Hi Everyone,

My name is Russ Stevens and I run rsvpmagic.com, a UK based video production company that specializes in producing DVDs for magicians.

We are currently working on a brand new project aimed at Children's Magicians and are currently in pre-production, with filming due to begin in a few weeks. I have some of the UKs leading kid's show magicians lined up and part of the DVD will feature a Q&A section regarding this popular area of magic. So, although we have plenty that we want to ask, are there any Magic Café members out there that can suggest any questions or subjects that you would like to see covered and answered?

Look forward to hearing from you and many thanks in advance.

Best,
Russ Stevens

I don't have any questions per se but I want to thank you for looking into releasing material for the children's entertainers out there. We make up the majority of performing magicians out there and yet there are hardly any DVD's released catering to this market.

Hi Futureal,

No problem. Any question anyone?

Best,
Russ

What is the difference between preforming in the UK and the states?

Hi CaptainKid,

Good question! Many thanks.

Best,
Russ

Russ...I just heard your name on a DVD five minutes ago!

I look forward to your project. Anothe one I really look forward to is David Kaye is making a DVD of his Seriously Silly book. Should be great.

Some of what I think needs to be addressed, and often beaten into the heads of those that think they entertain kids are:
1. Routining. Simply how to take a given effect and building it into something kids will enjoy.

2. Scripting. So many don't even realize they need one and would look like a gold fish out of water if asked to write one.

3. Character development. Very important, some have characters that either insult kids intelligence or they scare them without meaning to.

4. How to structure a show. Developing the open, middle, and end.

Most of us know that there is a different approach to child entertainment as magicians in the US than in the UK. I think the US guys could benefit from learning some of the games played during an engagement. Perhaps if you could alter the information so we could understand it. I'm afraid so many are 'out of the box' performers we will have magicians playing "Bangers and Kidney Pie" with the kids and just bombing.

Good luck, I've enjoyed your other projects that I've seen.

I hope to see this when it is released. It should be enlightening for magicians in the U.S.A.

I'd like to know if children are better behaved in the UK than here in the States.
I've had this impression but it may be because I have only watched English performers working to studio audiences on DVD and VHS, and the children are possibly coached beforehand.

Of course, you would have to have performers who have worked both sides of the pond to answer this question.

Please let us know when it is available.

Andy