Hey,
I am currently a junior in high school and college is only a little over a year and a half away for me. I really want to be a full-time magician. So I was wondering what is the best thing to major in if you want to have the best head-start in a career in magic? I was thinking about majoring in Entertainment Management and minoring in Acting. Would that work? I know a lot of this would be decided by my preference, but does anyone have any tips for what to, and maybe what not to major in?

I was talking to a magician earlier today and he recommended that I major in what I like most, not about magic, so that I could have a career to fall back on. Would this work? The thing is that he did this but he never went full-time, so I don't know if it was reliable.

Thank you for your time,
Drew

Hi Drew,

Good question, and I think it is an important one for someone in your position. I happen to believe that the field that you study is less important, what is important is that you like it, that you're interested by it, that it drives you to learn, to focus, to think, to react, to question and to create. David Ben writes this in his book Tricks giving advice to younger magicians:

"A successful magician requires focus, a natural curiosity, and an unbridled enthusiasm for the subject matter. These are the same attributes that are required to master any subject. You have to develop these attributes. I believe that the best way to do this is to obtain the finest education that you possibly can. If you want to play to and win the respect of the best critical minds in your audience - and I hope that you do want to do this and not settle for fooling the easily fooled - then you must know their culture, their literature, and their history."

"Magic encourages narrowly focused obsession, but narrow vision weakens magic. Magic becomes art only when the magician has a deep understanding of the culture within which he is working; that requires knowledge of history, literature and the arts, and the discipline to apply that knowledge to his own art."

What you're really investing in an education is less what you study, but rather it is a framework in which to see the world, it is a way of seeing details, perspectives, and ideas that cause you to question and bring about change in a positive, coherent and intelligent manner. These are the same attributes that you need to be a great magician - critical thinking, attention to details, psychology of people, a rich understanding of culture... etc

Study what interests you, because if you let it, it'll ultimately develop attributes that make you a better magician. If you study something because it apparently aligns with your magical interests, and you end up not liking it, it'll actually be detrimental to your work.

Cheers
Ted

That is EXACTLY why it didn't work.

"There is no reason to have a plan B because it detracts from plan A." - Will Smith

It is important that you get advice from people who are currently doing what you want to do. With the magician you talked with, if he isn't performing full-time, then how can he help you be a full time magician?

If you want to be a full time performer then you will realize that college isn't the way. Think about what college does...it helps you get a job. You take all these classes, you only remember 5% of what they taught, and then you go out to get a job.

As a full time performer, you're an entrepreneur. You have your own business. So you must learn how to discipline yourself with time management, you must learn marketing, sales, etc. Sure there are college classes on marketing 101 but I can guarantee you that they don't teach as much as you can get from a single book at the book store.

If you want to be a full time entertainer then you must become an entrepreneur. You will be working for yourself so you have to create your own daily schedule and each task you take must move you towards one goal....booking gigs.

Start working for yourself right now. Start marketing and booking gigs at this very second.

David Ginn has stated in his books and in his lectures that he got his degree in Jounalism so that he could have a "fall back" job if magic did not turn out for him. Now remember that mr Ginn was a very successful magician in High school and worked his way thru college by performing magic shows, so he had a very good idea that he would succeed. But even he had a fall back position.

Major in something that you will enjoy doing and that way you can always be able to support yourself. Remember the difference between a magician and a pizza, A pizza can feed a family of 4. yes, I, like Benjii, am a full time professional magician, I have had times when money got scarce. Never had to leave magic but it was close.

I wouldn't trade my college education for anything. It has served me in so many ways. Inspiration for magic effects in some cases, a more rounded understanding of the world around me, a "fall back", met lots of people. The list can go on and on.

I am no full time performer, in fact I am just working on a part time career in magic. That's what works for me.

-ArchAngel_G

Drew,

If you think of yourself as a magician then you will be broke.

You run a business!!!!!!!

You're an entrepreneur, business owner, marketer...not a magician.

Thank you all for your input. I will be sure to take into consideration what you said.
Thanks, Drew