As technology advances, new systems come while others go to their home up yonder.  As a 40 year old father of two very active little boys, I had to create my own Commando Show out of necessity.  I needed a highly visible one-hour show that packed flat and was ready to go at a moment’s notice.  I carry it in a $50 shoulder bag that can be carried on a plane.  It sets up in less than 15 minutes in front of the audience and can be performed most anywhere from parlor to the stage.

Everyone has their own way of doing things.  Here’s mine.  I discovered one secret to a good Commando Show bag at the great travel web site www.onebag.com:  AVOID WHEELS.  Why?  They add 8-10 lbs.  My bag weighs 25 lbs. max.  It needs to be easy on my back.  If I am carrying so much that it needs wheels, then I am carrying too much.  I also need a shoulder strap because it lets me carry the whole thing on stage, put it on a chair and get to work.  I found a great case at www.SoloCases.com that opens from the top, has a shoulder strap and no wheels.  It’s called a 17″ Laptop Catalog Case, style PV50-4.  (It’s really a catalog case that they are pushing toward the laptop market.)  There are plenty of pockets inside and out, with movable dividers in the large inner compartment.  I have found the interior very easy to customize so all my props are in the same place every time ready to go.

When it comes to audio for my commando show.  I occasionally use a boom box - especially for a children’s show.  I like Sony products because they are readily available, reliable and they sound good.  The dials are also easy to find and use.  I need to change tracks and control the volume quickly; I find dials easier than buttons.  Many of them come with easy to use remotes and most boom boxes today have an “aux-in” to patch in an iPod or any other sound source.  My mantra:  keep it simple.  The tube shaped ones have subwoofers that offer a fuller sound.  The king of the hill boom boxes are the JVC Kaboom series and they take a shoulder strap. The top of the line model has 50 watts of power and will cover a couple hundred people indoors.  They are difficult to find though.  Search eBay and Google for “JVC Kaboom”.

Another source for sound on the go is a good set of iPod travel speakers.  You will find a couple dozen of these at Best Buy.  The latest reviews are found at www.CNET.com - Bose and Logitech make very nice ones of different sizes and loudness.  Bose is more expensive.  Remember to keep it light for the commando show.

In a previous blog entry, I uplifted the Anchor Audio AN-30, which is also known as the AN-Mini and the MiniVox Lite.  I discovered that the 3″ speaker has a difficult time pushing out enough sound; it is not worth the investment.  Joe Leffler at www.WeAreFun.com notes that recent, more budget-conscious products from Anchor Audio have not been living up to that company’s famed high quality.  I also continue to hear great things from and about Sound Projections (www.SoundProjections.com).  The company founder used to design the Liberty systems for Anchor.  His products give the greatest bang for the buck.  However, for a commando show, it seems that a sub-woofer boombox with a shoulder strap is a very functional solution for a wide variety of venues.

Those of you looking for wireless remote control music systems basically have one option left:  The highly reliable units Kerry Pollock’s Wireless Wizardry.  John Cassidy loves the “MP3 Tech” unit.  The Virtual Soundman systems have ceased production and Kelly Duro has gone out of business.  I wish him well.

In magic and wonder,
The Rev. David Reed-Brown

REFERENCES:

Traveling light:  www.OneBag.com

Commando Case:  Solo Case PV50-4 17″ Laptop Catalog Case PV50-4 http://www.solocases.com/item.aspx?id=1157 $50

JVC Kaboom Boom Boxes http://support.jvc.com/consumer/product.jsp?pathId=37&archive=true

Reviews for consumer electronics www.CNET.com

Remote control sound systems for magicians:  www.WirelessWizardry.com

Other Recommended Portable PA Systems for Larger Venus:

www.SoundProjections.com:  Freedom, SoundMachine
www.AnchorAudio.com:  Explorer, Liberty & Beacon

Mipro MA-101a

Many portable PA sound systems can be found at www.WeAreFun.com

By Jeff McBride and Gregg Webb
Originally published in Hard Copy
For more information about Gregg Webb and Hard Copy visit http://www.polarismagic.com

Here we have an item that can be used IN THE MIDDLE of a RED ASHES trick. For instance, I’m going to describe it as being a possibility to place it in the middle of the trick to come next, Phoenix from the ashes DELUXE.

You’ll need a strip of Red Ashes paper, which we already determined can be had from florists. This idea or piece of info alone is worth the price of admission! Make a strip, for learning, about 8″ long and less than an inch wide. You’ll also need a candle and some kind of lighter or matches.

What is clear is that Jeff EXPERIMENTS with an idea … tries this and that before discarding something. HOW TO USE SOMETHING A DIFFERENT way! Most guys never get past the ‘do it exactly as written’ stage.

When you are a beginner, you study to try to know what to do. When you aren’t a beginner anymore, you still have to study, but you study so as to know WHAT NOT TO DO! Here that means don’t give up a trick if you know it has been done, but figure a different way of working it. Nice goin’ JEFF.
So … light the strip of red ash paper. As it burns, it rises IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT PAPER. (Don’t assume. I’m fooled sometimes. Regular red tissue paper FALLS when lit.) It will continue to rise even after the flame burns out because orange glowing embers continue to cause it to rise. It is the paraffin in the paper. This is why a candle burns but just STRING - NOT SO WELL !

