Finding the Right Magician For Your Event

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Back in the 20th Century people found their “Magicians / Magic entertainment” through the Yellow Pages. (some of you may need to visit a museum to see a physical Yellow Page Book)
Advertising was quite expensive through the Yellow Pages. Some businesses could only afford a line or two. Ad spaces were sold in little blocks. A quarter page Ad was reserved for the “Big Boys.”
This is all ancient history now; the internet turned the world of advertising on its head.
A website is essential for conducting business in the world of Corporate and private entertainment.
Your first impression is what you see on The Home Page. “Should I stay or should I go.” If you don’t create an interest or have the potential to solve a problem…” poof” they’re gone, no sale!
If a client is searching for a Children’s’ Birthday Magician, I don’t expect you will find a link to my site. I don’t want to waste your time, however if you are looking for an Adult birthday party magician, I expect you might find what you see below.

Adult Birthday Party Magician Boston MA | Mass | Massachusetts
www.ferrantimagic.com › Testimonials
Boston’s best adult birthday magician. Although the magic is for adults, the entertainment is “clean.” Including Joe’s special effect for the birthday recipient.

So, now you have arrived at my website. It should be easy to navigate. (I know you don’t have all day.)
My goal is for you to easily learn what services I provide, read some testimonials and above all see some video footage of “The Magic of Joe Ferranti in action.” (videos are usually 60 seconds) If you like what you see, we begin the conversation.
Of course, I’m not the only magician who provides the services you are searching for. Check out anyone who interests you. Compare everything, but I strongly urge you to compare video performances. Everybody should have some video footage. It’s the 21st century, you can record video on your phone! No excuses.
At this point you should be able to narrow down your choices to two or three magicians. Now it gets real. If money is no object, forget all my advice and hire David Blaine. Back to reality. In order for me or any other magician ascertain a reasonable fee, we need some information.
1. The date and time of your event.
2. The theme of your event…Adult Birthday, Wedding, Corporate Cocktail Hour…
3 Length of service: One Hour or more.
4. Number of guests, very important in determining the length of service.
5. the City, town or address of the event.
Once I have all this information, I can calculate a price for your event.
To be Continued…Booking through an “agency”
Best Wishes,
Joe Ferranti
Boston Close Up Magician

Waiting to return…

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It’s been a couple months since my last performance. I miss the live interactions with clients.

Honestly…it seems I may never return to my “work.” I may never shake another hand, or experience the mere casual touches which make up respectful human interactions.

I have cancelled accounts which help with contacting potential clients. (Gig this or Gig that…) Their fees cost a substantial amount of money, but there was a return in having listings beyond my web site. No one is contacting me for events that can’t take place.

If I ever return, I hope you shop locally. That means, take the time to search out magicians and visit our web sites. Of course, price shop, compare experience, check the reviews…see some videos.(The videos tell the real story)

As I write this, I see a Wedding my wife and I were to attend in July. It has been postponed…I guess the Bride and Groom want real guests present, not virtual ones.

If and when you feel safe, give me a call or contact ferrantimagic.com

Hoping we meet soon.

All Best Wishes,
Joe Ferranti
Close Up Strolling Magician
spectators at a table enjoying Boston Close Up Magician Joe Ferranti

Back to Work…kinda.

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It’s not exactly breaking news that the entertainment industry has predominantly come to a halt. I have no idea how those who rely 100% on their income providing entertainment are surviving.

I used to receive multiple inquiries for work each week…more than enough to keep me busy during my retirement years. A few months ago that stopped…nothing.

I recently received an inquiry for an event in Rhode Island with attendance of 60 people. The number bothered me, there is a pandemic going on. So, I felt it was not worth the risk.

We all have to weigh the risks we personally take with consideration to any risk we may expose to others. I do see my actions can have consequence to others…I do not live in a bubble. (Almost a bubble 🙁 )

There is no magic number, but I was presented the opportunity to perform for 15 adults in a “safe” environment. At the time of the event the state of Massachusetts was doing well. I believe the risk was extremely low, and the reward extremely high.

So now, I wait…avoiding the public. If absolutely necessary I may adventure out at off hours, with my mask. Properly worn and fitted.

Stay Well!

Adults love Magic…many just don’t know it yet.

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I have had the pleasure to work numerous cocktail events for private parties and large corporate events. I have had the opportunity to perform for more people than I can remember.
what I have learned, is that the large majority have never seen a professional magician, other than on T.V.

Some are a little hesitant, not knowing what to expect…others are anxiously waiting.
I can tell you, anyone who will invest one or two minutes will at the very least have a smile on their face. Most will remember this chance encounter long after the day is done.

Just Give Them the Damn Card!

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So, the things I’ve learned are not new…just sharing my experiences. However those new to this type of entertainment may find something “new” to them.

