On page 14 of Tamariz's Five Points of Magic, he discusses the use of gaze. He gives the general rule that the "spectators look where the magician looks." But then indicates that "this is not the whole truth."

I'm good up until he says "False: If the magician looks into the audience without looking at anyone in particular, the audience cannot look at itself. They feel observed and look back into the magician's eyes." I'm having a little trouble with this. Is he saying that the entirety of the statement -- "If the magician looks into the audience without looking at anyone in particular, the audience cannot look at itself. They feel observed and look back into the magician's eyes" -- is false? Or is he saying that this statement is true, which makes the prior general rule -- "spectators look where the magician looks" -- false in this instance? Or is he saying something regarding his the-eyes-should-make-yarn-like-connections-with-the-audience idea that I'm not getting?

My gut tells me it is the second version, but the structure of the text leaves things ambiguous (at least to me). Can anyone help me me out by giving me their thoughts or expanding a bit?

The latter version. If you look at your hand, so will your audience. If you look at the audience, they will normally look at your eyes. Both of these gazes can assist in controlling the audience's focus.

:magicrabbit:

I remember when I purchased this book from an online Italian retailer. As I skimmed through it the first time I was very disappointed. So little effects and some of them I will probably never do...

After reading it the first time I realised what a GREAT book it is. Good for you to have.

mlippo

There’s no discrepancy here. Obviously, if you look at someone and smile, they’re going to smile back at you. If you look at your hand, they’re going to look at your hand. If you look up suddenly, they will, too. If you cup your palms and gaze in with a look of wonder, they’re going to stand on tiptoes to get a glimpse of what you see.

I do a play at Christmas time where I’m describing the glow of the angelic host as seen from a neighboring village. EVERY TIME, when I look at basically a spot on the back wall, a few people actually turn around in their seat to try and see what I “see”.

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Just as point of audience management, I used to work as a floor director for a local TV station. You get to “coach” a lot of “first timers”. The main thing I want them to know (after, of course, relax and be yourself) is to always look at EITHER the host or whichever camera has the red light.

This is what seems natural to the viewing audience. They can’t see the green wall, they don’t know about the producer’s booth, they can’t even see the owner’s son standing in back of the cameras eating a jelly donut. There are only three points of interest; whoever’s doing the talking, whoever/whatever they’re talking to/about, and the viewer.

Great advice and thanks for posting this question for clarification!