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knightmagic98 Regular user Frisco, TX 143 Posts |
However, I would think that any discussion of the business practices (load/unload, schedules, personnel) would be a violation as covered by trade secrets. I would think that to cover one's bases, it would behoove people to not discuss the day at all. What benefit can come out of discussing how one show has decided they are going to run their business? They have worked long and hard to develop a system that works for them. How is it anyone else's right to discuss the fruit of their labors?
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Frank Simpson Special user SW Montana 883 Posts |
Truth be told DCs load in/load out are among the least efficient I've ever observed, so I would feel perfectly free to discuss the monotony of truck loading and stage rigging. But never anything that is proprietary to their show.
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Blair Marshall Inner circle Montreal, Canada 3660 Posts |
"What benefit can come out of discussing how one show has decided they are going to run their business? They have worked long and hard to develop a system that works for them. How is it anyone else's right to discuss the fruit of their labors?"
One learns by modeling those that have gone before. When I get together with a pro illusionist, my interests are always more to the "business" side. Some are willing to share for a nominal cost ie. Ken and Roberta Griffen in their great book, or by publishing a higher end "course" to learn from ie. John Kaplan. If one is not willing to share basic knowledge amongst each other than how can we as performers (magicians/illusionists) compete with the more mainstream acts?? I also hear the Spencers have a great "day on the road" video/DVD/Youtube (???) My personal feeling is that discussing the business aspects (that are public, or in general knowledge) does no harm to anyone. B
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Ray Pierce Inner circle Los Angeles, CA 2607 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-08-03 18:24, Frank Simpson wrote: lol... you're absolutely right! Most legit tours and rock concerts are designed with the load in mind. Every step of the load in is organized as they do the exact same show every night. From the advance crew to the pre-hang on through the last piece of each puzzle, it is all designed to pack efficiently on each truck with no wasted space. Each cart, case and rack is all created to pack, stack and roll in and out with the fewest possible moves. Magic shows in general are VERY different. Illusions are created, then crated with no regard to how they would fit on a semi. Different venues have different specs so the show might change from night to night. It's always a job to shoehorn some effects into some venues so you're always adjusting the load. You might have to pull 3 huge pieces off the truck to get to the one you'll actually use that night. The cases are all random sizes as opposed to a traditional concert load which has each case standardized for the size of the truck it's on. Everything is all relative to the truck... not so in magic. Having toured for years not just with our own show but directing a lot for other headliners and seeing the tour design process from the inside, it's a far cry from what we as magicians end up with. I've had plenty of time backstage with David both as a friend and getting called in to fix props for him. He's got a great staff that works well for what he needs. It's not a crew that might be effective on a bus and truck tour of "A Chorus Line" or could even be effective on the road with a traditional concert act, but they know the needs of his show and make it work. That's what matters.
Ray Pierce
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knightmagic98 Regular user Frisco, TX 143 Posts |
"My personal feeling is that discussing the business aspects (that are public, or in general knowledge) does no harm to anyone. "
I agree that it can be beneficial in the development of one's own show. However, unless it is the artist himself telling you how he does it, or you have been given specific permission to share that information, perhaps it should not be shared. It also seems to me that if you have signed a NDA specifically stating that you will not share any proprietary information (which would seem to include how they have chosen to run their business) then, said information would not be public nor general knowledge. I am simply trying to think how I would feel if I were in Copperfield's shoes knowing that the aspects of how I run my business were being discussed and freely disseminated on a chat board by people who may or may not have interest in trying to be my competition someday. Just food for thought. |
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Chad Sanborn Inner circle my fingers hurt from typing, 2205 Posts |
Copperfields backstage area is run very efficiently. The trucks are loaded/unloaded in such a way that they can do a full stage show with almost no backstage area. Chris once told me that he could do a show even if he had only room for one illusion backstage. Kinda like the one ahead principle. You always have an extra space on the truck if one illusion is on stage. So you can set up the next illusion there and then swap them out behind the curtain between the effects.
Plus when they go on tour, they have the specs for each venue before they ever leave the warehouse. They can take illusions that will fit those venues with them. If an item will not work at a few places, an extra illusion will be substituted. Which is often the case when a smaller theater doesn't have the ability to fly larger illusions like 13. Another thing to remember is that no one person has only one job. Most do some sort of double duty. Onstage assistant plus some other duties such as lighting, or sound. The onstage (glamorous) part is really the smallest part of the show. |
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videokideo Special user 895 Posts |
When I saw him in 1995, he signed autographs after the show in the front lobby. He left the lobby, walked through the theater seating area back down to the stage. The theater doors had two large windows. Up on state were his illusions being taken apart and put into flight cases. I did not see anything spectacular past stagehands with tools and cases. As each was disassembled and placed in its cases, they were rolled out. Was expecting something more really, not sure what, but all seemed simple enough really. I believe this was the year with the shadowbox motorcycle appearance, dancing ties, motorcycle vanish and reappearance in audience, twister.
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