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    Gary Kurtz - Leading With Your Head

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    LEADING WITH YOUR HEAD PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DIRECTIONAL TO THE AMPLIFICATION OF THE MAGIC EFFECT GARY KURTZ INTRODUCTION There is no substitute for empirical knowledge, but learning by trial and error is along, arduous, not to mention, potentially egg-in-your-tace embarrassing process. The ideal union, obviously, is one of book knowledge and practical knowledge. So much the better if the book is one of practical knowledge. My goal in writing the following work is to give readers the fools to save themselves valuable years of experimentation, to open up new paths of thought which they might not have yensidered, and to help them recognize and avoid some common pitfalls. Once you get the necessary evil of having to fool people out of the way, you'll be able to concentrate on more important aspects of our craft. ‘The human mind works in mysterious way, but the mechanisms of perception and the interpretation of those perceptions follow fairly predictable patterns. This book should give you Some insights into those patterns and processes (at least those which relate to the magic craft/art). The point of departure for this work is that simply reading it is worthless Claiming an Understanding of the theoretical side of a performance art without ever having put it into practice ig delusion: Sotewhat like a virgin claiming he's a great lover simply because he's read The Joy of Sex. Putting the knowledge into practice Is so much more gratifying! Here's hoping this book will ead to some mutually gratifying experiences between you and your audiences. Gary Kurtz, Montréal, 1992 LEADING WITH YOUR HEAD PSYCHOLOGICAL KEYS TO THE AMPLIFICATION OF THE MAGIC EFFECT CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 Further intentions 1 Direction 2 Misdirection 2 YOUR PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT CORPORAL SPACE AND STAGING 4 PHYSICAL MOVEMENT - Basic Strengths and Weaknesses 5 CORPORAL STAGING - Framing for Effect 6 Visual Noise 7 The Open Position 7 PSYCHO-PHYSICAL TECHNIQUES ‘ACTIVE AND RELAXED STATES 9 THE OFF-BEAT 4 Creating the Off-Beat 12 Regaining Attention 13 COORDINATION OF ACTIONS 14 The Priority of Actions 14 Economy of Motion 18 FOCAL-INTERACTIONAL TECHNIQUES FOCUS-THE EYES 20 FOCAL-INTERACTIONAL MISDIRECTION 21 The Eyes-The Voice FOCUSING ON THE EFFECT 22 The Yo-Yo Dilemma 24 Focusing on Essential Elements 24 Focus and The Intention of Magic 25 FOCUS-YOUR AUDIENCE AND YOU-THE EYES THAT BIND 26 PURELY PSYCHOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES OPENNESS 28 SPECTATOR AFFIRMATION 33 The Nod Technique 33 Affirmation = Involvement 33 Affirmation and Memory 34 Affirmation and The Distortion of Memory 35 36 The Nod Technique and Psychological Manipulation RANDOM THOUGHTS Preparing Material For Performance 38 39 EINAL WORDS @Gary Kurtz, 1992 All Rights Reserved Except by Express Permission from Gary Kurtz FURTHER INTENTIONS A Controlling and directing an audience’s perception, attention, and memory, are major ‘skills of the magician’s craft. Unfortunately, the techniques required to achieve those ends are often grossly misunderstood; poorly understood; or just plain incomprehensible to the average magician. Not that its nessessarily their fault: With the exeption of a few contemporary writers (Burger and Tamatiz especially); what information there is in the magic literature is: 1- Scattered sparcely about in innumerable books; 2- Gleaned only by reading between the lines; or 3. So scholarly in its approach it practically negates the fact the theory pertains to a living, breathing performance art. in my good intentions, may | shed some fluorescent day-glow light in the darkness. B. As my studying and working in other performance arts has shown, a teacher might explain something repeatedly, and the lesson sill fails to sink in. Another teacher might then explain exactly the same things in a different way, and it leads to a revelation. Here's hoping the way Ive organized and articulated the following ideas will lead to some revelations. I've tried my best to be terse and systematic. C- In the following pages | am, to a certain extent, creating a new vocabulary to label some techniques. One of the short-comings in our ability to discuss ideas is an absence of standardized vocabulary. The names I've attached to the various techniques are self-explanatory: So. evised that even someone who's never heard them before should understand their meanings. E. Lastly, my emphasis is on the two-fold purpose of directing audience perception and attention’ Defense and Offence. Misdirection aids in deception. Direction focuses and Maintains attention with the purpose of amplifying, clarifying,and simplifying The Effect. Every technique in the book will serve your defensive tactics as well as your offensive stalegy. I can't stress this enough. Put into practice, these techniques will not only make your magic stronger but, potentially, will make you a better performer as well As in all the other arts, physical techniques are only the first part of being an artist. The rest happens in our heads and in our hearts. DIRECTION itis our responsibility, as performers (and in some eat creators), o make our work as easy as possible for our