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Oliver Ross Inner circle Europe 1724 Posts |
Hello everybody,
I thought it would be interesting to start a thread concerning the creativity and originality of magic effect and / or routining. How do you turn a simple trick, bought in magic shop, into a sensational and remembering effect or routine ? Here are my thoughts : 1) Start from soemthing that the audience recognize (object / situation in life) 2) Use borrowed object as long as you can. 3) Have an ending of the routine which defeats any explaination possible by the audience. What are your thoughts on this ? How do you work on this ? Oliver. |
john scot Special user brighton, uk 585 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-10-13 05:12, Oliver Ross wrote: Perform it flawlessly with confidence and charm. Be nartural and elegant. Make eye contact with your audience, remember their names and they will adore you! Cheers, John |
john scot Special user brighton, uk 585 Posts |
Oh, and enjoy yourself.. Enthusiasm is infectious!
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Oliver Ross Inner circle Europe 1724 Posts |
Thanks for your reply.
Even though your right in your statements, I'm more speaking of the working out of the trick, rather than of the presentation itself. Oliver. |
Steve_Mollett Inner circle Eh, so I've made 3006 Posts |
Also:
Keep your eyes and mind open to those occasional 'perfect opportunities' where and when an effect performed will appear 'remarkably spontaneous' and, therefore, miraculous. Uri Gellar made his 'psychic' reputation largely on this concept.
Author of: GARROTE ESCAPES
The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth. - Albert Camus |
Josh Chaikin Inner circle Kansas City 1430 Posts |
This question seems simple on the surface, but the deeper you dig, the harder it is to pin down a definitive answer. Certainly some of the points touched on are very valid, and will help you create what you want. I think that it can be broken down into two categories: effect and presentation (there are other subcategories, but we'll tackle those as we get to them).
As far as effect is concerned, this is what the audience sees. Certainly, some effects will have a propensity to getting a sensational response, when done with an adequate presentation. (I've left many people floored with the Anniversary Waltz). Other effects, while they fool, just don't get that response. Crazy Man's Handcuffs, or a spectator's ring climbing up a rubber band have never gotten a great reaction from them. Did they react? Yes. Were they fooled? Probably. Could I have framed the effect differently to get a better emotional reaction? Most definitely. Some effects will naturally get a response just based on what they are alone. Guy Hollingworth's Reformation is a thing of beauty. Does he have spectacular patter? Not really, he's just describing what he's doing. This leads into the second part, presentation. The creation of a character, or the script that you use is paramount. A master showman can slay an audience with the simplest of effects, and a poor one can leave audiences cold with the greatest of tricks. Watch Juan Tamariz perform El Cochita. It's a good effect, and he plays it -VERY- well. I saw him do his 6 Card Repeat and I found it hilarious, even though I had no idea what he said. More on point though, how you turn something into a memorable effect is finding the perfect presentation. That's all there is to it (and there's a LOT to that). If you haven't, I would highly recommend you pick up Eugene Burger's "Exploring Magical Presentations" DVD. He discusses this at some length. In fact, he performs one trick, with six different presentations, to bring the point home. There's no concrete formula given, unfortunately, so it's something you'll have to find from within yourself (though he does give you a springboard). You'll need to define your persona-your character. If you're a humorous guy, use wacky, off the wall presentations, that'll garner a response. If that's the case, most larger cities have improv groups that offer lessons. It'd be a great way to learn to think on your feet (and a good exercise for any type of performer). If you're more mysterious, read up on philosophy, religion, abstract concepts...then you can pepper your presentation with anecdotes and give it a more macabre feel, if that's your fancy. I know I jumped around quite a bit, but I hope that answers your question somewhat. (I know I gave myself a lot to think about!) |
George Ledo Magic Café Columnist SF Bay Area 3042 Posts |
I'd say the key to the exercise is to focus on the magic and not on the props. There's a huge difference between showing that you can put a spike thru a balloon without it bursting, and showing that you're doing something physically impossible with a balloon and a spike.
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" |
Big Daddy Cool Inner circle 1604 Posts |
I published routine for the Color Changing Feather Wreaths in Theatrical Magic that demonstrates how you can take a horrible trick and turn it into performance gold. Similar process...
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Alex Linian Inner circle Peru 1277 Posts |
I think it has to do with structure and story telling abilities.... You must be able to communicate to the spectator the importance of what is happening in order for him to find it an interesting and rewarding experience.... It is important to have a clear beginning middle and end without pattering out information that is irrelevant to the understanding of the event (This doesn't necessarily mean a story can't be attached to the presentation as sometimes this can help to understand the effect, the reasoning for otherwise random props and the direction you are taking with them etc)... things like that
It is particularly hard for the magician to work on this since most of us start by learning the sequence of the magic trick as "first I get a pinky break, then I pass, then I dribble the cards for him to say stop..." ... I believe one of the most important exercises that can help with this is to describe the effect in words to yourself, clearly stating what the conditions are, what happens and how it all ends. ...Another thing I've started to do lately is to draw a picture that represents the effect or routine, a single image that that sums up the event and the feeling that the spectator is meant to take with him from what you present. ....
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 |
Jaz Inner circle NJ, U.S. 6111 Posts |
Nice posts and I can't add much.
I'm not so sure I want them to remember the effect as much as I want them to remember me. |
longhaired1 Veteran user Salida 316 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-10-13 05:12, Oliver Ross wrote: One of the few magic audio books I've ever purchased is Michael Ammar's "Making Magic Memorable". If "memorable" is what you are looking for there are good things to be had on that cassette (remember those?). Interestingly the types of effects that are most memorable are not necessarily the ones that are particularly "sensational". |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Food for thought » » How and to turn a simple trick into a sensational and remembering effect / routine ? (0 Likes) |
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