I posted this video as an experiment on my YouTube channel, has had an interesting response. I am curious how the community here will react. I plan to create some more videos in a similar fashion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H72oW-ewxs

Very nice, got some good comments I see. For what it's worth, I thought of corn and then changed it to carrot when you said the word vegetable. I see a big Banachek influence here; the main reason I resisted thinking of "C", hehe.

And the point -- other than to simply gratuitously expose some popular psychological forces to anyone who watches your video is . . . ?

I figured I would have a reaction such as yours Dick. I would ask that question simply of everyone who reads this. Is this going to "gratuitously expose some popular psychological forces?"

I had this thought when I considered creating the video, and then I decided to see what happens. You can find much more information and exposure on this forum which can be read by the public, and I don't believe that hurts any of us either. But that is another point.

Lets look at what I did... I created a situation where anyone with YouTube viewing ability can take part in a psychological force, and then log a reaction, and make note of what they wrote. On one level it is an entertaining experience for them, and on another I get to collect a list of reactions, to see where the forces work and where they don't. And then, I get the opportunity to personally interact with those who comment. So far it has been viewed by six hundred or so people and commented on by a fraction of that.

Lets say I used this in a stage show instead, and performed for an audience of over One Thousand people. Now can you consider this exposure as well?

Or lets say I use it in a routine table hopping at a restaurant four nights a week and at fifteen tables a night. That is sixty times a week and roughly three thousand a year. Is this exposure?

Or, is it more of an exposure for you because I am not mixing it into another presentation. Then we can ask the question of how many times these sorts of forces have been published and how many copies of that material have sold. I am not explaining why it works or what the method is or anything. But I am retaining good feedback from a public I do no know at all, and am able to communicate with them about their reaction.

I once sold Svengali decks at Time's Square, and I did this over and over all day long and very rarely did I have people who had seen it before. I don't think what I have done in this video has done anything negative, but I am curious to know more about your fears of exposure.

It was splendid. The hypnotic setting you gave it was superb. They are looking at a white page, then walking far down a hallway *sounds of footsteps*, etc.

Very well made; I've seen psychological forces on YouTube in the past, however with your setting and even speaking tone, it raised your chances of succes considerably.

Is your dad Rollie Fingers?

I hate to rain on your parade but I guess my curiosity derives from the fact that I have a tough time considering posting a YouTube video to be a serious form of performing. Seems to me that the primary value of YouTube to a serious performer (or someone advertising/marketing an effect they are selling) is to provide an easily accessible audition/demo video that potential clients or patrons can view. (I am intentionally ignoring the far more common use of YouTube as a vehicle for amateurs of various stripes -- whether magic, mentalism, juggling, singing, dancing, etc., etc. -- to boost their egos by "strutting their stuff" for friends, family or the merely curious and often making fools of themselves in the process.)

How do you see your YouTube contributions advancing your career as a performer? Other than subscribers to the Café, who are you trying to reach or appeal to with your video and what are you hoping to accomplish by doing so? It seems to me that posting a YouTube video which is available indiscriminately to anyone browsing the Internet is hardly comparable to performing as an entertainer for audiences that are paying handsomely for your services. Not to mention the fact that a YouTube video which can be viewed over and over in order to be analyzed and dissected by the "merely curious" is both a form and degree of exposure that is very different from that of an audience member seeing the performance of one or more effects each of which is only a small and transitory part of a program of theatrical entertainment and thus difficult to reconstruct from memory following the performance should anyone attempt to do so.

I agree with Dick wholeheartedly...

I disagree with Dick halfheartedly. LOL As it seems that his problem is just with the posting of a psychological force on youtube? Well with that kind of logic anything performed is exposer and as such is a violation of our ethics. C'on. It was well done and by the comments left by most of the cementers on youtube was not suspected as trickery. ergo we can deduce that no violation has happened.

As I have said in other posts we have more to fear from bad performances than we do from exposer anyway. A bad performance not only exposes our methods but tells the world that our craft is feeble and without value. But that's just my opinion and what do I know?

Cheers

Just to clarify, although I DO think it did constitute an exposure of sorts, I don't consider it an especially egregious one. Certainly there are many, many far worse examples on YouTube. My real concern is that it just seemed to me to be completely pointless and made me wonder what in the world one hoped to prove or achieve by putting it out there. Any Café subscriber who has spent any time in the "Penny" forum would hardly be surprised, impressed or enlightened by it so it hardly contributed anything meaningful to the forum. Anyone else who might have stumbled upon it while surfing the net might be impressed -- but to what end? Would they then want to hire Stuart to perform at some function? Highly doubtful. Might they be tempted to try to replicate it with their friends? Possibly, and when they found out that those were the most common responses would they still be impressed or would they say to themselves "so THAT's how its done." Is Stuart's supposed ability and reputation enhanced or diminished as a result.

