We’ve all been there; we go to a party, dinner, or just out for a drink, and find there’s a close up magician performing at the venue. When this happens, we can’t help but want to check the performer out.

Here’s 6 things NOT TO DO:

1) Hey, I’m also a close up magician, let me show you.

If a magician is performing, let them be the star of the show. It’s their gig, and their livelihood. You may have a strong urge to let everyone know that you are a magician as well, but that’s bad form. Resist the temptation to start showing people magic tricks, even if some of the guests that know you, ask to see a trick. Instead, do what you can to build interest in the ‘official’ magician. Explain to your friends that the magician will visit their table, or if it’s walk-around that it’s OK for them to go over and join the group watching the magic.

2) Yes, yes, of course I know how that’s done.

As a close up magician, you should understand better than anyone that magic isn’t really a puzzle. There aren’t prizes for knowing how the magic trick is done. In fact, that knowledge is the opposite of a prize because it robs you of the magical event. Even if another magician is doing very basic tricks, act as if you find it wonderful, and that the magician is very skilled. Nobody likes a ‘know it all’. Trying to let everyone know that ‘you are just as clever’ as the magician, comes across as jealousy.

3) They should have booked me.

Some of your friends or family may become protective of you. After all, they know how much you love magic. It’s quite common to hear them say something like:

‘wow; you are so much better than that magician, you should be doing this…’

Take note of these comments, but don’t feel cheated that another magician got the gig. They put in the work, got the lead, took the booking and all the other steps required to be there. It’s their gig, and they deserve it.

4) You could try this instead.

Close up magicians love to learn new magic, and just like you, the performer probably enjoys learning tips from other magicians. However, at their gig, is not the time to try to teach them a new variation of the trick you just saw them perform. If you find a moment once they have stopped working, it’s fine to introduce yourself and suggest a ‘session’ later. Resist the temptation to give them advice in public, they are busy working and won’t thank you for it.

5) This venue hires magicians!

If you see a magician performing, It’s not a signal that the venue is up for grabs, and you can start pitching your services to the management. The working circuit of magicians has distinct areas, where most magicians know each other. Trying to undermine another magicians regular work for a venue, can get you a very bad name in that area. Many magicians have long term relationships with venues, and may be told that you tried to take over the residency. Close up magicians often pass on work to other magicians and speak with agents, so it’s vital that you are seen as trustworthy. Gaining a new venue at the expense of another magician is a very short term win. In the long run, it will do more harm than good.

6) I’ll act cool, cold and indifferent like a pro.

Close up magicians are usually the worst audience for magic. If you have ever been to a magic show or lecture in a magic club, you will have experienced this first hand. Magicians don’t like to appear to be fooled. While the public freaks out, magicians in the audience simply nod wisely. It’s as if admitting that they don’t know how the trick was done is some kind of failing. If you find yourself watching another magician, let go, drop your ego and just have fun. Put yourself into spectator mode and react like everyone else. Magic isn’t a competition, and being entertained is not a sign of weakness.

Relax!

React and drop the attitude. By allowing yourself to be entertained, you help the close up magician, you make it more fun for everyone else, and you come across far better than someone who may have a superiority complex.

Turn yourself into spectator mode and react like everyone else. Magic isn’t a competition, and being entertained is not a sign of weakness.

Close Up Magic Vs. Stage Magic – Problems All Magicians Deal With

by Merchant of Magic 3 Comments

Close up magic and stage magic have several different problems. Let’s look at a few of the differences:

Choice

The audience in a stage show has chosen to see you perform your magic tricks. With close up magic, the audience does not know who you are and often that you will be performing.

Location

The audience visits a theatre to watch a magic show. They make the decision to come to you to watch your show. With close up magic, you go to them. Because of this, the locations are very different. With a stage show, you create the environment that the magic tricks are ‘staged’ within. Close up magicians fit in to a larger event, so your magic needs to be designed to complement an existing event. You need to be prepared for location surprises at close up magic gigs.

Lighting

Stage magicians can ensure that the lighting for the show is perfect for the magic tricks they will present. If you need a ‘dark’ area you can make sure that happens at just the right moment. If you need the lighting to focus attention away from an object or from you, for a few moments, this can be easily built into the show.

The main disadvantage for stage magicians is that the lighting makes it hard for them to engage with the audience. Lights can stop you from seeing the audience. Because of this, careful rehearsal needs to be done, to ensure the act is engaging without as much of the personal contact that close up magicians can create.

Close up magic happens in random locations, often in restaurants and busy bars. The lighting can be too dark, or very bright, and you will have no control over it. You need to make sure that the magic tricks you can perform are suitable for as many lighting set ups as possible.

Sound

Stage magic is supported by a PA system so the whole room can hear you. Sound effects can be added, as well as backing music. This can be used to change the mood and attention of your spectators when you need that to happen.

Close up magic takes place inside a larger event. It’s social in nature and happens in and around conversations. A band or loud music may be the background to your magic tricks, so you can’t assume that your audience will even be able to hear you. This creates a real challenge for you as a close up magician. You need to engage with the spectators and entertain them, but at the same time, you need to make sure that your magic can be understood, even if the spectator can’t hear you very well.

Good close up magic is presented in designed sets of magic tricks for different sound conditions. You should have at least 5 or 6 magic tricks ready to perform, should you find yourself in a situation where nobody can hear what you are saying. If you don’t do this, you may find you are limited in locations that you can work at a gig. You really don’t want to be forced to be positioned in the bar area away from the ‘action’ simply because the magic tricks you do, requires people to listen to you.

