Archive for April 16th, 2008

Key Success Factors for skits

Published by admin on April 16, 2008 in Hypnosis Ebook. 0 Comments

Key Success Factors for routines/gags/skits that will get you laughs and a high rate of success with stage hypnotism.

Before you actually go and do a show you have to plan out your routines and estimate how long the show will be based on those routines. Regardless, the most important part of your stage hypnotism show is the FIRST THREE GAGS.

The type and flow (from one routine into the next one and so on) is critically important because of several reasons. For one, if you don’t quickly and confidently settle the volunteers into the routines then the show will fall apart bit by bit. Some of the volunteers will awaken themselves and leave the stage because they will sense something is wrong, not going right. They will get up and walk off the stage because they feel uncomfortable, ill at ease, and anxious.

And how will they sense that?

Easily because your nervousness and shaky control will come through your voice and blow the whole hypnosis affect. Guiding people into hypnosis is hinged on them believing in you and your mastery of hypnotism, and expecting to be hypnotized. And, furthermore, them giving you control over them through them lending you the use of their imaginations and subconscious minds.

You see, volunteers at a stage hypnotism show are people wanting to be led, wanting to be told what to do, wanting to be commanded to do and experience things they wouldn’t likely get up to any one else off stage. Nonetheless, if you aren’t commanding, self-assured and in total control (at least outwardly projecting confidence), despite how you might feel inside, you will convey your uneasiness and concerns to your volunteers.

So always project confidence, exude mastery, control your fears, and never, ever forget that they BELIEVE you are a hypnotist. A consultant friend told me once that when he walked into a management meeting as the outside “expert” his job was made easier by the business managers’ perceptions of him as an authority. The value of his advice was a function of his perceived value as that all-knowing, all-seeing expert. In other words, the higher in regard his was held, the higher value placed on his prescriptions that he often told me were mostly common sense, sort of like the person who stands up and says what no one else would say, ‘the Emperor has no clothes on.’

Benefits to You—The Hypnotist
Besides setting the pace of the show and establishing your authority, command and control, the first three, back-to-back routines will allow you to spot who has gone under, who is not quite under, who is clearly faking it, and who is fighting you and the onset of hypnosis. And thus it’s your opportunity and to your benefit and the successful outcome of the rest of your show, to first, dismiss the fakers straightaway, second, deepen or dismiss the almost-hypnotized, and, best of all, to identify deepen the best and better subjects for the next and future routines… for the latter few individuals will become the stars of your show. The stars with whom you will probably work most of your routines with.

A Neat “Insider’s” Trick
Here’s what I do and it works every time, so remember this: As I’m working the volunteers through the first three routines, and I’ve identified a one or two very good, deeply hypnotized subjects, I will make one or more of those excellent subjects, who are performing out a routine hilariously, the model against whom I tell the others (via subsequent suggestion to each one OFF MIC—that’s with your hand-held mic held down by your side so that no one other than your subject hears what you’re saying) to best—to out compete, to perform better than that person or another person you point out to him or her.

And that little OFF MIC strategy and suggestion that I’ve made with my back to the audience, who are watching the wild and crazy ones perform front and center stage, invariably works to prod and motivate those subjects not quite in the performing moment to perform better. It works for two reasons, one, you are giving the subject another direct suggestion, which they will follow more so than the prior group suggestion, and, two, because the hypnotic state is frankly contagious or infectious like a hearty laugh, a warm smile, or a yawn. You, the hypnotist can and must spread that contagion, if you will, from one volunteer to another.

Besides those two reasons, the audience will see you talking, but not hear what you said, to the not-quite-with-it subject, then they will see you either snap your fingers or tap the subject’s forehead and trigger the suggestion into action. Usually what happens at that point is that person hustles over to the side of the ideal performing “model” volunteer and strut their stuff much like a body building pose-off.

The audience is your mirror of how the show is going, unfolding. When the people are enjoying themselves on stage then people in the audience will be enjoying it as well.

The Starting Point

Published by admin on April 16, 2008 in Hypnosis Ebook. 0 Comments

OK. Right. So you’ve decided to become a stage hypnotist. You’ve searched your soul and you’re ready, willing, able, and committed.

One of the first things you must do is create a stage name. Yes, you need a moniker, an alias, a pseudonym,

While many hypnotists use their given name, for many that’s not good enough. Think about. How exciting a name is Tucker P. Fuddpucker the Hypnotist? Or Marvin Swartz? Weird sounding? Maybe. Memorable? Possibly. Sufficient? NOT IN THE LEAST.

Sometimes all you’re talking about is either a new first or last name.

For example. Take me. My God-given English name is Timothy Alexander Boocock. Yes, Boocock. And hence where the “Alexander” came from.

Now, when you’ve finished laughing. Let me tell you what happened to me when I first began performing. My posters were vandalized with every imaginable variation of ‘Boocock’ possible. I thought I had heard them all during my childhood and school days. Nope. The world’s populated with some creative, devious types who’ll do most anything for a lark.

After a couple of such instances, I took my middle name and added the surname ‘Duvall’ after kicking many names around with friends and family.

My point?

Don’t be tied because of your ego to using your own, real name. Change it if it’s one that just doesn’t convey the right professional image, as do neither of the above two examples. Period.

Think of your stage name as a long-term investment. Cover all bases, regarding your Internet web site’s “domain” name, especially in this age of the Internet marketing, and protect it now. The cost is miniscule at about $30 a year or less to register a name with Internic—the only reliable Internet registration and name management company to use.

Are you going to be on TV? Do you fancy yourself a Paul McKenna or Andrew Newton and intend to entertain on the tube? Then why not register a .TV name because you never know when you might need it and it’s there if you need it. So make sure your stage name and the domain name are easy to pronounce, aren’t easily the butt of jokes, and easy to remember. Involve your friends and family in a naming game.

Be a Life-long Learner—READ BOOKS ON HYPNOSIS and Hypnotism.
Read as many books by stage hypnotists as you can buy. There are many to be had in paperback. Also, read all you can on hypnosis—the history, the science and art behind hypnotism. You want to discover the learning curve that a stage hypnotist climbed to learn the flow of a good show. You’ll soon realize that there’s very little originality in stage show these days. Most stage hypnotists working today hobble together their shows from routines borrowed or taken outright from others. While many do the very same shows that their instructors do. BORING! Still, there’s much you can learn watching other stage hypnotists work. So, buy every videotape performance you can secure right now before you become known and most of your competition refuses to sell you their videotapes.

If there is a local hypnotist travelling through your area or in residence at a club or theatre then go and see every show. It’s expensive but it’s schooling. Go and take mental notes, study them, think what would you do and how would you say things, look at how that stage hypnotist handles him or herself on stage. Watch for what they do well and poorly, with an eye towards avoiding the same mistakes or bad habits. Believe me, after you’ve seen a handful of shows or watched hours of videotapes you’ll begin to recognize and separate the good from the bad and embarrassing ugly.
Costu

The trick here is to dress better than just appropriately for the audience. Sort of like the old adage in business to dress for the job you want, not the job you have. For corporate work, I recommend wearing a tuxedo or expensive, trendy, even collared suit. For clubs, trendy, colourful shirts over black dress pants (NOT JEANS) might be in order.

Here’s one key success factor to remember about colors: choose dark colors that hide perspiration and sweat marks like black. Remember the commercial with the line, ‘never let them see you sweat.” Also, choose fabrics that breathe so that the shirt’s material doesn’t stick to your sweaty back or chest or armpits because you will sweat on stage, regardless if it’s from nerves or the hot lights or venue or all three (especially when you’re just starting out).

So, ask yourself, what are you going to wear? Decide whether or not you’re style is flashy or conservative or over the top Las Vegas entertainer. Are you going to be discrete or border-line outrageous and possibly offensive? They say you should never judge a book buy its cover but people do. For in the exact moment you walk into a room or on stage the audience is sizing you up. They are thinking, OH MY GOD IS THAT THE HYPNOTIST! From there it’s not far to them concluding, I BET HE CAN’T HYPNOTIZE ME.

Equipment
As soon as you can afford it, buy a wireless or radio microphone, full duplex. And next buy yourself a cable mic as a back up.

Also, keep plenty of fresh, spare batteries for both on hand because when you least expect it, the mic can and will go dead due to the batteries. Trust me on this. That’s why I always replace the batteries between every show. It’s a small investment and face saver.

I learned the hard way at too many venues in my early days where the venue said they’d supply me with a wireless mic and it went dead because of weak batteries. You end up straining your voice the balance of the show. Not a fun time for you and your subjects and audience. If you are not yet a pro who can recover quickly from such turns and twists, you risk loosing many people waking up out of trance and leaving the stage when that happens and they can’t hear you well like before.