audience to watch and enjoy. Tis up to us to make it as dynamic and engaging as possible. Where would the performance art world be without orchestra conductors, theatre directors, choreographers and movie directors? Lack of Direction = Chaos: In a magie craft essentially (an sadly) devoid of directors, choreographers, coaches and/or trainers, no one else is going to do the job for us. ‘This book should help you to become a better director, for yourself and others. The most beneficial approach to studying and working through this material is to do it with a fiend or friends (all of whom bought the book, hhopelully). Using visualization techniques, & mirror, even video, is one thing; having an suiside eye quite another. Working through this rivterial simultaneously with others is more interesting, ‘and guarantess that in the end you'll have at least one informed critic. MISDIRECTION Misdirection has nothing to do with distraction. It has everything to do with controlling audience attention, at all times. Direction plays a major role in elevating the “perfornet of magic tricks" from trickster to magician. Personally, | almost never do a move without ‘misdirection of some kind, even though tam technically quite competent. The reason is, in the words of Erdnase: ‘Not only shouldn't they see anything, they shouldn't suspicion anything.” For me, misdirection is not a cover for the moves. but a means of insuring that suspicion never enters the audience's minds. Only when there is no suspicion can there be a suspension of disbelief. Only when there Is @ suspension of disbelief, can there be magic. Enough of this babbling. Let's get on with it! YOUR PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT EEE YOUR PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT ———_———_—_—_$_$_$ CORPORAL SPACE AND STAGING Your physicality has an incredible effect on the audience's perceptions of you: 4. It you work with your hands close to your body, elbows pressed into your sides; while constantly looking at your hands, you'll will be perceived as someone who is nervous, introverted, and worst of all, performing for yourself. 2- If you work with your hands well forward, with open and free gestures, with good eye contact with your audience you'll be perceived as positive, outgoing, and interestedin sharing something wilh your audience (assuming your personality is in accord). Obviously, the characteristics of the latter will make for a more successful performer. From a Method Acting stand:-point: By consciously working to be more expressive and open in your physical gestures, stage presence, and use of stage space, your personality wil likewise open up (if it isn't already open). Working physically will effect not only your audience's perceptions, but your own psychological make-up as welll Coming from a theatre background, itis a personal perception/theary that the position of your hande in relationship to your body is similar in significance to an actor's position on stage: Consider the following 1- Your face and upper torso are your communication centre. The rest of your appendages should radiate from that centre. >. Your hands hanging a! your sides have the same strength (weakness) as someone who is standing upstage right or left (weak stage positions, but good for entrances and exits); 3- Having your hands at waist level, close to your body, will attract slightly more attention. I they ave relaxed the attention they draw will be minimal, but if they are tense they may, unfortunately, attract suspicion); 4 Having your hands well forward in front of you is considerably stronger (like Centre Stage The position is very open; it psychologically creates an impression of fairness; its easy for the eadience to shift focus between your face and your hands, and you can easily move the hands to other (stronger or weaker) positions; and 5- Having your hands in front of you at chest level is the strongest position of al (ike Downstage Centre close and personable- you and your hands framed in the picture). Obviously, what you do with your Focus and the rest of your body will have a discernable affect, but the above are basics which we'll refer back in coming pages. PHYSICAL MOVEMENT -BASIC STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES- The very Basics: v ADVANCING RETREATING (STRONG) (WEAK) vements advance and/or rise; weak movements Jative: Obviously, the energy and intention you d (more on this later), but in general All fairly apparent, | hope. In general, strong mo retreat andior lower. Seeing how everything is rel give movements will effect how they are perceives forwardjupward movements simply grab more attention. Concerning Side to Side Movement: ocerrmcnt trom right to left (audience view) is stronger than a movement from left fo right (audience view). This rule can be explained by the fact that, in our occidental culture (with apologies to the oriental), we read from left to right. Consequently, a movement from left to right ig ordinary and acceptable. A movement in the opposite direction (right to left) "goes against the grain’, and consequently is more noticeable/stronger. Lnportant Note: The performer's movement on stage is mitror image. Thus your right fo left=the audience's left to right (formal), and your left to right =the audience's right to left "against the grain’). Rent movies showing "good guystand "bad guys" walking on