It helps if the magic moment has credibility, though. It gives the rational types an extra bit of obfuscating data that they have to disprove in order to see their way through to the method.

Here's an example of how we sometimes come across as we tell what we do and stuff happens and then we look for applause:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-Oa5d1Bzcs

Except folks watching this know it's supposed to be a joke.

A gesture, a word, a look, etc. it's all just part of the dressing to enhance what you are doing. Folks really DO expect it and like it. The whole concept of 'magician' is archtypal. Folks have seen pictures, movies, whatever. The magician waves his hand, wand, says odd and obtuse things. As long as it fits 'you', it won't be questioned only enjoyed.

One way to test these things is to do a trick for someone new and do it totally silent. No patter. No gesture, no facial expression. As blah as possible. See what happens? Add various things into the presentation and see what happens. Working on a magic counter gives one a LOT of ways to experiment and I've done some very weird stuff mostly when I was really bored! I actually tried working some routines without any presentation just to see what would happen.

First, it's not that easy to do a routine without putting SOMETHING into it by way of body, face, etc. The magic comes across almost as someone demoing a new puzzle. Lack of explanation, context, etc. divorces one from the WHAT and the WHY of what's going on.

Next, I stayed silent, but added everything I could by way of pantomime. Lots of expression, lots of movement that directed attention. This went quite well actually. Could have used music in the background, etc.

You can play with this kind of thing and learn a great deal about what AFFECT various presentational pieces have. Try leaving out the tap on the deck, the Woofle dust, the "whatever" it is that you do at that point and see how it plays. If you really need something that point....would something else serve and whay, what, how? It's kind of fun.

Oh....if you have a local magic shop that the owner will let you play behind the counter a little...you can do stuff like this.

Best,

Who is you?
How is the audience supposed to know how/when your character is accomplishing what your character wants them to notice as far as the magic goes?

Great question, Jonathan -- and "How does today's audience form opinions about one's character as opposed to older generations?

In the later 20th century a lot of confidence was placed on non-verbal clues as a basis for communicating feelings and attitudes. Younger age cohorts have less training and practice with "live" interactions and "reading people."

On the flip side they are very practiced in false characters, multiple persona and role playing.

Do they assume that every person is "playing a character" with litle concern over "Who you are?"

Possibly a wild "notorious character" is the only way to get attention an set your own rules.

Do the old sterotypes still hold. Does saying "I am a magician" convey anything about your character?

Taken Jonathan's point about explanations and also expanding on Whit's I think I will consign Woofle (or indeed wiffle dust) to history - except for special occasions. Instead ladies and gentlemen let me introduce (Drumroll please) Nano dust, these microscopic particles penetrate the pack before reassembling the card (or whatever).

:0)

Danny

The really important thing is coming up with a presentational cover for it. Just as you can use any object for wand cover, you can come up with any number of rationalizations for going to the pocket and coming out with something. From a choreography and strategy point of view, there's not much difference between going to the pocket to pull out woofle dust to vanish a coin, and going to the pocket to get a pencil to do pencil-through-quarter.

Don't get me wrong. I use Pixie Dust, too. I would cast a shadow, and do all sorts of other magical things. They need to fit the moment. An appearance, transposition, etc. work best with a sharp command, a transformation better with a slow one like "casting a shsdow."

Here I use Magic Words and Pixie Dust:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUMOkWUM7yI&feature=related

On the linking rings I just blow.

Pixie Dust was never applied any better, Whit. Always a pleasure to see you perform. Thanks for posting the link.

"I have heard he does magic with hand gestures alone." --Vincent Price, The Raven

IMHO such is an invitation to doubt or a playbow for the sort of play we don't usually want as performers.

I am the Bolivian Navy on manoeuvres in the South Pacific. Lie mode

I havn't read all of this as it usually makes my eyes glaze over. If someone covered it please accept my apology.

But the idea is to use movements natural to yourself and your way of being, and weave them into the performance to hide those moments you so hate. You don't have to snap if it is not what you do, but pick something you do and do that. The idea is to be natural, not to be somoene else. If the moves are "natural", then there is no way to retrace steps back to a spacific point.

Another idea is to intentionally put those moves at paces nothing is happening and nothing possible could have happened. This way if they do backtrack, there is no path to follow.

Look, it's a small, off-duty Czechoslovakian traffic warden.

Danny, that was covered in the who/character post. Scripting and blocking come after character work, IMHO

In one of David Roth's lectures, he says "it's important to do the magic, even if it's just wiggling your thumbs". It's not always for misdirection, but helps provide a reason, even if a silly reason for the object to disappear, etc. Why did the knot drop off of Whit Haydn's rope??? Pixie dust of course. Since it's invisible, I have a large supply in my pocket.

Snapping fingers?? Used all the time in hypnosis and music. Why not sometimes in magic?

What makes the moment tragic is not the signal so much as the setup and conviction and with which it is presented. An attempt to be comic, ironic, congruent... or really, really lame. If they aren't sure about your character they go for... you guessed it.

(Jon Townsend, your posts are inscrutable to me!! >:(

Even something as simple as calling something a "tragic moment." I have no clue what that means.)


I would like to say something: Everyone is composed of two or more minds. Snapping of fingers triggers the attention of more basic instincts, the more subtle or buried mind. It is a sharp, distinct noise used to attract attention. This may or may not be important, but it should be known if you want to analyze the affects and motivations of your magical gestures on the intellectual, rather than the intuitive, level.

Who is to say that the magic DOESN'T happen because of the snapping of fingers?

~Nick

The ones who try it to find it does not work.

Nick, Jonathan's more outre comments are quotes from a TV series - Red Dwarf :0)

I am enjoying them but I can understand why "I am the Bolivian Navy on manoeuvres in the South Pacific. Lie mode" could perplex

Re: "tragic moments"



It also helps to read the posts that precede for context.

You mean you do not let the spectotor make the magic passes or gestures? If the best magic is that which happens in a spectator's hand, is not "second best" the ones in which they "make it happen?"