chapter eight magic management

Chapter Eight

MAGIC MANAGEMENT

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

I it is necessary to point out something the very beginning. The enclosed sheets youto Period. They are not difficult to use or understand, but if they are not used, they musttherefore be considered worthless. However, if you do dedicate yourself to following through withthis method of organization and management, you will count your blessings in the years to come.They are designed for long term use and benefits.

vitally important to manage and organize,the skills and knowledge which you possess.

The Custom Cue Sheets, once completed, put your entire repertoire at your fingertips. Once youdecide what show you wish to perform, you can instantly have a complete script of that show.

The Show Sheets will provide long-range benefits concerning repeat bookings. Also, perhapsmore important than any other point, by reviewing each show you present, you will improve,learn, and benefit from every performance. People who are anxious to succeed and improve willrealize that if this constant reviewing and analyzing process doesn't help, then nothing else

The Project Planner is designed to teach you to become goal-oriented. Work from a three-stagepoint of view: (1) Set your goals; (2) Make your plans; (3) And take ACTION. You will benefit inevery phase of your life if you ask yourself certain questions and apply certain principles to everyproblem you face.

These systems were developed for my private use, and have helped me to improve my magic andmanagement. I hope you benefit from my viewpoints.

CUSTOM CUE SHEETS

We begin our efforts to better organize and manage our magic by reviewing the Custom CueSheets. A number of factors make these sheets quite interesting. We will look at some of the benefitswhich these sheets provide, and then we will learn how to best use and apply them.

I have some good news, and I have some bad news. The Cue Sheets will require a one-shot orinvestment of your time. (That's the bad news.) The good news is that the time is invested wisely.Once completed, your sheets become a permanent record of your repertoire; providing you with awonderful collection of your material, allowing you to trace and note your improvements anddevelopments over your life in Not only that, but you will see them transform into true"peace of mind" and the best time-saving device you will ever have. They allow you to comfortablyexpand your horizons and add professionalism to every show you perform. If that sounds like a lot

215

The Magic

to promise, then please read on and try to visualize the security that a completed set of Custom CueSheets would bring to your performing

The Cue Sheets were developed for a number of reasons, among them are: (1) New material tomy performing "arsenal" without losing the polish my existing routines had developed; (2) I hadforgotten one too many of my lines during a performance; (3) I was fed up with fighting to piecetogether the different routines into the best possible show after laying off for a month.

Each Cue Sheet is designed to record the information you would ever need concerning aroutine. The headings were selected to allow you to perform that particular effect in its entiretyafter reviewing the sheet a couple of times.

Each routine you should be given a title which you can easily recognize. Begin by listingthese titles on the Effect line. Judge the angle problems you may face along with the props, etc.,which are employed, and place a check beside the appropriate performing situations (Stages, Plat-form, or

If your routine has a particularly bad set of angles (Zombie, example), or if it involves a specificset of performing conditions (Hippity Hop Rabbits for children), or if it requires certain importantlighting or staging sequences (Dancing Cane) then these things should be detailed in PerformingConditions and Special Lighting: Staging.

Certain tricks play better with certain types of audience volunteers. The key is to decide upon thebest type of person, the best age, and sex for the particular routine. It would be rude to select a dis-tinguished elderly gentleman to place an eggbeater to his head in front of all his friends. So deter-mine the criteria for the best possible helper and list them under Volunteer from the Audience and

Sex. Remember - our goal is to the Cue with the ideal performing information sowe can work towards standardizing our shows. It speed up our improvements if the standardwith which we measure ourselves is a high one.

To avoid unnecessary stage movement, to insure proper placing and economy of motion, youshould plan your Positioning and Cues in advance. Where is the best place to put your props or tohave a spectator stand? What Cues can you give your volunteer in order for the effect to flow assmoothly as possible? An example of excellent Positioning and Cues would be the Blackstone RopeEscape. Years of trial and error have polished this routine to perfection.

Often it is the little things which transform a trick into a full-fledged piece of entertainment.These Bits of Business deserve all the attention we can give them.

As your experience and repertoire expand you may find it difficult to use and remember everykey line which goes with every routine. Your Key Patter Lines can literally make all the differencein the world. It's the icing on the cake which separates the amateurs from the pros in most cases.

Some routines are natural closers. On the other hand, some routines are natural openers. Mostimportant is the fact that your particular handling of the routine is what will determine that rou-tine's Preferred Show Position. Certain routines, due to the length of time they require, or to thenumber of volunteers required, may need to be sandwiched in-between two fast-paced effects. You

you need to judge not only from the routine you are working on, but you also need to considerthe general nature of every other routine which you perform.

The Props is crucial. This section could help you avoid much heartache if you always check itbefore you leave for your show, and before each show begins.

216

Magic Management

217

As your file of Cue Sheets expands, you will find that you have some routines which may conflictwith each other. You don't want an entire act of effects or card tricks. One experi-enced performer did an entire show where things disappeared and reappeared inside of somethingelse. It wasn't before most of the audience anticipated the outcome of each effect. This, ofcourse, diluted the impact of the entire show. Judge the material you have, and list the ConflictingEffects for each routine.

USE OF CUE SHEETS

After your initial investment of effort you are now in the position to enjoy great benefits. This isnot merely a recording system. It actually will provide you a "return" on your invested time eachand every time you perform.

The next step after filling out each sheet is to have five copies made of every sheet. I have "colorcoded" my copies to tell me if a routine is for children, adults, or for any age group. Childrens'routines were copies on pink paper; routines for all age groups are copied on yellow; and adultroutines are on blue paper.

Place the originals in a safe place for a permanent record. Then place the copies (separated incolors if you like) into a large notebook which your Master File. When you receive a callfor your next show all you need to do is go through your Master File and remove an a

etc... until you have removed a sheet for each routine you plan on performing. Place theseinto the proper order and put them into a smaller notebook or Presto! Just minutes after youbegan you now have a complete script of the you plan on doing. Anyone who has performedfor any length of time can easily see how this could be extremely valuable as time goes by. The lesstime you have to throw away the more this system could benefit you. The reason for making fivecopies of each sheet is so you can fill out several shows at once if you like. This script will provideyou endless peace of mind, and does lot to cure pre-show jitters. Instead of pacing around waitingfor the show to start you can now wisely use your time to review the show you are about to do.

The efforts here resemble a seed which matures slowly, but which produces a rich harvest. Alltoo quickly, your years of interest in magic will grow - the key is to have your talents grow at a ratethat out-paces your years. This, I believe, is the sort of thing that makes that possible.

CUSTOM CUE SHEET

Magic Management

SHOW SHEETS

Performers who intend to pursue magic as a career can gain valuable benefits from a long-term,accurate record of their performances. This applies to the performer who is "in it for the long haul."One who has a serious desire to perform for several years, and also improve as quickly as possible.Everyone would like to have 30 years of experience, but who wants to take 30 years to get it?

The front page of the show sheet is designed to keep an accurate record of the person who hiredyou, the date of the show, the type of audience, fee, etc. These things become crucial to the per-

who may eventually re-book that group. This information could be valuable mailing listsand for keeping track of earnings.

As a sincere student of the you must want to do as polished a show as possible. By keeping anaccurate record of the group and the show presented, you can more economically plan the repeatshows (especially if you use your custom cue sheets to provide you an instant script).

However, your most important benefit of the sheet be your ability to judge, rate, and learn asmuch as possible from each and every show you perform. This is CRUCIAL. Can't let those cleverspur of the moment jokes be forgotten. Can't continue to perfonn an effect which continuallyshows up in the "weakest numbers" section. If the show goes great - learn from it. If the showbombs - learn from it.

Just as with the other sheets enclosed (Custom Cue and Project Planner) The headings and titlesare suggestions which the greatest number of people may be able to use. If they aren't perfect foryou, or if something else would be better, then change them. If these sheets cause you to think alittle deeper, or from a different viewpoint, then they have accomplished their purpose. I hope thatthis system proves itself to be as much of an aid to you as it has to me. Good Luck!

219

Contact Date Program Date

(1) Name of organization (type of event) _

(2) Address of program

(3) Person to contact (narne &phone number) _

AddressCitylState/Zip _

(4) Tlme of program _ (5) Desired length

(6) Type of audience _ (7) Approximate number _

Side _(a) Stage(b) Ifyes, steps: Front Rear _

(c) How much space is available _

(d) Curtains

(e) Dressing room off stage(I) Privacy for setting up _

Facilities(8)

(9) Is outside entrance close to stage

(10) Fee is

(11) Do they want biography, brochure, photograph _

(12) Result of the contact

Others

_____ Have they recommended you to others

_____ Did I write a note following ~e show

_____Dld they write following the show

(13) Potential future benefits of thisshow _

AMMAR

(1) Unexpected audience reactions PROGRAM PRESENTED

(2) Effects that failed to register as expected _

(3) Mistakes in act _

(4) Mistakes in music Lights _

(5) Weakest numbers _

(6) New ideas,interpretations, bits of business,etc.

