Profitable Performances Newsletter
April 2008
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'Helping to put the PRO in Profit'
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Did you know that 76.4% of all statistics are made up?
In This Issue:
1) Answer for Help: Tom James
2) The Time Machine trick by Todd Lamanske
3) Win a DVD
4) MagicBase Tip: Printing postcards
5) Win a Relentless book
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#1 - ANSWER TO A CALL FOR HELP: Tom James
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Tom James is a busy full-timer in the Ohio area.
Here's his tip for getting paid on time:
He always asks for all the money up front.
Why?
Because there have been times when he didn't get paid
on time, and wondered if he would get paid.
When he's had to justify this to a suspicious customer
who claimed that she had hired a different performer
earlier who made no such demand, Tom asked her
"Did you have a contract with him? " She said, "No".
So Tom explained to her that IF the guy never showed up
she would have no legal recourse to sue him. She would
lose out on the deal.
But, since he has a contract, the customer is PROTECTED.
By the way, Tom uses MagicBase (since 2004) to print his contract. There is a place in the MagicBase contract that requests a return of the contract (and whatever deposit) within a certain number of days, that you define.
Customers will know that they are dealing with a professional. They'll feel more secure with a contract, and you'll feel more secure knowing that you'll get paid.
Tom James, and a few others are now submitted into the annual DVD drawing for submitting a tip.
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#2 - The Time Machine
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What? Your Hopping Half coins are in a drawer? Well, go get them. We are going to have some fun.
I love the Hopping Half trick but it is far too easy to use a “Gotcha” type of presentation. You know, “I put one coin in my pocket, so how many does that leave in my hand? Wrong! You need to watch closer”. Magic by nature can sometimes make people feel stupid. I try to avoid that whenever possible. This routine does not challenge them to catch you and is just plain fun.
Effect: The performer talks about his latest creation; a time machine. Then, using 2 coins (a half dollar and an English penny), he offers a demonstration of how the machine works. He places one of the coins in his pocket and turns on the machine. The machine takes everyone back in time 3 seconds and the coin returns to the performers hand. This happens three more times and in the end everyone travels into the future where the coins AND the time machine vanish!
Preparation: You will need a Hopping Half set of coins. If you don’t have one, this will mean nothing but I suggest you go get a set. It is a great trick that is dead easy but looks like great skill. Place the Hopping half set into your right jacket pocket.
You will also need a small egg-timer type of hourglass. This is commonly found in board games. Place this into your left jacket pocket.
I should also mention that I use a topit in the left side of my jacket. I use the Michael Ammar style but any style will do for this routine. The topit is not necessary for the routine but it is used to vanish the hourglass at the end, which is what take this from being a good trick, to a great trick.
Performance: Say “I know what you’re thinking; sure he’s amazing, he’s handsome, but what don’t we know about this man of mystery? Well, you might be surprised to learn that I’m a bit of an inventor. I recently created a time machine. Yep, it’s true. Would you like to see it?” Remove the hourglass from your pocket and place it on the table so the sand is running through it. I will usually talk as I let it run until there is an equal amount of sand in both sides. I then lay it on its side.
“I know it doesn’t look like much but with this baby, we can actually travel in time. Now I can’t make you 14 again but we can travel a few seconds at a time. Let me show you how it works.”
Remove the Hopping Half set and show both coins on both sides. Place the coins in your right hand with the half dollar on top of the English penny. With your left hand gesture as you say “All we need are these 2 coins and the time machine”. “I will remove one of these coins”. With your left hand, remove the Half dollar shell and show it as you place it in the outside breast pocket of your jacket. Your right hand closes as you take the coin. Pick up the hourglass and turn it so sand runs through it as you say “Now we travel backwards in time, but just three seconds; back to when I still had both coins.” Open your right hand to show you still have both coins. Display one in each hand and replace them in the right hand placing the English penny on top. Say “That happened kind of fast. I’ll do it again but this time I’ll go slower.” This time lever the English penny shell off of the other coin using my right thumb. My right hand closes and turns towards me as I lever the coin up and take it with my left fingertips as I say “This time I’ll get rid of the copper coin.” Place the English penny into your left pants pocket. Repeat the actions from before by picking up the hourglass, traveling in time and opening your hand to show both coins.