screen; or a plane taking a family to a peaceful tropical vacation/another of a plane (with a different family), crashing into a mourtain, Compare directional trajectories of the opposing actions (each with thelr inherent psychological intents) for proof of this theory in cinematographic practice. (Orjust take my word for it) Use this information to your advantage in staging your effects for maximum impact (strong movements and positions when you want to attract attention), and structuring for deception (weak movements and positions when you want actions to attract less attention). Could | state it more simply. Toss in Active and Relaxed States and The Coordination of Actions (both discussed later), and you've got Movement {uses and misuses) pretty much taken care of CORPORAL STAGING - FRAMING FOR EFFECT First Example: The Misers Dream: You're holding the champagne bucket in your left hand (relaxed and at your side), With your right hand you reach forward and produce a coin (strong movement and position). After the effect has registered, you pretend to drop the coin into the bucket (weak position-hands low and to the left), Thrust your bent left elbow forward in front of you and produce a coin from it (strong central position). Relax the left arm as you display the coin you just produced (strong display position). Supposedly drop this coin into the pail (hands again low and to the left). Produce another coin from the air in front of you. Display it. Drop it into the pail. Look at your right knee; thrusting it forward and centre just before producing a coin from behind it... Display the coin in front of you... And so on.... [These examples ilustrato how the effeclipreduction is strengthened through corporal staging, and how dropping the Coins into the bucket (an unimportant element to the effec!) is de-stressed using the same principles] Second Example: Producing a Card From Your Pants’ Pocket: Your pocket is in a relatively weak position (low and to the right). How do we make the production stronger? Assuming you have @ card palmed in your right hand: Move your left hand forward and diagonally to the left (your right hand being ettectively upstaged) and dramatically riffle the cards, Follow the imaginary path of the card to your pocket; your right hand reaching into your pocket an instant before your eyes look there. Now, swing your right hip to a central position, ling it slightly, as you pull the card out. Tum the card dramatically around (attention focused there: the effect registers). Bring the card to chest level, well in front of you (strong final position-they appreciate the effect and you). Third example’ The order in which you have three cards ct your left; the second on your right; and the thir process, perform your first revelation of the left spect: on your right (right to left movement, from the audience's perspective, movement from left to right). Perform your second revelation. Move to the third spect: strong central position/frontal focus for a strong final effect.) [This example ilustrates how applying the staging principles tothe effoct’s structure can gel you optimal impact. hosen and revealed: The first spectator should be on d directly in front of you. After the selection fator's card. Move from him to the spectator is stronger than a ator (a Last example: Question: Why is it better to have an assisting spectator on your right side? Answer: So you the "subject" come first in the “sentence” the audiences *reads" on stage. 6 A plea to close-up magicians who work standing: Stop doing (or minimalize the number of) effects performed on the table (on a close-up pad). Get your effects up to chest level in a “frame” which includes you (and not your crotch) as the backdrop. The reasons are obvious. Before moving on to considerably more interesting fare, consider two more definitions: Visual Noise Visual Noise is a fairly self-explanatory phrase: Its tiring, even annoying, to watch: A performer (unconsciously) gestures wildly, as he paces back and forth; constantly shuffling and riffling his deck of cards; adjusting his tie, socks and undershorts; all the while talking a blue streak. It creates confusion (and confusion certainly isn't magic), and sets up a barrier to effective communication. Odious fact of human nature: People pick out faults more easily than they notice virtues. With a (magic) performer constantly and senselessly on the move, the audience doesn’t know What to watch: Should they be watching his hands to make sure he's not “doing something funny"? Or should they, as social humans do by instinct, look at him when he's talking? But if they look at him when he's talking he might do something “funny” with the cards... Vice versa. Versa Vice... They tire of the ping pong match... systems shut down... they begin praying (to the multi-demoninational generic God) that the show will soon be over. Be "crazy" and energetic, but do it with intellegence. Don't split audience attention between you and what you are doing. The Open Position What | refer to as the Open Position, is a position where the audience can see, in their peripheral vision, all of the elements in play. Their attention isn't split, because they can see that everything is fair and above board. Whenever possible we should handle our props well away from our bodies, very openly, and with as little extraneous movement as possible. Props should only