(7) Rearrangemenr cues _

(8) Effective entrance _

(9) Act smooth

(10) Other acts received better _

(Il) Was final punch effective _

(IZ) Bowwell done ,(13) Exit smooth _

Strongest Reactions

(c) Further rehearsals

(14) Can I strengthen audience appeal _(a) Bymy own demeanor l- ......J

(h) Actlength _

(d) Others _

(15) How do I feel about this show _

AMMAR

The Magic

PERSONAL PROJECT PLANNER

A glance at the headings on this pad will show you this pad is almost self-explanatory. However,keep in mind that these sheets are tools for your use. up to you to draw as many benefits aspossible from the basic format. If the headings don't fit the needs of a project, change them.

goal when using the planner should be to increase the quality of the time which you devoteto your magic. This doesn't mean that a switch from practice to recordkeeping is the answer. Thepoint is this; the instant you seriously put your project into an organized form to be developed, youhave taken the biggest step towards a successful conclusion. filling out a few of the sheets youwill be delighted to see your thoughts begin to crystalize.

It is important too that you forget the "practice makes concept. Practice does not makeperfect, perfect practice makes perfect. Just sitting down for a general practice will do nothing tolead you to perfection. Concentrated effort towards a clear goal is what makes perfection possible.

For example, your subject may be: "1 want to develop an outstanding cups and balls routine."Under you literally your mind run free. Comment on stand-up routines, sitdown routines, potential end loads, number of cups or balls to use or load, etc... after exhausting allyour thought on the subject, decide on the one best method or routine to work on.

assume you decided to load a glass of liquid under each cup. Unless you are a few stepsahead of everyone else, this may pose some barriers. on the best strategy for overcoming anybarriers and (this is important) commit yourself to reaching a potential solution. Actually giveyourself an initiation date and a completion date which you believe to be reasonable.

It is not always necessary to complete each sheet. If you know is that you want to thecups and balls eventually, then just fill out the and file it away for future work.

As the months and years go by you will develop the habit of looking at your routines (and dailyproblems as well!) from an overview perspective. You will think in terms of potential problems, beststrategies, and overall benefits to yourself. Also, it is always a source of pleasure to review our pastthoughts. A long range system such as this can give you valuable insight to your thinking as youpass through different stages of knowledge, skills, etc.

Become your own "task master" and commit yourself to a comprehensive program for develop-ing your own material to a level you can truly be proud of.

222

PERSONAL PROJECT PLANNER

The Magic of Michael

BOOKING SHEET

The following two pages comprise a BOOKING SHEET for use when booking shows. They are acopy of the sheet that professional magician, STUART uses for all of his shows. Stuart, who lives inSouthern California, has been very thorough in preparing these sheets. They are an invaluable toolfor anyone who performs any type of show.

If you find that the Booking Sheet does not fit your needs exactly, simply modify them to meetyour own personal needs.

Magician from Bluefieldto appear on TV tonight

Area residents should stay uplate tonight and watch MichaelAmmar perform his magic on TheJohnny Carson Show at p.m.

The son of Mr. and Mrs. A.S."Buddy" Ammar of 516 MontereyDrive, Bluefield, the isno stranger to national television

to awards.He has appeared on the Merv

Griffin Show where hered six times and starred in andproduced a video tape for Toys 'rUs children's toy store chain,teaching children how to performmagic acts using household items.

Ammar recently moved toCalifornia, is a published author

has won the world Sleight ofHand Championship at the 15thWorld Congress of Magic inSwitzerland. He won the awardwith magic that he originated andcompeted against magiciansfrom throughout the world.

The contest is held every threeyears and is considered to be themost prestigious award in magic.Ammar was only the secondAmerican in the history ofthe competition to win the award.

Ammar has won numerousother awards and honors. In 1984,he became the only person to ever

Michael Ammar...Johnny Carson's guest

win the Lecturer of the Year twicefrom the of MagicalArts.

He was born in Logan and mov-ed to Bluefield with his familywhen he was 13 years old. He'sbeen a magician for 14 years andhas performed throughout theUnited States and abroad.

Ammar is a graduate of WestVirginia University and has adegree in business management.

In a classic case of false alarm, I was actually bumped from the show afterheadlines back home asked people to stay up! Eventually, of course, it allcame together beautifully.

BOOKING SHEETINITIAL CONTACT IContact Date Program Date Day

Contact Name Contact Phone

OrganizationName

ContactAddress

Performance Address

Performance Phone

Tune of Program Length Close-up Stand-up Fee $

SHOW INFORMATION I

Audience Type Number

Facilities: Stage Platform None

Dressing Room Set-up Privacy

Parking

Special Requests of Client

PROMO IPre-Show: Sent Promo Material Reconfirmed

After Show: SentThank-You Requested Endorsement

DRIVING DIRECTIONS I MAP I

PRESENTATION IProgram: Set-up Requirements:

Table:

BodyLoads:

POSTSHOW IPost Show Comments:

Problems:

New Bits:

• Lessons:

Chapter ElevenExcerpts from the "Inner Circle Audio Series"

MAKING MAGIC MEMORABLEThe Development of Style

Magicians wanting to excel face the chal-lenge of dividing their available time betweentechnical, hands-on and heavy in-formation processing studies that are crucial toartistic and professional advancement. I willdetail the development of my performing style,and also reveal what I believe to be some ofmagic's most fundamental secrets. Truths sobasic, yet universal, that all magicians must befamiliar with them, whether they are workingclose-up, producing birds, or performing illu-sions. I will tell you exactly WHY I perform thestyle of magic I do. Notice I said WHY, and notHOW. There are thousands of books that can

you HOW, but not so many on the WHY.

After explaining the WHY, I will then revealeight principles for Making Magic Memorable.Some of these principles have been chisled fromexperience, others were gathered from variousmagical mentors from around the world. To-gether, they represent the most important "se-crets" in my magical repertoire.

THE NURSING HOME CIRCUIT

I didn't have any particular performing stylewhen I first became a magician, as anyone whosaw my beginning performances surelyagree. But boy, did I love So much so,that I tried to learn it all. And, j ust as any type ofseed will grow if the soil is fertile enough, myearly days in magic found me doing doves,close-up, silent manipulation, whatever.

Unfortunately, being a "jack of all tricks"meant never really mastering any given style.

Who could worry about getting better? I waspracticing as fast as I could just to make sure Iremembered it all! But I must have been lucky,because my environment supported it. By somestroke of fate, my youth found me in a some-what secluded mountain town, where audi-ences valued enthusiasm more than polish.There may be a little truth a comedian 1 heardrecently who said some parts of West Virginiamake Mayberry look like a think tank!

But to some extent, the size of my home townworked against me as well. To some extent, 1HAD to be the ever evolving,entertainter in order to deal with my tiny poolof potential audience members. Of the threeWest Virginia towns 1 divided my youth in, thepopulation of the largest one peaked at 17,000,and that was during hunting season. In situ-ations like this, it's easier act anew audience. All I had to do was one schoolshow, the local men's club, a church function, afew birthday parties, and everyone in townwould have seen my act. I wanted to be re-booked, I had to get a new act.

But then, in a series of experienceschanged FOREVER the way I would viewmagic. It was in Morgantown, West Virginia,where I was going to college. I found thatthe five nursing homes in town each had a $25budget for their bi-monthly entertainment.Soon after this, I developed what you might

The Nursing Home Circuit. Every twomonths, I got to go to all five homes, for two fullyears. Thaf s sixty shows! For me, and for my

287


environment, this was a rare opportunity. Afterall, EVERYONE needs SOMEPLACE be bad.Someplace to try something several times inseveral ways to find out if it will For me, itwas the Nursing Home Circuit

But guess what? I discovered you just can'tpredict the results of experience. I learned a lotfrom these shows, but not what I went intothem to learn. Speaking from a very Zen-likepoint of view, I didn't go into them with anempty cup, waiting for it to be filled with what-ever knowledge the experiences would bring.No, I went into them just sure that what Iwould learn would be a better way to steal thatbird, or to do that switch. I was so sure I knewwhat I was going to learn, that I almost let thereal value of this experience escape me. Theexperience had to hit me twenty or thirtybefore I noticed the pattern. Eventually, I no-ticed that at virtually every show, at least one ofthe residents would approach me, saying some-thing like, "...when I was a little girl down in

a magician would come thru once a year atour school. When I zvas in the 5th grade, he broughtme in front of the class had worn a skirt that day,and he put an egg into my pocket, and made it disap-pear. Do you do the egg trick?"

