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MagicMason Loyal user 300 Posts |
Hi Jim - thanks again for all your posts.
Can I ask you... what are two or three things you learned early on that helped you move from being a guy who does tricks to entertaining others with magic? best wishes Tom Mason Vienna Austria |
Diamond Jim V.I.P. Diamond Jim Tyler 231 Posts |
Mason,
Thanks for your question. One I addressed on another thread but I'm happy to reiterate. When I was five years old I visited Disney World for the first time. While inside the Magic Kingdom, my father and mother gave me $5.00 whilst perusing through a magic shop. I could have bought a ball vase, linking rings, but instead I opted for a book called Magic With Cards by Garcia and Schindler. It taught me 113 tricks with an ordinary deck of cards. The tricks were story driven more so than sleight of hand driven. That was a valuable lesson to learn at such a young age. I mastered all of those tricks by the age of 6 or 7. One of those tricks appeared in my first book Pockets Full of Miracles. It is called Paperweight. Unbeknowst to the authors there was an error in a mathematical formula, and at age 6 or 7 I learned how to correct it, so that the effect always worked. It's a trick that fools magicians. J.B. Bobo was the first live magician I saw perform. He came to my school and was very funny. I'm sure that too had an impact on my young impressionable mind. Watching Copperfield, a master story-teller and magician on TV, I'm sure had a huge impact on me through the years. Reading a Houdini biography while in elementary school had a really big impact on me. When my dad would get home from work I would ask him to tie me up and I'd always get out. Sometimes it took forever but I'd do it. Later in life, around the age of 16, I found a magic shop in Garland, TX and I bought everything they had. That's the same time I began doing restaurant magic for pay (not tips). Once the magic shop moved to Dallas I began working there. A magic shop is a wonderful place to hone your skills. I read all the books. Watched the $70-$80 VHS tapes that came out maybe only once a month. And I tried to master as many of the effects in the shop as I could. I spent my paycheck there almost every week. I helped run that shop for about 7-8 years while in high school and college. Plus while in college I was doing 4-8 two-hour restaurant strolling shifts a week. But I never thought magic was a way to make a living. I didn't know too many professional magicians. They're rare. So while in college I worked towards my degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. I always wanted to be a detective. So I worked my way through college with magic. While a Senior in college, after just having been married, I learned that I had Hodgkin's Disease, a cancer of the lymph nodes. I took care of my cancer and went back and finished my degree. However, my heart was not set on working in the criminal justice arena. Magic had been so good to me that I decided to try and take it as far as I could. So I started competing and ultimately won. I was inspired to write my first book and it did well. Then I worked the Magic Castle. Then MagicSmith contacted me about turning my book into a video. Things snowballed. I've never had to look back. They say when you follow your passions that the money will find you. In my case that is true. I've been extremely blessed. I will tell you that it is a hard way to make an easy living. I cannot think of a more noble career either. We get to amaze people and make them laugh. Not too long ago I was working a function at a church for some teens. Upon meeting one young lady at a table with others I learned that she was very stand-offish but sassy. I tried to cut up with her and reach her as much as I could during our brief interlude. She acted like your typical smart mouthed teenager and refused to be taken in by my magic. After strolling I did a stand-up show for the group. After my show, the smart-mouthed young lady came up to me and said, "You are so cool. I wish you were my dad." I teared up. I knew that I did my job. I reached her. I think for a short while she did believe in magic. I think to be a successful magician you have to be many things. An introvert and an extrovert. Studious. Professional. Artistic. Business minded. But most importantly empathetic. Look for magic that expresses your other interests. Share your life and your magic with your audience and it will endear them to you. Never be satisfied with your work. Strive to improve on it. I often give myself homework during shows. Sometimes we talk fast or mumble through a routine because we've done it a million times. So I'll tell myself, "Tonight annunciate." Or "Make eye contact often." Or "work in this joke" Or "Tell them about a funny accident during one of your shows." Remember always that people don't mind being fooled by a gentleman. |
MagicMason Loyal user 300 Posts |
That was an awesome reply Jim. Thank you so much. You gave me a lot to think about and chew over. I know that it is not just one thing. Several factors come into play and you outlined them well here. I'm sure you would make a great dad too.
best wishes Tom p.s. I teach school here in Vienna so I see kids from 50 different countries everyday... and they love magic from my pockets too. Thanks for your inspiration. |
troppobob Veteran user Crescent Head Australia 372 Posts |
G'day Jim - Thanks for a great response -I am appreciating the effort you are putting in to your answers and comments.
Bob Latta (aka Troppo Bob) |
Diamond Jim V.I.P. Diamond Jim Tyler 231 Posts |
Thanks troppobob.
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Diamond Jim V.I.P. Diamond Jim Tyler 231 Posts |
Mason,
That is fascinating to learn about your job and your students. I have the utmost respect for teachers. Also I have fond memories of Vienna. The people there were very kind. I performed at Jimmy's magic shop. Do you know him? |
MagicMason Loyal user 300 Posts |
Yes... I heard that you were here. I am sorry I missed you. Jimmy is classic! Come back any time!
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