Anyone performing for the audiences that count, (lay people) more than likely have an Ambitious Card Routine in their repertoire. Why wouldn’t you? So much magic in a short period of time. Yes, a short period of time, use discretion.
It didn’t take a lot of performing experience to realize my deck would rapidly shrink during performances. Often when performing for couples the AC routine would be followed with a Signature Fusion Effect. (The husband’s/boyfriend’s signature would be on the back of the AC.) The couples always enjoyed a cheap souvenir, and no…I am not under the impression that they keep the card for eternity.
The answer to this minor dilemma was to carry extra cards, this way your deck stays more or less intact. (Advice given by Pros since the beginning of time.)
But, and it’s a big but…saving the integrity of the deck is a bonus. My first concern is to keep my routines moving, maintaining interest for peripheral observers. There are times when the absolute free choice of a card is paramount, and at these times you may be at the mercy of the card “picker”. Certain individuals have a hard time choosing a card among 52…boring.

Solution: I carry a bunch of red number cards in a pocket…signatures show up well on a red number card. I just give them the damn card… ”Here’s a card I brought for you, it was sitting in a drawer, collecting dust. Do me a favor, sign your name as big as you can on the face of the card…now I think it’s kind of special…don’t you? (addressing the boy friend, they always agree.) Now we’re off to the races…the selection is not important to the effect/impact.

Just give them the damn card.

Rhythm Off/Out of Sync

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Rhythm Off/Out of Sync

Greater Boston area Magician

Joe Ferranti www.ferrantimagic.com 339-927-4710

It is easy to relay stories of our successful, over the top “shows” …everything goes right, the reactions, applause, shouts of NFW pretty much tell the story. But…every now and then, for some reason, I don’t quite get my footing. I never quite reach my comfort zone.

Please understand, I am not talking about a “failed” performance. In fact, my audience was not aware that I was not on my “A game”. (See review at the end.)

What went wrong? Well, I will go over the evening in my head, over and over… it’s not what went wrong. Maybe it comes down to the personal connection or in this case the slightly off target personal connection. I feel I missed the Bull’s eye. Everything is a maybe?

So, I reflect, what’s going on in my personal life…hmmm? I am working on some family matters that require a lot of my attention. (Don’t worry, my marriage is fine…I’m on a solid foundation.) Maybe, just maybe this is a small part. There are so many pieces that make up a puzzle, I might never quite figure this out. However, I owe it to myself, and future audiences… to analyze everything to insure I give my very best every time I entertain.

Always working and analyzing to bring The Very Best in Strolling/Walk Around Magic to all my clients.

Here’s the review…

“Joe entertained at our company party and was wonderful! He arrived early, left late, and our guests really enjoyed his magic! The CEO of our company actually just came into my office, saying how great Joe was. He was professional and fun – he worked the room like a champ. I definitely recommend Joe for your gathering.”

Joe Ferranti “Boston’s Best Strolling Magician”

Some Magicians…

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Some magicians worry about how much “time” they get out of a routine. I suggest you
only worry about the impact on your audience.

Everybody gets lazy now and then…not you of course, the rest of us. However, it’s
better to take a break, or rest if you are feeling tired, or less than inspired.
I’ve learned a few things thinking back at my time in school. Certainly not my glory days,
and not directly pertinent to this topic. What does apply was my attitude. Never
enjoying the journey, and too much focus on “being done.” As a child, being done meant
reclaiming time to do what I wanted…playing with friends, watching TV…all important,
but not at the cost of other things of equal importance.

I won’t name the “tricks”, but I am talking about the ones which are promoted as “time
consumers”. Time is important when putting together an act, even more important in
most competitions. Time is not important, in fact detrimental when viewed from a
perspective as “filler”.

(Caveat: Tricks advertised as time consumption may be, beginning to end, non stop laughs, magic…in
fact, top notch material. I merely suggest we keep our focus on our audience.Win/Win!)
The length of a routine is important information, inasmuch as we have timelines which
affect our clients needs, Not to fill a program with fluff! There’s just no room for
filler…you are making entertainment, not pillows.

Two, Three minutes…Maybe five!

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I have a very short time to entertain a small group of people before I must move on to the next group. No time to spare, right? Right!

while others debate whether “Magic” is an art…or they want to make their audience feel the “awe” and experience wonder as if they were a child again. All lofty and worthy goals, but at my age and the type of Magic I perform, I have cut corners to simplify my work.

I have seen the magician who’s work is art. (Names are not important.) But my name will never be considered for the title “artist” and that’s O.K. because I will never deserve such a title. I will never strive to bring you the feeling of child like wonder, as that’s a tall order. I will also not try to take you away from the problems of your day. There are better methods than that of a brief encounter with a Close Up Magician. If you want to send someone back to another time, the quickest way to arouse that feeling is with music. We’ve all had that moment when we here an old song and we recall the joy or pain that is triggered, and attached to an emotion we weren’t having a moment before. If you need to get away from the daily grind, perhaps meditation, or Yoga, and you can afford it, a vacation to the ocean.

I will tell you, there are magicians who achieve all these things, but my experience tells me you will see this on a stage, where they have all your attention and the time to create their personal fantasy to take you…to who knows where.

