Posts Tagged ‘magic tricks’

How To Learn Magic

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

We have all, at some point, witnessed magic either on televsion or at a show. Over the last ten years magic has become incredibly popular and it could be argued that it has changed from something that a select few have knowledge of to something that anybody can learn if they so choose.

And magic is a very useful skill to study. When you can do a couple of powerful and amazing magic tricks – which is much easier than you probably think – if you use them in the right places, they can change your life by increasing your memorability, attractiveness and popularity. Who would not want that?

If magic was not such a great and powerful skill to have then why has every great actor in Hollywood taken the time to master a few tricks themselves?

Perhaps the most popular type of magic in the world over the past decade has been close-up or street magic, which was popularized in the late 90s by David Blaine through his mould breaking TV shows. And today, learning street magic is very easy. Type “learn magic tricks” into a search engine and you will find a flurry of magic shops all offering products that will teach you to do professional street magic.

It would be advised that you begin by learning easy magic tricks or self-working tricks so that you can concentrate on the performance aspect rather than the technical aspect of doing magic – it is far more important to master the presentational aspect and look great when you are performing. Contrary to popular belief, the secret to a trick, the technical skill, is not even half the battle.

Get out in front of audiences as soon as you can. Remember, magic is only magic when performed. It is not like music where the musician himself can appreciate it to as great a degree as an audience.

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Street Magic: A Crash Course in Real World Performing

Friday, January 8th, 2010

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After watching David Blaine’s street magic specials back in the early noughties, what deck wielding teenager could resist the urge to head for their local streets and offer free impossibilities to passersby? Not me. I was there. Seventeen, inexperienced and excited. Armed with only a deck of cards and a friend with a video camera, I headed for the streets expecting overnight stardom and greatness.

When you’re out approaching people on the street, however, and you want even the most insignificant fraction of attention from people it doesn’t seem to matter whether you’re offering free wonderment or selling The Big Issue. Most people do not have time.

And when things don’t come easy, you have to back to the drawing board and figure out what your goal is. What is your goal? And how should you go about getting it?

I realized that what I was out there to do was capture magic on film in shortest amount of time possible. Getting rejected fifteen times between each performance was tedious and time wasting. So I came up with some ground rules, tips and techniques to reduce my rate of rejection.

Rule 1 - Don’t perform to the elderly or the busy. Yes, if they look like they’ve got a free bus pass or a briefcase, you really don’t want to waste your time. I found a lot of older people were scared of me and far too stressed by me being in their immediate proximity to possibly follow let alone enjoy what I was doing. And I’m not scary, honest! People in suits are probably on their lunch break and pushed for time. If they’re not eating yet, they don’t have time to watch you. Your performance could be the difference between a long and a short queue at Starbucks.

Rule 2 - Perform to students. The vast majority of students don’t have anything better to do (no offence to them). They’ve just gone to university, realized that year one is much easier than A Levels were and don’t really know what to do with all the spare time they have suddenly got. If you find some students hanging around, they’ll likely participate. I have never had a student reject me.

Rule 3 – Let the magic sell itself. Start with something short and shocking. The magic needs to happen in seconds and be unignorable. It needs to build curiosity in your target spectator. Recommendations would include a card flourish or a transformation.

Rule 4 – Don’t take rejection personally. Just don’t. Those rejecting you don’t mean it personally.

Rule 5 - Enjoy it. At first, if you have never performed to strangers before it can be difficult to relax but you really just have to plough through this stage. Keep doing it until it feels natural. And trust me, eventually you will.

 

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All About The Magic Castle In Hollywood, California

Friday, July 31st, 2009

If you have the opportunity to visit the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, California, go!  If you want to see some amazing magic tricks, and you’re free for an evening, go enjoy some grown-up fun. It is a place like no one has – and your visit will be a life-long memory for you.

Back To Basics – Things To Know Before You Visit

A word of warning before you start planning your visit to the Magic Castle: not everyone can attend. Just because it is a private club for those who love magic and for magician, members (Associate members and Magician members) pay for the privilege of attending as much as they wish in any given year. For you, (a non-member) to attend, you will need to know someone who is a member and get a guest pass from them. Or, even better, get them to take you with them.

Attending the Magic Castle is a formal affair. You would not be out of place in a tie and jacket (for men) or evening gown (for ladies) – in fact, it is required. What? You don’t have a jacket, you say? Don’t worry – the front desk has several jackets and ties they lend for the evening, so you might be just fine. But don’t show up with running shoes on, or expect to take your jacket off once you get inside – it just isn’t done. Formal places call for formal attire.

The Magic Castle is situated just north of the Kodak Theater. There is not much parking on the streets, so expect to pay for valet parking. It will run you less than ten bucks, which is a bargain in that neighborhood.