Or, "...we grew up in Logan, but my uncle liveddown in Charlotte, and he knew all about magic.Every Christmas he would come in, and there wasone of his tricks I never could figure out. hold aquarter in hand, and he'd hold a nickle. Withouttouching anything, I'd have the nickle and he'd havethe quarter. Do you do that quarter trick?"

Well, I thought that was all pretty neat, andtaken in isolation, that's all it would have been,just some pretty neat interactions.

But just it - it wasn't an isolated event.If it became a PREDICTABLE event. Icould count on hearing at least one such storyat each stop.

Then, as time passed, I finally came to realize,there were patterns, INSIDE the patterns.Common thread that ran through each of thestories retold decades earlier. All of thestories were about things that happened to

They were all personal experiences.

It was always their quarter, their pocket,their hand. Never did I hear them say, "He hadthis big box, see, and he'd spin it around a coupletimes, right, and I don't know what happened, butthere were these scarves, and paper fold up flowers,and all....Do you have one them boxes?..."

Apparently, things they just witnessed, with-out EXPERIENCING, just didn't become partof long term memory. I've heard purely visualexperiences compared to bubble gum for theeyes. And while there's nothing wrong withthat, I've grown to believe that, except in rarecases, the purely visual experiences don't goany deeper than the eyes. And personally, Iwanted more than that I wanted to go past theeyes, working my way deep into their psyche. Iwanted my magic to move them. I wanted todeeply etch the experience into their long-termmemory. In a nutshell, and no pun intended, I

to be the of the Nursing Home Cir- 2030.

Now, everyone has goals, whether they ver-balize them or not. And every goal has its owndemands. By acknowledging, then embracing,this particular goal, I realized I would have tostudy more than magic techniques alone. I'veoften felt that magic methods and techniques,for the most part, were meant for fooling theeyes. Mirrors, false bottoms and palming tech-niques were created to conceal methods fromcurious eyes, but my goals distinctly mentionthe mind, not just the eye.

I'm reminded of one of my favorite quotesfrom a magic book. It comes from Erdnase inEXPERT AT THE CARD TABLE. While teachinghow to a card, he reveals a secret so fun-damental to the performance of magic that ifsomeone DIDN'T understand if s fullthey would have a hard time doing close-up,dove magic, or even illusions deceptively. Thequote goes: "...it's one thing to put a card into thepalm and turn the hand so it is out of view, but italtogether another to put it there in a waythat the most critical observer would not even SUS-PECT, LET ALONE DETECT the action."

I repeat: "in a way that the most criticalobserver would not even SUSPECT, LET ALONEDETECT the action."

288

Making Magic Memorable

Why is this such a valuable insight? Becauseit articulates one of the most truthsabout To laymen, suspicion is a method.

they have to do is say, he did it.Wow. I'd sure hate to play cards with inmind they don't have to know EXACTLY whatyou did, all they have to be able to do is say,

he did it. I couldn't do it of course,but I caught and as far as they are con-cerned, the fat lady has sung... And do youknow s REALLY bad? They don't evenhave to be right about WHEN they think youdid it. All they have to do is SUSPECT, and asfar as they are concerned, they got ya.

When you start to accept responsibility forthings an audience might just SUSPECT,alone DETECT, you realize that your studiesmust then go beyond technique. To deal withpeople on this level, I feel you must develop anunderstanding of psychology, human nature,people skills, and emotional sup-ported by all the help you can get from dra-matic, comedic and studies.

Trying to create experiences worthy of long-term memory with technique alone would

been like trying to lounge backwards withmy feet proped up in a chair with only one leg.Granted. Maybe SOMEBODY could do it. Butwhy take a chance?

THE CARROT

One way I look at goals is to see them as car-rots on a stick. The nature of the goal relating tothe size of the carrot. my world, pushingpeople's so hard the experi-ence sticks with them for a lifetime, takes on theappearance of a 30 foot, two ton carrot. Sounds

right? Well, maybe yes. Maybe no.

What if the stick that holds that carrot turnsout to be a mile long? What if the goal is good,but the effort to accomplish it is just too great?What if the studies are too demanding, theprice just too high? There has to be some ratioof carrot size to stick length for either horses orhumans to be motivated. The good news is thatit is here, in dealing with the length of the stick,that I think I can be of help.

In fact, I believe that my studies and experi-ences over the last year have revealed things tome that can dramatically SHORTEN the lengthof this particular stick for any of those whoshare my passion for this particular carrot

SHORTENING THE STICK

I've identified eight different principles I tryto revolve my style around. You, like me, mayfind some of them to be very obvious. Whileothers have taken every day of the twelve yearssince the Nursing Home Circuit to crystalize.

Lef s start out with the obvious, since sso often overlooked. I heard a guy say, "There'sno telling who water, but we're prettysure it wasn't fish..." So at the sake of soundingobvious, Principle Number One is:

Why? One reason is because the worldaround all of us is constantly bombarding all ofthe known senses with every sort of Thecompetition for our attention is so incrediblyfierce, that we have developed incredible sys-tems NOT for processing MORE information,but FOR FILTERING OUT information. Justthink of all the hours you personally have infront of a television, watching programs thatmay have costs millions to produce, yet you areable to tune it all out as you replay some ob-scure conversation you've had in your head. Itis TOUGH to compete on a purely visual level,and don't kid yourself, if all you do is competeon a visual level, your competition is INDIANAJONES or STAR WARS. When you consider,that if they are you, there is a price ontheir time. If s called OPPORTUNITY COST.What they are paying - in time - to watch you, isthe OPPORTUNITY to watch something

Involve them.

289

The Magic

But that is where this first principle comes in.There is one thing TV and film can't do yet, andthat is INTERACT WITH and RESPOND TOthe audience members as individuals. You can't-or you shouldn't the theater andtalk to the screen. And no couch potato is sit-ting around waiting for Johnny Carson to askhim questions make Ed laugh. And nomatter how tender the no tele-phone is going to reach out and touch you. ButWE - MAGICIANS - CAN. In ways that veryfew other forms of entertainment can.

John Nasbitt, in his smash hit bookMEGATRENDS, TEN NEW DIRECTIONSSHAPING OUR talks about the HIGH

TOUCH trend plays a major rolein our society. It seems that the greater the roletechnology plays in our lives, the greater werespond to it by turning to high touch activities.The more mass production plays a role, themore we value personalized expressions.

I'd like to point out that, while involvingsomeone from the audience, a certain very spe-cific option opens up before us. We can either:a) Make at least one enemy for so alienatinga percentage of the audience that the futurepool of potential magic viewers is permanentlylowered, or b) We can make a friend, spreadjoy, and add to the artistic presence of the field.Nate Leipzig, a magician who worked his wayto the peak of Vaudeville success, said, "Peopledon't MIND being fooled by a gentleman..."

By accepting INVOLVEMENT as a principleof my style, it became clear that I should focusthe most of my towards talking material.This way, I could either use audience participa-tion, taking care of Principle Number One, or Icould construct a presentation that would meetwith Principle Number Two:

Emotionally hook the audience.

I've compared special effects to bubble gumfor the eyes, but that isn't to say or thea-ter stops there. An actor with a single spotmight be able to bring us to tears, but the tearsthemselves are a clue to the source of impact.We have been touched EMOTIONALLY.Maybe we felt triumphant at his victory, or ter-rified at his plight, but through whatever com-bination of theater and writing, he found anemotional cord and plucked it.

Magic has one particularly common sce- So common, I suspect it is often used

without any real understanding of its theatricalroots. where the magician borrows some-thing of value, and "accident!/' destroys it.the scene is carried out with conviction, youcan rest assured you'll have that spectatorsemotional interest! Unfortunately, this is socommon a scenario it is almost totally predict-

- and that fact lessens to some degree howdeep the emotional hook gets driven. But whatif the scenario were constructed with such fi-nesse, and carried out with such conviction,that it was NOT an obvious set up. What if, andI mean this, they REALLY BELIEVED you hadaccidently broken their watch. Magically re-solve THAT scenario, and you will havetouched people where they live and breath.

Other ways to hook them, without involvingthem, might be to relate anicdotes with whichthey can relate to. Or reveal to them momentsof personal triumph, heartache, or enlighten-ment; illustrated with magical surprises.

