Over the past six months I have been networking, meeting, and smooshing my way around the show business scene around the western portion of these fine United States. I have come up with an incredible observation. I will first state that Houdini was once referred to as a Magician but corrected the speaker by saying he was more than just a mere magician because anyone could shake a tree and ten magicians will fall out. As a kid I was amused by that statement...as a performer who has been performing for 35 years I no longer laugh but shake my head and agree. There is no easier show business job that magic. (Before any magician gets peeved at me read on...)
Think about it... Even the lowest level juggler has to practice for hours upon hours upon weeks and months to develop the skills to get those balls moving correctly. A dancer, the same. A hula hoop artist, the same. A bullwhip artist, the same. A (good) singer, the same. A drummer, the same. Even a tambourine player needs at very minimum rhythm. But a magician.....all he needs is money to buy a trick.
I have run across hundreds of people who hand me their card and read on it, "Magician". After speaking with them for a bit, and perhaps even watching them do a quick trick or viewing their Youtube video, it turns out they do all the standard stuff that can be purchased by anyone who knows where the local magic shop is or who can type in "Magic Tricks" on google.; and that's all the skill, for many of these folks, that is required. Go to Youtube and you will prove me right. A magician thinks all he needs is a trick, music he heard Copperfield or Criss Angel use, and he has an act. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! What kills me is they then go out and get cards printed...or worse yet, print their own at home and boom they have a business.
Magicians....listen up....any ne can do what you are doing. Watch the masked magician on TV, learn a few tricks, if you have money buy a few illusions, and boom you are a magician. The kicker to all this is many of you hacks will read this and agree with me totally oblivious to the fact I am referring to you! (Like those really bad singers on American Idol who have no clue.)
I will tell you how you can tell if it is you. You very rarely ever get booked. You do a ton of free shows but can't get anyone to pay you. If you can only book shows for $150 or less and are only called back because you were cheap...or worse yet, they don't call you back. If you have to ask how you did after a show and they say, "It's was good." and then don't elaborate. If people get up during your show to eander or leave on a regular basis. If there is a lot of butt shifting in their seats during your show. If the only people who voluntarily say your show was good are family and friends.
Some of the best magic I have seen performed have been by non magicians. Just a couple of months back I did a TV interview and the reporter asked if I had a trick she could do to work a magical-pun-segue into the story. I gave her a t***t*p and a silk. She performed the trick after only two practices in front of the camera and looked more natural than 90% of the magicians I've seen do it. Go to my website and see the video...it's fantastic. Also, have you seen the two big Illusion movies, the Prestige and the Illusionist Ed Norton and Hugh Jackman were fantastic as well, and they're just actors. Shouldn't the average person calling themselves a magician be better than an actor playing a magician? Those actors played the magician, something like 99% of self-proclaimed professional magicians today don't give it have the skill, energy and style those actors did. And believe it or not that includes many I saw at the Magic Castle. Most magicians today play to the trick instead of making the trick part of themselves. What I mean by that is simple. After a show, I mean right after the show, what (good things) do you remember about the performer? Do you know his name? Did he have a unique style that stands out? Most people remember the trick but very little about the performer. A lot of people don't even remember the trick. ((Personally I don't care if they remember any of the props or tricks..as long as they remember me....as long as they remember that "I" gave them a good time.))
I no longer call myself a magician. Yes, I do magic but I do something that is even more important, I entertain. My goal isn't always to fool the audience, though I am happy when we do. I want to touch each audience member in a memorable way. I am a showman.
I believe that nearly 99% of those folks calling themselves professional magicians fall into the category of hack or bore.
Now for that 1%. Wow. When in the hands of someone with talent magic can be WOW! When a performer can connect to the audience WOW. When the performer has practiced and developed innovative, unique, clever routines, patter and style WOW! When they take the time to develop a style, costuming, presence, skills WOW! Look at the Youtube video of Cardini...wow! Look at early Copperfield. Look at some of Criss Angel (since a good chunk of what he does is edited, cgi and fake...look at the really early stuff).
There are some great tricks out there. But at the end of the show if you are forgotten and the trick is all they remember that's too bad for you. And don't forget that there are thousands out there doing that some trick. At some point someone with real performing skills and showmanship is going to do that trick and those who saw you do it will only have bad things to say in comparison.
So hacks go out and spend time developing skills. Practice until you have somehtin unique. Take some art classes, some drama classes, dancing classes, creative wrting courses, anything to get your creative side and phycial side working together...and by allmeans throw your egos out the window.....but that's for another day.
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