Free?

Everyone loves free stuff. Paul Romhany knows this. Hence the first issue of his new cyber magic mag is available for anyone to peruse. Need more of a reason? I have an article inside BOO YAH!

Remember, the first one is free...

Sweet release...

Here are a couple of phrases I am sick of seeing on the internet regarding magic.

"When are you going to release that"
"You HAVE to release that!"
"OMG WTF I WANT!!"

This is what magic has come to. Not "Good job. That looks great". No. It's "when can I do that so I don't have to think for myself?".

It's not just the fault of those people. It's also the fact that almost anything put on video tends to eventually be sold. Why else would you put it out there for people to see right?

This kinda shit drives me crazy and even makes me angry sometimes. "Lemme get this straight? You want me to put this out so you can take credit for all of my hard work and research and development so you can hack it to pieces with your mediocre performance of it? How about you go fuck yourself instead! Please drive thru"

But I digress....

Classy...

Nothing says magical like a fallen comrade...

It's like they read my mind...

And by mind I mean the Magic Cafe...

Almost like magic...

I wonder if this is how some people feel when we try to show them a trick we "invented".

He's not heavy, he's my table...

Ok I want to have a very Frank discussion. It's about Losander's floating table. I know you do it. Don't try to hide it. It's ok, I know it's easy, amazing, and readily accessible. I know you don't think you need to do anything with it right out of the box and that it seems to be one of those "self-working" effects you hear so much about on the news nowadays.

I have some notes...

I'm not going to start out by saying, "Stop doing it!!!" (I'm going to end that way) However I would like to point out that I am sick of seeing it done with no kind of thinking behind it or customization. The two best FT I have seen are done by the guy who created it and Dan Sperry. Losander because, well he invented it, and Sperry because he treats the table like it's a cumbersome heavy object, made it match his look and gave it his own motivation. (Also he does the turn around move off to the side which looks less awkward)

So how do we fix yours? Well we can start with the easy stuff. The look. I'm not saying you should revamp the paint job (even though that wouldn't hurt). All it would really take is to have the table cloth remade to match your own personal look. Take it to someone who knows how to sew and have it recreated in a fabric that matches the rest of your props.

Speaking of the rest of your props, if you have the table on stage with a bunch of other tables you better have a DAMN GOOD EXCUSE as to why you are not floating those other tables too. Don't just pull the table out and do it without motivation.

Now here is something that will take a bit more effort on your part. Go move a HEAVY table for once in your life. The magic in the table, much like the original zombie ball, is in the fact the object is cumbersome and heavy. Put some tension in your arms when you need to pick it up. When you scoot it across the floor, use your foot to push the bottom and well as your hands for the top. This is how weighty objects operate, especially top heavy ones.

Many of these simple yet difficult tips will help make your floating table that much better. (You know aside from the obvious ones like make up your own routine, learn how to float it straight up and not at an angle, etc) Also don't EVER buy a knock off from China. I don't care how cheap you can get it. You get what you pay for.

Oh by the way, JUST STOP DOING THE DAMN THING!!!

Control yourselves...

Oh what a wondrous time it is for magicians in this day and age. If only I was young again and could sit in my bedroom on mom and dad's dime and practice card sleights until I came up with something I could sell to idiots my fingers bled.

Was it Vernon who said that sleights are not tricks? (Correct me in the shoutbox if I'm wrong) So many of these things are flashy and elegant but A: They look like moves. Like you're hiding something II. They are putting the focus RIGHT on the moment of technique.

I don't care how invisible the move looks (on or off camera) it still looks like a move. You might as well just drop the card on top and do some fancy false flourish. I guess what I am saying is it's not for me, but if it works for you go for it. Just remember that fancy pasteboard handling is no substitute for a personality or presentation.

"Watch" is not patter.