I previously posted a topic about strictening of contions. Now, however, my concerns are on the matter of motivation.

What are your thoughts on this topic?

Here are some of my tohughts:

Motivation is an important factor in order to make our magic less confusing and to give it a stronger impact. Is is essential for makng our magic deceptive, it takes suspicion away rom moves and props, and is one of the best types of misdirection you can think of.

If you take out a shiny, multi-coloured box, and take out a rabbit from it, the audience probably think it's gimmicked or set up in some way, and they are most likely not to react very srongly when the rabbit is revealed.

However, if you have a motivation for doing or using something something, it makes sense, and a lot of effects gives a much stronger impact as it does not arose suspicion.

The motivation also gives a logical useage for a prop, move or effect as it makes sense in the end, and does not leave the spectator confused.

These are some of my thoughts on this subject.

Do you have anything to add, do you disagree with something, or do you think what I wrote was right?

Pleas utter your opinin, it will help everyone (including yourself!) reading this.

Regards,

Daniel

When performing:

Who are you?
How do they know?
What do you want?
What is your relationship to the audience?
What is your relationship to the magic which happens in your show?

See the "What's My Motivation?" chapter of Theatrical Magic, available from leapinglizardsmagic.com

Now we have Harry Lorrayne (The lesser known) junior?

I like to consider motivation separately as it relates to blocking, to characterization, plot development, and props / effect selection.

The theme of my magic act is magic with wine, which provides motivation for the props used, the setting and the chosen effects. Ancillary effects and props include related items such as candles, flowers, table cloths, etc. Silks are not for hanks-sake, but they then become something used to polish a glass. Where a routine calls for a foulard, a table napkin is used instead.

With regards to plot development, during the act the character, breaking the fourth wall, becomes aware of the existence of the audience and as he becomes more aware of them he is faced with the dilemma of producing enough wine for everyone in the room. Thus, motivation for even doing wine productions in the first place.

Regarding characterization, the simple breaking of a wine glass is going to elicit a completely different response for someone who is normally bumbling vs someone who is overly serious etc, and your reaction to the event should really be motivated by who you (your character) are.

And in blocking, one might change the candle to a silk to polish a glass, vanish the silk to dispose of it neatly, change some wine into a silk to polish yet another glass, cause the glass to fill up to accomplish the needs of the plot, then cause the candle to re materialize to take it's place once again as the centerpiece. This can create a nice flow that makes sense, even in a theatrical context where "making sense" only makes sense in that particular reality.