talkmagic.co.uk

Hello,

As a musician and artist I've always been fascinated by the creative process and how it varies between individuals. Magic has its own kind of creative process I feel, and I would be interested in hearing some of your thoughts on how you approach creating new tricks, or improving effects.

I don't feel like I have the capacity at this stage to sit down and think 'here's the effect I want to achieve, lets figure out how I can do that.' My creative process at the moment consists of thinking about techniques that I have already learned, and considering ways in which they could be used and what could be done with them in combination with other techniques I have adopted. So in other words, rather than conceiving of a end goal, and putting my thoughts to exactly how that can be achieved, my end goal is determined by what I think is possible given my current knowledge. I don't know if that makes sense... I've come up with about 4 card tricks so far, most of which I don't think are refined enough to show anyone, but one of which I have performed to friends and family and it has got a great reaction - which is always a good feeling.

I also enjoy the way that these tricks evolve. I learn something new that can make it much more convincing or more effective (or just easier). Its also good that I can develop a number of ways to do each trick. The one that I have performed for people, I can do at least 2 different ways which look very distinctive. I found this great for baffling people. They saw me do the trick one way, and they must think something about the trick involved my particular actions prior to the revelation, then they see me do it again completely differently and that assumption is then rendered invalid.

I love the creative process in anything. I am interested to hear how it works for you lot. I feel I could benefit from getting an understanding of different approaches.

Laurens

For me it all starts with my thinking up a theme or story that I want to build a routine around. I think about what I want to happen and how I want it to play out, I keep away from methods at this point and just think about what I want the audience to see. When I've got my ideal routine worked out and written down, then I'll start to think about how to do it. Sometime I might have to twist my idea a little because things I wanted to do might just not be doable or practical buut I always try to stick as closely as I can to that original idea.

Not unlike Lady of Mystery, method doesn't really enter my creative process until the very end. I like to tell a story. I tell it from start to finish, then I transistion my story to include illustrations and I illustrate my story through magic. Once I have that story and a concept down as to how I want to show my story I start looking at effects, (sometimes the two come together) and if I find something that already exists great. I'm almost set. However often the effects have to be tweaked to fit my story, that often means method also needs tweaked.

A very simple example is the hot rod. I like Jay Scott Berry's but he doesn't make them anymore.(I like them because the 'gems' are not 'gems' they are rectangular thingies). I wanted to tell a story about my grandfather and how he came to the USA from poland as a child he was from a very poor family. He came to the USA learned a trade, (a tailor) and became very successful. So how did that go with the hot rod? The force was gold. So I showed the front and the back, all gold and the patter was about that he had always heard that the streets in the US were lined with gold. But being a poor immigrant he quickly found that they were not, but he did find that they had many colours (and I'd show the rod again this time with all six colours) In fact some were gold, but others were blue some were red, others were green. All the different colours. He also found out that this was a good thing. So many opportunities, cultures, ideas and if you worked really hard enough you can at least make your street gold...

I like to caution beginners not to learn method so quick. Find an effect you like and learn the effect. If you are reading a book on magic, Mark Wilson's for example. Find an effect you like and learn that effect. If you need to get a gimmick, buy it or make it. If you need to learn a method, then take the time and learn the method. Do everything to learn that specific effect. Then you have an effect. You have probably learned a method that can be applied to something.

I find many beginners tend to learn a lot of method and at the end of the day they don't have an effect. And at the end of the month have not shown a single trick because all they have been doing is learning a 'pass' or a 'DL' or a classic palm. And all that method means nothing if there is no context to which to place them. Seems to me like a lot of time spent on not much, and most of which you will never need in the real world of magic. Although seeing as we all do it, I'm sure it is part of the learning process.

Just an opinion.

I tend to pick up a random object (don't limit yourself to standard props) and think about what impossible things could happen to/in/around it. I note this down, then underneath it start writing bits of method. If I can't get exactly what I want, I find a compromise, and work on getting it closer and closer to the intended effect.

Others prefer to find stories first, and I like to use this approach sometimes too.

If you get a sudden flash of inspiration, note it down. It doesn't matter if you don't know how to do it, that may come later. My notebooks are filled with tricks that have no methods, but you will probably find that when coming back to it with a fresh viewpoint, you will find a solution.

Hope that helps.

spooneythegoon wrote:I tend to pick up a random object (don't limit yourself to standard props) and think about what impossible things could happen to/in/around it. I note this down, then underneath it start writing bits of method. If I can't get exactly what I want, I find a compromise, and work on getting it closer and closer to the intended effect.

Others prefer to find stories first, and I like to use this approach sometimes too.

If you get a sudden flash of inspiration, note it down. It doesn't matter if you don't know how to do it, that may come later. My notebooks are filled with tricks that have no methods, but you will probably find that when coming back to it with a fresh viewpoint, you will find a solution.

Hope that helps.

In Vancouver I was walking with Greg Frewin, he stopped to take a picture of a lamp post. Why? it looked interesting to him. He did that with everything and built his show that way. And I think it is safe to say he has become very successful. What you never heard of him? click http://www.gregfrewintheatre.com/

There's the side of me that entertains drunk student types.
I look at a trick and I think "can I make a knob joke out of this?" and if the answer is no I just try harder.
True story

I went to a Francis Menotti lecture once and he talked about this
Hes really creative and brilliant too.

He looks at other hobbies and things he is passionate about for generally magic moments or situations.
he also said he thinks of common phrases (like 'out of the blue', 'flip side of the coin') writes them all down and tried to use them for inspiration.

Most intrestingly, he create acts that are not magical, and adds magic 'embellishments'. to him magic is the icing on the cake, and the story or act is more important.

He also works around his character and thinks of thinks that suit him. He is self depracating and humble, so he does a lot of tricks where he diverts credit for the trick, and spends a lot of time on rapport and making the audience fight his corner.

A brilliant lecture

shuffleshuffle wrote:Most intrestingly, he create acts that are not magical, and adds magic 'embellishments'. to him magic is the icing on the cake, and the story or act is more important.

That in my opinion is exactly how it should be done.

People keep posting a long list of things that will supposedly make you more creative on Facebook. In fact, research presented in last night's Horizon on BBC2 shows that it's quite simple to have more creative ideas: First, try to generate as many ideas abut a problem as you can. Second, do something repetitive or menial for a while, like going for a walk, vacuum the lounge, iron your Superman outfit, etc. Now come back to the problem. Weird, isn't it? New ideas flow like sick from an unwell child.

Laurens have you seen this video on creativity and magic - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykI7dDbEW-Y