Hmm, you are contradicting your own arguments around nobody caring.

You know saying you are award winning feels to me more like a bit of a subliminal advertising in that it sets an expectation of quality in the back of the customers mind that you then need to live up to.

The only person who is going to suffer if they can't deliver on this promise is the magician themselves so I think that its a personal choice.

Everything in Matts video says he can deliver so if I was him I'd definitely be using my award winning status...as long as it wasn't a 50 metres swimming certificate Matt !!!

I am not contradicting anything. Making a false promise really is not a good idea.

I am not saying he did.

I am saying that if EVERYONE is an "award winning magician" then it diminishes the impact of said words.

Show me please the contradiction. I am curious.

Oh I also said every second matters. IT DOES. Where am I contradicting anything?

Apologies Danny it wasn't you who said people wouldn't care about whether you said you were best or award winning - my bad.

I still come back to saying that, if somebody is award winning and thinks they can deliver a performance to back up that statement then there's no reason why they shouldn't shout it from the roof tops.

If there are too many of these people about as you suggest then it suggests more that the awards themselves may be ten a penny- I don''t honestly know the situation re awards and how easy they are to get - but this shouldn't stop the pround winners from saying they've got one.

Too many people sell the sizzle not the steak. It is conventional wisdom.

Great, but when it gets to when the meal shows up at the table, it better be a darn good steak.

Great Video!

Let me start by, out of all the acts I book in a year I estimate 20 to 25 of the performers are magicians. So I am one that looks at a promo tape. I do a three step process on most performers 1. promo tape 2. phone call interview 3. check out references. I can not tell you how many times I been burnt on a a well known magician/comedian referring one of his friends....
So getting to my point, Matt excellent demo. You have me hooked, I want to know more about you. That's what a promo does, and you accomplished that Matt.
And Yes you should ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS list your achievements in your line of work. It's idiotic if you don't. If I have two resumes in front of me and they both been in the business the same amount of time but one applicant list all of his achievements and what he accomplished, who are you going to favor.

Justin wrote
" When I go to a gig and have to be introduced by the emcee, they ask me what to say. I tell them to just introduce me as "Here's Justin Style, a Nobody from New Jersey."

Because...that's the way, uh huh, uh huh I like it."

Well this isn't a mock to you BUT this is why I will hire ROCCO before you. And all I know is you might be a better magician.
When I always introduce Rocco he tells me word by word what he wants me to say. The last time I introduced him he wanted me to say he was on celebradabra, he performed for a queen, how many countries he's been to and going to and Most important his AWARDS.

Over the past year I booked some great names in magic :
Michael Finney, Jeff Hobson, Daryl, Gregory Wilson etc...and they all gave me great promo packs and in there was all there accomplishments, award winning, performed at the white house, etc...
Every one of these guys tell you in there lecture it's a must.

Jeff Hobson has the BEST promo pack I ever seen for a magician, heck of any performer/artist. He sells a dvd just on the business side of magic. This is a must buy. He talks you through everything, he gives you his lessons learned, contracts, rider,...
His promo vid says it all, oh yeah HE PUTS A WHOLE DECK IN HIS MOUTH too.

SO Matt, Great job on your 2009 showreel.


Todd

Wow some of those names you dropped almost hit my toes.

You throw around about every name you can think of, yet we know nothing about you.

Why is that?

I don't think I ever said don't "list on your resume" awards, just that in the video it wasn't a good idea.

So what about the video "captured you"? What was it exactly?

A resume' is a pretty good place to list stuff like that I will agree. But have to tell you, awards and two bucks as Christopher said gets you little. Then you want to know more about him. So you find out the awards are not FISM or whatever an allegedly BIG magic award is, some local ring thingie. Still impressed or are you disapointed?

My main point was, and is, that the more guys who are "award winning magicians" the less impact those words actually have.

You are also in a strange class aparantly. An "agent" I guess, who actually likes magic acts. Otherwise why would you post here? So take this into account as to your opinion.

Danny do you know me? NO
Should you know me? NO
Does Michael Finney, Gregory Wilson, David Regal, Joshua Jay, Jeff Hobson, Daryl, etc... Know me? YES
Why? Because I booked them directly for Trade shows, parties, conventions, fundraisers, lectures, etc...
How comes I never booked you???

Now I'm not hear to argue with you at all.
But this topic goes along the same lines as stop trying to fool the magician it's the laypeople that count. Almost like Hobson hates the eggbag but why does he do it? The laypeople love it.
When an entertainer shows his promo pack it is a resume. It's saying please hire me. The average corporate client or owner of a restaurant isn't going to know the difference between a fism award to a "I'm the President of the IBM ring 1234"
Wow the president???? You must be good there thinking. I see this all the time. Luckily in I just happen to know magic which helps me a lot. But I hire jugglers, clowns, comedians, dancers, singers, you name it...

Now you ask me what caught my eye.
First and most important, He looked very professional.
How? His clothes, well groomed, his mannerism ...
2. The video was well edited.
How? The reactions from the patrons, there testimonials, the statement from the Who's got talent Judge, And most important it showed he was in a working environment at a restaurant, which says he's already experienced. And he's an award winner in magic.
3. The tricks he shows on his vid are great. It leaves the layperson watching his video " how did he do that?, I have to hire him. Especially the card in mouth. " Why was that card in his mouth??? How can that deck of cards turn into a piece of glass????

Again if there is any magician out there that needs help in this field of getting booked talk to or buy Jeff Hobson's business DVD. It's awesome.


Todd

Right we don´t know you, so your opinion is not holding as much water as someone who does more than just throw about OTHER people´s names.

I wanted to know who you were, what agency you are or some such information. Anyone can claim to book these guys we are on the internet after all.

You come on all harsh in just a few posts and expect everyone to take what you say as gospel. You are entitled to an opinion, and great. Hey if you book high dollar acts then so much the better, but many many come here and claim the same thing. Often it is not the case.

I have no idea, you may indeed be the real deal. Who knows? I am not saying you are not. But why not let us know a bit about who you are? You have to admit it would add a bit of credability to what it is you are saying.

I am not trying to argue with you either, but I am sure you see what I am saying right? I am not calling you anything, just trying to learn a little bit about you. For all we know you can be some 15 year old who knows how to spell really well and construct adult sentences.

I hope this does not come off harsh, I am just trying to learn who you are.

Thanks for all you comments guys
its great to hear feedback from magicians, the laymen who have all seen it really love it too
cheers!
matt

If any client wants to know more about my awards, I offer to show them, since I carry them with me at all times!
This task is made easy by the fact that I have no awards.