attract attention when we direct attention to the props. The audience must know that we're not doing anything “tunny*, This is imperative when interacting and communicating with people. Tamariz, and Otto Wesley are perfect examples of manic, “wild man" performers. But, my God, do they know exactly what they're doing at every second they're on stage! Therein lies the difference between a professional and an over enthusiastic amateur. Professionals know the what, why and how of what they're doing, at all times, More on this subject when | discuss Openness. Footnote: A magician approached me at a convention in Germany, stating he'd learned something from me the year belore which was ‘really impressing’ his audiences. Other magicians gathered around, expecting a miracle, He removed his deck of cards, held it out in a perfectly extended and relaxed Open Position; and stated that this was impressing laymen enormously. He then put his deck away, leaving the other magicians utterly dumbfounded! PSYCHO-PHYSICAL TECHNIQUES ES PSYCHO-PHYSICAL TECHNIQUES i EE ACTIVE AND RELAXED STATES In the same way a script for a play o movie will have high and low points built into it, so should magi¢ routines (though admittedly, the structure and composition of some is considerably better than others), Every sequence of actions (trom the over-all big picture to the smallest details) is composed of strong and weak elements. itis up to the actor/magician to analyse, interpret and amplify, these inherent dynamics. Strong Elements bacome stronger when deftly juxtaposed with Weak Elements; and vice versa. Active physicality creates tension/attention <=> Relaxed physicality relaxes tension/attention. With your fuctuation between active and relaxed states, between tension and relaxation, there will be a sympathetic reaction in the audience. Audiences will intuitively sense and react to Your actions, without really being aware of it. Physically match the psychological state you want to project to your audience With proper mental motivation and intention on your part, your body will naturally follow. Lead with your head, and your body will follow. On a smaller scale, the implications of these ideas are crucial in sleight-of-hand: All secret actions should be performed with the least amount of energy/thought possible. Senet owes need to be analyzed and practised so they can be done with the the above in mind. The time to create tension/attention is before and after, not during, a move. In balancing more than one visual image/action, Staging and Corporal Staging must be supported by Active and Relaxed States. In performing a false transfer of a coin into your lett hapdh for example: At the completion of the move, when moving your left hand forward/up and your right hand back/down, you must activate the left hand and relax the right. If not, the intended weak element remains in the audience's peripheral attention. ityou are paiming something, there has to be a complete relaxation: Of the hand, the wrist, the elbow, and the shoulder. If not, the audience will sense the discrepancies. On adifferent scale: Ifa magicians assistant has a more commanding stage presence than the magician: Major problems. On the other end of the scale, to get the maximum impact out of a magical effect there (usually) has to be a build-up of tension just before the final climax. You can't, for example, limply toss a scat! in the ait to show a bow! of water has vanished, and expect maximum applause. It has to be done with energy and accent. To create tension/attention: Project strongly. Position you of your feet (or lean forward in your chair). Manage your 3 energy. Direct your focus and body position so the energy attention to go. Think "energy". 1 weight slightly forward on the balls estures for optimum Openness and lines flow in the direction you want .ge presence. Let your shoulders and chest sink To relax tension/attention: Exhale. Relax your sta ight back on your heels (or sink back in your slightly. Take a step back and/or rock your wei chair), Think *relax’. Use your head: Use your body! your head, and your body will follow. Lead with your body, Lead with and the audience will follow. 10 THE OFF-BEAT -BLINDSPOT IN THE AUDIENCE'S PERCEPTION- Every time there is a surprise, the spectators’ minds stop working momentarily. Surprise! Whenever the audience is reacting in surprise to a magical occurrence, laughing at a joke, or relaxing because they think a trick is over, their attention lulls: The Off-Beat. Depending on the strength of the set-up and resultant surprise, this Otf-Beat can last anywhere from a half second to six seconds (usually closer to one second than six). That's one to six seconds for you to do your secret move(s). This is the misdirection for the final loads in the Cups and Balls (the surprise reappearance of the small balls under the cups creating the moment in which you load the oranges); the cover for Slydini’s Lap Recoveries; Bob Read's Bottle Production, Don Alan's "Lump of Coal" ; the principal misdirection for Goshman’s Coins Under the Salt Shakers; Fred Kaps' Chinese Coin Routine" and my own routine "Relentless". , Remember: Any secret moves must be done in a physical relaxed way. if you don't perform your "moves" in a relaxed way, you risk pulling audience attention back to the action, or at least having the audience suspect that something happened. The