Expect to have dinner in their finest restaurant, also. They have great food – many selections for those who love meat, seafood, or are vegetarians. Prices range from $28.00 to $65.00 for an entrée, and there are plenty of “adult beverages” to be found at the several bars throughout the Castle.

Once You’re Inside

After you enter the Magic Castle, you’ll have to get past the receptionist by showing your identification of adulthood. If you’re there on a guest pass, present the pass and pay the door charge - $20 each. They will also confirm your dinner reservation that you called in earlier. If you are there along with a member, there is no door charge, and the having dinner is optional. You will then be given the secret code word to be able to enter the door to the showrooms.

As for the shows, expect to be fully entertained. There are three major showrooms – the Close-up Gallery, the Parlor of Prestidigitation, and the Palace of Mystery. The shows in those rooms run on a schedule, and you’ll want to be in line early in order to get in. Also, many nights there are other magicians to entertain you in other various rooms -  down in the museum, or in the dungeon, or even roving magicians to show you effects while you are in line for another show. There’s always plenty to see and do at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California.   

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The Rick Thomas Show: A Unique Magic Show

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Las Vegas is without a doubt the one city in the US where you will get to see some of the most amazing magic shows that will surely provide entertainment of the very highest standard. Most people that have visited Las Vegas and who have also relaxed back and enjoyed one or more of the many different magic shows in that city have come away very impressed and will surely recommend the city as being a place where you get to see the best magic shows in the entire world.

Creating An Illusion

Magic revolves around creating an illusion and so what appears relevant and real one minute will soon disappear and vanish the very next instant leaving kids in particular marveling at how such an illusion is created. For a good magic show, the Lance Burton or the Master Magician show is one that is sure to leave kids and adults suspended in a state of total disbelief.

However, there are also some magic shows that have a dash of real comedy in them and a case in point is the Penn and Taylor show that is brought to you by the best couple of crowd entertainers. You will be amazed at the tricks they perform and they will even contrive to share some ‘secrets’ with you that will add to your incredulity.

Another good magic show is the Rick Thomas show and it will introduce you to a unique world of magic which is known as The Art of Dreaming that includes creation of the most evocative type of magical illusions designed to entertain you and furthermore, the entertainment is further heightened with the introduction of birds plus, team dances and the exciting Bengal tiger.

Last but not least, The Showgirls of magic show is one of the best examples of Las Vegas style magic entertainment. These showgirls that are not only gorgeous to look at can also perform some truly enthralling illusion-creating feats that will have you marveling at it all. Their show is a mix of cabaret and magic as well as comedy and dance and is well worth checking out.

If after watching these and other entertaining magic shows you feel compelled into making a stab at learning some of these tricks, you could start your learning at a good magic shop. These shops generally support a local magic organization and will be ready to provide advice regarding learning simple magic tricks. In addition, they will also give you a demonstration of magic tricks that you might want to learn.

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Tips To Becoming Famous And Respected Magician

Monday, June 15th, 2009

It is required to understand the oath before becoming a magician. Simply put, this oath requires that anybody that wishes to practice magic has to first pledge that they will never reveal secrets of any kind of illusion to anybody that is not a magician unless that person also swears by this oath to uphold the Magician’s Oath. In effect, this oath binds you to never even try to perform illusions without first having mastered your trick so that you can be certain that you will still be able to preserve the illusion necessary to ensure the magic trick is performed without letting anybody but a magician know how the trick is performed.

Never Divulge Secrets

For those people that are ready and willing to dedicate them to understanding as well as learning magic it is necessary to take the Magician’s Oath and in doing so establish them as magicians that will uphold the Oath and never divulge any secrets of the craft on purpose or as a result of not performing the trick in the appropriate manner.

No doubt, the aim behind performing magic tricks is to entertain the audience; however, it requires mastering the craft so that when the trick is performed it will ensure that the audience is left gasping in amazement while at the same time being a thing of joy for the magician as well. Any magic trick whose secret has been divulged will lose its appeal and it will then not be fun to perform either.

As a magician it is necessary for you to realize that if a secret is let out then it not only ruins the trick for you but also ruins the trick for others as well and this is why you need to adhere to the Oath in both spirit and in word. If you break this oath you will be ostracized by other magicians and this in turn will ruin your career as you will also not get any help from fellow magicians which in turn will lead to further difficulties in practicing this already difficult and complex trade.

An important consideration in the life of a magician is learning how to be more successful in their trade. Success does not however come easy and there is also no magic wand that can be waved to ensure becoming famous and respected.

However, with the right kind of magician supplies on hand the task of succeeding with different magic tricks will become a lot simpler. No matter that you are performing simple or complex tricks; the right items of supplies will certainly help you achieve success and perhaps also fortune.

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