I have been wondering...

What is the exact defenition of comercial magic?

I have heard this expression many times and can only guess it is magic
that is sold in the open market. (i.e. DVDs,books,packet tricks).

I have even heard expression to the effect..."I know it so comercial.."
"This is comercial"...etc

What do they mean? Is bad to do "comercial magic".

Do pro magician's do comercial magic? Or do they take the comercial stuff
and just add the bits and peices to their own effects?

Just wondering...

I'm not an expert, but I would think commerical magic refers to marketed effects, as you put it, and non-commercial magic would be more like traditional sleight of hand. I don't think it's bad to do "commercial magic," I think doing any magic is great. But as with anything, you don't always want to be only doing what's in vogue -- otherwise your show would consist of 10 different levitations =)

Commercial by definition means for the sake of generating profit. Therefor I want to die when I hear someone say "it is too commercial" because it just means it makes too much money. The correct term would be it is too mainstream meaning it follows the line of what is or isn't popular.
So commercial would be for the sake of generating profit and therefor should refer to selling magic props or books or DVD's or effects or generating profit from copyright or plain performing as a a pro.

Commercial magic is when that special spray, cleans blood right off of pants. (Who's blood is it anyway)
Or those paper towels that clean up any spill in seconds. Maybe even some blood spatter.......
I saw one where a gecko talked.
There was the one where the driving instructor was "Thinkin' Arby's" and the kid wrecked pretty bad (THAT"S where the blood came from!).


I really have nothing of value to add.

There's a topic discussing this in "Secret Sessions".

At 50 posts you will be able to read it here:
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=37

Thanks for clearifying this....

So I'm leanning towards that something is mainstream?
Not nessesarily something marketed or sold for profit.

abc, you got it...but what does it mean when they say that?
"Its too comercial..."

Daoist and Josh, yous cracked me up....

Jaz, when I get to 50 I will definately take look...your always
a great help.

Jaz, thanks...that link is along the same lines as I am asking here.

But feel free to post any thing here for those of us who are not up to
the required posts as of yet.

I'll be reading and checking both...

Not sure about commercial magic.

A commercial magician is one who does a gig and is paid for it, and then is asked back by the same people to do another paying gig.

Jim

I think when you said an effect is commerical, you are referring to its ability to reset quickly, to get a huge reaction from the specs without fail and that it doesn't take up a lot of pocket space. When it's commerical, it's a sure fire to get you book for future shows as the effect has been field tested and approved!

I'm with evolve629 here. In the context where I have heard an effect referred to as "very commercial" it seems to mean "an effect that will make you good money and get you repeat bookings".

Michael

It should not be "too commercial" It should be "too mainstream" the words used are not completely correct. The coin bite is too commercial (or mainstream) which is why every gig that I have done in the past few weeks I have had spectators asking me to do that because I did it a while ago at a gig and got great reactions. The routine I do is a little different to what most do though. I do an entire routine with a "borrowed" coin before the bite and after the bite swallow the entire coin.

"Oh, would you like your coin back? It'll take a while..."

Hand them back change!
They lend you (i am in Taiwan so the currency is different) a 10 NT dollar coin and you give them back either another (theirs) or two 5 dollar coins.

Actually, the term "Commercial Magic" is used to denote magic that 'sells', that is effective, that "gets the shows". For instance, one of the best books of close-up magic ever released is J.C. Wagner's "Commercial Magic of J.C. Wagner". He could have phrased it thus, "The Killer Magic of J.C. Wagner" and meant the same thing.

There are 'commercial' magic tricks. Tricks that are sold by magic shops, etc. And, there is 'commercial magic', magic that 'strong' in commercial show situations.

Best,

It is funny how in different context that this word, "commercial", has been used.

In one case, you can say its an effect that is on the market.

In another case, you can say its an effect that is mainstream or that everyone
knows it or how it is done.

So many...so I am guessing it depends in what context you want to put it in
is how you want to take it? I wanna lean towards the two cases I mentioned
above because of the negative, kinda, context I have heard this word used in.

But the other points are good as well...

I agree completely with the last couple posts. It's unfortunate that "commercial" has become such a sales tactic to try to convince potential buyers that a prop will get them the show. Once again, buyer beware.

I just wanted to update and thank everyone for providing their input. It
was very helpful and hopefully helpful to others. I like to add one more thing
to this topic...

I was just reading Jim Sisti's Resturaunt book and he talks about "comercial"
magic. I think this is the best explanation. He doesn't give an exact
definition but you can get the meaning from the context.

Comercial magic is magic that appeals to laymen and less to magician.
Magic that the laymen see as magic...not nessesarily magicians.

To me it fits. A magician giving a lecture or on video will say to other
magicians that a piece of magic is "so comercial". Though not appealing to
magicians...the lecturer is saying, "ok, I know its not the greatest to you, but
its good for the public". I believe in magician circles we are constantly trying
to out due or impress the next magician with our magic, but the bottome line
is, "does it work for the laymen?". I think that we forget that as magicians we
have opened the box to place magic and thus our level of astonishments is easily
achieved as the layperson. This is the price we pay to be magicians.

So from my perspective a "comercial" piece of magic is given a negative
connotation because it is not appealing to magicians and may even turn magicians
away from a DVD or lecture.

In reality it is strong magic for the layperson and whats gets the working
magician paid.

Solrak29: That's very interesting. I never thought of 'commercial' magic in that way. Indeed I always thought and the term was used to denote magic that 'sold', but I don't mean in ANY merchandising sense. At least my circle of magic friends always used it to say, "This trick kills."

That said I can see how others could very much use it in the sense that you took Sisti to be talking about it! I think in some contexts that I may have used it in that sense also.

All best,

Commercial magic is ellusionist lol, it just makes "too much money" for not so good tricks sometimes... with over-rated testimonials etc... taht's my definition to "commercial magic", something you will spend much money on cause you have been convinced that it was a greaat thing

I think this means the same thing as the "This trick kills", but from a laymen's
perspective. Even better if an effect transends to magicians and laymen. I just
ran into this reading and found it interesting...but perhaps I misinterpreted the
reading or intention. I'm glad you and I see both sides here.