HERE begins the Black Dragon (which refers to the ash after burning. It clings together - holds its shape. It is black ash, and no longer red-looking.) First, when the ash with some glowing areas gets near the ceiling … the HEAT will push it back down and away from the ceiling. Heat RADIATES. The heat hits the surface and the ash gets pushed away from the surface and back down. NOW the glowing areas are pretty much GONE and the ash cools and falls slowly.

By now you’ve picked up the lit candle and when you hold the flame under the falling ash, THE HEAT CAUSES THE ASH TO RISE AGAIN !! You can repeat this several times if you wish, finally setting down the candle end the routine as you wish. Usually people follow the Al Baker routine and catch the ash and then ‘turn it into’ a solid strip of paper.

A Gregg WEBB idea here would be to use a strip of BLACK tissue or dark gray since the effect is that the ash becomes solid again and Gregg thinks it is a variation on the effect to have it be the SAME color as the ash instead of the two effects of the ash becoming solid AND the color changing from dark gray/black to its original red.

1) Prepare for the show. It may sound obvious, but you would be surprised how many performers think they can just wing it as an MC.  You CAN wing it, but you don’t want to.  For a standard introduction, here are three bullet points that I find work well: 1) an accomplishment like an award or book; 2) a personal fact like where they live; and 3) something that appeals to the emotional side of the audience to instantly establish likability for the performer– maybe a recent charity performance, a reference to a son or daughter, or a personal anecdote. Be certain to contact the people beforehand that you will be introducing, and ask for their intro card. (I would also recommend perusing their websites to get a feel for the people that will be on stage with you.)   You will often get the response, “Oh just say whatever - I’m easygoing.”  Do not take this for an answer!  Dig deeper.  Otherwise every introduction for the evening will devolve into “Your next act has performed all over the world, and tonight he’s here for you.”  BORING!

2) Don’t do what everybody else does.  “How’s everybody doing tonight?  Oh c’mon you can do better than that… How’s everybody doing tonight?”  How many times have we all heard this tired opening?  People have an idea of what an MC is “supposed” to do ingrained in their entertainment-loving heads.  Think of all the common entertainment situations you will have to address as an MC– people coming late and leaving early, announcements for intermission, merchandise, no cell phones, pictures, or videos, to name a few.  You know that these scenarios will arise– why not think about them ahead of time and prepare some clever ways to handle them?  At the end of the show, you will stand out as a polished MC.  The audience may not know why, but they will know you were different… and better!

3) Create specific MC material. You may have tons of material to draw upon, but if it’s not flexible, adaptable, and audience appropriate, you may be in trouble.  As an MC, you are responsible for the pace of the event, making sure everything runs smoothly and swiftly.  That means being able to continue onstage if extra time between acts is needed (technical issue, previous program ran short, etc) and being able to wrap up immediately when the stage is set.  If you don’t already have an assortment of 30-second gags or 2-minute bits to draw from, it is better to take the time to prepare these NOW.  Then you’ll be confident, relaxed and ready when your event producer/director says “I need 2 minutes here.”

Now go forth and host!

–Jeff Civillico brings his “Comedy in Action” program to major corporate events nationwide, both as a feature entertainer and MC.  He is no stranger to the magic community.  He was one of the first comedy jugglers to perform at Hollywood’s Magic Castle.  He hosted the ‘07 Int’l Magic Festival Tournament Show in Genting, Malaysia, and the ‘08-09 tour of Terry Hill and Milt Larsen’s “It’s Magic.”

www.jeffonstage.com

Two young amateur magicians were invited to be in the big show… what was it like for them?

Presenting The First Timers (Magic Show) a photo documentary about newcomers to a Magic Show, by Ashton Vazquez. The interviews were held while preparing for Cavalcade of Magic, Nov. 15, 08, in Columbia, SC. It features Bauer Westeren, a young Mind Reader, and Cameron Burks, a young Escape Artist. They are guided by Joey Vazquez, and John Tudor, and also seen is magician Brandon Wagster.

Cavalcade of Magic was a recital show, with two advanced students and two young beginners. The advanced students (Joey and Brandon) acted as the teacher/facilitators, as well as performing in the show. Especially effective was the written statement of theme that each of the First Timers was required to create. The young escape artist had a fascination with Houdini, and his theme was the human ability to escape from obstacles, particularly inner, emotional obstacles. The mentalist had a “connections” theme to his act, with the human interaction being the means that he could read the minds.

The show itself was a bit nerve wracking, but was a big success from both an artistic and financial point of view. In particular, as the audience was full of kids, we considered it a success that the mind reading act in particular went over so well.

The show itself was put on by by the Society of American Magicians #284/Society of Young Magicans #132. The day of performances was a fundraiser for Glenforest School.

Titles by John Tudor.

As a working journalist with several year’s experience in national newspapers I thought I may be able to present some useful working knowledge for my fellow students.

A point of note - this piece is about at how to get news coverage. Areas such as attracting reviews are not delved into.

What is news?

