Discourse in Magic

Jonah sits down with Adam Rubin this week to discuss creativity, writing, and applying magic to other aspects of your life. Alongside being a magician, Adam is the Director of Puzzles for Art of Play, a #1 New York Times best selling picture book author, and an ex-creative director in advertising. Adam’s journey into magic started  when his friend repeatedly fooled him with a trick involving buttons jumping from hand to hand. As the trick burned a hole in his head, Adam found himself needing to know the secret, leading him to read the entirety of Mark Wilson’s Encyclopedia of Magic. Soon, magic became a central part of his life. While Adam embraced his magical identity in highschool, moving away from his small town in New York to attend university in St. Louis gave him the opportunity to step away from the magician label. Although he didn’t actively let people know he was into magic, Adam continued to perform magic in secret. After graduating a fine arts program with a discipline in advertising, Adam began a a successful career path in advertising. An Accidental Picture Book Author Out of university, Adam began a job working for Leo Burnett – a famous advertising firm in Chicago. When he initially began, it was a fun and cool experience that let him travel and create compelling marketing campaigns, but he soon found it to be repetitive and his creativity was focused on capturing what the client wanted. Adam’s career as a picture book author began when a friend put him in contact with Adam’s illustrator, Daniel Salmieri. Intrigued by how words and images could operate together, Adam wrote Those Darn Squirrels. Soon, Adam was able to leave his job and pursue writing picture books full time. He, so far, has published ten books including Dragons Love Tacos, Robosauce, Secret Pizza Party and, his latest book, High Five. Art of Play When Adam quit his day job, he found himself with a lot of time on his hands and a desire to start a company that would allow him to  create magical objects and puzzles. Adam approached Dan and Dave to propose his idea as it just seemed right to collaborate with them; they had created a company that sold astonishing objects with a timeless quality. Currently, as Adam puts it, everything in the shop is designed to delight, do something amazing, or create an unexpected moment. Whether it be an unexpected solution or a physics principle, Art of Play wants to leave their customers with a truly astonishing experience and a timeless object. Magical Thinking & Creativity Adam sets out to create magic tricks that don’t require a magician. By taking the performer away from the magic, you are leaving a person with a wonderful emotion that they can just take in. Whether it’s bowls that change size or cigars that disappear in an ash tray, Adam designs his magical objects with the intention of creating astonishment in his audience. When it comes to actually being creative, you just have to start, Adam says. If you are stumped on where to begin, he recommends writing down the worst possible version of your concept;  you’ll begin to see the route it’s going to take and it takes away the judgement. The worst thing you can do is give into fear because fear is the biggest enemy of creativity. Wrap-Up What do you love about 2019 magic? What do you hate about it? Adam likes that the magic scene in New York City is rich and energetic thanks to the many public shows, performers, and the collaboration. He does not like screen magic. It bums him out to see people trying to pass off video tricks as sleight-of hand. Adam also isn’t a fan of the oversaturation of people trying to sell tricks. To him, it seems inward facing; he would like to see magicians actively sharing their creations with the public. Endless Chain Noah Levine Mark Setteducati Kostya Kimlat Take Home Point Fuck Fear. Plugs Adam’s Author Website Adam’s Other Website  Adam’s Instagram  Adam’s Twitter Art of Play  The post F**k Fear with Adam Rubin appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

