Discourse in Magic

This week, Jonah sits down to give you a tip on how to practice your material for virtual audiences. With only an email and some simple to use software, you’ll have a system in place that will help you schedule time to test your material in no time. Of course, if you have any questions, you can always reach out to Jonah through email. If you’re looking for the software Jonah recommended in the episode: Zoom Calendly The next two episodes will be magician appetizers as the Discourse in Magic team is currently occupied with some major projects. If you would like to keep up to date, consider joining the mailing list or joining our Discourse in Magic Facebook page. The post Magician Appetizer #13: Testing Virtual Material appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

Jonah is joined this week by Chris Pilsworth to talk about collaboration, appreciating your audience, and creative processes. Chris is a magician based out of Ottawa, Ontario, and is known for his creative ability and engaging performance style. At 11 years old, Chris’ interest in magic was sparked by magic books his brother brought home from the library. Fascinated, he began to learn simple tricks, but it would take him a year to work up the confidence before he put on a show. Soon, however, he was working the birthday party circuit and experimenting with what magic could let him accomplish. Although he knew he wanted to become a magician, his parents recommended he go to University to back his knowledge. Having experience and interest in design, Chris would go on to attend Carleton for Industrial Design. Being Creative There isn’t an answer to how to be creative immediately, Chris explains, but you can get stronger at overtime. Everyone is different, some people are stronger, but Chris reminds the audience that you shouldn’t compare your creativity to others for that reason. Recognize your strengths and remember that creativity is not about being original. It’s about not getting stuck. Throughout the episode, Chris breaks down his creative processes and how he overcomes roadblocks. Appreciate the Craft  One of the things that shows in Chris’ magic is his appreciation for his audience. Not only are they spending money to see him, but they’re spending his time. A currency, that he explains, is one that you cannot get back once spent. So, when you step on stage, you should do so with the acknowledgment that these people took the time out to come to see you and experience your magic.  When we share the magic, we need to remember that what we do affects other magicians down the road. If you’re hired, don’t put the effort into your performance, and perform badly, you’ve probably ruined magic in the eyes of your audience, possibly preventing further gigs for you and others. Step on stage prepared and rehearsed to give your audience the show they deserve.  Adapting to Virtual Shows When the world went into self-isolation, it felt like the entertainment industry had completely shut down. Or at least, that’s how Chris felt at first until he realized that it was simply the platform he performed on that disappeared. People still wanted to be entertained and see magic, they just now are experiencing it online.  With a creative limitation, he was excited to play with, Chris has been adapting and rescripting his magic to the virtual screen. Suddenly, tricks that were angle sensitive or props that couldn’t be examined have become viable options, opening up a new field to explore.  Wrap Up Endless Chain  Gene Anderson  Rick Wilcox  What do and don’t you like about modern magic?  Chris likes that magic is constantly reinventing itself and exploring new platforms. Seeing the younger generation taking advantage of technology inspires him.  What Chris doesn’t like are performers who don’t appreciate the time of their audience nor the craft they practice. Take Home Point  Don’t be afraid to be creative. Your ego may be fearful of your trick going wrong, but you shouldn’t be afraid to explore what you think magic should be for you.  Plugs  Chris’ Website Chris’ Products The post Exploring Creativity with Chris Pilsworth appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

Discourse in Magic is pausing this week to give way for the voices that need to be heard. Jonah would like to help amplify these voices by handing over the mic to black magicians who have a message for magicians. We want to help educate. To help grow. To help make magic a more inclusive environment. If you are a black magician and would like the Discourse in Magic audience to hear what you have to say, write or send a voice message to the podcast at: discourse@discourseinmagic.com. We ask that you take a moment, in lieu of this episode, to think about how you can contribute. Reflect on your actions. Have difficult conversations. Ask questions. Seek to understand. Be open to hearing other people’s experiences, and be willing to change your understanding of the world. The magic community shouldn’t continue to fall behind in the conversation. If you don’t know where to start, I suggest checking out Ran’D Shines episode where he speaks passionately about inclusion.  Felice Ling also released a fantastic article that examines the damage of Asian stereotypes in the magic community.  The post A Message From the Team: Black Voices Matter appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

