The Toy Car
Hello everyone!
This past weekend, I was at a country house with friends, and they asked me to perform some magic for them. Everyone was really impressed, and it was a big hit.
I've run into a problem with that famous toy car trick that stops on the spectator's chosen card. I have two cars, one clear and one opaque. I let them examine both, and they examined them so thoroughly that they ended up jamming the wheels. I managed to recover by performing a different effect with the car, but not the one I intended. Since they didn't know what was supposed to happen, they were still just as surprised.
How do you guys handle it so they don't scrutinize the car too much, while still making it seem like it's been fully examined?
All the best,
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Thanks for the reply, Zeta.
Yeah, I say it's one of my kids' toy cars. I let them see it, then quickly shift their attention to the deck. But one of them grabbed it from the person checking it out before I could even set it on the table... just to get a closer look at the car. Maybe letting them examine it isn't the best idea. What Juan says, that the car goes forward, backward, and stops—that should be enough.
The unlock is quick, but you do have to fiddle with the car a bit.
Anyway, it doesn't discourage me from continuing to do it, because the routine is fun.
I always let them examine what I use in my routines. I don't do effects that require pre-setup. If I need to prepare, I do it during the introduction of the effect, because I usually tell a bit of the backstory of who created the effect.
Thanks, Zeta, for your time.
@davidoliver.ramos:
👍
@davidoliver.ramos:
It can be examined, but very briefly, almost taking it back out of their hands while you explain about it moving forward, backward, and stopping.
Of course, there's always a risk that someone might fiddle with it too much and jam the mechanism, but those should be isolated incidents.
@davidoliver.ramos:
👍 👍 👍
Thanks to you too, all the best!!!
@davidoliver.ramos:
Congrats and well done!!
@davidoliver.ramos:
An original classic by Dick Koornwinder, popularized by Juan Tamariz.
@davidoliver.ramos:
Not too much, not too little.
Letting them examine it should be just enough, no more.
It all depends on how you present it, but they shouldn't be touching it for more than 10 seconds (and 10 seconds is already a lot).
It's just a regular toy car, period 😂... and if someone likes to fiddle with things too much, hand them a rock and let them fiddle with that all they want (and I'm not kidding, I'm completely serious).
@davidoliver.ramos:
Well, by not making a big deal out of them examining it too much. You simply have a toy car (where it came from is up to you to explain) that's going to be your helper for a trick, and that's it.
I don't see a big problem, unless you insist too much on saying "it's a normal car" (which you should never mention). Just say it's a toy car, and that's it. Quickly divert their attention from examining it and move straight into the trick.
P.S.: They locked the wheels, but I assume you can unlock them without much trouble, right?
Personally, I generally don't enjoy performing magic for friends (unless I know they're the type who really appreciate it), because there's always that one know-it-all who starts trying to hog everyone's attention (usually the kind who can't stand not being the center of attention!). They do this by offering theories (almost always wrong) about how the trick works, or, as in your situation, messing it up and ruining the fun for everyone, because, naturally, he's the 'smartest' one. I'm not sure if that was your specific case, but I think we've all been through something like this.
My recommendation is to let them examine it for a few seconds and then take it back, as mentioned, even if you have to snatch it right out of their hand.
It's a shame they messed up your performance.
Exactly, there's always that one person at every show. But that falls under "audience management." That really got to me for a while; I even considered quitting performing magic for an audience. I used to start by saying magic doesn't exist and what they were about to see was just an illusion. Bad start, I know.
Ultimately, it just made me more selective before starting (teenagers are definitely off-limits), sharper when I get comments during the show (99% shut up after the first comeback), and much firmer when someone tries to mess with my props.
Even so, you're never completely in the clear. A few months ago, a trick got completely messed up for me in front of 50 people because some kids removed cards from a stacked deck before the show—something that NEVER happens, and I don't know anyone it's happened to. Anyway, I just moved on to the next trick, trying not to let my frustration show. But in that moment, I could have throttled someone.
The important thing is the old cliché: the show must go on. And, of course, if you see the audience isn't responding, you pack up and move on. You don't have anything to prove to anyone.
You're absolutely right, to be honest. But it's something that really grinds my gears. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to keep learning how to deal with it. Thanks!!
Thanks for the tips.
I had to do some effects because they insisted so much. I performed about 15, and they really enjoyed them.
Let me tell you what really happened with the little car.
0-. I brought out the deck, which I offered for examination, along with the little car. They didn't really check it out much.
1.- I forced a card, and the spectator lost it in the deck, which was then shuffled.
2.- I spread the deck on the table, and the little car found the card, stopping at the exact spot. Huge amazement and applause.
3.- I brought out another clear car, explaining that a lot of people think I have a midget working for me, which is why I have this clear one to avoid any suspicion (laughs). They asked to examine it, and I figured they wouldn't mess with it too much. I shouldn't have let them examine it. They locked the wheels, and the car stopped at the wrong spot.
4.- Disappointment set in, but the tension in the audience lowered. I took advantage of the moment to drop the card under the table and kick it across to the other side (about 10 feet). I told them, "But do you really believe a car can stop on a card? Wasn't this truly your card?" But they said, "It's not there anymore!" The car doesn't stop because it specializes in disappearing at ground level. They looked down, and there was the card.
They were surprised because they didn't know what was supposed to happen.
What happened was a great learning experience for me. I continued with the show, and nothing else went wrong. I was satisfied, even with the mistakes.
In many shows, I've had strangers try to steal the spotlight. I choose to give them the stage because they think they're running the show, but I'm actually leading them exactly where I want them to go. It's fun...
If someone says, "I know how you do that." "Great, you do it then." "I know how you do it, but I can't do it." "Well, then SHUT UP, you look prettier that way!"