3652.42

What do you say after ten years of keeping a magic journal on the internet?

I think the question is rhetorical...

Bubble Wrap

Did you know I write articles for Vanish Magazine? Welcome to education. Now watch this video and go read the article about it.

Haters gonna hate...

You ever get the feeling someone is out to get you?

Many years ago, shortly after the big green weenie started, I got banned for speaking my mind behind closed doors. (long time readers will note my disdain for censorship and the practices of the cafe)

Eventually I had to appoint an intermediary to take up random issues about my products on the forums. Well I just was told that he too got banned. This comes upon the heels of a thread someone else started about my new Overstuft effect getting deleted.

To whomever the ass clown is who apparently has it in for me, why not contact me directly and air your grievances instead of being a huge douche and hiding behind an admin position on a website?

There is a reason websites like this exist.

Update: A second post started by some random person about the aforementioned product has also been deleted.

"A paranoid is simply someone in possession of all the facts" - Spider Jerusalem 

Tiny objects, big reactions?

One thing I cannot stand is when a magician makes a small item vanish (because that is the best thing they could come up with apparently) and then demand applause for it. It's even worse when they expect it to be a BIG reaction and just hold a pose until the audience gives them that all too often heard pity applause. (I am mainly referring to stage and manip acts here)

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with doing a simple vanish of an object BUT (and this is a big butt) it should further the narrative of the routine. It can't be done "just because". There needs to be motivation or a reason. If it's just for the hell of it you have a LARGE field of vision for people to back track to. As a stage performer you don't have the luxury of being up close and personal to misdirect someone. You gotta be sneaky.

PS - Can we stop vanishing or color changing or whatever you do to an object and thn just reproduce it because you have no other way to ditch it? FIND A WAY!!

PPS - I had a magic trick come out Friday.

Oh internet....

You get me.

It's amazing what you can find on Google image search sometimes...

Yelp and away!

For those of you who get them, do you read reviews or comments about your shows/performances? Do you get bad ones? Do you blow them off because the person is likely a mental midget as far as you are concerned?

While this is usually true of YouTube commentators, it might be a good idea to step back and maybe see if it's not them... it's you.

Listen to detractors... but only a little bit. Don't get angry and take it personal, especially if it's the lay public. They might just have a point and you are missing it. If you see the same complaint pointed out fix it don't just dismiss it.

Mind you if they can't spell basic words correctly you might just want to ignore it complete.

Kno wat I men?

Candle Magick

This must have just FLOORED people back then (magicians included)...


I often wonder what it would have been like to be alive in the era before these kinds of things were widely available. It would have been like not knowing magic at all.

Audio Addendum

A while back I posted my guide to running your own audio (seen Here). With the new types of interfaces the idevices adopted (the "lightning" charger) you might be wondering if my advice still applies. It does but be aware of this - Much like in magic, do no buy cheap knockoffs.

They make a lightning to 30 pin adapter but due to cheap unauthorized versions coming out of (just guess where. I bet you can get it in one) you need to be aware that a genuine apple made adapter, at this point, is the only one the ijet will work with.

Always ask for the real deal.

Known Unknowns...

Take a look around the magic community. The forums, social media, etc. Take a look at what some of the more "known" magi are known for. Now ask yourself this question: What do I want to be known for?

Do you want to be seen as an authority on a certain type of effect? Do you want to be perceived as the person who doesn't credit or fakes demos that nobody trusts? (I hope not) Do you want to have other seek you out for your knowledge about props or performing prowess?

Whatever you think you might want to leave behind, start cultivating that now. It will take you ten years to get proficient at something and/or be noticed for it.* If you have no desire to leave your mark on the magic world just disregard what I have said and go on about your business.

These are not the droids you are wanting people to remember you for.

*More or less. Your results may vary. Some settling may occur during shipping

You will be soft rocked....

Dear magicians,

Please stop using really sedate background music for your trailers. It makes an otherwise good magic product seem really dull. If your demo makes me sleepy it equates to the trick being boring. There is better low key music that doesn't sound like a relaxation tape from the 80s.

Sincerely,

The Mngmnt.

T.K.O.

Technically Knock-Offs don't just happen in the marketplace. Another magician can rip you off and there isn't much you can do about it other than flood the market so they will just blend into the background with everyone else.

If the product is so good that other performers want to steal it then once you sell it more thieves will appear. I myself have had one of my own things reproduced overseas and I will tell you that the quality is TERRIBLE. Thus let me get to the point...

If you buy knock-offs to save a few bucks because you are a cheap asshole then you deserve what you get.

To be fair it can be difficult to tell because other people will use your demo, images, and whatnot to sell the unauthorized copies. However, if you are on a site where English is obviously not their first language you might want to not buy from them. There are clues everywhere. If the item is sold for 20$ everywhere else and they have it for 3$... you might just be getting screwed.

Your best bet is to go right to the source and, if possible, buy directly from the creator if you can. If not head to a reputable dealer. It's really not that hard. However, if you are lazy or cheap then, once more, you deserve what you get. If the deal is too good to be true...

it most likely is.

That little red line...

In today's world almost EVERYTHING has built in spell check somewhere. It really makes me sad when I see spelling mistakes on a product that's being presented as professional quality. The fact that most trailers, books, videos, etc usually or should go by at least 2-3 sets of eyeballs before release and still fuck up huge fascinates me.

Why do I bring this up? The new trailer for Giovanni Liver'a effect Rope, Nut, Knot has a bit of an oops moment in it:
Even if English is not your first language someone should have said something before this got posted EVERYWHERE! Did Giovanni not see this before it went live?

Ok well I guess one little slip is fine. It happens. However...
 
HOW THE HELL DOES IT HAPPEN TWICE!? On his second product trailer for Salt and Silver the above screw up happens and I am pretty sure Eric Mead knows how to spell sophisticated so we can't blame him.

I am eagerly awaiting the third effect trailer to see if they just unleash the trifecta of "how the hell did that slip through"?

If you ever release any product make sure you get some people to preview it before it ever hits the eyes of the public. You don't need to look like an idiot and if you hire someone else to do it and they do this kinda stuff FIRE THEM...

Out of a cannon if need be.

Reminders...

Hey there my friendly neighborhood smappdoodles! I have not stopped posting just been busy lately. I have some posts brewing in my skull but for now I leave you with some required reading.

Just replace the word cartoonist with magician.

Bizzaro.'s Guide to Running Your Own Music

I have been sitting on this for a while mainly because I was waiting for the newest version of an app I was helping Beta Test come out. That's right. I was helping to make something better and I was doing it FOR YOU! (and myself as well)

Let me tell you how nice and liberating it is to be able to run your own music without having to deal with inept techies who can't seem to understand the complexities of "pause" and "un-pause".

There are a myriad of options for running music from your pocket. They range into the thousands of dollars area to the low hundreds. A very popular one is the Show Cues App. However if you are broke (or cheap) then 90$ for an app seems like quite a bit. 

If you think that's not pricey enough, you can go the Media Star route. (The most modern version of the much coveted MP3 tech) This one is pretty swank as it can control your lighting and whatnot as well. 

However, if you are like me and just need some fades, pauses, and other random sundry features let me tell you what I have got goin' on in my pants.

Remote Broadcast

If you JUST need to start and stop music your first stop is the iJet remote control. (well that and an ipod type device.) Now before we go any further, let me set a few things about the iJet straight. You will see or hear some people bitchin' about how it doesn't work right. The fault is actually on both sides. 

The iJet buttons don't work if you just quickly press them. This is by design so it can't accidentally go off in your pocket. You have to hold the button down for about half a second. The problem is that I have found this information nowhere in the documentation. You just kind of have to "discover" that for yourself. So it's a mix of operator error and manufacturer omission. Once you are armed with this information, it makes the whole set-up work fine.

One of the cool things about the iJet for me is the fact you can tether up to 7 remotes to one device. If you are a weird anal retentive artist type like me and want to activate your music while holding a prop and not have to go to your pocket this is a great thing.

Speaking of remotes in your pocket, let me tell you about an old tried and true trick. If you glue some tiny fake costume jewels to the play button (and any other button you plan to use a lot) you can easily activate it from the outside of your pockets.

Go Go Gadget Go Button app!

If you need something a little more stout than just the default ipod playlists then I highly recommend an app called Go Button. It's much cheaper than the aforementioned options and has recently been updated with a much better functionality than it's first iteration. It's also the program I have been helping to beta test. Many of the features it was missing in version 1 have been suggested and implemented making it a much more complete show cue interface. One of my favorite features is the ability to customize your remote button's functions.

It also let's you loop, fade, and edit songs. Like any show cue program you can layer music tracks and other various helpful commands. For self-run music it's quite handy especially now.

(For those of you who just want to have your own sound person running your music you can use this for that too or use free programs like This One to run your music and sound effects.)

In Contusion...

You have many options to help run your music yourself. If you need it, drop the hammer on the expensive ones. If you are like me and have 40-50$ laying around to commit to such a project you can't go terribly wrong with iJet and Go Button. There will always be naysayers to every solution. It's up to you to decide for yourself by being a smart consumer. Listen to your heart...

and me.

Abandon ship!

 

Something a friend of mine did...

Those that don't...

This goes out to all of you who are frustrated about being passed over, overlooked, or otherwise looked down on because you are trying to do something that is outside the "norm" in the entertainment business.

Most of the time the people who are in power are there because they spent their time and energy to get there. If they had any talent or propensity for being a good performer they would not be hiring other acts that THEY deem worthy.

It's like film/music/theater critics. usually they think they know all about a subject because they went to school for it, studied it, or tried it and could not succeed so now they are an "authority". Of course sometimes people who actually know their shit get put into place to wield said power, but they usually do not do so on their own volition.

So just remember, those people who snub you because you don't fit in their "box", it may not be you (it could be but that's another post entirely). Just be patient. Your day will come.

And one day those people will be dead.

You know what?

I couldn't have said it better myself...

Table for one?

You know what looks like crap? A guy with a tiny table on a HUGE stage. The table is already kinda small but performing it on a huge empty stage makes it look even smaller.

Just something I noticed.

I'm over the underground...

Dear magicians,

You really can't call yourself "underground" if you release product to the masses. You just sound like an idiot if you do. We don't have an underground anymore really. The moment you put something online for everyone to see that's it you're done. You want to be a hipster underground, then only show people stuff in person. That's it. Nuff' said.

Sincerely,
the mngmt.

Retro Fitting?

I have a friend who is trying to learn some magic to add to her collection of skills. She has some friends who are trying to teach her how to do a Biddle count. This kind of shit confounds me. Not that they are trying to teach a beginner an upper-intermediate  sleight. It's the fact that we, as magicians, are still trying to teach people shit from books written in the early 1900's. For fuck's sake Expert at the Card Table was written in 1902!!

We are telling people to learn from books that have the phrase "Borrow a gentleman's pocket handkerchief and bowler hat".

There have been great advancements on the techniques shown in those books. I'm not even talking about DVDs but OTHER BOOKS! I know magicians are behind the times usually but this is ridiculous.

When someone asks me for a book to start someone out with you know what I tell them? The Mark Wilson Course. (Not the small pocket version but the thick ass phone book looking thing) Sure it was written in the '70s but at least it's more current than Royal Road or Scarne.

I'm fine with people liking the books, getting material from them, etc but STOP trying to push your religion on others who are first starting out. Sure you should learn the basics but there are easier ways to acclimate them to that kind of stuff in today's world.

Hell the Klutz book of magic is a good book...

Reaction Time

Let me put something out there in the ether: Just because it gets reactions doesn't mean it's good.

I could strangle people in the street naked and get a reaction. Doesn't mean people like it. I am sick of hearing performers trying to validate an act, joke, or effect-for-sale with the "reaction" argument. Outside of magic, you can get a reaction from a simple false transfer with a coin. Doesn't mean I am gonna sell it on a DVD for 20$.

We fool ourselves into thinking reaction is the litmus test of how good or bad something is. Sometimes NO reaction is better because that means you fried them so hard they can't think or move. It's kinda like after sex when you... sorry forgot who I was talking to. It's like in D &D when you roll a natural 20.

A lot of comedians get nervous polite laughter and assume they wrote a good joke when in reality their line about sleeping with their sister came off less like a joke and more like a confession. The same thing happens in magic. People applaud by habit. Do enough shows you will know the good reactions from the bad.

So the next time you have an effect you wanna sell or defend because you got people on camera cussing or ma and pa six-pack are impressed at your local Wal-mart step back and write yourself a reality check.

Maybe it's not just you.

Airheads...

I'm pretty sure magicians are the only ones who think that levitating a balloon, bubble, or bird is magic.

Want proof? Ok. Overheard at a magic convention show while watching a performer do a levitating bubble trick:
Magician: "Isn't that cool?"
Magician's Wife: "Umm.. no shit. Bubbles float."

Draw your own conclusions.

Let the right ones in...

Let me tell you a little something about myself: I am very critical of my own performances. I am always looking for ways to improve my material. Even if it's something as simple as a cosmetic change on a prop or a look or gesture.

As I have mentioned in the past, the secret to being a better performer is to give a damn. If you care you'll work on something until you are content with it. An act or performance can never be done. There is always something to improve.

The question is how do you find those improvements? Simple. Go out and effin' perform!! The more you sail the boat, the more leaks you will find. The more arrows you fire the better your aim will be. The more cats you shave the umm... furrier your.. uh.. pants will get.... (They can't all be gold).

My point is every performance is a learning experience IF YOU LET IT. Some people just perform, collect their check, and go home. Every time you perform something is different. Something is better or worse. Something can be fixed. You have to pay attention to it tho' You must be like skynet and become self-aware! Don't be too lazy either. Be proactive! (I don't mean the acne medication either) If you can't get to it right away, make a note of it. Every cell phone has a way to make notes. Take advantage of that!

The more you perform, the more chances you have to fix things. The more you fix, the better your act will get. The better your act is the happier you (and everyone who watches you) will be. So the next time you see me perform just know that afterward backstage I will be taking stock of everything that just occurred...

and possibly crying.

Trailer hitch...

More and more I have been seeing magicians disgruntled at misleading trailers or effects making claims that, like a hooker with beer flavored nipples, might be too good to be true.

Some have taken a pro-active approach to call some companies and performers on their BS while others merely sit on forums and complain. A recent post about ANOTHER post elsewhere suggested magicians are cheap bastards (and they are) and if they figure out an effect from the trailer they won't buy it because the EFFECT is the important factor not the handling. Due to that fact trick trailers are having to be "faked" in spots to prevent said cheap-assedness from occurring.

My personal belief is that if your effect isn't good enough to hold up on camera without some tweaking then maybe you need to work on it some more or not put it out at all. Anyone who has been reading this journal the last ten years (Holy crap it's almost been ten years hasn't it?) knows that I will call attention to fake demos. I haven't had to do it as much because others have taken up the task as well and tend to get to it before I do which is great!

However, the fact it still happens just goes to say a lot about our profession. The biggest problem of course is magicians suffer from one inherent flaw... we're still only human. We like to get away with things when we think we can and when we're caught we don't apologize for inconveniencing anyone... it's because we are sorry for getting caught.

Mind you some people straight up refuse to admit to shinanigans when busted but ultimately the reputation damage has been done. Magicians People will bitch about anything given half the chance, but when you know that you can limit that percentage by just doing a little thinking....

and that might be where the fault lies.

Et tu Star Trek?

I was just watching an old episode of Deep Space 9 (don't judge me) and as usual TV has to go and poke fun at magic with lines like this: "Ah, he sounds like the right type. Painfully shy, introverted, a slight lack of confidence, just the kind of person who might want to dazzle the world with his magical abilities"

I'm not going to argue with it but do you see what we're up against... and this was the 90's! It still goes on. We are seen as jokes, hence box office flops like Burt Wonderstone. I doubt our profession will ever return to what it was at it's height (before TV radio and electricity) but there has to be something we can do so shows like Arrested Development stop poking fun at us as a whole...

Regardless of how painfully funny it is.

A little plug....

So recently I added a news feed to my storefront. I've got a poll up about a possible new product right now so if you have a second go take a look.

While I have you here I wanna talk about magic products. In the last year I was working with a couple companies to release a few products for various reasons. The main one was to see what it's like. It was... interesting to say the least.

Regardless, I realized something along the way to here. We see a lot of guys in magic who seem to only make their living creating and selling (at times mediocre) magic effects. They flood the market with whatever leaks out of their ears. While some of it has merit they are seldom fully formed ideas and need more work that just a webcam audience.

This led me to the revelation that if you release too much it ceases to become special.

Magic companies fall prey to this too. They pump out other people's tricks at an alarming rate and therefore the items that could have a very long life in the sun only briefly get to bask in the light before they get buried under a deluge of crap. Thus I have become very careful once again about what I put into the hands of others. I want to know if it's something they actually want or would like, not purchase as an impulse only to die a slow horrible death in the dungeon of unwanted magic effects (ie: a virgin's er... magician's magic drawer).

I advise any of you reading this who want to release product to heed my words. Don't let your babies grow up to be magical landfill...

or cowboys.

Learn from your mistakes...

Every so often a new product pops up in magic making claims that it simulate something that is "too hard" to do. You know where most of these products end up? Magician Limbo. They spend the rest of their days being bought, sold and/or traded at magic auctions or on websites. Eventually they come to rest in the back of a closet or buried under other regretful magic purchases in a drawer soaking in the tears of yet another hobbyist.

Why not save yourself the grief and the next time some shiny new toy claims it "makes you a pro without learning the skill" just go and learn the damn skill? Sure it might take longer but it's more gratifying, far more impromptu usually and it costs you nothing but your time (time you usually spend bitching on magic forums anyway).

Sure there will be that handful of guys who will effectively utilize this wonder gimmick and it might even be their gateway drug to learning the real deal but those mythical dedicated people are few and far between. Learning some actual moves won't kill you I swear...

And if does no one will know.

Supporting my weight...

"I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member" - Groucho Marx

Apparently the SAM has decided they want to get 2400 likes on their new FB page in the next 24 hours. Some say it's too little too late. I say why support an organization that doesn't support you?

There are a ton of magic organizations that want your money. If these groups have actually contributed to your magic life/ career in any positive way then by all means give them your moolah. However if you have been nothing but rejected and seen other others ignored by these groups due to their close minded good old boys club elitist mentality then why would you bother?

I am sure they would tell you it's for the good of the magic community. That's great but what if you shy away from the magic community or vice versa. Organizations are not for everyone (tho' they will tell you they are) and some come to this realization too late and after the damage is done.

I also understand some people love magic so blindly that they want to be involved in anyway they can to help magic. There are those who truly want to take these groups out of the dark ages but the problem is most of them are run by people who are between the ages of 80 and death. Until they are out of the picture younger guys with innovative ideas get pushed to the side, squeezed out, or ignored.

There is a dark side to the magic world and dammit if I have to be the one lone voice to point it out and take the brunt of their ire for the rest of you so be it.

Thankfully I am not alone.

Prose and cons...

Dear magicians,

Reciting or performing over the recorded track of a poem you did not write does not make you creative or unique... especially if you are doing it to gypsy thread.

That ship has sailed.

Thanx,
The Mngmnt.

Wizard battle?

I hope none of you are friends with these people.

(Please note: this is actually a parody website and, Flying Spaghetti Monster willing, people like this don't really exist.)

Weirdos...

 It's what's for dinner.

Damn that rap music...

So when I was younger and older magicians tried to give me "advice" such as "You can't wear that outfit, do that kind of magic, why not do something less weird etc" I always brushed them off. It wasn't because I didn't think they were right, but I knew that wasn't right for ME.

So it amuses me when I see younger magicians bite back at other magicians online when they put up a photo or video and they start getting said "advice" from those of us who have been in the business for a long time.

One such kid on a FB group started getting messed with for his performing outfit. I'm not one to talk about what one wears onstage because I fought long and hard to get what I like to wear to an acceptable level. However, today's youth seem to be adopting the look of "Justin Bieber on his day off getting high on a  friend's couch".

It's ok to dress in a modern style but you want to look better than your audience. My friend used to say, "You want to be the best dressed or most noticeably dressed in the room" This doesn't mean Versace but it doesn't mean Wal-mart either. I can't stress this enough to younger performers: LOOK LIKE A PERFORMER!

If you want to be taken seriously by anyone wanting to hire you for something other than house parties then find a look you like but find something (or have it made) that isn't like anything everyone else is wearing. Personally I am sick of the suit coat over T-shirt look. It's lazy not hip and not very original now. Don't believe me Google "College Magicians". I don't care how clever your shirt is, stop it!

Lastly, I know the hipster look is in right now but if I see one more kid dressing like This performing magic I am lighting your beanie on fire. I'm not kidding. I'm crazy...

I'll do it.

Glad they didn't find my photos...

Anyone remember Bad Magic Photos do com? Yah it's kinda like that.

I blame Burt Wonderstone.

Slug trailer...

Over on the Magic Soup Kitchen there has been some interesting talk in some various threads. One thing came up about removing the fluff from magic explanation videos. People on the street screaming, 30 second intros (or more), and other extraneous BS.

Today I saw this trailer and I am immediately reminded of why I hate trailers like this. Right now I am out in the Grand Canyon doing a gig and the net connection is iffy at best. I have to wait longer than any sane person would to see anything happen because of too much artistic crap going on in the demo. I don't care how cold you are I don't need to see you sitting by a fire. Just show me the bloody trick. You are not Theory 11. Just get on with it!

Oh if that were my only issue with the video. I am usually put off by over-boasting in magic videos. Saying something is "the most" anything in magic is ridiculous. You don't know what I have seen. I promise you a self lighting match is not the "most" anything I have ever seen. Don't turn yourselves into a liar before I even buy the product.

While we are at it, let's leave out the phrase "reputation maker" too. That's just a bit presumptuous doncha think? I could stab a bunch of people and get a reputation for that. Not sure I wanna be "the guy who sets off fire alarms by accident".

As a last thought, do you think people put bleeps in magic videos even when no one said something offensive to make it seem more edgy? I wouldn't put it past most magicians. Personally I'd rather see a studio performance of the effect straight thru...

but that's just me.

22 blows to the head...

Courtesy of Pixar.

Many of these things can easily apply to magic.

It finally happened...

I have finally found a reason to read my Twitter feed.

Words of wisdom...

My friend Dwayne Andrew just posted this on his facebook:

"If I could actually pass a solid ring through another by suspending the laws of physics, I wouldn't start by showing that it can't be done. Just clanging them together does not prove they are solid. It just shows that you lack imagination and skill."

This falls under the same heading as "beating Houdini's record" with a strait jacket or any other stock presentation of an effect really. 

We have a bad habit of monkey see, monkey do in magic. If it works for them, it should work for us right? That's how they do it so that's how it must be done. WRONG!

Want to be more creative? Then NEVER do the same presentation as ANYONE else... no matter how good it is. Just keep going until you find your groove. It's easier than you think and more gratifying than being a clone of the rest of the magic world.

Be your own man... or woman.

Auto-erotic Prestidigitation...

Over the last year I have been delving deeper into the sweaty crevices that are the magic product market. Let me tell you this... I am not impressed.

While navigating various magic websites I realized that there is just too much magic in our blood stream and it's CHOKING US TO DEATH!

There is so much crap to wade thru that it's hard for someone to make anything that resembles an informed decision about what is good, bad, or right for them. Inundated every damn day with so much new useless magic.

"We have so many choices for so many tastes now" I hear you exclaim. That's all well and good but it still doesn't change the fact that so much good magic gets wiped out by so much bad magic. Oh sure a solid effect pushed by the right company will stay in the limelight for some time but so will some very bad magic. It's the bad that will let the stuff that is solid, workable and practical get glossed over. Much like beautiful artwork getting painted over with a coat of whitewash in the name of "progress". I for one am sick of it and no longer want any part of it. If you want me I will be over here in my own little corner playing with my (sponge) balls.

You'll know where to find me...

Like an Ani DiFranco song...

Sitting in an airport, thought I would whore myself out a bit. An old idea is finally a new product.

Here is the original version...

Do you have a flag?

Over on facebook a magician posted a video where she performs a mask to winged creature effect. In the comments a fairly well known magician couldn't help himself and make a snide comment amount that seeming familiar. He did this because he used to do a mask to dove effect himself albeit using a totally different method.

So this got me thinking about method vs. effect. In cases like this you can argue it down to "Well you are just turning an object into a bird just like (insert any number of people here)".  No one has the monopoly on any certain kind of magic for the most part. Sure some people are known to have "Squatters Rights" to an effect where they are so well known for it that anyone else doing it seems like a rip off but where do we draw the line?

In this case the two methods to accomplish a similar effect were entirely different. If you ask me (which no one did) it's whichever one is the most magical looking and gets the better response. Of course there is no real way to judge that as they are both solid methods.

If there is anything to take away from it all it might be this: Don't be a bully or a douche to others unless they are directly ripping you off. Otherwise you just end up looking like the bad guy and some weirdo might talk smack about you on the internet.

It could happen. 

A gif-t...

You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake...

I know a handful of magicians who feel they are not creative enough or don't think they can create their own material. It's not as hard as you think. Sure, there is no formula for it or everyone would be doing it but creativity is subjective and there are different ways to accomplish it.

With that in mind I have some videos for you to watch.

I'm just gonna leave this here...

More machine now than man....

So I was watching a youtube video of a dove act (I know, I know mistake number one on my part shut up) and when they used a dove tray I realized there is a way to get more magic out of it.

The problem with things that work on a hinge/spring system is they can look TOO mechanical. You are sacrificing a little bit for that visual change. Physics dictate certain things move and look a certain way when activated. As magicians we are limited by, what we perceive is, reality. So if we use the same mechanics the world is used to we may or may not fool them. Let's go back to the dove tray...

In the video I watched a young lady laid her glove upon the tray and it turned into a dove. Now aside from the random prop that was obviously big enough to hold a live animal we can dress this up a bit. Say you lay a cloth over the glove and make that gesture and suddenly the cloth starts moving. (Magic moment #1) and then you whip away the cloth it's a dove (Moment #2). By using the mechanics against itself we can delay the moment.

I personally believe anything that is mechanical looks that way and while it gets a reaction I don't think it deep down fools people. We see certain things happen in our lives and our brain can fill in the gaps. However if we can get something to look/react abnormally then we have magic. A good example is the card gimmick where the pips move to create another value. When done right, it's smooth and spooky looking. When people see something that can't equate it to their brain kinda short circuits and they truly feel that magic moment.

Sometimes things can be TOO visual.

Pretty... awkward...

Ok so this post might rock a boat and not make me some friends but stay with me on this. I swear it's positive... ish.

Anyone who knows me or has read this journal for longer than they should will know I am a big proponent of females in magic. I think the next step in public magic evolution is a strong magical femme on TV. However that gal should not try to do cardistry.

There is something inelegant about a girl manipulating playing cards.

Now before you send me any hate mail let me defend my case. Normal off the shelf playing cards are just not stylish. The imagery associated with them does not match up with the elegance of most females. It seems like a clunky silly prop to be fiddling with.

I am more talking about cardistry cuts and whatnot. Card manip on stage is a different thing and I have seen that done well. It just seems that the cards are an oxymoron to the imagery in my opinion. Hell a lot of the female magicians I know hate card tricks anyway.

If you are reading this saying "Fuck him, he's nuts. I'm gonna do it anyway" that's fine. However find some vanity decks that look interesting or fancy. Something that matches your personal look or ideals. Stray away from typical decks. I think this is one of the cases where a vanity deck would work well. Almost like an accessory such as a necklace or watch.

Correct me if I am wrong.

PS: New chatbox. Hopefully this one will work.

Knock, knock...

Just a little side note to any of you who support the Chinese or knock-off magic sites/products.

You deserve what you get.

My new years gift to you...

Scarlett topless. Not safe for work, but we're magicians so who am I kidding. (Also do your research on why she is sky clad from the waist up. It's interesting and might be important to someone you know)

Same old boring routine?

So tonight I performed close-up magic for the first time in a long time. My opening gambit was three tricks with a beer bottle (it's Vegas, what you gonna do?): A production, the bottle cap penetrated into the neck of the bottle and then the cap vanished in a puff of smoke and re-appeared on top of the bottle.

Why do I tell you all of this? Because fuck you that's why It's because I want you to think about how you can take some one trick effects and turn them into something that is a piece in a bigger puzzle.

It's not hard to take those things you have and find a common thread to make them all play nice together. Not only does it help flesh out a full presentation piece but also makes you look like a better performer because it seems like you thought all of this out... even if you haven't.

So my challenge to you is to sort thru all of that one trick pony BS you have that you don't use and see what you can build with it.

Think of it as magic Legos.

I can't help you...

I want nothing more than to see people be good magicians/performers. I offer advice and teachings to those who have that spark of wanting to do something truly special with their lives.

The problem is I can only do so much. No matter how many sleights or tricks you learn, books and videos you consume, shiny toys you buy... you can only be as good as you want to be. You have to learn at your own pace. You gotta find what works for you. All of this takes time. You have to come to it on your own. No amount of advice or classes or money can change that.

I am happy to point people in a certain direction (or shy them away from it) but it's all up to you. You are your own fate. It's you who must find the conviction and confidence in, not only yourself, but your material and sally forth unto the battlefield of entertainment and stake your claims. There is no "right" way to get to where you are going but there are a lot of wrong ways that will delay your journey.

Mind your step on the path you so choose.

It's thimple...

Dear magicians,

What the fuck is wrong with you?  I understand you like the classics and alla that but THIMBLES!? Seriously? Why are people still using these damn things? Unless you plan to play a tailor type character on stage then thimbles make no damn sense to use. They can't be seen from stage (even if you bedazzle them like Shimada) and anyone under the age of living either won't know what they are or care.