This week Greg Rostami joins Jonah to talk about creating, performing, and utilizing app magic.  Greg is a prominent app magic creator, known for creating apps like ReaList and Inject. A Svengali Deck was Greg’s intro to magic. He was fascinated by the concept and was pulled into magic because of the clever nature of the art. Closeup magic became the style he loved and would perform it wherever he could.  With a background in electrical engineering, Greg started out with the idea of creating magic hardware. His focus shifted from hardware to software with the release of the iPhone; Greg became focused on using features fundamental to technology and exploiting the tech for magical effects. In 2009, this would lead to the launch of his and Randy Croucher’s app iForce. Technology Fears There seems to be a hesitation among magicians to use app magic. People think it’s too complicated. Others are afraid that people will see right through the effect and immediately know it’s the app. For those who find apps complicated, Greg understands. The issue with feature-rich apps is that they can be overwhelming, so focus on finding one aspect to learn. What part of the app can you adapt to your performance now? What intrigues you? Don’t focus on mastering everything the app can do.  If your afraid people will know the method, think of it like learning about a thumb tip. You can be fooled by someone making a silk disappear into a thumb tip, but when you learn that it’s just a fake thumb for the method, you might wonder how it would fool anyone. Even though you were just fooled. Apps are similar. Greg recommends finding the apps that don’t smell of technology and then building presentations around the ones you like. You’ll soon find that performing app magic is as seamless as borrowing a spectator’s phone.  Swiss Army Applications Acknowledging that presentation wise he’s creatively limited, Greg sets out to create apps that are tools rather than single effects; he wants to create versatile apps that magicians can play with and adapt to their style. With this in mind, Greg focuses on speed and ease. He doesn’t want there to be long-winded presentations inherently designed into the app because strolling magicians want a tool that is ready to go and let them move on to the next group.  By offering a myriad of features that act more as a foundation than as single effects, Greg invites performers to play and experiment with his app.  Motivation Everything you do in magic needs to be motivated. This doesn’t stop when your magic tool is an app. You have to figure out why your spectator is accessing Google or even pulling out their phone. If you want the spectator to completely dismiss the idea that you were using technology to pull off your effect, you can’t draw a line from A to B.  Wrap Up Endless Chain Gui Del Frate What do you like about magic? What don’t you like? Greg loves that magic is an evolving art form that takes existing premises and pushes the boundaries of presentation and method. The current innovation amazes and excites him.  He isn’t a fan of how we tend to take things for granted nowadays. It took us years to get to where we are, yet we can dismiss these innovative thoughts by swiping away without a second thought.  Take Home Point  If you can find motivation in your repertoire in including something that requires the internet, then app magic is amazing. Your spectator walks away with a souvenir on their device. Greg also reminds you that motivation in your performance is key.  Plugs  ReaList [Android] [iPhone] Inject 2.0 [Android] [iPhone] The post The Versatility of Magic Apps with Greg Rostami appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

Tim Hannig sits down with Jonah this week to talk about performing for kids, upping your production value, and the power of knowing every step of your show. Tim is a magician, author, and motivational speaker who tours schools in the States with his children and family shows. One of Tim’s early childhood magic memories is of the time his father took him to see Blackstone. Both amazed and inspired, the two began to reverse engineer the show together, building mini illusions of their own from the show.  By the time he was 17, Tim was performing magic at Six Flags. The theme park was the perfect training ground as he was not only performing the same 20mins six times a day, but he had to learn about maintaining the interest of the audience. Families were there to have fun and would gladly walk away from his show if Tim didn’t engage them. By his sophomore year in University, Tim was performing at schools and has been ever since.  A Different Approach to Kid Shows Respecting the kids and their intelligence is Tim’s number one thing when he’s performing a show. He wants to come across as their friend and be on their side. This is why Tim isn’t a silly character on stage. And, through his years of performing, Tim understands how to get the children on his side. Tim champions the idea of knowing every beat of your show, especially for kid’s performers, because it won’t give them a chance to misbehave.  During the day he might be performing primarily for kids, but at night the families are invited back. Children sit with the parents they made come out, and the whole family leaves having enjoyed the show together. Tim explains that he knows the parents don’t expect to enjoy it, but he has designed the show with content for the adults. He doesn’t want them to enjoy it through the eyes of their kids but on the show’s own merits.  Professionalism Through Production Value From the moment you reply to an inquiry to following up after the show, you should know what’s going to happen at every step of the process. A week before the show, Tim has automated messages that are sent to the school so that they know what to expect for the show. These are in addition to the pamphlet he sends out explaining how to set up for him. His goal is to make the lives of his clients easier which in turn makes his job simpler.  Tim also ups his actual onstage production by incorporating music into his shows. Theme songs. Stingers and bumps. Intro and Outro music. Songs behind stories. Music adds an additional element to his show that elevates the experience of his magic. While Tim’s music is custom and designed specifically for his show, he encourages performers to explore royalty free options as music can’t hinder your show (unless used inappropriately). Virtual Magic When Zoom shows were starting out, Tim didn’t jump right into doing one. He wanted it to be a strong product, so he spent his time watching others and developing a show that played to his strengths as a stage performer. After assembling a show, Tim performed three weekends of shows, charging $15 for a ticket. With confidence in his material, Tim has begun to offer the show to his past clients who are interested in keeping the family shows going.  Tim explains that your virtual show needs to be different from your regular show. You can’t treat them the same because they’re two very different formats. If you need a viewer to select a card, what is your plan to deal with the lag? Much like in person, you need to carefully consider your options.  However, there’s also advantages to performing virtually. Everyone has a front row seat, so you can do close up magic for 100 people. Things that are angle sensitive are now viable options.  Wrap Up Endless Chain Terry Ward What do you like about modern magic? What don’t you like?  Tim loves that no matter how old you are, there’s an entrance ramp for you into magic. He’s also a fan of seeing the older generation empower the younger generation.  Tim doesn’t like when a magician doesn’t know how to be a good audience. He also isn’t a fan of magicians who treat his Facebook wall like a forum. Take Home Point Love your audience. Give them your best every single show. Plugs Tim’s book, Perform Tim’s Website The post Knowing Your Show with Tim Hannig appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

While it might be a short one this week, Jonah has packed this episode full of advice on how to continue growing your business during these times. If you’ve been stuck on what to do for your business, Jonah breaks down what you should be doing right now to succeed later. He explains how you know what everyone is thinking and how you can start building connections based on this knowledge. The post Magician Appetizer #12: The Best Investment During a Recession appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

Jonah is joined by Francis Menotti this week to discuss virtual performances, working as a duo, and methods to improve your creativity. Francis is a performer, consultant, and half of the magic duo: Couple of Magicians.   When he received a magic kit for his fifth Christmas, Francis was quick to embrace the deviousness of magic as a way of making the impossible possible. His interest continued throughout elementary and high school, where he began to perform at birthdays. By the time he was attending college at Penn State (where he started the first magic club with friend Ran’D Shine), he began to see that magic was the path for him. Knowing he wanted to make a living doing magic, Francis moved to Philly. Forced Creativity  If you’ve seen Francis perform, you probably immediately noticed he has a unique approach to performing magic (you don’t have to look much further than his Fool Us performance). A lot of his ideas and acts have come from this idea of forced creativity – limiting your resources and setting guidelines to drive and focus your creativity on one task. From games to understanding what he’s looking for in an effect, Francis has developed different systems to help him improve his own creative process.  During the episode, Francis proposes two games that will help you develop your toolset and give the books you own the time they deserve. The first game is a “follow the leader” style game where players try to repeat the actions of the moderator; if you can’t do a move, you now have the task of figuring out how to. The second game involves using a random number generator to select a book and effect/essay that you then need to read and understand.  Becoming a Duo Act Alongside being a solo performer, Francis performs in a duo act with his wife, Lindsey Noel. The process to create their duo show has been a fun but challenging one. Francis has been forced to approach aspects of performing differently which has been a beneficial creative experience for him. He’s had to rework the way he thinks about blocking and interacting with the audience on stage, knowing that he has a partner to share the time with.  When the two talk about ideas, the answer isn’t ever simply no. The answer is “there’s a way of doing that idea, but you have to remember the time and budget constraints.” It’s not just new ideas they’re creating for the act though. Francis has taken pieces he’s done for years and incorporated Lindsey in them as an equal performer in the routine.  Virtual Magic When the self-isolation period began, Francis and his wife immediately began working on a virtual show, recognizing that this wasn’t going to be a short hiatus. The past few weeks have been about trial and error to determine what does and doesn’t work. While they have had success, there have been some learning moments along the way.  Francis highlights that right now people are tuning in to watch people do things live for a chance to connect. They’re not looking for high production value currently, but he believes that’s beginning to shift as more people move into performing virtual shows. And, now that people are aware that shows can be done online, the request for virtual performances isn’t going to go away. This is why, as an entertainment industry, we need to figure out how to make it not bad. Wrap Up Endless Chain Marc DeSouza What do you like about modern magic? What don’t you like? He enjoys that magicians are taking more time to figure out performance ideas.  He isn’t a fan of the cliquishness of magic. Take-Home Point Keep moving forward and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.  Plugs Couple of Magicians Facebook Page Francis’ Website Francis’ Site for Discourse Listeners  Francis’ Instagram  The post Unique Creativity with Francis Menotti appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

Derren Brown joins Jonah this week to discuss developing ideas, finding your own voice, and what magic means in our current society. Between his award-winning stage shows, TV specials, and books, you’re probably familiar with the UK based mentalist.  Hypnotism was Derren’s path into magic. During his time studying German and law in university, he had the chance to see hypnotist Martin Taylor perform. His interests shifted, and he began to practice hypnosis alongside his studies. When he started working, Derren learned that magic was easier to present to people compared to hypnotism. Derren’s shift from being a gigging magician to a household name was slow. Even with the release of Mind Control in 2000, Derren was still working as a restaurant magician. Between focusing on doing the strongest magic and the skills of the team he’s built over the years, Derren has been able to create a name for himself.  Mentalism & Magic Derren dropped the conjuring side of his persona when the TV specials started to kick off. Mentalism, to him, allows for more impressive presentations than simply finding a card; however, you have to go further than just asking someone to think of a word, writing it down, and showing you got it right. The interesting aspect of mentalism lies in the process the performer takes to divine the word. If your goal is to take your audience’s mind to a richer place, you have to commit to the process. There is, of course, the ethical questions behind mentalism that Derren has struggled with over the years. Initially, he would make direct claims about his abilities, but, as he grew, Derren found an area where he could be honest while digging into the interesting aspects of magic. While he’s been able to create a brand that allows for this, Derren explains to performers that you should be taking responsibility for your actions and focusing on the core audience watching you. Tips for Performing Light and shade is necessary for any performance. If a trick is slow and serious, the next one should probably be upbeat and quick. The performer has a responsibility, especially in a theatrical setting, to move people in different ways. Derren explains that you don’t want to be operating in one state of being on stage as it’ll be difficult to create those big shifts your performance needs. You have to earn what you’re doing on stage. For example, if you want to tell the audience how to be, you have to be vulnerable and reflect on your own actions. Derren points to good comics as an example: they often have a lot to say, but they don’t come across as preachy because they put themselves at a lower status than the audience. Never have a better time than your audience. If anything, you want to carry with you the image of a spectator on the verge of leaving. How do you keep them engaged? How do you surprise them and keep them in their seat?  Finally, be likable. Be you. You can have all the power if you act like you don’t have it because we want to connect with a human. Derren explains that we like performers for what they do, but we love them for what they are.  Creating a Show Derren has worked alongside Andy Nyman and Andrew O’Connor since his early TV specials to create his shows. The three of them will sit down to brainstorm themes, images, and the core of the show. What they don’t do is talk about the tricks. Their focus is on finding the rhythm of the show and determining what beats they want to hit throughout. What tone is he starting the show with? How can they overdeliver with the ending? The finale is what people last remember when they leave the theatre. The finale is where you can get away with madness and rule-breaking as you build up the audience. He wants something simple but that explains so much of what the audience saw. Derren reminds listeners that there are a million ways to end a show. You just need to make a conscious choice about what you want your audience to leave with.  Wrap Up Endless Chain Hector Chadwick (Stephen Long) What do you like about modern magic? What don’t you like? Derren doesn’t really keep up with the world of magic, but he has really enjoyed Christian Grace’s work on billet switches recently.  Take-Home Point Be human. Be likable in a way that is right for you and love what you’re doing. It’s not about the trick, it’s about your humanity.  Plugs Derren’s Twitter Derren’s Instagram  Derren’s Website  The post Be Human with Derren Brown appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

Jonah is joined by Nathan Coe Marsh this week to talk about finding inspiration, guiding your audience, and balancing your approach to business. Nathan is a magician from Orlando who splits his time between magic venues and the corporate performing world. After seeing his father’s friend perform Kennedy’s floating bill, Nathan was hooked. He laid awake at night, trying to figure out how the trick was done. When he learned he could buy the trick, his excitement escalated and his interest grew. While it started as a hobby that he would nervously perform for friends, he eventually landed a job at a summer camp teaching magic. From summer camp to shows to walk around, Nathan recognized that the more he worked, the more polished his material. He struck deals with dinner theatres to let him perform closeup whenever he wanted, and he spent nights at comedy clubs refining his material in front of a crowd that wasn’t there to see a magician. All of this was important in shaping who he is on stage today as a performer. Creating Magic If you want to uncover and create good ideas, you need a notebook. As you go through magic material, you’re going to uncover effects or concepts that appeal to you, but at the moment don’t quite feel right. In your future studies, however, you may find yourself drawn back to an idea with how to shape it to fit you. Nathan points to the effect he did on Fool Us as an example of an idea that started merely as a quote in his notebook.  However, you shouldn’t confine yourself to just magic. You have to be curious in the world and explore where your passions take you. When you sit down to create, your interests are what will shape your decisions and choices.  Scripting to Rehearsal  When approaching scripting, Nathan has a few approaches he takes depending on the goal he’s trying to accomplish. One such process is recording himself walking through the performance as if there’s an audience and transcribing what he said. With words on paper, he can begin to edit.  His main concern with scripting is to lead his audience through four goalposts: focus, rapport, climax, and emotional reaction. Nathan wants to bring this room of strangers together as an audience, take them down a path, and then have them leave the theatre having experienced a particular sensation.  Rehearsal is a numbers game to Nathan. For sleights, he works them into his daily routines, finding ways to accomplish reps of moves throughout the day. For his act, he’ll set up a space for his show in his home so he can fully practice his routine. Overall, finding ways to schedule shows and Balancing Business & Performance When starting out, it’s imperative to find a balance between working on your business and working on your performance. By focusing your efforts on just one or the other, you’ll slow your progress down and prevent yourself from developing your business. Nathan explains that there is an inherent intertwining of your business’ pipeline with the quality of your show. So, don’t feel guilty when you’re working on material, but don’t like your booking and marketing tactics fall to the wayside.  After exploring where your interests are, you’ll need to eventually sit down and ask yourself where exactly you belong. Does the stage call to you? Or is walk around where you thrive? By being honest about where you thrive, you can continue to build up your skill set in that area.   Wrap Up Endless Chain Jack Goldfinger What do you like about modern magic? What don’t you like? Nathan likes the proliferation of high-end magic venues. While magicians are given a reason to elevate their magic, the public has the chance to experience strong magic.  He isn’t fond of how magic clubs have failed to adapt to the internet, essentially losing the upcoming generations. Everyone’s an expert online and twelve-year-olds don’t know how to discern what is and isn’t right.  Take-Home Point Be willing to suck.  Plugs Nathan’s Website Nathan’s Penguin Act  Nathan’s Instagram  Nathan’s YouTube The post Discovering, Scripting & Rehearsing Material with Nathan Coe Marsh appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

This week, Jonah serves up a bite-sized episode on virtual magic shows. With Covid-19 halting shows, some magicians have taken to performing online, a fairly radical shift in the way magic is performed. Under the Toronto Magic Company, Jonah and his business partner, Ben Train, have had the opportunity to put on multiple virtual shows, so he’s passing on some advice and tips to the listeners. Magic is about interacting and while some aspects of performing are lost through video, others become easier. Eye contact is easier to make with everyone. No one has to sit in the back. And, on sites like Zoom, you have easy access to everyone’s name! Just hover your mouse over their image. Selecting a spectator has never been easier. However, don’t go in with the same show you do on stage. Create a show they can interact with. Tailor it to the platform. Do the closeup card magic you can’t do on stage. Try the angle sensitive tricks that would only work on camera. You have the opportunity to get creative and push the boundaries of this new format. Although it’s a different feeling, you can still bring joy and magic to people who want. It’s a break from everything else in their lives right now. If you’re looking for a place to ask questions and discuss virtual magic (or anything magic), you should join the Discourse in Magic Facebook group. Jonah’s been hosting live interviews with previous guests like Garrett Thomas and Fernando Figueras. The post Magician Appetizer #11: Virtual Magic appeared first on Discourse in Magic.