Hi all magicians!
I though that this was an appropiate forum category, so:
Just to say, I've just created my first episode in a weekly vlog, which will have a FREE effect created by me and a review every week. I'd love some feedback!

This Week:

1. Instant Sandwich please! Free Sandwich trick taught for the first time.
2. A review of one Degree by John Gustaferro!

Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nfWRIs1_TA

Thanks and Best wishes,

Kyle MacNeill

Please note, the trick I teach is MY trick.
I am of course completely against exposing others' effects.

Thanks and best wishes,

Kyle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HGDZ6xvysc

New Episode!

Kyle

The issue many take with "exposure" is NOT just about exposing the work of others.

I stopped the video after 10 seconds. If I can't see your face, I can't connect to your humanity. Remember Fitzkee's rule: People are foremost interested in other people.
Yes. That is out of a book. You know: those things with paper and words you sometimes see on television.
I am firmly opposed to this free exposure. People interested in learning magic should make an effort. That weeds out the lurkers who just watch the internet to see how it's done. That is not teaching, that is plain, cheap demeaning of the art of magic.

You want to show your stuff on YouTube? By all means, do so. Just show the effect without explanation. Then tell the interested parties to what source they should turn if they're interested in learning more. Make 'em sweat a little. What is acquired free, rarely makes an impression.

But then again, I myself didn't listen to the experience of older and wiser men, and it took me a long, long time to correct that error....

Ciao for now

Erik

Dear Erik,

I am sorry you are opposed to the Blog.
It is my effect, and therefore I am happy to give back to the magic community by offering some of my effects for free.
I personally do not see anything much wrong with this, as it is of course my effect.
I am sorry you are strongly opposed, thanks for the feedback though,

Kyle

Hey Kyle!

I think you are off to a good start. If it is your own trick than I think you have to right to do with it what you want, and showing people how to do some easy tricks is a good way to get people to view your videos, but I also think it would be cool to try and wow some people with some tricks later by performing some good tricks and not showing people how its done, but it is your choice.

What program do you use to edit/ capture your videos? The only reason I ask is I might be able to give you some tips on how to make your videos better quality and wide screen to fill up the whole screen.

If it's Kyle's own creations, than he should be able to do what he wants with them. He's just giving back.

Thanks for the suppourt guys!

Kyle

To whom? Youtube morons who blatantly expose methods?

Dear Fabio,

No, I am giving back to the magic community.
Thanks for commenting.

Have a nice day!

Kyle

I don't think the aim of this is to show off or give away methods for ratings, Kyle isn't another YouTube kid!

he has his own books for sale and he can give away free effects if he so wishes for whatever purpose he so wishes! many other folks give away free tricks, generates publicity, keeps you going back to their sites etc

just because it is on YouTube doesn't mean that only morons can watch it, good use of a publicly available and free platform!

Nice work Kyle, my only concern is that you would eventually give back too much! Others try to make lots of money off tricks much worse in quality.

Thanks Adam!

What's the crediting for the trick you teach?

Kyle nothing on this effect is origional. you are just routining other magicians material...
with that said, in my opinion is ok to perform your trick but not expose handlings that are not yours on you tube. we have seceret sessions here on the Café for these type of demos and discussions
vinny

Kyle,

you rock!!!! I look forward to see where your path in magic takes you. I understand why you're exposing your effects on YouTube, but I would highly encourage you to make your videos private and share them only with those interested in, this way you aren't exposing trade secrets for the lay public to see. I would also encourage you to continue to review products in the magic community that you feel are noteworthy. Spend more time reviewing the products. Continue to be passionate as to why YOU enjoyed the material, and why the viewer should be as excited as you are about it.

A thought just crossed my mind. What if you changed the format of your blog? What if the majority of the blog consisted of you doing a product review or two, followed by a PERFORMANCE of one of your latest tricks? To get the explanation, they would e-mail you for the handling. This way you are getting the same amount of exposure to the magic community, while preventing the lay public from learning your methods....Just a thought.

Either way, stay humble and continue to remain a good student of magic.

Yours very kindly,

Eric Jones

Thanks very much to all the comments, both constructive and critical.
I very much like your suggestion Eric, I think I may use it.
Thanks for your kind comments as well Eric!
A new episode is coming soon, but wil be performance only, and I will send out explanations to people that ask, and maybe can answer a magic related question.

Best wishes,

Kyle

First, I'm not opposed to the blog (though I'm aware that comment wasn't directed at me). Actually, I LOVE the idea- it's a chance for you to share your thoughts and ideas with those interested and if you find a better format to host it you could get proper feedback that'll help you in turn.

The problem though is the format, and I think that's what most people are objecting too. Let me clarify by quoting you.



First, you seem like a sharp kid. What you must realize is that while the effect may be yours (I'm not saying it is or isn't) the moves that form the foundation of the routine AREN'T yours and so you are both exposing your own work (fine) and other peoples' work without their consent (not fine).

Second, and this is the biggest issue to me (and clearly for other people as well), you aren't JUST giving back to the magic community, you're also exposing magic to the general public. Why? Youtube has no filter system to prevent that from happening, unless you set the video to private.

What you need to do is find a different format to host your videos. There are numerous video hosting sites that allow you to post a password protected video- and the password could either be something most magicians would know (Who invented the Ultra move for instance... wait, scratch that one!) or you could post the password on here, the Café, so even if a layperson did stumble on the site they couldn't access the material.

No one is telling you to delete the videos- we're telling you to move them somewhere more appropriate. History is full of people who have made well intentioned mistakes, like people who share torrents online (which most of us would consider stealing) because they also "wanted to share", but what's important is that once we are informed of our mistake we rectify it.

So, I look forward to seeing your videos on a more appropriate hosting site. This benefits magic, by giving you the chance to share but limiting access to the interested and not merely curious, and it benefits YOU, by putting you in a better position to receive feedback that'll help you improve.

All the best,
Ben

Again, Do you wanna credit the trick?

Ok, well the second episode's trick, Twisted Dizzy Aces, is of course a version of Dai Vernon's Twisting the Aces. For the Colour changing packet, I was inspired by Out of the Blue and Intuition by John Gustaferro (One Degree, 2010). I had a simliar trick, with a plot that has a few phases to do with the concept. This trick was Hoffee Chew, and was first published in my Ebook publication: American Dream, 2010. Hoffee Chew was an interesting version of the Hofzinser Ace problem, which may've actually been created by Jack Avis.

It is also inspired by Sympathy by Cameron Francis, which in turn was inspired by Bill Simon's Sympathetic Control. The Rub a Dub Vanish Sleight I used first appeared in Expert Card Technique (Jean Hugard and Fred Braue, 1974). The Elmsley count I used, was first called 'The Ghost Count' and was created by Alex Elmseley.

Thanks and Best wishes,

Kyle MacNeill