Numbers, the more you look into them the more links you find. it is just random chance that post 100 involves possibly one of the biggest decisions in my magic life. It's random chance that a year and a day after me and my friend first entered the Magic Circle we will be giving our audition performances to be considered for membership.
I have to paint a poster. The poster has to show off many things I can do, it needs to be as wide as a table and 10 minutes long. I have brushes -sleights of varying sizes and shapes- and I have paints to dip then in -cards, cups balls, elastic bands- to paint with. It's the style of painting that is holding me up. There is the temptation to spew everything I know onto the paper ( I never elevated my painting to canvas standards) like some multi coloured finger painting of an overly enthusiastic child . Here I would hope that examining judges could pick out a hue from the cacophony that they believe I managed to mix rather well. Then there is the temptation to the other extreme, to make a monochrome in one shade of delicate stippling. Here I would be challenging the judges to come closer, to see that I am doing one thing, incredibly well, and not giving a fig if it's the sort of thing they personally like. As ever in my life I'm drawn to the middle ground. To paint a new narrative using the tools already at my disposal, but then I have so many other works which would demonstrate what they would like to see with only a little tweaking. Then there is the tired cliché about art. It is not what the artist puts in, but what he leaves out. I have a lot of material to draw on, it's becoming more of a burden than an advantage as I need to select my tools carefully. I still have 12 days, in Dean days that works out at about a month and a half. For the rest of today I shall sit and play with a new brush and paint that arrived in the post. Then tomorrow I shall sketch two completely different paintings, one on the new science basis I have been toying with, the other based heavily on my "Rapport" set. I shall play and ponder and then decide finally on Monday, where I shall have an unprecedented 7 days to hone my presentations.
I foresee much tea being drunk in the next week.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Art Gallery and pub, developing charachter IMPORTANT
Ok, I HATE sounding arogant, hell I hate sounding confident a lot of the time. But this post is about finding my way in magic,. and the truth of things.
I've been reading Derren Browns "Absolute Magic" a book purely about presentation of close up magic. It's hard reading, not just because of the elegant prose, but because I find myself stopping after each paragraph to reflect on what Mr. Brown says and to try and shoe horn it into my own performance style. He talks of not being a whimsical god figure, but of a hero showing people an ethereal world, letting them touch a universe that is next to our own. This has always spoken to me and something I strived to do.
I attended the art gallery Slack Space to view the work of a friend. Her work was excellent, I was genuinely impressed. Another artist also exhibited, his work was actually moving. I sat down and chatted with people who I know reasonably well, asking one chap about his trip abroad, then asking another about her time in China. When I was speaking, asking questions, everyone got involved, I decided to let someone else lead for a while, and noticed the 6 way conversation changed into 3 two people conversations. The social dynamic broke down. I've heard it said that I often "hold court", this was my first attempted to pay attention to the subtleties of what was going on. The result it seams is I am good not just with engaging with people, but facilitating them to engage with each other. I was beseeched when I first entered the building to show a new effect (or an old one) I quickly performed a new effect I was working on but put the cards away, this was the artists big night, not mine. Later we went to the pub, the cards came out...
A WHOLE HOUR of non stop magical entertainment. 6 people kept fascinated and enthralled with a regular vanilla deck! I only fell back to ambitious card once. I performed "out of this world" on request, I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E, card in hand, aces high, and direct mind reading. The group of six were fascinated, talking constantly about the magic, and I believe enchanted. Oddly enough this started in the gallery. My thoughts on the art, and a few experiences with I shared with the group, both as a whole and individually seamed to genuinely intreage people. It has been said before I don't need to exaggerate an aspect of my being to get a performing character, I can just be myself. Tonight reaffirmed this. God I sound arrogant, a childhood of believe no-one could like me has left me feeling dreadful and even pitiful for saying "I'm a likeable guy"
The icing on the cake, I gave one of the young ladies a lift hoe, I asked her how the magic made her feel. I was prepared for "baffled" "confused" or just "entertained and happy". I got, honestly, no word of a lie "like you were showing us something that's there all the time, but we normally can't see it." I asked her to expand on this and she said it was like when I'm there SHE can do the magic, it's in her I just show her a path to using it. I actually had to choke back a tear, I'm that much of a sap, but mission accomplished I feel. I
So in summing up things I've learnt.
I can entertain a whole table for an hour with 1 deck
I seem to have an engaging personality and interest people
I don't need deep moody mentalisn to give people the sensation of resonant rich magic.
More effects and slights are always good, but what I have is already very good, and can give a deep powerful effect.
You don't need to script an extended metaphor type play to attach meaning to an effect, the emotional response to the impossible can inspire people to create their own meaning
I've been reading Derren Browns "Absolute Magic" a book purely about presentation of close up magic. It's hard reading, not just because of the elegant prose, but because I find myself stopping after each paragraph to reflect on what Mr. Brown says and to try and shoe horn it into my own performance style. He talks of not being a whimsical god figure, but of a hero showing people an ethereal world, letting them touch a universe that is next to our own. This has always spoken to me and something I strived to do.
I attended the art gallery Slack Space to view the work of a friend. Her work was excellent, I was genuinely impressed. Another artist also exhibited, his work was actually moving. I sat down and chatted with people who I know reasonably well, asking one chap about his trip abroad, then asking another about her time in China. When I was speaking, asking questions, everyone got involved, I decided to let someone else lead for a while, and noticed the 6 way conversation changed into 3 two people conversations. The social dynamic broke down. I've heard it said that I often "hold court", this was my first attempted to pay attention to the subtleties of what was going on. The result it seams is I am good not just with engaging with people, but facilitating them to engage with each other. I was beseeched when I first entered the building to show a new effect (or an old one) I quickly performed a new effect I was working on but put the cards away, this was the artists big night, not mine. Later we went to the pub, the cards came out...
A WHOLE HOUR of non stop magical entertainment. 6 people kept fascinated and enthralled with a regular vanilla deck! I only fell back to ambitious card once. I performed "out of this world" on request, I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E, card in hand, aces high, and direct mind reading. The group of six were fascinated, talking constantly about the magic, and I believe enchanted. Oddly enough this started in the gallery. My thoughts on the art, and a few experiences with I shared with the group, both as a whole and individually seamed to genuinely intreage people. It has been said before I don't need to exaggerate an aspect of my being to get a performing character, I can just be myself. Tonight reaffirmed this. God I sound arrogant, a childhood of believe no-one could like me has left me feeling dreadful and even pitiful for saying "I'm a likeable guy"
The icing on the cake, I gave one of the young ladies a lift hoe, I asked her how the magic made her feel. I was prepared for "baffled" "confused" or just "entertained and happy". I got, honestly, no word of a lie "like you were showing us something that's there all the time, but we normally can't see it." I asked her to expand on this and she said it was like when I'm there SHE can do the magic, it's in her I just show her a path to using it. I actually had to choke back a tear, I'm that much of a sap, but mission accomplished I feel. I
So in summing up things I've learnt.
I can entertain a whole table for an hour with 1 deck
I seem to have an engaging personality and interest people
I don't need deep moody mentalisn to give people the sensation of resonant rich magic.
More effects and slights are always good, but what I have is already very good, and can give a deep powerful effect.
You don't need to script an extended metaphor type play to attach meaning to an effect, the emotional response to the impossible can inspire people to create their own meaning
Sunday, January 6, 2013
An interesting night
Just got back from a friends wedding.I was really too trashed to go after a day working in the shop, but I made the wedding dress and needed to see how it was received. (it was universally loved, and I'm actually happy with it). I didn't intend to take much magic as I new I was a lil shaky, so took a vanilla deck and Twilight Angels/ Wee Wee Mentalist. I sat at a table with a guest I knew reasonably well and tried my 15 card I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E . He struggled with the instructions over the music. (so not one to use when a live band is on) but was impressed. I performed Twilight Angels and got my normal stunned response for a few moments. that felt good.
On the way out of the venue (I was leaving early due to the aforementioned shakiness) I got asked to do a quick trick for a young lady. As I said I deliberately didn't have much on me, but did a quick "Wee Wee mentalist". a crowd had gathered and wanted more, so Ambitious card followed, then Card in Hand, then Direct mind reading, then finding a selected card that had been cut into the deck with muscle movements, and finally I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E. The crowd went wild, and some people kept making a point of the fact it was all done with ONE DECK. A young boy wanted to learn magic and when I mentioned Mark Wilson's book he went on line and bought it there and then with his phone (i didn't know 10 year olds could do that). It felt good, I felt energised by the crown even though my body was dying on me. I collapsed in a chair and just chatted. I explained about my work with the free festival and told them of my electric motor made out of a match box. They seemed interested, and so I should them a video on my phone. The next thing I know I'm being told of a man who makes and sells electronics kits to schools, and how this person works in media and he thinks I could host a a show on using these kits, to be sold along the products. It's possible nothing will come of this, how ever the mad science seemed to captivate everyone, so I think it's something worth pursuing.
So summing up
I need less tricks than I think to captivate an audiance
People notice when I only use one deck and are impressed.
Flourishes and random slights can be mixed in with effects to raise peoples opinion of me
Jazzing magic is fun
Mad science is a natural bed fellow of magic. It's something I should continue to tinker with. IT's one of those things people seem to expect from a magician, or at least enhances their opinion of one.
