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Hansel Inner circle Puerto Rico 2492 Posts |
David Kaye in his excellent book "Seriously Silly" p.34, Step 8 of the 10 steps to understand the magic for children says: "Explain the plot and keep the plot simple" Keep the plot simple seems logic and I think is a fantastic idea, but to explain the plot in advance, is not this certainly kill the climax of a magic effect? Say: I have this empty box and when I say the magic words a rabbit appears ... is not this kill the beauty of the moment when the rabbit appears and children exploited in emotion?
I really like the book, I agree with everything David Kaye says, and even this is the time # 4 that I read the book .... but this specifically seems a little confusing to me. So,is better save the plot until the climax or explain it completely from the beginning? What are you doing? Thanks, -H
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seadog93 Inner circle 3200 Posts |
I don't think you necessarily have to explain the plot in the beginning, or you might explain it and then something else happens like "magician in trouble" or a "wa wa wa ending."
I heard a great concept once, for adults, where you don't actually tell them what will happen but you set it up so that they figure out what will happen right before it does. That takes away any potential sting of being tricked. It might sound a little weird, but it works very well, I use it in my last routine in libraries with the die box; everyone knows that the die is in the rabbitts hat before I do, and then when I look and I'm in shock (before I reveal it), it's not a shock it's magical. My opinion (which isworth what you paid for it ) is that variety and texture is important; don't trust me, I got that from Eugene Burger. I like to present different plot types in a show.
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Hansel Inner circle Puerto Rico 2492 Posts |
Fake explanation is great! This leave room for a great surprising ending!
-H
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magicgeorge Inner circle Belfast 4299 Posts |
Yeah,I don't think the plot is always just what you are physically doing/about to do ie I'm going to make a rabbit appear. I think he just means to keep it simple and explain what you are doing and why you are doing it as you go along. Not just telling them what is going to happen in advance
Magicians are terrible for doing things for no reason. Covering things with cloths,ripping up newspapers, stuffing things into tubes etc If you come up with a plotline that explains why you do these unusual actions then you often find the routine will make more sense, you'll get more comedy out of them and they're easier to follow. |
yachanin Inner circle Cleveland, OH 2105 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-03-14 09:26, magicgeorge wrote: Hi magicgeorge, I agree with you 100%. Simply describing what you are doing, without any reason or storyline, is rather boring in my opinion (e.g., "... and now I'm going to make a knot in the rope...". In fact, each effect in my show fits within a over-arching story and each effect is performed while telling part of the story. Regards, Steve
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Johannes Lindrupsen Regular user Norway 111 Posts |
Quote:
Magicians are terrible for doing things for no reason. Covering things with cloths,ripping up newspapers, stuffing things into tubes etc If you come up with a plotline that explains why you do these unusual actions then you often find the routine will make more sense, you'll get more comedy out of them and they're easier to follow. I agree with you here! It's important not to confuse the children with a lot of random and unmotivated movement. I think it's important to have a lot of different approaches to each effect, so you don't start or explain all the effects in the same way. For example when I vanish a silk, I tell them that is what is going to happen, but when I use my rabbit frame, I don't tell them that the rabbit will disappear in the end, because that would ruin the surprise. Look at all your effects different, and present them the way it makes the most sense and the way you think the children will enjoy the most. Best of wishes -Johannes |
Potty the Pirate Inner circle 4632 Posts |
"Magician in Trouble" is a classic ploy for having a "twist" in the plot. For example, I tell the kids the Captain is very fond of hot cross buns...so we go about baking one. with lots of nasty ingredients, of course! The denouement is the final production of...."Rabbid".
"That's not a hot cross bun.....it's a hot cross bunny!" I say. this plot makes perfect sense, and the ingredients, in retrospect, all lead to the obvious conclusion that we'd end up with a raging rabbit, and not a lovely hot cross bun! Whilst this plot IS simple for the kids to follow, it's also a surprise ending, and a great bit of MIT. |
themagiciansapprentice Inner circle Essex, UK 1381 Posts |
Keeping it simple also refers to the way you name your props.
so a change bag becomes a bag on a stick, or just a stick; OR pom pom pole becomes a trick on a stick; OR silks becomes hankies; OR sponge balls are just balls. If you use the catalogue name you can confuse the kids.
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