The Transition

The Transition
By Jeff Stone

“And now for my next trick…” If you’ve ever said this, go wash your mouth out with soap and repent.  This is the death of any magician. Why is it the death? I want you to think about that for a minute before you read my answer. What’s the big deal about saying, “and now for my next trick.”

Here’s the big deal. First, magicians are stereotyped in a negative light to start with. I don’t care how much we think Blaine and Angel have changed the way people think about magicians; ask 100 people what images come to mind when you say the word “magician.”

You’re gonna get things like, “rabbit from the hat”, “tux”, “hack”, “some guy doing tricks”, etc. We still have a lot of work to do to change our “brand” as magicians as a whole. Meanwhile, some hack wearing a two-sizes-too-small tux with a cheap top hat is up on stage somewhere using the forbidden phrase, “and for my next trick…”

This feeds right into the attitude that a magician is just a guy trying to get attention by showing you how clever he is and how clever you’re not. ENOUGH! I’VE HAD IT!

Root:
Let’s remember our roots… I chose the title for this article to be “The Transition” for it’s double meaning. First, I want to discuss the transition between effects and how to avoid that horrific phrase. Secondly, this transition between effects is the starting point for the transition in magic.

A lot of people think I’m crazy for the amount of information I give away for free in this newsletter. They think I’m even more crazy when I tell them that my magic students are not charged for my services. I’m offering all of this information for free because it will get to more people. Let’s face it guys, as much as you all love my newsletter (hopefully), if I started charging for it, I’d have a lot of people drop out.

So, great, free gets the info to more people, but why, Jeff, do you want to get the info to more people? Answer: I really truly want to change the face of magic. Other pioneers have done a good job in many areas, but it’s a job that will never be done. I”m in for the long haul. So what’s the root for this month? We are entertainers! That’s our mantra; that’s our root. We are more than tricksters who show people how clever we are.

Branch:
Let’s build our branches… I want you, the whole month of February (and the rest of January) to stop and think about who you are as a performer. Are you just a show off who wants people to know how cool you are? Or are you trying to connect with your audience?

Simplicity is the essence of your branch assignment this month. It’s two-fold:

1. Do NOT use the forbidden phrase!
2. View yourself as a peer with the audience, not as above or more intelligent than them.

So how do you transition from effect to effect without the forbidden line? There are so many ways to do this. Try this: don’t say anything to introduce the next effect. Just go into it. Not all effects lend themselves to that type of structure, but some do.

Try to come up with lines that would smoothly transition you between each effect. For example, let’s say you’ve shown Stone Cold Color Change and The Target Card.  You now want to show them My Psychic Deck.

Here’s a way you might transition into this effect.  “… Now I’ve shown you how a deck of cards can act like a chameleon and change colors (Stone Cold Color Change). I’ve even shown you how a deck can be used as a gun (The Target Card), but I’ll bet that you didn’t know that a deck of cards can actually predict the future.

I actually have a psychic deck of cards.  Here I’ll show you.”  Then you would present the effect.  Now the words I just used there don’t fit everyone’s style, but you get the idea. I guess the best way to summarize is this, be aware of your audience and work with them, not against them, to create the best entertainment value possible.

Another thing, is a great tip I learned from my buddy Jay Sankey: Come up with a solid “in line.” For example, let’s look at a few of the Free Tricks of The Month that I’ve offered over the years, and I’ll give you the in-lines I use.  You can use my lines if you like, but it’s best if you come up with your own. It makes the magic your own.

• All Four One – Do you have a favorite card?
  
• Most Triumphant – I’m glad you guys are enjoying the magic; not everyone does; let me tell you what happened to me the other day.
  
• Triptych – I’m going to teach you how to do sleight of hand.

You’ll notice that there’s nothing Earth-shattering about these lines, but they keep the show running smoothly and feeling very conversational. Take the first line, “Do you have a favorite card?” That gets them talking about themselves, and it shows that I’m interested in them.

The line I use for Most Triumphant, is a combination of a Jay Sankey in line for a different trick, and an addition of my own. The beauty of it, though, is that it let’s the audience see the human side of as you tell a story about something that happened to you the “other day.”

The last one, of course, gets them excited because they get to learn the trick (so they think). They feel like we’re on the same team because I’m “Teaching Them the Secret.”

All of these lines help connect you to your audience, and all of these lines are “Forbidden Phrase” free. Take a moment to think about the lines you use between each effect. Don’t make your show about picking up this prop and demo-ing how it works. Then you pick up that prop and demo how it works.

No… make your show about connecting with the audience through smart patter, and audience interaction and through telling clever stories and anecdotes that weave things together. So this month, really focus on rethinking yourself as a performer, and for the love of all that is good and holy, stop saying “and for my next trick!”

Now go study the classics, and go discover your true magical self.

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