On Oct 16, 2014, Holistic Magic wrote:
I don't like fake magic. When watching entertainment on TV, the fun for me is to try and figure out the trick and if there are camera tricks and stooges then it ruins my fun.

On Oct 16, 2014, Chad Sanborn wrote:
Well until you have to film magic for a paying television show, I would withhold passing any judgement over the magician.
I've tried to explain the various obstacles that are presented to us everyday on set. And you said they are all 'excuses'
Which means you are clueless as to how television is filmed and how hard it is to incorporate live magic into that medium.

On Oct 16, 2014, Dannydoyle wrote:
Not at all. Now you are passing judgment without knowing the first thing about the background of anyone you are speaking with.

Yes we get it. You have a vested interest in this topic. Take that out of the equasion.

I know exactly what the limitations are and you haven't even covered half of them. Lighting being the most critical thing you have left out. But then again you assume I have no idea what I am talking about.

Don't hand me the nonsense that they are all fooled the first time. Lets also not leave out that you film it as many times as necessary to get the reaction you want. Yea it is a ton of work to do that admittedly.

Yea cameras don't blink, but it is a convenient excuse to shut them off and cut away from things isn't it? Then don't forget you will cut in the best of a hundred shots just to get the right reaction. Sure it is a genuine reaction but it took many many takes to get it now didn't it? Go ahead act like none of us know what we are talking about some more.

Is any of this bad for magic? I don't think anything described here is inherently"dishonest" in a way to fool a TV audience. I don't see anything wrong with it as you are trying to duplicate the live experience for the viewer. Not a bad goal.

The problem becomes when inevitably the road goes a bit further and it becomes the method. Again not the worst thing in the world. But then it becomes the ONLY method. It becomes a crutch. Then it is bad because it becomes obvious even to laymen what is going on. From that point on everything that magician ever did on TV becomes tainted. Then things others do become tainted. Does not matter if it is right or wrong it just is.

So before getting all offended and assuming everyone but you knows about production try to have a conversation.

Also just because you are fooled by a trick does not necessarily make it a camera trick. Even when edited poorly. Sometimes guys fool us and we don't want to admit it.