Greetings fellow magicians! I was recently on the Internet and I found a couple tricks being revealed. One was Criss Angel's levitation and the other was Paul Harris's Cross Twist and some other explanation videos from Penguin Magic. I am pretty upset that these are being revealed over the Internet. They were not a written explanation but it was edited from the DVD into a clip. Not only is it not fair for the people that spend money on these effects but the people that post these are not being very loyal as a magician. I know I can't stop what people do, or post on the Internet, but with all the new effects that are being released I am a bit worried that people that will post an explanation on the Internet or just plain out reveal the trick from something simple as not practicing enough. For some people magic is just something that they do like a hobby but keep in mind for others this is a career. So please think before you post something on the Internet. Lets help bring a stop to this. Thank you

-Making the impossible is possible-
Christopher Oberle

Mpravo Cristofer. I wish everybody was like you

What makes you think it is gonna stop?

In the 1930s Cammel ciggaretts published some of Harry Blackstone Sr.'s trikcs on the back of the packs. Didn't bother him in the least. Still made his money still did his tricks.

I figure if we let it go it will stop. They want attention. If they don't get it they will bother someone else.

The magic is not really knowing the tricks. I have used a TT for decades. I actually had someone once say how he saw a guy use one, then I fooled him with one.

I wouldn't get in such a twist about it. Now for your bad magicians performing yea that is true and to me a bigger problem. But keep in mind we have to be bad if we ever want to be good.

Do yourself a favor. First worry about things you can actually do something about and second think of this.

IF Criss didn't want his methods out there for the public, then why does he sell them? Notice how not a lot of things Copperfield does land in public? Know why? Because he dosn't sell DVD's of methods on web pages to people. Get the point?

To me this degrades magic in the first place. It puts it possibly in the hands of too many people. It makes it seem as if anyone can do it, which to me is worse than anything.

I agree it is horrible when someone buys a DVD and posts it. But did anyone pay attention when music was being pirated? What exactly did Criss and Paul think would happen? I mean wake up. Is it right? NO. But come on it certianly is NOT a suprise at least to me.

Guys you are great! I agree with you 100%.

lay men knowing that they exist magic DVD's is the worst thing. even if they will never watch them just by knowing they existthey think everybody can do it. shame.

I had a fight with a fellow magician when a layman asked him how do you learn your magic? and he respond, go in the internet search for magic tricks and you will find DVD's.

by saying that you hummiliate the art making them think that everybody can do magic which is very wrong.

when they ask me how you learn magic for God sake I never mention DVD's or books. I may say I am a member of a magic society (magic circle, I.B.M etc) which is truth, or I am going to different seminars around the world (conventions) etc so you bring magic to a different level, and you make it look like a privilaged art, something that it deserves.

that's what all serious magicians should do

I second killermagic80's oppinion.
it is a pitty to let laymen know that magic is something everyone can do.
magic is supposed to be something mysterious , something supernatural ,something that very few can do.
I really hate what is happening to magic nowadays

-Matt

That's what I said Matt Malinas.

that's why I am 17 years into magic and I never said to any lay man that they exist magic books.

and if they ask me I say yes but that's just tricks for kids, not professional effects.

I HATE when someone may say to a lay man that magic is something anyone can do. I really hate it

If someone asks you where you learnt your magic, just say that a wise old chinese man taught you.

I don't entirely agree. I can not see why telling someone that anyone can do magic is doing magic as an art any harm. I also do not see how if someone wants to learn magic and your advice is to buy a book and study it is that doing magic any harm.
I also don't think laymen are actively searching for how effects are done so the posting of magic on the web is for a few cheapskate individuals who don't want to pay for it. They will also never be good enough to perform any of these effects professionally. That is why they say "easy come easy go".
Some universities are teaching magic to their drama and art students as a subject. You will be surprised how few people actually attend these lectures or learn anything.
Do I think the people that are teaching these courses are doing magic any harm. Absolutelt not. I think that sometimes magicians are the only people that get so caught up in the "it is a secret" and "magic is an art" that they have hours and hours of discussions over something that is not making our magic any better. You can put 50 videos on the web of a second deal and I will put money on it that 90% or more of the people who watched these videos will have no idea what happened if I or many other people do an effect with a second deal.

