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Mark Storms Veteran user Seattle, WA 393 Posts |
Recently I have started reading the book, "The Magician and the Cardsharp". This book talks about Dai Vernon's rigorous search for the man who can do the perfect center deal. I'm not here to review the book but I am here to share a realization that this book has given me. In the book it talks about how Dai Vernon would travel miles and miles just to witness a master performer of a sleight so that he could some how work out how it was done. It also talks about how when he got ahold of "Erdnase" he studied it as if it were his bible, carrying it with him everywhere. His willingness to go to such great lengths and extremes inspired me.
I realise now that I am not giving proper time nor respect to the secrets so graciously "given" to me. I buy a dvd and sometimes don't even watch the whole thing in its entirety. I may pick up only one good thing from a dvd when I could have picked up several. How many dvds do you own? I mean seriously, how many dvds do you own? Now stop and think... How many of those dvds have I watched the whole way through and given necessary attention and practice to before moving onto the next product? What is my point? That some of us take for granted what massive amounts of information we have available to us that we don't even stop to learn thouroughly before jumping into the next craze. I am now taking instructional dvds as if they were a class. Taking notes and looking at them from every possible angle to see what benefit I can milk from them. -watch in its entirety -take notes on why the person is a strong or not so strong performer -take note of the best effects -give attention to no more than one of those effects at a time -practice it thouroughly I just thought I would share this. If you came to some similar realization at some point in time then please reply.
Find out what you cannot do.., Then go and do it!
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tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
I agree with the point but I don't believe the story. Well, I believe he went looking, so that is as good with regard to your point.
Dealing with the point: The problem it is very tempting to want to buy the latest books and DVDs and it just leaves no time to practice and master it all. A full time job is 40 hours a week, yes you can put in more, how many things can you prctice in them 40 hours? How many of them 40 can one spend practicing? If your a pro you have to do some work other than practice. If your not you have to spend time eaning a living unless your one the idle rich. So you have to be selective not to mention creative. Find a small princible and master it and build a little drama of your own. Spend more time doing that than learning a 1001 moves in my opinion.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
Patrick Differ Inner circle 1540 Posts |
Mark, you have made a quantum leap. It isn't quantity so much as it is quality. When you take the time to "work" with something, your everything will improve; presentation, character, technique, style, ART. To borrow (heavily) from someone I admire a great deal, be on the look-out for context and purpose while you're at it. And pay tons of attention to your audiences. They will tell you what still needs the most work.
Now when you look at your books and DVD's, you will know which ones are worth the most to you. And that's huge.
Will you walk into my parlour? said the Spider to the Fly,
Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy; The way into my parlour is up a winding stair, And I've a many curious things to show when you are there. Oh no, no, said the little Fly, to ask me is in vain, For who goes up your winding stair -can ne'er come down again. |
Bob Sanders Grammar Supervisor Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama 20504 Posts |
Time in magic leaves us at different points of interest in materials available. Although I still buy new tricks and props, probably 25% I never perform in public, half never gets into my show at all. About a third I give away or send to auction. About 10% I find useful. And the rest becomes a storage problem.
Mostly I am looking for ways to improve the existing show. That covers a lot of territory. Yes, sheer practice counts there. I do more reading than working with "new" tricks. I do more reading than video watching. The real "keepers" are the books instead of the videos. Tricks are the least likely to be kept. However, I do load up on supplies: silks, rope, cards, productions items, utility items, etc. Illusions and props for grand illusion are another category. I try to just add those for sponsored events. Some stay in the show but more just become storage problems when the contract is up. My observation (including my own TV commercials) is that the visual stuff is seldom the real thing that we do on stage or with a real live audience. It is very contrived for the camera. There are no zoom lenses in a real live show! The magician has to focus the audience. That is a critical fault I frequently see in video trained magicians. Become sensitive to that and you will spot them in a heartbeat. They expect the audience to look in the right spots and they don't. They were not led and focused by the performer and the zoom lens just isn't there. The stage stays the same size all the time. Therefore, I prefer books to video and I keep the books and wear them out and seldom revisit the videos. There is too much information and much of it is just a redo of existing techniques, tricks and props. At this stage of my life I use references extensively and read and watch the other stuff just for fun. (We are allowed fun too!) Videos can't compete with live lectures but they can make good notes for the lectures you've attended. Otherwise, use the references for career development as a magician. How crazy am I? Having said that, by Spring Lucy and I expect to be offering some DVDs. Lectures are most definitely better but attending is not always possible. DVD's are a necessary evil for many. Odd that in all these years I have never had an audition tape nor do I plan to ever have one. I haven't auditioned in the last thirty years and would likely ignore the invitation. But I have PhD. course work and experience in TV and Film Production. It just isn't live magic. But I do use it for TV commercials and other projects. Yep! If you are serious and money is an object, start with the classical references (books). The other is secondary at best. Thanks for your posts. You made me think! Bob Sanders Magic By Sander |
Frank Simpson Special user SW Montana 883 Posts |
In terms of instruction, I really enjoy a combination of books/videos on the same topic. Although not magic related I recently purchased a book/video combination on puppet building. I really found that the one reinforced the other. I first read the book, then watched the video. Then when I got into the actual building process I used primarily the book for reference, but there were one or two things that I referred back to the video.
At the end of the day, the only things you really get from videos are mechanics. Showmanship concepts may present themselves, but the real work of performing cannot be shortcut through any video. Or book for that matter, although a book seems to lead one to a time of reflection whereas a video seldom will. |
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