talkmagic.co.uk

Hey guys,

Im doing research and i have a few questions for yah,

1. What do you feel the word integrity means in relation to magic and the magic community.

2. HOw do you feel about the emulation or "copying" of other magicians styles, show themes, routines, or effects?

3. How do you feel about the copying, possibly improving, somones created effect and reselling it?

4. How do you feel about the sharing of magic related files, movie rips, and ebooks?

1. What do you feel the word integrity means in relation to magic and the magic community.

Integrity is very important. Integrity, in magic, means respecting other magician's rights to material, not stealing or illegally copying their ideas, and giving credit where credit is due. If you create a variation on an effect and publish and/or sell it, the original creator should be credited with the original idea, and if someone gave you a suggestion for your change, or you got the idea from another effect, that person should also be credited.

2. How do you feel about the emulation or "copying" of other magicians styles, show themes, routines, or effects?

Emulation is not necessarily bad, though magicians should create their own style as much as possible. Show themes, routines and effects should not be copied unless they have been published. Then, they should not be copied but if they have been published the expectation is that they can be performed.

3. How do you feel about the copying, possibly improving, someone's created effect and reselling it?

If the changes are minor, permission fro the original creator should be granted. If the changes are major (basically, the perceived effect is the same but the method and presentation are completely different) then it is probably ok, but I would still at least contact the original creator.

4. How do you feel about the sharing of magic related files, movie rips, and ebooks?

If the material is copyrighted then absolutely not. If the material is in the "public domain" then sure.

Thanks for posting, this is a BIG HELP!

anyone else?

UndergroundMark wrote:1. What do you feel the word integrity means in relation to magic and the magic community.

Being able to keep a secret and having a sense of propriety.

UndergroundMark wrote:2. HOw do you feel about the emulation or "copying" of other magicians styles, show themes, routines, or effects?

It feels cheap.

UndergroundMark wrote:3. How do you feel about the copying, possibly improving, somones created effect and reselling it?

It feels unimaginative.

UndergroundMark wrote:4. How do you feel about the sharing of magic related files, movie rips, and ebooks?

It feels like what it is: theft.

1. What do you feel the word integrity means in relation to magic and the magic community.

Integrity to me means respect for fellow magicians and respect for their work

2. HOw do you feel about the emulation or "copying" of other magicians styles, show themes, routines, or effects?

Lots of people try to copy the style of their favourite magician which is fine but I also think that it's important for people to expand that style and make it their own

3. How do you feel about the copying, possibly improving, somones created effect and reselling it?

Copying and improving a trick is fine for personal use but unless it is something totally different and new express permission should be sought form the original creator and even if the changes are major, the creator should still be credited.

4. How do you feel about the sharing of magic related files, movie rips, and ebooks?

It's a big no no unless the author of the material explicitly put it in the public domain.

If you see an effect performed , like it, then work out a method to repeat it ( it may or may not be the same method, as you are ignorant of that) is this copying? I would argue not. Most card effects in the books I have are a result of the author giving himself the senario of another trick then devising his own method. There are many effects on the market by well known and respected magicians that that employ the same method but are dressed in slightly different clothes, and given a different name. There is hardly anything new in magic, and though I agree that blatent rip offs should be condemmed, I do feel that we get a bit "precious" about the subject at times.

to UndergroundMark:
Just out of curiosity, what kind of research? I mean is it your job, your hobby? For a magazine?

Also what site is trickdepot? It says it will soon be fully online.

Just wondering...

UndergroundMark wrote:
1. What do you feel the word integrity means in relation to magic and the magic community.

It crucial! The magic community is based partly based on trust and integrity. It is very easy to abuse for personal gain.

2. HOw do you feel about the emulation or "copying" of other magicians styles, show themes, routines, or effects?

Like in all areas the great performers inspire other great performers. We stand on the shoulders of each other. However stealing other magicians acts, routines or effects is not acceptable, though if the methods already have been published I see no problem if magicians inspire each other.
Inspiration is however very different from plagiarism.

3. How do you feel about the copying, possibly improving, somones created effect and reselling it?

I see this as a problem! It is a problem from the genuine creator of an effect, but is also a problem for the magic consumer who might essentially buy the same effect twice! Luckely, many magicians have quite a high ethical standard and always give proper credit to the original source - even in the description of the effect in the promotional material.

4. How do you feel about the sharing of magic related files, movie rips, and ebooks?

If a magic circle is doing this I think it is OK as long as the author accepts (I suppose most magicians are happy that their teaching material is being used) or maybe is given some gratitude. In practice it is OK if magicians swap videos as long as is on a non-commercial and private basis.

Hey all, in answer to a above question, Im doing my first magazine article (soon to come out in street magic magazine)
http://www.streetmagicmagazine.com


and thanks for all the great responses.

trickdepot will be my personal website about my magic. it was up but got lost in a server transfer.

B'Wave by Phil Goldstein and Twisted Sisters by Jonn Bannon, Two very well respected magicians, two very successful effects .... virtually identical!!! Would you be disapointed if you bought both in a magic shop ? -- would the assistant be exposing if he warned you? Are either of these magicians plaigerists? I can think of many more examples.
What happens if you come up with an effect that has previously been published but you were unaware of?
If we get too high-minded about all this nothing would ever get published.