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mysticz Special user D.C. metro area 680 Posts |
Well, if I thought it was a "pointless effect" (and I do), of course I will leave it alone and let other performers reap the questionable benefits of proving they can keep a watch from functioning. (By the way, those are quotation marks, not asterisks.)
I'm not saying you can't "drop jaws" with this kind of effect -- way back in my magical past, I startled and amazed people with my presentation of the Pea Can. Later in my magical progression, I began to seriously reassess my repertoire and question why I performed certain effects. I came to the conclusion that the most effective magical entertainer is one who puts his audience first. In other words, it's not about "me," it's about "them." I believe that people (i.e., the audience) are interested in routines with some kind of meaning, something that involves or affects them in some positive manner. For me it's not about showing off my "brilliant" skills...it's always about affecting my audience in a way that brings about a meaningful sense of wonder and mystification. In my mind, stopping a watch makes as much sense as transforming a dollar into a hundred, then back into a dollar again. Do something useful and entertaining with your magic/psychic powers. Sorry about all the quotation marks.
Joe Zabel
"Psychic Sorcery" There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. -- Shakespeare's Hamlet I.v. 174-175 |
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Thoughtreader Inner circle Calgary, Alberta, Canada 1565 Posts |
Quote:
On 2002-05-15 13:57, Trinity wrote: Tony et al, The first self winding watch was actually made in the late 1700's by a man named Perrelet and then shortly afterwards (about 1785) the mechanism was imporved greatly by Breuget. These were of course for pocket watches although both companies still produce wristwatches to date, Breuget's being one of the most expensive watches in the world. A Britich chap named Harwood developed the first automatic wristwatch in 1923 and his watches too are still being made today although they are rather unique as they are adjusted by an outer rim and not a watch stem. In 1957, Hamilton eliminated the mainspring of the wristwatch and replaced it with a small battery and in 1960, Bulova introduced the "Accutron" which eliminated the balance wheel as well by adding a tuning fork. That said, you obviously can tell I also collect wristwatches and know a little about them. Not meaning to brag but many of my clientele wear wristwatches that are worth well over many peoples salaries for a months work (some more than that). Many high end watches have screw down crowns that must be physically unscrewed before the stem can be pulled out and manipulated making any tricky moves with them very difficult if not impossible. Also consider what I said about the Harwood design. There are many others that are difficult to manipulate because of the location of the watch stem. Even high end quartz watches have mechanical parts in them that are subject to magnetism as well as sentsitive electronics that could be screwed up just as much. Holding a magnet closely to it and not touching the watch can cause it problems and holding one there even for a moment as was suggested earlier could do harm to the watch that while it may be corrected will cost several hundreds of dollars at the watchmakers and can take 6 weeks or more. Do any performers out there really want to take that kind of a risk with their clients jewlery? Judging by what I have read here, most have never even heard of a lawsuit against a performer. I have seen (thankfully not many personally against me) frivolous lawsuits against hypnotists, magicians, mentalists and jugglers for very silly little things (which is why you should always carry insurance which will also cover you for pains in the @@s lawsuits like those) but ones that were sued for losing diamonds from jewlery (go ahead and prove that you weren;t the one that lost it), for dropped wristwatches that no longer work (go ahead and prove that one too), etc. Again, I urge you all to reconsider this. The cut and restored tie is only funny because you hand them back a restored tie.... PSIncerely Yours, Paul Alberstat |
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Mr Amazing Special user 617 Posts |
All right Paul - I saw the crib sheet!
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Tony Razzano Inner circle South River, NJ 1600 Posts |
Paul,
Thanks for the very informative post about the watches and their history.Most interesting!! I echo what Paul said about insurance. Besides the broken watches and lost jewels, what if you are escorting a volunteer on or off stage and she trips abd break her leg? You might very well be sued for negligence. Forget if the suit has merit or not, you might be sued anyway. Don't rely on the "house" to have insurance, either. it won't do you any good if you are sued. On that happy note, I bid you best regards, Tony Razzano
Best regards,
<BR>Tony Razzano, Past President, PEA Winner of the PEA"s Bascom Jones and Bob Haines Awards |
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Greg Arce Inner circle 6732 Posts |
Mysticz, I'd love to agree with you and I think you do put a lot of thought into what you do, but over the years I've noticed that most people just want you to do the trick right. Case in point: That's the popularity of David Blaine. He just did simple effects that worked... no patter, no rhyme, no reason... just "Yah wanna see sumptin'?" I also agree about the one to a hundred. I've stated many times here that if you do it use a mismade bill because it creates another effect in their mind... they actually believe you can fold a bill that way.