It will be obvious that I take Principle Num-ber Three to heart, since practice has alreadyearned me recognition. To many, I am associ-ated with the Card on Ceiling, having done itmany thousands of times, all over the world.Having been with me longer than any othereffect in my repertoire, it was this effect whichuncovered a whole new way of thinking forme. I began doing it in the Student Union dur-ing my college days at West Virginia Univer-sity. This was my hangout, and as you canimagine, the cards began to gather on the ceil-ing. Then something interesting began to hap-pen. At times, while I was there to study, 1would overhear people talking about the cards

290


on the ceiling. Sometimes ask theirfriends how they were up there. Sometimes

their friends WHY they were upthere. But the point is, the conversation flowed.It began to occur to me that many experiencesaren't forgotten, they're merely overwritten.The clarity of the image deteriorating as timedistances us from the moment of greatest sen-sory impact. What if we could permanentlyfreeze that moment for them. it, pers-erving it for all time. That is, after exactlywhat the card on ceiling does. The Big Moment,and nutshell description of this effect is: the cardsticks to the ceiling. And, if the ceiling is highenough, and if you use enough wax, staythat way for a long time. Principle Num-ber Three then could be stated as:

Freeze the effect permanentlyat it's of impact.

In the first example, the card sticks to the ceil-ing, and remains there. Another examplewould be the card to envelope in wallet with awindow envelope, using rubber cement meth-ods that leave the envelope completely sealed.Now, not only does it travel impossibly to theenvelope, but it can be kept that way as a per-manent souvenier of the event

Another example would be effects whereseparate things become magically stapled to-gether. Paul Harris worked out a version of twoselected cards being found together, called"Stapled". I had a version where my businesscard was found stapled to a signed selection.Any torn, then restored effect would work. Thetorn and restored vest button, for example,might be possible with all the three-piece suitsaround today, and if presented as pure effect,you wouldn't have to carry off the acting neces-sary for making it look like an accident.

Just one more example here. The One-Hundred Dollar Bill Switch is a common tech-nique these days. With just four simple foldsyou can switch one bill for another. You couldchange a one to a hundred, and then give thataway... or more reasonably, change a ten intotwo fives, but what about a slightly differentapproach. What about carefully folding a com-plex oragami figure with a single bill, and load-ing that into the thumbtip to be switched in.Now, the effect is not a trasformation, but apuzzle bordering on the magical. In just four,very slow folds, you create a ring they canwear, or a rabbit that pops from a hat. To add tothe enigma, they can keep it that way, for rid-dling their friends with later.

Principle Number Four is a natural, but in-credibly potent step beyond freezing the mo-ment of impact. In order to burrow your wayinto deep memory:

Borrow objects, alter them magically, then returnthem in their permanently altered state.

To use an analogy, out here, in the magicfrontier, the crowds thin out. Just as in the wildwest, where the cowards stayed home and theweak died on the way, going this far isn't easy.But don't worry, magic isn't nearly as demand-ing as the wild, wild west was. Here, the biggestchallenge is the willingness to plan ahead, be-cause that is the most important thing this prin-ciple demands.

My first adventure with this sort of thinggoes way back to my handling of the PencilThru Quarter (see page 161).

Bob Nixon, in an issue of the MAGICALARTS JOURNAL, gives a wonderful example ofthis principle. There, he printed his method forsecretly bending a borrowed key, but in my

291


mind, more importantly, he gives the idea ofreturning the permanently bent key on a key-chain, which carries his name and address.Since getting this idea from Bob, I've used itseveral times for trade show clients. Instead ofputting it on a simple plastic key ring, I usedbeautiful, customized solid brass key rings,commemorating the event, costing several dol-lars even when ordered by the thousands.

The method I used to bend the is simple. Iused a bongo bender, which you can get fromMagic Inc., only I cut the elastic off, and hid thesmall metal gimmick in my right hand. Upontaking the borrowed key with the left hand, Iplace it into the right hand, actually loading itinto the bender. A gesture to the spectator withthe left hand towards my right side covers theactions of the right hand perfectly for the in-stant needed. Once the key is have thespectator hold out their left hand, and place thekey into it, dosing their hand.

One tip here. When you are going to borrowan object, like a key, and permanently damageit, you really have to cover your bases up front.You don't want to leave the show only to findyour volunteer out in the parking lot trying tostraighten out his so he can leave. Unfortu-nately, I had to qualify the effect so much upfront during my tradeshows, that I was havinga lot of trouble getting volunteers. Then, it hitme. Everyone is out of town. So, I beganby "How many people here have hotel keyswith them?" Everyone raises their hand. meask you. If your key were damaged in some way,would you still be able to get into your room. Youwould? Fine, step right up..." Now, if you reallywant to draw a crowd, once you get the keyinto their hand, say, "What I'm going to attemptrequires tremendous amounts of channeled energies.Mental, as as physical energies. Sir, I'll need tohold your hand, and you'll need to hold his hand,then he'll hold hers, and on

Saying this, you end up forming a largecirde, which, if your performing persona ispositive enough, can grow pretty large. Oncethe drde comes back around to your right,continue by saying, "now, everyone shuffle your

obvious attempt to build

tridty is a riot, and the sight of forty businessmen in a doing it really builds a crowd. Ifyou want, you can connect the cirde, letting offa Funkenring as you do, then revealing the keyas being bent. By the way, I get rid of the benderas you might expect, by ditching it into theTopit during a simple gesture.

A final example of borrowing an object, alter-ing it magically, and then returning it its per-manently altered is to use Howard Lyons'Inside-Out Dollar Bill. This bill, cut from uncutsheets sold by the U.S. Mint, is a bizarre sight.Unless you are going to be giving away largequantities of these, you might want to buy onefrom your local magic dealer, marketedunder the name "The Mismade Bill." This note-size rectangle is cut from a fresh sheet of bills,only, instead of following the intended board-ers, you put the corners in the middle, and themiddle in the

Harry Anderson had the idea of tearing ainto four quarters, and restoring it, only to findyou had made the mistake of restoring it insideout! I cause the transformation to take place byrelating it to the old trick of folding the up,then unfolding it to show it upside down.Going one step further, I volunteer to turn itinside out with the same method, At this point,perform the $100 switch, turning their billinside out And yes, as often as possible, I try toconvince them to keep it that way. (TheThumbtip Bill Switch is described on page 227.)

Number Five was developed as a byproduct of my aftershow review sheet (seepage 221). It was designed to help me milk ev-ery performance for all the experience I could.As I reviewed my listings for unexpected reac-tions, I noticed that unexpected reactions - forsome odd reason - usually got a higher ratingthan the expected reactions. Eventually, I be-gan to suspect the fact that the encounter thatproduced the reaction was obviously unplannedwas the very factor that resulted in this better-

response. My best responseswere from unexpected interactions with volun-teers, or with some obviously witty response toa spur of the moment event, or some magicalresolution of an apparently legitimate problem.

292


Just as John s High Touchtheory to indicate, the amount of massproduction, and structuring in gen-eral we all encounter carries with it sort ofside effect. It causes us to value the isolated inci-dents, to cherish those times that convey anUS-ness and Unless we're careful,even live shows can come across as processedevents, like cookies pressed out of a cutter. Buteven as a kid, I loved to lick up that wonderfulbatter that the cookie cutter didn't catch. To-day, as a performer, Principle Number Five forMaking Magic Memorable is:

Create moments that clearly unplanned or un-predictable. Moments from outside the cookiecutter. Experiences that convey us and now.

In terms of material, almost anything involv-ing a spectator would into this catagory, butthere is a lot of leeway, even with a spectator. 1try to select material that clearly shares respon-sibility with the spectator. Putting them intosituations that allow them a lot of latitude forreaction. Asking them open-ended questions,drawing enough background out of them,hopefully in an entertaining way, to give theircurrent reactions more depth.

The beautiful thing about the close-up field,is that it is considerably easier to create mo-ments that seem spontaneous. At any givenmoment we might encounter minor real worldobstacles which might be resolved conven-iently by a real magician. Performing in the realworld might be compared to in thetrenches, in that your chances of encounteringa face-to-face challenge are considerablygreater. If we manipulate circumstances in sucha way that we can overcome obstacles ortriumph over challenges, we have created"moments outside the cookie cutter." We havealso provided those present with fit for fir-

ing many an interesting conversation. Add tothis any of the previous principles, and you'llbe fanning that fire to legendary proportions.

My final advice on Principle Number Fivecomes from John Ramsey. Learn to hide andhold. Anticipate. ready in advance andbe willing to wait When asked how long youshould wait, Malini is supposed to have said,"You and he's worth listening to.

been almost half of a century since hisdeath, and people still talk about the blocks ofice he would produce, after Vaiting for hours.

Principle Number Six was one revealed to meby Dai He has watched generations ofmagicians come and go, observing closely thosemagicians who gained fame, and whose magichas endured after them. I asked him how tomake my magic memorable, and I will neverforget his advice. He told me to:

Find one and try it better than Becoming so good at that one thing, that

whenever anyone, anywhere in the world, talksabout that one thing, they will say, "Yeah, but

you should see Michael Ammar do that..."

One Thing. Just One

thought about that advice a lot sincethen. It seemed so simple. It seemed so obvious.I also found it encouraging. "Just One Thing"sounds so attainable. The only catch, I laterdecided, came dressed as responsibility. Person-ally, I wasn't intimidated by the responsibilityfor 1 was more hung up on the responsi-bilities of choice. It seemed so important tochoose the right thing to excel at. Heaven for-bid I should ever make a poor choice and endup being the best in the world at something noone wanted to see! I was hung up at this "pointof until 1978, when I saw Fredlecture at Magic Shop in Washington,


He so blew me away with his use of the Topit,that I was finally able to take the responsibilityfor choosing a direction. 1 wanted to master theuse of the Topit

Not only is the Topit an unbelievably power-ful weapon, but was comforted by thethought that in choosing that, I wasn't in factchoosing a singularity. By choosing a tech-nique, I felt I was actually choosing to openentirely new worlds of options. And, as to thevalidity of advice, and without hav-ing to judge superiority, I can say that the re-sults are, that in many places, when people dis-cuss the Topit, at least some mention my name.

Principle Number Seven was developed par-tially from instinct, and partially from the frus-tration of not being able to accomodate certainexceptions to previous principles. Exceptionssuch as Channing Pollock, and cur-rently, Lance Burton. You see, Lance doesn'tbring me on stage, he doesn't permanendy al-ter objects I bring to his show, he seems to bejust bubble gum for the eyes, and yet, neverforget his act, and the sense of wonder 1 feltwatching it People who have seen Cardini andChanning perform live speak of them. Tocover people such as Principle NumberSeven for Making Magic Memorable is:

Do either two 1) Display mind-bogglingskill Display effects that go BEYOND what

any learned skill should be able to

Part one of this principle is somewhat akin toPrinciple Number Six. you are going to do anact that is essentially a cookie cutter presenta-tion of a pre-conceived sequence of events, ifyou should hope to be remembered above allothers, it must be done superbly So well,that in effect, you accomplish Principle Num-ber Six. If all you are is pretty good, or even oneof the very good ones, the evidence indicates

time will wear away your memory, as you arementally by the mulititude of othervery good experiences that come to everyone.

1 had been vaguely convinced of part two ofthis principle for some time, but 1 didn't reallyembrace it until was during a conversa-tion with Christian Fetchner while I was inParis. Christian is well known in the Europeanmagic community for his inventions andappearances. A successful producer of Frenchfilms, he has a wonderful presence about him.His reply, when I asked him how someonemight make magic truly memorable, was notwhat I expected. He said "You must do somethingthey believe is real. Really real. Not Notwith trickery." Geller, he pointed out, be-came world famous, because he claimed to bereal. Fault his morals if you want, but he didcreate memorable events. There are other ap-proaches, and only judge this area in how itmeets goal of Making Magic Memorable.

Dai once told me that the mind heldthe last frontier for If s the last phase ofmagic that contains the seeds of possibility. Weknow so little about it, there's always hope inthe unknown. And when you think about it,you can't really involve someone any morethan when you are reading their mind! Talkabout a personal experience!

I remember Principle Number Eight with asimple acronym. If s and if s very closeto the public speaking version of whichstands for "Keep It Simple, Stupid!" I'vechanged it for two reasons. First, because theseare principles designed for my own use, and Idon't like to talk to myself that way. Second, Ifeel my version is more accurate for me. It is:

Keep It Slogan Simple.

294


"Keep It Simple". It seems the hu-man mind just isn't capable of rememberingcomplex details vividly over time. If we everhope to make it to long-term memory, we haveto be as simple as a slogan. Say it in a sentence,and you stand a great chance of being remem-bered. The coin in the bottle. The pencilthrough the coin. The card on the ceiling. Thefloating bill. The in lemon. Make it easy,give them a handle.

A memory class I took once explained thatmemories be recalled more easily if they areeffects, catch phrases into your performance,and select slogan simple effects. Taking advan-tage of legitimate memory techniques mightskew the odds ever so slightly in our favor.

The advertising field is full of examples ofslogans remembered for decades, and I'm con-vinced our goals are just as noble as theirs. So,as you look for something new to add to yourrepertoire, "Keep Slogan Simple".

In unfolding these eight principles, you nowhave the fundamentals of my performing style,along with the origin of its awakening. But Imust confess to a secret hidden agenda of myown. I've also intended to create such a largeand appetizing carrot, that others will alsowant to embrace it. Because if that happens,other principles may come to light in a soul thatis willing to share.

Finally, if you like approaches to magic thatare similar to the ones I have expressed here,

you might also enjoy the "Good Trick,Trick Theory," from a manuscript called,THEORIES, by Jamy Ian Swiss. Magicians sel-dom have approached these topics with "lists"in mind. I came up with eight principles, whileJamy came up with five, yet it is interesting thatwe only overlap on just two of the basics.

So, one for the record, my:

EIGHT PRINCIPLES

FOR

MAKING MAGIC MEMORABLE

PRINCIPLE NUMBER ONE:

Involve them.

PRINCIPLE NUMBER TWO:

Emotionally hook the audience.

PRINCIPLE NUMBER THREE:

Freeze the effect permanently at its moment ofimpact.

PRINCIPLE NUMBER FOUR:

Borrow objects, alter them magically, thenreturn them in their permanently altered state.

PRINCIPLE NUMBER FIVE:

Create moments that are clearly unplanned orunpredictable. Moments that come from out-

side the cookie cutter. Experiences that conveyUs and Now.

PRINCIPLE NUMBER SIX:

Dai advice, about finding oneand doing it so well that whenever anyoneelse does that effect, people will always say,

but you should see so-and-so do that."

PRINCIPLE NUMBER SEVEN:

Do either of two things: 1) Display mind-boggling skill, or; 2) Display effects that goBEYOND what any learned skill should be

able to accomplish.

PRINCIPLE NUMBER EIGHT:

Keep It SLOGAN Simple.

295

Chapter TwelveExcerpts from the Circle Audio Series"

NEGOTIATINGHIGHER PERFORMANCE FEES

If you are one of the many whose hobby ofmagic, comedy, juggling, or whatever has be-come self-supporting because of an occasionalpaid or if you are one of the many

• part time professionals supporting your pri-mary income and particularly, ifyou are someone whose primary income comesfrom then negotiating be thehighest paid you will actually do.

Thaf s a strong statement, so illustrate itwith an example. Suppose you have spent sev-eral years developing a stand up act, which yousell to the after-dinner market for $200.

Suppose further, that you just acquired thisinformation and have read it several times toreally absorb the material.

You make up your mind to give the ideas ashot, and sure enough, someone calls lookingfor a show.

One interesting phone call later, you've got acommitment for a $300 show. it is the sameshow, and it will take the same effort. Onlynow you earn $100 more - a 50% increase - fordoing it.

How many years of rehearsal did it take to beworth $200? How many more years did it taketo increase your earning power to $300? None.Just a few minutes on the phone, and a coupleof hours absorbing the techniques.

If you are just getting started marketingyourself, the cumulative effect of intelligentlyrepresenting your value will be amazing.

If you are already in the marketplace now,and are already commanding sizable fees, theneven small percentage jumps can add up tolarge numbers.

Of course, negotiating isn't a "con", nor is a study of swindles. But it doesn't take a

genius to realize that accurately determiningthe market value of your entertainment willrequire Services - particularly entertain-ment - are delivered to an imperfect market-place. Values vary wildly depending on ur-gency, competition, reputation, quality, etc.

Fortunately, centuries of people interactingwith people have provided us patterns of hu-man nature. Predictable actions and reactionshave evolved, and those willing to study themare able to use them to their advantage, and -are able to recognize their use by opponents. Inthe open marketplace, these skills are as usefulduring business interactions as are moves ma-gicians use to control a card during the shuffle.