This episode Jonah sits down with Julie Eng to discuss Magicana, the community within magic, and elevating the perception of magic. Julie is an award-winning performer and the executive director of Magicana. Growing up with a magician as a father meant that magic was always a part of her life. She, alongside her sister, would perform in and help with the behind the scenes of her father’s shows. Eventually, Julie began to perform her own shows for children’s birthdays and started to work restaurants. Having grown up with a non-conventional life, Julie wanted to rebel against her unusual upbringing by choosing a more normal career path, leading her to take business in university. As she pursued her degree, she began to see the overlap in the skills she has developed thanks to magic and the demands of the business field. Magic became fun again for her. Instead of being something she was doing, it assisted the things she wanted to do. Magicana For those unfamiliar with the organization, Magicana is an “arts organization dedicated to the exploration and advancement of magic as a performing art.”  For the last eighteen years, Magicana has produced shows, archived footage, and recognized the innovators of magic all in the pursuit of showing the public why magic is so fantastic. Recently, they were awarded by the Academy of Magical Arts with the Literary and Media Fellowship Award. The Screening Room is one of Magicana’s ongoing projects with the goal of curating and capturing fantastic acts at the height of their careers. The project started with Gary Slaight and David Ben deciding they wanted to make a magic archive that was available to the public, but the question became “How?” It was through people’s magic collections that Magicana was able to find VHS tapes, 8mm film, and other archaic forms of media for shows like the Magic Palace and Luna De Verano. With the help of James Allan, Magicana has digitized, tagged and cross referenced these recordings for your viewing pleasure. The Allan Slaight Award is an annual award that recognizes individuals who are championing magic as an art form. Thanks to the generosity of the Allan Slaight family, the award carries a real weight behind it by rewarding the recipients with a cash prize. Individuals can be recognized in fuve categories: Canadian Rising Star International Rising Star Sharing Secrets Sharing Wonder Lifetime Achievement My Magic Hands is Magicana’s learning program which seeks to help children build self-confidence, learn communication skills, and develop their critical thinking abilities. For 6-8 weeks, students work with a magic coach to learn a trick they must present at the end of the course. For Julie, she enjoys watching the journey the kids take, describing it almost as a recreational therapy. Perception of Magic Julie often floats back and forth on whether or not we can classify magic as an art form. There’s a massive range to what the subsets in magic are with each having its own way to define magic. For her, it comes down to how we participate in it and what we want to see in magic. Magic to Julie should move her and make her feel something. As for the public’s perception, that’s where Magicana steps in to show that magic is more than a clown performing at  a kid’s birthday. Magicana shows that there is a wide range of what magic can accomplish. Additionally, between Fool Us and America’s Got Talent, we are beginning to see a shift in how the public consumes magic. Community in Magic The community in magic is one of the things Julie loves about the art. The community around her helped her flourish and has supported her throughout various moments in her life. A majority of the people who attend the 31 Faces North Conference with her are people she sees as her brothers. One of the best times in her life was creating The Magic of Johnny Thompson. After being approached by him at 31 Faces, Julie helped Johnny layout the book and take photos. She would fly down to Vegas to spend their short time together taking hundreds of photos. While it was hard work, it was always a good time with him; Johnny always lived in the moment and never complained about the work. Growing Up Strong Julie’s father always instilled her with the idea that she is the magician. When she walked into a gig she was performing at with her father, he would always state that she would be the performer, not him. Now, it’s not so novel to be a female magician to lay people, and Julie loves that. Growing up surrounded by magicians, Julie had men who she saw as uncles at the magic club and men who she sees as her brothers now. They all actively supported her presence in magic and this helped her flourish. However, Julie recognizes that there is still a glass ceiling even after people like Celeste Evans championing the way for female performers. But, thankfully, Julie reminds that audience that there are a number of strong voices in the community who champion for a better balance in general. Wrap-Up Endless Chain Patrick Drake Eric Bedard Murray Hatfield Greg Frewin What do you like about 2019 magic? What don’t you like? Julie doesn’t like the density of sound bite magic. She is not  blaming social media, but magic has become too fast paced for her liking. Julie likes seeing new people come into the field and challenging what magic is and how it interacts with other art forms. Take Home Point Julie wants people to remember that magic has endured because it has a way of enchanting people in real life. It’s not on a screen, it’s with you. Plugs Julie’s Website My Magic Hands Magicana Magicana Instagram Science of Magic The post Perceiving Magic with Julie Eng appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

This week Jonah is the one being interviewed as he joins Sammy Younan on his podcast, My Summer Lair, to discuss the perception of magic and developing in your craft. My Summer Lair is a podcast that explores the fringes of pop culture in Toronto by bringing on local artists to discuss their craft. Make sure you listen until the end of the episode to hear Jonah perform a trick that you can follow along with at home. If you enjoyed the episode, you should check out more episodes from My Summer Lair: My Summer Lair Site Girth Radio Instagram The post Sammy Younan on My Summer Lair appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

