Encore
By
Kyle Peron

E-Book, approximately 21 pages, available from http://magicenhancer.com/Encore.html

Price $15

Kyle Peron titles this set of lecture notes which accompanied his lecture at the 2007 SAM convention as "Encore- Creatvity in the Art of Magic.” I would sub-title it “How to Stop Being a Hack Magician and Start Thinking Like an Unique Performer.”

Peron in a very simple and easy to read style draws on his background as a professional magician, IBM and SAM contest winner, and graphic artist to offer some simple exercises to help the magician break out of the “hack” mold and start understanding magic performance and audience response like a creative performer.

Many of the techniques which Kyle recommends draw upon principles of Gestalt Psychology, learning to understand how we and our audience perceive things in symbols and forms. It points out, unlike other similar subject texts, both the good aspects and the bad aspects of this type of thinking.

While it is probably not possible to teach someone to be creative, it is possible to learn to be creative, and this is the very approach Peron uses in his text; showing the reader how to learn to be creative.

Creativity is something that is active, not passive. Peron shows the reader how to be active in creation with many good exercises and suggestions for learning to “think outside the box”.

Texts by McBride, Burger, and Osterlind all address this creative process, but Peron uses a very simple structured approach with direct examples and exercises to help the reader attain the same ends these other authors encourage.

The text is divided into a series of logical chapters which form a somewhat step by step approach to developing the ability to learn to be creative. 1) Ask yourself why- dealing with the why from the audience perspective. 2) Fear of Failing - a very good simple discussion of this fear factor in magical performance and how to simply use it as a very powerful tool to become more creative in one’s magic and performance. 3)Brainstorming Technique that Works- A very simple brainstorming technique which anyone can use to get the creative juices flowing and develop new ideas that work. 4) Throw the Directions Away - sounds like insanity, but is probably one of the most to the point and profound thought out parts of this text. 5) Outward vs. Inward Thinking - this chapter marks the key difference between Kyle’s Lecture Notes and the texts by the authors mentioned above. A very small thing in some ways, but a very critical element in learning to be truly creative. 6) Emotional Response - a very powerful chapter which demonstrates how to make real contact with your audience and how to use those very elements common to all of us to create more moving and powerful presentations. 7) Learning to See - or how to take the blinders off and start really seeing what you need to be seeing in your magic and performance, breaking away from the molds and bad habits we are all prone to fall into. 8) Creativity Journal - a simple device to both advance your creativity and organize your logical thinking for greater creativity. 9) Resources - some easily accessible internet tools that can be a big help in the creative process 10) Reactions Per Minute- probably the most powerful chapter of all. Ever wonder how to fine tune your show, how to really peak it? Peron offers some solid tips and a good method for accomplishing this very thing, and accomplishing it in a way which will make your performance a continuing hit.

I’ve practiced magic and performed for over 50 years. I’ve was fortunate to be born into a great magic family, and as a result have had access to some of the greatest teachers and performers of magic who have been available in my life time. I’ve received instruction from “Uncles” Harry Blackstone and Pete Bouton, sat the feet of Tony Slydini, Harry Lorayne, “The Professor”, and many others too numerous to list here. Like all magicians and performers I’ve sought to discover those elements which would make my magic stand out and my performance shine. There are some fine texts out there which stimulate and expand the mind's potential to understand our art. My own performance enhancement began years ago with a little book by Monk Watson, I still go back and read it and dwell on all the depth those few pages have to offer on that professional touch in performing. If Kyle Peron’s text had existed back in my early days, it would have saved me years of trial and error, and reading countless wasted words trying to discover these same simple principles and techniques that Peron so aptly presents in a few short pages.

If you want to move from being just “one of the crowd” into the category of “unique performer” you won’t get there without learning and practicing the very principles that Kyle Peron so simply and plainly states in “Encore”.

Photius:

Thank you so very much for your kind words about my most recent ebook which is an extension of my lecture of the same title. I really appreciate your honesty and your indepth detail that you put into your review.