Now if you want to use a similar item and do the same magic fine. Have it make sense? Great. However twice this month I have seen two magician talking about learning/practicing thimble magic. Want to learn it just to learn it and jerk yerself off in the mirror fine. You want to inflict this "classic" on people knock it off!!

Thanx,
The mngmt.

To you and yours...

Smackstring...

Quietly released a new download the other day with Balcony Productions in Germany. Thought you might wanna know.

I don't have to write an article...

This guy already did it for me.

Enjoy...

Nacho applause...

So I was reading Jeff McBride's new book "The Show Doctor", (even if you don't like his magic, you should at least read the book. It's the voice of experience. Srsly.), and he had a bit in there that really struck a chord with me. I don't 100% agree with the statement but I would say 95% I do.

By doing other people's tricks you are getting THEIR applause.

Now this is obviously not literal. When you perform Kevin James' Bowl-a-rama he doesn't get the sensation of thousands of voices crying out in agony. However the sentiment is indeed there. By doing something straight from the box, with the stock patter and presentation it came with, doing same old BS everyone else does you are effectively not getting any personal satisfaction for the performance.

Oh I know you think you are. Just because people put their hands together in a loud cacophony when you're doing something nifty doesn't mean it's for YOU. If you want people to give you the clap go to a whore house you can just produce a damn animal in your act.

There is nothing more gratifying than performing something you created OR taking a pre-existing effect and truly making it your own. Do they know the difference between something you bought and something you created? No not really...

But you do.

We are not alone...

At one point the only avenue for crazy people to spread their opinions was on a street corner yelling at passers by. Well in today's world the streets are webpages and the people walking by are anyone who happens upon those websites.

One of the internet's super powers to is to get information to a larger audience via various channels. Social media, blogs, websites, videos, etc. You can be whoever you like and say whatever you want (for the most part) and usually no one will track you down and punch you in the throat.

I remember the big magic blog boom of 03' sparked by the now defunct Magic Circle Jerk (ah the good old days). Many of these blogs have died off or just gone silent for various reasons or another. However there are some out there still going because they care enough to voice their opinion loud enough for others to hear it and maybe open some eyes and minds.... like a verbal claw hammer if you will.

I just found such a person(s) on FB who is doing their best to warn people of (perceived or real) shenanigans in the magic community. Will they continue this watchdog effort until they die? Likely not but hey...

You never know.

But it's the pelvic thrust!

Hey I remembered to update this every day this week yay!

*Ahem* So it's the last day and what have we learned? That you DO have options when bringing your magic afterbirth into the world. I offer you a final wrap up.

My personal opinion is to just do it all yourself. You will ultimately end getting what you want in every respect. If you build it (and it's a hit and you pimp it right) they will come.

However if you have no artistic vision and just want quick cash the distributors are there for you. (just don't expect long term income) If you are tapped by a magic company just remember to read the contract carefully. Some of them will give you cash up front as a buy out and that's it. Others will offer you a percentage. Make sure you know what you are getting into.

The biggest advice I can offer up is to sit on your creation for a bit. Really decide what's best for the community and art, not your bank account. If it's a variant, just hold onto it and put it into a collection of things. If you are gonna explode if you don't share it, try a download. That way you can keep the cost down and not clog magic stores with "just another card trick".

Now go forth and don't multiply!

Bring you knees in tight...

As we close in on the end of the week and my guide to releasing magic stuff we look at the dangers of your actions.

To be frank, distributor companies such as Murphy's have kinda fucked up the magic marketplace. Very few companies or shops will go directly to the artist when they can get huge amounts of stuff in the same place at once. The problem is distributors ask for a jobber rate (which is usually 60-65% off retail). This is where it gets kinda funky.

In the real world jobber rate is usually gotten when a gross or more of something is ordered. Magic distributors will make a big order right at first (anywhere from 200+ pieces give or take) and make the jobber rate worthwhile. Later down the line they expect that same rate for a dozen items. You are now making crap money on that and passing the savings on to everyone else. It's kind of a raw deal.

However if you just want fast cash to recoup costs and then go buy your crack rock that's fine I guess. (Especially if you have a name and can keep pumping out mediocre crap) There is a way for everyone to be happy though. You can go the wholesale route THEN hit the distributors.

The biggest issue with just wholesaling yourself is there is more work involved but on the upside you make more money in the long run. You have to contact the stores, you have to ship the items, you have to set aside time to run a business. However wholesaling is 40-50% off retail. Do the math on that for a second.

You have a 20$ item. Wholesale is around 10-12$ profit for you. Jobber is 8-6$ for your lonely pocketbook. I would rather take the little bit of time and effort to make that extra cash and build a client base than be another faceless item on a shelf. When the momentum dies down, you can then contact the distributors and let them pick up the slack, but as mentioned above, you will likely get less wholesale orders once they can get it with everything else.

The third option we discussed yesterday was letting someone else do the heavy lifting. Most of these companies (T11, Papercrane, Blue Crown, etc) look for something unique (usually anyway) that will hopefully turn a profit. Once you catch their eye the pros of this route are they do all the legwork. Advertising, packaging, producing, filming, etc. You will only get 25-30% of the profits but you just gotta sit back and do very little. This may sound appealing at first but you don't get as much control or say so as you would self-releasing (that sounded dirty). Again it's possible to release something, sell it wholesale yourself, and then be spotted by a bigger company and let them take it further than you ever could. One big negative point can be it will be anywhere from months to years before the item can be released for various reasons or another.

So while you chew on that I'll leave my wrap up for tomorrow...

Put your hands on your hips...

Welcome back those of you still hanging on. Today we are going to talk about Options.

So after you create your product there are a couple of routes to take. You can A. Wholesale 2. Sell it to a company or III. Go thru distributors.

Wholesale is more work on your end but ultimately more profitable in some cases. Going thru someone else can be just as profitable for a while. Your name reaches a market it might not otherwise have because they focus on pushing the item but you only get a small amount of the profits. The last one is the most precarious because they only push the item for a little while and you get a small bit of cash. This is the least desirable.

You can combine A and III if you do it right. Do the work, get your money, then when the initial push is done send it off to the distributors and let them pick up from there.

Generally with downloads your only option is to go thru someone else, but due to various factors (torrents and flooding of the market in some cases) it's not as profitable a route as it once was. DVDs and physical product generally have to be self produced unless it's such a hot unique item someone like T11 or Paul Harris wants it. However you can start out self producing and only wholesaling until it gets discovered. I have seen items that have been around for YEARS and then become brand new because someone discovers it. It's much like local bands you like that suddenly become famous.

Tomorrow the real dangers of the unholy three...

Then a step to the right...

So yesterday I revealed step 1 of my 286 step program for releasing magic products. Today you need to figure out Paper or Plastic?

I once had a product reviewed and the individual in charge of that suggested the trick would be better in lecture notes. (thus for years after it was just to spite them but I digress) However due to instant-gratification technology we just can't wait to put something out and make a quick buck off it. The real question is how to deliver that idea? With the rise of options like Penguin Partners or The Wire downloads are a very direct route. PDFs and booklets still can sell as well if you can't afford the production costs of DVDs.

The compilation DVD has given way to the single trick video market. Personally I believe if you have one idea that is just "ok" (your version of an already existing idea or routine) then perhaps put into a PDF or video with multiple ideas so you can charge a bit more or they feel they got their money worth.

Each one has their ups and downs and once you decide what format is best now you have to figure out how to get it into their hot little hands.

Let's chat about that tomorrow huh?

It's just a jump to the left...

As promised here is my guide to releasing magic products. Will it be informative or amusing? It's a 50/50 shot really.

The first step to releasing a new product into the magic market is: DON'T F$%#!& DO IT! There is already too much rehashed crap out there and it's choking the internet to death.

