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Dan Efran Regular user Pittsburgh, PA 150 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-03-27 13:09, kenedho wrote: Well said. That's about how I feel. Only more so.... Personally, I'm very interested in the "making them happy" part. I believe this can far transcend making people laugh or entertaining them in the traditional sense. Magic, by transcending normal expectations of reality, can bring people to emotional states more complex than just "having fun". And potentially more interesting or valuable. Probably you have no idea what on earth I mean by that. Here's an example: first, watch Jeff McBride's version of the Miser's Dream. In person if you can, but here's a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrGcLlyHDMk After watching that routine, ask yourself: How do I feel? I'd bet the answer is not just "entertained", but something more complex. He's not just 'entertaining' or 'fooling' or 'frying brains'. The routine is, technically, almost a standard Flosso-style Miser's Dream routine like anyone might do...but he's given it a unique emotional meaning. It's not quite a 'trick' anymore. It's more like a 'happening'. Without saying a word, McBride gives a child five minutes of fame - even leaving him alone on stage for a moment at one point - and gets everyone in the room feeling good about the kid, the magician, and themselves. He seems to evoke a sense of community, the feeling of a whole village proud of 'their' child. He can barely keep a straight face himself - night after night. In my opinion, this is where stage magic approaches real magic. He's changing that audience and especially that kid. Casting a spell on them, for real. (At least a little bit.) It's fine entertainment and strong magic, sure, but it's more than that, too. The fact that this routine works this way every time (as far as I know) hints that our art has great power to effect positive change in the real world, at least on a personal level. How many of us ignore this potential and strive merely to entertain or amaze? There's nothing wrong with those goals, and I like them too...but it's food for thought. That's how I approach magic. I'm nowhere near that good; I don't know how to get that kind of response myself. Maybe I'll never get there. But that's the star I steer by. |
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Mb217 Inner circle 9520 Posts |
I agree with Tim's "KISS" approach as well, never saw a reason to make an effect any more chock-filled than it might be. Most of my effects I try to keep it light and moving. I think after awhile with a lot of longer effects people can just get lost and even become somewhat dumbfounded following along. seeing only "Appear- disappear, appear-disappear." I try to keep the coins right out in front of them, in their face even so they see it and BANG! They clearly understand that and thier immediate amazement shows the appreciation for the magic. It truly don't take much once you got it down pretty good but that's the journey part.
*Check out my latest: Gifts From The Old Country: A Mini-Magic Book, MBs Mini-Lecture on Coin Magic, The MB Tanspo PLUS, MB's Morgan, Copper Silver INC, Double Trouble, FlySki, Crimp Change - REDUX!, and other fine magic at gumroad.com/mb217magic
"Believe in YOU, and you will see the greatest magic that ever was." -Mb |
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Chris W Regular user Have you seen my 176 Posts |
The journey is what makes us all who we are MB! And I am enjoying my journey so far!
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cdmdu New user 51 Posts |
Thank you for all this "theory"!
(Please, excuse my poor English or you will abandon your reading before the end) Personally, with my poor experience, I definite my main goal as the story of my routine. What want I to tell to my spectators? After that, I can warm up my brain about what I know and how I can use my different sleights to ground my routine? As I'm not very keen on all the coins' moves, I also try to find the easier way to obtain my effect. If I can't, perhaps is my story not adapted to me or my basic level not sufficient and I try to simplify my story, my scenario. It's quite like writing a book or searching about resolving a scientific enigma. If not fitting, then I restart my brainstorming. Finally, I like this "KISS" theory! About theory, I just retain one thing to my psychology learnings at University: the only theory never failing is that there is no global theory: each man is thinking different, reacting different, and all of this. So we can't categorized all of we in one only class, theory can just be an approach, a (more or less) little part of the problem. Theories are quite like magic moves or like a magic book/DVD: you keep something and you give up the rest (sometimes not eternally). |
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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
Tim already knows that I feel everything a person does has and should have an AFFECT on other people and yourself in addition to any EFFECT. Magic is no exception. After each performance you should be able to ask, "What did I learn here that will make me a better magician, and a better person tommorrow?" Part of this is absolute confidence that each spectator left with some sense of hope or inspiration as well as any warm-fuzzies from the effect.
