Louis writes :

I have only really just started, but I have come a long way in a short time. I would really like to be able to handle the cards better and know more about caring for them. I would love to learn some more mentally orientated magic.

Also, every time I perform, even for my family, I get these shakes in my hands which are quite inhibiting for card handling. Is there any way I can stop them or are they just performance nerves and go away with time?

I would really like to improve my general card handling and make moves like double lifts and false cuts more elegant and smooth. Any tips?

That's great news that your magic is coming along. It sounds like you are really putting in the work!. You ask three questions here, so lets look at them one at a time:

1) Mentally Orientated Magic

Starting out with mentalism can pose some unique challenges. Unlike most sleight of hand that you are learning, the core techniques in mentalism fall into the realm of presentation. Many of the magic tricks have very simple methods, but relies on the magician creating the right presentation and interaction with the spectators to 'sell' the premise of the magic trick to them.

The good news is that there are several core texts or DVD's for beginners to start learning. Here are a few mind reading and mentalism training sources that we recommend.

2) Most people get nervous when they perform their magic tricks.

Family and friends can often be a far worse cause of shakes than performing for strangers. However, even professional magicians performing magic tricks for the public can get nerves just before a new show. The secret is how you deal with those feelings, and if you allow them to affect your performance. The good news is that the more you perform, the more control you will have over your nerves. Here are some tips to help you reduce the impact of nervousness on your magic performance.

3) Making your sleight of hand smooth and elegant is a key goal in magic practice.

It's very tempting to rush through the moves when you practice, but the key to building an elegant style is to slow down your practice. Be mindful of the finger positioning when you handle your playing cards. Ensure that you hold the deck with a light grip, and that your fingers and not hiding the anything or covering the deck more than they have to. Being mindful during your practice sessions with the help of a close up mirror that you can make yourself will soon show a positive change in the way you handle your props. In short: slow down your practice drills, to half the speed you are currently going. Focus on clarity of movement, over speed. It's a slow process, but the habit builds quickly.

The Magicians Secret Room – Performing Magic Tricks to Small Groups

by Dominic Reyes 2 Comments

By Dominic Reyes

Professional London magician Alan Hudson recently published a great presentation idea for working magicians: The Secret Room.

Close up magicians don't tend to like very small parties. Most walk around magicians have a small range of working magic tricks that have been carefully built into well crafted and paced 'sets'. The magician mixes with the guests and works through a set with each small group. This works well for table magic, or strolling through a large number of people that are gathered together in groups. However, it's a different story when a walk-around magician needs to work with a small party. Here's a few problems that often occur with small guest counts:

All the guests may be together in one large circle, or banquet table.
There are so few guests that everyone sees the magic at the same time.
The guests mix groups continually, so each group contains people that have already seen you perform.
The event has a lot of interruptions, awards, speeches or games planned to run through the whole event.
This new way of presenting your magic is a great way to fix many of the issues that small groups throw at close up magicians.

What is a Magicians Secret Room?

The Secret room is a great way to offer something unique to a client hosting a small party that has less than 100 guests. A private room is allocated as The Secret Room. Alternatively, a special small marquee is set up as The Secret Room. Throughout the event, small groups of guests are invited to enter The Secret Room and discover it's secret. Either the client picks people through the event, or everyone gets a ticket with their allocated time to enter.

The guests are not told what they will find in the Secret Room. This builds excitement, anticipation and curiosity, three things that really help create a buzz, and talking point.

Inside The Secret Room.

At their allocated time, a small group of guests (Between 4-12 depending on the size of the guest list) enter the Secret Room and discover a magician waiting for them inside.

They then receive a 10-15 minute close up magic show just for them. This would be an expanded set that the magician would normally perform during close up walk around magic. However, due to the controlled conditions and lack of interruption, the set can contain magic tricks that would not normally be ideal to perform strolling. The magic is performed in a perfect setting, free from interruptions, noise, and distraction. The experience is much more exciting for the spectators and liberating for the magician. It's like a mini magic theatre set up in the party venue.

After the show, the guests are asked to keep the secret, and not tell anyone about what they found inside the room. That's great fun for the guests, creates a buzz and a surprise for the rest of the guests.

Why The Secret Room works so well.

The guests receive a private and unique show.
All the guests take part, so everyone gets to see the magic.
The magician has control of the situation and can perform magic tricks without the restrictions of pocket space, lighting, sound levels and large group dynamics.
The magic doesn't get interrupted by guests suddenly joining or leaving the group.
The client can build a buzz about the feature event. A secret room pushes the magician as the feature event of the evening.

Building magic packages.

Alan Hudson's idea of the Secret Room is an excellent example of thinking outside the box about the way you present your magic commercially. The Secret room can be marketed to cleints that might otherwise struggle to build magic into their event. The room can be a conference room at a hotel, the dinning room in a private house, or even a custom tent supplied by the magician. It can be a bolt on service supplied by an agent, or a feature marketing package for independent magicians. Most magicians constantly search for magic tricks that will fit their working conditions, rather than looking at ways to change the conditions instead. Alan has taken all of the disadvantages of walk-around close up magic and found a way to remove them. He has an entertaining way of defining his own working conditions for his magic tricks. The Secret Room combines mix and mingle magic with a parlor show, in a package that can be marketed to almost any event. It's a great example of the ingenuity magicians mainly apply to creating magic tricks, being turned onto the commercial presentation of magic to the public.

Do This.

Make a list of all the 'problems' you face when you perform magic to the public. What aspects of performance in the real world do you dislike, or feel could be improved? Think about ways to present the magic in new formats that would solve those issues. Could these new ways of presenting magic be appealing commercially? By changing how you present your magic, could you solve problems that both yourself as a performer, and your client face together?

About Alan Hudson

Alan Hudson is one of the UK's leading close magicians for both corporate and private events. As well as close up magic, he offers a great stand up comedy cabaret show featuring mind reading, magic and stand up comedy. Find out more about Alan and read his excellent blog here

Unwrapped E3 – Magic Trick Video Reviews – Swag and Pring

by Dominic Reyes 1 Comment

Unwrapped Magic Tricks Reviews – Episode 3 – Swag & Pring

Swag

A spectator chooses a playing card and sets it to memory. She is then given a SWAG tag. She holds the tag and focuses on her playing card. When she opens her hands she sees that the Tag has revealed her playing card!

Order Swag here

Pring

You toss a solid finger ring on a safety pin and it links onto the pin! It visually links onto the oin! . No gimmicks are needed. Magic to do anywhere!

Download Pring Now

What do you think about Swag & Pring? Do you agree or disagree with Kyle Marlett?

Share your thoughts in the comments section below: