Moichendising!!!

First off everyone should listen to more Billy Joel to mellow out if you are too uptight. This however has nothing to do with my post here. I am all about shlepping products that bear your moniker to promote yourself. I have been known to dabble in it from time to time myself. However, I think putting out something just because A: you know it will sell and B: it only slightly ties into your show is a bit egotistical. If it were done as a joke then that would be fine but as we all know, and I have said far too many times, magic is about capitalism more than entertainment nowadays. Again, this isn't true in everyone in magic, but there are too many cases for it that against it. (I am making NO friends in magic with this blog I just know it.)

So before you give your seal of approval to yer marketing team for cute plushy inflatable easily burnable flashy light up anythings... consider your integrity. That is.. if you haven't sold it on eBay for a can of cheeze wiz and some crackers.

Bizzaro.

Every so often I like to see what is new in magic to see if someone has created something I might can use for my own nefarious little purposes. I am always amused...
 
(there was a buncha funny stuf f here but Blogger ate it so I am just gonna make my point without examples for now.)

I don't think this post had a point except try to remember, yer new magic product is not as kool as you think it is so don't over charge for it. Just because YOU think it's a clever name doesn't mean everyone will. Try not to dress like a fop. That has nothing to do with marketing.. just trust me on this.
 
Bizzaro.

As a proponent of females in magic and not perpetrating a stereo type I am torn on performers like this. I am glad to see someone using their talents and knowledge of herpetology, but even snake handlers can't escape the humdrum use of overplayed illusions such as Origami and sawing in half.


Just because you make the box look like something else doesn't change the fact it's the same damn thing everyone else has been doing for years.. but hey it makes money. Art is never cheap... However not everything is art. I dunno what the difference between helping an image and hurting one is.. but I can sure trace a thin line around it when I see it.

Bizzaro.

A few posts back I talked about a fellow magicians website and the attacks made on his video by the less than professionals in magic. So I was recently scouring the web for amusement and ended up at a few sites that needed help.

First off, if you are going to have a magic website there are a few ground rules to cover. First, try to have a theme that is solid throughout. Fonts, colors, designs, etc. Now the logos and buttons are pretty straight on thru and thru. However there are a few pages where my eyes kinda cross. (More so than usual) Second, learn the age old theory of negative/positive space. Too much white and not enuff text or photos looks.. well, bad.

Ok design crapola aside let's discuss magic content on a website. If yer gonna have photos make sure you can tell exactly what is going on and that people know which one you are. (It also helps to not have them taken with a good camera.) Also don't put photos of you with magicians no one knows. You have to have something to keep their attention and keep it fresh so they keep coming back for more. The more exposure the more it sticks in their memory.

The biggest problem I have seen on most sites is lack of content and poor layout. Also if you have too much to choose from, no one will really know WHAT you do. "Is he a birthday guy? Can he do stage shows? Is he a good close-up guy?" Sure it has all of these options so the answer is yes... but what exactly does he do? It's good to have a focus and direction. I have seen worse tho'. (Also, far too lazy to hunt down a link for an example. Bite me.)

Now to all of you, if you insist to make your own website or get it made for you, at LEAST drop some cash on someone who knows what they are doing. Of course if you think you know what yer doing, get some honest opinions. Also splurge on some good photos. Nice promos, good live shots, something.

If you want a good book check out This book and it's sequel and the website of the same name. It's good for do's and dont's of various natures.

Just trying to help.. I swear.

Bizzaro.

You know, there are many things that confuse me about magic. Such as why in the world someone would want to be a complete bastard to those in their field of work. It can and will come back to bite you in the ass. I know this, I have seen it done. In a field where you have to put on a happy face and be socially acceptable to a crowd, how can you be someone who steals, bad mouths, and otherwise just isn't a nice person behind closed doors? I don't get it...

In other news: Magic inventors... stop making trick decks of cards!!! You are confusing the poor little up and coming magi's of the world. I remember the day I decided to use nothing but the invisible deck and actually learn card magic, it not only made me a better magician, but kept me out of magic shops and therefore had more money. The best two skills to learn in magic is the art of improv. Not just comedy style, but the ability to play off your environment and those around you. ALWAYS take advantage of a situation if you can. The second is related to the other: Impromptu. Being able to do magic with anything at any time. The Dan Harlan videos released some time ago are well worth the pick up for this skill.

So the moral of the story is be able to do magic at a moments notice, be entertaining and go with the flow at the drop of a hat, and don't be a prick.

It'll make all of our lives that much easier.

Bizzaro.

How can you tell a magic effect is really shitty? There are a few ways. The first, and most popular is to buy it. Ah yes, nothing beats opening a new magic toy and discovering you paid 25$ for a hole in a card box and a rubber band. Hey is my magic closet hungry? The other is a review in a magic magazine, but let's face it you are then subject to many of their own personal bias. Not a reliable way, but still is something to consider.

What about those who can't see them performed live or get their grubby little paws on them? There is the magic of the internet. (The very same magical place that leads you to flowery little fucking websites such as this. Sure it's a little bit of profanity, but if you don't like it don't read it. Welcome to the 21st century. We're a bit more ruff and tumble here. Just be glad you missed the 70's.) Now here you can see videos, photos and read golden laced descriptions of the newest effects that no podunk behind a magic counter could ever spew yer way.

Now let's say someone produces an effect that, despite the fact it makes no damn sense to put a picture frame over yer head or sell it for 100+ bucks, looks cool. "Wow I wonder how that looks in actual performance?" Well tough all you get is a crappy animated gif. It astounds me that someone who will make a high quality for a piece of chain can't toss together a mediocre video of their newest release. What does this tell me? It sez to me, "Gee this magic effect might not be that good if they can't bring themselves to actually show it in performance." What are they trying to hide?

Mind you if you are not adept enuff to realize that anyone who uses an animated gif, (Especially when you are a film student who actually owns the equipment.), and see the video and the effect STILL looks like shite might wanna pass it up y0. The biggest problem in magic today is people creating for the sake of money. The internet has made it far too easy for us to get it faster and cheaper. Sadly, that negates using a lot of yer higher brain functions. Things such as, "Do I really need this?", "Does it fit my style?", or "Why in the hell should I pay 50$ for rubber coin that I have to dust with silver powder?".

Too many questions and even more unscrupulous bastards trying to take advantage of you and yer hard earned cash. Use your brains. Don't believe the hype.

Bizzaro.

Idiots akimbo. Thaz all I have to say. If yer gonna be into magic A: Don't be so damn gullible. B: Do yer homework (not the skool kind. That's useless. I mean research yer craft) and 3: Don't believe everything you read, see, or hear. What am I talking about? Well thaz easy enuff. Over at The Hive of Scum and Villainy a website was posted about a mage who happened to, as a joke mind you, say he invented ambitious card. I laughed, I cried, I watched in many times more.

Many complain he is awful, dry, un-original, and the like. Good thing he is not trying to pander to amateurs in his field. If he has the money to make a good website and a professional video like that, he must be doing something right. Hey naysayers.. where is YOUR website and video?

Magicians amuse me, when they dislike something they start petty arguments and threads and lawsuits about it. They get up in arms about something they dun like and therefore draw more attention to it. Remember: No such thing as bad press? If you dun like it, don't link to it (Unless to make fun of it cuz' they deserve it *cough*MaGiCaFe*cough*), don't speak of it, don't think about it. This works in life AND magic. Don't be negative people. It only brings you and the others around you down.

Also, get a damn sense of humor.. geez. Vaudeville Aces? I like it. Yer double lift? Looks like crap.

Bizzaro.