Surfing the web I found this, I really liked the idea, that you think?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsgxXcUrzes

Haha that's awesome! I recently ran across a thread asking about magic for Dentists or a Dental Office theme. This would be perfect for that.

It's too bad it's only in Spanish; I wonder where you could purchase this effect? I guess it would be easy to make, but I'd rather support the originator.

Thanks for sharing!

Dear Professor!

An EFFECT is "what the spectator SEES, or THINKS THAT HE/SHE SEES!

You CANNOT purchase an EFFECT! You cannot purchase a TRICK either. A Trick only exists while it is being PERFORMED.

You CAN purchase a PROP or a SECRET with which you can PERFORM a TRICK.

Regarding your PRESENTATION as you perform the TRICK: If you KEEP IT SIMPLE & MAKE IT FUN, you will probably ENTERTAIN your audience.

>>>>>MAGIC is NOT INHERENTLY ENTERTAINING!<<<<<

Dick I'm not sure what you mean by "inherently entertaining". Please explain.

Hi James!

I imagine that 'inherent" got ya! If I had asked: "Do accidents INHERE substance?" It would have been even more confusing! I perhaps should have used "itself". Magic is not, itself, entertaining.

Over my 70 years performing, I've witnessed some AWFUL magic shows! (For example, just check out YOU TUBE! --YUK!) There ARE some fine performances on YOU TUBE, by old pro's., but, it's mostly garbage, by young kids who have bought a magic set, or ?

Let me talk WITH you (not TO you) in "chef" language!!!

There is a heqq of a difference a hunk of meat and a potato chucked on a paper plate, and a nicely broiled filet mignon, garnished with a bit of parsley, and, perhaps some mushrooms, and a beautifully baked potato with a pat of butter on top, served on fine china, resting on a white table cloth!

Fine restaurants (and professional chefs, too!) realize that how the food is PRESENTED, is just as important, if not more so, than the food itself!

So! "Magic" performers, like a chef, must PRESENT their tricks, (A "trick" like music, only exists while it is being performed. If you stop dragging the rosined horsehair over the taut catgut, the music stops.)

When a performer PRESENTS the trick so that the experience is SIMPLE (easy to understand what happened) and FUN (belly laughs are fine, but a chuckle, or, even a smile will do) the spectator will likely enjoy the EFFECT! (The EFFECT is what he saw or thinks he saw.)

If he enjoyed the PRESENTATION,he has been entertained.

To put that in the simplest of terms, my old mentors, when I was breaking in, back in the '40s, would tell me: "It 'aint' WHAT ya do, it's HOW ya do it!"

The PRESENTATION is more important than the trick!
........................................................................................

If you are seriously interested in doing MAGIC, and, not just doing TRICKS, you need to do some learning! Never mind the tricks, for the moment. (You can't BUY tricks, anyway!) See above. Tricks only exist while they are being performed!

You can buy PROPS, and SECRETS. A PROP is ANY "THING that a magician uses to perform a TRICK. A PROP can be a deck of cards, a coin, a piece of rope, ETC. A PROP is not necessarily a box, tube, pan, can, or "red velvet bag on a stick"! FORGET THE WORD "APPARATUS"! That's an antiquated term used by magicians in the 18th century!

A SECRET is just THAT! A SECRET is just a "technique" or method of performing a TRICK. You can buy SECRETS in books (or on dvds)

For a beginner, a relatively inexpensive book is Mark Wilson's "COMPLETE COURSE IN MAGIC". Actually, it's NEITHER "COMPLETE", NOR A "COURSE". It IS a good book, written by a friend of mine, the late Walter Gibson. Walter, as far as I know, wrote more books about magic than anyone else! It's the size of an old Sears & Roebuck Catslog. It will get you started.

If you're really serious about LEARNING MAGIC, check out the "TARBELL COURSE IN MAGIC"! Tarbell IS A COURSE! It's a seven book course that will fill up 9" on your shelf. You can purchase one book at a time (about $20. per book. IT'S AN INVESTMENT that will PAY DIVIDENDS. You will learn PRINCIPLES! That's more important than just TRICKS.

The late S.H. SHARPE said "it" well, when he wrote: "Those who think that magic consists of doing tricks, are strangers to magic. Tricks are only the crude residue from which the lifeblood of magic has been drained."

Acually I'm getting Mark's delivered from Amazon Wednesday. I also have Bobo's book too. I understand what you are saying and agree with you on poor presentations that rely on the trick rather than on the entertainment of the audience. For me the worst is the too talkative one that should consider pantomime.

Hi James!

Thanks...I'm glad that I was able to help! HERE COMES THE 'BUT'!.....

This "forum" is really "for" the members of the "AFKP"!!!

I responded to your question about "inherent", 'cuz it was easier to give an immediate answer, plus, you are new, and I didn't want to confuse you
with moving to another thread. --If we continue, HERE, the moderators will most likely move "us" to another more appropriate forum (the "New to Magic" for example).

Glad you are investing in some books! BOBO was a dear friend for 50 years. I've met the late Mr. GIBSON, back in the '70s, but, never really got to KNOW him. Same with MARK WILSON.

Re: "Patter" magicians "versus" "mimes"...COMMUNICATION is critical when performing. A performer should talk "WITH" his spectator(s) NOT "TO" or "AT" him/them.

We communicate with our mouths (!) but, also with facial expressions, body language, etc. I have found that for ME, a combination is best. I was a part time professional for about 20 years, and a full time professional for about 50 years. My living depended on communicating with anywhere from an individual spectator, to groups of 2,000!

I agree that too many magicians, talk too much! In general, magician's performances suffer from the lack of a good THEATRICAL DIRECTOR!

Let's continue any further discussion via PMs, or "New to Magic"!

FYI, The Association for Family and Kidshow Performers (Dick referred to it as "AFKP") is more commonly known as "Kidabra International".

http://www.kidabra.org/

Many discussions on kidshow and family performing take place in the "Little Darlings" area of The Magic Café.

- Donald

Hi Donald!

I used 'AFKP", 'cuz, I didn't know how to spell "kidshow"!, --and, also, 'cuz I aint never done any.

A trick is something we do. Magic is what our spectator(s) feel. A trick is not entertaining unless we perform/present it in a way that our spectator(s) will perceive it as magicial. This, I believe in my opinion should be our goal.

I think that if you read my rather long comment above, you will find that what you just said, nearly parallels my comment. Magic is not "felt". Yes, tactile sensations may help create illusion. "Magic" happens in the mind, of the spectator(s).

I'm glad that there is SOMETHING that we can "agree" on. (Kindly excuse the 'Charlie Miller" use of the preposition.)

I was just merely summarizing what you said, and added my opinion.

As long as you realize and understand that OPINIONS are not FACTS!