talkmagic.co.uk

This may be strong but the "Virtual Magician" is a hack. He has no slight of hand and most of what he can do takes NO "magical" ability. Anyone who has been in this art for any length of time knows it's not what you know, but who you ----. Why do you watch him?

iv'e not seen this show but can say iv'e made a carrear of doing magicc that are no brainers and don't need any slights as i suspect most working pros do.
and if i could get on tv doing it i would after all i'd be joining such luminaries as david copperfield, paul daniels and deren brown all who have made carerears of doing magic that is easy to do and repeatable.

so don't blame this guy for useing what works, i meen i could do a nice all slight coin's across but you can bet for tv I'm going to use a butter or flipper.

Why do you watch him?

Why does anyone watch any performer? Because they entertain, that’s why. If they don't entertain, they lose their audience. He won’t appeal to everyone but that’s par for the course. This applies to all entertainers, not just in magic. If a singer has a limited range of notes they usually choose songs within that range and give it all they've got. The same applies to magic - if you have a limited range of techniques, you make the most of them so your audience is entertained. The undercover background stuff is irrelevant a far as the audience is concerned. At times there seems to be a rather elitist attitude in magic – if you can’t do X number of finger flinging knuckle crunching sleights then you’re seen as less worthy than someone who can. The truth is that the one who performs and entertains well has the right idea!

Some good points raised in this thread.

To me it doesn't make a blind bit of difference if what I'm showing is a self worker or has complicated sleights, palming etc. The importance is what impression you leave on the spectator.

When you're performing, you should be concentrating on giving the audience what they want, not what you want to give them. This is when your magic becomes entertaining.

It's alll well and good learning magic and giving the odd performance in front of freinds and family but the real test comes when you stand in front of a group of strangers and perform. You shouldn't under estimate the skill and nerve that this takes and it's one of those things that some people can do, and other cannot.

The joy of performing to laymen is that they are easily impressed by showing them the right combination of tricks and not going on for too long so that they become bored - a sort of hit and run style of performance.

Anyone who can get this combination right dererves some respect. Although I've not seen the show in question, this may well be the reason why he's been more successful than others.

dat8962 wrote:Anyone who can get this combination right dererves some respect.

That is exactly it! It seems respect in the magic community is falling which is a real shame.

That is exactly it! It seems respect in the magic community is falling which is a real shame.

I'm afraid its a general lack of respect thease days ive just done a party for a group of 20 kids and at least 8 of them were backchatty and wilfully disobedient and one was permanantly willy obsessed.
nobody apreciates your work thease days at least thoughs that can't aford you anyway

I'm glad I'm reasuringly expensisve.

For the most part, the kids that attend my shows are very well mannered. I work for the joy of magic and want to get the art out as much as possable. En- able for me to reach the amount of people I do, I price myself so most people can afford it. I have done very large shows as well as intimate ones. I know a man (we started at the same time) who laughed at me some years ago for doing B-day parties for $25.00. Today he is the one still doing birthday shows (who's laughing now). Just ask your self why you do magic? for money? fame? yourself? others? or the love of the art?

why you do magic? for money? fame? yourself? others? or the love of the art?

money?

yep it pays my rent.

others?

yep i make a difrence to people's lives.

love of the art?

this one too.

also you forgot the joy of performing and providing a service.

most of my kids parties are a dream but occassionaly you get a booking who wants a considerable discount, does nothing to control there kids, then askes for a refund and threatn's legal action and bad press coverage in the same sentence.
then you hear on the grapevine that its a regular occurence with this customer, thats what anoys me useing the kids to get a free party.

I know that this is beginning to move away from the original theme of this thread but............

Ron45434 wrote:

I work for the joy of magic and want to get the art out as much as possable.

We all do Ron, that's why we're all here talking to each other about our common joy of magic.

I price myself so most people can afford it

Sensible as it's not good selling anything that people can't afford to buy. However, I would suggest that you also need to consider those who need to perform to pay their rent and put food on the table as undercutting, underselling or whatever you cant to label it, does no one any good in the long run.

If I had to put your reasons in an order from my own perspective then I would say that there's little good in doing it for others if you can't first do it for yourself. By doing it for yourself, do you not therefore become a lover of the art? You wouldn't continue otherwise.

If you can make some money then good for you. Why not? Very few become famous but your reputation may grow, which I suppose if a form of fame in itself.

under-cutting! Term for not supporting ripp-offs. I have seen many a show, the consumer payed hard earned money for and got c*** (not the best) in re-turn. If you can't do a good show and charge what your talent is worth than get a real job. I'm not in this so "you" can make a living. The magi I have just described gives us all a bad name.

data8---- You are right I'm going off topic let me just say this and I'm done with it. The V-Magi in A#1 and make all the money you can off anyone that will give it to you. Thank you, Thank you all

when and were is this programe on please so i can give it a view thanxs.

Check out the Sky One channels on the weekend. It is normally on then.

thanxs and sorry for going off topic as well

My last post on this topic and I'm done with it too.

Ron, I totally agree with you in that people pay good money and end up seeing a c*** performance. I do have a real job as you call it, and I don't make a living from magic. I also am not into magic for others to make a living but I was recognising that others in our community do.

Wasn't meaing to criticise or offend.