Kiko Pastur joins Jonah this week to discuss aesthetic magic, challenging your creativity, and finding symbolism in an effect. Kiko is a magician from A Coruña, Spain, whose style draws on the beauty and wonder of our world. Growing up, Kiko discovered magic alongside his brother and his brother’s friend. Having grown up in the Northern part of Spain, Kiko’s magic became more inspired by Celtic roots compared to the traditional Spanish culture, resulting in his more poetic, serious approach to magic. Finding Beauty Art and entertainment are two different realms for Kiko. To him, entertainment means that the creativity is influenced by the audience, while art sees the creativity being influenced by the artist. Through the use of symbolism, metaphors and music, Kiko is able to explore the concepts of beauty and wonder in his magic. To add beauty to your magic, you need to refine your aesthetic and find what is beautiful in your life. By refining what you want to show the audience, you can create a world for them to momentarily join you in, to experience the world through your eyes. If you are looking to add symbolism to your magic, you need to know what you want to tell your audience. What do you want them to take from the performance? In one or two sentences, you should be able to describe the goal of the trick. Being Vulnerable Standing in front of a crowd and expressing what you find beautiful in the world is an extremely vulnerable moment. This is why Kiko believes so heavily in creating the proper atmosphere. You need a connection with the spectator for them to be open to the magic and what you’re sharing with them; you are letting them step into your world, so you want them to experience it how you do. Creating Challenges If something is too easy, it’s not worth it to Kiko. To him, art is an aesthetic challenge where nothing is ever finished for him – every act and trick will always be incomplete requiring further work. By imposing challenges and limitations on his creative process, Kiko is able to rethink his approach to problems, forcing him to take a new approach to executing the impossible. However, while most magicians focus on challenging the method, Kiko believes performers also need to challenge the performance, staging and the feelings of your audience. The Spanish School of Magic The Spanish School of Magic is broad and difficult to narrow down, says Kiko. It’s not quite clear to him what constitues the Spanish school, but he does believe that the Spanish thinkers are often focused on diving into theory and perfecting every aspect of the magic. Spanish magicians see it as playing: the logical and rational part of a spectator’s mind is given the chance to react as they join the magician in playing. Approaching magic with this playful attitude, you are not fighting against the spectator’s rationale mind. Where Juan Tamariz invites the audience into his happy world, Kiko invites his audience to indulge in the beauty of the world. Wrap-Up What do you like about 2019 magic? What do you hate about 2019 magic? Kiko likes and dislikes the globalization the internet has brought to magic. While magic has allowed magicians to connect with each other and see a variety of magic, it has also brought with it a wave of people believing they have to get good at magic fast. It takes time to develop and understand a craft. Take Home Point Jonah and Kiko both believe that you should play with the idea of beauty in your magic. Endless Chain Juan Tamariz Gabi Pareras Juan Esteban Varela Plugs Kiko’s Website Kiko’s Instagram Kiko’s Facebook      The post Finding Beauty and Poetry in your Magic with Kiko Pastur appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

This week Jonah sits down with Nate Staniforth to discuss disillusionment, determining your intent, and creating visceral effects. Alongside touring the college circuit, Nate is the author of Here is Real Magic and Clouds and Kingdoms.  At nine years old, Nate happened to stumble upon magic after being inspired by Lord of the Rings; he, like Gandalf, wanted to cast spells and seem unstoppable, so he went to his library in search of a book of spells. Instead, he found a book on sleight of hand and proceeded to spend hours perfecting a single coin vanish. After performing his new trick for his classmates and seeing them experience something they couldn’t process, Nate realized how easy it was to pull the rug out from under people, and he didn’t know what to do with this information. What Nate did know was that the reactions captivated him and he wanted to chase those reactions. Magic was never a recreation or diversion for Nate, it has just been a constant in his life and was the only option he could see. Finding Intent Before discovering who the best version of Nate is on stage, he went through several phases. For some people, the best version of themselves on stage may be mixing their magic with comedy and theatrics. In the end, however, to create visceral magic it comes down to the intent behind the performance. If you go on stage with the belief that the audience is there to praise you, you cannot create a real genuine connection with them. You, as the magician, are in service to the audience. For Nate, when he steps on stage, his intent is to make the hairs on the back of their neck stand up. He wants to be able to flip a switch in the spectators mind and have them realize the world through magic. Every trick Nate does in his show is built around this intent. Nate points to David Berglas and Tommy Wonder’s Books of Wonder as examples of magicians who have a clear intent behind their art. Disillusionment Having grown up in a small town in Iowa, Nate was unfamiliar with the realities of show business. After his first year on the college circuit, he began to burn out. He eventually hit a point in his career that, as a magician, there was nothing remotely magical in his life. When his disillusionment was starting to greatly impact his ability to perform, Nate took a trip to India to rediscover how he use to feel about magic. During his time in India, Nate began to write and explore different art forms as a way of creative release. The writing Nate did in India would eventually lead to his book Here is Real Magic which Jonah recommends to anyone feeling disillusioned with their art. Clouds and Kingdoms For Nate, it is one thing to talk about magic but it’s another thing to put this into practice in your work. In his book Clouds and Kingdoms, Nate breaks down a handful of the effects he uses in his show and shows how he applies his magic ideals in them. In magic, you have to reveal far more than you’re concealing to truly push magic forward; the other arts have discovered ways to play to their strengths and allow artists to talk about things that really matter in human life.  With magic often stopping at the “did I fool them?” aspect of the art, Nate strives to push further and capture the inherent wonder magic has. Wrap-Up What do you like about 2019 magic? What don’t you like? Ryan is excited that magic has entered a new golden age where we are seeing an influx of people from different backgrounds and circumstances. Endless Chain Wayne Houchin Rory Adams Take Home Point Ryan wants the audience to prioritize appreciating the work of other artists who are not magicians. If you want to drive your creativity, you have to live with other people’s works and let them inspire you. Plugs Here’s Real Magic Clouds and Kingdoms – Use the code Discourse at checkout for 15% off. Nate’s Instagram  Nate’s Website  Nate’s YouTube     The post Disillusionment and Exploring Intent with Nate Staniforth appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

