Video critiques, baby raccoons, and hoops of fire

Video Critiques

Sometimes I hear somebody say they hate watching their acts on video. Never understood why. If you're going to develop a good act, you have to know what the audience is seeing. Doing the act alone in your room in front of the mirror will only get you so far.

If I had the opportunity to hire a Broadway director to watch my show and make it better, I would jump at the chance. Hopefully there are others who feel the same way. However, since I don't know any Broadway directors, I'd like to start a Facebook page where people agree to give honest friendly critiques of other videos and their own. We would all then post videos and other members would add their comments.

I remember years ago at the monthly magic meetings when a magician would present a routine they're working on and everybody would say how great it was. Even if it wasn't. Even if it was horrible. Even when the performer asked for critique. Nothing but congratulations. Such a missed opportunity to improve and learn from others, many of whom are professionals with years more experience.

This performance was taped live at the Circus Magic 2007 clown & children's entertainer convention, held in Norfolk Virginia and organized by Steve Kissell. This routine is an earlier version of my Rocky Raccoon routine, which I devoted an entire chapter to in my book Kids Think It's Funny, available on my site as an ebook. I also have the notes from my Rocky Workshop there as well, check it out.

When I watched it I saw a few things I wanted to change. At the beginning, when I'm introducing Rocky, my voices goes up and louder when I say "cute". I stopped that because I want everything to be soothing and calm at that point. Then I get a much bigger response when Rocky jumps into my vest and I yell, it never fails. I also noticed you can see my hand opening my vest just before Rocky jumps in. Minor detail, I didn't worry about it too much because the attention is on Rocky at that point, but I do reach over there more subtlety.

I made a few more improvements throughout the years since this video. The biggest change is that he no longer jumps thru a yellow plastic hoop... BORING. Now he jumps thru a hoop of "real fake fire". I don't show him the hoop until just before he's going to do the jump, so his reaction to the "real fake fire" always get a laugh.

My Rocky routine is now about 6-7 minutes long, but there is plenty I can add or subtract if needed to adjust the time.

I have a few shows this coming weekend, I'll get somebody to video my Rocky routines so I can post how it's changed, and get ideas for even further improvement.

Not my actual hoop, not my actual face.

The hoop of "real fake fire" I use was found in a thrift store. I think it was part of a toy set with small cars or motorcycles. I haven't seen another one in many years. Here is a fisher-price webpage showing how to make one. It looks perfect for a children's audience, who will delight in telling you it's not real, in which case you reply... "It is too, it's a real fake fire. Not like those artificial fake ones in the dollar stores".

When I first bring it out, I pretend it's burning my fingers. If I forget to do that bit, kids will warn me that I might get burnt. Kids are weird.