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JamesinLA Inner circle Los Angeles 3400 Posts |
The rings are not "magical?" Not Strong magic?
Oh, my friend we're older but no wiser, for in our hearts the dreams are still the same...
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TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-04-22 23:04, bowers wrote: That's a joke, right? Since most of us seem to agree that these are actually myths, please explain. Personally, I think you're joking but go ahead and explain to me how you could possibly disagree with half of these. I still think you're joking.
www.theambitiouscard.com Hand Crafted Magic
Trophy Husband, Father of the Year Candidate, Chippendale's Dancer applicant, Unofficial World Record Holder. |
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Potty the Pirate Inner circle 4632 Posts |
I don't really "get" what you're trying to say, Frank. Every show is unique, as is every performer.
Sometimes, I think folks concentrate far too much on all the other stuff, when it's themselves they need to work on. Just about everything on Frank's list can be true, or not, it really depends on the performer. As has been mentioned on this thread, I enjoy using large, colourful props. Not that they're essential, in fact I've developed my "mini party", which is much less prop-oriented. And, I have an "envelope show", which includes no big props at all. Not that I'm ever asked to perform it.....the specific requests I get are for: 1) Stinkey Winkey Rat 2) Bigger Wands 3) Flying Carpet 4) various snot-related effects (my latest one is Multiplying Dragon Snot Bottles, which is creating a STORM!) These are all larger props, but it's nothing to do with the props themselves, it's the entertainment that I provide along with them. Let's just take juggling, for example: I can't juggle well, but I can juggle three balls. So, I use this as a bit of comedy, juggle three balls, but drop them (when I choose to). My abilities are poor, but I make myself even more inept in front of my audiences. That gets a laugh...it's endearing. It's totally all about personality, and projecting yourself in the right way. I happen to have a fondness for big, colourful props....and have loads of fun with them. It's the way that I handle the props, not the actual mechanics of the effect, which makes for entertainment. So, I'd say to Frank: "The biggest myth of all, is that anything other than the performer, makes a show." |
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Chance Wolf Inner circle 2425 Posts |
"So, I'd say to Frank: "The biggest myth of all, is that anything other than the performer, makes a show."
BRAVO!!!
Creator of Wacky Wolf Productions & Fine Collectibles
A DECADE of building Magic and we're just getting started! http://www.wolfsmagic.com |
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TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
I agree with you Potty. 100%
www.theambitiouscard.com Hand Crafted Magic
Trophy Husband, Father of the Year Candidate, Chippendale's Dancer applicant, Unofficial World Record Holder. |
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KC Cameron Inner circle Raleigh, North Carolina 1944 Posts |
3. Teens are the hardest to perform for.
- I don't know anyone else in my area that is successful with Teens. I do teen parties and enjoy them - but they are very different than performing for adults or kids. Because teens (in general) tend to be a bit rebellious, all-knowing, and often trying to raise their status by putting down others. They also tend to think magic as "I fooled you" and many hate being fooled in front their friends. Getting them to see it as entertainment, and not a challenge, can be more difficult. You have to be quick-witted or die. For me anyway, teens in small groups are the hardest audience - and the most fun. 9. Kids need big, bright, colorful props - I don't use bright colorful props, and I tend to pack small(er) than most (although not as small as Frank). Still, I believe big colorful props make entertaining kids easier (especially younger kids). They are also tend to be more boring for me. I have a lot more fun not using them. 10. A show needs to use big, bright, colorful props or the parents will think they are being short-changed. - Well, not all parents, but those that don't watch the show might. I think if most were told a magician showed up with only a few cheap props and dressed in a t-shirt, they may think they were taken. Not necessarily true, but if that was all the information they had . . . it is very understandable. I find that when I use my "Jeff Jones" backdrop in a livingroom, I get oohs and ahhs from kids and adults during the set-up. I think adults find it reassuring, and it generates an excitement and anticipation with the kids. I believe big colorful props have similar effects. While rings are not my favorite, they can be very entertaining if in the right hands (as with anything else!) I like (and do on occasion) a knock-off of Whit Haydn's routine. Not only is it funny, I can get up to six kids to assist me. Since in a small party I try to use each child who wants to assist at least once, this is a big plus. I never liked the rings either until I saw a video of Haydn preforming them. I never liked the Misers Dream until I saw Capehart perform it either. In the right hands ANYTHING can be entertaining. My pet peeve is statements like "I've been a magician for 25 years" when they are 33 years old . . . In most cases, I find this insulting that an adult can consider themselves at 7 years old (or younger) a magician. How low is the bar for the magic fraternity??? It makes us all look bad. |
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bowers Inner circle Oakboro N.C. 7024 Posts |
[quote]On 2013-04-23 05:04, Frank Starsini wrote:
Quote:
On 2013-04-22 23:04, bowers wrote: That's a joke, right? Since most of us seem to agree that these are actually myths, please explain. Personally, I think you're joking but go ahead and explain to me how you could possibly disagree with half of these. I still think you're joking. [/quote I meant the opposite I took it the wrong way. to me these are misconceptions. Todd |
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TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
Ohhhhhhhhh.... that makes more sense.