It is my goal through this ebook and through my lecture to give people tools and techniques to bring their magic to new levels they never thought of before. It is also my belief that every single person has the ability to be as creative as he or she wants to be. We are just very hindered and these notes strive to show you simple and effective ways in which to break down the hurdles that hinder creativity. They also are geared at then teahcing you how you can (through simple processes) learn to apply them daily to create magic that is far more creative then anything you may have done in the past.

Thank you again. I hope that others may get interested in this ebook. if anyone has any questions about it at all, please just let me know. It would be my pleasure to answer them for you.

Kyle

This type of work is a No Brainer for me....I learn a lot from Eugene Burger, Jeff Mc Bride, Kenton Knepper, Peter McCabbe, Ken Weber, Jerome Finley.....now Kyle Book will join their League ....

I must own this book,....since me and Kyle have been trading PM back and forth for this past year....disscussing Bussines and Opener for our Show.....

since we already know enough Tricks, we already own enough DVD's and Books about Tricks for our entire life times....but......

how to make them our own is the most difficult and Challanging task....

I can "Blink" and know how he think and how he approach his performance....

I write full review after I savour this book

Thank your for sharing this with the Rest of us Kyle

and oh...I've develop another Killer Opener for my Show, PM me if you are interested

Best
Romy

Hi Romy my friend. How are you? Thank you so very much for your kind words. It has taken me a while to get this done and I am so glad that I finally have it completed. It is the full edition of my lecture notes for a lecture I am now doing called "Encore! Creativity in the Art of Magic!".

It's goal is to get people thinking beyond the props and beyond the sleights and to start learning simple techniques and ideas that can be directly applied to becoming a better and more creative thinker of magic. As I state in the lecture, and you stated above, we all own way more magic then we ever will use or ever will need.

It is not so much that the magical arts needs more magic tricks or props. We need more creative thinkers and those willing to take action on themselves to push themselves to learn creativity and use it. ANYONE can be as creative as he or she wants to be and this lecture note/ebook is a step in learning exactly how to go about it through ideas, tips, suggestions and techniques that can be applied immediately to better the magic you do.

Thanks again my friend and I hope you enjoy the ebook. I thank you in advance for your review as I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts on the ebook and the contents of it. Much appreciated.

Kyle

Well, I'm glad to see that Kyle's e-book is doing so well. When Kyle showed and shared his lecture notes with me, I IMMEDIATELY wanted to carry them under the Magic Enhancer label. It holds true to our viewpoint- "Quality, affordable magic products for the working professional." This one will really do well for us. Congrats Kyle!

I cannot sit here and write a review because it will be a biased one. Kyle is my right hand man with the Magic Enhancer stuff. Kyle has helped many magicians improve their act by making them think creatively. This book is not only for magicians, but rather for any performer (clowns, ventirloquists, alike). It shows perfomrers how to get creative and incirporate that into their act to make it unique, different and more entertaining. I've used much of Kyle's works and writings into my own shows and it definitely shows.
Learning Kyle's RPM system of gauging your show is worth the $10 alone. Hands down.

As Romy mentioned, we all have tricks. How we put them together and entertain with them is what separates the full time magicians from the "other magicians." If you're serious about magic and about your act, this book will not do you wrong.

I hope this helps anyone who may be thinking about getting it. it really is a great quality product. I look forward to seeing what others have to say.

Robert Haas
http://www.MagicEnhancer.com

Thank you so much Rob for your continued support of this ebook. It is much appreciated. The goal was to be able to provide a full ebook of the full lecture and be able to get the information out there so that people can be given the chance to have access to very powerful tools and rechniques to grow their own creativity and take their magic to new levels. Thank you again my friend.

Kyle

Not a problem buddy. You're very welcome....

Robert Haas

Thanks again Robert. I really do appreciate your kind words about my work. my only hope is that others may gain a lot of valuable information from the new ebook.

