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stoneunhinged Inner circle 3067 Posts |
Only a few weeks ago I said something like, "if I could do real magic...well...I'd part the red seas or do something really big!"
And then I realized that there is not only a flaw in that logic, but a flaw which deprives the close-up magician of some of his justification for how he performs. What if my "gift" to manipulate matter or time or space is small? What if I can make small things disappear--like rings or coins or small stones or cigarette butts or even a playing card? What if I can make them reappear, but only if I made them temporarily disappear? Otherwise I could just spend a few sleepless nights producing gold coins out of thin air, one after the other, until I am rich. But I can't. My powers are small. I can read minds...a little bit. Enough to frighten people, but not enough to cash in on the stock market. I can transport small coins back and forth to my hands, but I can't suck all the money out of the bank into the trunk of my car. I can "melt" a card from the middle of the deck and move it to the top of the deck, or to a specs pocket...and so on. Maybe I could even bend a spoon. I guess the question is, don't we need a rationalization for why we work with coins and cards and book test stunts rather than keep low, making ourselves rich and powerful and conquering the hearts of fine women? And couldn't that rationalization be that our powers are small? Hey, I can't part the Red Sea! Who do you think I am, Moses? But hey...watch this Queen of Hearts, Sweetheart.... |
The Burnaby Kid Inner circle St. John's, Canada 3158 Posts |
There's an outgrowth of interesting theory based around Henning Nelms's ideas of lowering the claim. It's at the heart of some stuff I've been blogging about for the last month or so...
"So you want to be a creature of power..." http://erlandish.blogspot.com/2008/11/so......wer.html "The Superhero Character model for magicians" http://erlandish.blogspot.com/2008/11/su......ans.html "Guerilla Training, Part the Second" (Just focus on the parts related to the magic moment) http://erlandish.blogspot.com/2008/11/gu......ond.html
JACK, the Jolly Almanac of Card Knavery, a free card magic resource for beginners.
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Jaz Inner circle NJ, U.S. 6111 Posts |
In fiction, especially role playing games, there are magic users of various levels.
They progress slowly and the strength of thier magic depends on how they are favored by the greater powers and dieties. Anyway... What close up magicians do is entertain with small illusions of magic. Most magician tricks do nothing to enhance anyones lives, let alone thier own, with riches. We do it to entertain and that should be enough justification. Because of the work I do, if asked if I can levitate or fly like Copperfield I say that I'm not at that level. I may then say that I can only move small objects and move, not float, something small. I struggle, fail and eventually succeed with a simple movement of the object. One routine I do is with a purse frame. It has a story and reason for the number of coins in the purse. Four coins are magically produced from the purse frame. They're old halves and could buy more back then than they can today. The coins vanish, reappear and finally vanish completely ending the story and leaving only the examinable purse frame. This all goes back to whether you want people to think you do real magic or that you use skill to create the illusion of real magic. I'm babbling so... have a nice day. |
stoneunhinged Inner circle 3067 Posts |
Jaz, I always appreciate your babblings.
Andrew, I haven't looked at your blog in a LONG time, so thanks for the links. There's a lot of food for thought there. |
Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-12-02 10:27, stoneunhinged wrote: Always be thankful because a gift of small powers is better than no powers. |
Aaron Little Loyal user Lexington KY 263 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-12-02 10:54, Andrew Musgrave wrote: Great. Now I will be spending several hours reading your blog. Thanks for taking the time to write it and for posting it. |
Donal Chayce Inner circle 1770 Posts |
Am I the only one who finds it ironic that Aaron Little is posting on on a thread entitled "Small Magic"?
:lol: |
Aaron Little Loyal user Lexington KY 263 Posts |
Now that is some funny stuff.
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Lawrence O Inner circle French Riviera 6811 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-12-02 10:27, stoneunhinged wrote: Interesting approach but doesn't it express some form of guilt which in turn belittles what we do? You could also approach it in another way "I wanted to part the red seas for you or do something really big! but the landlord objected (he is a little petty!)... So I'll have to show it to you on a smaller scale. It seems to boil down to the same thing, but of all people on this site you're of the few who will understand what I mean. (maybe not agree but understand, yes) This sort of consideration is the reason why I prefer effects with a script carefully structured by somebody smart.
Magic is the art of emotionally sharing live impossible situations
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longhaired1 Veteran user Salida 316 Posts |
If we are creating and portraying these mythical persons who can do unusual things, I believe it's completely logical and conceivable that these characters would still have limitations and boundaries.
Being able to do impossible things is distinctly different than being able to do anything. In the character that I have been creating there are actually ethical and practical considerations that create limitations as well. Specifically he has found in the past that when he uses his gifts for personal gain, including accolades, there have been negative repercussions. |
Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts |
Small versus Large in effect or presentation is a fascinating subject. Consider the following: The Illusionist who does LARGE presentations on stage has by the very nature of that largeness a problem with audience acceptance. Very few people will watch an Illusion show and come away thinking that what they saw was 'real'. ENTERTAINING...hopefully, yes, but not real.
I'm not talking or taking into consideration the momentary suspension of disbelief that will allow most viewers to enjoy what is presented. And, so, what is large on stage can actually be small in overall AFFECT on the minds of the spectators. Now, consider: A magician displays his hands to be completely empty. He closes one hand and reaches inside and produces a half dollar and does it right under the nose of those watching. Or, whatever other really clean magical effect you wish to use. The AFFECT of this 'small' in size 'miracle' can and often IS much larger in the minds of the spectators and lasts much longer in their memory! There is a 'little' trick in Bobo's that I have used for years that has an affect so much larger than the method that I pretty much kept it to myself for a long, long time. It's the type of trick that you see described, pass right on over and never try. It's the Bent Penny routine. Here you borrow a penny from a spectator and then after looking at it you place it back in their hand and ask them to squeeze as hard as they can. I patter about pressure turning coal into diamonds, etc. and tell them that the penny will turn into a dime! They squeeze and squeeze and then upon opening their hand they discover the penny is still a penny, but it now has a 70 degree angle bent into it. It's a little trick that folks have come up to me years later and pulled the bent penny from their pocket or purse to show me they still have and remember it! There is a transformation that takes place as the audience gets closer to the 'action' so to speak. All best,
Brad Burt
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