My natural personality works well with my magic, i don't need a fake one or an exaggerated persona, I just need to find the right mood.
More impromptu magic (both card and non card) would be good
On the way out of the venue (I was leaving early due to the aforementioned shakiness) I got asked to do a quick trick for a young lady. As I said I deliberately didn't have much on me, but did a quick "Wee Wee mentalist". a crowd had gathered and wanted more, so Ambitious card followed, then Card in Hand, then Direct mind reading, then finding a selected card that had been cut into the deck with muscle movements, and finally I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E. The crowd went wild, and some people kept making a point of the fact it was all done with ONE DECK. A young boy wanted to learn magic and when I mentioned Mark Wilson's book he went on line and bought it there and then with his phone (i didn't know 10 year olds could do that). It felt good, I felt energised by the crown even though my body was dying on me. I collapsed in a chair and just chatted. I explained about my work with the free festival and told them of my electric motor made out of a match box. They seemed interested, and so I should them a video on my phone. The next thing I know I'm being told of a man who makes and sells electronics kits to schools, and how this person works in media and he thinks I could host a a show on using these kits, to be sold along the products. It's possible nothing will come of this, how ever the mad science seemed to captivate everyone, so I think it's something worth pursuing.
So summing up
I need less tricks than I think to captivate an audiance
People notice when I only use one deck and are impressed.
Flourishes and random slights can be mixed in with effects to raise peoples opinion of me
Jazzing magic is fun
Mad science is a natural bed fellow of magic. It's something I should continue to tinker with. IT's one of those things people seem to expect from a magician, or at least enhances their opinion of one.
My natural personality works well with my magic, i don't need a fake one or an exaggerated persona, I just need to find the right mood.
More impromptu magic (both card and non card) would be good
Friday, January 4, 2013
varied stuff in the wild
Just got back from a music mash up night. As ever for one of Colchester's alternative music nights there were magicians a plenty. the whole of "Nothing up our sleeves" were there. we spoke f an up coming free gig we're doing for a local charity, our wedding fair event and the show, in particular, when the next one will be. We also spoke of the Magic Circle interview, and what we would do. I decided to try out some previously ignored material on a magic loving audience, who were also logically minded and sharp watchers.
Twilight Angels was my opener though, I'd admit. And it went down VERY well, freaking out a neuro scientist (the hardest audience in the world) . I also spoke to some people I performed Twilight Angels on last week and they were still baffled and blown away by the effect. it's a strong bit of magic, if it works for the distances involved in the audition. I may use it.
I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E the 15 card impromptu card vanish and mind reading effect also got an outing. Blowing away old audience and the new mind manglers as well. I did it twice for the audience, normally a n no BUT I added time misdirection (by getting Darren to perform an effect in between showings. The reveal on this is very strong, AND different people were impressed by different aspects. For some it's the fact I knew the chosen card, for others it's the way it disappears and reappears. So much like "Wee Wee Mentalist" it can be used to work out which form of magic people enjoy.
Four Sight Totally blew away a poker player. I keep neglecting my gambling effects, this is a huge mistake, they are strong and relevant. I guess the message really is tailor the magic to the audience, and knowing a few extra tricks and being confident with your entire rutine lets you do this
One quick note, a girl spotted my Erdenase!, I quickly did the same effect with a Houdini change. she's now convinced that I let her see the method first time to through off the track of how it's really done. So again knowing more than one method was a life saver.
Twilight Angels was my opener though, I'd admit. And it went down VERY well, freaking out a neuro scientist (the hardest audience in the world) . I also spoke to some people I performed Twilight Angels on last week and they were still baffled and blown away by the effect. it's a strong bit of magic, if it works for the distances involved in the audition. I may use it.
I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E the 15 card impromptu card vanish and mind reading effect also got an outing. Blowing away old audience and the new mind manglers as well. I did it twice for the audience, normally a n no BUT I added time misdirection (by getting Darren to perform an effect in between showings. The reveal on this is very strong, AND different people were impressed by different aspects. For some it's the fact I knew the chosen card, for others it's the way it disappears and reappears. So much like "Wee Wee Mentalist" it can be used to work out which form of magic people enjoy.
Four Sight Totally blew away a poker player. I keep neglecting my gambling effects, this is a huge mistake, they are strong and relevant. I guess the message really is tailor the magic to the audience, and knowing a few extra tricks and being confident with your entire rutine lets you do this
One quick note, a girl spotted my Erdenase!, I quickly did the same effect with a Houdini change. she's now convinced that I let her see the method first time to through off the track of how it's really done. So again knowing more than one method was a life saver.
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