|
|
Bilwonder Veteran user Oroville CA 327 Posts |
Development of a good inner script, or motivation, is a basic foundation for good routining. I wouldn't suggest breaking the rule unless it is fully understood...BUT as an artistic pursuit...moving beyond this...consider the development of a routine that could connect with an audience on many levels but is devoid of any inner script for the performer. In other words, it is theater the doesn't function from the usual source of motivation. "motivation" is so often taught like a preventive "creed" of orthodoxy because we have seen the horrible results of deviations. But WHAT IF the loss of motivation could be a tool in it self? This is exciting to me on a theroetical level because it opens the possibility for perhaps new "non-linear" type magic. Magic that could be moving, but not in any set predictable way, because it plucks chords undefined and individual to each of us. "the audience will create there own meaning. People do this all the time in the natural world...Chaos can be our own mirror. I'm not recommending throwing shows together without motivation...but only suggesting that you neededn't have everything figured out, if there is a sence of rhythm and flow and no tension points to the "gimmickry." That perhaps, a show that draws on the right kind of "random symbolism" can motivate other in unexpected way.... Anyway, I was hoping it might inspire more "non linear" thinking in magic.
billswondershow.com
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." Mark Twain |
Tom Cutts Staff Northern CA 5925 Posts |
Unfortunately, that is the sad state of a lot of "magic" performance. No thought is given to the motivation so something meaningless is done to an object of no meaning.
Yes, the audience provides their own meaning, typically very little. Watch... |
Peter Marucci Inner circle 5389 Posts |
Bilwonder,
It's called "jazz magic" and a few -- a very few -- performers do it and can pull it off. You are right in saying that a rule shouldn't be broken unless it's fully understood. Unfortunately, far too many "performers" miss that part. |
Jeb Sherrill Inner circle Elsewhere 1161 Posts |
Bilwonder,
It's one of those things, that does work very nicely, if you can do it. Jazz, or Improv magic (close cousins), have led to some of my favourite moments. I've also had them backfire. I tell you one thing, though, you always learn from it. But like you said, don't do it unless you understand it. Good advice. Sable
I don't believe in reincarnation, but I may have in another life.
|
GothicBen Veteran user England 353 Posts |
It's like in music - unless you know the chords, the themes, the key and the tempo, then you'll sound horrid! I speak from experience here.
The best improvisers in music have great technique, a good ear, and a quick mind. To a greater or lesser extent, anyone who does jazz magic must be very accomplished, a good communicator, quick witted and excellent with people. That's why so few can do it. To paraphrase Houdini "It is a delusion that owning a few tricks makes you an entertainer!" Ben (in philosophical mood!) |
RandomEffects Veteran user Boston, MA 323 Posts |
I like to think that I manage to do Jazz/improv magic . Though for me I do it when i am out with friends or when I am feeling creative durring a street performance. I find that only by opening up and letting whatever happens happen, both in dialouge and performance I can get some simply amazing material (trying not to sound like I am bragging).
While I do not do this where ever I perform, I do find that ocasionaly relaesing oneself from the usual limits we set on oureselves allows us to grow as performers, and that can only be for the best.My 8-ball production, see the heckelers and how to deal thread in street pereformance, was the result of completely letting myself ride the flow of any/everything. Hope that this ramble made some sense, Mat |
Bilwonder Veteran user Oroville CA 327 Posts |
I wasn't really refering to jazz magic. I'm talking about removing inner or intrinsic motivation yet retaining all the other elements that create art. (in jazz you are just "improving" these structures). I am challanging some new thinking that make comparisons a bit hard. I'll give some analogies that aren't perfect to get you thinking. The Jabberwacky- "Twas brillig and slivy toves did gire and gimble in the wabe..." uses meaningless words (intrinsic meaning) and retains the elements of beauty. Meaning is derived from "outward" sources (structure and veiwer) rather than the words them selves. Bob Dylan had a knack for using words in this way. In Magic, "The banana man" act fascinated me because of it's pure nonsensical yet entertaining nature. Jeff McBride at times approaches this kind of use of symbolic myth in a way that both hold our interest it's meaning is ambiguous. This type of magic might more resemble Cirque du Soleil in it's perfomance. The idea is that although these type of perfomance have an inner personal script...it's not readily apparent to most. I'm suggesting something a little different...DILIBERATELY REMOVING the innerscript and lock on to combinations of images that provoke meaning from the veiwer. Nothing in nature has intrinsic meaning...yet it is a mirror that provokes meaning from us. This is the type of thing I'm refering to. Non-linerar magic the "evokes" rather than making predications.
billswondershow.com
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." Mark Twain |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Food for thought » » Magic of Chaos (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |