talkmagic.co.uk

After making a post in the mentalist only forum about a material given to me by another member for review, I began to wonder how common it is to share out material for review and advise on this forum. I know I've given copies of my material to other members and they've given me stuff in return. Simon Lea, in particular has given me, and others I believe, almost a library full (well a shelf-full ) of books and effects he's created.

So, I wonder how much original material is passed around amongst the members of this forum.

(to clarify, I talking about people sharing effects they have created themselves, not sharing other people's products.)

I usually share any ideas i have with seige. This is mainly because he can tell me a good effect from a bad one. Apart from that not really. I'm always trying to think up new tricks lol

It really depends on the person, to be honest.

If someone can exchange effects with you, that's fine, but I'm not going to give away all I do for someone else to peform and claim as their own.

in the secrets forum are loads of effects made up by members and freely shared

If someone can exchange effects with you, that's fine, but I'm not going to give away all I do for someone else to peform and claim as their own.

If you sent something to, for example, abraxus, Tomo, Mandrake and Seige no-one would be able to claim the effects as their own, without the others knowing for a fact they stole it. The advantage is the quality feedback you'd get in return (especially in necessary crediting and acknowledgements).

in the secrets forum are loads of effects made up by members and freely shared

Certainly. But you couldn't post a 90,000 word book.

whilst making new effects i always talk with markdini about them online...because he's an old wise man
i don't see the problem with sharing effects and ideas really

I guess I'm just wondering about the magic going on behind the scenes at talkmagic.

copyright wrote:I guess I'm just wondering about the magic going on behind the scenes at talkmagic.

There are an awful lot of private conversations and little groups. I think that's the great thing about TM. It's like an iceberg. The public bit is the 10% you can see. All the horse trading and bouncing ideas of other people goes on over PM or email.

Lord Freddie wrote:It really depends on the person, to be honest.

If someone can exchange effects with you, that's fine, but I'm not going to give away all I do for someone else to peform and claim as their own.

It's about bouncing ideas off people, really. If you're stuck with something you're developing, it's good to be able to ask if it's okay to have someone you think will have the right experience have a look at it from another angle. It's about friendship.

I enjoy boucing ideas off of people. I had some chats with Cardza over an effect I working on and Markdini and I came up with something quite splendid which ended up in Routines.

I've always found that creative processes are improved with numbers.

I've put a few of my ideas on the routines part of the forum, which is a briliant way to get feedback and tips.

Sometimes exhange PMs with members about ideas and have had some brilliant suggestions from people about things I'm developing.

I'm also always batting ideas to and from with a magician friend of mine.

If I plan to release something I like to have it tried and tested by a wide range of people. Something that works on stage will often not work in the pub and vice-versa. People from one walk of life may find it easier to get away with something that people in different circumstances can not. Anyone releasing magic ought to be aware that 90%+ of your customers have no intention of performing on stage and so the effects need to work in a non-stage environment. Since non-stage enviroments differ widely, I like to have a good idea that what I release will be useful to as many people as possible.

As Tomo mentions, friendship, also plays a big part in sharing ideas.

copyright - i've given you nothing in return for the russian! how dare you say otherwise!

yeah, sharing amongst a few you trust is the way ahead...i've started to just post up initial ideas, rather than proper "effects"...thats why alot of my thoughts on here are quite scatty and a bit rubbish! i get the occasional hit, but they do say the best way to have a good idea, is to have lots of ideas...

anway - i find it works better that way with working through material, what i might see as a good thing, might be a better thing if seen through a new set of eyes...

I'm always happy to brain storm with whats left of my brain with people...there's one in the Mentalists area now thats coming along a treat....and yeah, S. Lea has been extremely kind with sending out his work hasnt he...

ultimately, it just boils down to trust...and i count myself as very lucky to read other people's hard work...

My tuppence:

Over the past 4 or however many years here at TM, I've made more 'magic' friends and confidantes than in my previous 20 or so years in magic.

I've learned, shared, helped, and taken away far much more than I've given.

It's a pleasure to brainstorm with like minded people, and it's also a pleasure when you see fruits of your labour when something gets released.

There's never been a question of 'scorekeeping'... it all just happens. And we're all one big family.

I have shared a tremendous amount of personal material on the forum, as indeed have many others. It's a great way to hear not only 'how you're doing' but also how other people perceive your work, and how perhaps it can be improved.

Even a fleeting idea on a thread can lead to much greater things, and the combined knowledge which is freely given is obviously worth exponentially more than the original individual post.

There's never anything expected in return, although I do have a tome of people's work which has been sent to me, ranging from ambitious newcomers all the way to Lee Asher.

It's a real honour to be a part of this community. Which is possibly why we're at times so defensive of it. But trust is a big issue here, and if it's any indication of 'what's going on behind the scenes' then here's some statistics just of my own:

1. My TM private message box is ALWAYS full... usually of ideas/requests for advice from trusted members

2. I spend a huge amount of time on MSN/Skype and the telephone talking over effects and ideas with TM members

3. I have a mailbox on my IMAP server which is called 'Ideas and contributions'. It has over 1000 messages, mostly containing PDF or .DOC files of original, unreleased works.

Just because it's not visible on the forum doesn't mean it's not happening.

hehe you said tuppence...

sorry...hmmm, do i feel a TM magic book coming on? that might be a little project for some kind soul...

it's amazing how far you can go with ideas and a bit of encouragement y'know...different people have different strengths afterall...play to 'em...