talkmagic.co.uk

Hello again. Hope all you lovely peeps are well.

Anyway the topic for discussion is Aspirations.

Everyone has a view of what "making it" means. What does making it (in terms of magic) mean to you - how do you know if you've made it?

What do you aspire to achieve? Where do you want to go, how do you want to be known?

Discuss

Fairie x

Well ill start the old ball rolling........

To me - making it in the magical world I guess is performing you own effects for a living. Although there is still further to go and its not the end of the ladder so to speak.

As for my own personal aspirations I would have to say being able to be on a stage doing things i have created for people who genuinly want to watch me again and again.

Your thoughts?

F x

Participating in FISM. Thats a big one.

Maybe taking technique one step at a time.

"I have succeeded on making my classic pass invisible" - a statement that reflects one's aspiration and achievement.

Maybe being remembered after you've gone. Someone (Vernon?) once said "Do one thing better than anyone else and you'll be remembered."

That for me sounds like something to aspire to: when you can name a sleight or trick and instantly know who it belongs to or who made it great. Like the Asher Twist. Or the Homing Card.

i know it could sound a bit big headed but it'd be nice to have a move / flourish named after you (not sure if that's what you were suggesting dimabbq) eg Elmsley count etc.

I've made it already. I've got the books!

But seriously, i don't have those kind of dreams. I'll be more than satisfied when I can perform fluidly and masterfully for small groups or individuals. I wouldn't want to be on a stage doing it.

Although if I was able, I wouldn't mind the rare stage showing. I'd be such a rarity that it would boost my already immense fame!


This'll be the 'who wants to appear on TV' thread.
I don't actually know if any members here are quite big in the magic scene or anything. Shouldn't there be a who's who sticky to feed their egos?

MagicBell wrote

I don't actually know if any members here are quite big in the magic scene or anything. Shouldn't there be a who's who sticky to feed their egos?

i know - we have to write an intro and everything when we join, but know nothing about them...................... Doesnt seem fair does it lol

Fairie x

Relish wrote:i know it could sound a bit big headed but it'd be nice to have a move / flourish named after you (not sure if that's what you were suggesting dimabbq) eg Elmsley count etc.

Pretty much yeah. You know you've made it when people know a sleight was invented by you or even named after you.

I'd like to have a nice kids set sorted for the time by Nephews old enough to enjoy magic. Gives me a good while.

I have no ambitions.. I learn/do magic because it's fun

Well, apart from having sleight of hand as good as Teller's

You, at the back, stop laughing!

To be honest when I started doing magic "properly" about 9 or 10 months ago I had no serious aspirations whatsoever (I'm too focused on my legal career!); it was just another hobby that I loved - if i was to ever follow my dream it would be as a singer songwriter guitarist. However, over the last few weeks I have been going out with friends and invariably will get the trusty playing cards out - increasingly friends have asked whether I have considered a career change, and strangers have asked for my card (as in business!). At first I assumed there was simply a certain element of flattery or even obsequiousness, but trying to be as officicious and as impartial a first person bystander could be, it has made me begin to allude to the notion of having a weekend job as a magician.

Unlike other hobbies, with the exception of music possibly, i think magic is a different kettle of fish in that it is relatively easier to be in a position to make some form of living (either as a supplemental form of income or full time) than other hobbies. There are thousands of bedroom DJs out there for instance, and electronica producers, or artists who will, despite being as equally talented as people who have made it, never make a living out of their hobby. Perhaps this is because there are various other elements, such as good luck, exposure and chance. But it seems to me that if, in theory, you are a good magician, have sufficient social skills and are reasonably competent and can engage an audience, then by rights you could easily become professional. My friend is now a professional magician as well as being a junior doctor (i think?), and his story was one of inspiration for me as he sauys he went professional after 2 years. The raw materials are there: in Daryl's Encyclopedia to Card Sleights, RRTCM, etc. - I suppose these are the requisite tricks (or sleights) of the trade that professional perfomers (i'd imagine) should know. Along other careers you do not need any formal qualifications. Accordingly, there is a wealth of knowledge, skills and tricks available to be grasped out there, and it seems that there is a level playing field in terms of progressing to professional level.

Frankly, it would be the ideal weekend job - at this present time i would gladly perform pro bono, which to an extent is what I do on a very small scale in bars on nights out. But of course I have much to learn as a relative newbie: and it would take a year of practice, doing magic in public, learning about audiences, learning about presentation to be at a level where someone would feasibly pay a fee. From my point of view that would be making it.

For me having, like you said, performing all original effects regularly.

Maybe having a book out would be cool.

I still have quite a ways to go.

just to have alot of fun, as much as possible doing strange and esoteric things...stick that up yer innunedo pipe and smoke it...twice...

yeah - i've always just wanted to have lots of fun, for as long as possible...

if you were to press me *squeak* - i'd say maybe be a "behind the scenes" kinda guy...coming up with the premise(s) for effects for other people...

I'm weird and my magic enhances my weirdness so I think that's why I do it.

Looking at your posts Ian i'd have to admit that I am envious of your position as you are relatively young and yet seem to be on top of your magic game. I only wish I began magic several years ago. A lot of magicians always talk about being interested in magic as a young boy / girl. I know the counter argument will be that it's never to late to start magic, but I do think things could have been different had I started sooner. On the plus side it only took me 3 days to nail the back palm: i can't stop doing it now, although my right arm is sore. I aspire to one day be able to reel off effect after effect in a seamless and captivating routine, building a mischievous rapport with the spectator, to display garish flourishes and to have fluidity and grace of movement, yet be able to wow said spectator with feats of inexplicable mentalism throughout the course of the evening. One day... !

I was just saying a couple days ago, that I wish I had discovered my interest in magic (as well as other interests of mine) a few years earlier, when, as a student, I had so much free time to burn and use constructively.
I didn't so much waste that time, I'm not the party-type or anything like that, but I've realised that I'll never have that kind of time again, to do the things I want to do. Now I have to pick my moments, organise myself and probably find some kind of routine in order to consistently progress.