Hi Wayne, Happy Boxing Day to you! Could you share with us a lesson or two in what you have learned about how to make magic a really entertaining experience for others and not just some tricks the magician enjoys doing?

Thanks!

Tom

Hey Tom, Happy Boxing Day to you too and a great question. I think it's a personal preference to some extent, because of the performers feel for their audience. I've always carefully examined my performances after the event, right down to each and every effect. The best way to do this, where possible, is to film yourself performing, this is something I learnt early on from my good friend Andy Nyman. Stage or Close-up or both, it doesn't have to be broadcast quality, just a reference to what you're doing. This is really easy to do nowadays because of all the camera cellphones used, so it's simple to pass your phone to someone and say, 'hey help me out and film me doing this next trick please'. What you're after is not just the perfection of the effect your performing but the audience reactions, what do they think of your gags? Are you engaging everyone in one go? Is your misdirection skills as good as you first thought? There is literally, what seems, an endless list we can all learn from with video footage, frankly I feel it's the only way to truly learn to be better at our art.

The first time I saw myself on camera performing I thought it was cringeworthy, audience management was all wrong, the order of effects were round the wrong way (I actually finished with an effect that I now start with). The really sad part about this experiment is that before watching this film I thought my act was brilliant (what a loon). So like I say, it's the only way for me to really see what I'm like, I'm seeing me from an audience point of view, what better way is there to learn! Brilliant question Tom and thank you for raising it, it's an important one. Try it, record yourself with three or four people as you do your favourite card trick, results are surprising to say the least. Thanks Tom

Wayne

Thanks Wayne. That is a great idea. Very helpful advice!

Could I follow up with one more question?

How do you feel about doing magic that you personally really love to do (but may or may not be very exciting for others to see) versus doing magic that you know kills for most spectators? Do you tend you select magic that really resonates with you and therefore carries the day for audience appreciation or have you gone more the route that could be summed up with what Don Allen once said ... "watch their faces, they will tell you everything you need to know". Does this make sense?

(Hope you had a great Boxing Day)

Thanks again Wayne!

Tom
Vienna Austria

Well, if you do magic for a living I always think it's important to perform the type of magic you enjoy doing. Otherwise you may as well be back at the day job bored out of your head, you have to enjoy what you do. I think I've got a good eye for what my audience want to see, so I carefully select and create pieces that suit my style and at the same time, grabs my audiencese attention. One more thing, is that I try to keep things topical. I try to write new gags and change patter to suit current affairs, it's actually quite easy to do. I'm simply using gags that I use now but try bending them slightly to suit moments of 'now'.

I've got magic for magic sakes that I perform for magicians, you know the kind of stuff. Clever sleights and cheeky moves that look really cool but have limited use in the real world. Or can only be appreciated by a fellow magi because they know how long it's taken to learn that move. It's extremely important for me to jazz with other magic friends as like with all of us, it started as a hobby because I loved it, except now I'm doing it for a living.

The most important part is to be yourself when performing. Even if you're a character performer, you need to absorb yourself or the character you're portraying and in turn let the magic reflect that. I think it makes everything see much more believable when you're happy doing what you like doing.

Thanks again Wayne. Sound sage advice there. Lot to chew on. Thank you for your thoughts. I especially like the bit about really being yourself. I think people are really drawn to people who are really free and happy in their own skin and letting their creative juices flow. You seem to have found your joy zone. best wishes to you.

Thanks Tom, and you're right it's all about 'finding' yourself. Sounds a bit far out man but it really does pay off. If you watch old footage of singers and actors the kind of debut materiel, their first appearance on screen, you'll see for yourself what I'm talking about. Compare these film clips with their later materiel, films, pop videos whichever and you'll see their character change. That's because they are finding themselves and making the changes they feel they need to make, this come about because they are constantly seeing themselves on screen and see first hand the things they want to change.

I represented England at Judo and my coach would make me watch old VHS videos of my fights, I couldn't understand why at first but after a while it became clear. It was the only way I could make myself understand mistakes I made and indeed triumphs I had.

Try doing the same

Magic, not Judo.......

Best

Wayne