“I know what you’re thinking, “Man that is some fancy sleight of hand” but it’s not sleight of hand, it’s the machine, watch”. This next phase is really fair because you utilize the cleverness of the Hopping Half gimmick. You really lever up the half dollar and you really place it into your left hand. Make sure your right hand is closed around the English penny. Place the half dollar in your left outer breast pocket of your jacket (joining the shell you put there earlier). As you reach for the hourglass stop and say “Now wait, before I touch that machine, would you like to see what’s in my right hand?” Open your hand and show the English penny on both sides. This is very fair! Place it back into your right hand and close the hand. Pick up the machine, travel in time and as you open your hand separate the gimmicked coin(s) showing that you have both again.
“Okay last chance. I will close my right hand and I will remove 1 coin”. Close your right hand and nest the gimmick. With your left fingers reach into the opening in your right fist and remove the nested gimmick showing apparently the English penny. There is nothing in your right hand but keep it closed as they believe there is still a half dollar in it. Show the English penny fairly on both sides before placing it into your left pants pocket (joining the other English penny shell you placed there earlier).
Say “Here, you can do it this time”. As this is said, I pick up the time machine and hand it to a spectator on my left. As I hand it to them I sort of spin it a little bit so it’s hard to tell which way they are supposed to turn it to travel backwards in time. This is kind of important since in a moment I am going to pretend they turned it the wrong way. As soon as they turn it I pause a half beat and say “No, wait. You turned it the wrong way”. As this line is delivered, I grab the hourglass with my left hand and almost in a jerking motion I pull it out of their hand and across my body. This will position the hourglass right in front of the opening of my jacket.
Two things will happen as I deliver the next line. First, here’s the line; I say “You took us forward in time. All the way to the end of the trick; where I have no coins…and no time machine.” As I say, “I have no coins” I open my right hand to show that both coins are gone. At the same time, I do what I call a reverse topit action with the hourglass. My left hand is holding the hourglass between my thumb and middle finger with my index finger on the end. The other end of the hourglass will go right inside the edge of the left side of my jacket. With my left index finger, I kick the hourglass backwards and into the topit. As I say “and no time machine”, I open my left hand to show the time machine is gone. Keep in mind that you are topiting the hourglass as you are opening your right hand to show the coins have vanished. No one will see the hourglass go. You end with your hands palm-up and away from your body in an applause cue position.
I hope you try this routine. It is a lot of fun to perform and it gets a great response. Enjoy!
Also:
Don't forget to read Todd Lamanske's fun and true story "Tableside Tales" about a table-hopper who ended up
looking like a true miracle-worker.
Download the story from the Profitable Performances
Members Only Club page here: ProPerformers Club
Oh, here's the User ID and Password to get in:
User: success Password: Seeker
Plus, you'll see that the Members Only Club is filled with all kinds of goodies and special items- ALL FREE!
By the way, Do you have something special to share with other magicians? Consider submitting it to the ProPerformers Club.
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#3 - DO YOU WANT TO BE ELIGIBLE TO WIN a MAGIC DVD?
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Just submit a tip to this newsletter, and you'll be entered into
the contest to win a Magic DVD.
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#4 - MagicBase Tip: Printing Postcards
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Did you know that you can print a customer's address and your return address on a postcard?
You might wonder since there is no 'Postcard' option to select on the Contracts and Reports page. But I do it all the time.
One of the advantages is that you don't have to use a mailing label. You can print directly on the postcard, so it looks more professional.
A disadvantage of this method is that you have to print on one postcard at a time. There is no "bulk printing" feature to put a different address on a stack of postcards. But, if you're just printing a few, it may be better than using a mailing label.
Here's how to do it:
Just select 'Thank-you Envelope' on the Contracts and
Reports Screen. A Thank-you envelope is just slightly
larger than a post card. I've used this method on postcards
ranging from 3.5" x 5.5"to 4" x 6".
If your return address runs over the edge of the card, there
are a few of ways to fix it:
- Make an adjustment on your printer driver and
- Rotate the card so that the left side enters first. or
- Go to the Preferences Screen and add some spaces in
front of YOUR Name and Address label to pad it on the left.
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#5 - WIN A RELENTLESS BOOK
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You could win the digital book "The Relentless Ring & String Routine."
This book describes every move in my award-winning ring
and string routine.
It could be yours as a no-cost gift!
To win it, just encourage a friend to sign-up for this
newsletter at this link:
http://www.bobmillermagic.biz/PPNewsSignUp.html
There is a space for your friend to enter your email address
(the email this newsletter is sent to.)
When your friend subscribes, you get the Relentless book
emailed to you.
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YOU MAY FREELY DISTRIBUTE THIS NEWSLETTER.
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Wishing you Profitable Performances!
Bob Miller
P.S.
Also, I'm still giving away free chapters of my eBook: BAM!
Get yours at www.BobMillerMagic.biz