This is an excellent point Danny that will probably be glossed over by many, but deserves to be read and re-read. Tricks get out there because people who create/own them want to make money off them.
If magicians want to keep their secrets a secret, it takes what it's always taken......a simple will to do so.

To address a later post about folks being told that "anybody" can do magic, it might be wise to re-evaluate the concept that it's a bad idea to give people the idea that "anybody" can do magic.
If kids didn't think they could do magic, or if they were told that they didn't stand a chance, the feeder system of young amateur magicians to professional magicians would dry up and magic as an art form would suffer dramatically.

There are a great many fields of interest and art (clasical music played live by symphonies for example) where for years the snobs ruled the roost and didn't seek to expand their audience, and now as their long time fans are aging and passing away, there's no young people who are interested in classical music as an art form who will pay for a ticket to come and watch 50 people play classical music.

It's important to encourage young people to understand that magic is an art that they too can participate in, and that they will be weocomed with open arms upon demonstrating that they're serious about their pursuit.

Yes I agree. And to the magicians who feel they are being ripped off because their effects are being exposed and people aren't paying for them, to this I reply...too bad. You know how many times I feel I've been ripped off by lame effects that use misleading advertising as promotion. Many.

Hi abc.
I didn't know there are universities that have magic as a subject. can you list me an example please?

Neo

Ralpho2 let me just say to you ......BINGO!!!!!!!

You got it man. I could not possibly agree with you more. This is why I don't buy effects, never did. A few staples, slight of hand, and LOTS of practice.

I guess my other problem is when they sell the DVD's, WHAT DID THEY EXPECT TO HAPPEN?

Once you sell a "secret" well then just how "secret" is it anyhow?

The word simply defies the logic of it. Someone stop me before I rant.

What I hate is how Chris goes on national TV and tells people to go to his website to buy the DVD explaining his methods. I wonder why people like Banachek, Burton, and Thompson support him? How is what he does not considered exposure? I wonder what they have to say about this??

If you studied both magic and acting or did some stage work you will understand why lighting and props are such a big part of stage shows.
It is not a subject available for choice but it is taught to the students to round them of as entertainers. I have two friends who have done it and I have done it myself. To start of your list try checking out the drama courses of your local university and see what you come up with.

You know revealing yours or others tricks can be a big quandary but before you go off on a nut about it ask yourself "How many trips to my magical society or local library have I made? How many people are using the effects out of the same book and the author only cot compensated once?" I think if you are honest with yourself you'll be surprised.
Now if you want to be proactive and help protect other peoples rights then flood the file sharing networks with junk files and hit the internet with lots of junk sites.
Trust me the average lay will only download crap so many times before they give up.

side note
When somebody asks me about learning magic I say "Give me ten bucks and I'll teach you something you can do." then they learn the basic cups and balls and we all know that you can find it in any library or $1.00 Fantasma Magic "Cool Magic" kit.

By the way if you tell Copperfield how he did something he will (a) most likely figure out a different way of doing it or (b) stop all together.
Maybe we all should go the (a) route.
You will never see me do the basic cups and balls.

You are totally wrong about Copperfield. The exposures of his "Flying" didn't slow him down a bit.

He still does it the same way.

Then kindly understand why I will likely not be interested in showing you any of my work.

I did say "most likely" that is not in any way shape or form a 100% qualifier, thank you.



I would like to retract my statement about seeing me do the basic cups and balls because I had a gigantic idea.

At one time magic was learned only on a master-apprentice basis. What few books existed didn't give the "whole story."

There are many magicians on the Café who are far more versed in the history of magic than I am, and I could be wrong, but I believe the first effort to bring magic of the "greats" to the general magic community (a big distinction here, as opposed to the general public at large) was the "Stars of Magic." But here, again, choice details were left out.

With the advent of videos, magicians seem to be falling all over each other in a rush to reveal their secrets! And all with the "real work."

Lets face it. Making a living at magic is tough, tough, tough, which is why it seems some magicians have turned to other avenues of making money other than performing. One is producing videos. Another is exposing secrets to the public.

The fact that this stuff makes it to the Internet should surprise no one.

I think this over-commercialization of magic is about to reach the saturation point. It can't go on forever. I for one have enough DVDs, books, and tricks to last many, many lifetimes. My buying is definitely slowing down, and I plan to bring it practically to a halt by the end of the year. Enough already!