Unless....

That product is something very unique in method, prop, or visual. If it's a utility prop that has multiple uses and allows other to create for themselves then by all means go for it.

All of that aside, let's assume you ignored the first few sentences of this post, and are going to release your "brand new" handling of an ace assembly. In today's world it's so easy to create something, film it, and put it online or on a DVD in the SAME DAMN DAY that it's mind wobbling.

The real first step is this: Do some R&D first! (That's Research & Development not Record & Distribute) Go out and see what your effect can do. See if there is a way to clean up the handling, see what effect it has on REAL people, and make sure it hasn't been done before. Youtube and the rest of the internet is NOT the way to gauge how well a magic effect plays. You have to leave your house and actually perform it. (I know, out into the "real world" sorry.)

Only after making sure it's something new (or so old no one can tell you but the people with no lives who can quote you every page of Erdnase verbatim) then you have to decide what medium to put it on. DVD, download, flash drive, morse code? That will be tomorrow's article.

Now get off my lawn...

Poking and producing...

I decided that next week I am going to spend Mon-Fri discussing my thoughts on releasing magic products. So come back at the start of the week for Bizzaro.'s Guide to Magic Capitalism. You might learn something...

but it's highly unlikely.

Protect yo shiz...

So this last week at a venue there was some talk of using someone else's hands in a spike roulette trick and how it can invariably go wrong eventually. While this is true, I recently saw a product I think everyone should have if they plan to use real spikes. (With their, or anyone else's hands)

Remember: You have to be smart to do stupid things...

A Salt and...

Just a little note to any magician who uses anything electronic - You get what you pay for.

I just learned Rayovac, despite saying they are equivalent to Energizer are NOT. Do yourself a favor and use Energizers. (Especially if you own one of Sylvester The Jester's Funkenrings)

That is all...

Radiating lines...

A mask maker friend of mine posted This on his Facebook. If you are any kind of creative or want to be this is likely a good idea to read. A few things stick out in this article for me. One is the numbered list about halfway down. The other is this - "It takes a certain amount of courage, thinking out loud. And is best done in a safe and nurturing environment."

The squeaky wheel gets the grease sometimes but only by those who don't like the noise. I have often said that you need to seek out a small cadre of folks who share your same beliefs and outlooks on art and create with them. Trying to get the opinion of EVERYONE just because you think they think they know what they are talking about is creative suicide. In the end the only opinion that matters is yours when it comes to your art.

Sure you should still remain open minded to random bits of advice from your audience, friends and certain bloggers *koff* but it's your art. It's ok to do what you want but as the article suggests...

might be good to sleep on it.

It seems so simple...

Watching Craig Ferguson (who is possibly the most "real" person in show business right now) and he said something that, if actually heeded, would make magic forums ghost towns...

1. Does this need to be said?
2. Does this need to be said by me?
3. Does this need to be said by me right now?

Good rules for life not just the internet.

True dat...

Speaking of vanity...

With my rant on card decks lately, anyone remember these?

I can almost see the strings...

 

This amused me... (and their website was easy to use and had good prices)

Just wandering...

Do you ever look at the copious amounts of magical crap that spews forth every week and wonder who is putting it out to further the art or to see what can be done with it in other hands and who just needs money?

I weep the latter might be the front runner...

It's like Ferngully all over again...

A new vanity deck came out and the ad copy says, "There are a lot of decks out there. Try not to get distracted by the ones that don't make a difference or advance our art." 

What you may not know is that the companies who put out these decks will openly admit that they make more money on these decks of cards than on the magic products they release. Thus the ridiculousness of some of the ads for these decks. No deck of card advances our art. WE advance it by making something new. By stepping outside the lines that have been drawn for our "safety". To even HINT that a deck of cards makes you an artists hurts magic by putting that idiotic thought in your mind. You know who let it get this way? YOU! (and to a much lesser degree, me. I think I have bought two custom decks in my life.)

I understand they are "collectable" to people who do such things. However claiming one is better than another at this point is silly. There's no looking back now tho'. It's just gonna get sillier from here on out.

How many dead trees do you have in a drawer at home?

Piled high...

When I worked at a couple magic shops in the late 90's and early 2000's I thought there was a lot of crap magic being released... but little did I know what was on the horizon. How could I have known that the way to be known in magic was to release a glut of mediocre products? Who could have forseen youtube making it so easy to self publish and sell something you "created" that day without research or real world practice?

It's a brand new world. Material is being released at the speed of thought and it shows no signs of stopping. If you think I am exaggerating, then look at places like the Latest and Greatest section on the Soylent Green or even all of the crap being sold and bought on facebook groups such as Surplus magic Exchange.

It makes the mind wobble.

My smooth brain...

Dear magicians with lots of money and no skill,

Buying your job title is like the people who cheat at online video games to be the "best".

I hope all of you die in a fire.

Sincerely,
The Mngmnt.

Open your presence...

A couple days ago I went and saw some bands I like. One of them puts on a great show by being energetic and just in the moment. Watching them made me very aware of something I already knew but became inspired to write about here...

Stage Presence: Sometimes you're just born with it.

It's not something you can buy or apply. It can be learned to a  point but some people just naturally exude that special something that makes them more interesting than everyone else once they are on some elevated platform.

No amount of sleight of hand, costuming, or money can get it for you. You either have it or you don't. It's a natural talent, plain and simple. It's a mix of confidence, control, ego, and insanity.

You need to WANT to be up there. You HAVE to be into it. You MUST believe it. No amount of words I throw at you will help explain it. You just have to get it...

Get it?

PS: I have another article in the recent Vanish Magazine. Read it yah poozers.

It's an age thing...

Much like how it's very hard to take anyone under the age of, say 40, seriously as a mentalist I think it's very hard for anyone under the age of 25 to really sell themselves as a "corporate" entertainer.

It's not so much the age thing, but there are others who have a hell of a jump on you and you should spend a good deal of your youth perfecting your skills.

Oh and not taking shit so seriously.

Duh'Finger...

Possibly the best D'lite routine ever?
Projection mapping live performance art - The Alchemy of Light by a dandypunk from a dandypunk on Vimeo.

Don't do the math...

If I ever added up the amount of money I have spent on buying materials to make props and try out ideas I would likely go mad. Then to factor in how much of that was wasted on stuff that didn't work would just cause me to go on a three state killing spree wearing someone head as a hat. (yes that was a Con Air reference. Get over it.)

If I was to stop and think about it all it might actually deter me from creating and experimenting. That, boys and girls, is one of the secrets to my creativity. Never give up and try everything.

The only way to learn is to fail. That is find the ways that DON'T work. Don't let the cost deter you (tho' do be smart and get the best deal. Don't just jump on the first thing you see. There might be a cheaper alternative. (Sometimes you just need a little patience.) Obviously don't spend money you don't have just for the sake of a magic trick, but set aside a little bit here and there if it's super important.

Just don't do the math...

Pro Noun?

A friend of mine sent me this in an email today. Not sure if he was trying to tell me something but there is some real silly shit in this list. A lot of the stuff seems geared at being a money hungry a-hole but I will comment as I see fit.
-------------------------------------------------------------
If you think like an amateur and you want to book more corporate gigs (or any type of gig) then you’re going to fail. There is a huge difference between amateurs and professionals. I’m going to give you 15 different mindsets that pros have which allow them to get gigs while the amateur struggles.

1. Amateurs call themselves “magicians.” Pros consider themselves to be a “business.”
I can see how this is both true and not at the same time. However, if someone asks me what I do for a a living I am sure as hell not going to tell them I am a "business".

