talkmagic.co.uk

Whilst browsing magician's websites I discovered this one:

http://www.harryrobsonmagic.co.uk/" target="_blank

A nice enough site with clear content and some good pictures, however notice that there is a 'store' section where you can buy magic supplies and effects!!! I couldn't believe it! I am assuming the thinking is that after a booking people will visit the site and buy the tricks or whatever?

Does this not defeat the purpose of being a magician in the first place? What is sacred in our art any more? Or am I being naive? Is this the future for us - to maximise profits at whatever the cost?

I wouldn't really have any objection to a magician selling a beginner's course in magic, or something like that, but to sell 'professional' tricks is just wrong... in my opinion.

Thoughts?

He's hurting himself with short termism.

Am I missing something here? Harry has been selling stuff for years, he regularly has a stall at Blackpool and there are a lot of other respected professionals who sell stuff via their websites.

I see no problem with this. Secrecy is over-rated. The secret of magic is not the mechanism of the tricks, but the presentation. If all the world knows how to do tricks, they will be more interested in seeing good performers doing tricks. It can only help us all. So I am all for it.

Mandrake wrote:Am I missing something here? Harry has been selling stuff for years, he regularly has a stall at Blackpool and there are a lot of other respected professionals who sell stuff via their websites.

Yep I am with you here Mandrake, Harry is a well respected established magician with many marketed effects to the magic world. He is just selling them on his own site as well as other magic shops. He also sells some of his friends effects.

I also sell my stuff on my site.

In three years to my knowledge only maybe one or two laymen (with a keen interest in magic) have brought from my site.

The one thing I have put in place and I think is worth doing, is I have my store in a magicians only section with a password only a magician will know.

Lee.

I don't think any layman will book a magician, and then buy all his effects to see how they're done. Who has that kind of money? If he does, then so what? He's just one man.

Exposure is an issue, but people worry can about it too much, too. Look how many times something like...oh...The Human Blockhead has been exposed. Expose it all you want, the vast majority still don't know how it's done, and are impressed by it.

MagicBill wrote: Or am I being naive? Is this the future for us - to maximise profits at whatever the cost?

I don't know if it is our future, but it is definitely our past.

Houdini did it.

Ah. I thought he was doing shows then selling the effects so that audience members can do them. As you were...

I can't see it doing any harm, the fact is most people don't have the ambition to be a magician and just don't care enough to spend money on revealing tricks. You can find out how most tricks are done with a quick search on youtube, wikipedia or just buy a book. But the majority of people who do this are those with an interest in learning magic. Even the videos on youtube with over a million views aren't really a threat, the chances of you performing that trick to that person are slim and so what if you do? They are even less likely to ruin the trick for you, or if they have a genuine interest then they will still enjoy seeing it done well.

Also, as a newcomer I also think it is a GOOD thing that some old tricks are revealed to the masses. It gives people reason to come up with new, fresh ideas and stops magic becoming the stale past time of the social recluse. New tricks, new methods and the laying to rest of old stereotypes keep magic relevant in the 21st century and every magician can be unique.

Would you still be interested in magic if every show showed a lady getting sawn in half and a bunny from a hat? I really wouldn't.