This is not theory, but based on tens of thousands of magic performances in which I know people's perspectives were changed -- because they told me so. There are many wasy to communicate something of who you are to another person. Magic is just one of them. NOTE: the refusal to perform a trick on demand can also have a remendous Affect.
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
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rsylvester Loyal user Trying to learn to BP a duck in 269 Posts |
I love this post, because it is more about theory and how we do magic, rather than how we do tricks. When I was younger, I was hypnotized by snazzy props and resisted the simple. Now that I'm older, a couple of coins, a deck of cards and a hank of rope are all I really want or need. And maybe a rubber band. LOL. I've learned to appreciate the simplicity of the French Pass and will use that when more difficult moves might have the same effect. By itself, people might say, "oh, I learned that in the fourth grade." And they probably did. But as part of another routine, they don't even recognize it as the same.
I like how MB just gives a "toss" with a CP, and he's reminded me of how effective that can be. All I can say to you guys is KISS me. Thanks for this thought-provoking discussion, Tim. And thanks to Dan for the link. What an entertaining moment. Ron |
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Mb217 Inner circle 9520 Posts |
Thanks Ron. And I also think it's important to realize that you are in control of the moment, or should be.
When I walk up to someone, they don't have a clue of what I'm about to do or say...I might want to show them some magic or I might ask them where is the bathroom, perhaps in Spanish or even Pig-Latin. The point is that they don't know what you are about to say or do, they are in a "to be led" moment and that gives you control to lead them where you will with your magic. They are at a stark disadvantage to gather their socks and shoes for the journey you're about to take them on. They will most times simply follow, oftentimes quite bare-footed through the streets, fields and streams. For instance I like to do short effects/routines and I invite specs in almost immediately and start the madness. They go where I take them and I try to confidently steer the ship and point to the sights along the way via the magic. No need to speed, since they don't know where you're going anyway, only you do. Just have the sleights and moves down pretty good to not disrupt the flow of the new logic you're creating for them and they will reach no destination other than amazement through the beginning, the middle and end game. The better understanding of this is even more important than a good Classic Palm. Do this part of it all poorly and you can lose your flock. You can oftentimes get away with a not-so-good CP and not feel too bad about it. Lose your flock by poor understanding of this and I guarantee you you will not feel too great about it. Also, very importantly, try to have fun. The more fun you have the more they will have, in that you are still very much the leader.
*Check out my latest: Gifts From The Old Country: A Mini-Magic Book, MBs Mini-Lecture on Coin Magic, The MB Tanspo PLUS, MB's Morgan, Copper Silver INC, Double Trouble, FlySki, Crimp Change - REDUX!, and other fine magic at gumroad.com/mb217magic
"Believe in YOU, and you will see the greatest magic that ever was." -Mb |
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Mb217 Inner circle 9520 Posts |
Oh, and thanks Tim for another great post.
*Check out my latest: Gifts From The Old Country: A Mini-Magic Book, MBs Mini-Lecture on Coin Magic, The MB Tanspo PLUS, MB's Morgan, Copper Silver INC, Double Trouble, FlySki, Crimp Change - REDUX!, and other fine magic at gumroad.com/mb217magic
"Believe in YOU, and you will see the greatest magic that ever was." -Mb |
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The Great Heathini New user Virginia 29 Posts |
I must say that I make a distinction between a true magician as opposed to a person that bought a bag of tricks. No disrespect intened. I just want to help.
I highly recomend a book: Modern Coin Magic by J.B. Bobo. I think that it is a small, but wise investment for any magician interested in coin magic. I looked and you can find the book at amazon.com I also noticed that there is a expanded version that I am going to add to my collection as well. In closing, PLEASE do not rely on DVDs. I say this because I find that, most of the time, they have so little to offer, as opposed to a book, to those truly veiwing magic as an art. Best of luck, Brent. |
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