And I do believe it's about "them"... when I do these things I don't try to act weird or be weird... I just do them and sometimes take little credit for what is happening... they supply their own internal story that heightens the effect. I mix card tricks with keybending, gyspy thread with cold reading, and after all that they still come away with the idea that I have some sort of special powers. Just last night at the last night of the festival I was entertaining about a dozen individuals and they all had different takes on what I was doing, but most still felt I has some sort of "gift." I know this approach is not for everyone and I never recommend it if it's not your style. I feel that whatever works is best. I've had these types of conversations with Bob Kohler and he has that same approach... he'll kill you using a set of coins that are as tricked up as you can get then slay you with pure sleights... whatever works. So that having been said, I agree that you've found a way to make your magic work for you and I'm sure your audiences come away entertained, but it's not the only way to do it. At least it sounds like you have fun at what you do and that's the only important thing to me... have as much fun as you can in life... it's a short ride so enjoy it. See ya! Greg
One of my favorite quotes: "A critic is a legless man who teaches running."
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mysticz Special user D.C. metro area 680 Posts |
Greg Arce wrote -- " ...over the years I've noticed that most people just want you to do the trick right."
Greg, I respectfully disagree. In my past experience as a paid performer of magic and more recently of mentalism and psychic reading, people want more than just a successfully deceptive illusion. They want to be intellectually and emotionally engaged, that is, they want to be entertained. While an audience may be momentarily diverted by meaningless "eye candy" (and I am NOT assuming that is what you do), the David Blaine "Ya wanna see sumptin" genre of magic is one of the reasons the state of magic as an art form is in such pitiful shape. To be considered artistically and aesthetically meaningful, magic must be perceived as more than a just puzzle to the audience, and more than just a means to attract attention for a wannabe sleight-of-hand artist (and often with little or no personality or social skills). If only minimal thought is put into a magical performance in terms of structuring it to be engaging to an audience as well as deceptive, then the state of magic as a childish, attention-getting, look-at-what-I-can-do form of meaningless drivel will continue. Whew, it's nice to have all that off my chest. Thanks for listening. Joe Zabel
Joe Zabel
"Psychic Sorcery" There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. -- Shakespeare's Hamlet I.v. 174-175 |
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Greg Arce Inner circle 6732 Posts |
Joe, I do believe in a lot of what you say, but my experience in the field does not come from just performing... I studied psychology and when I was doing that I got into the habit of asking people what they thought about the magic they had just experienced. I also asked what they thought about other performers they had viewed in the past. I started to get a sense that most (not all) seem to like the "eye candy" and even put it at the level of the far more difficult effects. Remember, I am certain from your statements that you believe in what you are doing and put on great performances... I'm only talking about what the common man thinks about when watching a magic event. I put this dare in the section on "card to wallet"... do you best card to wallet with the hardest palming technique you know then days later do another card to wallet but this time just have a double-backer in there and pull it out and do a simple double lift... most individuals will perceive the same effect... sometimes the latter one is perceived as more amazing. When we get into magic we start learning all these principles and methods and sometimes we forget how we once perceived someone blowing us away with the Svengali deck or a simple cut force. This is my own belief now so take it as just my opinion: I think we think too much about added layers to our magic when in reality the fact that you can do it well usually accomplishes the same thing. Once again, let's take a case study: Uri Geller... what was he doing? Well, just bending objects when no one was looking... How was it perceived? LIke a psychic phenomena of the nth degree. What do some do to supposedly improve the effect? They might give long diatribes on the history of metal and go into folk tales of alchemy... does it improve the effect? I would say no, but others would disagree. I think that just picking up a piece of metal, bending in what seems a visible manner, then putting it down, is all the magic you need... in the spectator's minds.
Joe, I'm sure we are going to have to agree to disagree on some of these points, but that doesn't matter. I'm glad that there are individuals such as yourself that care enough to put in the proper work when performing... no matter what style you present. I hope we can meet some day and exchange ideas and effects... just for the fun of it. Anyway, it's a pleasure trading comments with you. Keep up the good fight because you sound like a true performer. Greg Arce
One of my favorite quotes: "A critic is a legless man who teaches running."