Of course, there are those who might say"But I haven't finished perfecting my tech-nique. Why should I spend time learning tonegotiate?". admit, some people who saythat will be entirely right. If you are unpre-pared, and end up misrepresenting your valueand if you negotiate in bad faith, you'll almostcertainly eliminate yourselves from the field.Unfortunately, you'll still probably deal a dev-astating blow to the credibility of the rest of theindustry. So to properly cover this base, let mesay what shouldn't need to be said; and that is,if you haven't learned the craft, if your founda-

296

Negotiating Higher Performance Fees

tion isn't developed, and if your act isn't ready,obviously, your first efforts should go there.

But the opposite, quite legitimate side of thecoin, is that technique never becomes perfect.Performing artistry evolves over a lifetime.And, if you are one of those who have "sown"their technique, and have "reaped" an act, sincrease the bounty of your harvest with somesound understanding of negotiating.

Working from an overview of negotiationsthroughout history, experts have identifiedthree stages characteristic of successful nego-tiations. By understanding these stages, andworking with them, not only can we expect toearn higher fees, but we'll also resolve personaland professional problems more effectively.

As entertainers, carefully going througheach step in succession will eliminate what Ipredict to be the number one problem of self

I a problem because is onlyhuman nature, when someone asks how muchyou charge for a show, to give them an answer.

I know that doesn't sound like a big problem,but if you quote your price before goingthrough all three stages of youwill, at the very least, be limiting your options.At worst, you'll for your services andleave your client with unfilled needs.

If s a very human once you finally es-tablish a price you're comfortable with, to lockyourself into it. For some types of acts, in sometypes of working arenas, this might be the bestway. On the other hand, depending on theneeds of some clients, and range of capabili-ties, going to the bottom line too soon might beconsidered blatantly insensitive.

Negotiating is such an important topic tomany industries, that several effective books,tapes and courses have been developed on thesubject. I studied those I could find, that Ithought applied, and one author I enjoyed themost was Roger Dawson. In his program, he il-lustrated the three stages of negotiating with aterrorist hostage situation. The humor he putinto it helped my learning process, so just forfun, twist it around a little bit. So we don'tstray too far, compare our hostage situ-

with the request for a magician at a pri-vate party.

Voice:

"In a bold move today, terrorists have stormed theMagic Castle in Hollywood, California, and are cur-rently holding President for Life, Bill hos-tage. The question on everyone's is:will Mayor Tom Bradley do?"

All those who said "Call a for a swap meet..."or "Provide the terrorists with transportationout of town..." move to the head of the class.Not because you are right, but because youreally need to listen!

By the same token, if you answer theand someone asks you how much you chargefor a private party, you should neither:

A) Quote them what you quoted your lastshow, or;

B) Ask them how much money they have.

It is here, when the conflict begins, or withthe initial phone call, that we enter the firststage of negotiation. The first thing you woulddo in both cases is:

STAGE NUMBER ONE:

Do they want a million dollars in exchangefor Mr. Larsen's life? Do they want a worldwide ban on bad card tricks? Maybe they justwant to get booked for a week at the Castle!

What they want might be very easy to give,or like a ban of bad card tricks, it may be nearlyimpossible. But, as I said before, if any actionwhatsoever is taken before you know whatthey want, at the very least, you would be limit-ing your options.

In the case of private party, how can wegive them our price before we now exactly

they want?

Do they want an illusion show?

297

The Magic

Do they want wild animals or just standardballoon animals?

Maybe some guy really wants you to makehis wife disappear!

Some people 1 know feel it is more profes-sional to have an iron-clad price for a pre-deter-mined service. That's fine.

from a negotiating point of view, thoseprices and conditions should never be laid onthe table before step one of the interaction istaken care of, which is, again, to find out:

EXACTLY

THE OTHER

SIDE WANT?

if you know exactly whatyou are goingto charge, it is still more professional to followthese stages of negotiating. You convey a moreservice attitude if you clearly try todetermine their needs, blurting out whatyour fees are going to be.

In the case of our kidnaping, s say all theterrorists want is to work a in the close-uproom of the Castle. Does this mean we state ourposition now?

Do we answer the telephone and say, "No,you work a week in the room. We arebooked 9 months in advance Peter Pitseat your act..."

our phone call for the private party, lef ssay they ask for thirty minutes of children'smagic. Is that all the information we need tosay, "Kid's magic? You bet! $75 will buy little Joeythe time his life..."

No. On both accounts.

someone presses you for a quote the in-stant they get you on the phone, as gently aspossible, lead them into stage two of the negoti-ating process.

STAGE NUMBER TWO:

As for the terrorist, holding onto Larsen,who is this guy? Is this a group effort? Has hepaid his Castle dues?

Now for the private party, you ask differentquestions: "How many people will be attending?...

part of town do they live in?... Will there beany other entertainment?... What sort of entertain-ment has worked well in the past?... How did you getmy name?... Have you decided on a budget?"

These are not casually selected questions.Hopefully, questions such as these will revealinformation about the value they might placeon the service you intend to provide them. Atthe same time, you begin to reveal the customersensitive attitude thatbuilds long term relation-ships. The flow of information works to thebenefit of all concerned, as it reveals their valuestructures, while further enabling you to meshyour talents with their needs.

Now, and only now, should you move on toStage Three of the negotiation. That stage mostpeople associate with the act of negotiating.

STAGE NUMBER THREE:

Here, you begin to see the value of theous steps. Obviously, executing steps One andTwo before moving to step Three might wellreveal the key information necessary you tofirst, determine more accurately their needsand their values. Second, their informationmay you to think of other ways to addvalue to your service. Information is the fuel tobetter service.

In true terrorist Stages One andTwo might reveal enough information to turnthe tide of power, thereby affecting the out-

298

Higher Performance Fees

come of the But without thesesteps, human nature might tempt us to moveinto action with the knowledge at hand. In ourexample, if terrorists did take over the MagicCastle and kidnap our highly respected

our fury might tempt us into an imme-diate use of However, properlythe steps of negotiation might reveal the factthat a previous award winner just wants achance to make an honest buck.

So I understand how tempting it is, whencalled and asked the direct question, how muchdo you charge for a to go aheadand quote your price. hard to followthrough all three phases of negotiating whenyou hear things like...

"Because after all, although tot don't have muchmoney, there will be lots of people here who do, andyou'll get lot's free publicity..."

Yeah, right The publicity you'll get is that work for free!

No, far better to follow all three stages,which, when properly applied, tosituations, both parties acting as partners,sharing a mutually satisfying agreement

Would and should you, charge the sameamount for the "average" private party as youwould for a five-hundred guest blow-out forMalcolm Forbes? If you answered before youalso knew Bruce Springsteen will beyou probably lost money.

VALUE SAMEPRICE TO ALL

I have worked for some people and compa-nies that would not hire an act that didn'tcharge a certain minimuin amount. They figureif you don't charge a certain amount, how goodcan you be? As wrong as that might seem,

of human nature must be consid-ered when pricing services like entertainment.

The simple fact is, the amount you charge forthe current gig shouldn't be limited to the

you charged for your last gig. Norshould be determined by what you would bewilling to

One reason for Step Two - where you gatherinformation about their needs, as you conveydetails of your capacities, is that many peopleare not even remotely aware of what servicesmight be best for their specific situation. Nor dothey know what options you or your networkmight have access to.

Why not, after gathering all the information,offer to provide a small army of close-up magi-cians for the cocktail party? And how couldthey know - unless you suggest the option -that this small army could also hand out spe-cially packaged private party magic tricks forthe guests themselves to perform? Tricks whichcommemorate the event long after the eveningis over. To end this special extravaganza, therecould be a show where the guest of honorhimself all the illusions.

Understandably, for something like this youearn thousands of dollars more because youhave provided infinitely more services. Servicesneither you - nor the caller - would have real-ized, had you not followed the proper steps of:

1) Finding out exactly what they want, and;

2) Drawing out more information, and;

3) Reach an understanding between theirneeds and your abilities to provide services.

As simple as these three steps might seem,my mentors all assure me, that all negotiations,regardless of their importance or delicacy,benefit from following this simple outline.

Now that we've identified the s fill in around these basics with negotiating

tactics known as GAMBITS. Understandingmore about these predictable patterns of hu-man interactions, will serve us well, when ourreal world negotiations take their unpredict-able turns.

Politics, and countless other as-pects of life might be compared to games, sinceeach have their own specific set of rules. The

299


more you know about those rules, the betteryour chances of winning that particular game.It's good advice to make certain just what gameyou're involved with, and what rules go with it.

