This is where age and experience comes into play...you can't go into a restaurant and perform purely sleight of hand. Ok, granted...you can, it's not impossible, but you shouldn't. Some of the best effects require gimmicks, and all the "miracle" effects need them. If you want to get repeat business from someone in a restaurant, you need to use gimmicks.

Of course you should go for it! My friend was 12 when he got his first restaurant gig. Just perform street magic, and get the feel of audience management and what people like, and dislike.

yeah, woot!!! i totaly agree with you!!! lol

I also think you should wait, I'm 17 and don't even consider myself old enough. I'd say wait at least till you're 16 to consider table hopping.

He is dead on....you are still too young in most states to work for a salary, but you could get a permit to perform at local art shows, carnivals, etc. and always pass a hat, or just have a hat there. You can suggest tips without actually asking for money....'think LOOPHOLE' and start earning not only money but experience. Working resturants is tricky sometimes with all the angles you need to avoid exposing, also by working the street you will gain rapid knowledge on 'reading' people, some people, you will not want to approach, and you will also need to alter your delivery depending on the 'genre' of your audience.

You seem to have your heart in this, stick with it....hope this helps.

"I will master this or drown trying!"

Me too! I absolutely hate gimmicks (partially because I'm too lazy to make them ). Mind you I'm not putting them down, just saying that I think sleight of hand is muuuuuch better. If you can pull it off without a gimmick from 6 inches away, you're a real good magician .

I always I hear people are doing kid's shows and stuff. Birthday Parties? I'm 12 and i want to become a sucessful magician, but how do you work for birthday parties and kid's shows at that age? How is that possible at 12 or 13? I want to do that. But I don't know how to start it at this age. At this rate im prob not gonna start it until 14 or 15. Please answer these questions. TY!!!

Don't. Kids performing at kids parties is not a good idea. At the very least, it belittles the art and profession of magic.

And now we present Crappy Magic Theatre. Today's episode: "The Birthday."

Billy's 10th birthday is only a week away. His parents discuss entertainment options...

Dad: "Hey, honey...let's hire a magician for Billy's 10th birthday party! There are a number of really good professionals listed here in the phone book..."

Mom: "Great idea...but why don't we get Bobby to do it...Janie & Dave's kid...you know...he delivers our paper. I hear he does card tricks..."

Dad: "Wow, hon! Good thinking! We'll save a bundle...!"

They kiss...and the sun slowly sets on another sad day for professional magic.

The (bitter) End.



So...do you want to be part of the problem or part of the solution?

You could start now if you like. I believe you will need work permits from your school (I think).

Didn't Jim Pace start at 13?

Anyways, i'm 15, and i'm thinking about next year when i'm able to drive. Extremely helpfull if you can drive.

Sure you can do a full set with no gimmicks, but you are missing out on some brilliant reactions.

NFW, as the name suggests, gets incredible reactions, and although there are gimickless versions, the gimicked version is so much cleaner.

Now as an example, When I started performing NFW, the first 2-3 times people wanted to see the cards. After that I learn't to put little subtelties into my performance, and now it is excruciatingly rare that anyone wants to look at the cards.

Brainwave / ID gets some of the most amazing reactions, and even the most accomplished card performer can admit to that, because it is such a direct trick. I mix it in with a psychological force which makes it even more amazing (when the psychological force works, using the ID as an out).

Even Jay Sankey said the ID would be up there with the top tricks he would have to choose if he had to amaze someone to save his life.


Those are just two examples, but ITR's can be used to awesome effect, which I use in a haunted deck routine, Twisted sisters is another favourite, as well as the Mind Power Deck which I consider to be one of the most powerful gaff decks in the world of magic.

I haven't been doing magic for very long, but I still think I may have some helpful advice. Just remember that people, including yourself, can change fairly drastically pretty fast. Remember back when you loved Pokemon more than anything in the world and you would never stop collecting? Exactly. I used to hate gimmicks when I first started. I had good reason to also. Why should I use some funky thing that isn't what it seems and just leaves me unclean afterwords, when I can do something equally amazing with an ordinary deck of cards? Well, believe it or not, now I love gimmicks, and wouldn't give them up for anything. I make my own all the time, and they make for incredible magic. The great part is, you can use a gimmick for an impossible effect, and then still end up clean in the end. Just look at the Pen Thru Dollar.

My main point is, you make think "I started early so I have as much knowledge as some pro 20 year old magicians have." Don't get caught up thinking you're superhuman boy, somehow unnaturally better at magic than everyone else out there. Many things just take time, not only for experience and acuiring new sleights, but also for making new realizations about your own style and magic. I might not have understood this when I was younger, but try not to be ignorant on this one. 90% or more of the people here are telling you to wait, so for now you should stick with performing at school (wonderful practice) and other places.

Hope I helped,
Mike

I would say wait because you can't legally work at a resturaunt anyway. You could however, ask the resturaunt manager if you could work just for tips. But you first should do a little presentation for them just so the manager knows you aren't a hack.

Also, don't ask for tips, because if I remember correctly, that's soliciting, which is a big no no. Instead, you could just set up a table after you are done performing and give out autographs (like on a playing card or something) and have a jar for tips out.