The Magicanada Project

Michael Kras · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:01 pm Post subject: The Dunninger Ploy

I recently tried out a mentalism bit at my local magic club and The Dunninger Ploy was to be a big part of the routine. However, when I asked for a round of applause, this being a room of just over 20 people, a few little claps were heard, soft and disjointed. The Dunninger Ploy was OUT.

My question is: Is there any other way to successfully use the Dunninger Ploy if your audience doesn't deliver the "goods"? If there isn't, how else could I casually get the information needed?

What are your thoughts on this tool?

Michael

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Craig Browning · Joined: 24 Feb 2008 Posts: 34

It's not the method it's the performer!

If you do not elicit a positive response from your audience it is typically due to the fact that you have not built us the suspense and pacing or the presentation properly... you rushed in for the punch... at least that's the typical reason for the failure.

If something don't work for you then study it and try to see why... break it all down but be brutally honest on what it is YOU CAN DO or shouldn't be doing, to make it better???

The biggest problem you have Michael is that you are a magician at heart. People know this e.g. they will not buy into the idea of you possessing any kind of Psychic ability or (due to your age) having any legitimate foundation when it comes to study and formal research. This is why tradition around Mentalism has always supported the idea that one needs a bit of grey in the temples and crows feet around the eyes in order to sell it... age and maturity are the greatest weapon for the Mentalist...
... before you go there I'm fully aware of certain exceptions but if you study those younger personalities like Luke, Looch or even Kennedy you will see maturity and focus... they aren't bouncing around trying out all of this and that on the commercial realms nor do they seem themselves as being someone "special"... though they are. Each of them project an honest sense of humility though they are quite aware of their professional standing.

A friend of mine in the UK just released a phenomenal book entitled ALCHEMICAL TOOLS thus far every major player in the business has classified it as a Must Have and Must Read especially for those interested in Mentalism. Jeff McBride has made it a must for all of his students in Mystery School as has Eugene Burger and it seems Kenton is following suit as well. You would owe it to yourself and your audience to get this book and invest yourself completely into what it says up to page 250... the balance of the book deals with effects that YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT PULL OFF unless you have studied and practiced the techniques shared up to that point.

If you really believe that you want to be a genuine entertainer this is one of the tools you are going to need to work with. I'll also suggest investing into Kenton's WONDER WORDS.

There comes a time when we have to stop focusing on the tricks and start learning how to be that "actor playing the part"... we have to learn stage disciplines, which the majority of magic buffs ignore then complain because they can't get the work or the reactions...

You don't toss out a piece just because it didn't work the first time... you learn from it and experiment with it and hopefully, GROW from what you learn.

Liam · Joined: 30 Dec 2007 Posts: 424

Craig, you remind me of Jamy Ian Swiss.

Micheal, in my opinion, just dont give up on it.
The more you present, the more you will understand the effect.
So keep trying different ways of presenting.
And after every time, examine what you did differently, and how it changed the reaction you received

Michael Kras · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:45 pm Post subject:

Thank you! I don't intend on giving up on it.
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Craig Browning · Joined: 24 Feb 2008 Posts: 34

Liam · Joined: 30 Dec 2007 Posts: 424

wow, sorry.
i recently read an article in the new yorker about magic, more specifically on jamies views of it.
i did not know he just did it to get laid.
from the article, all i got was his opinionated views on certain aspects of magic.
Like how the method isnt magic, the preformance it.
And his negative views towards street magic
And how a torn and restored bill must have a motive.
And other things about magic, in ways new magicians dont usually see it.
In my opinion he seemed like a very interesting person with interesting views on magic.

I'm sorry if i offended you, i said it in a good natured way.

Craig Browning · Joined: 24 Feb 2008 Posts: 34

I understand... Jamie and his buddies are really good at spreading the BS very thick... his "management" of Monday Night Magic lends to him certain advantages when it comes to grabbing headlines but in truth, he's a horrible person that meets the traits of being an angry cab driver rather than a professional entertainer. He is crass and lives down to the lowest type-cast elements associated with magic and magicians as best I can tell, based on what numerous folks have observed. Add to this his lack of respect for top rated acts like THE EVANSONS (who officially refuse to have anything to ever do with the man ever again).

Like so many involved with the "Skeptics" societies like the JREF, Swiss is a hack. He can't get anywhere as a real performer, his career toped out ages ago, so he's joined one of the good ole boys clubs and framed himself an "authority" on something he really knows little to nothing about.

Step back and study the actual performance of the more outspoken people in that world... though there are a few (very few) exceptions, most all of them SUCK when it comes to performance ability, most of them are nothing more than "yes men" that support an aged pedophile (a.k.a. James Randi) and do all they can to detour others from knowing the truth about him.

If I were still in my prime I'd love to take people like Jamie into a real Psychic Investigation... the kind that I've worked on a few times in which the very real charlatans have no qualms in killing folks who may threaten their scam. For that matter, I'd love to put Randi into such a scenario but he only chases soft targets that can get him headlines and another spot with Larry King or the 60-Minutes crew.

Pardon my rant, but I hope it inspires you younger guys to slow down, step back and look at the broader picture when it comes to people like Swiss and the Skeptical groups that are out there. I hope that you can learn to understand the difference between being a Skeptic vs. a Cynic, the latter being more akin to what we are finding in today's world; these people are essentially Evangelical-Atheists that see everything in Black & White vs. the grey or median points an honest skeptic will allow and respect (just as legit scientists do).

Maybe I should put an article together for this forum... a Sticky that addresses this topic Rolling Eyes

Times short for me right now, but let me think it over. Wink

Michael Kras · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:04 pm Post subject:

Wow, I also had no idea about Swiss.
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Liam · Joined: 30 Dec 2007 Posts: 424

ya craig, thanks for the info!
anyways, back onto topic