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I'm a complete newbie, I've start watching penguin's clips performed by Oz Pearlman recently to learn magic myself. I think he's a really cool and nice magician, but I wonder if he's one of the best magician in the industry?

I know it sounds very ignorant asking this nonsense question, but I really want to know, thanks!

Hi Moonwalker

Oz is an experienced magician and I can recommend his DVD's as a good learning tool. However, before buying I would recommend that you learn to handle a deck of cards and you'll find many threads on this site for beginners that will guide you.

Good luck

Oz is a talented guy but he's still to make a name for himself in the magic world.

Generally, a magician has to create effects before he is recognised by others in his field - merely performing other magicians' material is rarely enough to give you fame and fortune (although I'm sure we can all think of at least one exception to this rule ).

saxmad wrote:Oz is a talented guy but he's still to make a name for himself in the magic world.

Generally, a magician has to create effects before he is recognised by others in his field - merely performing other magicians' material is rarely enough to give you fame and fortune (although I'm sure we can all think of at least one exception to this rule ).

The Masked Magician?

Actually I was thinking of someone else (DB?).

The Masked Magician isn't worth mentioning....

saxmad wrote:Actually I was thinking of someone else (DB?).

The Masked Magician isn't worth mentioning....

Oh I am sorry, I don't know many magicians

DB stands for David Bleine?

MoonWalker wrote:
DB stands for David Bleine?

You got it!

saxmad wrote:

MoonWalker wrote:
DB stands for David Bleine?

You got it!

Oh! I always hear about him and I know he's really a figure in the magic industry, but don't know what type of magician he is, what kind of tricks does he usually perform? Cards? Mentalisms? Stage?

Any other great icons you can suggest? Thanks!

I think Oz Pearlman is a pretty good magician with an awesome amount of exposure, more than a magician of his level usually gets. That doesn't mean he is not a highly skilled professional, just an observation. Here are some more observations:

Oz's work and performances receive mixed reviews. You can break this down into three main areas: the video demonstrations on the Penguin site; his own tricks, sold by Penguin; and his own shows.

There's a lot of bias against Penguin Magic because it sells (1) items manufactured by companies thought to be unethically copying other people's inventions, and (2) downloads that many consider to be unethical copies of other people's work. Therefore, Pearlman, their main representative, receives criticism from the start.

Pearlman's video demonstrations are not brilliant, but it must be remembered that his performances are recorded only once for the website and not repeated. Therefore, if he improves his skills in a particular trick (and he surely does, as we all do), we cannot see it.

Oz Pearlman's own card tricks are often said to be unoriginal (partial "rip-offs"). If this is true I can't say, but the bias against Penguin that already exists is such that any claims are bound to be slightly exaggerated.

But I've only heard good things about his non-Penguin magic shows.

Also bear in mind that what he does for Penguin is to demonstrate gimmicks. Hundreds of gimmicks. Gimmicks do not make a great magician. Does he do anything else? No doubt, but you won't find that in the free Penguin videos.

This is the best link I can find for more about Oz Pearlman:

http://www.watchmagic.com/

saxmad wrote:Generally, a magician has to create effects before he is recognised by others in his field - merely performing other magicians' material is rarely enough to give you fame and fortune (although I'm sure we can all think of at least one exception to this rule ).

Lmao...tell that to Hobson, Copperfield or Joel Bauer. None of these guys produce tricks to the magic fraternity. (Hobson has just recently released some stuff, none of which are original, just his handling and Bauer's stuff that is on the market aren't effects)

Copperfield doesn't even "create" his own things. He pays people to do it for him.

Also note that am I by no means plugging Oz or knocking Hobson, DC or Bauer. I just found your comment absurd.

tmoca wrote:

saxmad wrote:Generally, a magician has to create effects before he is recognised by others in his field - merely performing other magicians' material is rarely enough to give you fame and fortune (although I'm sure we can all think of at least one exception to this rule ).

Lmao...tell that to Hobson, Copperfield or Joel Bauer. None of these guys produce tricks to the magic fraternity. (Hobson has just recently released some stuff, none of which are original, just his handling and Bauer's stuff that is on the market aren't effects)

Copperfield doesn't even "create" his own things. He pays people to do it for him.

Also note that am I by no means plugging Oz or knocking Hobson, DC or Bauer. I just found your comment absurd.

If you understood the word "Generally" you wouldn't have written such nonsense.

saxmad wrote: If you understood the word "Generally" you wouldn't have written such nonsense.

Lol. Did I make someone angry with my comment?....booowhoo.

I most certainly do understand "generally", but it still doesn't make your statement less ridiculous.

Even to say GENERALLY

saxmad wrote:
a magician has to create effects before he is recognised by others in his field - merely performing other magicians' material is rarely enough to give you fame and fortune

..is still wrong.

Name one magician that you know that has FORTUNE that produces some trick, DVD or book...okay Bauer has a book, I will give you that. Granted they maybe doing well, but fame and fortune? Come on.

Ask one laymen who Jay Sankey is, I bet they won't know. So no fame there. And this is a guy who produces TONS of cr@p for magicians. Same goes for Ammar and all the other creators. They are only famous among magicians and I don't count that as being "famous"

Again, to stay P.C., I am not knocking these guys, they are great, without them we would be missing a ton. I just and still find your statement hilarious.

Ok.

How about Jeff McBride, Lance Burton, Penn & Teller, Rick Thomas, Franz Harare, Houdini, Dunninger, Wayne Dobson, Siegfried and Roy.

All have achieved fame and fortune, but not by performing other's tricks.


Of the three you mention, Hobson, Copperfield or Joel Bauer, only one is a household name.

saxmad wrote:Ok.

Of the three you mention, Hobson, Copperfield or Joel Bauer, only one is a household name.

Fair enough, I guess I just look at fortune being much more important than fame.

And of those that you mention, they really did "create" anything new they just presented it differently. And that was your original quote that they had to create something.