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mysticz Special user D.C. metro area 680 Posts |
Greg Arce said: "This is my own belief now so take it as just my opinion: I think we think too much about added layers to our magic when in reality the fact that you can do it well usually accomplishes the same thing."
Running the risk of beating a dead horse, I would like to reiterate that the finest magicians and mentalists of the past and present have always carefully considered the magic they perform from both a theatrical and a technical vantage point. The added layers of thought and consideration from all presentational aspects is what separates an exceptional performance of magic from an adequate feat of prestidigitational skill. As artists, we should all strive for the highest expression of our craft. Joe Z.
Joe Zabel
"Psychic Sorcery" There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. -- Shakespeare's Hamlet I.v. 174-175 |
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Mr Amazing Special user 617 Posts |
Mysticz - I think we all agree meaningful magic is more satisfying if we think about it. However, we are at risk of loosing out on a lot of magic effects that would be appreciated even if they aren't fully meaningful, as I see it. Watch stopping might be one of these.
May I instead suggest that we focus on how to make it meaningful!? The underlying question is "why would somebody want their watch stopped?" Well, one reason could actually be simply for the sake of witnessing something weird. I think this is the "rationale" behind most watch-stoppers presentation. However, I'm sure we can come up with more, e.g; "My watch is running fast - I want to synchronize it" "I'm stressed - I need more time" "I want to live a little longer - I wish I could stop the time" "I wonder what happens in a black hole?" These questions should be easy to discretely 'evoke' during everyday conversations. Any further ideas or, even more interesting, totally different approaches? /Matias |
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A l a i n B e ll o n Veteran user 302 Posts |
Mysticz I agree with part of what you say, but only part. While there is a prevalent trivialization of magic, i.e., magic without meaning, there is also a misunderstanding among many "meaning seeking" magicians.
Magic by itself if meaningful, the problem is that many magicians today don't do magic, they either tell jokes, do tricks, show puzzles, tell stories, etc. A real magical event can be just tiny but if it transports the audience outside their physical reality, it is automatically astonishing and meaningful. Anything that points to the posibility of a marvel, of the extra-ordinary, is incredibly meaningful. The magical event becomes a statement about the universe and how it may work and how we can manipulate it through will. I have seen Sam Haine perform his Watch Stopping routine, and it is absolutely fantastic. It is in my opinion what a feat in PK would look like if it were real. And to me that's precious. David Blaine is probably one of the most criticized popular magicians, but there is something incredibly powerful about his magic. Unfortunately it seems that most of his critics fail to realize what it is. It is meaning. Now, I am not saying that every effect he does is great, but he has many great ones. He makes the magic important by believing it is important himself. No story is needed, no patter (yuck what an ugly word), no jokes. He comes to you as a miracle worker that wants to share with you a moment of wonder. Plain and simple. It's just wonderful. So yes we must strive for the highest expression of our craft, but at the same time realize there are many ways to get there. If we cover the magical experience in so much "theatrics" we run the risk of making the magic subservient to the theatrical work. That in my opinion is trivializing magic as well. Finally, a great performer can make almost anything look like a miracle. It's ultimately about the person, not the effect. -Alain Bellon PS. I don't mean to say that it isn't wise to pick effects that are more miraculous by themselves. |
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mysticz Special user D.C. metro area 680 Posts |
Matias & Alain:
Matias said: ?May I instead suggest that we focus on how to make it meaningful!? The underlying question is ?why would somebody want their watch stopped??? Now we?re getting somewhere. When you can ask yourself this kind of question about an effect and seriously consider its potential impact on a audience, both from the mystification and entertainment angle, you are moving in the right direction. I believe this process of critical thinking is necessary before a serious performer even considers adding an effect to their repertoire. I believe practically any magical creation (even ?watch stopping?) can be properly routined and performed to the interest and mystification (i.e., entertainment) of an intended audience. But it will necessitate the requisite pre-planning and internal justification of the effect versus its intended impact on the spectators.. Alain said: ?Magic by itself if meaningful, the problem is that many magicians today don't do magic, they either tell jokes, do tricks, show puzzles, tell stories, etc.? Alain, I agree in part. Many magicians do not ?do magic? precisely for the reasons you mention, but mostly the problem is they don?t really think about, or really care, what the audience perceives when they are subjected to third-rate (re: under-analyzed, unscripted, and under-rehearsed) conjuring demonstrations. However, this is the problem ? magic is NOT meaningful in itself. The meaning comes from the perceived context or premise from which it is performed. For example, unless the stopped watch conundrum is not presented in a compelling or meaningful context, it remains merely a puzzle (?How did he do dat? A magnet or sumptin??). You better have a good reason for stopping it in the first place, for a watch is rendered quite worthless if it ain?t working. For me, the premise doesn?t feel right. For you, it might just be the right ticket. However, you better put in the required thinking to justify your miracle. Alain also said: ?David Blaine is probably one of the most critized popular magicians, but there is something incredibly powerful about his magic.? If there is, I?ve not seen it. And most lay people I have talked to about Blaine say things like: ?Wow, his tricks are pretty cool. How does he do that one? I?ll bet his quarter has a hole in it.? I personally hope no one later recalls any performance of mine with ?accolades? like that. Finally Alain said: ?It's ultimately about the person, not the effect.? I agree in part. I believe it is ultimately about the person and what he does with his effect. Thanks for your thoughts. It?s nice to see there are so many thinking magicians in this forum. Joe Zabel
