I'm Back---and I've Got Something to Say

[James Smith]

As some of you know and many of you don't care, I've been gone from the forums for the last month. Partly because of restriction, and partly because I was working on a new project. This isn't a stupid "I'm Back" thread, I will say some important things in this post. Mainly about magic and its current state (yep, another one of these.)

Belief in an Effect

I ended up not continuing to work on the project that I left for. Why? Even though I probably could've made a huge name for myself in the magic community if I had gone through with it, I wasn't comfortable. I didn't believe 100% in the project. (I will tell you guys what it was once it is released, I'm supposed to keep it under wraps.

Anyway, this brings me to what many "wise magicians" have been saying since the double lift was invented; Practice. Do not perform an effect unless you 100% believe in it, if you know that you can truly astonish your spectators with it, without the slightest bit of suspicion from them.

What's the Point?

Now that I've said something that's been said many times, I would like to complain a little.

A few months ago I saw a thread entitled, "Torn and Restored Card, Purpose," or something along those lines. The creator of the thread began to ask why would we tear up a card only to put it back together. I've also seen another thread similar but about another effect. (Possibly spongeballs?)

Almost all of the replies contained the same type of response, "yea ur rite there realy is no point i hate that."

For those who think in that matter let me ask you this:

What's the point of placing a card in the middle and making it rise to the top?
What's the point of making something vanish, only to reapper later?
What's the point of finding a card in a shuffled deck?
What's the point of telling someone what number they're think of?

I could go on forever, but the answer would always be, "there isn't." No, the answer would be, "because it's amazing and entertaining."

Magic isn't about weaving a story into you're act, or giving a reason for every little thing, it's about entertaining spectators.

Stop over-thinking thinks, go up to someone, act natural, and make sure your patter makes at least a little bit of sense.

Dave

 

[MagicLemonBird]

You're back!!!

 

[James Smith]

You're back!!!

Yes, I have time now, school's out!

Also you now have more posts than me, I have to catch up!

 

[William Draven]

Stop over-thinking thinks, go up to someone, act natural, and make sure your patter makes at least a little bit of sense.

Dave

Bingo. It is possible to over analyze something to death. Sometimes it is just better to "do it" and to hell with what the critics and egg heads think.

 

[adjones]

What's the point of placing a card in the middle and making it rise to the top?
What's the point of making something vanish, only to reapper later?
What's the point of finding a card in a shuffled deck?
What's the point of telling someone what number they're think of?

I could go on forever, but the answer would always be, "there isn't." No, the answer would be, "because it's amazing and entertaining."

Magic isn't about weaving a story into you're act, or giving a reason for every little thing, it's about entertaining spectators.

Stop over-thinking thinks, go up to someone, act natural, and make sure your patter makes at least a little bit of sense.

Dave

This isn't anything new; I've been saying these same things ever since these "Purpose Threads" started popping up.

 

[joshrobarts]

I ended up not continuing to work on the project that I left for. Why? Even though I probably could've made a huge name for myself in the magic community if I had gone through with it, I wasn't comfortable.

and oh so humble

Magic isn't about weaving a story into you're act, or giving a reason for every little thing, it's about entertaining spectators.
Dave

isn't weaving a story in kind of the point? that is entertaining. watch ricky jay and tell me a story isn't a good thing to have. maybe it doesn't have to have a point but it should have a theme and a story never hurts.

 

[Sinful07]

This is possibly the simplest thread ever created (not counting the WHICH DECK SHOULD I GET THREADS of course.)

What's the point of placing a card in the middle and making it rise to the top?

Because it breaks every law ever created. (if there is one.)

What's the point of making something vanish, only to reapper later?

Because it breaks every law ever created. (if there is one.)

What's the point of finding a card in a shuffled deck?

Because it breaks every law ever created. (if there is one.)

What's the point of telling someone what number they're think of?

Because it breaks every law ever created. (if there is one.)



While were at it, lets push Boundaries:

Why climb mountains?

Why learn a different language?

Why learn how to play an instrument?


Go nuts Mr Magician. You deem yourself as this creative thinker who "couldve made a name for himself if he continued his work."


Fire away.

 

[James Smith]

isn't weaving a story in kind of the point? that is entertaining. watch ricky jay and tell me a story isn't a good thing to have. maybe it doesn't have to have a point but it should have a theme and a story never hurts.

There's nothing wrong with having a story, my ACR patter is based off a story. I just think that too many magicians think that's the only way to do magic.

 

[Randy]

There's nothing wrong with having a story, my ACR patter is based off a story. I just think that too many magicians think that's the only way to do magic.

Watch Eugene Burger, Derren Brown or anybody else. They don't just do it to do it. They give what they do meaning and thus give it more impact.

 

[adjones]

This isn't a stupid "I'm Back" thread...

Could have fooled me...

 

[Justin.Morris]

Hey all, I was thinking about the same sort of thing. Here's a snippit form something I posted over at penguin in a discussion about TA. I hope it adds:


...about the reason or premise of an effect... I want to point out that the magician needs to add a premise to any effect they perform. The premise has often been packaged with the effect in the routine, but lately there seem to be a lot of effects put out without that premise gift wrapped. It doesn't mean that the effect is less in any way, it just calls for the magician to think for themselves and to actually step into the creative process. It is a bit frustrating to constantly hear peoples frustrations with DVD teaching format (because it creates clones so-to-speak), then when the teaching method shifts to just teaching the effect with a basic routine and a fill-in-the-blanks format, magicians get upset, because they can't just show it to someone the next day. So is premise really a big deal? Yes. Does it need to be spoon fed to magicians, no. I think it will make mar better magic in the end when magicians get creative and start finding reasons to make things happen.

Take backlash for instance. It is actually a great effect. For the life of me I can't figure out how no one has figured it out yet. My peers are still talking about it. I expanded the premise to it that as an illusionist, I can actually alter a person's perception of reality. To the point where you would swear that you saw something that doesn't actually exist. I continue the effect. Telling them that me clearly putting the card in my pocket is simply an illusion, a twisting of reality. I then leave a permanent mark of the twist in reality on the card at the end. It serves as a convincer that I was actually doing what I said I was (and ironically enough I actually did twist their perception of reality).
All of the sudden, it becomes a great effect, and plays into the rest of my set very nicely.

...think about the effect itself, and encourage young magicians to be creative and get an effect to work. I'm still working on a good premise to try twilight angels and big tiny. People say they are great, but I'm still trying to make them fit into what I do. That doesn't make them bad effects, just because I can't use them yet.

Thanks for letting me rant

Justin

 

[James Smith]

Because it breaks every law ever created. (if there is one.)


Because it breaks every law ever created. (if there is one.)


Because it breaks every law ever created. (if there is one.)


Because it breaks every law ever created. (if there is one.)



While were at it, lets push Boundaries:

Why climb mountains?

Why learn a different language?

Why learn how to play an instrument?

Everything that you just said agreed with what I'm saying in the post. You must have misunderstood. I'm saying that too many magicians over-think things, they try to find a purpose for every little effect. I'm really annoyed by the magicians who ask those sort of questions.

 

[James Smith]

Could have fooled me...

Funny. Just about an hour ago you agreed with things I wrote, now you say that the thread is stupid? Whatever, it's a free country, criticize if you want.

 

[Bruno19]

nice speech

 

[Blaireau]

I think you misunderstand my well meaning friend.

It was never about the stories. It was never about the deep meanings behind the actions. And it certainly isn't about any fame, money, or power.

Tell me, what is the meaning behind climbing molehill obstacles of endurance? Behind learning a language of sounds and ethereal expression? Behind the glory, behind the wealth, behind the strength?

Ultimately? What does it matter?

In the next 100 years or so, I will die, just as the majority of my generation. In the next 200 years, anyone that I have ever known will be dead or dying. In hundred years any mention of my name, my legacy, my generation will be a footnote in a mountain of exponentially increasing information. Five hundred years, is the Renaissance directly relevant to your day to day actions? A millennium. Can anyone here tell me from memory what took place in 1 A.D.?

Ultimately, anything that you do will pass away. If the world doesn't learn to get along with itself, it will die. If they do, the Sun will eventually die out. This Earth and anything that was in it will pass away.

So tell me what your "magic" means.

What is magic to you?

Behind all the pretense of being great, of being amazing, of being entertaining, we're all simply exploiting people's lack of knowledge of certain ideas. We're liars.

But so what? That's not the point either. Artists lie, politicians lie, friends lie. The people that you trust the most lie. It's human. It's something we've all done, George Washington included.

And that my friend, is the point. Is that we are human. All of us. Equally human, no more or less human than the next. And being human, WITH all of it's failures and imperfections, IS the most beautiful thing anyone can experience. It makes it all worthwhile.

In fact, it is the very humanity that draws us to each other. That's what's attractive about a person.

How does this relate to magic?

What were all those stories? What were all those meanings you made up? What did you practice all these countless hours that you still spend away from other people for? What is it that you strive, you seek, you long for with your magic?

I'll tell you what it is for me, and what I believe it is for every other magician out there--regardless of whether they are conscious of it or not. It's for those beautiful beings out there, the human people. It's to connect with them on a certain level. It's to become friends, acquaintances, partners, starcrossed lovers, even if only for a few moments under the stage. It's to share the innate humanity that we all carry.

It just so happens that the patter, the presentation, and performance is the language we speak in.

And if we are to be precise with our use of language, then we learn to love every detail of it, as a linguist does with phrases, letters, and words. I appreciate pop music, and it's catchy, and I sing along in the shower--or wherever else I might be that day--but it's not dense to deconstruct, not difficult to decipher. You've got the chorus, the verses, maybe a bridge. You've got a rhythm, (sometimes that's all), maybe a few harmonies, and a general melody. But if you understood the language of music, this is a barebone sentence. Like Cat in The Hat, or Green Eggs and Ham. And don't get me wrong, I love those books, I love The Beatles. They're great. Some of the best stuff out there. But Bach and Tiersen, they speak in riddles and limericks and melodies that engage me in a very sensual way.