Negotiating is a game best played and mostenjoyed when everyone wins. That makes thisan unusual game, but it is possible if we culti-vate certain skills and strategies.

The game of negotiating is played with a setof gambits, just as the game of Chess has a set ofgambits. The word "gambit" refers to any ma-neuver for advantage.

The more you know about the application ofgambits, the more you can control the otherperson and outcome. If he or she in turn knowsthe gambits, the game becomes more challeng-

but it is correspondingly more fun andrewarding.

There are some gambits that apply to generalnegotiations, and others to specific areas ofnegotiating. The ones I've selected apply best innegotiations for higher performing fees.

GAMBIT NUMBER ONE:

This is one of my favorites! Properly usingthis technique can work wonders on thethoughts, feelings, and expectations of thepeople you are dealing with. It might best be il-lustrated with an example from the real world.

A friend and I were in Italy on business. Sincewe had a few days to spare, we decided tospend them in Florence, so we could absorb thewonders of Michelangelo's work.

For centuries this city inspired and supportedartists. Marking the heart of town is a beautiful,shop-lined bridge. Local artists flood this areawith their work, and it is here, unknown to visi-tors from around the world, that Flinching be-comes the practiced work of

Tourists by the hundreds approach these art-ists every day of the year, asking the prices fortheir Art. The artist might say, "That painting is

$100."

At this point, they watch the reac-tion closely. If the tourist were to flinch at thispoint, it would seriously undermine the expec-tations of the artist. However, if they don'tflinch, the artist would immediately follow upwith, "...of course, the frame is only $20

If they st3I don' t flinch, "...and for only canpackage it perfectly for your trip back to theStates..."

Now, s go back to the beginning, only thistime, lef s include The Flinch into the scenario.

'That painting is only $100."

"WHAT!!"

"But... that price also includes this beautifulhandmade frame..."

"But STILL!"

"...AND even package it perfectly for your tripback to the States..."

Those who depend on the marketing of theirpersonal services realize their standard of livingis directly influenced by their understandingand use of Flinching as both a gambit, and acounter gambit.

For a magic example, let's suppose you havebeen asked your price for an after dinnerThrough Stages One and Two, we have foundout the show is 45 miles away, in an expensivehotel, and that there is a cocktail hour beforedinner. During the cocktail hour, there will be athree piece classic music group playing liveback ground music. As you quote for the30 minute stand up act, listen very closely. Ifthey don't flinch at that, throw in, course, allexpenses are extra."

If they still don't flinch, you might throw in,"But you know, people love magic the most, when ithappens for them, in hands. I specialize inthese personal magical experiences, and can strollaround for the entire cocktail hour performing forindividuals, preparing for the magic to come. I

300


can give you this full extra for only $200, be-cause I'll already be therefor the stage

How far can you take this? Well, it's a judge-ment call. Some people I've worked with justwon't stop asking until they hear a flinch. "But,if you want animals, that's another $50. Ofcourse, if you want audience participation..."

Of course, some bookers in the magic fieldare notorious for the opposite. They confirmyou for 10 minutes on stage, and when you getthere, they ask you to throw in a little close up.If you don't flinch, they ask you to host, then toMC, and you it, publishingyour material! So as briefly mentioned before,the Flinch is helpful as a gambit, as well as acounter gambit.

But what, you might ask, do you do if THEYflinch? Easy. Start adding just like theartist did, until you take the flinch away.

"But of course, that includes all expenses."

If still flinch, add, I tell you what.come a little early, and perform what they call stroll-ing magic. People LOVE this, and I usually charge$200 extra for it..."

TWO:

Here we aren't dealing with methods forearning more. Rather, we with humannature, and the feelings and expectations thatgo along with it This gambit helps to in thebelief that all involved have gotten a fair, WIN/WIN situation.

A non-magic, non-booking example will helpcrystalize the emotions the delayed approvalgambit relates to. say you want to sellyour car, and you hope to high heavens to get$3,000 for it. You aren't certain what if s worth,but you sure need the $3,000. Well, when thefirst person stops by asking about it, you decideto be a sneaky negotiator, and ask for $4,500.How would you feel if, after a momentsthought, they reach into their pocket, take outtheir checkbook, and begin writing out

If s a rhetorical question, because the feelingis pretty predictable. Even though you werehoping for only $3,000, by saying YES tooquickly, the buyer leaves you feeling emptyas if you messed up.

My guess, and the prediction inherent in thisgambit, is that you would have much better they had taken a moment to weight the deci-

sion, to make a phone call, or anything to at-tempt to verify the value. Wouldn't you havefelt better if they had flinched? Just a little? Ifthey had done that, then called their wife, be-fore slowly saying yes to the they couldhave changed the entire emotional foundationof the interaction.

put the shoe on a magical foot If some-one calls for a and opens by saying,"We only have $2,000 in our budget, are you sureyou can do a birthday party for

You can seriously affect their feelings aboutit all if you immediately counter byeat a BUG at a birthday party for $2,000..."

Delay your approval. Continue through allthree steps of the negotiation. Find out whatthey want. Gather more information. Thencarefully lead into a meshing of their needs,their budget, and your abilities.

NUMBER THREE:

The biggest misconception I had about thenegotiating process has to do with power. I al-ways thought it was important to create theimpression of power. I thought the power tomake or influence all decisions on site was thekey to good negotiating. So to me, it was a truerevelation when 1 discovered exactly the oppo-site was the case.

It seems that during the process of negotiat-ing, the most powerful position you can take isthat of powerlessness.

301


Now, this is an odd thought, so give sev-eral reasons supporting it. In business, if youhave set up a situation where it seems you mustcheck with someone else before making anydecision, you increase your flexibility. Notbeing to commit allows you to explore pos-sibilities without being tied

During phase two of negotiating, where youexchange information, you will be able togather the information possible, yet still de-lay approval. Not only will you have a chanceto digest the information (potentially affectingyour counter offer), but you will gain the subtlepsychological benefits delayed approval.

If you are personally accountable for deci-sions, and can make them unquestioned on thespot, have limited your options and flexibil-ity. You your negotiating position. Youmight be pressed to decide on something beforeadequate research or thought has been applied,or possibly pressed for special favors because ofthe direct access to the decision maker.

A separate, usually absent entity, like a man-ager, agent, agency, or even spouse, can beused as a "higher authority" whose pendingapproval makes commitment impossible.

I don't have an agent, manager to use ahigher authority. So at one time, I created acompany called The Secret Service, to handlemy bookings. I was the only person in thiscompany, and I had exclusive representation ofonly myself, but the fact that no one knewthat made a lot of things easier and more effec-tive. reasonable to see how a companyname can give an impression of stability, orsubstance. And while some corporations mayfeel funny about approving large contractswith an individual, very natural for them tocommit to another company.

On the other hand, if someone calls you, andthere are dogs barking and kids playing in yourbackground, you probably won't want to go forthe corporate image. But don't worry, you canstill, with a clear conscience say, can't give youa decision on that right now. should only take me adays to clear up a few related things, but I could getright back to you, though."

There is always the possible consideration ofother people or what they the "opportunitycosts" to consider. Opportunity costs are thevalues of the alternative choices that couldhave occupied that time. You might be able touse the date itself as the determining youwould have to check with.

actually, need to get back to you onthis. Another project is tentatively for that day."

This is not to say that all bookings or negotia-tions need to be resolved by a call back. But theCall To A Higher Authority Gambit does allowyou more latitude for action, and room to think.Developing the habit now will help it seemnatural when those big calls come.

GAMBIT NUMBER FOUR:

You know, for any of these ideas to work,you're going to have to start with something.Start with this one. the most simple. All youdo, is ask for more. As a suggestion, try 20%more. I mean, hard to make a 10% raise seem"long overdue..."

Inexperienced negotiators tend to go into thenegotiation with their very best offer up front.Maybe they lack faith in their product, or theirability to negotiate. When they hear things like:

"We just don't have much of a budget..."; or,"Think all the work you'll get out of this!"

They so lower their expectations that theiropening quote is the lowest they can surviveworking for.

Experienced negotiators recommend askingfor more than they expect to get, while imply-ing flexibility. The first reason why is, some-times, you get it! Secondly, if you are pressedinto flexibility during the give and take of StageThree, you have set the stage for the other per-son to "win" the negotiation.

302


Use this idea just once, and profit fromit Make it a progressive habit, andchange your standard of living.

This idea of "going for it" goes beyond priceas well. In the world of sales there is the phrase,

have to ASK to GET." Sounds like a prettygood plan.

