talkmagic.co.uk

We often say that it is the presentation that makes an effect and that is true. Yet when you look around the number of books that cover the effects they outnumber the books that cover presentation communication and presentation.

Often the material is not suitable for beginners and the avenues available to them are few and far between. The basics can easily be picked up through forums etc then we often have to look at different fields to learn about more advanced areas of communication and presentation.

I was studying communication techniques for my Phd and found this is not specific towards magic it is across many fields. There is work by Banachek and Kenton Knepper that is quality material. But still quite advanced. Why are beginners not actered for or are they and I have missed it?

Nic, I agree. Works on presentation for magicians are scarce. Luckily there are whole shelves of works on presentation for actors, public speakers, and stand-up comedians, which do fill the gap nicely. Its a pity more magicians wouldn't read these!

It would be good to see some more magic related products available as well as the other performing arts literature

actually there is a plethora of information about presentation. Unfortunatly if these avenues don't include the word 'magic' most magicians will simply choose to ignore these venues.

The first would be acting classes. For heavens sake if you are going to be a stage magician learn to move on a stage. Dance, movement, anything.

Public speaking would be another.

Get involved in local theatre, see how everything comes together. Really it is all out there.

There was once a tv show where they had actors performing magic tricks. The magicians threw a temper tantrum stating that it takes so much more to be a magician, not anybody can do a magic trick...and so on.

Truth be told the show was great, it was fun and entertaining, not always magicial, but magicians (for the most part) failed to learn anything from the show, mainly that the actors were really good. Imagine if they had also studied magic and put in the practice it requires. My god they would have put just about every magician to shame.

I agree and the route you talk about is what I took, bar dance. I think of magic as part of performing arts in general and areas overlap. However it does surprise me that there is not more on the market relating to performing magic, because there are areas of magic that are unique to magic as there are areas that over lap.

Nic