A Case for Competition, Part 2

Another type of competition that I think is very useful for growth as a magician is through magic contests.  In these contests, you create an act or routine that fits the criteria of the contest then enter the competition with the hopes of winning the approval of a panel of judges.  This is an excellent process.  If you choose to enter a competition you know that you will be up in front of your peers.  That alone is a very compelling reason to enter.  More than likely you will work hard to represent yourself well.  You will also have a deadline.  Having a hard deadline that cannot be changed is also an excellent way to push yourself to produce.  The best thing that most magicians can gain from this type of competition is not a first, second or third place.  Oh no.  The best thing that most magicians can gain from competing in a magic contest is the growth that comes with setting a deadline, working hard on your material and then getting useful feedback that you can apply to your act or routine.  Again, it really is an act of growth.  I have seen numerous decent magicians turn into really good magicians through the process of competing in magic contests.  That is what we as magicians and entertainers should strive for in our magic.  We should strive to grow as creators and performers.  

When I was actively competing I was forced to use all of my creativity, my routining and my performing skills in order to have a shot at my end goal, which was to win.   What I gained in the process of competing was so much more valuable than winning a place or a prize.  I forced myself out of my comfort zone.  I forced myself to take chances on my magic.  As I got feedback from different judges and other magicians who offered up their thoughts I got some fantastic ideas that I wouldn’t have come up with by myself.  My act evolved and so did I.  The act of competing helped me grow as a magician.

Finally, we should compete against ourselves.  I have the tendency to hold myself up to some relatively high standards.  That can be both really great and very difficult at the same time.  I used to hate watching video of myself.  Now, I know that a lot of people hate watching video of themselves too, but my reason for not enjoying watching myself was because I felt like I was watching someone that could be so much better. 

There were times when I watched video of myself that I felt embarrassed by what I saw.  I knew I was so much better than what I was seeing on that TV screen.  Seeing what I saw, and feeling the way I felt about what I saw forced me to continue pushing myself to grow as an entertainer.  Over time and through constant work I was able to get to a point where I am now proud to watch the performer that I have become.  Sometimes, I actually think I’m pretty good.

The truth of the matter is that in today’s magic world, many times, the act of creating or selecting material, routining and performing is an act that is done by the same person…you.  Consider pushing your limits through friendly competition with your peers and with yourself.  I think you’ll find yourself a better magician because of it!

Until next time...Make An Impact!

Know Thyself, Part 3

This is the continuation of an essay that I wrote for a set of lecture notes years ago.  I am adapting that essay for this blog.  To read the initial blog post, Know Thyself Part 1, click here.

Part 3

When I initially write this essay, one of the big trends in television were shows about makeovers.  There were many numerous shows that basically focused on changing someone. 

First, the show would introduce you to the subject and then that person shared with the viewer what it is that they didn’t like about themselves and what they wanted to change.  These makeover subjects then typically would undergo surgery to physically alter the way that they looked.  After a period of healing, the show then revealed the “new” person to their family, friends, and the viewer at home.

When I saw these programs, many times, they bothered me.  It’s not true in all cases, in fact in some cases I believe that these shows did a good thing for their subjects.  What bothered me was when I saw someone changing themselves in order to please the world.

As a performer, I want to be an original.  I want to be myself onstage.  I want my audience to perceive my authenticity.  No makeovers.  No plastic surgery for my magic.  I don’t want anyone to ever feel as though I am interchangeable with any other magician out there.  That is why understanding who you are and where you come from is important.

You don’t want to be a clone magician do you?  You shouldn’t, you have much more than that to offer.  Trust me.  It’s there within you.  It may take some time and effort to bring to the surface, but it is sooo worth it.

I wanted to share this essay with you to outline a few ideas of why knowing who you are is important.  I sincerely believe that if you are comfortable with yourself (and that can be quite a large step itself), that comfort will allow you to open up creatively and play with different ideas that you have.  Your creative process will be unleashed because you will not be hindered by fear of ridicule or failure, you won’t be worried about what other people think, and your imagination will be given freedom to create.  So again I say, know thyself.

Until next time...Make An Impact!

Know Thyself, Part 2

This is the continuation of an essay that I wrote for a set of lecture notes years ago.  I am adapting that essay for this blog.  To read the initial blog post, Know Thyself Part 1, click here.

Part 2

So, why is it necessary to explore and seek your personal truths?

Well, this path of self-discovery will help you identify subjects that are important to you.  And if the subject is important to you, the energy, the enthusiasm that you have for it will permeate your performance every time you share it with someone.

That type of enthusiasm, the kind that comes from genuine passion, is not something that can be faked.   That kind of enthusiasm is highly contagious to others.  We owe that kind of thought and energy to our audiences. 

If someone is willing to give you several moments of their life, we should respect that gift and be willing to give them back a gift of equal value.  The gift that we can offer is a piece of ourselves through our magic.  That is a gift that no one else can give.  That is a gift worth something.  

Now, it may not be necessary for you to be talking about a subject that you find highly fascinating to make this connection with your audience.  I believe that you should have topics like that in your magic, but every piece of magic does not need to be that way.

In fact, the voyage of self-discovery may simply be the journey that you need to take that will help you grow comfortable in your own skin.  This may be an opportunity for you to identify with and accept yourself just the way that you are.

As you begin to understand your strengths and weaknesses, your likes and dislikes, not only will you grow as a person, but your creative insights will become clearer and your choices will be more personal and real.  As you learn more and more about whom you are, it is possible that you may find things that you don’t like, but it is my hope that you will embrace your individuality.  It is this individuality that makes you unique.

Your uniqueness, your personality, your originality may be what is needed to make that important connection with the audience.  If you are comfortable being yourself, if you allow your personality to shine through your magic, audiences will appreciate your honesty and that will hopefully help them connect with you on a deeper level.

Click here for Part 3.  Until next time...Make An Impact!

Jason's original cups and balls routine which was inspired from his interest in classic magic and classic theatre.

You Might Be A Magic Junkie If…

…you find yourself listening to hours and hours of magic podcast interviews on your iPhone when you are exercising every day.  Ok, guilty as charged!

I admit it.  I’ve gotten hooked on a podcast that interviews all sorts of brilliant magicians.  On the days when I’m riding the stationary bike at the gym, I listen to these really interesting interviews and the time just flies by.

I wanted to share this awesome resource with you.  If you’re fascinated by all things magic, you’re going to love these podcasts.

I love how you really get a feel for what the person is like.  They are able to relax and just be themselves during the interview and you and I get to listen in to their little conversation.  It’s like being a bug on a wall during discussions with some of the top minds in the magic world.

You’ve gotta check this out!  It’s called the Magic Newswire.  You can go to the website by clicking here.

Until next time…Make An Impact!
http://www.magicianmaker.com/

Do You Use a Script?

Well, do you?

As you learn the magic on MagicianMaker.com and go out there and share it with friends, family and complete strangers, you’re going to have to have something to say.  You are going to have to ask someone to take a card, or to write something down, or to remember something.  A script is as simple as that.  How you communicate those things is your script.

So, what are you going to say?  Do you want to throw in a funny joke or a really cool story?  You certainly don’t want to have a bunch of ‘Ummmmms’ and ‘Ahhhhhs’ distract your audience when you are trying to create a moment that they will never forget.

Think about it.  Your performance can be brilliant or it can be painful to watch.  The difference between those two is usually the script.

It’s funny; I’ve seen brilliant technical magicians be out and out boring because they had nothing to say.  I’ve also seen people take the simplest of tricks and turn them into blockbuster moments with a good script.

So, how do you do it?  How do you create a good script?  Don’t worry right now about writing something down word for word.  You can do that, but it often freaks people out because they are afraid they won’t sound natural reciting something that is planned out.  I think the best technique is to come up with an idea or a subject that you find interesting.  Once you have something that really speaks to you, write down a few facts, or a joke, or an interesting story that relates to the subject.  From that point, just see where it goes naturally.

The truth of the matter is that you are going to create a script one way or another.  When you perform a trick enough times, you will naturally start saying the same things over and over until they become your script.  The question is, will you create a script that is purposeful and meaningful, or will you just say whatever pops into your head and hope for the best.

My vote is for a little bit of preparation in order to create a moment that sticks in your spectators mind forever.  With a good script, I promise you can do that!  That’s it for now.

Until next time…Make An Impact!

Know Thyself - Part 1

Ok, listen.  This topic is heavy.  It is not something that you can skim through without any thought.  If you do, you are really wasting your time.  I believe that what follows is critical in order for you to understand my philosophy of performing.  So don’t go any further until you have some time to think about what is said.

I also want to mention that not everyone is in the same place.  You may know exactly who you are and you may create magic that is 100% true to you.  On the flipside of that coin, you very well may have never thought about this subject in the context of magic.  I am going to try and approach this topic as if we are starting from the very beginning.  And off we go…

In order to make magic your own, you have to know who you are.  Period.  That is what it all boils down to.  Stop right now and think about it.  Who are you?  Wow.  That is a tough question for many people to answer. 

Do you know yourself very well?  Who are you as a person, as a member of the human race?  What are your beliefs, your values, your loves, and your hates?  Take a moment and think about who you are deep within; your authentic self. 

This is not an exercise that you can do quickly.  It is an undertaking that requires time and real effort to accomplish. 

Knowing yourself, from the deep personal beliefs that make up your core system of values to your funny habits and quirks that make you special and unique, is the first step on the path to creating something that is uniquely your own. 

Taking a self-inventory, stepping back for a moment and doing some inner-exploration is not some ridiculous esoteric new-age idea. 

No, it is the base, the rock that your creative process will work from as you take the steps to make the magic you perform your own.  As you begin to learn and understand who you are, you will naturally make choices that ring true for you.  You will choose material, subjects and approaches that speak to you and you will reject that which is not authentic.  You will throw away the junk that does not conform to your ideals. 

You will begin a filtering process that will guide you in your choices.  Learning about yourself is a deeply personal journey that will challenge you immensely and one that will give you great satisfaction as you create your own personal masterpieces.

So, who are you? 

Well, let me help start you in the right direction.  What do you love?  For instance, do you love sports?  How about movies?  Is reading one of your passions?  Or perhaps you love to cook?  Does your family give you great satisfaction?  Maybe you love someone else…or just yourself.  You must be honest with yourself. 

You have to look within to find subjects that strike a chord deep within.  What subjects get you energized and excited? 

Go ahead and write them down when they come to you.  You should definitely keep a journal or a notebook where you can express your thoughts and ideas. 

How about those little things that drive you absolutely crazy?  What are they?  What pushes you to your breaking point?  What makes you sad? 

Understand this, the answers that you seek may not come to you right away.  The first step is to pose the questions.  Once you have asked yourself the questions then your brain can begin to search for the answers. 

Once you have been made aware of the subject, you will begin to take notice of the things that influence you in your everyday life.  As these realizations come to you, you should have a notebook, a journal, a tape recorder, or a file on your computer set aside to record them. 

The personal truths that you seek need to be recorded and compiled for you to study.  These truths will help guide you on the path that you should pursue in your performing, your creating, and ultimately in your everyday life.

To continue this essay, click here for Part 2.  Until then...Make An Impact!

It’s Not About You

So, you’re looking for a way to make some money with magic tricks, huh?  Among the magicians I know that is one of the hottest topics around. Not only is it natural, there’s also something incredibly satisfying about getting paid for doing something that you love to do.

So, once you have some good experience and you are comfortable performing the magic, how do you make some cash with it?

Well, let me ask you this first.  Did you read the post titled Getting Paid to Do Magic and do what it told you to do?  Getting paid to do magic is really about taking action.  You can’t be scared to share your magic with strangers.  You can’t be scared to try and sell yourself to someone.  You have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone and take a risk.  If you haven’t actually done the exercise in that post, click here, read the post and do what it says.  Once you’ve done that, come back and continue reading.

Alright, you’ve taken action and spent some time sharing your magic with family, friends and even some strangers.  Good for you!  That’s step #1.  In fact, you can never get enough of step #1.  Go do it some more and get some more experience.  Now, on to step #2.

Step #2 is to realize that when people pay you to do magic, it’s not about you.  Huh?  Wait a minute.  What? 

That’s right, it’s not about you.  It’s about them.  Every time I get hired to do my magic by an event planner, a restaurant, a private party, etc, it’s not about me.

Let’s think about this.  Let’s say that a mom wants to hire you for her child’s birthday party.  Why?  The reality is that she is hiring you because she thinks that by having you entertain her child and his or her guests you will make the child’s birthday extra special and super memorable.  She wants to thrill her little boy or girl.  By hiring you, it fulfills her wants and needs.

A restaurant doesn’t hire you because they love the tricks you can do for their customers.  A restaurant hires you to add value to the dining experience.  They want to make the rather lengthy wait for the food, seem like it never occurred.  They want you to keep people entertained so they don’t leave while they wait for a table in the lobby.  They want you to give the people a unique experience that they can’t get anywhere else.

A cruise ship doesn’t hire you because you can do great magic.  A cruise ship hires you because they have confidence that you can entertain their guests.  They believe that you can give the cruisers a fun experience that they will enjoy.  A cruise ship wants their guests to enjoy themselves onboard and they are hiring you to help provide that enjoyment.

Someone who stops to watch you do a street magic performance stops out of interest, but they stay because you are keeping them entertained.  They're laughing, watching intently, and enjoying the experience.  You are doing something that they find interesting, so they stick around.

It’s all about them.  When someone pays you, whether it’s in money or in their time and attention, you want to make sure that you are fulfilling their specific wants and needs.  This is the question you must ask yourself.  When someone wants to hire me, what is it they want or need?

If you can answer that question, not only will you probably get the gig, but you will also be ready to actually entertain the audience.  You’ll be able to speak “their language” and make everyone happy.

You see, it’s very easy to fall in the trap of thinking that it’s all really about you.  But if you keep in mind that the most important person in the world to someone else is themselves, then you’ll start seeing why this is such an important point.

I hope you enjoy and keep reading these posts.  As we delve further into these discussions, I’ll share specific information with you on how to work restaurants, do street magic, produce your own show, and more.  For now though, please realize that we are setting groundwork.  I want to get you in the right mindset, so when it’s time to go out there and get the show, you’re ready.  Don't worry, we'll get there.  Until next time...Make An Impact!

Originality

Thought I would briefly talk about originality in magic.  I say “briefly” because this is a subject I could go on and on about.

When I first started in magic, I mainly learned by watching video.  Because I was watching other magicians perform, when I learned the magic that was being taught, I used their exact same scripts, ideas, etc.  That’s actually quite natural.  Most beginners do exactly that.  They learn the magic as it is taught, then they perform it the same way.  No problem there.

After some time though, I think it’s important to start to imprint some of your own personality into your magic.  I guarantee that you have a different style than the person whom you learned the tricks from.  You probably have a different sense of humor, different interests, and different ideas for what makes magic good for you.

Your audiences want to see and get to know you.  They want to enjoy you doing the magic.  Your audience does not want to see you doing your best impression of Criss Angel, David Blaine or Jason Michaels.  They want to get to know you. 

That is one of the things that makes magic so powerful.  It’s a performing art.  Magic is not nearly as good when it’s seen on video.  It’s not, trust me.  Magic is best experienced live.  That‘s why it’s so important to not be a clone of some other magician.

As you learn more and more magic, find ways to share your personality.  Feel free to change the magic so that it represents your sense of humor, your view of the world, and your ideas.

I’m sharing a video on this post of Shawn Farquhar performing his multi-award-winning act Shape of My Heart.  Shawn recently won FISM (the Olympics of magic) and is a grand champion of magic.  I think it’s important to see how he used his own ideas and inspirations, along with numerous sleight of hand techniques to create a beautiful routine that his audiences go nuts about.

On a related note, Shawn is a personal friend of mine and he and I have talked about this routine before.  He put a ton of time and effort into creating it.  Unfortunately, numerous magicians have seen him do this act and have decided to rip it off.  Don’t do that!  I’m not posting this here so you can steal Shawn’s routine.  I’m posting it here to inspire you to use everything around you to inspire your magic.

Remember, be an original.  And never forget…Make An Impact!

Wanna Work a Cruise Ship?

Ever wondered what it was like to be a magician working on a cruise ship? Click here to get a play by play of the adventures.

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