My 3 Favourite Close-Up Openers

And how I use them to gauge my audience.

As mentioned in a previous post I got a 360 camera and I finally got to test it out at my residency (with the patron’s permission of course). I still have to work out the best placement for the camera height wise and angle wise in order to capture the magic, but right now I think capturing the interactions are just as good, but you tell me, do you need the see the magic in order to enjoy the video?

I’ve been a big fan of Ollie Mealing and he’s recently started a membership with free magic. All effects in this video below are taught when you sign up at his website here.

Ollie also has a Magician Foolers project with performance only videos where you can watch and be fooled by his creativity. That’s also on his website at the top under Magician Foolers.

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A few of my favourite things

First impressions matter when meeting anyone, let alone the daunting task of interrupting a group intending to entertain them with something arbitrary such as magic.

That’s why magicians often break up their effects into three categories.

• Openers - What you start your act with

• Middlers - The effects following the opener

• Closers - Your final effect to close the show/set

In this case we’ll be looking at three of my favourite openers using three different objects that I use when performing strolling magic, and why they work for me in helping to gauge an audience’s interest.

But the best opener isn’t an effect at all. I’ll explain what it is and why at the end.

Crazy Man's Handcuffs

Who knew you could do so much with just two simple rubber bands!

Crazy Man’s Handcuffs¹ is an effect where two rubber bands are held are wrapped around your index finger and thumb, where they are locked behind each other, unable to be taken apart without it slipping off your fingers. You then magically penetrate one band through the other.

I usually perform this effect with two phases, the first in your hands and the second with the participant holding a rubber band, making it seem more impossible when they get the best view and are involved.

Performing CMH for a retail worker

I use this as an opener because it’s quick and visual, and their reaction allows me to get a feel for whether they’ll enjoy more magic or not. Whoever reacts the most, will help me with the second phase. I also have subsequent phases where the bands vanish one at a time before moving onto my card effect, this is taught on Joe Rindfleisch’s Penguin Magic Live lecture, which is very good if you want to add any rubber band magic to your repertoire.

If I’m not getting a positive reaction from anyone in the group, it could be a case of

• not enjoying the magic

• not interested in rubber bands

• not interested at all

In those cases, I’ll ask if they want to see something with cards as I take out my deck of cards. Then proceed depending on their answer. I don’t take offense if they opt not to see any magic and continue to the next group, where I hope to have a better time.

There’s a lot more you could do with rubberbands, but I find a few quick phases are sufficient as I think people can only handle so much rubber band magic.

Your’s Truly (Chicago Opener variation)

My card opener is a variation of Chicago Opener by Edward Oschmann, which I also learnt from his Penguin Live lecture.

The effect involves four phases:

Phase 1: Card is selected and returned to the blue deck. You look for their card, saying it should stand out. A red backed card with YOUR written on the back is seen in the middle of the spread. You turn it over to reveal it’s their selection.

Phase 2: You mention that their card wasn’t originally red on the back and pull out a blue backed selection from your pocket.

Phase 3: Another card is selected by someone else. You go through the pack and find it.

Phase 4: You then change that selection into the first selection and show that the red YOUR card is now the second participants selection.

Below is a video of me performing the opener at a gig.
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What I love about this effect is that it takes the original Chicago Opener and adds two extra phases with a card to pocket and transposition, allowing the magic to stretch and build to a satisfying climax. When I perform this effect, I find the audience think the routine is over at the end of the second phase, so when I return to the YOUR card at phase 4, they react even stronger at the realisation both card selections were connected.

If a group does not react to this effect, they’re not likely to enjoy any further magic from me and it’s either a me problem or they’re just not interested.

Triad Coins

Joshua Jay² created a nice self contained three coin production and vanish that I did a YouTube review of here.

I like to perform this with flash paper, making the first coin appear with a ball of flame, before producing the other coins anyway I feel like, behind someone’s ear or from my person. The ease of this routine allows me to also vanish the coins in any way I want, vanishing it in my hand or pretending to hand it out before the final clean vanish leaving my hands empty.

This effect is pure visual eye candy, which makes it great for people of all ages, plus, who doesn’t like money (or shiny objects)?

I find this routine elicits quieter reactions as humans attempt to make sense of how coins are appearing and disappearing so effortlessly. People are used to looking at the other hand to find the other coin, but in the case of Triad Coins (and other similar coins), there’s nothing to see.

Even though I carry other coins on me, this is often the only coin routine I perform during walkaround.

The Best Opener

All these openers are great because they play vertically, where your face is often framed with the props you’re using but the best opener is using the main prop on your face, your mouth!

That’s a weird way of saying that talking to your audience before you do any magic is the best way to introduce yourself and open your set.

When I approach a group, I always ask how they are, introduce myself as a magician and provide context for my presence. I then ask them if they’ve seen any magic in real life before, which can have different answers:

• Yes, and they enjoyed it - This makes it easier to perform

• Yes, and they didn’t like it - This is tougher and I’ll either win them over or just do a short set

• No, but they like magic - This is my favourite response as they have no idea what they’re about to see usually

• No, and they’re not interested - I would not push in this case, thank them for their time and move onto another group

There are other answers too, but these are the common ones I’ve encountered.

Throughout the set I would ask them questions such as how they all know each other, what they do or if they’re celebrating anything. They may also ask you questions which I always take time to answer, either properly or with a joke depending on the group. These moments of conversation I find make you more memorable as a person and elevates your magic as they should like you more after getting to know you.

The freedom to chat and perform depends on your gig, you might only have an hour to hit everyone, so conversations aren’t possible or it’s a busy night at the residency, so you have to help relieve the kitchen staff as much as possible. But always endeavour to talk to your audience, and not at them while sharing this wonderful art of magic.

Let’s keep this conversation going in the comments by sharing the openers you use and why they’ve served you so well.

1. Created by Arthur Setterington and popularised by Michael Ammar

2. Triad Coins can be purchased from Vanishing Inc