development of magic

Struggling with an effect? Any tips (without giving too much away!) you'd like to share?

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development of magic

Postby johnnyryanUK » Dec 15th, '12, 19:55



Hi guys,

I have learnt a decent amount of magic tricks and effects in the 8/9 months I have been doing magic. But I would like to ask for advice on turning a magic trick into something magical and stinging. I am asking for tips and advice on ways to develop somethign from a simple card trick and turn it into a magical mystery, that's what I would really appreciate,

Once again many thanks,

Johnny

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Re: development of magic

Postby Jing » Dec 15th, '12, 20:27

Wow, that's like the entire essence of performance.
There are books and books and books on this topic!
I like Strong Magic, by Darwin Ortiz.

Just to get you started though, I tend to work on the idea of connecting with people and making them interested in me as a person and what I'm talking about in the routine.
In terms of maximizing the effectiveness of the 'trick' or the 'effect' I think timing and pacing is important.
I highlight the impossibility of what I'm about to do - i.e. I tell them that's it's impossible and often lead their reactions by being amazed myself (not sure that makes sense without a demonstration)
I also look to add elements of suspense and surprise.

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Re: development of magic

Postby soveda » Dec 15th, '12, 23:12

I have some rules of thumb:
1) they are not tricks, it is amazing magic
2) believe that it is magic
3) believe it is amazing

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Re: development of magic

Postby Aza » Dec 16th, '12, 00:00

soveda wrote:I have some rules of thumb:
1) they are not tricks, it is amazing magic
2) believe that it is magic
3) believe it is amazing


Believe it is a thumb :lol:

Much love

Aza

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Re: development of magic

Postby soveda » Dec 16th, '12, 11:05

Aza wrote:
soveda wrote:I have some rules of thumb:
1) they are not tricks, it is amazing magic
2) believe that it is magic
3) believe it is amazing


Believe it is a thumb :lol:

Much love

Aza


There is no thumb

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Re: development of magic

Postby Jordan C » Dec 16th, '12, 13:17

The first rule of magic, is there is no thumb :/ LOL

As Lady of Mystery said, it's all about how you present. You can have the best trick in the world but if you don;t present well then it can be much less effective than a mundane trick performed well! Magic is no different to 'sales' in a way. You really have to sell the belief and idea, but most of all, you have to sell yourself. Just keep adapting things to your own style and you'll soon figure out what to do!

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Re: development of magic

Postby Dr Percival RP Pound » Dec 16th, '12, 17:49

I feel that I must just echo the wise words of Mr Jordan C (who it so appears was in turn echoing the words of the Lady). Your performance, your character and how you present yourself are the things that are sure to make or break anything that you do. Be different, present yourself in a way that the audience is going to find interesting and want to watch. There are many performers among us who feel that they have to roll out trick after trick with no thought to how it looks to the audience.

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Re: development of magic

Postby Josh Clarke » Dec 16th, '12, 21:28

The more you can allow the spectator to participate, the better. The more the magic happens in their hands, the better the reactions.

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Re: development of magic

Postby CArlight1958 » Dec 17th, '12, 11:39

Josh Clarke wrote:The more you can allow the spectator to participate, the better. The more the magic happens in their hands, the better the reactions.


I agree with this totally.
Spectator participation makes magic even more magical.
Good eye contact, & a friendly warm approach to your spectator sets them at ease, & gains there trust.
I have changed handlings on quite a few classic table type routines so as to be able to do an "In the hands routine"
This has much more of an impact than doing it on a table.

Gaining there trust, & making them feel at ease also stops them from wanting to have a peek at whats in there hands before your reveal.

I love it.

CArl... :wink:

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Re: development of magic

Postby bmat » Dec 17th, '12, 18:56

It all comes down to communication. You can be the best of the best but if you can't engage it doesn't matter. So you need to get down to the basics.

Have you joined a toastmasters club? That will teach you how to communicate properly in front of people.

Second, any trick can be a masterpiece. Because it is not the effect, it is you. Find one effect you love and turn it into something. And really the best way to do that is go out and and perform it over and over again. For the most part you won't even notice the change. But it will change.

Nothing happens overnight. There is no sudden technique to make it something brilliant, it is just a matter of refining it through performance. When you perform concentrate on the audience, (that alone kicks it up a notch) but notice the highs and the lows and adapt from there.

'Life so short, the craft so long to learn" ~Chaucer~

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Re: development of magic

Postby Mandrake » Dec 17th, '12, 22:46

I may be pushing my luck on this but for part of my family Christmas set I'm doing a chair test - the one which was taught at Blackpool this year - and, apart from the four volunteers in the chairs and the extra person helping to add up the numbers, I'm also planning on expanding things a little so at least two other people will get the chance to join in and make random choices. Hopefully this will mean that they'll all feel they were an important part of the routine, which they were, and it will be even more enjoyable. After that will be Barry Stuart's water to wine routine which will involve one main volunteer who didn't join in the chair test plus at least one other 'taster' before the wine gets shared out amongst as many as can get at it!

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Re: development of magic

Postby Jing » Dec 18th, '12, 00:43

'Life so short, the craft so long to learn" ~Chaucer~

or as Hippocrates put it (but most likely in greek not latin)

Ars longa, vita brevis.

Art is long, life is short.

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Re: development of magic

Postby SpareJoker » Dec 18th, '12, 11:17

Well, one can't polish a turd, so my advice would be to start with strong material. Then you need to work on your showmanship skills to be able to effectively communicate the fact that what you perform is strong material.

This requires both practice and rehearsal.

As has been alluded already, you can learn a lot on these topics by studying (not just reading!) Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz.

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