Just something to think about.

All valid thoughts. I am getting what I wanted from posting a link to this on this forum. I don't usually post my own work to the Café, but I was very curious how this would be received.

Back when I ran a magic shop I was always frustrated by the exposure videos on YouTube, but as years go by I care less and less about that. I am much more interested in how one can use the online video format. Making videos and putting them on YouTube became a hobby for me when I moved to Hong Kong.(three months ago) Originally I made the videos to keep my family and friends in the US updated on what was going on in my life. But I now am in love with the experience. YouTube has a very deep and giving online community. And they are interested in learning about and sharing the human experience. Now that I am involved with it, I would be surprised by any young magician or entertainer who didn't use it in some fashion.

Posting psychological forces is my first attempt to create a real experience with an audience who are viewing something at any unknown time. I am learning how this new format and forum can be used with our art, but just as I have done with any artistic media, I am trying different things out to see how people take them and what I get back from the experience. And I am getting allot of positive response. The first negative response was here.

Dick. I don't have a parade, and you are not the rain. I very much expected to have someone react as you did. But I just had to open that discourse to see where it would lead. From what I read it seems you have more of a problem with youtube as a format than you do with what I did specifically. I very much understand that.

You asked who I am trying to reach other than subscribers to the Café. I made the video for my youtube subscribers, and my online contacts who view material I create. Magicians and mentalists are not my audience (online or in person), or this video's audience. It is not intended for you. It was intended for the people who watched it and replied to it. It functions exactly as I intended it.

I do use youtube for my promo tapes as well. as you stated that was the way you see youtube working for the "serious performer".

then you said this:
"It seems to me that posting a YouTube video which is available indiscriminately to anyone browsing the Internet is hardly comparable to performing as an entertainer for audiences that are paying handsomely for your services."

I agree, and I would not compare the two directly. I do perform as an entertainer for audiences who pay handsomely and I do not compare this video to my live performances. The live performance is a much more powerful experience. But this video is actually intended for the random person browsing youtube indiscriminately and I think it is a fun and entertaining experience for them. Much as it is a fun and entertaining experience to watch a magic television show, only in this instance you can leave a comment for the entertainer, and he can comment back. There is discourse.

to continue your quote:
" Not to mention the fact that a YouTube video which can be viewed over and over in order to be analyzed and dissected by the "merely curious" is both a form and degree of exposure that is very different from that of an audience member seeing the performance of one or more effects each of which is only a small and transitory part of a program of theatrical entertainment and thus difficult to reconstruct from memory following the performance should anyone attempt to do so."

I had this thought as well. It is the reason the princess card trick can be killed by the internet experience of it, or the television experience of it, and other bits of magic as well. I don't believe that has happened here.

As to your last post. I suppose am using the magic Café forum here more than I am giving to it. I am finding out how magicians react to my video , and I am also having this conversation with you, which will begin a new discourse on how the YouTube format can function for mentalism. Instead of just shaking our heads about YouTube magic videos because we are annoyed by the younger generation.

I can easily answer the questions you pose in your last post. The impressed individual who views this video comments on their experience. I can then communicate with them. They then subscribe to my YouTube channel which builds on my viewership, thus increasing the audience for the next video I create. And also the chances of an audience who will be interested in the kind of content I create. I don't expect to receive any booking from this video directly, that was not the intent. Though I have had positive response from a client who had previously subscribed to my youtube channel and loved experiencing the video.

By increasing a steady viewing audience on YouTube I increase my worldwide viewership. I can then update this audience when I travel. If I post a video stating I will be back in NYC or Singapore on such and such a date and that they can see me perform at such and such venue people can be easily advertised to, and for free! The entire package of keeping a constant online blog or vlog presence does lead to more bookings. And of course if I am going to make video blogs, I am going to try and find a way to perform what I love to do best with them. I am attempting to tap into a readily available worldwide resource. And it is allot of fun!

Thank you for your responses everyone! Keep the conversation flowing!

Nice ideas for dressing up and revitalizing an old chestnut. Thanks for posting. Enjoyed it.

And I think as you do more videos, your delivery will get even stronger.

Stuart,

Thank you for your detailed response to my comments. Although it may not be "my thing" at least I now have a better understanding of the motivation behind your efforts.

For what it's worth, I am not down on YouTube altogether. While I find much of it tedious, amateurish and without any redeeming value -- social, cultuural or otherwise -- I have still collected and archived a number of YouTube videos of particular interest on a wide range of subjects from performances of magic/mentalism and other arts that I found particularly interesting/noteworthy to matters/events of historical significance, humor, satire, etc., for my own enjoyment.