That would be "5 Chinese Brothers".

And Jax, you *do* know Skeptic.

After my first magic convention was spent listening to everyone speaking Martian, I started carrying a small notebook. When I hear a term or move I'm not familiar with, I write it down along with a few words about the context in which it was used. When I get home, I look everything up and make some sense of it.
Amazingly enough, it's been over ten years now, and my post-convention notes don't seem to be getting much shorter. There's a lot to learn.

Acmp,
Thanks for being honest. I did have some good responses to my original post, but your answer is what I was looking for. Most people answered in their current state of mind. What about the first time you ever went to a shop,lecture,meeting... I bet everyone felt a little intimidated (and that's cool).

Thanks for thr honesty, all of you.

acmp,
If you ever need help or emcouragement feel free to email of PM me anytime.

Ryan

When I was a beginner in magic, I was intimidated at first, but all that changed. I may know only a few magic effects but I knew I was ahead of the magicians who showoff with the many things they learned because I knew I mastered those effects thoroughly. When I see them do sleights and perform, I laugh in my mind because they can't even execute it properly. They rush everything to hide their flaws.
Curtis Kam also stated in one of his posts that it's better to settle down with one effect for a long time rather than getting the latest effect because no matter what happens, you're still a step ahead.

One of my inspirations in magic is Daniel Sylvester a.k.a. "Sylvester the Jester". There was a line in his Sylvester Pitch video that he says "The most powerful magic in the world is the magic I create..".. This line had a very big impact on me. Every magician should think of this. No matter how simple effects or hard sleights you do, the rest still depends on you. You must believe in yourself. Wether you are a beginner or a novice magician, it doesn't matter as long as your crowd loves the illusions you create.

Magic is not all about the sleights and the moves. It's all about your own presentation and way to fool the eyes and the mind. So young magicians out there, don't get scared. Practice your stuff well and I'm sure your magic will always be top notch.

I agree with Peter and the others. My five year-old son is one of my toughest critics. I've heard, "That was pretty good Daddy, but I saw a coin in your other hand" more than once. He also really helps me concentrate on effects that have angle issues. I practiced Chance Wolf's Shattered for three weeks before showing it to him. He almost cried when the mirror shattered into pieces because he thought I couldn't do the trick again.

Scott

I don't think that I've ever felt really intimidated but defintely nervous. At the last IBM convention in Eastbourne I was waiting for my taxi and I join a group of magicians where everyone was doing card magic. I would normally be straigth in there but sitting next to Andy Nyman, Derren Brown, Eugene Burger and Guy Hollingsworth and other very capable magicians kind of put me off making a complete fool of myself.
At the 'International Magic Convention' in London I was so lost for words when Lennart Green spoke to me that I introduced myself then asked his name? Now you know why they call me Dizzy.
They are only two magicians who intimidate me, and unfortuunately they are quite well known over here, but nevermind, I only see them once and year and maybe they will get borde or at least grow-up

Dizzy

I was nervous when I first performed in front of fellow magicians. Always thking that no matter wat sleights I did they would be able to know and hence might get bored with me etc..too much in trying to impress them has a negative effect I guess.

but with time I realised that its not a bad idea to perform in front of them as they usually have encouraging words at the end of the performance despite me shaking like a jelly thru out the ordeal.

I also learnt to take their critics seriously. I mean when one steps up to you at the end of the performance and starts shaking your hand and telling you that there was a flash here and there, it does not necessarily mean he is trying to make you look bad (well, you do get those that see the flash and immediately start to discuss it amongst themselves during the performance but that's another story ). Anyway, such advise does let me know which angles to look out for in future performances.

Anyway, intimidated? NO. Nervous? YES but its all the learning process I guess

cheerios

Funny some say that performing for other magicians is difficult, or nerve wracking. In fact I find it to be much easier than performing for laymen, being that if you mess up it will not really matter that much, as the other magician is likely to be somewhat familiar with what you are doing. Also it is not like he is going to run off and tell everyone what he saw, or figured out. Now if you mess up in front of a layman, or room full of laymen, your career could be in jeopardy.

I have seen other magicians nervous while performing for other magicians, as well as myself, but honestly I do not have that problem thankfully. I seem to have more confidence yet while performing for a fellow magi, as I said because there is 'nothing to lose.'

I was not only intimidated, I was often belittled and downright insulted. I was an escape artist in the early 1970s, when most local club magicians seemed to value only card and coin sleights and 50 ways to use a crystal silk cylinder.

Steve

I'm still intimidated.

Yea it seems some magicians think they are simply better than everyone else, and feel the need to put others down to reaffirm their own falsified overconfidence in themselves. This actually proves just how much they really "don't know."

That is why I beleive every aspiring magician should not only learn the sleights and tricks but also do some research (history etc etc) intimidated? in a way or another, but it has always been a push for me just to practice even more and learn new stuff!

I found when I first joined Magic society as a youth I was so Intimidated-more in my own mind of fear as I had seen these guys on TV etc & thought whats my petty little 8 min act Ive practiced for them going to prove>

How wrong I was -As Peter mentioned earlier-They want you to succeed!
They were all clapping at the end-I was shaking!!! & the encouragement so helped me in the following months want to perform

Ive found recently -the bigger the name the more Professional they are in talking & helping you unlike other performing arts etc-Im still intimidated mainly by the fact there working Pros touring the world but once you start talking to them-Wow what an experience!!

Up until 2 yrs ago I had not heard of Jeff McBride-unreal!! I had break from Magic for a few yrs & now right back into it!!-I perform my own stage /Illusion shows over 100 a year!!-I was bought up on Coppefield & Lance Burton-Jeff does not tour here -MY Loss!!-now I own all his DVD"s etc & kick myself for missing out on a great performer-From his dvds etc you get the impression he would be a great guy to sit & have a chat & learn some great magic ideas etc

Intimidated- I think in my case its me being in Awe of some of these Guys!!

If someone can do a flash shuffle /Pass etc--doesnt bother me as If I don't use it in my show then its of no concern & I admire there skill!!

Cheers

I find I am not so much intimidated as occasionally confused and overloaded by the amount of information provided! I agree with the original post here though, often their are many names being posted who I have never heard of, and I rarely ask who they are in case of humiliation at them being so famous I shld know them or whatever...

It is really helpful however having the pm system, as I can just pm someone privately and ask, or even just look it up on the internet while I'm on.

Definitely the advanced tricks and effects can go way over my head, but I think to myself..."you'll get there if you persivere" and I intend to, so that's ok. However, it's a different story with sleights. I hear a sleight mentioned, and I immediately go and research how to perform it! They are so fantastically subtle, and really intriguing! I love it!

So yeah, speaking as a newby, which I am...i do 'gape in awe', at some posts, but I am never intimidated, just interested.

Ben aka. Toasty