surprise of three little red balls having appeared under a cup simply isn't sufficient to cover an apparent muscle spasm in a performer's left arm and shoulder as he loads an orange. Point already made: Physically support the psychological state you want to produce in your audience. Relax! The only way to develop a finely tuned sense of the Off-Beat is by performing, and feeling your audience's attention on you at all times. Like comic timing, you have to feel your audience out, and sense the natural fluctuations. After awhile you'll know, like a comedian knows in advance how an audience will most likely react, when the natural off-beat will occur, and how long it will last. Obviously, certain things will get a stronger reaction, and thus give you a stronger/longer off-beat. Armed with an understanding of the mechanism of the off-beat, you'll then be able to incorporate it into the structure of routines as you develop and rehearse them. " CREATING THE OFF-BEAT Creating the Otf-Beat Moment is similar to the joke format. You build certain expectations, then have an unexpected twist which throws them off track, They laugh (they relax). Your relaxation, of course, is the impetus. Various Techniques: 1- Create interest/expectation (seript/suspense/body language); relax that expectation (ease the suspense/relax your body), and you have your moment. 2- Take advantage of the surprise created by a previous effect and use this moment to secrelly prepare for your next effect. Hit them with the next effect, then use the off-beat to set-up for the next effect. And so on, and on, and on. 3- Have a joke or funny line to say at just the right moment (by far my favourite, easiest to use, not to mention most entertaining technique); or 4- Make them think the effect is over (successfully, or in failure) The Francis Carlyle Card to Pocket is a perfect example of the latter: The signed card (which you've secretly glimpsed) is on top of the deck and an indifferent card is in your pocket. After explaining that you have made the card appect in your pocket, you cleanly show your hand empty, then pull the odd card half way from your pocket, miscalling it ce the selection. They believe its already there: Oft-beat. You palm the selection during the Felaxation, then (as their minds start to work again and wonder if it really is the signed card) you pul it rom your pocket: “And that was how you signed your name on it wasn't it?” You've created the pettect moment fo palm the card- when they think its already in your pocket Another example: Performing a One Hand Top Palm: Lean forward on the balls of your feet (active), with the deck forward inan Open Position: “At this point you may be expecting me to lind your card, right?” "Well, I'm not going to... Rock back on your heels; relax your hands to waist level and palm the card. Deck is taken and displayed in left hand as your right hand drops to your side (coordination): "1 don't have to find the card...He does..." 1d posture, and then relaxed when you tell hem you're not going to Expectations are created by the initial statement an it with a. psychological, as well as physical, relaxation. find their card anyway, You've created your moment ques for creating the moment was to create suspicion, and One of John Ramsey's favourite techn that their suspicions were unfounded, created the moment then dispel it. The audience's surprise he needed to do the move for real. 12 Example: Performing a silk vanish with a pull, you have the pull in your left hand, and are almost finished tucking the silk inside, On the last few tucks you make an awkward movement, as if having palmed the silk in your right hand. You notice the audience's suspicion, then lean forward and show your right hand empty (at the same time relaxing your left hand to your hip, letting the pull go under your jacket): The Moment. Having convinced them that you're not cheating, you move both hands well in front of you, clasp then together, pause, then open both hands showing the silk has vanished. REGAINING ATTENTION Ideally, you don't want your audience to be aware that their attention waned for an instant. You want to get their attention back, with everything appearing to be as it was before their attention fapse. On another level, as in comedy, you don't deliver your next line until the audience is finished laughing at the ‘previous one. At the same time, you don’t’ wait until the laughter has died down completely either. You have to stay on a roll. So, you control the audience; not the other way around. Example: A coin vanish. Cree over of the natural surprise of the production of a coin, you relax your hand a beat and lap the coin, Move your hand forward to the centre of the table again: "Look. Once again..* You deliver the “look” quite emphatically, drawing attention back. Simulate tossing the coin into your feft hand {ala Goshman), then mime the action of tossing the coin back and forth at yOUr fingertips, the movements getting smaller and smaller until you freeze with the fingertips touching, then separate them showing the coin to have vanished again. Another example: The Top Change You've juct produced a card in a dramatic fashion. Look atit: “The 6H...That was your card, yes?