This episode Jonah sits down with Ran’D Shine to discuss performing on the college circuit, creating inclusive environments and the rich history of African Americans in magic. Alongside being a highly sought after, award winning magician on the college circuit, Ran’D is also a magic historian and educator. Ran’D’s journey in magic began as a graduate student attending Penn State for health education. One day he happened to walk into the student union room to see students sitting around a table doing card tricks. Soon after introducing himself, Ran’D and this group of students formed an official magic club at the university. After completing his degree, he went to study in South Africa for a year. While there, he managed to secure a teaching position at the College of Magic in Cape Town. During his time there, he had the chance to learn from the students and the faculty while honing his own skills. Ran’D eventually returned back to America where he worked at Penn State as a researched while pursuing his PHD in public health. After a year, he decided that what he wanted to do was perform magic full time. Representation & Inclusion A turning point for Ran’D, a moment where he realized that he could do magic professionally, happened in university. His friend handed him a Genii magazine where Hiawatha was featured on the cover and it clicked with Ran’D that there were professional magicians who looked like him. Seeing someone who represented him in the community was an important part in him realizing he could pursue magic full time. While they may be underrepresented in the community, there is a rich history of African American magicians who have helped pioneer magic; their stories have started to be unearthed thanks to people who have begun to conduct research and interviews into their legacies. One of the best things you can do to encourage underrepresented people in the community to participate is to just make an environment that welcomes them. People should feel like they connect to others and pursue their passions; nobody should feel alone while they’re pursuing their passions. The College Circuit The college circuit is an oversaturated, highly competitive industry that tends to eat most people who enter the industry; those who make it out the other side of the initial starting phase will most likely succeed. Ran’D explains that you always have to be on your A-game, constantly working on your act, and learning how to deal with drunk college kids who will call you on your BS. However, for Ran’D, it’s all a joy for him. The constant restructuring of his show and the logistics involved with the business keep the joy of magic alive for him. For those who want to get into the college circuit, Ran’D offers three pieces of advice: You have to have a solid hour act that you’ve had ring time with Be ready to adapt to different performance environments It’s a marathon, not a sprint Quiet Masters Produced and Directed by Kenrick ICE McDonald, Quiet Masters is a documentary that highlights the important history of black magicians from around the world. McDonald, the former president of IABMA and S.A.M., set out to capture the experience of black magicians from around the world, going as far back as the 1800s. Ran’D encourages everyone to watch the documentary to learn about the rich history the documentary uncovers. Heart and Soul of Magic The Heart and Soul of Magic is a magic show that features a rotating cast of African American magicians with diverse performance styles. Ran’D’s idea for the show began before he was a professionally performer. As he attended magic conventions, he would often see he was one of the few African American magicians present. Knowing there were more, he began to reach out to magicians he knew. Eventually, he was able to create a lineup that featured fantastic African American performers. Since 2002, the show has been on and off, but Ran’D’s eventual goal is to tour with the show. Wrap-Up What is one thing about modern magic you like? What don’t you like? Ran’D loves the resurgence of books in magic; this year alone, he points out, there have been some fantastic releases. He notes that a nice balance between books and downloads has been established. Ran’D wants to see people having less frivolous debates over magic. So many people are trying to be the next guru, but they’re trying to achieve that by belittling and talking down to people. Part of this is due to social media where context behind the words is often lost. Endless Chain Chris Jones Jibrizy Take Home Point Ran’D wants everyone to leave being aware that diversity in magic exists, and that you should be communicating with anyone disagrees with you rather than just yelling at them over the internet. Plugs Ran’D’s Website Ran’D’s Instagram Heart and Soul of Magic Quiet Master’s of Magic   The post The Heart and Soul of Magic with Ran’D Shine appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

