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I am currently working towards someday within the next few years going pro in magic and have come across a curious amount of comments which has got me thinking about the current state of professional magic.

At the moment as I am relatively new at the whole performing for strangers as an entertainer paid to be there I am currently hired by friends of friends and by people who have seen me at previous functions and have asked for my services. Due to my lack of real world experience and the fact I'm not yet upto a level where I am totally slick I do reflect this in the price and in certain situation have told the client that I am still in early days ( I know I shouldn't really do that but honesty is the best policy).

So...my point to this.

On at least 3 or 4 occasions now when performing I have had comments made from spectators saying that I am far better than magicians they have seen in the past at weddings and other events.
Now I expect friends and family to say such things as they aren't exactly gonna put you down but for a stranger to say this I find surprising.
This in turn brings one of three options up:

1) They are lying and just trying to be polite by why mention it at all
2) I am better than I think. I dont think so as I consider myself a realist and although critical I know I'm not terrible


and number three which is truly the point to this thread

3) There are lots of pretty average/ bad magicians charging as pro's out there working.

I was just wondering whether this is the case. I have never been to a function where a magician is paid to perform so I have no idea into the state of professional walkaround close up magic?

There are definitely an awful lot of bad magicians out there just going through the motions with old, tired material. By comparison, you're probably really keen to do well and impress, and that shows through.

so, never become complacent, always be worried slightly that you need to improve, and you may find you're never out of work

p'raps its more to do with the quality of your character and how you frame things mr. doniz?

by the sounds of it, they like "you", and the displayable skill-set you have which put you higher up their rankings...

you'll often find the quote "the magic is you, not the trick..." bandied around, so perhaps you should meditate upon that, and acknowledge that you have something to offer rather than do yourself down..

dont get me wrong, keep on being humble and the good honest lad you are, but just accept that maybe, just maybe you are smarter than the average bear/magician/mentalist or however/whatever you perform...

take it as the compliment it is...and develop it further...

most people get bored of the "me me me" type of magician quite quickly...

its not me me me, its us us us...

well done, take the compliments, and do more...

and yes, point 3 seems to be rife...go and put a stop to it by getting yourself out there...

It really is down to performace as well. A good, solid patter will impress the audience. Dressing in a professional manner and constantly changing your act to add good quality magic is also very good. Many magician's (including me) often invent their own routines using several principles.

Thanks for the nice comments. They shall be taken and my ego fuelled further. However my main concern is this idea that there is quite a few pros out there that aren't that good.
I was always under the impression that due to magic being a relatively rare form of entertainment (compared to music or comedy) that is in the publics mind that these 'cowboys' would be thin on the ground.
Hence my hesitation in going pro now in order not to be a cowboy and provide a service that leave the client happy due to value for money.

greedoniz wrote:Thanks for the nice comments. They shall be taken and my ego fuelled further. However my main concern is this idea that there is quite a few pros out there that aren't that good.

On my 35th birthday we were all in a restaurant and the table hopper as doing some fairly weak stuff with ropes and sponge balls. Then he dropped something. Instead of laughing it off and carrying on like a pro, he just picked everything up and walked off. He didn't have a plan B.

Greed, it's quite possible that you are better than you think. After all, you are your own worst critic. If your audiences are walking away completely entertained and they're saying this, then that is the true measure of your ability.

As others have said, there are thousands of terrible performers. I went to San Francisco for a weekend trip, and while shopping along Fisherman's Wharf, I happened upon a magician performing a cups and balls routine. He had three or four people watching him, and when I stepped up, I noticed a few minor flashes - but thought nothing of it because of the whole "I know where to look". However, he made NO attempts to cover his final loads (3 of the 4 spectators asked out loud "why is he holding a lime in his hand?), and his presentation was little more than shouting at us while waving his wand in our faces.

Just a few blocks later was another performer doing some card magic. In the few minutes I was there, he dropped his deck 3 times, botched the finale to his triumph effect (he ended with 10 or so cards reversed, instead of 1).

So yes, there are MANY bad performers. However, don't for one moment take that into account when it comes to people commenting on and complimenting your ability. Comments like that are not given freely or "just for the hell of it". The fact that there are thousands of bad magicians is not the only reason you are seen as better, I'm sure.

Greedo,

Didnt you say to me when I tell you of my complex that I am very bad. "No you arent"

I ve seen you perform and you are quite good you arent no David Stone but. We have both done very slick tricks with presentation to each other. Now quit winieing.

I didn't actually mean for this thread to be a 'how good am I' thing but actually an examination in to the theory that there are a lot of cack magicians out there charging money for their services.
But thanks anyway for the compliments.....btw dont believe a word Markdini says after the london meetups where he states he's rubbish at cards before he demos backpalming half a deck and lepaul spreads.