There are several varieties of news stories, coming under a wide range of genres. These broadly come under two categories - hard and soft news.

Hard news stories include areas such as crime, court stories, finance and politics.

Soft news includes animal stories, entertainment, fashion and human interest.

Stories about magicians usually come under either celebrity or human interest, Of course there are exceptions, such as Roy Horn’s tiger accident, David Copperfield’s FBI investigation, or more historically the deaths of Houdini and The Great Lafayette, but these are exceptions.

At this stage it is probable that any story you will be involved in will be human interest, and it is important for your publicity seeking efforts if you know what makes a good story.

Local or national?

Before pitching your story however it is important to know whether it will attract local or national coverage.

With creativity it is possible for an unknown magician to get national coverage.

Something important to remember is it is extremely unlikely that winning a magic competition will make national headlines, with the possible exception of FISM, or other notable competitions.

However local newspapers need that sort of fodder all the time, and will be absolutely delighted to hear from you. As a benefit you will have a press clipping and perhaps get some free professional photos.

What is a story?

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, you will be appearing in the news for positive reasons. Of course it is very difficult to sell good news with the constant barrage of death and destruction in the world, so you need to be unique.

Winning a magic competition is a good way to get positive local press. It may also attract national attention if the magician is especially old or young*, or if there was some bizarre event on the way there.

For example you were arrested in a case of mistaken identity, were finally released and then made your way straight to the show to give a winning performance with no preparation. Another possibility would be cancelling your wedding as it clashes with the big contest.

I have a personal example, when I got some publicity for a fellow magician who won the Scottish national title. On the face of it it was a pretty boring story, but he told me he had broke his arm in a skateboarding accident, which meant he could not his move his hand and wrist properly. I hung the story on that and he got a full page story in one of the country’s biggest Sunday newspaper and a little bit in the country’s biggest daily. It was a good return for the rather mundane story of a magician winning the Scottish national close-up competition.

An interesting caveat is the fact this injury happened when he was a teenager years ago, but with clever writing it appeared to have happened much more recently – which was key to the story being printed! I write this because having a bit of licence with the truth can be beneficial. But do not make up wild lies, as they are sure to bite you in some way.

Other potential story ideas could include – if you have an animal act, your animals having offspring, Even if it is not the most amazing story, baby animal pictures play big. A magicians rabbit giving birth while loaded in a top hat would be a hilarious story. A superfat magician losing weight so he can do the metamorphosis effect, preferably winning a big event into the bargain. These two ideas are examples of stories that could attract local, national and perhaps radio and television coverage.

If you bump into a celebrity in a pub, wow them with an effect and then they buy you a drink it would be a great story. Just make sure to get pics if you want to be believed. And the status of the star is important too. If you wow the likes of Clint Eastwood or Brangelina you are more likely to get press than if you impress Deacon Blue’s Dougie Vipond. I heard Barack Obama is a good guy to get just now!

Stunts may also be effective ways of attracting publicity, but it has to be spectacular to get national attention if you are an unknown. For example, escaping from the jail of a famous castle, getting pushed off the edge of a famous landmark in a crate and making a miraculous escape, being set on fire in a city square. Stunts are not as easy to sell as a very good human interest story, partially because it is hard to replicate the feats of the famous magicians, but it can be done.

What media?

As a newspaper reporter I have to be be biased and suggest newspapers.

The reason for this is newspapers feed rest of the media. A good local story may be picked up by a national newspaper, and the broadcast media often look at newspapers to find good quirky stories for their news bulletins.

Press agencies are a good place to get national coverage. As a former agency reporter my job was to find stories that could be sent to every national newspaper. Agencies have their own photographers and reporters, and know how to sell a story.

National newspapers often rely on agencies to scout out good local stories and provide them with the words and pics, so working with an agency could give you a far better chance of getting coverage.

Of course if you are proactive you could approach your local radio station to do radio magic – you would likely not get paid, but get some very precious free exposure.

If you have a story look-up the local newspapers and news agencies in your area. The person to ask for is the news editor, and if your story is interesting enough they will be delighted to hear from you.

If Your Story is Picked Up…

Do not mess about reporters and photographers. They have busy schedules and expect you to be punctual and reliable. By contrast they also appreciate flexibility – if there is a murder you will drop down the priority list. Be easy to deal with and your chances of exposure will be far higher.

Wear the right gear. Cliches like top hats, playing cards and magic wands may not be your preferred image, but they make you look like a magician. A magician in jeans and a t-shirt will not look good in print. A flamboyant look is far better, as magicians are meant to be glamorous and, well, slightly weird.

Also have props ready for the pics and, very important, SMILE for the camera. People will be reading your story for entertainment and light relief among the heavier news items.

If you have any, have pictures from your younger days available. They make for a more attractive picture spread.

The same tips go for TV and radio, though obviously it is less important to look good for radio. But you also have to sound polished and confident, while this is not so vital when chatting to a press reporter.

A Final Thought

If one story idea does not work, try pushing it to more news editors and agency chiefs. If it still does not work, move on. There is no point wasting your energy on something that is clearly not worth the effort.

*enter a show Charles from Switzerland!