talkmagic.co.uk

hello one and all, it is me,

lately when doing my restuarant bizo, i have not just said that i am a magician but also a "static energy manipulator" they ask what this is all the time and that gives me the perfect lead into my IT effects (loops; ring float, card float, haunted deck, rearsons floating cig (using other objects) etc), they get the same reaction they always did when it was "magic" but do you think ive cheapened or dulled the magic by telling them i use static energy? they are still just as impressed but im just not sure.

Nice premise, but unfortunately that may weaken the effect. The spectators now believe it relies on science, not magic. I would stick to a simple straight-forward levitation.

I think you should both give peoples' intelligence more credit. Unless the people you're performing for are completely thick, they'll realize, sooner or later, that it's just a magic trick.

Mike, I couldn't disagree more. To the people who know that it's just a trick (the vast majority of people), the patter is transparent BS. But they still have a very mystifying trick to ponder. The people who actually accept the static patter as real will have a moment of astonishment still, assuming it was done well. "Scientific" explanations that are hinted at hardly inhibit the effects' impact. Some people think Derren Brown uses NLP and psychology to do all of his effects. They still end up being incredibly impressed by him.

Spectators virtually never believe that magicians rely on "magic". To think such a thing about spectators is preposterous.

rvoice, you should avoid making claims that might push people's limits of believability. You don't want to sound phoney or cheesy. That said, having an almost-real-sounding explanation that points towards something that seems dangerous/difficult/amazing anyways is a fine way to do things. Avoid cheesiness and keep the amazement of the spectators at the top of the priority list and you'll do fine.

rvoice100 wrote:lately when doing my restuarant bizo, I have not just said that I am a magician but also a "static energy manipulator" they ask what this is all the time and that gives me the perfect lead into my IT effects (loops; ring float, card float, haunted deck, rearsons floating cig (using other objects) etc), they get the same reaction they always did when it was "magic" but do you think ive cheapened or dulled the magic by telling them I use static energy? they are still just as impressed but im just not sure.

Personally I think it is a nice presentation and I don't think it cheapens anything. If you try and make it more credible by rubbing your hand on the table a lot, or mybe rubbing your foot across the floor. Maybe just rubbing up your hands vigourously together apparently trying to genetrate enough static energy to do the next effect, I think would be very strong.

The magic still happens in everything you do with the static energy. How about adding in a rising card effect? That way not only do you get the card to rise - you get THEIR card to rise.

Seriously. I like the presentation. The bottom line is though what reactions do you get. You have obviously done it both ways now. Which do you feel gets the better reactions?

I am willing to bet that as soon as you leave the table there will be some rubbing their own hands together trying to float a napkin or whatever they have at hand. In thi shappens then you know you have been a success and you know the entertainment is continuing even after you leave the table.

bananafish wrote:
I am willing to bet that as soon as you leave the table there will be some rubbing their own hands together trying to float a napkin or whatever they have at hand. In thi shappens then you know you have been a success and you know the entertainment is continuing even after you leave the table.

thats pretty much it, one thing i dont like with magic is the people that take themselfs too seriously explaining things are real magic.
the explanation i give is completly false as we all know, but think about it, arnt most magic explanations completly fake? i market myself as the resident entertainer, not magician, I have had a few comments from specs saying that its real nice to see a real talent as opposed to magic, in some ways i felt bad but it also felt nice that they thought it was not magic (even though it was) .

so ho hum, just wondering your thoughts,

glad you like the premise of it,

R.

Many years ago Michael Ammar explained his floating bill as being due to Static Electricity, so why not?

I do have problems with the pseudo-science lines however (for the sake of nit picking)... after all, we wouldn't want to be fraudulent in our claims, now would we?

Sorry guys, if it's a big deal that someone claims to be using "other worldly" energies, then the same rule of thumb need be applied to any scientific claims or allusions you're making; a con is a con regardless the color or wool worn by said wolf.

I don't see any problems with your routine, I actually like it myself. I try not to be to far fetched in my patter.

At the same time though I don't like selling things short and saying that this isn't real magic. That's very bad practise IMHO.

I am willing to bet that as soon as you leave the table there will be some rubbing their own hands together trying to float a napkin or whatever they have at hand.

I love it when this happens There's nothing better after performing a rising card effect and watching someone move their hands in circles above the deck to try and get their card out.

get the electric touch and you're set

a lie is a lie is a lie afterall...but, at least giving it a wierd kinda psuedo science application, means that you wont get people coming up to you afterwards asking you to cure their loved ones of serious illnesses

i think it sounds pretty damn entertaining, especially if you could rig it so that as you walked away a few bits of cutlery or whatever suddenly fell off the table following you...

I think you get more respect from people by having logical false explanations for what you are doing.

It gives them a logical reason for whats happening but still leaves them in awe as to how you harness skills. And of course, they cannot do it when they try.

Didn't there used to be some weird guy called Geller, who used to do something similar?

Whatever explanation(s) or "patter" you give should suit your personality and if it works for you, keep it.
I give all sorts of "explanations" and for the more bizarre effects I claim to have studied with Buddhist monks and Indian mystics and people seem to lap it up.