* On'*yes" you bring your eyes up to meet the spectator's, performing a Top Change (The Eyes), establishing an Open Position immediately afterwards (hands well separated), Move the card well forward: "If was?" Focus all attention on the card as you snap it: “That's right, it was..." Dramatically turn the card face up: “..t isn’t any more!" The first example illustrates how you can regain attention with a continuation of an action, the second, how you reveal the next climax from an Open Position. Itis to your advantage to use psychological convincers to reinforce the idea that all is as it was belore the attention lapse, whenever possible. Using Spectator Affirmation (discussed later), mime simulation, miscalling cards, or using audible illusions can all reinforce those ideas, giving you a time delay between when the move was actually done, and when the magic supposedly happens. 13 COORDINATION OF ACTIONS -CASTING THE SHADOW- ‘As mentioned in the introduction, misdirection has nothing to do with distraction. Misdirection is Direction of Attention. The human eye is attracted by motion. Simple fact. But, the human eye can really only focus on one movement at a time. Using the principle of the Coordination of Actions one action (secondary) can pass unnoticed in the shadow of another action (primary). THE PRIORITY OF ACTIONS -HELPING YOU DEFINE YOUR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ACTIONS- Having already discussed Corporal Space and Staging, Movement Strengths, and Active and Relaxed States, you will already understand the logic behind the following examples of primary and secondary actions: 1-A hand moving forward will take precedence over a hand relaxing back (Strong vs. Weak Movement). 2-A hand rising will attract more attention than a hand dropping down to your side (Strong Movement/Position vs. Weak Movement/Position). 3-Any action which is active will command more attention than an action which is passive (Active vs. Passive). 4-Any action which you invest with importance will take precedence over an action which you ‘do automatically, without thinking (Strong Intention vs. Disregard) s-Anything attractive, colourful, flashy or well lit, will draw more attention that something ‘commonplace and seemly unimportant (Visual Appeal vs. Dullness). pass unnoticed, all you have to do is find a stronge For every movement you want to ly difficulty sometimes is to find a primary action which i action to counterbalance it. The on! logical and motivated. The basis of the principle of The Coordination of Actions (first verbalized by Tony Stydini) is tha both actions begin and stop at exactly the same time. The primary (stronger) action will automatically cast the secondary (weaker) action in shadow A simple example Something as simple as a False Transfer of a ball from your right hand to yur left, embodie this principle. First, try the following wrong ways: 4. Perform the False Transfer, keeping the left hand motionless, as your right hand moves awe Aiter having supposedly deposited the ball. Now move your left hand forward. Two perceptibl action, yes? In this case the right hand's retreat (supposedly weak) action actually draws mor attention than the left hand; 14 2- Perform a False Transfer, and freeze the right hand as the left hand moves away. Stop moving the left hand, then drop your right hand to your side> Still, two perceptible movements, yes? Now try the following correct way: 3- Display the ball in your right hand. Start moving both hands together at the same time. Perform the False Transfer, afterwards actively moving the left hand forward as you relax your fight hand to your side, Stop the left hand's motion at the instant (and not before) the right hand teaches its final rest position. The primary left hand action commands full attention throughout. Considerably more complex combinations of movements can be handled in exactly the same way. Define your objective (what you want your audience to see and not see), then consider the problems and develop "balanced" solutions. Example (micro-coordinations) You've just palmed the four Aces from the bottom of the deck into your left hand and want to produce them from your pocket: Here, give the cards a shuttle... Oh, wait, you may want to mix these... in there as well!" With the cards in left hand palm, hand the deck to a spectator with your right hands as you relax your left hand to your side (Coordination: Both hands starting and stopping at exactly the same time): ‘Here, give the cards a shufile.. Drop your right hand, bringing both hands together clasped in front of you (lull body relaxation), ‘After a beat, raise your right hand in a palm out gesture, bringing all eyes up with it (left hand swinging back to your side): *Oh, wai Open the right side of your jacket and look inside, as you bring your left hand to waist level. Look up at the audience as you reach your left hand into your inside pocket, closing the jacket slightly around the hand as you do. Re-open your jacket and focus attention down so they see the cards coming from inside the pocket. Display the cards in both hands, chest height and forward in front of you: "You may want to mix these in there too..." Point: Even the smallest let hand actions are shadowed throughout. Top of previous paragraph: A new meaning (o the term *hand/eye coordination’. ‘An extravagant example: Magician Changes into Tiger; Magician Reappears in Back of Theatre The cage is centre stage, there are steps leading up to it. The magician (in a costume borrowed from Catwoman's African cousin) climbs