I tend to think that preluding routines to the main routine is something that should be done more often. Think of it as a prologue that introduces the theme, the effect or whatever. Sometimes the trick you do before the main trick doesn't have to be related to the main trick at all.
Example: You introduce the deck of cards. It is red backed. You also show a blue backed card and place it on the table face down. You have somebody pick a card from the red backed deck and it turns out to be the Ace of Hearts. The blue backed card is turned over and it also is the Ace of Hearts. A moderate effect. Then you point out the obvious. All cards are probably the same. You turn the deck over and show an entire blank deck.
And that is just the lead-in routine for a stupid ACR with a blank deck. It introduces the deck in a good way.
Another example: You open you purse and get out three different coins. A half dollar, a Chinese coin and a copper coin. You also introduce a glass. And then it's coins to glass. You can even throw in a little bit of magicians choice to create the illusion the spectators have something to say about the order that the coins go into the glass.
And that would be a prelude routine for Copper Silver Brass. It shows the coins to be ordinary.
Yet another example: You show a deck of cards and have one card peeked at. You say that in order for the spectator to better remember the card the best it would be cool if the spectator can imagine himself tearing off a corner of the chosen card. Then in his mind he is to punch holes in the center of that card. Then he is to take an imaginary pen and he is to draw a spiral on the back of the card and to replace the card reversed in the deck. Then the deck is spread. A card is reversed. It has a spiral on the back, a few holes punched in the center and a missing corner. The spectator is asked what the chosen card was. He names it and the mutilated card turns out to be the card he is thinking of.
And that pretty much introduces the theme of Voodoo into the act.
Now why am I making this post? Because I see way too many magicians instead of choosing to do a prologue routine setting up a mood by talking. Doing a freaking monologue. And while there is nothing wrong with it, it becomes tiresome quickly. Change it up a bit.
This has been a constructive post. You may continue to do whatever the heck you were doing.
4 comments:
Agreed. And I'd like to see that incorporated into DVDs to get more context/routining into the mix. Sure, you have a great little trick to sell me, but it would be super helpful if you gave a little more on a good lead-in and follow-up.
I suspect this isn't done because then creators would be stuck either having to teach someone else's stuff for the add-ons or they'd be accused of talking about things they didn't include - a lose/lose.
But I'd still love to know how someone like Garrett Thomas "gets into" one of his effects, how it fits into the bigger picture and so on. This would be extremely valuable to me.
It's like no one sit down and outline the routine. To make things flow from one to another. Like when I do a close up show. I'll start with a version of McDonald's Aces with the J,Q,K,A into twisted Aces with the same four cards. Then I use those four to do a series of coin matrix with four cards then two card then finish up with Shadow Coins. But I use the McDonald's Aces and Twisted Aces to set up the coin effects.
Or, when I talk about when I first got into magic I was still in high school. I'll take out safety pins for linking pin and talk about how on the wrestling team we would get an over sized safety pins when we would win by pin. It explains why I have the pins. Why I had time to find out things one can do with them and it sets me up as a magician.
Now it seems like everyone wants to be one of these ambush magicians on the street. They brag on forums that they are breaking the law by doing this style of magic.
It's like no one sit down and outline the routine. To make things flow from one to another. Like when I do a close up show. I'll start with a version of McDonald's Aces with the J,Q,K,A into twisted Aces with the same four cards. Then I use those four to do a series of coin matrix with four cards then two card then finish up with Shadow Coins. But I use the McDonald's Aces and Twisted Aces to set up the coin effects.
Or, when I talk about when I first got into magic I was still in high school. I'll take out safety pins for linking pin and talk about how on the wrestling team we would get an over sized safety pins when we would win by pin. It explains why I have the pins. Why I had time to find out things one can do with them and it sets me up as a magician.
Now it seems like everyone wants to be one of these ambush magicians on the street. They brag on forums that they are breaking the law by doing this style of magic.
Nice / Connstructive post... most enjoyable:
more please *not too many... just enough <-connstructive criticism)
Yes, my goal is to work my name into as many words as possible.
Thanks
Doug (conn)
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