GAMBIT NUMBER FIVE:

As you listen to some of these ideas, youmight wonder, "Now come on, does he expectme to use all these GAMBITS? I'm an ARTIST!"I understand. I offer this variety of gambits,some of which may make you too uncomfort-able to use, for the sake of completeness. Beingaware of them provides you a defense, as muchas an arsenal.

This particular tactic is used during themoment of relaxation that takes place in bothparties, immediately following an agreement.

Reaching a decision relieves tension on bothsides, creating an ideal climate for a good na-

but aggressive approach. Following theagreement on price and service, now is the per-fect time to throw in requests like, "Of course,

plus all expenses..." or just, "You'll throw inhotel, you?" Some might be able to say,"Since be using an assistant, need to bill theirexpenses separately."

When traveling for several days, you mightsay, usually get a per diem for day on the

for living expenses..."

Do you see why if s called the salami tech-nique? You might never think of eating a wholesalami, but it goes down easy a slice at a time.The same is true of the total value of the endagreement If you ask for it all up front, theymight talk you out of the extras during the ne-gotiation. But they seem easy enough to grantonce the big decision is out of the way.

They say one of the best ways to makemoney, is save money. you can cover some

of your expenses more effectively on the smallgigs, life could get easier. Ask them to throw indinner, or or pay for your travel time.

Of course, if s wise to watch out for clientswho have mastered the Salami Technique. It isso tempting to say yes to simple extras, "sinceyou're going to be there anyway..." But let it getout of hand, and they will seriously chip awayyour value structure.

GAMBIT NUMBER SIX:

Sometimes, even though you are very inter-ested in working for a particular client, youmight not be able to agree on a price. Ratherthan to lower your price now, which could set a

that would work against you on fu-ture dates, begin to explore different areas yourservices might be of value to them.

Maybe this is just the picnic for acompany that has Easter or Halloween func-tions for the children, a Christmas party for theemployees, and sends out special customizedgifts for their customers each year. If you bringthese other considerations into the picture, per-haps you can justify a lower price now, withthe guarantee of additional in other areas.

Sometimes, if you can't come together on aprice, you might want to pass the show on to adifferent performer, while still exploring possi-bilities for other work from that client. If youare clearly sensitive to their needs, and if youare professional in the way you approach yourbusiness, any client should be happy to con-sider you for other openings.

In approaching new work, there is the idea ofhorizontal where you try to ap-proach the different companies in a givenindustry. But there is also vertical marketing,where your client sensitivity opens you up tomany options inside the same company.

By sticking to your price, while exploringother possible relationships, you lock in the

303

The Magic

impression that there is tangible value to thesomewhat nebulous service of entertainment.A value not to be distorted or compromised.

GAMBIT NUMBER SEVEN:

If there is one single gambit that will result inyour making more money from self representa-tion, it will be the ability to walk away from abooking. In fact, this is such a fundamentaltrain of thought, calling it a gambit might not

it justice.

Siegfried, of Siegfried and Roy, once pointedout that before you could make good money inLas Vegas, you had to look you didn't needit If you needed the money, or if you neededthe it was like the kiss of death. Suc-cessful people like associating with successfulpeople. Thaf s point number one.

A second point is, that if you are truly afraidof losing this you are going to build ina pricing cushion that will prevent any threat ofbeing too expensive. You'll leave a margin be-tween what you are willing to work for, andthe upper limit of what you might be worth,just to be sure you get the booking.

Does this margin exist in your pricing now? Ifyou had the confidence to push it, if you hadconviction in your service, would be able tocharge for an act you normally sell for$300? s a 25% increase.

If you work on factors supporting your serv-ice, and if you consider ways increasing yourvalue, do you think they'll be able to afford$450, instead of $300? That's a 50% increase.

It might really help, if you looked atthe clients you have talked with over the lastyear. How many of these shows have you lostbecause you were too expensive? Do 25% of thepeople who call you hire someone else becauseyou were too expensive? Or are you like many,who never let someone walk away becausethey couldn't afford you?

One very talented friend of mine realty lovesto perform. As a result, he never walks awayfrom a booking. If they don't have his normalfee, work for less. His position is, "Whatharm could it possibly do? I quote my fee upfront, but if it is too much, 1 ask what they wantto spend. It always turns out to be more thanmake staying at home!"

It is hard to argue directly with this position.But consider the effect on your negotiating,however subtle, that would result from beingmore sensitive to the lower earning rangesthan the upper ones. Consider the number of

that become aware of your lower sala-ries. Consider the possible future bookings thatmight go to others, when these particularpeople do come across a higher budget.

Here is another consideration. If I need theshow - if I need the money, I'm going to try tobook anything I can. In other words, no matter

round the hole, I can get a square peg intoit if I have to.

But if I'm willing to walk away from a book-ing if everything isn't right for involved,then I'm likely to come across much more pro-fessionally to the caller. If I'm willing to recom-mend another act "who might serve theirneeds, and budget, better....", don't I increasethe chances for getting the fee I really deservewhen the time comes for these people to in-crease their budget? Even if the cheaper actdoes a good job, don't you think the bookerwonders how much better it would have beento have gotten a "really professional act"?

GAMBIT NUMBER EIGHT:

If you and your potential client aren't able tocome to a price agreement, and you've mas-tered the ability to walk away from it all, don'tthink the fat lady has sung. Give them just onemore chance to see the error of their ways.

304


I can certainly understand it if yourbudget just won't allow it, or you need somethinga little different. But, before you commit, still liketo send you a brochure and a video some thethings 1 do. At least this way, you'll know what yourfuture options mightbe..."

If you work quickly, there is an excellentchance your formation will arrive before theycommit to another act. In my case, I've beenable to turn 3 or 4 "No's" into "Yes!" That isn'ta huge number, but every one of them counted.

By giving them a second chance, you are cer-tain you are in their files, you make certain theyare your files, and by following up your mail-ing with a phone call, you make it easier thanever to do business with you.

GAMBIT NUMBER NINE:

Build A Safety NetInto Your Pricing

One way to prevent yourself from losingshows as a result of your original quote beingtoo high, would be to build what I call a "safety

into your pricing structure.

What that amounts to, basically, is a secondact that you can perform for a lower fee. Or, itmight be a different performing character - stillplayed by you, but capable of working for alower fee.

As an example, perhaps you have a non-live-stock act, that you'd be willing to perform for

instead of your normal $250.

Another great example was developed byHank Moorehouse. as "Hank", does avery funny professional act. But if you can'tafford "Hank", perhaps you'd like Mr. Bubbles.The Mr. Bubbles act is perfect for kids. "Be-cause", Hank tells me with a smile, "I don't likekids. But Mr. Bubbles loves them!"

If you have an act that has been recognizedwith a prestigious award, or a television ap-pearance, you might be able to base your initial

quote on that act. If they truly don't have thebudget, for the act in question, explain that youhave another act. One which requires less setup time, or is less expense to produce. Explainthat, even though the pricing is for your awardwinning show, both shows are good. It just sohappens the second show is more affordable.

As remember, the 3 stages of negotiat-ing are: First, find out what the other sidewants. Then, gather more information. Andfinally: Reach for an By followingthese three steps, with an understanding of theGAMBITS just covered, you will pull your earn-ings into line with your value.

In remember that negotiating isnot just a matter of getting what you want It isalso discovering what others truly want, andwhat value they place in achieving it.

Exposing yourself to the different stages ofnegotiating and the gambits that go along withthem is only part of the battle. Since puttingthem to use is the ultimate objective, you mightwant to consider easing yourself into it

In magic, I've always felt that whois good now, needed someplace to be bad. Forexample, it really helped me to have my homestate of West Virginia as a developing ground.It allowed me to develop maturity away frompossibly critical eyes that might have discour-aged further effort.

By the same token, you might want to prac-tice these negotiating techniques your every-day life, so that when the big deals roll in,they'll be second nature to you.

For example, the next time you eat at try Flinching when you get your

Or, if you truly ARE shocked by the price of allow yourself to react naturally,

and remember that reaction. File it away, for re-use in the future.

Finally, let me end with a sincere hope, andalso issue a challenge:

Make all your negotiations win-win interac-tions. Make of your relationships value forvalue. And make most of your money fromrepeat bookings.

305


(1) Find out what the other side wants.

(2) Seek more information.

(3) Reach for an understanding.

The

(2) Delayed Approval.

(3) Call To A Higher Authority.

(4) The Gambit.

(5) The Salami Technique.

Piggy-Back Booking.

(7) Develop Walk-Away Power.

(8) Give 'Em A Second Chance.

(9) Build A Safety Net Into Your Pricing.

306

chapter eight magic management

Documents