|
|
AAC New user 55 Posts |
I did some searching and didn't find anything about this.
So I'm making this post. A very simple question. As most of us magician types see something and think "I wanna know how to do that myself". What are the tricks you have seen that you would NOT want to know how they are done...maybe because you enjoy them too much, or for what ever reason. Myself, I wouldn't want to know the secret behind Copperfield's Portal. Or anything that Cyril does, I enjoy watching the man preform too much to want it spoiled. Well? |
MagiClyde Special user Columbus, Ohio 871 Posts |
Definitely Metamorphosis.
I personally feel that it's not good for a magician to know the secret to every little trick. Part of the reason I got into magic was the sense of wonder I get from seeing magic performed. Not knowing how certain tricks, effects, illusions, etc. are done is my way of keeping that sense of wonder alive.
Magic! The quicker picker-upper!
|
Greg Arce Inner circle 6732 Posts |
Personally, I really don't need to know how any effect is done. If I see something that fools me I'm overjoyed and don't even think about knowing the secret.
First, knowing the secret is not going to change my life one bit. Second, why should I deprive myself of the exact same thing I want my audience to feel. Third, most secret hoarders I know are just that... secret hoarders... they rarely perform to anyone but their immediate circle of friends and their only gratification in life seems to be knowing how everything is done. I, for one, love getting the air knocked out of me when someone does an amazing effect and rarely care to try and reconstruct it right after I see it. I remember seeing Matthieu Bich and being startled by several of his effects. I loved it. I actually hated when someone came up to me and suddenly told me how a few of them were done. A secret hoarder needed to tell me he had the lecture notes and had to share the secret... even though I didn't ask. It's a shame. I was spoiled the fun of staying up sleepless nights. Greg
One of my favorite quotes: "A critic is a legless man who teaches running."
|
AAC New user 55 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-12-07 00:42, Greg Arce wrote: Yeah, I know what you mean...not that it's happened to me before, but I know what yer talking about. A lot of the times when I find out a secret, I actually appreciate the trick even more, if I were to watch and ACR a year ago, before I got involved in magic, I would have figured it was a trick deck and not really cared all that much, but now, when I watch a good ACR I have a very good appreciation for the person who can do a classic pass, and I don't see a thing. I as well love it when I'm totally baffled by a trick, but there are some that I just want to know how it's done, cause often times once I find out the secret, I actually enjoy watching it more, because then I'm fully aware of the skill it takes. |
elmago Loyal user Northridge- Los Angeles, CA 272 Posts |
I am just too curious;especially if it is a trick I like and want to do. If I do not like the trick and/or will never perform it, then I do not care how it is done. Why bother? Does that make any sense?
example: gambling demonstrations mentalism stuff dice stacking torn and restored newspaper (I went to a show with multiple magicains and saw this performed 3 times. I swore I'd never perfom this trick.) straight jacket escape stage illusions
"Excellence is not a single act; it's a habit" Shaq quoting Aristotle after winning NBA MVP.
|
docmagik Regular user San Bernardino, CA 119 Posts |
Mark me squarely in the "too curious" category as well. A trick would have to be pretty dang dull for me not to want to know the secret.
That said, I did decide when I was a teenager never to learn the secret to one certain trick, just to keep myself humble and remind myself there was always more to learn. Unfortunately, I found the secret to that trick here on the Café, so now I know everything. |
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
I wish I could care how stuff is done.
Usually the way things are performed pretty much puts the method in my face. Even then I try to ignore it. But a performer looking to be appreciated as 'clever' pretty much spoils the magic anyway. Even if "every move is a picture", why do so many of those pictures have to be "look at how pretty/clever I am" ? It's entertainment. It's FOR the audience. How about keeping the focus there? All this fuss about "how" is a huge distraction from our work. grumble grumble
...to all the coins I've dropped here
|
irossall Special user Snohomish, Washington 529 Posts |
I am kind of in between the two schools of thought here.
If an effect is something that that I can learn to do AND will use, then yes I want to know the secret. but if the effect is something that is beyond my abilities or is something that I will not use, then I will not seek out the workings of the effect. Most stage illusions I could care less because I only do close-up and some parlor and that is about it. I also don't have a great interest in performing mental or psychic Magic because it doesn't suit my personality (I love watching). The one thing that really bugs me is when I suspect that camera tricks are used and in that situation I want to know if it is real or not real but the actual workings I really don't need to know. I Love to watch most of Chris Angel's work but I highly suspect that some of his effects are nothing more that camera tricks (I would like to think I'm wrong with this thinking). Iven
Give the gift of Life, Be an Organ Donor.
|
Tony James Inner circle Cheshire UK 1398 Posts |
Harry Blackstone's Floating Lightbulb. Pure magic.
I saw Harry do it a number of times over here and the last time I said to him that I don't ever want to know how it's achieved, nor even think about it. It's magic and that's all there is to it. Execpt - presented by a master achieving a fine balance of wonderment and entertainment. Something you rarely get. One aspect or the other usually dominates. Harry achieved perfect balance throughout that effect.
Tony James
Still A Child At Heart |
Skip Way Inner circle 3771 Posts |
My focus is not on how something is done, but on how well it is done. Like Greg, I don't want to know the secret behind any effect that I don't personally want to perform. I guess I want to preserve some sense of magic.
Skip
How you leave others feeling after an Experience with you becomes your Trademark.
Magic Youth Raleigh - RaleighMagicClub.org |
AAC New user 55 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-12-07 07:33, docmagik wrote: I find myself falling under the too curious area quite often too...Especially if it's a card trick. I usually don't care too much about stage stuff, it's the close-up that gets me wanting to know. But curious is what got me started. =P |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Not very magical, still... » » Tricks that you wouldn't want to know "How it's done". (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 < |