2. Amateurs focus on how many shows they do per year. Pros focus on how much they make per year.
Have you ever been around someone who ONLY worries about the bottom line? Man they sure are a fun lot to be around lemme tell yah.

3. Amateurs buy tricks. Pros invest in marketing material that improves their business.
Again, both true and not. I think a working pro does both if the material can benefit them.

4. Amateurs do marketing when they feel like it. Pros do marketing even if they don’t feel like it.
I think a working pro will market PERIOD. Most hobbyists won't even bother.

5. Amateurs talk about working on their “show.” Pros talk about marketing their show.
This is some big time BS. I don't know ANY pros who sit around talking about marketing their shows unless it's in a closed door meeting with a venue or their team of people whose job it is. A good performer NEVER stops working on their show.

6. Amateurs spend money they get from a show. Pros invest money back in their business.
They both spend money they get from shows. How else would they get money? Sheesh...

7. Amateurs hang out on forums. Pros are too busy marketing to hang out on forums.
Yah I'm just gonna leave this one alone because it was obviously written by an idiot.

8. Amateurs hang around other magicians. Pros hang around other businessmen.
I think someone just took and reworded some business pamphlet for some of these. That or they have NEVER spent any time around magicians in their LIFE.

9. Amateurs talk bad about other magicians. Pros do things for other people to talk about.
So does that make Criss Angel a professional Amatuer because he does both of these things at the same time?

10. Amateurs make excuses about why they can’t do something. Pros do whatever it takes to make it happen.
This might be the only one I fully agree with. Someone who takes the business seriously will never give up and keep pushing for that next show or opportunity.
-------------------------------------------------------------
By the way, you might want to reread the intro and the part I bolded. The funny thing is the article only listed 10 things. I guess pros don't have time to count?

What I got from this was that the person who wrote it only cares about money and has no regard for anyone who wants to create art and entertain. If you get to the point where this is the black and white way you see your performing career, just stop and go open a real business somewhere. Stop clogging up the already hardened arteries of entertainment with your stupid ass. The rest of us would like to work and stop having lackluster money-grubbing fame hounds making a bad name for the rest of us.

Wait... what?

Did Criss Angel REALLY  just post this on Twitter?

"Don't get how people steal material/image &look in the mirror-NO ethics"

This was my reaction:

 

Magical Vs. Impossible

Dai Vernon is credited with saying something to the effect of "confusion is not magic". I want to add my own thoughts along this line to the magic world by saying impossible does not equal magical.

I think doing something impossible and doing something magical are two different realms. Much like we seem to lump all performing traits under the term "character" we seem to just fist every thing that is supposed to be magical into the category of "magic".

Much like my popular stance that coincidence is not magic so too shall this gem rest right next to it.

What got me thinking of this was watching the demo for an animated torn and restored card. I like to think that magic has a very defined clear cut effect to it. Tricks that I feel sit under the impossible umbrella are things that either don't make sense or are not magic in and of themselves. It's a very thin line I admit.

Usually magic is best when it serves a purpose or fills a need. Let me explain it to you using hand puppets and this little one act play I just made up.

Magic
Random Person: "Man I am hungry"
Magician: hand me that napkin (magician makes sandwich appear from empty napkin)
Person: "Wow that was amazing! Thanks!"

Impossible
Magician: "Watch me take this sandwich and make it penetrate halfway thru this pane of glass"
Confused Person: "Um...ok."
(Magician fuses sandwich and glass as one)
Person: "Wow that was.. weird. Why did you do that?"
Magician: "Because I can..."

That might be a tad extreme but doing something random like the second example serves no purpose other than eye candy. Magic is impossible. Impossible is not always magic.

Does this mean all your magic needs to serve a function? Hell no! However the moments of magic should make sense to the task at hand. Ambitious card is magic. It is structured as such. Turning an apple into an iphone? Not so much. Doing something impossible "just because" may seem like magic to some but in the end...

it might just be damned silly.

Remember, remember...

I think vanity playing cards have now passed from novelty to the collector's market. The reason for this is there is now a market for them. With every new release I get the feeling magic companies are just pumping cards out for the hell of it sometimes.

A recent item had this as part of their ad copy: For the misfits, the rebels - those who challenge us, inspire us; those who say maybe when others say “no” - let the games begin. Enjoy the Rebellion.

Ok first off let's back that pretentious train up a bit. It's not the occupy movement or the 70's. There is nothing challenging about a stack of paper. Second, wouldn't a better rebellion be NOT buying the cards when everyone else will be? This kind of idea is about as rebellious as shopping at a Hot Topic.

It's just a deck of cards guys not a protest song. 

It's just that easy...

As an exercise in creativity, watch this:


See what he did there? He took a trite effect that makes no sense (spirit hand) and put a story around it. (Yes then he beefed it up a bit but that's not the point)

It's not that hard to look at a magic trick or item an figure out for a way to have it make sense.

Be the ball...

The AGT thing...

I will try and forgo my usual ranting about how America's Got Talent is a BS show that only exists to make money off singers. However this current round of "Get on the show from Youtube" magic has kinda irked me. 

First off, if you read the rules of the youtube submissions it stated you had to submit something filmed within the last year. Two of the submissions dated as far back as 1996. I would have let this all go if not for the fact I already knew one of the performers had been in talks with the AGT producers about being on the show. it seems they had to upload a YT video as a formality and were already a shoe in. I can't prove it but I also can't prove the existence of the flying spaghetti monster yet for some reason I still feel the touch of his noodley appendage in my life.

I know the show is supposed to create drama and all of that but the fact people still believe it is a totally fair show is beyond me. (Have you ever noticed how the judges outfits seem to change through the course of a show? Could it edited somehow? Naaaah) If you watched the last three magi that came on last night's show, you might notice the two who got panned the most were the ones who spent tireless hours creating their own unique props and routines and the one who made it through is doing a store bought effect that, granted he put his own touches on, not something he put his heart and soul into. 

As an aside a friend of mine callously said that "This goes to show just because something is different doesn't mean it's good. Give me Channing or Gabriel any day". (Actually he said something far more insulting but I am paraphrasing) I think classics have their place, but their days are numbered my friends.

The "judges", and I use that term lightly, have NO place to actually judge anyone aside from the fact that someone put them into that position and gave them that title. Something they themselves did not have to work for. Something in which they are merely doing for a paycheck and a free ride. It makes me ill that this show is still on the air and taking advantage of performers from all walks of life, adding to the dumbing down of America and entertainment, and basically shitting on hard working individuals who don't need their scripted bullshit.

To be fair tho', the performers did know the job was dangerous when they took it...

It's like the chicken said.

Call me fish meal...

Saw a quote on my Facebook (oddly by a chewing gum company) that I feel should be shared with the magical world.

“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” - Herman Melville

The learning channel...

They say you should learn from your mistakes or you are doomed to repeat them. I say we should learn from our performances. For me every major performance is a learning experience. There is always a line that can be made better, a joke that could be told differently, a method that can be tweaked, etc.

I'm not saying that every time you perform you should walk away with something. That card trick you did for that waitress may not be a lightbulb type moment... but it could be.

Over the years I have learned from and played upon my mistakes as well. You can't ignore the tiny details because it is those things that make up the big picture.

So pay attention to your shows lest you are doomed to repeat them...

in hell.

I'm riding thru the desert...

A couple of things today my merry band of followers. One a new issue of the free magic magazine Vanish is out. I have a whole page to talk nonsense in it. I suggest you read it cover to cover.

The other is a wee bit of a contest. I have been updating the handling on an old idea and don't have a good name for it. (Some of you might remember it from the February 2007 Linking Ring parade I did) So if you devise a name for the effect I like not only will you learn it for free before it's officially published anywhere, you will get a credit for the creation. So have at thee!!

