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gsidhe Inner circle Michigan 1726 Posts 
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I don't know if HP is really a cause of the magic resurgence, but I think it is another symptom of what is causing a resurgence.
I read a book along time ago about the psychology of horror and fantasy films. There always seems to be in incresed interest in horror and fantasy during or right after a war or major tragedy. The reasoning for this, is that in times of social turmoil people are looking for an escape that is as far from reality as they can get. Dramas and comedies just don't cut it. Fantasy films frequently take people out of this reality, and put them into one with problems that can be solved. Stage Magic can take the pressure off of folks in two ways. 1- It can immerse them into a fantasy world and allow them to leave their normal horrors behind. 2- There is a certain nostalga assosciated with a lot of magic. I think it is all a catharsis stemming from the current hostilities in the world. HP did not cause it, but parallels the magic resurgence. Just my thoughts, Gwyd |
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Doriangray New user 50 Posts
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Burger wrote an article about Horror and stage magic.
I don't remenber where... |
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The Curator V.I.P. Beware Vampire, I have 3819 Posts
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Quote:
On 2007-02-19 16:47, Ringo wrote: I started by card and close-up magic. Every magician I met in Belgium was absolutely allergic to the idea of magic: "the trick was the only thing". One day, I entered an "esoteric shop" and found 2 hoodoo dolls and thought it was far more funny to do Hoodoo as I do, than the classical card trick. Voodoo was born. Most of the people in the audience ask the same questions: Can you read cards ? I devised Zodiac. Another day I enter a coin shop and found small antique Egyptian scarabs. They weren't that expensive and I bought one. There was more magic in this small object than in all the routines I did at the time. As a big fan of horror/fantastic movies and books, I created my first Hauntique. Today I have a huuuuuuuge collection of rare and magical artifacts. I started as a close-up performer in a small restaurant. I had to entertain small groups of people during a long time*. For that reason, I couldn't stick to card and coin tricks; and I went in various directions: close-up, cardmagic, cheating stuff, storytelling, mentalism... and created the Blitz and the phantom technique along the way. When I started professional work for companies, it was almost only table hopping (and I hate table hopping). Little by little, I forced people to accept more parlour kind of magic and I introduced separate bizarre and storytelling material. And increase my prices... Today, I don't perform anymore table hopping. This is my promo: Quote:
„X Christian Chelman offers a range of shows and events firmly rooted in the world of magic and illusion. Renowned in Europe and the United States as a first-class, sleight-of-hand artist and a master of imaginative and fanciful conjuring, he stands at the very summit of his profession. Equally at home in intimate settings and full-scale exhibitions, Christian Chelman performs an amazing variety of shows covering a wide range of themes. *My longest performance for the same group is 7 hours non stop. I've done it twice in my career. |
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Ringo Loyal user 286 Posts
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Fascinating to read that there is room for magic instead of trickery... and that in Belgium.
You have my vote for one of the most inspiring posts I read in here... Thanks ! |
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The Curator V.I.P. Beware Vampire, I have 3819 Posts
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But remember this: Bizarre storytelling magic is extremely difficult to do... well!
And there are a lot of pathways to explore. |
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Ringo Loyal user 286 Posts
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I'm quiete aware of this, yes... but an intrigueing journey it is !
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The Curator V.I.P. Beware Vampire, I have 3819 Posts
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Other venues include Large scale event (years ago we did the IM-Files for Ingram Micro, I booked Max Maven, Mary Tomich and other magicians for the event and I performed Time Trap for the occasion), Renaissance fairs (in Belgium, medieval fairs), gothic parties, mystery tours, museums and more.
A lot of new venues, were table hopping doesn't fit at all. And I'm no more consider as an entertainer only, but also as an artist. I's very different. |
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Ringo Loyal user 286 Posts
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Suddenly I feel very small !
No, honest it's a goal worth going for... I'm aware of the medieval fairs, but I can't immediately think of mystery tours and gothic parties (well, I CAN imagine the latter, having attended many, but I suppose you don't mean THAT type of gothic party). Thanks for the ideas ! |
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The Curator V.I.P. Beware Vampire, I have 3819 Posts
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And Ghost Stories evenings, ...
