pretense, self-depricating humor and bad jokes. You are now free to be what Robert-Houdin called the actor playing the part of the magician.

Much of the bad jokes are your way of compensating for your lack of confidence in performance. Your way of dealing with your inability to connect with the audience using magic. For the effects, tell a story. There should be a prologue and epilogue (see the writings of Ascanio, Lavand and Giobbi). Make what you say IMPORTANT to the audience. Answer the question that Steerpike (for those who remember him) would ask, "Why should I care?"

Thanks for your advice! I'll work on rewriting the dialogue without the self-depricating humor and try to focus more on a story that the audience would care about.

 

[DominusDolorum]

There is not much else to be said here so all I can say is good luck to you, and I can't wait to see your refined act!

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

There is not much else to be said here so all I can say is good luck to you, and I can't wait to see your refined act!

Thank you for your support DominusDolorum! Unfortunately the camera man I was counting on was not able to make it that night so nothing was recorded. The next show I have I'll try to give my camera man more notice so that way I can share my performance and get feedback from you guys.

Best wishes,
-T