Kyle

Kyle's book, ENCORE, came at a good time for me. I kind of hit a brick wall magic and wanted to regroup and change directions. This book has taught me some new approaches to creativity and brought to memory things I kind of forgot or overlooked. While Encore is only 23 pages long, it is not short on information. I totally agree with the review that Photius gave (nice job Photius). The info is concise and to the point.
Now many of you that frequent the Café know Kyle. He is extremely helpful and is not stingy with his time and ideas, etc.
If you are looking to improve your magic, do yourself a favor and get Encore. And for $15, you can't go wrong.
Kyle, Thanks for putting out Encore and thank you for all of your help as well. You are a real asset to magic.
Jack

so I don't have these notes but I choose to exercise my freedom of speech to say a few (negative) things...

1. again not having read these notes I can not be 100% sure, but I think I know what RPM means...and it is not Kyle's. I have used this approach for a while, and comedians have been using this I think forever. It has also been addressed in many magic books and videos....most recent that I can think of is the David Kaye Seriously Silly Live.
2. I have read Kyle's thoughts on creativity here on the Café and have found them to be...less than creative.

...let the discussion continue.

Excuse me Robert. I now understand why you think Kyle is so creative.

It most likely has something to do with you selling a product (removable pocket) for $5.99, and a 3 pack of the same product for $19.99. I'll pay more for bulk any day. If those wholesale clubs caught on to this brilliant philosophy they'd make a killing.

Or for the ultimate deal. 5 of them for $29.99. nothing like saving less than 1 cent per item.

(you all are free to do the math yourselves)

Toomuchmagic:

I do thank you for posting your thoughts and opinions here. That is what the Café is all about and freedom of opinion and freedom of speech is part of that. I thank you for your thoughts and taking the time to express them. I would, however, like to make a few points clear so that people know where I am coming from as well. Thank you.

First off you do not have the notes nor have read them so people must understand that your expressing your opinion solely on what I have wrritten here at the Café and such. That is fine and I have no problem with that. It is just important that folks know that you are expressing an opinion based on not having read the full ebook.

Next, the RPM principle I talk about and mention is not a new idea at all. I never said it was. It is just something I came across and developed on my own as an extension of what is used in comedy and trying to find a way to apply that to magic but in a much larger scope. I have actually talked with Silly Billy on many occassions after I wrote up this concept and idea and he and I both had no problems with it. The reason was that we both came about it from different avenues not having realized the other came upon a similar idea. We both felt that my ideas and his are a bit different and both are worthy of getting that information out to others so that they can learn from it.

I am not sure why you feel my contributions here and my writings on creativity have not been "creative" enough for you. That is also fine as we all have a different way of viewing it. However, I do come from a background in art and design and theater and I write based on my passion for bringing creativity into the magical arts. Many folks have enjoyed my post here as well as my weekly column in Alan Watson's ezine. They feel I share a lot of information that many folks just do not listen to or do not adhere to.

Once again I am ok with you not liking my posts or feeling I am not creative enough for you. You are entitled to that and I can respect that. My only hope is to continue to express my desire and love for creativity in magic and to show folks how they can be more creative thinkers in magic. How simple approaches (stemming from my art background) can be applied to magic directly to create better magic in general. Not everyone is going to like what I say, but it is my opinions expressed openly and honestly for those to take from it what they can.

As far as Robert goes. Robert is a very good friend of mine but he also speaks his mind and is very openly honest about everything. With this said, I did not force Rob to place or even carry my ebooks. Robert did that on his own after fuilly reviewing everything first hand. He simply would not have carried the product if he did not at first feel that my product and ebook was top-notch and worthy of mention. I know Rob well enough that he does not pull any punches and if he did not feel it up to his caliber, he would not have carried it.

I do want to thank everyone for their continued emails to me about my writings and for the great emails on the lecture and ebook on creativity. The response has been great and wonderful and I thank you all for that. If I can ever be of any help to anyone regarding creativity or anything at all, please just let me know. My pleasure.

Kyle