|
|
Go to page [Previous] 1~2~3 [Next] | ||||||||||
Greg Arce Inner circle 6732 Posts |
SWN, I can see where it was all confusing... especially the performance. When you do a TV spot it's best to do your A-material and something that you've done so many times that you could do it in your sleep. Also, it's a good idea to go in early, look over the set up and where the cameras will be and talk to the director as to how they are planning to shoot the whole thing.
If they'll allow you then at least run through it without the audience there and get a feel for where everyone will be and how you will move. And last, even on TV, sometimes less is more. Try to remember when Blaine first did a spot on Conan. He just did a couple of card tricks. It blew Conan away. Sure it was stuff we all knew, but it played well and it worked on camera. Greg
One of my favorite quotes: "A critic is a legless man who teaches running."
|
|||||||||
DT3 Inner circle Hill Valley 1920 Posts |
I liked what Jimmy said at the end of the "set."
"Unseen will be performing at the Gotham Comedy Club. That's a good comedy club." |
|||||||||
Magical Dimensions Inner circle 5001 Posts |
It was like watching two magicians trying to do mental magic and calling it mentalism.
I really can’t think for the life of me how the heck flash paper got into their act. I was waiting to see a metal cane appear with a dove perch on it. In all honesty I think that this act might have played better as a spoof on mentalism since (to me) it had that feel. I have to give them props for getting the gig. Ray |
|||||||||
bryanlonden Special user Maryland 583 Posts |
Haha wow. So how did they manage to get this gig? Really?
|
|||||||||
Jay Are Inner circle 4186 Posts |
Give props to the agent and how badly he misrepresented the dynamic duo and their penguin tricks to fallons people...
shameful. J
xxx
|
|||||||||
Alvo Regular user 102 Posts |
You guys are *****. Oz posted this himself, yet no one seems to acknowledge that he's here. Brotherhood? Hardly.
|
|||||||||
Jay Are Inner circle 4186 Posts |
Brothers can't be honest?
xxx
|
|||||||||
Brandon Queen Special user Los Angeles, California 527 Posts |
Being honest?? "This appearance might be a career killer." " Awful...terrible. how did these guys get this gig?" "The Unseen. I should hope so." How are such comments being honest? They are just attacks and insults which have absolutely no constructive thought to them. Seems like majority of the comments here are about how the methods weren't fooling enough. What do you guys expect? You're mystery performers! I believe Oz personally posted this not to entertain his fellow performers, but to get a bit of support. Being on a show like that is a big deal. How many of you have had that opportunity?
It occured to me at once that love could be a great illusion, that makes fools of brilliant thinkers everyday
|
|||||||||
Laurent A New user 61 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-04-15 00:26, Bill Hallahan wrote: For now, Hulu is a U.S. service only. ;-( |
|||||||||
Laurent A New user 61 Posts |
||||||||||
Illucifer Inner circle 1403 Posts |
Alvo (I've made no comments regarding this appearance one way or the other),
Oz Pearlman outright stole from my friend David Harkey. He stole an effect from him and marketed it under a different name. When called on it, he promised a percentage to Dave, but, of course, never followed through. Is that what you would describe as brotherhood?
It's all in the reflexes.