Joe Zabel
"Psychic Sorcery" There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. -- Shakespeare's Hamlet I.v. 174-175 |
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mysticz Special user D.C. metro area 680 Posts |
I'm not sure why my previous message was printed with question marks instead of quotes. Please ignore the screwy punctuation.
JZ
Joe Zabel
"Psychic Sorcery" There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. -- Shakespeare's Hamlet I.v. 174-175 |
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Fred Darevil Elite user 446 Posts |
"Sometimes I'd like to be able to stop time because of a true moment of happiness I'd like to feel forever. And I almost achieve to hallucinate my desire, my watch stop, time is frozen ! But very soon I realize that if I stop time I prevent myself from experiencing many new others moments of different hapiness in the future. I understand then that letting time passing is part of the life and its mistery, so I accept to wait and see how can I be surprised, tomorrow, by a new moment of happiness !.."
Fred PS: sorry, the poetry almost disappears with the translation ! |
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Jonathan Inner circle Oklahoma 1223 Posts |
Well, David Blaine around here has had quite a different impact. I hear it all the time the couple of months after his performance airs, and even weeks after they are rerun. People think he's the anti-Christ. The majority of people I've heard talk about them (overhearing conversations, not provoking them. I meet many new people who don't know what I do) at least WONDER whether or not he has powers. He is very charasmatic and his personality soars even though he does absolutely nothing with any part of his body. I don't know what it is about him but I've seen many impersonators and NONE of them have that charisma David does. Yes, he's sloppy and looks like he read an effect, practiced it a few times and then took his camera crew to find someone that will be amazed by it. None of his magic makes sense, but it is very powerful because it reaches that generation.
I'm writing a book currently on how 'we' (we being Christians) can reach the new generation. They think and process and need differently than any other generation. They don't want a lot of words, they live in a certain hole they are looking to get out of. They want something extraordinary, something to amaze them, to put them outside the hole looking in. Supernatural abilities have meaning to this generation, they are looking for something on a different plane than they are in. However, that being said, I think there are 2 main things that make Blaine special to the laypeople. 1) He does a bunch of different things because everyone is impacted by something different. 2) people don't know that that type of magic is possible. The VAST VAST majority of people don't know what magic looks like. All people have seen is illusions on t.v., knuckle breaking slight of hand card effects they can't follow or understand from overweight ugly old people on t.v., or their friend's card trick that everyone can figure out and isn't amazing at all. 95% of the people don't know that there are people out there who can show a card on top of the deck, stick it in the middle, and then show a new top card only to snap and make it become the card just stuck in the middle of the deck. How many times have you had someone pick a card and as they do so say, "oh, I've seen this one"??? It happens to me all the time! Oh, and there are some people who have witnessed the amateur magician who does kids birthday parties or does walk-around in malls using purchased kiddie tricks that use rainbow colored props and makes balloon animals. Blaine comes along and shows the world what actual magicians can DO! Because there's never been a venue for close-up magic or mentalism on television before he was the first to showcase these things. I think Magic is one of the major things that is responded to now-days. Especially mentalism! People just don't know where to find it and never get a chance to witness it. I disagree with the thought that the art is on it's way down...it's lying dormant waiting for an explosion! Blaine saw this and capitolized on it using a persona he completely just made up and scratched the spot that needed to be itched. Anyway, my point is that magic without meaning to the mentalist or magician is not neccesarily without meaning to everyone else. People are going through life in a daze and going through the motions. They seem to desire someone to come along and turn the world upside down on them. It's not a puzzle to them, it's a mystery, a door into something they desire so strongly. Every audience is different so I'm not trying to say go with one style for everyone. But people don't dance around for days about something they don't think has meaning. That's what people want! Something to get excited about, something to tell people about, something to shake up their lives. Not everyone is looking for deep meaning from you, some are just looking for something to amaze them, something to get them talking. I admire you for our desire to put yourself at another level. But that is more looking for yourself than the audience...the laypeople. I try to reach the laypeople, that's who I do it for. Besides, they are also the ones paying the money. Jonathan Grant |