Set

Stage magic has the advantage of being able to control the environment to reinforce the magic or the presentation within a particular magic show. Everything can be arranged exactly how you want it, to present your magic tricks for maximum impact close up magic has no set. It may be the street, a bar or restaurant. However, this doesn’t need to be a disadvantage. The restaurant has objects, rituals and a structure that can be used to your advantage. Choosing magic tricks that compliment the situations you perform in, can turn the restaurant or bar into a perfect set. You need to be much more flexible and design your magic tricks to use the settings you have access too, in a way that will strengthen and highlight your magic tricks. Part of your job as a close up magician is to define your performing area, and communicate that to the spectators very quickly when you join each group.

Costume

Stage magicians can tell a story as much through their costumes as the magic itself. From a Chinese 19th century royal court, through to a sinister torture chamber. The act is set in a theme that communicated the story of the show.

Magicians that perform close up magic either wear a suit or dress down for street performances. They match the costumes that their spectators wear. The goal is to integrate, rather than stand out. It’s important that you think about what is best for a close up magicians to wear.

Seating

When a stage audience is seated, they have been arranged in a position to pay full attention to the show. Close up magic is often performed strolling magic, or magic at restaurant tables. The audience isn’t going to be seated so everyone can see you. When you perform close up magic, you need to move around. You need to engage different groups and capture peoples attention. It’s very important that you take some time to practice this and examine how your magic will work when your audience is not all sat directly in front of you.

Beginners often struggle with this, as they practice their magic tricks as if the audience is watching a stage show. When it comes to performing in a real world situation, they become confused and unsure how to present their magic tricks as people move around or are seated in a way that could expose their magic secrets.

Attention

The moment the lights go down at a stage magic show, everyone is paying attention. The stage magicians job is to keep that attention and stop the audience either leaving or falling asleep.

Close up magicians need to win the attention of the group, and then keep it. Spectators can be interrupted, become distracted by everything else happening. The food could be just about to arrive, an argument could be simmering between the group. Your spectators could be in deep conversation or even simply show no interest in your table magic at all. Social skills are very important for close up magicians, probably more so than good technique. The audience has no obligation to pay you any attention, so you need to give them as many reasons to like you and find your magic entertaining as you possibly can.

Misdirection

Stage magicians are being watched from the moment they arrive on stage. Many of the techniques of misdirection are different from those of magicians doing close up magic. Close up magicians, by definition, are closer to the audience. You will need to use misdirection techniques specifically designed for this situation. Tactics like eye contact, crossing gaze, positioning and questioning can all be used much more effectively in a close up magic setting.

Applause

We have all been trained from an early age to clap at the end of a stage performance. This is not so much the case for close up shows. Because close up magic is much more intimate, spectators tend not to use applause. They simply tell you how much they liked the magic trick they just say.

Unlike stage magicians, close up magicians need to train their audience to give them applause.

Do This:

Take a moment to think about these differences. List the magic you currently perform and next to each trick or ‘set’ answer these questions:

1) What practical steps can you build into the magic tricks you already perform that can communicate the need to clap after you show a group your magic tricks?2) Which environmental conditions would be ideal for each trick?

3) How can you adapt various performing conditions to enhance the magic?

4) What could you say or do, to capture attention and keep the spectators engaged?

5) How could each magic trick be adapted to increase the amount of participation and connection from the spectators?

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Dynamo Magician Impossible wins TV Show of the Year at the Virgin Media Awards

by Merchant of Magic 1 Comment

The Dynamo Magician Impossible TV show was voted by viewers to win the TV Show of the Year at the 2013 Virgin Media Awards. Beating iconic TV Shows like ‘Sherlock’ and ‘Doctor Who‘ to the top place. The other two TV series only getting a quarter of the votes between them.

Dynamo announced the win and thanked voters on his Twitter account @Dynamomagician

WE WON!!!! Thanks to everyone who voted 🙂 @VirginMediaTV #MagicianImpossible Show of the year Virgin Media Awards! http://virg.in/AwardsWinners

This is great news both for magicians and magic in general. He is introducing a whole new generation to the world of magic tricks.

The third series of Dynamo: Magician Impossible is due to air on TV shortly. Magicians in the UK are enjoying a booming market for close up magic as a result of the current popularity of magic on TV.

If you are a close up magician, now is the time to focus some of your marketing efforts on venues and events that perhaps you have not considered in the past. Festivals, PR Events and retail store opening parties can all be a great source of work. You need to take action to contact companies that plan these events.

Dynamo’s magic tricks may be popular at the moment, but nobody is going to come looking for you, unless you let people know what you can do. Even Dynamo spent years doing just this kind of promotion before he was taken under management and his TV career started.

Do this:

Create a media or press pack about your services as a magician and add a link to it on your website.

Google event planners and PR companies to find events in your area that may be interested in using your magic tricks.

Contact your local radio and ask if they would like you to come on air and so some audio magic.

Get out and start performing your magic tricks at festivals, parks, pubs and local events to gain exposure.

Now is the time to capitalize on the popularity of live magic. It’s never been a better time to show people street magic tricks up close and create your own local reputation.

Dynamo Magician Impossible Series 3

Nice Things Magicians Can Say About Dynamo

6 Things Magicians Should Never do When They Meet a Close Up Magician