Not to mention the most classical bithday, mariage, halloween, Saint Valentin and other parties. I created wonderful effects on the theme of St Valentin, nice openers for any medieval/renaissance event and more. The sky's the limit... and the talent too. Bizarre storytelling magic opens a lot of new venues, even for customers fed by low level table hoppers. |
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Doriangray New user 50 Posts
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Quote:
On 2007-02-20 02:44, The Curator wrote: Being a Magician of this kind ( mean being really a Magician if I dare!) keep all your mind: all you read, watch, meditate, pray...All what you do feed your work. It's to approach the Magic as Art and our life as an artiste life. An artiste read a poem, see a land scape and feel the need to paint something. Off course, he learn how to painting. But some time he want to cut his hand by hanger, because she don't give on the board what he feel, what he want to share. Work again say the heart...don't cut the hand. Being a good painter is his obsession. But not to be a champion, but to share with quality and deep. To make travel the soul. Not just excite them. That the difference between stunt and Magic! Almost time people approach Magic as stunt performance. But stunt is not Magic at all ( As Burger said in a Genii article 'Performing Stunt & Performing Magic'). To be a Magician, clever is not in of! Read all, interesting in all, living all and finally work to share our vision with generosity and quality. Too difficult? Lot of skills required? Lot of work? Well, that's true. But when you know that no other way, you keep going the path, being high respectful of our audience. As The Curator said, when you keep one hour to other you MUST offer something of exceptional quality. I share this point of view. wasting the time of the audience is a sin. That why I am still in my workshop and not yet sharing with the audience. |
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M@gic Man Regular user Australia 121 Posts
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On the harry Potter theme, I was in a restaraunt the other night and my friend and myself performed a few effect for one of the waitress's and she immediatley reffered to my friend as being a 'Harry Potter'. It kinda made us feel all of a sudden quite stupid, as she was comparing us to a boy wizard. Made me doubt how much magic is actually aprecciated by some people these days. Gone are the days when I was younger and people would compare me to David Copperfield, or such, but now as others have mentioned already on this topic, Harry Potter seems to have become the most publicly recognised/popular magical figure.
End rant.
Its not what you do, but how you do it.
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Ringo Loyal user 286 Posts
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Quote:
Bizarre storytelling magic opens a lot of new venues, even for customers fed by low level table hoppers. I was once talking with an agent who said there was no demand for magicians, mainly because of the table hopping, assistant sawing, bunny abusing image they have. So I do believe that there is a market for magic in the literal sense of the word (you've given plenty of examples), but perhaps it's also so that the word must get out first. Most people I know have never considered hiring an artist like this because they have never heard of the artform. I honestly and deeply believe that bizarre magick (& storytelling magic) should claim its rightful place, not as mainstream entertainment, but as a performing art. Unfortunaly, I think in the "universal mind" (outside our little magic world) it just doesn't exist yet. There are exceptions, of course, the curator being a big one, bur for a large part... well, it's a tabula rasa... which has its advantages too (this area hasn't been spoiled yet). Like I said before, I think that real magic is to be found within these (perhaps)shady areas... and it's time to come out of the (broom)closet. |
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The Curator V.I.P. Beware Vampire, I have 3819 Posts
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The agent is just stupid, a good agent can sell a good product/artist.
It's his job to promote you and how unique and different you are. I have the same agent for years and he does his job well. AMHO, bizarre magic is not another branch of illusionnism, but another and wider way to approach the subject of illusionnism. Another simple advice: Quit any belgian magic club you're member of, don't mix with losers*. Do what you really want to do, not what other tell you. Especially if they are no professionals and don't make a living performing for real. *Those considering the red snapper to be the best trick in the world (no kidding). |
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Mystician Inner circle Wallachia 3485 Posts
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Quote:
On 2007-02-20 07:05, M@gic Man wrote: Pardon me, but personally I think you are looking at it entirely backwards, from a bizarrist' point of view. You'd rather be compared to a known trickster than a "real"(albeit fictional) wizard ? I'd rather be compared to someone fictional who had real magic powers, myself. I'll bet most of us here would. The last thing I'd want to be compared to is a stereotypical stage illusionist, no matter how famous. Why are we into magic, anyway ? For fame and fortune and glory ? Put it this way: would you rather be remembered for being magical, or clever? I see a distinct difference, though the two can certainly overlap. I'll probably step on someones' toes here, but to me, Stage Illusionists just are not "magical", they're clever. No one in their right mind, no matter how powerful the suspension of disbelief, ever believes for a nanosecond that someone has just been sawed in half alive, for example; they applaud the imagery, the trickery, and the cleverness of the illusion. That's it. It's a very different level. There, the "mystery" lies not in the contemplation of the unexplored secrets of nature and the possibilities of forces yet undiscovered or uncategorized, but solely in, "How'd he do that ? That was amazing looking.." If that is what you're into, fine, but it sure isn't what I'd call bizarre magic. I'd take it as a complement to be called a Harry Potter. At least he was a "real" wizard, in a magilogical sense.