the stairs, blows a kiss and enters the cage. A large colourful cloth is pulled down over the front of the cage. Two brightly dressed assistants spin the cage forward into a brightly lit spotlight right at the edge of the stage as another (dressed-in- black) stagehand calmly pushes the stairs (containing the supposedly-caged magician) back into the dimly lit upstage area, and offstage. It the stairs were pushed off-stage before the cage was spun forward, it would be “noticed” and remembered by the tudlenee, With the Coordination ot Actions the viewer completely forgets there were stars or a “stagehand! involved. There's a shor jungle-music dance sequence to build suspense. There's a flash of fire over the cage; the cloth is pulled off, revealing that the woman has changed into a roaring tiger. ‘the teatically and build-up make the audience further forget about the ‘stairs ang stagehand’. This build-up. the sprse ofthe tansformation, and the ensuing applause, al! give the magician time to get fo the back of the theatre. A shot is fired at the back of the theatre and the magician makes her reappearance illuminated by a spotlight. A Challenging Example: The Card Under Spectator's Glass (across the table). This ie a good example because the “problem” in my hancling of the Card Under the Glass is that the right "loading" hand has to move invisibly forward at least three or four feet before it can lead the zard. The solution is in the staging, motivation and intention of the Primary and Secondary Actions. A card is selected, signed (optional), remembered by everyone present; then replaced and secretly controlled to the top via your favorite method. Locate (preferably before this point) a glass that is near the left center side of the table, ideally, ceeshihigh is atleast two and a half feet away from you, and in line with spectator who is at leas! another foot and a half directly beyond it. Move into position around the table to a strategic position of alignment (to perform the effect for one spectator in particular). This performer/glass Spectator alignment is crucial. As you're aligning yourself, you say: Soe ets make this much more interesting, I'm not going to find the card, he is. This set-up psychologically disarms the audience, and shits attention rom You to the spectator. Turn the deck face-up and demonstrate the following words, cutting the deck at varying depth as you talk to the spectator across from you: "I'm going to ask you to cut the cards... Whereveryou cut, that will be exactly his card...” As you say ‘his card’, take the face-up deck in tight hand Biddle Grip and gesture towards th tector Replace the deck into your lell hand, Side Stealing the selection into your right han Drop your right hand to your side as you gesture with the deck to your “assistant” (coordinatic of ection), Focal-Interactional Misdirection at this point: "How's that sound?..." A attention slays on the spectator assistant, as people contemplate his response and predicament. Lean forward; extending your left hand forward towards the spectator (flipping deck face-dowr and bring your right hand to rest beside the glass (the glass nesting in the L of the thur grotch). The right hand naturally falls beside the glass becauss you have to lean so far forwar No thought whatsoever is put into the right hand's action. ‘Judge your distance beforehand ar itwil happen automatically. All attention is on the spectatot as ye continue: "Honest to gosh, You cut; no matter where you cut. that will bbe his card... Guaranteed.” 16 ‘The Primary Left Hand Action is larger, more active, and invested with attention/intention. The Secondary Right Hand ‘Action is lower, relaxed and done without thought. The attention/expectation being on the spectator, shadows both physical actions. The spectator cuts. With your left first fingertip you touch the face card of the portion he cut off: *Right there?... That is his card, right?..." The spectator looks at the card, everyone looks at the spectator: You straighten up, gently dragging the glass over and on top of the card. The action is perfectly coordinated, Both hands and body move simultaneously backwards to a rest position in front of you. You don't want to move your tet hand back, then move the glass as you straighten up. Everything happens at once {and as relaxed as possible}. After the denial, verify the miss with the selector, then show him the top few cards of your packet (your hands up at chest level, insuring no one sees the card under glass in their peripheral vision): “The card here then?..The next one?.. Next one?. Turn to the spectator assistant, doing a subliminal "give me" gesture towards his packet (he'll automatically return his packet), as you maintain his eye contact, saying: “I guess you screwed up..." Walk around the table to the selector (getting even further from the card under the glass): *Its O.K. I'll make up for his inexperience..." Assuming you glimpsed the selected card's identity earlier, cut the deck and miscall the card you cut as the selection. An effect in itself. Immediately continue by removing the supposed selection and performing a Rub-a Dub-Dub Vanish: Even better though... | rub the card on my pant-leg, make it invisible... Toss it through the air and make it appear underneath his glass on the other side of the table!" [At the end you're at least ten foet from the card under the glass. You point very drammaticaly towards it ts a miracle, The above example illustrates one of the difficulties of writing this book: Its next to impossible to give an example that uses only one technique! 