I was doing the dollar bill levitation and the person jumped at me and started trying to grab for my IT. They got it and made me look like an [edited]. I told the rest of the audience that I am sorry that person ruined the effect, and that I could no longer perform in that enviornment.

I don't know if its just me or everyone, but 9 times out of 10 people start trying to grab and pat me down. Does anyone have advice on how to avoid this? Can't people just enjoy the tricks instead of trying to ruin them???????


I am new to the illusion industry, and just want to have fun and make some people smile but its real discouraging when people pull crap all the time.


Even my own mother did this to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't perform for friends, family or school mates.

Practice with a few magician friends, and go out and perform for total strangers.

If this happening when you are performing with strangers, there is something wrong with your audience management.

If you are not assertive and confident, the audience will see through you, and go out of their way to make you look bad. Also, if the audience has time to grab for the IT there is possibly a lapse in your presentation when they have a moment to think about how the affect is done.

Try revamping your routine, and gaining confidence with what you are doing,

a.

You're gonna get hit a lot on audience control here I guarantee. There is no reason that person should have been close enough to you in the first place to do that. You must master audience control before you can master an illusion/effect.

Try controlling th crowd and dont be too close. if you want to know how to use IT, then get Spun. It taught me alot.

you need to be very careful about this. I used to have people do this but its all about making yourself the dominant person. Right from the word go you need to call the shots. for example telling them where to sit is a good one, its not very unusual but its psychological. The audience are doing what you are telling them to do. Its setting boundries thats all.... and you'll find performing for freinds will only lead to your moves being found out, your gimmicks being exposed and your dignity down the drain. When performing for freinds there is no sense of a boundry, they are comfortable in your presence and will not hesitate to touch your stuff....

Hope ive helped!

Vanardi

I do agree wity eferything said but, when I first started using IT, someone said, "oh, i kow how you do that, see!" and grabbed IT by my collar. Feeling stupid, i sputtered out, "That? That's just a piece of my shirt!" They aughed and said, "Oh! Heh, sorry...: )" so, thats one way i handeled it when i first startted... hopee my little input helped some ...[/list]

The One thing you must make shure of is that the specs can not be close to you. That way they are less likely to see IT and they can not jump out and grab IT.

I had a guy BEFORE I even perfromed the trick tell me hey you have a long hair hanging and pulled it out.I told him if he touched me again hed have to by me dinner for being so close.I just went to the washroom and setup again. I always keep specs back and try to wear darker colors when i know Im going out to perform

also if anyone but a police officer tries to pat you down, its illegal and can be construed as sexual harrassment, use this to your advantage.

Thanks for the constructive input! I really appriciate the help and positive insight for doing IT illusions.

It's really nice to have a good group of people and no flamers!


Thanks everyone with your help I will try the above suggestions.


MErry X Mas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When most objects float, they look that they're on string, thats because they are on string, If I saw something floating that looked like it was attached to something, I'd probably go in for a closer look myself.

its hard when you tell them the effects of the trick or they know the effects already.you can do telegraphing,for example:
torn a newspaper and take the piece and wave it like a bird.so this will give the audience that you will make the newspaper change into the bird instead you restore it,then you change it into a bird.

or you can do 'sucker tricks' or 'sucker moves' where you pretend to do the secret move like palming a card suspiciously,then people will grab the hand and seems to be emptyand fool them.

i know a trick just to make them pissed of where you take a hanky and cover your hand and say that you will make a bird appear.Show your middle finger slowly and when they grab the hanky.guess what they get?

What is an IT ive been searching for it on penguin but no results came up could someone help a brotha out