And the deeper we get into this magic thing, the more we think about it, the more we love it, the more we dive and surround ourself with it.

Ascanio. Vernon. Tamariz. Marlo. Miller. These guys composed arias and gave us our motifs and played brilliant codas. The pop songs you play today came from their music.

Playing contemporary or classical is a persons own choice. I set let people play however they want to play.

Sun's gonna burn out anyway.


Love Always,
--Blaireau

 

[Randy]

How do you want to be remembered? As a guy who just does tricks? Because if you're trying to get a career as a guy who just does tricks. Then well, you're going to find that people aren't going to hire you. Due to the fact that they can find anybody like that in the yellow pages.

 

[James Smith]

I think you misunderstand my well meaning friend.

It was never about the stories. It was never about the deep meanings behind the actions. And it certainly isn't about any fame, money, or power.

Tell me, what is the meaning behind climbing molehill obstacles of endurance? Behind learning a language of sounds and ethereal expression? Behind the glory, behind the wealth, behind the strength?

Ultimately? What does it matter?

In the next 100 years or so, I will die, just as the majority of my generation. In the next 200 years, anyone that I have ever known will be dead or dying. In hundred years any mention of my name, my legacy, my generation will be a footnote in a mountain of exponentially increasing information. Five hundred years, is the Renaissance directly relevant to your day to day actions? A millennium. Can anyone here tell me from memory what took place in 1 A.D.?

Ultimately, anything that you do will pass away. If the world doesn't learn to get along with itself, it will die. If they do, the Sun will eventually die out. This Earth and anything that was in it will pass away.

So tell me what your "magic" means.

What is magic to you?

Behind all the pretense of being great, of being amazing, of being entertaining, we're all simply exploiting people's lack of knowledge of certain ideas. We're liars.

But so what? That's not the point either. Artists lie, politicians lie, friends lie. The people that you trust the most lie. It's human. It's something we've all done, George Washington included.

And that my friend, is the point. Is that we are human. All of us. Equally human, no more or less human than the next. And being human, WITH all of it's failures and imperfections, IS the most beautiful thing anyone can experience. It makes it all worthwhile.

In fact, it is the very humanity that draws us to each other. That's what's attractive about a person.

How does this relate to magic?

What were all those stories? What were all those meanings you made up? What did you practice all these countless hours that you still spend away from other people for? What is it that you strive, you seek, you long for with your magic?

I'll tell you what it is for me, and what I believe it is for every other magician out there--regardless of whether they are conscious of it or not. It's for those beautiful beings out there, the human people. It's to connect with them on a certain level. It's to become friends, acquaintances, partners, starcrossed lovers, even if only for a few moments under the stage. It's to share the innate humanity that we all carry.

It just so happens that the patter, the presentation, and performance is the language we speak in.

And if we are to be precise with our use of language, then we learn to love every detail of it, as a linguist does with phrases, letters, and words. I appreciate pop music, and it's catchy, and I sing along in the shower--or wherever else I might be that day--but it's not dense to deconstruct, not difficult to decipher. You've got the chorus, the verses, maybe a bridge. You've got a rhythm, (sometimes that's all), maybe a few harmonies, and a general melody. But if you understood the language of music, this is a barebone sentence. Like Cat in The Hat, or Green Eggs and Ham. And don't get me wrong, I love those books, I love The Beatles. They're great. Some of the best stuff out there. But Bach and Tiersen, they speak in riddles and limericks and melodies that engage me in a very sensual way.

And the deeper we get into this magic thing, the more we think about it, the more we love it, the more we dive and surround ourself with it.

Ascanio. Vernon. Tamariz. Marlo. Miller. These guys composed arias and gave us our motifs and played brilliant codas. The pop songs you play today came from their music.

Playing contemporary or classical is a persons own choice. I set let people play however they want to play.

Sun's gonna burn out anyway.


Love Always,
--Blaireau

Very well said. I agree with most of it, but the parts I don't agree with are very minor and not even worth pointing out.

How do you want to be remembered? As a guy who just does tricks? Because if you're trying to get a career as a guy who just does tricks. Then well, you're going to find that people aren't going to hire you. Due to the fact that they can find anybody like that in the yellow pages.

Who are you addressing, me or Blaireau? I'm not looking to be remembered for hundreds of years. I am certainly considering a career in magic, but just like everybody else I need to practice.

 

[adjones]

Funny. Just about an hour ago you agreed with things I wrote, now you say that the thread is stupid? Whatever, it's a free country, criticize if you want.

I agree with you, but you're just stating the obvious... there's no point.

 

[James Smith]

I agree with you, but you're just stating the obvious... there's no point.

It doesn't seem obvious to some people who continue to require a point. This thread could be closed and it wouldn't be a big deal. I'd kind of like to keep it open though.

 

[RDChopper]

Sorry davey, you are just going for "shock magic". You are just giving us your justifications of why you present your tricks that way...

Personally, I dont like it, there its a vast difference bewteen someone that does "cool thingz" with cards and people that actually entertein.


If that's your style and you like it, by any means, stick to that, but that its just my opinion.