I think the best way to do a close up show, is to have an appropriate size audience move into close up position immediately and ready to watch, so you can have an intimate experience without interruption from the chores of, trying to stop people one at a time, constant crowd building, or constantly ushering. I like to get most of these necessary chores out of the way in the very beginning, before I even start my show. I frequently get indoor guys asking me how to build a crowd for their close up magic show. These magicians have plenty of material, but they need an immediate crowd in place ready to watch from the beginning to the finale. I do this, using a technique I call, "To lure with spectacle." The technique is this: Before you can do your close up show, you have to follow 4 steps. First, you will need a very thick, bright, rope, @ 25 feet long, to lay on the ground in a half circle, this will give you a make shift close up "room" to give you the right distance from the crowd, when you finally are ready to begin your close up show. Second, you will be bringing people from your brief "Stage Show" to a "Close Up Show", so you will need to do a very short stage routine with patter. This routine plays as a trailer and sample of your show, your character, and what you do. It should only be a minute or two long. It is NOT your show, it is a trailer. It is not close up, it is stage work meant to be seen from far away. This stage routine is used as a short sampler. It is meant to play to the people farthest away from you -NOT- people already close to you... this is a stage routine. Remember you are trying to build a crowd and this is a numbers game. Not everyone that watches the trailer will want to see the movie. When this trailer is done, you will move to the third step. Third, take a small prop from your actual close up show and set it on the ground or on your table and bring all attention down to it. Let the people know, they will not be able to see what the prop does from far away and that they will need to come up to the rope you have laid down as your close up stage. They will move forward, because you are making a reasonable valid claim. When making this statement it's crucial that you are confident and expect everyone to move forward. Keep your focus down on this prop. Even look disinterested in them and begin setting up and adjusting your equipment, making it apparent that you are giving them time to come forward. All the while taking time to wave them in and continuing to beckon them, assuring them that you are harmless and that this is gonna be fun. If after a couple of minutes this fails to bring anyone forward, fear not, simply pick up your prop, put it away, and make an announcement that you are gonna run your trailer again until more interested people come forward and follow directions, then repeat your trailer, if need be. The stronger your character and stage effects were in your trailer, the more people you will get to move up to the line. Sometimes you will only attract a few people to the line, this is OK, remember your doing close up. When you get really good at this technique you will stop the entire sidewalk with your trailer and they will all rush forward to your rope when you call them in. What ever the case, you will need to follow the fourth and last step. Fourth is; your "Meet And Greet Routine." This routine is designed to bring your people together, draw stragglers, intro your show, and begin your first close up routine. When you move into your meet and greet routine. First, hand out props for examination and tell them what to expect from your close up show. This will begin to anchor them. Your meet and greet routine will also be crowd building to any stragglers who were reluctant to move forward and passer byes now interested in what brought those few people forward. The strongest way to pull them at this point is to kneel to the ground and direct their attention down on the ground, they should close in, causing a wall blocking the view of those who won't move forward. While kneeling on the ground focus your patter to the people right in front of you, this approach shuts out the people farther away and forces them to move forward if they want to see. Even lowering your voice slightly, so that it becomes obvious that your intent is to only talk to your real friends...the folks nice enough to move forward. This should be a dramatic contrast from your stage routine trailer which was only focused on people far away from you. This sucks the stragglers right in...they are a rebellious bunch and don't want you to think you can keep them out. So they'll teach you a lesson, by moving in when you have made it seem that they are not wanted. ha. Instead of looking needy or desperate for cooperation. You must continue to have the attitude that you are doing them a favor. You are providing them a service. And if they want you to continue serving them, they will need to follow instructions in order to make all this possible. With this technique, attitude, and approach it will seem that this was their idea to watch you and receive the service just like any other business. This will leave them comfortable and confident that they are in a safe, professional, and fun, program. The reason I start with a stage routine is because this gives the passer bye a chance to decide if they like what they see from a "safe" distance before they decide to commit. The biggest hurdle to over come in a street show is that people are suspicious of anyone on the streets trying to get attention. The stage routine gives them the time and space to decide that I am a pro and not a con. Good luck and fat hats. Your pal Jimmy
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