www.theambitiouscard.com Hand Crafted Magic
Trophy Husband, Father of the Year Candidate, Chippendale's Dancer applicant, Unofficial World Record Holder. |
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spatrick Special user Tom Sawyer let me whitewash these 517 Posts |
The only thing I would add top the list of myths is
* You can't perform Mentalism for kids. |
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Potty the Pirate Inner circle 4632 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-04-24 08:37, spatrick wrote: I agree....but you can't call it "mentalism". Even the term "mind reading" has to be explained to them. But if you just go ahead, and do a mentalism effect which is appropriate, kids LOVE it! |
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
"Backdrops are a must have" is another myth for me.
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Red Shadow Inner circle 1788 Posts |
1. That there are only ten, top ten myths.
2. That personality can make a bad trick good. It can make it watchable because of the performer, but a bad trick is still a bad trick. 3. That anyone can be a childrens entertainer. We make it look easy because were good at our jobs and entertaining children is part of our makeup. That doesn't mean everyone can do it to. 4. That our show is about us. Its not, its about the birthday child first, then the client, then the audience watching, then us. 5. That life is like a box of choclate. In which case, were all going to be eaten. 6. That your need to personalize every trick. Ive heard several magician speak at length on how they must change a trick to make it the own. But sometimes the originator has found the best way of doing something and its wise to do the trick verbaten if it makes for a better experience for the audience. 7. That you should take every show that comes your way. There are some shows that are more trouble than there worth and it takes the professional to know when to say no to a booking. This could be because of the age of the audience, travelling distance, potencial to get stuck in traffic etc. But to take a booking where you risk a bad perfromance or turnng up late can have major consequences afterwards which can effect future work. Sometimes Its best to turn it down and hope another show comes in that's more your target audience. 8. That you need to have put out a dvd to be considered a good magician. Ever since I started making dvds, I get hounded at by magicians wanting me to put out a dvd for them, when they have no effect of their own or even their own show. You don't need a dvd to be good, nor should you rush to put out a dvd that wont sell and get slatered in bad reviews. And even if you have invented your own trick, work on it for at least a year before you release it to other magicians. 9. That everyone needs to hire a professional photographer and pay them a fortune to take some publicity shots. Most consumer cameras can take great quality shots and a family member taking 200 shots might bore them, but several of those shots will be good. All my publicity shots were taken by a camera on a table using the timer. But there are lots of ways to get photos if you need them, but rarely do we as magicians actually need them anyway. 10. When a trick goes wrong, put it down and move onto the next trick. I watched a lecture by a famous magician recently who messed up a trick. He then spent 35 minutes trying to sort out his props and work out what went wrong. Half the audience left. We are still human and make mistakes. But when that happens, have a self working fall back trick to hand to get the audiences attension back. They will forgive the mistake, they wont forgive you wasting their time. |
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Anatole Inner circle 1912 Posts |
Stephen's 10-item list above is a great list of guidelines for all magicians--whether they entertain children or adults. The tenth commandment is particularly insightful. Often when a trick goes wrong, the audience isn't even aware of it or fails to understand exactly what went wrong. That's why we have the old timers' Rule #1: Don't tell the audience what you are about to do.
----- Sonny
----- Sonny Narvaez
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The Mighty Fool Inner circle I feel like a big-top tent having 2140 Posts |
Absolutely!! This is especially easy for a lot of kids magicians who use M.I.T. and 'everything-goes-hilariously-wrong' humor in their shows. The kids don't know which foul-ups are real and which are just for laughs, so play it like it's part of the act!
Everybody wants to beleive.....we just help them along.
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Red Shadow Inner circle 1788 Posts |
5. Confusion is not magic. Nor is a puzzle a magic trick. Certain effects like the pom pom stick and ring and rope are more puzzle than magic. There's nothing wrong with the effect (i do them both myself), but the magician needs to understand what the effect is. Why? Well I saw one magician perform four puzzles and that was his entire show. He had forgot to perform any magic as he couldn't distinguish between the two genres. The audience were bored and wondered off because all the effects seemed similar in nature and they wernt being shown any magic.
There should be strong magic between puzzle effects to keep your audiences attension. The same goes for confusion. The same performer did a ten minute cut and restored / knot tying / ring and rope routine. In the end everyone was confused at what he was doing and it was obvious he doing something but he was going through the motions and no one cared enough to tell him to move onto the next trick. But how many times do we get confused at the cups and balls wondering what ball we are suppose to be watching? Its not magic, nor is it misdirection or any other word magicians like to use. Its just confusing and not magical. But more importantly, its boring. |
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yin_howe Special user Malaysia 981 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-04-19 02:37, jay leslie wrote: I'd buy 1 too On a serious note, if it was an e-book (to keep costs low), I'd surely get it.
"Talent without passion is talent wasted.."
https://www.youtube.com/user/yinhowe80/ |
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