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Mozart New user Rochester, MN 80 Posts |
On Saturday, April 22 I attended Max Maven's "So You Want to be a Mentalist" lecture at Midwest Magic in Chicago. The evening went by so quickly that I neglected to get the names of the other people attending. Were you there? If so, what is your take on the lecture?
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LobowolfXXX Inner circle La Famiglia 1196 Posts |
What was your take, Mozart? I'm on a list, hoping he'll put together one soon in L.A.
"Torture doesn't work" lol
Guess they forgot to tell Bill Buckley. "...as we reason and love, we are able to hope. And hope enables us to resist those things that would enslave us." |
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noumena Regular user Orange County, CA 136 Posts |
Hey Dan, are you on the Angle Boobachi list too?
- Brandon |
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LobowolfXXX Inner circle La Famiglia 1196 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-04-24 17:46, noumena wrote: Angle's thinking is on an entirely different level. He's like Derren Brown, Brandon Cross, Chan Canasta...guys like that. I don't think I'd understand enough to get my money's worth.
"Torture doesn't work" lol
Guess they forgot to tell Bill Buckley. "...as we reason and love, we are able to hope. And hope enables us to resist those things that would enslave us." |
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Mozart New user Rochester, MN 80 Posts |
Frankly, I was a bit disappointed. Not with Mr. Maven personally, but the format of the lecture was less than I expected. For the most part, the "lecture" was a four-hour Q & A session with an effect tossed in at the end. Lots of good advice and Mr. Mavin is very charismatic and a great storyteller.
Compared to most of his written work, it just didn't feel like there was much rhyme or reason to this lecture. |
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Yellowjacket Regular user Wisconsin 159 Posts |
I was very disappointed. A four hour workshop of sorts where he was going to answer any questions we had about mentalism. Well, I believe it was more about not answering questions about mentalism. Most of his answers to specific questions were either evasive or too general to be of any use.
I was very excited to be able to pick the mind of one of the leading mentalists of our time. As it turned out, it was more of him simply talking or telling stories that you might hear if you went out to eat with him, instead of an intensive Q & A session. I will give you a few examples: Question: Most mentalism is done in a serious tone, kinda heavy. What other ways do you see would be a valid way to present mentalism? Max: Who said mentalism had to be heavy? It has many ways that it can be presented. Question: Such as? Max: Use your own imagination. There were a couple of full time pros in the audience and I think based on some of their responses to Max’s nebulas replies they were getting frustrated as well. One guy asked about walk around mentalism and Max’s answer was so vague that I can’t even remember anything of value coming from it. This is a situation where I would have recommended material, books, or DVD’s. But he more told the inquisitor what to stay away from rather than what to embrace. One guy was really hammering some tough questions. Good ones that I was very interested in hearing the answer to. However, as Max would evade, he would counter. By the end of the lecture, Max was becoming quite curt with the gentleman. From my perspective Max simply did not want to talk in any real depth on the subject. I have gotten much more from other mentalist lectures that I have attended such as, Chuck Hickok or Banachek. Yellowjacket |
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threecardmonte Loyal user 278 Posts |
Sorry to hear that guys. I really wanted to go but couldn't, I'm kind of glad I missed out now.
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P.T. Murphy Loyal user 224 Posts |
Quote:
I will give you a few examples: This answer makes perfect sense to me. Did you attempt to use your imagination when you got home? Maybe that is the problem. Seriously. All too many times we look outside of ourselves for the ANSWER...when the answer is LIVING inside of each and every one of us!!! REALLY!I defy you to utilize YOUR imagination and NOT come up with at least ONE answer to the above question. If all you get out of the seminar is THAT...then your money was well spent.
P.T. Murphy
www.ptmurphy.com |
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Bill Ligon Inner circle A sure sign of a misspent youth: 6437 Posts |
Yellowjacket, do you have a question?
Inquire within.
Author of THE HOLY ART: Bizarre Magick From Naljorpa's Cave. NOW IN HARDCOVER! VIEW: <BR>www.lulu.com/content/1399405 ORDER: http://stores.lulu.com/naljorpa
<BR>A TASSEL ON THE LUNATIC FRINGE |
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threecardmonte Loyal user 278 Posts |
Point well taken PT. But if I am handing over $100 to Max, you'd think he might be able to humor me a little.
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LobowolfXXX Inner circle La Famiglia 1196 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-04-26 12:18, P.T. Murphy wrote: It may be a valid perspective, but if it IS one's perspective, then I think there's something intellectually dishonest about charging a decent price for a lecture, particularly one that is designed to be largely a Q & A. Selling "Look inside yourself and be creative" for a hundred bucks a pop doesn't cut it, to me. This is NOT a criticism of the lecture; I haven't attended the lecture, and I have no way of knowing whether the feedback presented in this thread is a reasonable summary.
"Torture doesn't work" lol
Guess they forgot to tell Bill Buckley. "...as we reason and love, we are able to hope. And hope enables us to resist those things that would enslave us." |
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LobowolfXXX Inner circle La Famiglia 1196 Posts |
P.T., if you laid out $100 for a Max Maven lecture, and he took everyone's check, then looked at you all very seriously and said, "Use your imagination. Thanks for coming, everyone." Then walked out, would you think your money was "well spent"?!
