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Well done on performing for your society and I hope they let you become a full member.

Last night I had the honour of being allowed to join the Aberdeen Magical Society after my performance at there last night.

I know this point has been stressed before but I cannot recommend enough that people join a magic society as the support and comradeship is fabulous and the support is wonderful.

Dean

Well done both of you!

Thanks everyone and good on ya Dorian. Just out of interest what did you perform for your audition?

As for the PDJamez question, I'll set up a camera this weekend and give it a go but will need to see what the file sizes come out at. I may post highlights rather than the whole routine or break down into parts.

Watch this space

Greetings

Thank you

I performed Porper chip suprise at my previous meeting and they were happy with what I had performed so they took this as my audition.

But my I did not know this till my meeting on Tuesday as I was expecting to perform again.

Dean

You were lucky Dean. I coached Marc Oberon ( Presentation & Stagecraft) before he came 3rd. in the Internation Magic Comp( Dec 2004) then 1st. in the European Close Up Championships at Blackpool, last year. For a final try out I got him to perform at our Society's closed meeting. AFTERWARDS, when he asked about joining several members said he ought to audition. He,quite rightly, told them where to go and they have now lost a NAME. The Magic Circle gave him membership on his achievements, no audition!
In the last 2 months we have refined the old audition rules which allowed for Performance ONLY,and neglected, experience/demonstration of knowlege/deep serious interest, the elder magician who no longer performed,the Collector or student of history, the magician who was a long standing member of a recognised Society etc.
So now, after the initial 'talk'/interview with the Committee and a 5 min. dem. of performance or knowlege of magic, there is a Demonstration before the members,which can be performance or talk etc. if they're collectors etc.
OTHER SOCIETIES. Can you tell me HOW you approach entrance to your Society.
Do you have an Entrance Fee as well as the year's subscription?
Any answers please before the Revised Rules go before the Society in Feb.
Allen Tipton.
allen@tipton27.wanadoo.co.uk

dat8962 wrote:As for the PDJamez question, I'll set up a camera this weekend and give it a go but will need to see what the file sizes come out at. I may post highlights rather than the whole routine or break down into parts.

Watch this space :lol:

Thanks Dat, that would be great.

Edit: It might be useful for those preparing for an exam to see a collection of routines or highlights others have performed. Anyone else want to contribute?

For the most part we like all new members to audition in front of everyone, however as you pointed out there are exceptions that get taken into account. For example we have had older, now retired magicians who due to age are not able to still perform and after an informal interview they have been granted access without the need to audition.

I think the main consideration is to be able to adapt the rules to speciifc personal situations.

So far we haven't come across the collector type who doesn't want to audition, and I am not sure how we would cope with that. The idea of them giving a talk about their collection sounds like a good idea though.

At the moment we don't charge an entrance fee, just the yearly sub.

Just out of interest - what do you do if a member auditions in December and your AGM is in Febuary. Do you charge them a full years subs or just part of? or do you let them off the sub for that partial year?

Bananafish; If they join, as did 2 in Oct last, the subs which are payable from the end of Nov (AGM,) are adjusted for their new year.
I've never understood the Entrance Fee logic but we are now giving them a new Member's pack which includes the Guild Badge so it might be..... but I'm not convinced.
At least i have persuaded the Committee to gather a number of useful interview questions rather than some of the shallow inane ones they used to ask. As I said to them on many occasion, 'If you were interviewing this person for a job would you ask silly questions?'
What questions are asked by other Societies prior to audition?
Allen Tipton

Greetings Allen

There was an entrance fee as well as a subscription when I joined.

I was lucky in that the first meeting that I attended was an open forum and in that forum I was able to show my love and knowledge of magic as well as performing a routine and the other members could tell that I was serious about it and not a fly by night secret hunter.

I approached my society by email and was invited along for a chat and then some time later I was invited to attended an open forum in December and I was voted in by members of our society on Tuesday.

Also thinking about it I do not think anyone who was not serious about magic would make the 5 hour round trip to the magic club that I make.

I agree with Banafish about being able to adapt the rules to the needs of the individual applying for membership as I think this very important for any society or group.

Highest Regards

Dean

Alan

At the Wessex you're invited to one of the regular club meetings so that people can get a feel for you and you, a feel for them. If you wish to return then you pay an annual subscription (£25) and there's no entry fee thereafter for members. The annual subscription includes entrance to all of the lectures.

The members appear to prefer to get to know over a number of meetings where you are expected to attend and they can assess you through talking about a wide range of magic topics.

Then, usually between four and six meetings you can audition for full membership by way of a 10 to 12 minute routine of your choice. The association is NOT keen for you to continue too long as an associate member without you auditioning for full membership.

Just to conclude if anyone's interested, I received my confirmation this past weekend that I passed the audition and am now a full member of the Wessex.

Great news and chuffed to bits.