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Anand Khalsa Loyal user Phoenix, AZ 201 Posts |
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On Nov 27, 2015, Mindpro wrote: Hi Mindpro! I think you might have misunderstood what I meant. I am not planning on marketing myself in any way as a birthday party magician. I think it would be a terribly incongruent to advertise myself as both a birthday party magician and mentalist. I am just planning on occasionally performing for family/friends parties and gatherings. I also love performing for young children... it gives me a lot of joy. I have spent 4 or 5 years now actively practicing and performing magic. Magic is still a big part of me, but I am currently refocusing my efforts to mentalism, which I made clear at the end of my last post. When advertising myself and developing a public image, Mentalist or Mind Reader is the only title I am planning on using. All of my practice, performing, and studying is now focused entirely on mentalism. I fully respect your opinion, but I wanted to clarify what I meant in my post. I don't want to needlessly alienate anyone. |
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TheDirectionalist Special user I predict that I will have this many posts when you read this: 930 Posts |
I was waiting for MindPro to chime in.. Can't have a conversation about magic and mentalism without him!
Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing though.. |
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Mindpro Eternal Order 10586 Posts |
Haha, I chimed in a day or two ago, but like you, not sure if its a good or bad thing.
I've been observing this and while everyone was being encouraging I didn't want to be the party-pooper by introducing reality to this. It will be quite hard for a sixteen year old guy to be taken seriously as a mentalist and more so finding venues to perform mentalism at that age. Couple that with his views on magic, and the realist in me sees where this is likely heading. |
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Anand Khalsa Loyal user Phoenix, AZ 201 Posts |
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On Nov 27, 2015, Mindpro wrote: You very well could be right. There's no issue with giving your honest opinion, that's what I asked for in my post. I'm going to give it a shot. I know it will be a valuable experience, no matter how it goes. |
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saysold1 Eternal Order Recovering Cafe addict with only 10795 Posts |
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On Nov 28, 2015, TheDirectionalist wrote: Its a very good thing - Mindpro knows his stuff and he is usually right.
Creator of The SvenPad Supreme(R) line of aerospace level quality, made in the USA utility props. https://svenpads.com/
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Anand Khalsa Loyal user Phoenix, AZ 201 Posts |
I would like to thank everyone for the great advice and wisdom!
I am going to hit the books and come back with some questions about what I've read and learned in mentalism. I am excited for the journey ahead! |
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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
When I performed Helstromism at 16 years old I had much better audience response than when older. This is the most powerful "mental based" effect I have ever done.
I am not sure why this was so. I mostly did conjuring type performance with very little of a mental nature as a theme. They knew I was using artifice and guile for fun. When I did Helstromism everyone knew it was not a trick, but a demonstration of something everyone could achieve if they desired to. The audience wanted "this kid" to do it. I was able to drop the assistant's hand and complete the action in more than half the performances. When I was older the same dynamics did not seem to apply. I was a different person after Viet Nam, of course -- and so was the audience. My point is that you may be able to do things at 16 that you will never again be allowed to. Perhaps Mentalism is the best place for this to occur. The question is how to best engage an audience and build rapport. What effect you decide to do may be secondary, though "knowing today's audience" is beyond me. Follow the advice of those performing every day, but never forget "who you are" in the equation. You are not a teenager -- you are the one who knows something the audience does not. You can take them places they cannot go alone. In this you are the Elder and they are all children. Make it so!
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
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Pop Haydn Inner circle Los Angeles 3691 Posts |
I can see that, Ken. It seems to me that the most acceptable and believable mentalism for a younger person would be energetic and physical such as hellstromism.
Key bending, psychokinesis, super-mentality (super memory, knight's tour, magic square, lightning calculations) and other direct demonstrations of special ability, that are not ponderous, expositional, experimental, or overly learned would seem more suited to a younger man. People are more willing to accept these sort of special abilities (mutant hero-like) from a young person--things like psychometry, or spoon bending--rather than something more weighty and advice-oriented as Q&A--things that require more authority than comes easily to a younger person. But those are just my first thoughts. It is hard to portray authority and learning at a young age. It should be more like Bobby Fischer doing a chess demonstration as a young man rather than a professor giving a lecture. But Carrie and other movies have created a place for a young man or woman with super-normal abilities. I would look for a character that could do such things and would be doing them for an audience. As you grow, you can extend the character to suit you and expand your range. Decide what sort of tricks turn you on the most. Be greedy. Find a way to create a character that would do all those things. Keep enlarging your backstory of the character so that it makes sense he would have those skills and abilities. The character should be bigger and more expressive than your real self. Keep stretching. Keep trying to make it natural as well as interesting. It is your character that weaves the spell and holds their attention. |
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Anand Khalsa Loyal user Phoenix, AZ 201 Posts |
Thank you for your thoughts, Pop - I appreciate it!
I have been struggling with formulating/creating a character for my mentalism. This really helps! I was thinking of it in the wrong way. I was trying to mold the tricks to the character, as opposed to molding the character to the tricks. I am really drawn to memory, spoon/key/coin bending, and superhuman demonstrations. It's interesting that you would say they are more believable when performed by a younger person. Also - do you have any thoughts on someone my age doing cold reading (specifically palms and tarot)? Is there a way to do readings without coming off as authoritative? Anand |
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Pop Haydn Inner circle Los Angeles 3691 Posts |
Maybe. I am not an expert in this field. My opinion would be there is always a way. Perhaps if you were acting as a neophyte, saying, "This is what that palm line is supposed to mean--what do you think?"
You may be able to do a lot more fishing taking the role of the student practitioner, and you would be able to constantly pump the client for agreement. "Does that make sense to you?" "Close? How?" |
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Anand Khalsa Loyal user Phoenix, AZ 201 Posts |
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On Feb 3, 2016, Pop Haydn wrote: Interesting thought - I think that angle could work very well. You might not be an expert in this area, but your advice on character has been very helpful! Thanks again, Anand |
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