17 ECONOMY OF MOTION “STREAMLINING WHAT THE AUDIENCE PERCEIVES- Simplicity is the ultimate goal. Anytime you can eliminate extraneous movement, do so. Prop/pocket management is an essential part of planning routines. Know where everything is, reef tina the most efficient way of introducing props and getting rid of them. Don't pick up props or accessories until you need them. The natural Off-Beat at the end of a routine is most often the best time to put away the props from the previous effect, and get out the new ones. Done this way, the audience never notices the exchange. This is critical in eliminating dead-time, especially on stage. Direction and the Coordination of Actions can be invaluable in simplifying what the audience notices and remembers. last section already demonstrate this. Several actions were made The examples given under the lified the effect as it was seen by the imperceptible, primarily to aid deception, but they also simp! audience. ‘Additional Examples: You should never see a dove worker ditching the silk he produced the bird from (what does it have to do with the Effect), You “should never notice a good assistant entering or leaving the stage (unless you want to make a big deal of an entrance or exit). The assistant fe there when the magician needs him, invisible when he's not. The staging has to be designed so that the magician on stage provides the Primary ‘Movement/Action which shadows the Secondary Moverent of the person entering and exiting. The scale is different, the principles the same. If its not important to the effect, make it invisible. 18 FOCAL-INTERACTIONAL TECHNIQUES ee FOCAL-INTERACTIONAL TECHNIQUES ————_ FOCUS- THE EYES Focus is integral to the successful performance of magic. It is a combination of physical and psychological elements. Concerning psychological elements: Its human nature to look, at a yseone when they talk to you. Its also human nature to look at something when someone else is looking at it (curiosity perhaps- we need to know what they're looking al). Keep in mind that what follows takes into account many of the principles I've already discussed, and will be important to additional ideas which will be discussed later. a Focus has three major purposes: L- To misdirecl/direct attention away from your secret moves; 2- To direct attention to important elements, especially the magic effect; and 3. Toestablish contact and maintain a relationship between you and your audience. eS | will be dealing with all three of these points in the following pages, but first: ‘When you want the audience to look at something, look at it yourself, When you want them to look at you, look at them..." John Ramsey Now, consider the following additional points: First point: From the beginning of your performance you have to establish and then maintain strong eve contact with your audience, Otherwise, how can you expect them to look uP at You, when you look at them. ocus and register something (in a live performance have to be aware of how long it hen can you direct their attention Second point: The human eye takes time to f where the eye has to focus on different depths of field). You takes the audience to see and register what they've seen. Only t! elsewhere. Keep this in mind especially when considering how long it takes @ magical climax to register Third point: in misdirection you need to apply the focus shift a split second before you do the move If you do the move too soon, attention may not yet have left your hands; if you do it too late, their eyes may have returned to your hands before you finish the move, Timing. 20 FOCAL-INTERACTIONAL MISDIRECTION THE EYES-THE VOICE As already mentioned, to focus attention to something, look intently at it yourself; to get the audience to look at you, look at them. To use additional Verbal Direction to get the spectators’ eyes up away from your hands or props at crucial moments, there are several tried and trusted methods: The Name: Its human nature for us to respond to someone when they call us by name. We simply can't resist. Aside from its usage in misdirection, its simply good interpersonal relations to use a person's name as often as possible. Questions: Asking someone a question is almost as good as using their name, especially if the question is *You sir, what's your name? Asking ‘questions occupies the spectator's mind a aeventatily, as he/she interprets, and then answers the question. ‘Additionally, the other sro tenee members will turn to listen to the person responding to the question. Requests: Using a persons name, then asking then to do something will also occupy their mind, as they interpret and then carry out your request. Depending on your request, they could be Secupied for a long time, The other audience members wil ‘also be inclined to watch the “assistant” carry out their actions. Interesting Patter: | hate the word patter, but anyway... If what you're saying is interesting, entertaining, and funny, you'll have their full attention Audience Involvement: The fact is, people simply enjoy watching their friends interacting (reacting) with an entertainer. This is a major part of close-

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