Tips For a Close Up Magician

When entertaining for any corporate group, I always take the time to do my homework prior to the actual function date. That is, find out the names of the owners, president, managers, social chairpersons, workers, customers, etc. Take the time to find out about the company's logos, ideas, goals, and products. The "powers that be" just love to hear their given names or their ideas and their company's products mentioned. Ideally, the object of the game is to work your effects and routines using their commercial products. I cannot emphasis enough, the importance of doing this legwork. You will be rewarded accordingly. You will always be a big hit ... but more importantly, you'll be remembered and rehired!

As an example, when performing for a banking or financial institution, I like to use effects like: Misers Dream; Flying Eagles; Cigarette/Pencil Through Coin; Coin in Bottle; Floating Bill; $100 Bill Switch; Pen Through Bill (Anything); Bill Tube; Bill in Lemon and so on. I think you will figure out from the names of the effects alone, without going into a great deal of explanation that these effects would be perfect for these organizations. For emergency groups, such as doctors, nurses, firefighters, police, etc., I like to use effects like: The Hades Finger Chopper (for emergency situations); Colour Changing Knives; Colour Changing Silks (Dye Tube); Invisible Deck (using your head); Insurance Policy; Card in Wallet (using the insurance envelope); etc. Of course, other ones that I mentioned earlier, like the Pen Through Anything; and Cigarette Through the Coin is great here, too.

There is literally an endless supply of effects and gags that one can do to substitute for any group of conventioneers: standby effects like: Ambitious Card, Chicago Opener (and other dynamite card effects); the Professor's Nightmare; Cut and & Restore Rope; Thumb Tip; Cups & Balls; Sponge balls; and the list goes on.....

If you haven't tried close up magic in your presentations...give it a go!