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solrak29 Special user NY Metro 936 Posts |
You are well known for you creating great magic, but also
well known for great routines/presentations that surrounds the magic. On top of those routines, you must have a wonderful act all together. Can you talk a bit on routine and act creation?
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Shawn Farquhar V.I.P. Canada 760 Posts |
Hi solrak29,
This is a difficult question. My creative process varies often. Sometimes I hear music, other times it is an image or prop that inspires me to create. The hardest thing for me is that I must create within parameters that define me as a performer. I don't want to exhaust my energy creating magic I would never consider performing on stage. I have a huge library at my disposal and countless friends to draw on when I can't find a solution. Often a routine may take years to build. I may have the effect, handling, music and vision, but it might not be all together in the right combination to entertain an audience. I have one particular piece that has been in and out of my show since the late '80's. Each time I redress the effect, change the props look or purpose and still I have not found the perfect solution. I am both a procrastinator and a perfectionist. This is a terrible combination. As far as creating routines I try to develop pieces that can easily be moved around in my show. Some demand to be first or last while others can be easily placed where ever I prefer. I really like emotional magic like Boris Wild's Kiss or Butterfly act and try to have at least one or two of these style routines in any given show. I also love to laugh so I have created a few great comedy moments to lighten the feeling during my audiences theatrical experience. I am not a very dramatic individual and actually cringe at most illusionist who spin boxes and pose, but I have a few original illusions I created to fit my style. Books like "Whack to the side of the head" and "The Trick Brain" are great places to start learning how to be more creative. I had always believed that some people are just more creative than others and resigned myself to that fact. It wasn't until one day I was with Kevin James in Athens, Greece and I watched how he was using small file cards of different colors to help him be inspired that I realized if a creative genius like him can use tools to help... there might be hope for me too... -shawn |
Stucky Inner circle I'm Batman! 1355 Posts |
What is your opinion on people who create just for the sake of creating as opposed to those who do it out of necessity?
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Shawn Farquhar V.I.P. Canada 760 Posts |
Stucky you have an interesting question. Most might think negatively of the individual who creates solely for the sake of profit. I'm speaking of the guys who just turn out magic effects monthly to sell to other magicians. Much of that magic is crap, but there are gems hidden amongst the rubble. It is our job as performers to find these gems and fine tune them to our own personal styles. I personally embrace all those that create for whatever reason. Many of the greatest minds in magic do not perform. My own personal hero in the world of creating is Jim Steinmeyer (http://www.jimsteinmeyer.com/creations). Calling him a genius is an understatement. Mr Steinmeyer however is not the finest performer in the world. In fact I recall at a lecture him discussing this and I admire him for recognizing his forte and becoming the icon he is today in the world of magic.
Andre Kole is noted as a magical creator who at one time challenged himself to create a new effect everyday. More recently, and closer to home, Calen Morelli did a 365 project where he created and filmed a new magic effect everyday for a year. ( http://365daysofmagic.tumblr.com ) Creativity should be embraced and not all creativity is a stellar success. In fact most fail far more often than they succeed. If you want to see something inspiring watch this video: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1v6j9_famous-failures_news -shawn |
solrak29 Special user NY Metro 936 Posts |
Quote:
On 2012-08-20 19:24, Shawn Farquhar wrote: Thanks for the insight... What about show construction? Do you have a formula or pattern you follow? Do you take theme and go with that theme? Or is it a series effects strung together? How do you choose what effects to include in a show? ...etc...
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Checkout my pseudo blog : The Sidewalk Performers Forum "I intend to live forever, or die trying" - Groucho Marx |
Shawn Farquhar V.I.P. Canada 760 Posts |
Show construction is another whole subject. When I was young I tried to theme my shows. I had friends who were pirates, golfers and scientists doing magic. In fact all three of those guys are still working their acts with great success. I decided my "theme" would be me. It may sound egotistical, but I think people are genuinely fascinated by people who choose to perform magic. Think about it. Lots os folks ask you how you dod a trick, but I'll bet there are plenty who ask you how you got started in magic or how does one get started in magic. I think my story is an interesting one and I have used it as my background theme to allow me to present a series of effects that can be connected via my magical family. I can show effect shared by my Grandfather, Father and even have my Daughter perform a short segment in the show. The fact that my Wife is my principle assistant just adds to the back story/theme.
All effects in my show don't have to be magical. Take for example by Tipsy Turvy bottle routine. It's more about a demonstration of mis-direction. It's kind of a paper balls over the head kind of routine. This allows the audience a sort of behind the scenes look at just one element of what it takes to be a magician. That the routine is funny and that the spectator is triumphant in the end is a huge bonus. I like to build a show like a three act play. I prefer to start fast, move in to magic that is more personable and then end soft. Yes, soft. I know it's some unwritten rule in show-business to always end big, but I think over the years I have proven it's not necessary. Ending with Thread of Life , Snow or Shape of my Heart always gets me a bigger response than some big illusion. It's hard sometimes to convince producers and buyers that it will work, but it does. I have always repeated what my Father said, "Folks don't come out to see you fail, they come to forget about theirs." Our job as entertainers is to entertain. There are people that will argue they are magicians and their job is to fool, and OK if they want to just be a trickster that's cool with me because there is a place for them too. Me, I like to say I am the Keeper of Secrets as opposed to a magician. I am an entertainer first and I use Magic to entertain. Just my thoughts ... -shawn |
solrak29 Special user NY Metro 936 Posts |
Nice and strong points....Thank you...
To Find Me On The Pitch, Follow me :On Twitter
Checkout my pseudo blog : The Sidewalk Performers Forum "I intend to live forever, or die trying" - Groucho Marx |
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