The Maker Magician’s Handbook 53
fingers are facing your
audience, and your thumb
is hidden ... this will protect
your secret move
(Figure
J
)
. Now, squeeze the tab
tight and slowly push your
thumb up. The flower will
mysteriously begin to bow
down
(Figure
K
)
! This is
because the bag is sealed by
a track, and since we snipped
the bottom of the track, it is
now free to slide.
THE PERFORMANCE
1. Try something like:
“People of all ages! HERE
HERE! I am the great MAKER
MAGICIAN from the faraway
land of [your town] — here to
perform for you one of the GREATEST mysteries of our time.
This is a flower! That I made! This flower has power! FLOWER
POWER! Watch how I can control this flower with my mind!
When I say DOWN, the flower will go down! When I say UP, it
will rise!”
2. Slowly make a low pitched sound like,
“ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmm,” and as
you make that sound, slowly push your thumb up to make the
flower sink down
(Figure
L
)
. When it reaches its lowest point,
pause
(Figure
M
)
. Then change your sound to a really high
pitched annoying tone, “ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” and slide
your thumb back down to slowly make the flower rise again
(Figure
N
)
!
N
M
L
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Chapter 4: Change it Up/Get Silly
54
You can move from that right into a second phase of
performance. This bit is an old vaudeville clown gag that
fits perfectly with our headbanging flower:
3. Stare at the flower and say, “I will now attempt to blow the
flower down!” Take a deep dramatic breath in and blow at the
flower. Nothing happens. Take another dramatic breath in and
blow at the flower again. Nothing happens. On the third try,
take another deep breath in and as you breathe in make the
flower go down! Look at the flower and say, “HUH???!”
Another funny gag: Look at your audience and say, “I can
control this flower with my mind!” Look at your flower and
command it to go down. Nothing happens. Say a little more
firmly, “Flower, go down!” Nothing happens. Shout, “FLOWER
GO DOWN!” Nothing happens. Now, look to your audience
and say, “Why isn’t it going down?” As you say that, make the
flower go down while you’re not looking. The audience will
see the flower going down and shout at you. Repeat this until
the audience starts getting restless. Three times is usually
a charm.
ALTERNATE VERSIONS
The Tissue Rose: You can create a beautiful 3D version of
the flower we created earlier, using crepe paper twirled
into a realistic rose. I like to create a vase full of these, then
spontaneously pluck one from the vase to perform with. Keep
O P
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The Maker Magician’s Handbook 55
your vase full for whenever
company is over! Touches
like this can make your magic
even more memorable.
1. Start by pinching your crepe paper between your index
finger and thumb. From the bottom twist and turn, twist and
turn. You are rolling the tissue tight, creating a stem shape,
keeping the top part of the crepe paper open to form the
petals of your flower. With your other hand, feed the paper
slowly, allowing the flower to take shape
(Figures
O
and
P
)
.
2. Once the flower feels like
the right size, carefully fluff
open the flower as you pinch
the bottom together. Tape it
to the top of your stem using
Scotch tape
(Figure
Q
)
.
Perform just as explained
before!
Headbanging Robot: This is
really cool! The truth is that
our routine doesn’t need to
be a flower at all! I want you
to know that once you learn
something new, whether it’s
a magic trick, a programming
project, a new recipe, or what
have you ... you can HACK
them, and make them your
OWN! Take something apart!
Re-create! Innovate! When
someone teaches you how
Q
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Chapter 4: Change it Up/Get Silly
56
to do something, that should be the start of your creativity ...
Keep going! I heard someone say once that we should always
strive to make the best better. This can be adapted to anything
creative! What will you create??
I happen to love robots, so for this version of the routine,
I made a headbanging robot out of paper and taped it to a
“stem” without the leaf detail. You can even make two robots
and have one in each hand, both headbanging to music! Take
a video and make it into a headbanging robot GIF!
Magicians go to great lengths to create a single magic
trick. You might see an amazing magic routine — maybe
something disappearing or floating in the air — that only
lasts a few seconds. The truth is, a lot of preparation and
practice happens long before those few seconds of magic are
ever even presented. Take your time and perfect your work.
Each and every moment of your presentation is important.
And remember ... there’s more than just amazement in
magic. Making someone laugh is just as memorable as doing
something amazing. And making someone feel special is just
as significant, too. The reason magic is so important in the
world is because it shakes us out of the ordinary. It makes us
question reality. Even if it only lasts for a few seconds, those
few seconds are pure beauty. This simple flower routine has
the potential to tap into all three: doing something amazing,
making people laugh, and making people feel special. Go!
Create! Perform! And have fun.
On a final note ... I always give
my flower away when my routine is
done. Look to your audience. Who is
laughing the most? Give your flower to
that person ... and pass on the magic.
That is what being a Maker Magician
is all about.
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The Maker Magician’s Handbook 57
ROUTINE: PAPER CAMERA
NOTE: This routine was inspired by Encyclopedia of Impromptu
Magic by Martin Gardner, “Camera,” page 443
THE EffECT
Just like the flower, this routine gives you a chance to be
lighthearted and funny. Just as it sounds, it’s a homemade
paper “camera.” You pretend to take a picture of someone
with it, and a picture of them appears on the camera!
SUPPLIES
• 1 index card Any size will work.
• Scissors or X-Acto knife
• Crayons, markers, or colored
pencils for tissue flower
variation
BUILD
1. Take an index card and fold
it in half widthwise, like a
hamburger
(Figure
A
)
.
A
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