SKU: 5228642850

Finding The Funny by Ryan Pilling

Sale price$45.00 Regular price$50.00
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $12.50 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Jul 23 - Jul 28

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

Finding The Funny by Ryan PillingA Magician's Guide to Ad libs, Improvisation, and Audience Interaction Learn the techniques to creating inspired moments of comedy, and engaging your audience with the spark of spontaneity. This book is about that thing we call "Stage Presence." Some performers try to manufacture stage presence through repetition and rehearsal, to have a polished act, but it can become robotic. They often miss the part about being present. To interact with your

A Magician's Guide to Ad-libs, Improvisation, and Audience Interaction

Learn the techniques to creating inspired moments of comedy, and engaging your audience with the spark of spontaneity.

This book is about that thing we call "Stage Presence." Some performers try to manufacture stage presence through repetition and rehearsal, to have a polished act, but it can become robotic. They often miss the part about being present. To interact with your audience implies two-way communication. You can't just stick to the script. You must listen and respond on your feet.

Live performance is about creating a one-of-a-kind experience happening right here, right now, never to be seen again. It seems like lightning strikes to create these special moments, but there are skills and strategies you can learn to raise your antenna and invite the lighting to strike more often than not.

"Finding the Funny is like its author: deceptively modest, but actually precise and thoughtful and pulling from a deep well of knowledge and experience. The chapter on working with audience members is easily the best writing on the subject I've seen, I instantly made a change to how I work with people, based on Ryan's advice. This book is not exhaustive, you can read it in a day, but it is definitive - the distilled wisdom of a performer who's been there and knows what he's talking about. If you're familiar with these topics you'll find yourself nodding along and likely pick up a valuable tip or two. If you're just beginning your journey into the world of ad-libs and improvisation in magic, this book is essential reading and will make sure you start out on the right foot."
- Travis Bernhardt

Including four original stand-up magic routines chosen to exemplify how the lessons are applied on stage. They provide strong frameworks which leave space for improvisation and playful audience interaction.

"There is nothing else like this book on the market! It's a one-of-a-kind look into techniques that can make your show more spontaneous, engaging and real! Ryan's version of cards across is fun, silly and gets the entire audience involved. I can imagine doing this for a family crowd and ramping up the energy in the room 10-fold!"
- Doug Scheer

Full Contents

  • Part One: Performing with Presence
    - Choose To Improvise - How improvisation benefits your performance.
    - Nuts & Bolts of Improvisation - The three-step recipe for making it up.
    - Real World Improvisation - A look at how improvisation and ad-libs happen in real life performances.
    - Improvising Your Way Out of Problems - Being flexible, attentive, and quick on your feet to dodge trouble.
    - Writing Through Improvisation - Boost your creativity while planning and preparing your act.
    - Practicing Improvisation - How to develop your mental muscles for quick thinking.
    - How To Begin Improvising - Prepare to be unprepared.
    - Working With Audience Members - This digs into the entire lifecycle of engaging with an audience from beginning to end to build rapport and increase engagement.
    - Live and Learn - One final word of encouragement.

ROUTINES:

  • Part Two: Magic Made for the Moment
    - Energized Cards Across - Shows go better after this whole-audience ice-breaker get everyone physically engaged and participating in the fun.
    - Union Policy - Tracing the evolution of a Magician's Insurance Policy routine to ridiculous heights, through a major crash, and re-birth. Teaches a variety of ideas and techniques along the way.
    - How To Be a Magician In Trouble - Tips on acting in the moment of failure to make it believable.
    - V.I.Psychic - A V.I.P. guest becomes the mind-reader in this bespoke Psychometry routine. Ideal for corporate messaging, trade show, and sponsor featurettes.
    - Water You Want From Me? - A three cup monte that gets your audience hollering as you play the fool.

Hardcover - 114 pages, 7 x 10 inches, printed cover, full-color throughout.

Note: There was a 2012 paperback edition of this book. This second edition is updated and expanded, doubling in length with the addition of original stand-up magic routines.

Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 5228642850

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.3 ★★★★★
Based on 11 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
C
Verified Purchase
Corinne Kahan
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 5
Great price, fresh, good flavor. Will order again.
Size: 16 OZ
I took a chance, ordered 2, and was pleasantly surprised by these. Great price, and amazing flavor. 90% of them were ripe and ready to eat. Plump, good size strawberries. They for all healthy and moist as they should be, not one was dried out or starting to go bad. I will buy them again from Amazon now that I know they have quality strawberries to deliver. They were "durable" and survived the delivery to the porch just fine. Yummy!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2026
V
Verified Purchase
Vonnie M.
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 5
Best strawberries
Size: 16 OZ
This was the best order of strawberries I ever had. They were fresh and tasty and no moisture on the outside.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2026
D
Verified Purchase
DeannaLea
San Leandro, US
★★★★★ 5
Beautiful strawberries
Size: 16 OZ
My best friend’s daughter made a wonderful vanilla strawberry cake with eggs and they were delicious. Great price also.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2026
W
Verified Purchase
Willy
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 4
They Have Flavor
Size: 16 OZ
Most of the time, these strawberries are fresh and great tasting. One of our orders was came with the "California Giant" brand. They were less flavorful and some had mildew. These later ones I'd give 2 stars (which actually asked to return them and received credit). Amazon is excellent with backing up their sales.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2026
C
Verified Purchase
Charlee L.
Houston, US
★★★★★ 5
Everyone in my neighborhood loves these!
Size: 16 OZ
When we find an especially great fresh food product on Amazon, the neighbors spread the word. These strawberries area always all ripe (no green ones or rotten ones hiding in the bottom), and delicious. Great price, too. I use them in salads, smoothies, and fresh fruit snacks.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2026

recommand products