|
|
Go to page 1~2~3 [Next] | ||||||||||
erlandish Inner circle Vancouver, Canada 1254 Posts |
I don't know what it is about this word, but whenever I hear somebody talking about one of their routines on a DVD or in a book, and they go out of their way to mention that a specific routine is very "commercial", I'm personally forced to pause for a second and evaluate what that means. Usually it happens with routines that didn't strike me as being any more special than any others that were being taught -- they weren't worse either, but when I was watching it, the thought "This is commercial!" didn't pop into my mind.
Did some aspect fly right over my head? Are routines that seem stronger to me actually less commercial? Was I watching for the wrong thing? Does my magician's schemata prevent me from seeing it as being special compared to the others, whereas to non-magicians these routines would be obviously superior? What the #$%! does "commercial" mean, anyway? |
|||||||||
edh Inner circle 4698 Posts |
Quote:
What the #$%! does "commercial" mean, anyway? Not much.
Magic is a vanishing art.
|
|||||||||
SeaDawg Special user The Lunatic Fringe 718 Posts |
Heck of a good question...
I think everyone has to evaluate this for themselves. Certain effects play well for me that may not be as strong for others. And Vice versa. What I look for in a trick, routine etc may be completely different that what you maybe looking for. I do a lot of busking in the summer and some of the things that may play well in other venues fall flat doing street. Example try doing Crazy Mans Handcuffs for a crowd of 150 people... Not working...
Crazy people take the psycho-path thru the forest...
|
|||||||||
George Ledo Magic Café Columnist SF Bay Area 3042 Posts |
Well... let's see... could it be possible that "commercial" in these cases is intended to mean "Lay people will like it too?"
I'm being half facetious here. But only half.
That's our departed buddy Burt, aka The Great Burtini, doing his famous Cups and Mice routine
www.georgefledo.net Latest column: "Sorry about the photos in my posts here" |
|||||||||
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
The term has meaning only in context.
Commerce. Commerce between which parties? Who is the intended vendor and who is the intended customer. And what specifically is the service or product being sold? When we have context we can have a better discussion. This message brought to you by the makers of rhetoric, a division of the council for effective linguistics.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
|
|||||||||
erlandish Inner circle Vancouver, Canada 1254 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-07-08 20:49, Jonathan Townsend wrote: That's part of the problem. The claim of the routine being commercial is usually made with no context. "This is one of my most commercial routines." "I think you'll find this routine is very commercial." That's about all the context that's given. |
|||||||||
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Perhaps they mean it sells well at magic shops and conventions?
...to all the coins I've dropped here
|
|||||||||
Jerrine Special user Busking is work. 629 Posts |
It means lots of people bought it or are going to and you need to buy it too 'cause you don't want to be left out do you?
|
|||||||||
Alex Linian Inner circle Peru 1277 Posts |
It means it has no plot, no meaning, it makes no sense; but it will keep people entertained, you'll probably make a few people laugh, and that's all that matters...
In the context you mentioned it in, of course.
Check out SKYCAP from Paul Harris Presents!- "A fine trick from the dynamic foursome..."
Jared Brandon Kopf, Magic Magazine PUNCTURE 2.0 - "Jaw-dropping amazing... You also get the absolute best teaching DVD I have ever seen" - Genii Magazine SLEIGHT OF HAND that looks like Magic. --- Alex Linian | Instagram |
|||||||||
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
"As seen on TV?" Hmmm... So and so did it, so YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT!!!
Of course, it was commercially advertised in print, too. We wouldn't want you to forget. It also comes with a DVD and 6 bogus endorsements. Be the first kid on your block to own one of these limited edition collectibles. Only 25,000 made.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
|||||||||
karbonkid Special user 951 Posts |
I always took 'commercial' to mean really good and entertaining magic for laypeople that doesn't require extensive preparation, and very little reset time. Then again, that's my own definition of it. End result always being 'people' love it.
|
|||||||||
Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
Commercial to me means that it will play well for a paying audience, but it can't earn you a single vote in a magic competition.
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
|||||||||
Big Daddy Cool Inner circle 1604 Posts |
Al, that is a good definition.
Commercial means that it will play well for a paying lay audience - the effect is simple and direct, yet very magical and entertaining and can be used and adapted by nearly any performer for nearly any persona, or presentation. I would even go further by adding for close-up workers that it requires no set-up or reset, and packs small, but plays big! And example would be Sponge Balls - you can create a solid, entertaining routine with some very simple, uncomplicated props. Another example for card workers would be the Ambitions card. Card is selected, lost and rises to the top again and again. Direct, easy to comprehend and explain is a cornerstone of commercial magic. Commercial does not mean that it is devoid of story, presentation or meaning. Color Monte is very commercial, yet has a very involved story. One of my favorite close-up routines is B'Wave. It is very commercial yet, can be presented with a varying degree of meaning... The problem we have run into is that almost every new product is now touted as "commercial" when it just is not so. Self-Tying shoelaces is cool, but it isn't commercial. Other than teenagers on the street, who else is going to use this? Not a polished professional. So, in that respect it is not commercial. Although Criss Angel's Quarter in Soda Can is one of the strongest close-up tricks ever made, but it is not "commercial" because very few people will walk around with a unopened soda can waiting to do the trick. Make sense? |
|||||||||
kregg Inner circle 1950 Posts |
For commerce.
The next time you have a date with commercial television, watch the commercials. Ask the following question: Who is the advertisement trying to reach (age, sex, race)? Ad agencies are very specific. Next ask, is my show marketable and how big is my market? If your show is venue specific and you get paid for the show, then you have traded commerce. Wether or not you've made a profit is a different matter. Was that your goal?
POOF!
|
|||||||||
enginemagic Special user Bluffton Indiana 597 Posts |
We all look at words in a different way & relate it to something we use;one good side of that word is a product well made for hard every day use.like my buddy`s Toro mower with a Suzuki engine on it wich is one of the best made I`v ever worked on ,he cuts lawns for a living & puts as much wear & tear on that mower every day as a home owner that cuts all season!
theres a lot to learn out there,many interesting subjects,and hobbies to enjoy
|
|||||||||
chr!s Regular user newcastle 163 Posts |
I hate commercials.why cant tv shows just run right through without a break? sure,it would hurt to hold your pee in,but it would be worth it to not have t...oh,wait,commercial,not commercials?!oh,that makes much more sense!
sorry guys,had to do it. chr!s
"you can't see your own rub-a-dub..."
-richard sanders |
|||||||||
tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
Money.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
|||||||||
edh Inner circle 4698 Posts |
Tommy,
Quote:
Money. for who?
Magic is a vanishing art.
|
|||||||||
randirain Inner circle Fort Worth, TX 1650 Posts |
I don't really think it has much of a meaning.
Kind of like saying that this trick is very visual. Imagine that, a trick that is visual. Unlike those tricks are not visual and you can't see them. I think comercial means what ever they can get you to read into the meaning. Randi |
|||||||||
Rupert Bair Inner circle ? 2179 Posts |
Commercial is another word for "a worker." See Mike Close.
To me a commercial trick is. A. Fairly easy to perform B. Quick Reset or Easily Resettable. C. No special supplies you have to buy to keep doing it. D. Guaranteed a great response. E. Sometimes not all of the above...its just...a worker. See Mike Close. M:C |
|||||||||
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Food for thought » » What the heck does "commercial" 'mean', anyway? (0 Likes) | ||||||||||
Go to page 1~2~3 [Next] |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.04 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 < |