I just watched Mark Harmon's last episode of "N.C.I.S." and I got to thinking.

Harmon's character; Leroy Jethro Gibbs, is famous for his list of 50 rules by which he lives. We don't know all 50 rules, the one that sticks in my mind, because it was referenced the most, was; Rule #9 - Never go anywhere, without a knife.

https://ncis.fandom.com/wiki/Gibbs%27s_Rules

So I was thinking, are there "magician's rules," things you would pass on if you could?

I found a PDF from Magic Mastery called "9 Incredible Things I learned from 9 Incredible Magicians." (I don't know who wrote it.)

But they make a good beginning as to a list of "Rules" for magicians.


Here are the nine;

1. Attitude Is Everything (Dani Daortiz)
2. Keep The Audience Close Together (Gregory Wilson) (Perhaps not so easy to work with right at this moment.)
3. Dedicated Practice (Jason Ladanye)
4. Eliminate Tension (Ben Earl)
5. Stick To Your Vision (Ollie Mealing) (More for people who create their own effects.)
6. Read Like Your Life Depends On It! (Ken Dyne)
7. The "Must Believe" Test (Darwin Ortiz) (What is the one "false premise" the audience must believe for the trick to work?)
8. Treat The Magic Moment Seriously (Derren Brown)
9. Embrace The Mistakes! (James Brown)

(Understand, the "Rules" aren't hard and fast for everyone. Gibbs himself has broken several of his own rules.)

What would you add, or delete?

10. "Always have fun performing Magic. That will come through in your performance more than anything else." The great Gumbini.

Good magic to all,


Eric

11. Don't be a schmuck. (Arthur Stead)

12. Work for "the best magic possible" rather than the "best possible magic."

I feel rule number one should be: Treat your audience the way you would like to be treated.