|
|||||||||
Mentalist Sam Regular user 173 Posts |
Alvo,
Why don't you ask Richard Osterlind about how he feels about what Oz did with his Perfected Center Tear? If Oz isn't feeling any love from the "brotherhood", perhaps it's because he hasn't earned it. |
|||||||||
SWNerndase Regular user 168 Posts |
Alvo--
I did not realize Mr. Pearlman had started the thread. I wanted to comment on what I had seen on TV and found this thread about their appearance. Perhaps it would have been kinder to start a new thread for my critical remarks? I don't know if there is an etiquette about such things. However, I want to say something here about this idea of "brotherhood." It is a wonderful thing that magic brings us together, crosses boundaries and allows us to relate about something we are interested in and enjoy. It ceases to be useful or positive when it means that someone's feelings must be protected at all costs, and we cannot say negative or critical things to or about one another. At that point the "brotherhood" of magic is actually harmful to magicians and the art itself. How many times have you been to the local club meeting or a convention and seen someone butcher an effect--stumbling through it with bad sleight of hand, no presentation at all, a prop they handle clumsily, etc.--only to have the rest of the gang congratulate, or at least coddle him? This is not helpful to anyone involved. In fact I believe it is harmful to the person being coddled, but at least his feelings were preserved and we're all enjoying being part of the brotherhood. I am very happy to report that I had good teachers. They did not care so much about my feelings, only the hard reality of my abilities, my understanding, and most of all my performance. They were honest about where I was artistically, what they saw in my performance, and what I needed to do to improve--whether or not it might hurt my feelings. I got my feelings hurt a lot. My ego was bruised and battered often, but I knew when what I was doing was sub-standard, and where I needed work. It's really important to understand that I believe this is TRUE kindness, and protecting someone's ego by not voicing an opinion when a performance was weak is hurtful, and in fact contemptuous. The Unseen were not very good on the Fallon show. Their performance was full of bad choices methodologically, structurally and dramatically. It is my considered opinion that they are not ready to appear on national TV. If the "brotherhood" of magic means we cannot give our opinion on that, I want no part of it. Now, if the next time I see them they have a clear premise, character/relationship I can understand and care about, effects that are not confusing, but genuinely mysterious and logical, I will be the FIRST one here to sing their praises. (And please don't misinterpret what I just said as meaning "I need to be fooled" as some here have suggested. The problems with the effects I'm discussing have nothing to do with fooling me or other mystery performers.) Before I go, Alvo, let me ask you directly--did you see their clip from Fallon? If so, do you think that is the kind of representation "the brotherhood" should be applauding and supportive of on a national TV spot? Or do you think those of us being critical of it have valid points? SWN |
|||||||||
Magical Dimensions Inner circle 5001 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-04-17 03:05, Brandon Queen wrote: You are right and to be fair I was looking at this act as it was billed…..mentalism. But it wasn’t a mentalism act because it had a pickpocket bit (watch) and a magic prop (flash paper). I didn’t watch past the pizza box trick because I didn’t see any mentalism. I just saw magicians playing around. Now what I considered mentalism to be is apparently different than what these two men think it should look like. If I removed the word mentalism and just put the word act in its place, then yes it was a fun act. With one guy doing most of the talking while the other received his thoughts. It reminded me of Penn and Teller only that BOTH guys talked. Did it make people laugh and were they entertained…….I would have to say yes from listening to the crowd at the TV studio. So as far as entertainment is concerned, they did well and had everything moving at a nice fast pace. So the act did well as an act should. My idea of what a mentalism act should look and feel like is totally different from this one. As I already stated, this act seemed to be more for fun and not for real substance. After the flash paper it would have been cool for the receiver to produce a sign (comic bubble) with the words, “I GOT IT!” and held it over his head for a laugh and after the watch steal it would have been funny to pull the guys shirt off his back (old gag) since the watch bit seemed to be over the top. If I was doing a magic/mind reading act like this I would have put more gags in it. It comes down to what a performer THINKS mentalism should look like. To them it was two magicians doing a mental act while to mentalists it is more than this. If the crowd is entertained and enjoyed themselves then mission was accomplished. From hearing the people laughing I will have to say that they were a success, but it was not a mentalism act. Ray |
|||||||||
Magical Dimensions Inner circle 5001 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-04-17 02:08, Alvo wrote: You are missing the point. Their act is billed as mentalism and there wasn’t any. A better wording would have been, ‘Magic Mind reading Tricks’. If you put the word mentalism in your act don’t you think MENTALISTS just may check it out? Years ago when I was just doing magic I added one or two mind reading bits and after watching this act I can only hoped that I didn’t come across like they did. I am sure that I did because I was just a magician doing what I thought was mentalism and of course it wasn’t. It was just more magician tricks mask as mind reading. If this act was as good as you think then tell me what was their premise? ……. You can’t…….. Why can’t you tell me? … because it was just two magicians doing tricks thinking it was mentalism. Mentalism is more than this. You are looking at this through magicians eyes and are missing what mentalism is all about. Then again if one was to only buy mind reading tricks from Penguin magic and not really seek out what mentalism is really about then Yes, I can see how this would be a really good magic act. Best Ray |
|||||||||
Mindpro Eternal Order 10586 Posts |
As far as any mentalism goes, all or any of their credibility went out the window the minute they did the watch steal and used flash paper (for no reason what so ever). I just don't get why performers attempt to mix magic and mentalism. The only people who consider them the same art are magicians. To an audience they understand magic is not real, an illusion or trick. Mentalism is and should be just the opposite, the idea is for the audience to believe in your abilities, the complete opposite of magic. This is what's meant by thinking like magicians. All credibility is lost, and you are not taken seriously or as believable. Too bad, I feel their focus was in the wrong place, as they could eventually have a good act once some initial decisions are made.
