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silverking Inner circle 4574 Posts |
Hi Michael,
Your series of videos was, and is, in my library sort of as a later day Tarbells. A child of the TV age, I find your explanations clear and easy to understand. Although I own a large number of books, and an ever increasing library keeps me on the lookout for new bookshelves, I find that a great number of effects are difficult, if not impossible to understand when trying to learn them exclusively from a book. This is expecially true for extremely complex card moves. I find that DVD's are similar to an actual magician showing you the trick, and all that's missing is the ability to ask questions (although the Café works as well as anything out there for questions). In this discussion, I am really thinking of all those young magicians in small towns where they're the ONLY one remotely interested in learning magic, and they have no ability to meet older mentors. (wasn't this sort of like your younger years?) I wonder if you have any thoughts on how DVD's have affected magic. For better or worse. It would seeem to open the doors to potential exposure for anybody with a spare $40.00, but for magicians who buy them and use them as learning tools, I personally believe that they have been the cause of a small revolution in how magic is learned. |
Michael Ammar Creative Spotlight Guest 83 Posts |
Well, this is a topic that I had to put a lot of soul searching into before I made the decision to put my efforts into teaching via video.
The way I looked at it, if there was the potential for this to be a big help to others, then maybe there was the corresponding potential for it to be a bad thing. I knew that if I was going to do this, that I was going to put a lot of effort into it, and I certainly didn't want to put a lot of energy into something that would be bad for magic. In the end, I decided that making the information accessible was a good thing, and that the more accessible it was and the more effective it was communicated, the better. And this would remain true to the most full potential of whatever medium was being used -- whether it was video, DVD, internet, or whatever. At no point in history has it ever been a good idea to make quality information hard to come by. No topic has ever benefited by making the good information scarce or hard to access. I know the arguement -- if it is too easy to get, then people won't appreciate it. While that may be true to some extent, I don't think it holds up in the long run. I might be wrong, but I can't find a case that supports the idea of censoring or qualifying for information. Having said that, once I decided to follow up on some teaching projects, one thing that I felt was that the leap from the printed page to 'Show me' was the biggest leap that technology would bring to teaching magic in my lifetime. Show me. Let me see what you are talking about. Show me exactly how to hold those cards, and the rhythm you use to count them... That's the big leap, and it is fully expressed on video. The leap from video to DVD is a much smaller leap, although it is an important one to people who want to quickly access that information. But still, DVD is just non-linear access to the video elements, so no new information is really contained there. At one point we considered putting multiple camera options into the teaching elements of the DVD, but in the end, there is typically one key view you need 99% of the time, and if another view is relevant we'll show it again from that view. So the ability to choose your own camera angle just didn't enhance the experience. As a continuation of the thinking process that brought about the decision to produce some learning tools featuring video, I also wondered if the need for secrecy hasn't been the very thing that has held back the global advancement of our Art. With past magicians telling people to burn their secrets and props when they die, every new generation had to basically reinvent the wheel. Magic is supposed to be such an ancient art form, but to me it doesn't seem to have developed nearly as much as dance or other forms of theater has over the last 300 years, and I think secrets play a large role in that. |
Cameron Francis V.I.P. 7025 Posts |
All I can say is... wonderful answer.
MOMENT'S NOTICE LIVE 3 - Six impromptu card tricks! Out now! http://cameronfrancismagic.com/moments-notice-live-3.html
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Tom Bartlett Special user Our southern border could use 763 Posts |
Michael,
I certainly agree with you about passing on the things that we have learn to a next generation, so that we can build on them, instead of having the start over. I think videos have had more to do with raising the “bar” than any other type of teaching aide in history. The “Old Timers” keep many things a secret and rarely would passe their skills and techniques on to anyone, saying things like “I had to learn it the hard way, so should you”. I think, it was mostly because they resented and feared competition, not realizing, that just because they showed someone how to do something, it meant the person would develop the skills to be competitive or that the person wanted to compete. The videos are so beneficial to the new magician willing to spend the time and effort to improve their the skills, that it would be hard to put a accurate value on them. This is because practice makes permanent not perfect. Even the best books for the novice, are some what hard to understand without someone experienced to guide us through. The video on the other hand, show us exactly the right way to do the move, so when we do practice, we are not making permanent bad or improper ways of doing it. In the hands of the “just curious” videos are like exorcize equipment, once they see what it takes, in the way of time and effort to get results, the equipment gets very little use and only makes them realize how hard it was for the ones that achieve what is shown in the infommercial. The big difference is the exercise equipment end up in their next garage sale unused. The Magic video on the other hand, becomes a prize they keep, cherish and in most cases, gives them a greater appreciation for all The Stars of Magic even the one that entertain only in their home towns. Thanks to Magicians like you Michael, even a hobbyist like myself, can with dedication and practice reach a level of magic that is entertaining and mysterious, with much less chance of accidently exposing the secret and destroying the magic and I thank you for all the you are doing.
Our friends don't have to agree with me about everything and some that I hold very dear don't have to agree about anything, except where we are going to meet them for dinner.
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ncognito New user 9 Posts |
Michael,
I am really appreciative of your point about the importance of making good information available and the thought that Magic's traditional "secrecy policies" have impaired the growth of the art. I see Magic as a patronless art; one in which there is no strong historical presence of patrons or people who economically support the artists and their work. Why is this. Without a real answer, I can only assume that it has had to do with the aspect of protecting secrets. Like an overprotective parent, magicians hold their knowledge so close to the vest that the results are, as you say, the need to re-invent with each new generation. Like someone else pointed out, access and use are two completely different issues and the restriction of access limits the desimination and growth of the art. It might be helpful to remember that patrons of dance do not insist on being taught the steps. Thanks for participating in this forum and sharing your experience and expertise with us all. |
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