Life in the Real World

AtticusFinch · **Joined:** 01 Jun 2006 **Posts:** 131

roboboy wrote:

Hmm, as magicians should we not stick together no matter our skill or cultural even age differences? I see no point in getting that performer no matter his skill out of his job. So what he's fourteen, big deal, he got the job before you, it sounds like he was ready before you were, go find another stomping ground. And to those of you who say he has no financial obligations, how do you know that? Maybe he is from a poorer background, he could even be saving for college, the point is as magicians you stick together, there's already few of us out there, don't aid in our diminshment. I'm personally sick of flaming and the crushing of people's aspirations on these forums, you may call it constructive criticsm I call it destructive. I'm only eighteen as well, but I know well enough to leave well enough alone. Take this into consideration, or disregard it like I'm sure it will be because I don't have a little "Born to Perform" insignia underneath my name.

Cheers,
Alex Schaeffer
18 years young. magician.

A magician with a decent human nature? We have a progression.

But I do like the idea of purposely inflicting painful "lessons" on younger kids because "they need to learn".

A beginning guitarist will learn much quicker if he's in a band, just like a magician will learn much quicker with the experience of working with people. Apparently, however, he doesn't deserve that because he isn't 54 yet.

paddy · **Posted:** Fri Feb 02, 2007 9:39 pm

AtticusFinch wrote:

...But I do like the idea of purposely inflicting painful "lessons" on younger kids because "they need to learn"...A beginning guitarist will learn much quicker if he's in a band, just like a magician will learn much quicker with the experience of working with people. Apparently, however, he doesn't deserve that because he isn't 54 yet.

That is not the point or even close to the point. Magic is an art that we study and perform. If someone is out there like Blaine, using gimmicks and hurting the image of magicians, then as a better performer I will take the job from him. Not because I am older but because I am one edited of a lot better. Just like if I stop improving myself (I study and practice new material at least 10 hours every week) and some 18 yr old kid comes along and is a better performer than I, he deserves to take the job from me.

This is not an age thing it is a magician/entertainer thing and the best entertainer will eat all the poorer ones.

AtticusFinch · **Joined:** 01 Jun 2006 **Posts:** 131

paddy wrote:

That is not the point or even close to the point. Magic is an art that we study and perform. If someone is out there like Blaine, using gimmicks and hurting the image of magicians, then as a better performer I will take the job from him. Not because I am older but because I am one edited of a lot better. Just like if I stop improving myself (I study and practice new material at least 10 hours every week) and some 18 yr old kid comes along and is a better performer than I, he deserves to take the job from me.

This is not an age thing it is a magician/entertainer thing and the best entertainer will eat all the poorer ones.

It was the implication that I saw coming from a few people. And how do you want people to see magicians? Shiny boxes, playing card ties and abnormally cheesy "banter"? Because that pretty much sums up the entire Magic Circle here in England. It's a new generation and I don't believe they're hurting magic.

I stand by what I said: People learn better with experience, so why not leave them to it so they can get better. But since you "practice new material at least 10 hours every week", you're allowed to take away someone elseâ€™s job because they maybe only practice 8 hours a week.

If all the best entertainers are "eating the poorer ones", then at what point will we allow the poorer ones to become the best?

roboboy · **Posted:** Sat Feb 03, 2007 11:41 am

Agreed Finch, if by the logic the best stay on top, how do the lesser rise as the mighty pass on? More people will stop the dream of magic and is that any good? I say no, My question to you Paddy is do you respect the other performer's of our craft? Because by your logic unless you are Michael Ammar or I guess you, you don't deserve to perform and what's so wrong with Blaine and Angel? They are making magic popularized, that's a good thing, it opens more jobs indirectly for you or me or anyone else. So frankly I don't see point in bashing the new generation of magicians because we will take the torch from you, and maybe have already began that process. Magic is an amazing art and by discouraging others we are only hurting ourselves in the long run, who knows maybe that crappy 14 year old magician could have been the next Paul Harris but he quit because he thinks he's bad. Ripple effecr good sir, ripple effect.

-Alexander J. Schaeffer
18 Years Young
New Generation.

SmokingMonkey · **Posted:** Sat Feb 03, 2007 12:34 pm

roboboy wrote:

Agreed Finch, if by the logic the best stay on top, how do the lesser rise as the mighty pass on? More people will stop the dream of magic and is that any good? I say no, My question to you Paddy is do you respect the other performer's of our craft? Because by your logic unless you are Michael Ammar or I guess you, you don't deserve to perform and what's so wrong with Blaine and Angel? They are making magic popularized, that's a good thing, it opens more jobs indirectly for you or me or anyone else. So frankly I don't see point in bashing the new generation of magicians because we will take the torch from you, and maybe have already began that process. Magic is an amazing art and by discouraging others we are only hurting ourselves in the long run, who knows maybe that crappy 14 year old magician could have been the next Paul Harris but he quit because he thinks he's bad. Ripple effecr good sir, ripple effect.

-Alexander J. Schaeffer
18 Years Young
New Generation.

or he can just be a crappy 14-year-old boy who is doing a disservice to the artform AND SHOULD BE PUNISHED.

In any case, if he's good, he doesn't have to worry; if he is mediocre, he needs to improve.

He doesn't have to be at the "top", he just has to be a good performer and artist.

fallingblood · **Posted:** Sat Feb 03, 2007 1:05 pm

The best will get the jobs. That's life. When you use magic as a profession, it's no different then any other profession. The best will get the jobs, and the others will have to become better.

What people don't understand is that magic isn't some special type of profession. It's like any other. Just because one is a magician, doesn't mean he should be kicked out of a job. If a better magician comes around, and starts taking my jobs, they deserve them. However, I'm not going to whine about it, I'm going to make myself better. Competition makes magic better. It drives people to practice more, and to become better at their art. This is the real world, not a fanstasy.

paddy · **Posted:** Sat Feb 03, 2007 1:38 pm

roboboy wrote:

...My question to you Paddy is do you respect the other performer's of our craft? Because by your logic unless you are Michael Ammar or I guess you, you don't deserve to perform and what's so wrong with Blaine and Angel? ...

Yes I do respect performers. The people I don't respect are like Blaine and Angel, they are masters of gimmicks, not real magic. Anybody can use a svengali deck like Blaine does it takes a performer to use a svengali then swap it out with a real deck (without being caught) and then do other effects. A one trick pony just isn't a performer. Yes Blaine and Angel are both one trickers. What looks like them doing a series of tricks is nothing more than a lot of film being edited down to look good.

And yes I have turned over a restaurant gig to a 17 yr old. Because he is really good and is very professional in his act.

roboboy · **Posted:** Sat Feb 03, 2007 2:15 pm

Ok, I see where you are coming from but in case of television things need to be edited, that being the career I am pursuing ( Film and Television ) I respect it. If it wasn't edited they wouldn't make money, it's just two guys getting theirs. I agree about the gimmickness but that is one form of magic, but I will really give them credit for making their magic so commerical, something some performers cannot do. Probablly the coolest concept from Blaine is making a special for real people, although edited at it's core the idea is a very good one, but has been corrupted as his fame has increased. His first special is a very good experiment in how to present television magic, but unfortunatly for most of us, we will never see a special unedited.

-Alex Schaeffer

Life in the Real World

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