Music Equipment
CD or Mini Disc Player, Extra Jack Plugs and 3 Different Jack Adapters are essentials in your mic bag. As are tiny flat head and Philips head screwdrivers are necessary to open the mic battery storage door. Always double check that you packed things EVERYTHING, especially your music CDs and that the entire lot are packed down and secure before you go to a show. One time I went to a show and I had forgot all my music! Talk about having to work from memory and ad lib.

Props
In your beginnings as a working stage hypnotist, you’ll feel the need to use props, such as big, clown glasses, stuffed toys, and most anything that you can scheme up a routine from. There are loads of great props and ideas for routines to be found in new and old and used toyshops and junk shops.

In America and the UK, there are, for instance, Goodwill and Salvage Army and clothing consignment stores from which you can purchase all sorts of toys and clothing cheap. Become a regular visitor of such places and others like them in your area.

Yard sales or garage sales or boot sales are especially good places to find neat and inexpensive props. So, be always on the look out for junk and novelty toys, old large-size men’s and women’s clothing that you can use to embellish your routine with a visual element. When you see something think how you could use it to enhance a current or new routine.

Props add another dimensionality to routines. There’s something more believable about your volunteer dancing like Michael Jackson when he has a black Fedora hat like Jackson wore in his MTV video.

Don’t ever be afraid to try things on stage, and always make sure people cannot hurt themselves or other people when working with a prop.

This is very important.

As a stage hypnotist, you earn your living with you mouth, your throat and your voice. Treat them well like opera singers do. Did you know that opera singers avoid drinking cold liquids? That’s because of the shock factor and in some people cold liquids trigger their sinuses to run, resulting in the annoying habit or clearing the throat. So, again, never drink ice-cold liquids before going on stage. Room temperature bottled water is best. And hydrate your body well in the hours before the show so that you don’t become faint from de-hydration.

And, for goodness sake, take some breath mints with you to every show, but not smelly or fruity mints. Cool, refreshing breath mints will do the trick. Keep a few in your pocket and pop them through out the show. Many stage hypnotist loose subjects because they have bad breath or stink of garlic, bear, cigarettes, whisky, too much after shave lotion, B-O and worse. Don’t be one of them

I know you might be laughing but I have made these mistakes myself. One night I went to a restaurant before the show and ate pizza with chunks of garlic the size of peanuts. Later on, the reactions on some of my volunteers’ faces as I gave them suggestions close up, embarrassed me terribly as they winced from the heavy smell of garlic on my breath. I lost many people that night. The fact hit home like a bomb dropped on me when one subject said to me, “Alex I was Hypnotized but when you talked to me I could smell strong garlic and it just made me feel sick.” Ouch. That was the last time a did anything like that again. No I eat hours before my show, watch what I eat, and drink plenty of H20 before, during and after my show.

Promotional Posters & Flyers

Most stage hypnotists haven’t a designer’s bone or eye in their bodies. Hire a pro, even a struggling pro to design your promotional posters. The trick is to design your poster so that is clear and readable from a distance as people walk past it. Black and white and bold, block letters are essential.

Hypnosis or Hypnotism
Two words that catch passers-by attention are, of course, the words: HYPNOSIS SHOW!  HYPNOSIS SHOW!  HYPNOSIS SHOW! repeated twice or three times at the top of the poster like a headline.

Two words NOT to put atop the poster are YOUR NAME. And that’s because you have a long way to go before your name even achieves easy, instant, everyday, household recognition, such that it can headline a poster or marquee. Suffice it to say that you are nothing. Your name is meaningless as a headline. You are only someone who is going to create THE HYPNOSIS SHOW,

alexduvallpostersigned

Design the posters so they can also be seen in low-light corridors because many venues post shows’ posters in corridors that have low light—if people don’t know that there is a stage hypnosis show coming — HYPNOSIS NEXT MONTH, NEXT WEEK OR TONIGHT  THEN YOU MAY AS WELL GO HOME BECAUSE IT WILL BE THE HARDEST NIGHT AND MOST DIFICULT SUBJECTS YOU WILL EVER MEET – turn out will be low.


TO BE SEEN OR NOT TO BE SEEN

Are you going to have a picture of yourself on the poster or not? I say NOT for the first 3 years you need the breathing space when you arrive at a venue. I’m handsome, but like my name, nobody then came to see Alex Duvall. Nope. They came to see a HYPNOSIS SHOW performed by a HYPNOTIST for just happened to be me.
alexduvallpostersigned

For the last ten years I never had my picture on my posters. The reason is that when I walked in to the room nobody would have pre-judged me by my appearance and, more importantly, before the show I can walk about the audience and listen to peoples’ comments. Doing that I’ve heard crap like this — “HE will not hypnotize me, I won’t let him…” or “Watch me, I will make a fool of him tonight and pretend…!” This bit of stealth recognizance helped me avoid the fakers, the drunks, the hams and others out to sabotage my show to get a laugh. I advise you do the same so that you too can avoid those types of jerks. Simply note who and where they are sitting and stop them coming up on stage. It’s really that easy, especially if you’re as good as I am at remembering faces. (Now names are another story entirely!)

