|
|
jo Regular user 177 Posts |
Practically every advert for Magic & Mentalism products use the term "Effect" as a discription of what happens. This discription more often then not does not include a possible discription of what happens to the audience.
When thinking about what I want to perform I include what I think the audience's reaction might be: ie contemplative, laughter, relief, awe, wonder, excitement, nostalgia, etc. Thereby I can take them on an emotional journey and bring meaning to what I do. Obviously this is never a guarantee but rather a guideline. Should this "reaction" from the audience not be considered as the "effect"? Some of you may say that this is just semantics or labeling, but I'm asking whether we don't sometimes seal our own fate by looking exclusively at the discription of the product and how "clever" or "cool" it is, rather than asking what will (or could) be the "effect" on the audience? And will the relevant product assist in getting that reaction? What are your thoughts? |
RickDangerous Special user I can't believe I made 974 Posts |
Interesting point. But every reaction is different. You can change or create different presentations for the effects you buy and make the effect horrifying or funny.
So, you can't really say: "They will laugh" or "They will be scared as hell". Reactions are all up to the performer
"Reality is what you can get away with."
Robert A. Wilson "Think for yourself and question authority." Timothy Leary |
Slim King Eternal Order Orlando 18012 Posts |
A Dr. wants you to GET BETTER. The method he uses is not really the question, but the result, or effect, is what is desired. Is that what you are saying? If so...and even if it isn't...You got me thinking, or rethinking what I'm doing!
Thanks Dave
THE MAN THE SKEPTICS REFUSE TO TEST FOR ONE MILLION DOLLARS.. The Worlds Foremost Authority on Houdini's Life after Death.....
|
jo Regular user 177 Posts |
Yes I agree that reactions are up to the performer to ellicit.
What I am asking is whether you keep this in mind when selecting the routines you want to do? Or do you select the routines based on other criteria? In other words, what motivates you in this regard? My observation comes from reading many threads in here that discuss methodology and routines vs what responses you want and how you would go about getting them. It is my belief and opinion that inherent in our magic arts is a focus on effect (as in performance piece) vs "effect" (as in what the audience experiences). Its just a thought... |
Sapient Regular user 126 Posts |
I would suggest using the word "effect" to describe what the audience sees, and the word "reaction" to describe what this does to the audience.
I suspect that most magicians/mentalists select effects based on the reactions they believe they will get when that effect is applied with that magician/mentalists style and performance techniques. It is fun to purchase effects just to see how they can be done, but when selecting effects for a performance, the audience reaction is key. Personally, I consider my shortcomings as well. Since I am just a hobbiest, and can get pretty nervious at times, I like effects where I can enhance the audience reaction by standing there mumbling to myself for a few seconds. How is that for professionalism? |
espmagic Special user 978 Posts |
I would suggest that the "effect" is what happens when A + B equals something...their "reaction" to the effect is dependant upon your presentation, their sobriety, an understanding of what *has* happened (either perceived or real), and many more things that will find their way into the equation. But for your own work, if these terms will help you to decide what "effects" to perform for a particular audience, then power to you!
Lee |
jo Regular user 177 Posts |
Hi Sapient
How do you "enhance the audience reaction by standing there mumbling to yourself"? (Or are you just saying this in jest?) I realise its just words at one level... "reaction" vs the "effect on the audience"... but one point is our consistant focus on the next routine (conveniently called "effect" throughout magic literature), and the second point is a noticable lack of discussion or thought about elliciting audience's responses. Just look around these forums and you'll see that most discussion is about the "trick" and methodology. All I'm suggesting is to maybe give some thought as to what you want your spectators to feel. Perhaps when your focus moves to that you free up your creativity and won't be so nervous. Complicated routines seem to take second place to simplicity when I focus on "effect" or "reaction", and my act now has "meaning". *But I do admit it is fun to see and find out about new ideas. Yes Dave, that's part of what I'm saying. Lee, I think you have touched on some important points in disecting the way we routine what we do, so that many of those variables are taken into account. |
Sapient Regular user 126 Posts |
Hey Jo,
I understand what you are saying. I mostly just lurk in these forums, and most of what I look for is about performance, rather than effects. I suspect that most people talk mostly about effects because the idea of how they want the audience to react and how they achieve it is so individualized and internalized that it is harder to discuss it in this sort of medium. As for standing there, mumbling, that was sort of in jest, but with some truth to it. I like to, and perhaps need to, build a few seconds here and there into a trick or effect where I can review things in my brain. I find it easy to create my persona around this by having an excuse to concentrate anyway. Say I am using Osterlinds BKS. Taking a few seconds to focus myself on getting into a participant's mind gives me the excuse I need to take a few seconds to run through my thinking a second time to make sure I did not goof up. So to get back on point, I take what I know about myself, how I perform, what kind of persona I adopt, then consider how a given affect, when applied under all the things I mentioned, will affect the audience. But remember that as a hobbyist, I am not giving long performances. Rather I spend maybe five minutes in a very causal setting. The depth and range of emotion I could elicit from my audience is not what a professional can with more time and an audience of strangers. Maybe I am not even talking sense, but at least I am not cheating my way to 50 posts with a plague of "me too". |
jo Regular user 177 Posts |
Thanx for that Sapient. The fact that you do think about some of these things is a good sign. I now understand what you were meaning above... Taking some time to internally keep track of what you are doing in a "planned" moment is sometimes crucial when starting out... (I was afraid for a moment there that you meant that you kind of "blanked out" as to what to do next and that left a moment of uneaseness... LOL... sorry, it might just be lack of sleep once again).
These pauses and silences are indeed crucial to an effect. I usually use these moments to assess where the spectator might be in relation to where I want to take them. |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Penny for your thoughts » » Effect (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |