|
|
Go to page 1~2~3 [Next] | ||||||||||
kroberge New user Old Town, Maine 75 Posts |
So over the weekend my wife and I were at Borders doing some holiday shopping and there, out in the open, was a little magic kit for kids. It was in a transparent plastic bag and in that bag, for all to see, was a TT with a silk stuffed in it. My wife looked at it and asked "Do magicians use these?" I dodged by saying "I don't know, never heard of it" of course as luck would have it my TT arrived in the mail a few days later. So I waited a couple days and after amazing my daughters with vanishing silks I did the same to my wife. She liked it and thought it was great and then promptly asked "are you using a TT?" arghhhh!
My point is, doesn't this suck!? Couldn't these kits at least be in a box with pictures of bunnies and magic wands on the cover. The kit I saw was advertising to the world that there is a thing called a TT and you can stuff silk in it. Is this necessary, what kid goes to Borders shopping around for such a thing. I don't have much of a point, but its frustrating to have something like that out in public view. I keep my stuff hidden and I don't even open my packages in front of family in order to preserve the mystery. Just wanted to vent, thanks, Kevin |
|||||||||
mrunge Inner circle Charleston, SC 3716 Posts |
Hmmm...so much for the exposure debate!
Everybody from Penn and Teller and the Masked Magician on cable television to bookstores all expose everything magical. What's next? Are they going to tell us something about Santa Clause? I agree. Seems that they could have packaged it differently so as to NOT expose some of our workings. Now, it appears, we have the opportunity to come up with new ways to use these items like vanishing salt instead of a silk in a TT. I guess we'll work it out, again! Mark. |
|||||||||
sjdavison Inner circle Surrey, UK 1379 Posts |
Quite, but TT are unfortunately fairly well known in the non-magic fraternity. Luckily, not too many people take note of these, it is mainly magicians who notice and remember.
All I can say is, the only way to beat exposure is to think around the topic, and come up with uses for these gimmicks, so that noone will suspect using one even if they vaguely know what a TT is. Simon |
|||||||||
BrianMillerMagic Inner circle CT 2050 Posts |
I agree that we need to find new uses for TTs. I almost never use a TT for a complete vanish of an object; it looks too impossible/clean to me, and seems as though if anyone has ever seen such a magic kit that would immediately send off alarms in their head. I prefer to use the TT in more subtle ways, to aid effects rather than make them.
|
|||||||||
Foucault Elite user New Jersey, USA 424 Posts |
It's true that the straight silk vanish via TT has been overexposed. It's still a good fundamental technique to have under your belt however. Have you got access to some other tricks with the TT? Everyone exposes the silk vanish, but there's a multitude of other effects (especially when it comes to switches, and so on) that you can do which haven't been exposed. Gary Darwin's books are very good, as is his 3 volume DVD set "Encyclopedia of Thumb Tip Magic."
Also, I found some great TT technique on Losander's DVD "Magic Anytime...Anywhere" - you never see the TT on his T, because it's seldom there! He learned this technique from his mentor Salvano, who apparently also has DVDs out demonstrating this technique. |
|||||||||
montemagic Elite user San Diego, CA 471 Posts |
The average lay person will look at a TT and think it is a child’s toy. These same people can be easily baffled by it in a well rehearsed performance. Ask anyone who works in a magic shop.
Aim To Amaze
|
|||||||||
airship Inner circle In my day, I have driven 1594 Posts |
I always argue that exposure doesn't necessarily kill an effect. If anything, it might change the way a spectator views a performance:
"Wow! I think he used a TT for that trick, but I never saw it! And his moves and presentation were just incredible!" Of course, there are always those little *** know-it-alls who just can't wait to 'bust' a magician. But even if they don't know exactly how a trick is done, they'll try to ruin it with a guess, anyway.
'The central secret of conjuring is a manipulation of interest.' - Henry Hay
|
|||||||||
Stanyon Inner circle Landrum, S.C. by way of Chicago 3433 Posts |
It's not what you have, but how you use it!
JMHO Cheers!
Stanyon
aka Steve Taylor "Every move a move!" "If you've enjoyed my performance half as much as I've enjoyed performing for you, then you've enjoyed it twice as much as me!" |
|||||||||
Andy the cardician Inner circle A street named after my dad 3362 Posts |
Key is to perform the trick - in fact any trick - in such a way that there is no connection made between the effect and the cause.
For instance, if you show your empty hands right before starting a trick, nobody will assume that you have a gimmick. Andy
Cards never lie
|
|||||||||
Andy the cardician Inner circle A street named after my dad 3362 Posts |
Kroberge,
Just to add to this . . . most laypeople are not really into magic. They do not browse around at the magic section in a toy shop. Leave along buying books or DVDs - it is a world outside theirs. You did notice the TT simply because you have a great interest in it. 1 year ago the you might have just passed the TT without a blink. Andy
Cards never lie
|
|||||||||
Darkfrog Regular user 137 Posts |
I have to chime in and just mention Alexander DeCova's TT video has some excellent suggestions on its use as a utility device rather than just to vanish and re-appear objects. This is an inexpensive video that ANYONE that owns a TT should own.
I also liked the Darwin TT video put out by Penguin. Although I have seen most of this material, 99% of the lay audience won't have a clue you could be using one. Kroberge, if you really want to fool your wife with the silk vanish an not let her catch on to the TT use, learn the Vernon kick move. Tucking a silk into your hand with your thumb is a dead giveaway. |
|||||||||
ToasterofDoom Special user 671 Posts |
Even changing the silk into a cigarette is apt to throw off most audience members. If it's not exactly the same, most people can't recognize the workings.
|
|||||||||
GWSchott Veteran user Southeastern Michigan 361 Posts |
Even though almost everyone has at least heard of a TT, few people seem to suspect them, especially on 'real' magicians. I mean, they're so totally corny looking, who would ever think that someone other than a kid would try to use one? And therein lies our shield.
Yours In Magic,
Gordon |
|||||||||
DStachowiak Inner circle Baltimore, MD 2158 Posts |
Laymen who have seen the TT exposed as a way to vanish a silk tend to think that's all it can be used for. Do a salt vanish, produce some dimes from a dollar bill, or do almost anything else, and they are totally without a clue.
Everyone here is getting sick of seeing me recommend this, but Milbourne Christopher's "50 Tricks with a T**** T**" costs $2-$3 (less than a Vernet TT) and gives you enough ideas to keep fooling the Borders Magic Kit crowd for a long, long time.
Woke up.
Fell out of bed. Dragged a comb across m' head. |
|||||||||
ryesteve Regular user 196 Posts |
Quote:
I mean, they're so totally corny looking, who would ever think that someone other than a kid would try to use one? A kid, or a total goofball, as in the scene in "Night at the Museum". I viewed that not as "exposure", but as if they were saying, "Only a moron would think he could get away with something like that" |
|||||||||
Josh the Superfluous Inner circle The man of 1881 Posts |
Cups and Balls has probably had more exposure (since ancient Egyptian times) than any effect known to man. Do you suppose anyone could be fooled with that old thing?
What do you want in a site? "Honesty, integrity and decency." -Mike Doogan
"I hate it, I hate my ironic lovechild. I didn't even have anything to do with it" Josh #2 |
|||||||||
optimystik New user 84 Posts |
It'like "mirrors" or "up your Sleeve" people think of these methods as old and cliche and do not expect them to be used today.
IF you use the TT or any gimmick that is "known" to lay people all you need to do is use it in a different way or acknowledge the fact that you know that "amateures" use such things but you would never... And then go right ahead and USE IT. One of the funniest things (to myself)when after a stage show a fellow at the bar started telling me how he loved magic and had many tricks ...he remembered this GREAT trick "bic" pen he used to have where you put the pen thru a dollar. I told him that you don't really need that "trick pen"... after you become more experienced you will be able to create the same illusion with a real pen. "Here let me show you...with a real pen". I just happen to have the gimmick (not bic)in my pocket. I performed for him the SAME trick that he knew the secret to and had owned at one time...except I did it with a "Real" pen. He was flabbergasted, completely, as were his friends who were standing around and when he could not explain...he had the look of wonder in is eyes like when you are a kid and he said he was going to get back into magic so he could learn these new secrets. This was one of those incidents that reinforced, for me, where the REAL secret of magic can be found. Stephen |
|||||||||
Josh the Superfluous Inner circle The man of 1881 Posts |
Stephen, I've been there too. "Yes, that's how beginners do it, but watch this." The effect is much stronger because your words cancel out the known method.
One magic kit standard, that I've never understood, is the pull. How often is a kid going to be in a situation to use one? And how likely is it that they are going to put on a suit coat to practice it? Plastic Okito and German boxes are fairly common too. I've never been busted with my JP boxes.
What do you want in a site? "Honesty, integrity and decency." -Mike Doogan
"I hate it, I hate my ironic lovechild. I didn't even have anything to do with it" Josh #2 |
|||||||||
djrdjr Loyal user Austin, TX 226 Posts |
When I was in 7th grade, a kid I rode the bus with fooled me BADLY with a makeshift pull. It drove me crazy for WEEKS. He didn't need a suitcoat, just long sleeves IIRC.
|
|||||||||
ViciousCycle Loyal user 210 Posts |
When I was a child, I had a TT that came in a magic kit. The thing looked so obviously fake that I dismissed it as something that would not be useful to me. And I suspect that many others are too quick to jump to conclusions about the TT as well. As Nathanial Schiffman said in his book Abracadabra, "And that's quite a big secret -- knowing that non-magicians will overlook the things that don't seem so thrilling, and thus magicians can fool them with those things. The non-magician will never learn how the tricks are really done because when they see the real secrets that are used, they aren't impressed by them."
|
|||||||||
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » New to magic? » » Magic kits in stores...arghh (1 Likes) | ||||||||||
Go to page 1~2~3 [Next] |
[ 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 < |