Just hanging out with the rest of my fellow dregs.
http:// www . phrets . com Visit http://www.bizarremagic.net |
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Ringo Loyal user 286 Posts
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Curator, point taken...
Mystician, I must agree, it's better to be a wizard than to be a trickster. The first offers an experience of magic, the latter the experience of being fooled (hopefully in an entertaining way) Whether the waitress's remark about HP was a compliment or not depends on the context, though. Only m@gicman can now this for sure. |
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the AuditOrr Regular user 175 Posts
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Quote:
On 2007-02-16 23:07, ibm_usa wrote: Anyone actually use one of those wands that they sell from the movie? I believe an example can be found on http://www.noblecollection.com
I want to go far...
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Jaz Inner circle NJ, U.S. 6112 Posts
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Harry Potter is fantasy and has very little, if anything, to do with inspiring people to perform magic. My 12 yr. old grand daughter has the books, posters and other Potter products but has no desire to perform magic.
In my opinion it's Blaine who initially inspired folks to learn magic by bringing close up and impromptu type magic into living rooms. |
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Mystician Inner circle Wallachia 3485 Posts
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[quote]On 2007-02-20 15:52, Fraser Orr-Brown wrote:
Quote:
Anyone actually use one of those wands that they sell from the movie? I believe an example can be found on http://www.noblecollection.com Yep, guilty, sort of .. hehe.. I got mine from Alivans.com though. They come in the box and have a drawstring bag and everything. I got one for my son through the "Wandmakers Guide" book, available at any Borders or Barnes & Noble. Originally, I got him the el-cheapo official Harry Potter wand, it's plastic, cost about $5. I got the "wrong" wood however, since I got my Alivans wand through a retailer and not direct; they had a limited selection. For my birthday (June 26) my Celtic wood type is Oak - but instead I got a Cherry and Maple wand. I grew up climbing Maple trees though, (5 of 'em in the yard where I grew up) so that's kinda apropos I guess. Oaks were considerably more challenging, though I scaled a few of those too (rarely).
Just hanging out with the rest of my fellow dregs.
http:// www . phrets . com Visit http://www.bizarremagic.net |
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Bill Ligon Inner circle A sure sign of a misspent youth: 6437 Posts
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Quote:
On 2007-02-20 15:56, Jaz wrote: Perhaps Harry otter doesn't inspire some to perform magic, but inspires many to appreciate magick. It is up to us to give people something more than mere cleverness or trickery. I agree with Mystician that stage illusions are not "magick," but perhaps they do have their place. I would much prefer to be compared to Harry Potter than to Copperfield. I want spectators to BELIEVE, even if only for a short time. I want them to experience something larger than themselves, something other than the mundane. I want them to think "Geez, maybe what I am seeing is real!" -- which in some sense it is. Bill
Author of THE HOLY ART: Bizarre Magick From Naljorpa's Cave. NOW IN HARDCOVER! VIEW: <BR>www.lulu.com/content/1399405 ORDER: http://stores.lulu.com/naljorpa
<BR>A TASSEL ON THE LUNATIC FRINGE |
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Mystician Inner circle Wallachia 3485 Posts
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Quote:
On 2007-02-20 19:58, Bill Ligon wrote: Nicely put Bill. I know one thing: it sure has inspired writers of childrens' books ! Over 50% of the books now in the "read by myself" to "young teens" sections of Borders and Barnes & Noble are fantasy based, with heavy emphasis on wizards, witches, and magick. The ultra-conservative christian anti-Harry Potter types must be having fits.
Just hanging out with the rest of my fellow dregs.
http:// www . phrets . com Visit http://www.bizarremagic.net |
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| The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » The spooky, the mysterious...the bizarre! » » Is Harry Potter to blame for the rising interest in magic? Whats everyone's opinion? (0 Likes) | ||||||||||
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Posted: Feb 19, 2007 03:48 pm 
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