While all magicians know sleight of hand, not all of them specialize in these close-up tricks. You can also look into niche fields of magic, including: Club magic: working in front of medium audiences in a local magic club. Stage magic: working in front of large audiences in a large auditorium or performance venue. Escape tricks: escaping from handcuffs, strait jackets, or heavy chains in front of an audience. Mentalism: talking with audience members and performing tricks of clairvoyance or telepathy.
David Copperfield Tommy Wonder Lisa Menna[1] X Research source Sue-Anne Webster Doug Henning Penn & Teller Harry Houdini S. H. Sharpe Criss Angel Lance Burton David Blaine Shin Lim
The Tarbell Course in Magic Volumes 1-8, by Harlan Tarbell and Ralph Reed Books of Wonder, by Tommy Wonder Strong Magic, by Darwin Ortiz Drawing Room Conjuring, by Professor Hoffman The Fitzkee Trilogy, by Dariel Fitzkee Mark Wilson Complete Course in Magic, by Mark Wilson The Amateur Magician’s Handbook, by Henry Hay
If the videos are made by a knowledgeable, reputable magician, they will feature a variety of tricks which the magician effectively explains. Avoid videos that offer poor explanation, that only present information on very simple tricks, or are made by a clearly incompetent magician.
“I’m interested in learning how to perform magic tricks for my family and friends. What beginner tricks would you recommend, and what sort of equipment would I need for these. ” “Hi! I’m starting to learn about performing magic; what’s a great place near [your city] to see magic acts?”
A local magician that you can talk to in person will be more useful than an online mentorship. Attend local magic shows, and approach one of the more experienced magicians. Say something like, “I enjoyed your magic act, and I’m trying to become a magician myself. I’d love to show you some tricks I’ve been working on, and to get your feedback on how I can improve. ” The magician might not show you any tricks, but they could give you tips on how to perform your first tricks like a pro. If you don’t have this advantage, try to learn from your mistakes as much as possible.
No one wants to see an unoriginal magic act being performed over and over.
The public may enjoy some old classics, but you should avoid certain cliché tricks, like pulling a rabbit out of a hat. (Instead, make it appear in a box!) As a more advanced technique, try to merge several tricks together to create a new effect. For example, after you turn a ball into a tissue, make a coin appear out of the tissue; then, make the coin go through your hand.
Group acting lessons are commonly provided by local community theater groups. Look for flyers around where you live, or search online. Look for something like “community theater beginning acting lessons. ” Small-scale group classes are typically inexpensive, and sometimes may be free.
For example, pretend to put a coin in your left hand when really it’s still located in the right hand. After mastering coin manipulation, you can move on to ball manipulation and, finally, card manipulation.
Have a dress rehearsal in the performance space, especially if you’re using any equipment in your show.
Remember that comfort is also important when you make your costume. If you’re feeling itchy or stifled in a costume, then it doesn’t matter if you look incredible. In a traditional costume, the vest should have big pockets on the inside so you can make big objects, such as plates, disappear/appear. Also consider using the same basic outline of the costume to create a more modern one.
Even if you want your act to have a serious, mysterious tone, you still need to develop people skills so you can intrigue an audience. For example, tease audience members that they’ll be amazed by the trick you’re about to perform. Hype up your own trick before you perform it.
Say something like, “These people in the front are going to fall out of their chairs when they see what I do next!”
This will require some improvisation. You may see that your opening trick is wrong for the audience you have and will have to switch things up at the last minute. If your crowd is enthusiastic and supportive, you could try some bold, crowd-pleasing tricks. If they’re bored or unimpressed, take your act back to the basics and show that you can perform simple ticks effectively. A tipsy audience can be tricky—don’t encourage them to heckle, but have fun with the audience and engage in some banter.
It can take time to build up enough skills to get work this way. Make sure that you’re really ready when you start performing for an audience and you’ll raise your chances of getting noticed.
If you choose to go this route, then make sure you’re not taking over another magician or street performer’s location. People are pretty touchy about their territory and you don’t want to get into a conflict. Also make sure that you’re legally allowed to perform in the area that you choose to set up in.
Give out your business card as often as you can. Stop by local magic shops and ask if they need anyone to perform or if you can leave your business card with them.
This can help you discover what kind of a magician you want to be. For example, maybe you’ll see that you like exclusively performing for adults or only children. Be prepared to do this for a while. It can take years to rise above this level. Find small gigs by, for example, performing at a comedy and magic open mic. Ask around in the audience after the show to see if any of the patrons would be interested in hiring you to perform magic. After the open mic, you can also talk to visiting professional magicians and ask if they know of any upcoming gigs.
If you make networking a priority, then you’ll be more likely to meet a manager or an agent.
Some of the most reputable clubs include The International Brotherhood of Magicians and The Society of American Magicians. You can also join the online club, The Magic Classroom. You can enroll the join these clubs online, although magic clubs typically require a fee. For example, it costs $65 USD annually to join The Society of American Magicians. [15] X Research source
An agent can be useful in this regard too, but they may get up to 15-20% of the commission for the gigs that they can find you.
Corporate functions Country clubs Upscale charity fundraisers High end private events, such as anniversaries, elegant children’s parties, or holiday parties.
