Hello friends,
One of the most amazing things about magic is not the audiences reactions to your magic but the reactions of the audience to your image.
Imagine somebody gave you a TV show, would you choose to dress like a homeless person or gang member on the streets?
A camera is following you and you go up to a complete stranger.
Do you
A. Get sprayed in the face with mace.
B. Get handed a dollar for troubles.
C. Get ignored
D. Get attention and respect.
They see the cameras so they may assume they will appear in a documentary about the homeless or a day in the life of a gang member.
Yes I am referring to the public appearances of David Blaine & Daniel Garcia. It seems to work for them but why not choose to look presentable?
If you are working pro and are seeking out the help of complete strangers, looking like a criminal can only scare them away before you have a chance to win them over.
And yes have indeed seen people run Blaine on previous occasions. How many people actually ran away that were left on the cutting room floor? More than those who actually experienced the magic, I would assume.
I am not attacking their talents and creativity but I strongly disagree with their character choice. This is not real life where they should dress however they desire, this is the pro world. Even Criss Angel who chooses unusual attire doesn’t look like a bum, he looks interesting.
Every time I see a sloppy performer in the street, all I think about is the “volunteer” is being stalked and feels uncomfortable. Making these strangers you seek out feel comfortable is key.
In the film Borat, there are several instances where the “mark” was made to run away, feel uncomfortable or get defensive or offensive. And these instances were all done in real life circumstances not acting. These reactions were spontaneous but the intent was at the very least to make them feel as uncomfortable as possible.
Look if you are going to be outgoing and talk to strangers, plain and simple don’t scare them away. Their first impression is your appearnce and you want to make them feel as comfortable as you can before you start.
Take care,
Pete