The Journey Begins

Published by admin on April 16, 2008 in Hypnosis Ebook. 0 Comments

You’ve got to ask yourself do you really want to go down the route of becoming a stage hypnotist? And why?

The reason why I say this is because once (and I mean just once because that’s all it took for me) you have been on stage—and very soon as you build up your circuit of venues—then returning to a normal, 9-to-5, Larry Low Wage or Manual Labor, work-a-day pedestrian existence is difficult—to impossible. I’m living proof.

mylogohere11

Especially after you’ve experienced the thrill of performing stage hypnotism and are well received!

Another reason I’m asking basically what your motivation is because that building process can be slow and fraught with letdowns and frustrations. It can be a slow process to generate an income to make it worthwhile; you also have to think about the working hours, short-changes to your social life, maybe to family and friends, and such. For years now, I work almost every evening (yes, that’s at least five evenings and sometimes as many as seven evenings, week in and week out, and some night I do two shows ) for six months.
Sometimes, when people in my audiences are drinking and laughing, and enjoying themselves, and I am on stage I’d like to be with them relaxing. Just sometimes. But still, every evening when I finish the show and the audience goes home or back to their hotel, I, too, go home where it can get lonely, especially when I’m all wound up on the adrenaline performing produces.

People are sometimes strange or cautious, a little reserved when meeting you because they know you hypnotize people for a living. And, you’ll hear all the same, stale jokes and statements like ‘‘can you hypnotize my Bank manager’ and stuff. Regardless, expect it and smile because for that person it’s usually the first time they’ve met a stage hypnotist. Allow them their curiosity and humor at your expense as the professional you are.

How about money?
Traveling constantly, working evenings and weekends can get old and become hard on you, even though you realize that you are earning $200-$5,000 for as little as one hour’s work, in spite of the usual odd, late-night hours. On the other hand, you’ve got to know that if you fail after paying your dues, so to speak over 1-2 years time, then, if you stick with it, you had better get comfortable with working harder and for less money.

KSF—Maximize Your Free Time
On the road, there’s often too much free time, waiting around or driving to venues. But therein is a goldmine of opportunity to locate new outlets for your show. That free time can be a good and great thing if you know what to do with it—as I do.

Now, what do I mean?

Simply this. When I’m in residence at a resort or club for weeks and months at a time, I typically have 14 hours every day to find something to do that’s interesting and productive. That’s why I’m always marketing myself.

And that’s what you must do from day one—market yourself.

Did you know that you are first a marketer and second a hypnotist?
Well, you are. You see, you are in the marketing business because without marketing 24-7 you’ll neither get into this (or any) business nor survive in it.
That’s what you’ve got to focus on for doing all the time for the first five years. I did. And you must too to become successful. And it has paid off handsomely for me as it will for you only after you’ve accepted this reality of business—market or starve.

And now, after much more work of a different kind (because I have the time off-season, the resources, interest, strong desire and self-taught skills) I am a fortunate because I have built my Internet business model.

Be Prepared For Stress
The stress at the show can be tough, you can have 30 people to hypnotize and you have the audience sometimes working against you.

So beware and forewarned. Stage hypnotism is a blast, a gas, a really fun career choice (for me). How about you?

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The Bright and Rewarding Upside
You Can Become A Star
You Have A Unique Talent That Puts Smiles On People Faces
You Can Earn Good Money—You have many nights of fun whilst you are doing the show and getting paid well for it.
YOU give people a chance to experience something amazing that is the hypnosis experience.
You Have lots of Free Time (in which to market)
You Meet lots of new and diverse people, cultures and languages.
Your Job as a performing, traveling comedy stage hypnotist is never the same, in that you will never know for sure what each night or show will present in the way of volunteers and audience.
You Will Get Lots of Ego-Stroking, Head-Swelling Compliments (and the occasional proposition from hypno-groupies).
YOU WILL RARELY GET HECKLED (unlike comics) and that’s a very comforting and good thing.

So, what are you going to do now that you’ve asked and maybe struggled with your answers to the above questions?

Think only so long and then DO IT!