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A l a i n B e ll o n Veteran user 302 Posts |
The Intrinsic Meaning of Magic
I guess we disagree on this point but let me try to express why my belief is such... Magic is meaningful by itself. I am talking about real magic, not tricks, not puzzles. A magical event defies certain notions about our perception of the workings of the universe and our ability to interact with it. A magical event points to a world beyond commonplace. When you experience something that it is not supposed to happen, maybe some mind reading, maybe some telekinesis, and you believe that the experience is real, you have experienced real magic. And this real magic will directly point to very meaningful notions about the world you live in. I really think that when people say that magic is not meaningful in itself they are probably thinking of magic as tricks and not as real magic. It is common in Eugene Burger's texts to find the notion that magic is not meaningful by itself and that it is the context that creates the meaning. To me that's just semantics. You cannot present anything without context. And the context of a real magical event is implicitly meaningful. But it has to be perceived as real. The problem I often find with the Burger interpretation of meaning in magic is that the magic is trivialized by inserting it as an illustration of a "meaningful" story. When this is the case, the premise of the effect is not directly linked to the premise of the story. Only a metaphorical connection exists. When that happens, when magic is illustrating a story, magic becomes second place. Magic is made to appear trivial by the magician who is inderectly saying: The story is the important thing and I will illustrate it with this "magic stuff". Certainly an audience can be entertained and touched personally with this type of presentation but much of the magic is lost in the middle. Being a story teller is fine with me, but I prefer to be a wizard first and everything else second. The trick to meaningful magic is giving a sense of reality to it. Recover the intrinsic meaning of magic by simply making it believable. When it becomes believable it becomes part of our universe and meaning is restored. When magic is believable there are no puzzles, no "how did he do that?". Does it need a reason? While all real magic would probably be utilitarian, one of the reasons for demonstrating a magical event is just to make other people marvel at it. Just like art apreciation, just like watching a comet or diving in the caribean ocean. Humans have aesthetic capacity, they can appreciate something even if it has no reason to exist, no utilitarian purpose, other than appreciation. Humans find wonder appealing, and most of the times meaningful. And if you add to that the intrinsic meaning of magic, something that exists beyond our common perception of the physical world, well you have quite a wonder. I reciprocate the thanks for the thoughts in discussion. -Alain Bellon |
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mysticz Special user D.C. metro area 680 Posts |
Fred: I like your idea for personalizing the stopped watch concept.
Jonathon said: "I don't know what it is about him (Blaine) but I've seen many impersonators and NONE of them have that charisma David does." Imitators and impersonators NEVER have the charisma or impact of the originators (even if the originator is Mr. Blaine). But at least he has created his own niche in the popular consciousness by creating magic in his own way. However, from an aesthetic standpoint, his style lacks much of what I would emulate in a magic performer. Jonathon also said: "People are going through life in a daze and going through the motions. They seem to desire someone to come along and turn the world upside down on them. It's not a puzzle to them, it's a mystery, a door into something they desire so strongly." Don't be so quick to write the "average guy" off as some kind of bozo who will accept your rising card as a sign from heaven. Most reasonably intelligent people will view a magic routine, even a well-constructed one, as a pleasant diversion. A really well thought-out routine can even touch them emotionally or create an air of mystification (a magical experience as Mr. Burger would say.) But in the end, most will realize that the magic is conjuring, not Mephistophelian necromancy. Even those who watch David Blaine. Finally, Jonathon said: "I admire you for our desire to put yourself at another level. But that is more looking for yourself than the audience...the laypeople." I beg to differ. Being strongly concerned with the meaning and context of my performance, I am looking out primarily for the lay people, the audience. For one, because I perform for money and want to provide quality entertainment. And two, I want to be proud of what I do and hopefully do my part to help elevate my craft as much as possible. By the way, performing meaningful magic doesn't necessarily mean performing magic in a storytelling context (although that is one way to accomplish it). Meaningful magic is the result of original thought and awareness of how and why you are performing what you do. That's all. Now go forth and mystify. Joe Zabel
Joe Zabel
"Psychic Sorcery" There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. -- Shakespeare's Hamlet I.v. 174-175 |
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Jonathan Inner circle Oklahoma 1223 Posts |
I don't really disagree with what you said so I'm not going to defend my statements I apparantly made unclear. I don't think the majority of people will think a rising card is anything more than a trick. But some mentalism effects I have more often than not convince them that there is some kind of psychic goings on even though I don't claim to have any real power. But the fact that something impossible happened in front of them, whether it be believable or not, becomes a door into something different, another level that this generation is seeking.