We're going to Disneyland!

Some friends and I got together to have some fun and be creative. We also filmed it. Enjoy.

I'm in your brain...

I have always wanted to see a magic trick end like this...

I have made a prediction. I will lay it here on the table.

Now think of a card. When you have it turn over the prediction. (Click the card)

(I didn't say it had anything to do with the trick now did I?)

Sunning yourself...

I have a little something to say to my fellow magi who want to be more than they currently are.

STOP BEING SO DAMN LAZY!

The people who reach the top are the ones who climb. You have to work for what you want. The higher your goal the harder you have the work to reach the top. You can't just expect others to do it for you or hope it will work out. YOU have to make it happen.

Do you wonder why others are getting more gigs than you or maybe have better shows? They are working their damned fool heads off to get there. Sure luck plays a part of it all but they are moving forward and they don't stop. They are either working on and fixing their act everyday, making notes and jumping on them immediately to be better. They are on the phone sending out promo and making contacts everyday. (Some even claim to do this 8 hours a day like a real job but I think that's a little bit of BS sometimes.)

You have no one to blame but yourself for where you are (most of the time). Get up off yer ass and make your magic better, make those calls, shake those hands, book those gigs.

Otherwise, just shut up.

I think we're lost...

I have been catching up on the FISM reports today. It's interesting what plays for magicians and is really just for them and not so much for non-magicians. I have heard it said that the best kind of magic can be described in one sentence. "He put my bill in a lemon", "He cut the rope in half and put it back together" or "Use the word etcetera in a sentence".

 I think the biggest problem is we take a simple idea and convolute the holy hell out of it. I have a new bit which is a variation on a classic. The effect by itself gets a fine enough reaction. It's simple and to the point. A friend wanted to see something else tacked on to the end because he thought the initial effect was kind of bland.

This my friends is magician logic. Let me tell you something. Sometimes good enough is just that. My friend had a saying on his desk at his music studio. "Remember: Not Too slick". In the pursuit of trying to make something "perfect" (or in this case more "magical") you can actually screw it up. Sure the magicians would eat it up and give you bonus points in a meaningless competition, but will it play in Peoria?

Sometimes going that extra mile is ok and a routine NEEDS it. However you have to make sure it really needs it. If it's simple to follow for the simpletons you might not win any trophies but the real world might just love you for it.

Sometimes too much is too much.

When geeks collide...

Hack Lines?

So there is a video going around the magic community right now about hack lines magicians say. Now this post is not about that video. It is about a line I am sick of hearing magicians  say however.

"I'm not sure if this is going to work"

I have bemoaned the use of patter that insults the audiences intelligence many times in this journal. This is one of those times. People are not stupid enough, especially on stage, to believe that. (Ok some might be but you already have their money at that point so screw em') Much like "I don't know if this is going to work", the aforementioned line just makes you look like a condescending ass klown.

Be straight up with people. Don't try to get them on your side with blatant lies. Tell them it's new so when you say I dunno if this is going to work they might actually believe you. There is no reason to develop patter that makes you sound superior to the audience. If they wanted that kind of treatment they could have stayed home and watched TV. We are there to entertain them, not have them marvel at our magnificent penis.

There is no reason to be condescending.

The safest route...

Just a quick tip: If you are a magic builder, creator or want to be take my advice and invest in a Dremel Tool (Or similar brand). It's quite handy, takes up very little space and gets simple things done quickly.

Also, get one with variable speeds. It's a bit more but well worth the investment.

Also, Nipples.

I liked this idea. However you should read the comments. They said pretty much everything I was thinking. Tricks like this are fun to watch but I don't think they are huge foolers.

One of the comments brings up a good point as well. "She did all the work". Man if this isn't the emperor's new clothes of the magic world. Most of the time when someone is doing illusions one person is posturing and waving their arms about while someone else does the dirty work. I think anyone with two working brains cells huddling together to make warmth can see that.

So what then makes a magician? Is it his tricks? Is it his skills? Perhaps it's the shoddy product he shills on those with more money than sense? Hell perhaps it's all of these things? That's up to your audience to decide.

I think people are fascinated with the impossible, not magic. Yes magic makes the impossible visible. However sometimes it's NOT impossible and people see right thru it. Art is fascinating at times because it seems impossible. People do "impossible" things everyday. Many times we use what they don't know is possible against them. We're not the only ones. Many sideshow performers live and die by this concept.

At the end of the day people don't want to be fooled, they would rather be entertained. They sometimes enjoy the fooling stuff, but they rarely seek it out. They would much rather have a good time. It's hard for some performer to grasp tho' because to them...

it is impossible.

Nothing ventured...

I was looking thru my link tracker for my website and came across an old post on a forum about razor blades (I have a book and DVD about it remember?). On there someone had talked about performing the effect at school and this was someone's response: "Why would you be performing this at school? You could get caught with razors and be either suspended or worse expelled."

Let me tell you why young puritan soul. It's because taking chances is what makes you evolve!

If you don't push your boundaries and find out what you can get away with you will never discover what might lie beyond your safe little walls you hide yourself in. To create art you have to challenge the world and yourself. Do things that scare you and maybe other people. You have to step outside your comfort zone to see what's out there. Don't worry tho'...

You can always come back.

Band together....

I started doing magic in bars and live music venues when I was 16. It's a whole different world. One that you need to be at the very least interesting to keep their attention.

All of that aside, the music scene, like most of the live entertainment world, has rules. The funny thing is these rules can apply to a lot of things, but magic is at the top of that list.

Read On.

Ruminate upon this...

Turd on a wire...

For those of you who may not know about it, T11 has an area called "The Wire". It's a place to upload your creations (after they are quality checked which is good) and sell for a bit of cash. About a month ago I put an effect on there as an experiment. I can say it's not going to make you rich but it's nice to make a small bit of cash while doing nothing.

Regardless, while on their forum I saw someone post this nugget of info, "all my trick will go for 0.99cause that how much i will pay for a trick". That, ladies and gentlemen, is the mindset of the current generation.

In a previous post I mused about how this kind of direct access and saturation would drive the value and price of magic down while increasing the demand for unpublished material.

I'm not going to say I told you so but...

Quick like a bunny!!

The first person to film themselves doing 6 card repeat for a REAL audience and ending it with the line, "And that's 1, 2,3,4,5,6 minutes of your life you'll never get back" will get free stuff from me.

Here's a watermelon and a gun GO GO!!

Twats...

Something I saw on my twitter. It reminded me of EVERY magic forum I have been on.

"REMINDER: If you're about to tell someone why you don't like something they made and aren't going to buy it, stop. They DO NOT CARE."

Some settling may occur...

The straightest path between two points is a straight line... but damn that straight line can be boring. Sometimes you want to take the scenic route.

I have been working on a good way to switch a folded card for a while now. The methods ranged from so very simple to the overly complicated. Each had their problems as I had a list of parameters I needed to meet. (There is a big difference between clever and practical)

This is one of the keys to creativity: Getting what you want.

When you are working on a routine or creating something new there will be people who say "Why not just do it this way or that". These suggestions might make sense but do not fulfill the requirements you have in mind. It's your magic, therefore it needs to make you happy (as well as the people watching too). There is always an answer, however you sometimes have to just go with what works so you can get the routine out there and eventually the answer will present itself.

So my advice to you is the next time you are trying to create something make a list (mental or physical) of the things you want to get out of it and that has to happen (end clean, certain card in this position, certain prop being in this pocket for later, etc) and make it so...

make it just so.