This is a thought that Has been in the back of my mind latelly and I have been planning this essay out in my head and in my notebook. It is a topic that I feel needs to be written to improve your magic and make it more fun to perform and sometimes more fun for the audience. So I hope you enjoy reading this!

When we perform our tricks and routines, what are we really doing? Are we competing with other magicians? Are we competing with our spectators? Are we competing with the waiters and waitresses? And the simple answer to all those questions, is NO. We are not competing. We are not competing with anybody, EVER in our performances (Unless the trick calls for it)

There was a post here on the penguin forums that really brought this all up into my head. Somebody was talking about an undeserving magician (We will discuss that in that forum). But that really made me think. Most people have never witnessed much magic (if any) in the real world. Sure almost everybody has seen David Blaine or Cwiss Angel, But who has seen magic in the real world? Not many people if you think about it.

So when somebody watches you or another magician perform, They will be astonished basically no matter what. You can do the most basic, simplest, non-magician fooling trick, and have the spectators on there knees with their fingers crossed like you were the freakin' devil. So when you hear about a magician you think is terrible, the spectator will think they are the best thing next to David Blaine that they have ever seen.

Now of course we are not fooled or baffled that much being magicians and seeing so much magic on a day to day basis, But they don't. Its part of connecting with your audience and getting to know them. You need to take this into consideration next time you are at a table with "WOW" in your hands ready to perform it. You don't need that.

I have performed a few times, in really impromptu situations. Situations where maybe I was at a family reunion for example. I was at a table and my parents introduced me to everybody and told them I was a magician blah blah blah. One thing led to another and I was in a situation with my brain moving faster than my hands and I had to think of something on the spot. So I had a card chosen blah blah blah, and I just took it, lost it, and changed a card into it via the erdnase. And you know what? They were amazed. And do you know why? I think you do.

So think about this next time you are at a table or at a show or in school ready to do a trick. You are not competing with anybody. almost none of these people have seen magic in there entire lives. So before you do this gimmicked trick, remember. Anything will fool somebody who doesn't know magic.

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Mark Tirone

Very GOOD should be stickied....EXCELLENT

I come from a small rural community. Nobody here has magic in real life at all. If they go to Vegas they never go see the great magic shows there. They sit at slot machines for 3 or 4 days and go home. So no, competition doesn't exist as far as I'm concerned.

1)im not so sure where your going with this
2)thats what vegas is for
3)this was for performers or people interested in performance so that post wasnt the most neccessary
4) I still cannot spell neccessary.

There is only one problem I personally see with your essay, and that is that the entertainment business is very competitive. Many magicians have entertained at parties, or other gigs where there are live bands, or other entertainment as well. They may not be competing with other magicians, but they are competing with other entertainers. Also, in business, you are competing with other entertainers and magicians.

When I'm trying to book another gig, I'm competing with anyone else who is also interested in that gig. For instance, when I send out my letters to schools or fairs, I'm competing with many other entertainers in order to secure my spot.

There are also other factors that you have to compete with. For instance, maybe you're competing with a drunk at another table. You're competing with them because the table you're performing at will get distracted if you don't aren't more entertaining then the drunk. Just one example.

this essay was for when you are actually at the job you are performing at. of course there is competition to get hired, but when you are there, just have a good time. you dont need these "demon with a deck" reactions for everything.

I like that reference. It should be used more often.


Juliegel

heheheeh.... what a useless response to make LOL....

As an entertainer you're job is "getting a job" and every job is an audition for your next job.

Fallingblood is right, the competative nature of the business doesn't stop when you get the gig - it simply doesn't stop.

Where you been dbaker?? when you are at maybe a restaurant job, you can use this.

As a restaurant entertainer (residency assumed), your job is "keeping the job", as well as "getting another job" (spin-off bookings).

In reality, you're competing with the spectator's preconceptions, their impressions of other magicians, you're competing with ambient influences for their attention, and on and on and on. . .

As an entertainer, you're constantly in competition with other things, people, and even the memories of the spectators. Frankly girspiggy, I don't get where you're coming from.

I think his basic premise is that spectators aren't smart enough to know a good performer when they see one.

I disagree.

As do I.
No matter where you are or who you're performing for, they've likely seen some other entertainer at some time in their lives. Whether it was "The Wiggles" or David Copperfield they've seen somebody.

Simply stated, you ARE being compared to other entertainers they've seen.

i like this essay. it also shows that there is no need to go onto a post called "My Version of the Cups and Balls" (Random...) and say "Oh, people will like mine better cuz I'm better than you. (Also... no one cares...)

Actually, there are versions of the Cups and Balls that people simply like seeing better. Some are much more entertaining then others. And I'm not the only one who believes that. Also, it's a fact that some magicians are better than others. It may not be skill wise, but presentational wise, they are much better.