There are several different ways magic or mentalism can reach people or can affect them. Much like there are many different ways a movie can reach people, or a painting, or a song. Some can reach people by creating an emotional experience, others by proving to them that powers exist, others as a form of humor - the unexpected, others give meaning through a moral or metaphore, others give visual treats, others provoke thoughts and wonder...etc. But to say that there is no meaning behind making a watch stop...I disagree. The presentation is everything there and can be made into a very emotional event or an impacting display of power as well as other things. But I like what was just said by Alain, there is no "reason" behind a beautiful view (unless you believe in God in which case that may be debated), but that doesn't keep it from being awe-inspiring and reaching people. Jonathan Grant |
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saglaser Loyal user Champaign, IL 248 Posts |
Alain said, "Magic is meaningful by itself. I am talking about real magic, not tricks, not puzzles."
I think that's absolutely true. But it also begs the question, what makes an effect magical as opposed to being a trick or puzzle? I suggest that it's the meaning that makes the moment magical -- the ability to touch the viewer on a deeper level. I will also suggest that there are many ways to do such a thing. Stories are one way. Relating the effect to a personal dream or desire is another, or referring to a topic of interest. And I'm sure there are several more. BTW, I know Eugene Burger has a reputation for encouraging adding meaning to magic presentations, but if you look at his performances, you'll see that his approach incorporates a lot more than just embedding an effect in a meaningful story. He does effects that, as far as depth is concerned, are trivial and just plain silly. But he does try to at least touch on some point of interest. He likes his performances to contain a variety, ranging from the profound to the purely playful. I find that a very reasonable approach. Focusing on only one type of effect -- be it humorous or moving or deeply meaningful -- leads to monotony. |
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A l a i n B e ll o n Veteran user 302 Posts |
Saglaser said:
"...what makes an effect magical?..." "I suggest that it's the meaning that makes the moment magical -- the ability to touch the viewer on a deeper level." A very important and very difficult question. First lets assume that by magic we speak of the literal and direct meaning of magic, not the poetic meaning. If we include the poetic usage of magic, then mostly everything can be magical under the proper circumstances or perspective. An actor can be magical, a writer can be magical, a musician, a plant leaf, a digital camera, etc. can all be magical in the poetic sense. Touching a person on a deep level may be accomplished in many ways, and we could possibly say that doing so is magical. Indeed it is, but again, in the poetic sense of magic. So let's confine ourselves to the kind of magic that would make a magician different from other performers, the kind of magic that makes our effects different from a digital camera taking a picture. I venture a tentative definition of what makes an effect (phenomenon) magical from a humanist perspective. An effect is magical if the person producing it can only accomplish it through the application of a special quality that cannot be obtained by practice or skill alone. This means that if a given feat is doable (or perceived as doable) through just the application of natural human skill and practice alone, then it would not be magical in the direct sense. Of course this definition leaves many questions unaswered. What about magic not produced by someone? What is a natural human skill? etc. But it might give us a glimpse of what we are after. Giving a phenomenon meaning is not enough to make it magical. Crashing my car would certainly be a meaningful event for me but it is clearly not magical. Even a puzzle can be meaninful and yet not magical. (And of course a puzzle can be meaningless too) I propose the converse as true: An event can gain meaning by becoming magical. -Alain Bellon |
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