The Magic Café
Username:
Password:
[ Lost Password ]
  [ Forgot Username ]
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Tenyo of Japan » » I reach the stage of HATING all Tenyo-tricks (4 Likes) Printer Friendly Version

 Go to page 1~2 [Next]
saverle
View Profile
Regular user
The Netherlands
114 Posts

Profile of saverle
After having been busy with Tenyo-items for a couple of years (and Tenyo was definitely NOT my first love! That were the Cups and Balls), I am finally reaching the moment that I suddenly HATE all these creepy plastic Tenyo-toys! Maybe they are primarilary suitable for magicians looking for again a diabolical principle. BUT: when I perform Tenyotricks nobody is really stumped, baffled or impressed. They see a piece of plastic, and they think immediately: that looks very suspicious, very fishy. They like the effect, OK, but they are not near as impressed than when I do for instance a simple sponge ball routine! THEN they are really excited, involved, SURPRISED! Even the Zingana Box of Magic Wagon impresses more because of the whole concept.

I tend to believe that Tenyo tricks are merely magicians magicians props. The audience is amused, but not really impressed.

So, I pick up my sponge balls, my pieces of rope, my mental marvels (Deep astonishment!)etc.

Haven't we forgot the real goal of magic, to entertain and really TOUCH the audience?
Wizard of Oz
View Profile
Inner circle
Most people wish I didn't have
5219 Posts

Profile of Wizard of Oz
For me it's the diabolical engineering that goes into creating these little plastic jewels that makes me an avid collector. I don't need to show them to anyone except myself, and I'd be perfectly happy. A nerd maybe. But a happy nerd.
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
saverle
View Profile
Regular user
The Netherlands
114 Posts

Profile of saverle
Well OK, Wizard of Oz, you have another goal, you like clever principles. I did that too, but at once I had the feeling I was playing in the wrong film. I have the need to entertain people,and so far I do not succeed with the Tenyo-items. Therefore I tend to find the Tenyo-items dishonest magic, with creepy sneaky mechanisms. You are a Tenyobeliever or you are not... I was a Tenyobeliever for a long time, but now I want to believe in my own skills.
Richard Kaufman
View Profile
Inner circle
2537 Posts

Profile of Richard Kaufman
Presentation
Presentation
Presentation
HP Lovecraft
View Profile
New user
26 Posts

Profile of HP Lovecraft
Saverle, we must keep in mind that Tenyo magic was created for the Japanese layperson, not magicians. Gaffed coins and decks fly under radar pretty well compared to special magic props. Brass items are often nice because they can usually be examined and appear rather solid. If a Tenyo prop can be examined that might help it go over better. When you present a special magic prop, that is the only time anyone will ever see it. So if it can be incorporated in some other fashion that would help to prevent it from looking so suspicious.
saverle
View Profile
Regular user
The Netherlands
114 Posts

Profile of saverle
Yes it's ALL presentation, but ALSO GOOD LOOKING wooden props, or simple ropes, I mean NATURAL LOOKING PROPS that IMPRESS people, but the presentation is the deciding factor! Maybe I am getting abit old-fashioned, but my sudden shock of awareness consts of the thought: Tenyotricks are PRIMARILY meant for children!
Killertweety
View Profile
Inner circle
Belgium (-Europe)
1457 Posts

Profile of Killertweety
If you think of it as a plastic toy/puzzle/trick for children and perform it like one you're never going to impress people with it Smile
stereo
View Profile
Inner circle
France - Paris
1455 Posts

Profile of stereo
I think that the best way to introduce Tenyo tricks to the audience is to simply explain what Tenyo is, the background, the story of the brand, the real target curstomers in Japan, the very low sale price but with very hard thinkg behind, the collector's madness, the business model, the fact that greatest magcian's in the world like this small pieces of plastic etc etc etc ...
saverle
View Profile
Regular user
The Netherlands
114 Posts

Profile of saverle
No no no no no Stereo, the audience is absolutely not interested in the background of these plastic tricks! It's not an ghistorical lesson! They want to be entertained entertained baffled surprised. REALLY surprised! And then I believe a plastic small item DOES NOT IMPRESS AT ALL!!! I was as a child always impressed with beautiful wooden props like the wooden elephant in his cage who appears/disappears, AND NOT WITH A SMALL PLASTIC ITEM!
saverle
View Profile
Regular user
The Netherlands
114 Posts

Profile of saverle
Quote:
On 2013-10-27 16:10, Killertweety wrote:
If you think of it as a plastic toy/puzzle/trick for children and perform it like one you're never going to impress people with it Smile

Jillertweety, even if you perform this IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY, as an adult, even then people are NOT really impressed, susprised. They are amused, don't understand how it works BUT, at the same time, THEY absolutely don't CARE how it's done! BECAUSE they have the preassumption that it's a heavily gimmicked item!
saverle
View Profile
Regular user
The Netherlands
114 Posts

Profile of saverle
I mean Killertweety of course sorry
saverle
View Profile
Regular user
The Netherlands
114 Posts

Profile of saverle
For instance, I like very much the illusion Siamese Ribbon. This is based upon such a wonderful simple principle, but even the most avid magic collectors can't figure this out! This principle was so simple, that I made a couple of Siamese Ribbon myself from wood. I even traded one with Magic Patagonia, you can see his video on his channel.

Shortly said I begin to love simple but ingenious principles. The Tenyo factory suffers from the fact that they HAVE to produce clever/complicated principles year by year because especially the adult magic lovers expect this. It's becoming a vicous circle. Where does it ends???
stereo
View Profile
Inner circle
France - Paris
1455 Posts

Profile of stereo
My audience is always very interested (by the background) and impressed (by the trick). But I'm not pro worker magician at all.
Maybe it simpply does not match for the kind of magic that you want and think your audience want. Each performer is different, to you to find what suits you.

From my experience it is the magician skill which makes the magic happens or not, not the props.
saverle
View Profile
Regular user
The Netherlands
114 Posts

Profile of saverle
Well said, Stereo!
saverle
View Profile
Regular user
The Netherlands
114 Posts

Profile of saverle
On the other hand, Stereo, maybe I just tend to like, like I said before, normal looking props. Wooden props. For instance, a lot of people do not like Magic Wagon's Ultimate Penetration Frame. I, on the contrary, like this item very much, because it looks very normal, just a frame with glass in it. It just cannot understand why some people prefer Wonder Window. I find Wonder window very ugly-looking and suspicious, with these black sides left and right. I find the Ultimate Penetration Frame, like I said, very normal looking. BUT, people complaint: the UPF is-not-examinable. YES, the Wonder Window IS examinable but at what price? The price of a very ugly looking plastic frame. People SMELL that it is gimmicked, unlike the UPF. And BECAUSE the Wonder Window is examinable, makes this prop EXTRA suspicious!
saverle
View Profile
Regular user
The Netherlands
114 Posts

Profile of saverle
Quote:
On 2013-10-27 15:54, HP Lovecraft wrote:
Saverle, we must keep in mind that Tenyo magic was created for the Japanese layperson, not magicians. Gaffed coins and decks fly under radar pretty well compared to special magic props. Brass items are often nice because they can usually be examined and appear rather solid. If a Tenyo prop can be examined that might help it go over better. When you present a special magic prop, that is the only time anyone will ever see it. So if it can be incorporated in some other fashion that would help to prevent it from looking so suspicious.


I like your name BTW, have loved the stories of HP Lovecraft for a long while...and have them still ;-) OK, you have a point. Created for layperson. Who see the trick only once. That's absolutely true. Yes, then it's nice when it's not obvious how it works. Maybe it's because I have my periods. I'm actually a woman, you know.
saverle
View Profile
Regular user
The Netherlands
114 Posts

Profile of saverle
Guys, I really appreciate the respecful way you react on my post. And be convinced that I respect everybody who loves to collect or perform magic tricks. I must confess that I was really susprised when I red a post of Killertweety, who just honestly wrote: I don't like sleight of hand, I want easy to do tricks. I was convinced that this forum was only meant for the serious performer. But collecting magic not performing is a great hobby too without feeling ashamed you aren't good at sleight of hand. That was a real eye-opener. We all are fascinated by magic, and that connects us. I am a hopeloess collector too, but like I said, I tend to collect beautifully made wooden props. Viking, Mikame, Magic Wagon. And of course, hard to find items.

Bless you all!
teevtee
View Profile
Special user
963 Posts

Profile of teevtee
If you think spong balls are in any way "natural" looking then you live in a very odd world indeed!

I find Tenyo tricks to be like any others: some are good some are bad but most depend on the performer.
Virtually no stage illusion is natural in any way. The props are justified simply because it is a magic performance. Same with Tenyo, Magic Wagon and virtually all magic props.
I love the Wellington light bulb deal... I firget the actual name but you know the one with colored bulbs. It is the most ridiculous magicy looking thing one could imagine. Nonetheless it is a great trick if presented well. It's not great because it is wood, it's great because of the principle.

Tenyo has many great and many bad effects and the effectiveness has more to do with the performance than the material.

If you choose never to perform with obvious props that's cool. It's just a little limiting.
saverle
View Profile
Regular user
The Netherlands
114 Posts

Profile of saverle
Quote:
On 2013-10-27 17:54, teevtee wrote:
If you think spong balls are in any way "natural" looking then you live in a very odd world indeed!

I find Tenyo tricks to be like any others: some are good some are bad but most depend on the performer.
Virtually no stage illusion is natural in any way. The props are justified simply because it is a magic performance. Same with Tenyo, Magic Wagon and virtually all magic props.
I love the Wellington light bulb deal... I firget the actual name but you know the one with colored bulbs. It is the most ridiculous magicy looking thing one could imagine. Nonetheless it is a great trick if presented well. It's not great because it is wood, it's great because of the principle.

Tenyo has many great and many bad effects and the effectiveness has more to do with the performance than the material.

If you choose never to perform with obvious props that's cool. It's just a little limiting.


OK you have a point teevtee. I really must get back down to earth. But there is a difference of course between the Wellington light bulb, which is a stage act, and the little Tenyo-close-up tricks (except the Flying Carpet perhaps). For stage magic, you expect not everyday-looking props.
Otherwise, like you say, you can limit yourself by doing the tricks with everyday objects as described in Self Working Table Magic book by Karl Fulves and others. That's a choice. Then also you can come very far.
Izzy Jay
View Profile
Loyal user
New York
275 Posts

Profile of Izzy Jay
Don't know about you, but there are many Tenyo effects that don't raise to much suspicion if any at all.

Here are just a few in my humble opinion.

T-254 Magic Memo Pad
T-238 Floating Card
T-195 Grand Derby Prediction
T-193 Magic Painting
T-181 Bird Watcher
T-127 Telesphere
T-123 Billscape

And like Richard said performance is the key. And some misdirection can't hurt.
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Tenyo of Japan » » I reach the stage of HATING all Tenyo-tricks (4 Likes)
 Go to page 1~2 [Next]
[ Top of Page ]
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved.
This page was created in 0.03 seconds requiring 5 database queries.
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café
are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic.
> Privacy Statement <

ROTFL Billions and billions served! ROTFL