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Terrible Wizard Inner circle 1973 Posts |
Is there too much magic?
There's plenty of new books, DVDs, PDFs, props, card decks, etc etc coming out all the time. There'so loads on YTube, on the net, podcasts, interviews, blogs, forums etc. Is this too much? Is it a good thing? |
landmark Inner circle within a triangle 5194 Posts |
Drowning in product. Magic, not so much.
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George Ledo Magic Café Columnist SF Bay Area 3042 Posts |
Quote:
On Oct 13, 2015, landmark wrote: I tend to agree. Since people interested in magic as a hobby love to buy "the latest," there are lots of other people cashing in on it. There have been repeated discussions about how "if you work for the same audience all the time you always need new material, and if you work for different audiences, you don't need new material all the time," and I happen to agree with this.
That's our departed buddy Burt, aka The Great Burtini, doing his famous Cups and Mice routine
www.georgefledo.net Latest column: "Sorry about the photos in my posts here" |
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
Quote:
On Oct 13, 2015, George Ledo wrote: Why? Because it's true? There will always be too much magic. There has always been too much magic. Magic is an infinite concept, which makes it impossible for any one magician to do or even learn it all, much less with any proficiency. If there is a problem in this, it isn't with the volume of magic. The problem is with the magic student's inability to focus, narcissistic boredom, and lack of mastery at any of all those trades he is the jack of.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
lynnef Inner circle 1407 Posts |
Quote:
On Oct 13, 2015, landmark wrote: Yes, the digital/internet age has opened up so much material in that was rare or unavailable before. This is especially so in music. When I used to scour record stores for a special record... now I get it (sometimes even in 'live' performance) at the click of a mouse. Your e-books need no shelf space! However, being 'product', it's all in competition with each other as commodities. But this is where the real question of 'value' comes in... and WHY I value my local magic shop (Misdirections)... it's the man behind the counter (Joe Pon) who knows me and knows about the different products out there, knows my preferences, etc. I look at different magic online, performances, products, etc; but if I plan on buying or performing anything, I usually talk to Joe first, do a little tryout, etc. Same thing for music, by the way! It's nice to see a youtube of Brownie Mghee who passed away several years ago; but still, nothing beats a live performance. Lynn |
funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9981 Posts |
Read Dick Oslund's book to better understand the consideratiosn for selecting effects that work and why.
We all like studying and playing with different type so of magic effect and gadgets. Even creating new effects. That has little to do with selecting what will work for a given audience. or it used to be that way. Today most spectator's have so little experience with good magic that anything might serve -- so why spend money on new stuff? By analogy. a dictionary has thousands of words, with new ones added every year. If you want to write a Master's Thesis you might use many and several special ones. If you wan to buy a specific bolt at Home Depot use very few words and speak slowly. If you are chatting with a new neighbor over the fence, listen and adapt to their needs and expectations. None of these examples indicate all of the words you know.
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
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George Ledo Magic Café Columnist SF Bay Area 3042 Posts |
This may sound like world-class heresy, but here it goes...
Reading through some of these threads recently, and talking with a few friends, I think that "we" tend to assume that everyone interested in magic has the same goal in mind, i.e., perform for the general public. That's what a "magician" does, isn't it? Magic has become a huge popular hobby, and, like any other hobby, people have different interests in it. Some people are into woodworking for the final product, and some are in it for the tools. Probably the same for car enthusiasts. There are people who have every fishing gadget under the sun because they're into the gadgets, while others fish with just a rod and a couple other things. And so on. In magic, some people are interested in performing for the general public, others like to perform "for the guys," others at the dinner table at home, and others just like to buy new tricks for their own amusement. So, if we're drowning in product, it's because someone is buying it.
That's our departed buddy Burt, aka The Great Burtini, doing his famous Cups and Mice routine
www.georgefledo.net Latest column: "Sorry about the photos in my posts here" |
Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
George hit the bullseye.
I haven't added much new in 25 years. Just new audiences. But some want to buy new things every 3 months and that is right for them.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
Mr. Mystoffelees Inner circle I haven't changed anyone's opinion in 3623 Posts |
Quote:
On Oct 13, 2015, landmark wrote: Brilliant!
Also known, when doing rope magic, as "Cordini"
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tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
According to Ricky Jay there is more magicians today than ever but the % of good ones remains the same.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
Terrible Wizard Inner circle 1973 Posts |
Good points made by many.
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chmara Inner circle Tucson, AZ 1911 Posts |
Too much magic??? Never. Too many bad performances of tricks -- always.
The quality of props and their decoration does become a question -- but as with anything, there are a few who can match Fabrege's Czar's Eggs, and may only produce a few in a life-time. But there are also competent jewelers (and magic builders) who built and produce great and good props with consistency -- but when you produce more than a few, in today's world you can be sure knock-offs will start quickly, with neither the fine quality nor consistency of use that comes from the original. Intellectual property protection on magic is expensive -- and the market generally cannot support craftsmen who can skillfully produce a limited number of a specific prop, market it and then move on to someting else with other magical qualities in order to prevent over-selling the idea and diluting the magic.
Gregg (C. H. Mara) Chmara
Commercial Operations, LLC Tucson, AZ C. H. Mara Illusion & Psychic Entertainments |
SmileAndNod Veteran user 316 Posts |
In relation to art, I think the issue isn't that there is too much magic, the issue is that people only learn magic (and more specifically, magic moves) when they should also be learning acting techniques, storytelling, presentation, pantomime, improv, etc. I'd argue these aspects are more important than the moves, but it seems magicians only care about the methods.
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Jesseb New user 34 Posts |
Definitely. It's like Adorno's concept of the culture industry - a constant proliferation of the new to keep us busy. New ideas which are actually old, many things which seem to not add much to magic or creativity, but just expand the pool of 'tricks', it seems that this can become a little empty and vacuous - amidst the barrage of the new.
It can sometimes all be quite daunting. It also results in people feeling accumulation of more tricks is what is important, when actually learning how to craft an experience for your spectator is a hugely vital piece of magic and relates to SmileAndNod's post above. |
Sudo Nimh Inner circle 1866 Posts |
I only felt this way when I first became a Magician. It's only natural for most people to try and learn as much as possible in the beginning, I think.
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Soumyajit Regular user Under Your Bed 130 Posts |
It is better to have loads of magic and not need it rather need it and not have it. In fact the whole business of new tricks coming up every other day gives people a lot of choices.
As with books or DVDs, if we are to count the number of books written on history, geography, physics etc. I do not think the number of magic books even holds a candle. Again I think it is better to have a lot of books and DVDs as everyone prefers a different teaching style.
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Nobody requires you read it all.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Yeah Danny:! --You would need a SIXTY foot shelf!
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Yea I don't see a real problem. The hobbiests want new stuff often. Nothing wrong with that. If it is too much for sine then don't buy it.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
To do anything well one must practice, rehearse and perform it on a regular basis and there really isn`t enough hours in a day to do it all, especially for an amateur spending his time earning a living doing other things. It is quality that matters as opposed to quantity. It is easy fall into the trap of becoming a move junky.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
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