|
|||||||||
Greg Arce Inner circle 6732 Posts |
I'd actually like answers to what Illucifer and Mentalist Sam put up. I once made a comment about the stealing that Mr. Oz does and he sent me a PM wondering what I meant by my comments. Apparently, in the same way he doesn't know what mentalism means, he is oblivious to the word 'stealing'.
Greg
One of my favorite quotes: "A critic is a legless man who teaches running."
|
|||||||||
Alvo Regular user 102 Posts |
SWN,
I totally understand your point. And I'm not suggesting that mindless praise should ever be given. But in this case, nobody had the respect to look Oz in the eye and said anything. They just ranted on like he wasn't there, like it was a sport, and it gave me a really gross feeling. Illucifer, From what I understood, Oz not only didn't know it was already published, magicians like Tony Miller and Paul Harris were consulted beforehand. I heard it was resolved. Ray, Mindpro My comment had nothing to do with the substance of the show, just the lack of respect we give to a fellow human. |
|||||||||
Jared Inner circle Rhode Island, USA 1573 Posts |
I'm a fan of Oz's work and so I was truly rooting for him to do well. Overall, I think it didn't go over that badly. Oz appears to be likable and charismatic and the audience seemed to enjoy the segment. If I could recommend a few changes to their program then I would have:
1/ Performed only two (very strong) effects and slowed down the pacing a bit. I felt like they were trying to force too many magical moments into the segment. 2/ Elminate the wrapped pizza box. Due to the shape of the packaging the audience could sense this was coming a mile away. 3/ The opening effect was their strongest. It should have been the last. 4/ The watch transportation was too much of a stretch for the audience to appreciate because viewers didn't see the watch on the band members arm from the beginning. 5/ The dollar bill reveal was overkill and diluted their closer. 6/ The use of flash paper didn't improve the two person telepathy effect. It just didn't belong. I wish Oz all the best and hope that the experience gained from performing in front of a national TV audience is beneficial to his career. -Jared |
|||||||||
Brandon Queen Special user Los Angeles, California 527 Posts |
I think now we are getting somewhere with the comments. They are becoming more constructive.
I agree with the above post about doing less effects with more time to them. It would have been great to just see the first effect, played out with maybe a few phases. That would have been ideal to watch. I suppose that is something to consider in the future. I didn't even know it was billed as a mentalism act. Is that just assumed cause Oz posted the topic in penny first? I was looking at it as just a two person mind reading demonstration with a flare of comedy. You guys know that old light bulb joke? "how many magicians/mentalists/guitar players/drummers/etc does it take to screw in a light bulb? Five. One to change it, an four others to stand around saying how they could have done it better." That joke reminds me of the Café a lot, particularly this thread.
It occured to me at once that love could be a great illusion, that makes fools of brilliant thinkers everyday
|
|||||||||
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Magic names and the media » » THE UNSEEN on the Jimmy Fallon show - Thursday late night (0 Likes) | ||||||||||
Go to page [Previous] 1~2~3 [Next] |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.04 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 < |