|
|
Lars Andersen New user 16 Posts |
Hi,
I tired of being a "cover band mentalist" i.e. performing the effects more or less like they were described in the book or video. When buying a new effect, I find it hard to come up with a new presentation for it. A week ago I bought the four new effects on Psych-Artist (Colin McLoed) which are absolutely brilliant(!!) which on top of a thorough explanation are accompanied by real life footage even from diffent venues. They seem to have been perfected to a level where I find it hard to come up with something better/different. Some threads talk about starting with looking at what we want the spectator to see/experience, and then create the presentation and technical workings. But let's be honest, we all buy stuff from time to time based on the description, because we think it is something we would like to perform. But the creator encourage us to come up with our own presentation. So how to create our own (new) presentation around i.e. a gimmick or an effect we already have. Your thoughts/approach/process would be highly appreciated. Thanks. /Lars |
IAIN Eternal Order england 18807 Posts |
For me:
Think and then write up who I am, what I do, HOW I do it, and then consider the point of anything I do. Am I doing it as a demonstration, speak about something relatable, or to make a point? I also think about what I can't do and why I can't do it... As an example, think about a superhero, they have a set of rules they live by and they also have an origins story, and a weakness...
I've asked to be banned
|
Mark Timon Special user 594 Posts |
Not all the performers are creative , so keep being a cover band mentalist and in the journey you will find yourself. Not because you find a new creative way to present a routine, means the routine will be better. So being creative and original for the sake of being different can be counterproductive.
|
IAIN Eternal Order england 18807 Posts |
Creativity is something you can develop...it just takes time and patience to develop your creative muscles...
Everyone can be creatively minded. It's just that most give up too early and dismiss their own ideas too easily. The only way to have a good idea is to have lots and lots of terrible ones. Do it for the exercise and be at peace with it...it'll benefit other areas of your life too. Critical thinking, story telling, learning about how film plots are created, have fun learning about those things too... As someone who has nearly always been in a creative based industry, running nightclubs, playing in bands, designer, silk screen printer, writer, all kinds of things. None of it really comes naturally. You do it by learning, failing and carrying on... That's my perspective...
I've asked to be banned
|
Lars Andersen New user 16 Posts |
Quote:
On Apr 21, 2020, IAIN wrote: Thanks Ian. In most other aspect I find myself very creative but most based on a blank sheet (e.g. when composing music), but I feel more bloked when the creativity is "limited" to a specific effect or gimmick (already purchased) to find other ways of presenting. |
IAIN Eternal Order england 18807 Posts |
I used to love those old magic booklets, 101 things to do with *insert item*, they were the things I read first apart from some self working stuff...
And I feel it gave me a good baseline to work with. Here's a single thing, but you can do 101 things with it. That's inspiration for me... The concept of say billet work, with any technique learnt from 13 steps...it's simple at its core. But look at how much you can do with the base technique. Drawing, word, name, star sign whatever... Break it down into its components, understand the logic of it, be honest about what a normal person might do when handling the same thing. What does it look like? What seems reasonable and logical... Then it's about context, expectation, culture, all kinds of things... In what context does the item exist, why is it being used and how should it be handled... So many questions! 😁 If you're used to music, there's lots to transcribe over to this arena too I'd say. Drama, timing, emotional impact, quiet, loud, attention...
I've asked to be banned
|
The_Mediocre_Gatsby Regular user 169 Posts |
Hi Lars. PM me for some interesting resources.
|
WitchDocChris Inner circle York, PA 2614 Posts |
I have worked on the habit of separating method from presentation. What this does is give me a toolbox of ways to achieve whatever presentation I come up with. Then I start from the end and work backwards - Decide on an experience I want the audience to have, develop a presentation that suits that experience, then figure out a method.
Christopher
Witch Doctor Psycho Seance book: https://tinyurl.com/y873bbr4 Boffo eBook: https://tinyurl.com/387sxkcd |
Nestor D Special user France (Paris) 830 Posts |
One way to build that muscle is to take an effect and design presentations for various personna (maybe more extreme than your own) :
- how would a telepath do it (given his particular power) - how would an expert in body language do it - how would sherlock holmes do it - how would a psychometrist do it - how would an innate genious, in math and memory, do it - ... (I have a full I-am-a-medium-and-speak-with-your-dead-relative act that I will never perform but designed while doing this kind of exercise) |
weirdwizardx Veteran user 389 Posts |
I start with concepts and ideas that I like, like thought transference, simulation, how our beliefs create our reality, etc.
The above is the context I want to give my routine, I begin, when performing, introducing the idea, and then I propose an experiment (effect) that is coherent with the idea, if the original effect isn't then I try to alternate it until it is coherent with the point Im making. So create a context for your effect, the effect is like the evidence... My 2 cents... |
weirdwizardx Veteran user 389 Posts |
The context gives some plausibility to the demonstration Im giving, and it plays with Ideas that I love to dream about.
|
Lars Andersen New user 16 Posts |
Quote:
On Apr 21, 2020, IAIN wrote: Brilliant idea Ian!! |
Nev Blenk Regular user Northumberland UK 126 Posts |
Quote:
On Apr 21, 2020, Nestor D wrote: I love mentalism with cards and I use the persona of 'doing experiments that might fail but lets try it together' ..an 'Experimentalist' kind of. I don't feel comfortable presenting myself as a mind reader or telepath etc but that is just me. Over the years I have struggled to come up with plots and methods but I no longer worry about it. If I find an effect I like I will sit with a notepad and 'daydream' about performing it. It sounds simplistic but just losing yourself for a few minutes and imagining yourself in a familiar setting performing it then the patter and nuances will form and get scribbled down. Works for me Cheers Nev
Coin & Box - book available directly from me.
https://youtu.be/kAxQ6GRU-RI |
John C Eternal Order I THINK therefore I wrote 12945 Posts |
I think if you start as a cover band etc and keep at it your own personality will evolve and show thru the effect and eventually you will have changed the effect simply by the way you present it.
|
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Penny for your thoughts » » Creating new presentation for an effect (7 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |