talkmagic.co.uk

No worries icaruscomplex, some people may disagree with my ideas of what makes a good presentation - but it works well enough for me when I'm doing my close-up

And if it fits what you want to be doing as a magician - then I'm sure it will work out fne for you too

Before we go off too far down the personal remarks route, perhaps the wording

Ignore the teacher and absorb the lesson.

should be kept in mind. There's some excellent advice in this thread, much of it applying to a large cross section of members and other parts perhaps only relevant to a few. It's easy to see that a lot of the advice comes from years of experience so let's not miss the opportunity to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest !

.[/quote]
I do think that teenagers who want to become professional magicians should be forced to give up magic for several years, and go out into the big wide world, get drunk a lot, get laid, get arrested, spend a year working in a foreign country, work in a factory, socialise with people they would never normally come in contact with, then return to the world of magic more worldly-wise and experienced and with a slightly haunted look in thier eyes like all good magcians should have.

Either that or work a few wedding receptions for free at the Barnsley Working Mens Club. That would be a shortcut to the haunted look in your eyes. And the drunk bit. And getting arrested. And laid.[/quote]

Glad you posted that! My presentation of magic effects is just a lot of flirting or having a laugh with the lads type banter with a few tricks thrown in, pretty natural really..Got through years of going out boozing in different countries and cities up and down this country! Suppose my work is good for something (premature kidney dialasis in a few years Im guessing!!)Oh dear!

thebigcheese wrote:.

Either that or work a few wedding receptions for free at the Barnsley Working Mens Club. That would be a shortcut to the haunted look in your eyes. And the drunk bit. And getting arrested. And laid.[/quote]
![/quote]

I ain't a teenager but could you get me a gig there^

One DVD worth taking a look at that isn;t mentionned is Micael Vincent's Tappestry of Magic series.

If you get the chance to see him lecture then don't miss the opportunity.

Why did you like it?

artemisdarcmagick wrote:
I ain't a teenager but could you get me a gig there^

When I worked as a kids magician I actually worked there. I walked through the doors and the DJ announced "Ay up, t'magician's here!" It was a 4th birthday party on a Sunday afternoon. The working men's club "concert hall" was obviously one of those free to hire jobbies, and by heck - the parents knew how to neck their ale. I worked from a stage - thankfully. The kids were running around, screaming, and beating each other up, and the parents were little better. I did my thing, had to hang around a little too long to get paid, then legged it. What a pro.

Hence the medical abbreviation NFB - Normal For Barnsley

LMAO -
I did a gig in Basingstoke at a pub and a mate warned me not to go there.
When i got there he told me to park in the back, but not get out of the car till he had locked the Dogs (Looked like Bears) up.
When i went into the pub, the Owner was about 7 feet tall with a skinhead and millwall Tatoos everywhere, and all the Punters looked like him (Incl the women).
Had a fantastic gig and got a £50 tip (Tried to say no but he said i had earnt it)
He even told me to go back and have a pint when i am not working - Never have though

BlueCuzco wrote:

Why did you like it?

It's one of the few DVD's that deals specifically with the presentation and performance of magic and gets you thinking about how how differing presentation of presentation can affects the way that an audience visualises what you are doing.

No tricks taught just a great lesson in theory.

hope noone minds me chipping in with a few thoughts on presentation:)

fact is i believe the presentation should keep the same basic pattern but be adaptable to the situation youre in whilst you dont stray too far from being yourself (if that makes sense :S)... especially being yourself - ever notice how every street magician tries to be the derren type or has a bit of 'da hip-hop stylee' about them (younger ones of course - couldnt imagine paul daniels in baby blue tracky bottoms with a bandana round his head and a slightly dodgy accent). not much variation which is why theres not many 'magic personalities' on tv now... audience attention spans are short and theyve seen it before!

for instance down the pub with the boys is going to be entirely different from entertaining the bridesmaids at a wedding or down the old peoples home. its about what different people respond to and of course expect to see. accentuate your natural behaviour in the situation. and of course mess around with the patter. almost every young magician talks through what theyre doing. try a story (i found 'life, death and other card tricks' a good investment, if only for the inspiration ), and even found a simple routine with a fun story makes a great bedtime story for the kids

but thinking outside the box comes easier too sometimes when you dont try and act. plenty of people do a story or commentate. it can get people excited - or bored when you end up just showing them the effect and their participation ends when they pick a card or you borrow a coin off them!

try making it into a game or conversation to help them relax (not everyone appreciates you shoving your latest trick under their nose and showing off your skill.

and occaisionally like down the boozer a bit of ribbing is good as well as impromptu (REAL impromptu - i.e. not following a phrase like 'hey look at this'). like a spur of the moment coin unique after borrowing 10p off your mate in the pub (yes i like the pub), then... 'oh blimey look gone, howd you do that?!' (always a good line to use to get participation). when people arent expecting magic it can be at its most powerful. no commentary, no fanfare, etc.

these might not be what you spend hours upon hours to do, but they can be great reputataion builders and practice for performing:)

What you need to be a good magician, above all else is great social skills. The ore people that you can effectively comminicate with - the better.

I have lousy social skills and I hate people. It hasn't stopped me though.

mark lewis wrote:I have lousy social skills and I hate people. It hasn't stopped me though.

Yes but you're Mark Lewis. You're different.

mark lewis wrote:I have lousy social skills and I hate people. It hasn't stopped me though.

A flawed argument I'm afraid Mark as we'll never know what you would have achieved if you weren't such a curmudgeon