"Torture doesn't work" lol
Guess they forgot to tell Bill Buckley. "...as we reason and love, we are able to hope. And hope enables us to resist those things that would enslave us." |
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P.T. Murphy Loyal user 224 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-04-26 16:22, LobowolfXXX wrote: I was not at the workshop. I cannot comment as if I was. I can only comment on the post. So let us NOT speculate on what MAY have happened or what I MAY do once I decide to plunk down 100 clams for a workshop. That is not my point. As I said, I can only comment on what Yellowjacket used as an example. I am curious to find out if Yellowjacket...after thinking about Max's answer...has indeed found something. I cannot believe that we cannot find the answers after we have explored our OWN imaginations. One of the most MAGICAL things about humanity is our imagination. We ALL posess the capability to imagine BIG and DIFFERENT things.
P.T. Murphy
www.ptmurphy.com |
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Yellowjacket Regular user Wisconsin 159 Posts |
PT Murphy,
Although I can appreciate your zen koan philosophical waxing on the subject, this was not the type of answers I came for. I wanted real opinions, concepts, or knowledge on the subject. This was not a creativity class but a Q & A format. The A’s should not be Psychological Reflective Subtext . . . . . i.e. “How do you feel about the subject?” Quite frankly, from my perspective, Max was not prepared for this lecture. He is a brilliant guy, but it would seem he is either unable to or unwilling to convey his opinions and ideas to us in concrete answers. For a hundred bucks, I would like a couple solid answers. PT, yes, I can use my own imagination and come up with some answers, but I would have liked to hear what one of the leading mentalists of our time would have on the subject. That is what I paid him for. Bill Ligon, I do not understand what you are asking me. Lobowolf, You sum up my feelings very well. |
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P.T. Murphy Loyal user 224 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-04-26 16:22, LobowolfXXX wrote: If he had done JUST that I would have chased after him and kicked his butt from one end of Franklin Park to the next!!! However THAT is NOT what he did. According to the posts by people who were there...the event lasted HOURS...HOURS! Your question has no merit.
P.T. Murphy
www.ptmurphy.com |
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P.T. Murphy Loyal user 224 Posts |
Yellowjacket-
Fair enough. I was not there. So it is only fair that I drop out of the discussion. For me to have an opinion on an evening I did NOT attend would be just PLAIN stupid. I was merely replying to your post NOT the evening. As long as you opened the door for me to wax zenlike... If you attain real, true perception and understanding, Birth and death don’t affect you You are free to go or stay. You needn’t seek wonders, For wonders come of themselves. - Linji (d. 867)
P.T. Murphy
www.ptmurphy.com |
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threecardmonte Loyal user 278 Posts |
I wasn't there either. But I think everybody's feedback will be put to better use if you email either Max or Midwest Magic. As performers we always appreciate honest feedback, I'm sure Max is no different. Maybe he will change the format so future attendees aren't disappointed.
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David Parr V.I.P. 898 Posts |
I did not attend this particular event, but I have seen Max's lectures on many occasions. It seems to me that Max has been so often accused of evasiveness (which I really don't get; Max is one of the most precise speakers I've ever encountered), some magicians now hear only what they expect to hear from him: evasiveness. I imagine that if Eugene Burger had responded to a question with the same words Max used, a significant number of people in the room would have interpreted Eugene's message as one of empowerment, as in "you must follow your own light" and "you are the only authority on your magic" and so on. Might there be a lesson about perception in this?
In any case, if I the questioner am dissatisfied with having the ball tipped back into my court, it's up to me to volley it right back. |
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Mozart New user Rochester, MN 80 Posts |
Wrong, wrong, wrong. This isn't about achieving inner enlightenment, arguing ethics, or any of the other topics of which there are many opinions but no universal answers. You are missing the point. It's called show-BUSINESS. If you're going to present a 4-hour lecture entitled: "So You Want to Be a Mentalist" you'd better be prepared to speak about what it takes to be a successful performer and business person in the entertainment industry. I certainly have the capacity to figure out these things for myself--but why wouldn't I choose to shorten the learning curve whenever possible. Physicians don't experiment with open heart surgery until they find the procedure that fits their personality best. They pay thousands of dollars to attend seminars by the leading surgeons in the field. Why? Because they want cutting edge information from someone who has been there and done that.
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Sergeant Regular user 129 Posts |
I also attended the lecture and was disappointed by the information exchange. I would not be quite as harsh as Yellowjacket, but I do see his point. Many of his answers did not go into as much detail as I would have liked but he would answer most of them if he was pressed.
I would say this was a lecture for beginners in mentalism. If you have anytime in performing or studying mentalism, you would probably not walk away with too much. Subjects that were covered pretty well were: Ethics of mentalism The use of disclaimers Importance of having a defined character. What the term “mentalism or mentalist” means to a lay audience. He taught a clever magazine test at the end of the lecture. There were also many questions that were asked that he did not cover well and only gave glib or vague answers to. I do remember the question about different types of mentalism shows…I was the one who asked it. I do not remember the exact reply he gave but it was similar to what Yellowjacket stated. I also remember the question about doing close up mentalism. He did give the gentleman an idea or two on specific tricks to do, but I agree it did not seem to be a very comprehensive answer. All in all I did walk away with a few things but I would have liked him to go into much more detail on his answers. Sergeant |
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