I’m just saying, I can’t do that in three minutes. My goal is simple, insure you have fun and are treated with respect. I want you to smile, perhaps laugh or scream. And finally, if I can get you to remember me, perhaps my name as well, but maybe I’m asking too much.

Ahhh, the life of the strolling magician, the court jester perhaps…in it as a choice. The rewards…try it out, I’m sure you’ll be pleased.

Joe Ferranti
Walk Around/Strolling Magician in Massachusetts

Update 2018…the Evolution

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                                                                             339-927-4710

                                                                    Boston, MA – Magician

                                                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxKd6PIB8FQ

 

I’ve only been at this game for a little over seven years, but early on I realized that there would be a constant evolution in performing and a slow one with material.


When working for the only people that count, the search for the latest and the greatest gets placed on the back burner. If you don’t already have at least a handful of “Killer Material”, you won’t be working very long.


Two [tricks/effects] which have been with me, pretty much from the beginning are “51 Cards to Pocket” (David Williamson) and, “A Familiar Ring. (Paul Gertner) These two pieces are the focus in this blog.


First, there are many variations on 51 cards to pocket. I learned one from Matthew Dowden’s DVDs,”Party Animal” This has served me well, and I only adjusted it within the last three months. You see, I ended the routine with a production of the card from my wallet. It always got great reactions, but I already have a few routines in my repertoire where a card is produced from my wallet. Suffice to say, it’s not wise to use them all with the same crowd. So, I’ve owned the Omni Deck for a long time, and I never found the routine that seemed right for me, even though there are many to choose from. You know where this is going, of course. Instead of producing the deck, little by little from my pocket, I remove the Omni deck, with the selection on top. I have the spectator cover the “deck” and the cover card, which is the selection, and to my surprise, when I fished around inside the spectators hands and removed the selection, this got a big reaction, seriously…lots of applause. (I didn’t see this coming, as to me, it appeared obvious the selection was on the top of the “deck”. Not so! But wait! There’s still more…and of course the spectator is unknowingly holding the “Omni Deck.” See the reactions in the video.


The other piece is Paul Gertner’s brilliant routine. What can I say; it plays so well, you’ve got the emotional hook of a borrowed ring. (Usually a man’s wedding ring.) There’s so much built in humor, and as most of us know, we are not comedians, but magic brings out a lot of laughter.


So what’s the problem? Finding a ring to borrow…there is not always one available. I never use a woman’s ring with any type of stone or diamond. I’ve heard the nightmare stories, and I won’t be adding a story of my own.


So here’s the thing with men and their rings…some men have put on a few pounds since their wedding, and that ring is not going to come off without a saw. Other men will Never! Take their ring off…that’s O.K. I get it; they see it as a minor betrayal to their wife. So as you can see, sometimes I had to leave the coins to the spectator’s hands out of my repertoire, but I wanted to have one available.


One day, I was watching Craig Petty on YouTube, and he was performing a Three coin version for a crowd of people, and not only did the three coins “fly invisibly” to the spectator’s hand(s) they proceeded to vanish one at a time with a finale of “The Flurry” (David Roth) with the production of a Jumbo Coin. (Craig produces a second Jumbo Coin, even larger than the first).


Now, certain parts of this routine could be problematic, but Craig’s brilliant structuring solves any problems that could arise…see the results in the video. I’ve been using this lot…and every now and then, I perform something special for a couple who are willing to loan me a ring.

Listening to lay people…one at a time.

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I was out for a couple drinks with Lisa, at our local bar…the one where everybody knows your name.

Steve, the bartender has seen me perform a couple tricks. (something I rarely do when out for pleasure) So, Steve asks me if I know a chinese magician who was on P&T FU…incredibly good he tells me. “Must be Shin Lim”…”Yes!” he tells me how incredible he is, I totally agree, “That kid operates on a  totally different level…” Of course Steve asks if I know how he does it.

“I haven’t got a clue, like I said he’s operating on a level beyond me.”

Steve tells me about another magician he saw on AGT who did a trick with coins and rose petals. “Oh yeah, that’s Will Tsai.”

Steve tells me he didn’t particularly care for the trick…this is the trick that blew away the judges, one of them responded that this was real magic…something like that.

I think most lay people would agree with the judges, but Steve sensed there was something more to Will’s presentation…something that assisted him with this “miracle.” I nodded my head…but didn’t get into it as I make every effort to not say anything negative about other magicians.

Our discussion got me to thinking about the judges on AGT. If you watch the show, you know there are many magicians who perform close up magic. Each and every one perform at the judges table. Not on the stage. Hmmm, this never crossed their minds, and it obviously didn’t impact their reaction. I do wonder why they didn’t question the distance issue.

Which is why I listen to lay people, one at a time.

BTW…I am aware that Eric Jones made his last performance on the stage, however all the judges were on stage with him, still qualifies for real close up.

www.ferrantimagic.com  The Very Best in Close Up Magic    Mass. / New Hampshire