This week, Jonah sits down with Ryan Joyce to discuss the realities of touring, marketing a show, and working towards a solid show. Ryan is a Canadian magician who spent thirteen years touring the country with a stage illusion show. Ryan has also been seen on Penn & Teller’s Fool Us, Canada’s Got Talent, and his YouTube channel with over 8 million views. Ryan’s first magic memory occurs in Junior Kindergarten when he seemingly made an eraser “vanish” and then “reappear” on the other end of the class. At such a young age, he learnt that he could do something to create a response. In his final year of highschool, Ryan convinced the student council and the school to spend $7,000 to fund his grand illusion show. Ryan described his hour and a half show as a “smashing mediocre success,” but it did what it needed to do: the right person in the audience saw the show, and Ryan received a 13 week tour offer, which turned into 13 years. Show or an Act? When Ryan was starting out, you had to decide if you were going to be a show or an act. Ryan has always been a show. For thirteen years, he traveled across Canada with a team of people to put on grand stage shows. And, over all these years, performing has never gotten tiring for him. He finds that when he steps on stage, he can get into a state that lets him flow through the show. Ryan enjoys the experience of 1,300 people experiencing the same feeling. Booking out Your Own Show Back in the 1990s/2000s, Ryan and his mentor Paul had a successful telemarketing company that would sell the shows. Eventually, this method became outdated, but, with the advent of targeted ads, reaching out to people who want to see a magic show has never been easier. Currently, Ryan is selling an event from ground zero. His starting point is nailing appealing branding right off the back so there’s a consistency across his marketing. One of his first pieces of content will be a short video that has the potential to go viral. From there, it’s about monitoring who’s looking at your content and marketing towards them. Pack Small, Play Big At one point in his touring career, Ryan was touring with a five ton truck to transport his stage act. Each stop they would have to setup, sometimes in less than ideal spots, and tear down the massive act, only to have to rebuild it later on. To add a new section to the show, they would have to rent out a large location to practice. While Ryan still enjoys the large stage productions, he has moved towards shows that he could easily replace the props for when the airport loses his luggage. Wrap-Up What do you like about 2019 magic? What don’t you like? Ryan likes that people are creating and finding their own identities without the fear that someone is going to steal it. Ryan dislikes when magicians put somebody down on stage who willingly came up to help. It’s uncomfortable for everyone, and your audience will probably leave believing you’re a horrible person. Endless Chain Joan Caesar Take Home Point Ryan wants the audience to remember: Be Interesting. Plugs Ryan’s Website Ryan’s YouTube Ryan’s Instagram The post Tips for Touring Tricks with Ryan Joyce appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

It’s another bite sized episode this week! This time, Jonah suggests an interesting way to discover your character. After the warm reception of the last Magician Appetizer, Jonah decided to release another one to further test the format. Next week the podcast will return to its regular format with the occasional serving of a Magician Appetizer.      The post Magician Appetizer #2: Discovering Your Character appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

This week, Jonah is trying out a different kind of solo episode. Short but packed with information, the Magician Appetizer episodes are meant to whet your appetite for the larger topics discussed on the podcast. To start this new format off, Jonah explores the idea of putting on the shoes of your audience member. Over the past few months, Jonah has been listening to older episodes. In line with the theme of stepping into your audience’s shoes, Jonah has decided to delete most of the solo episodes believing that listeners won’t receive value from them. If you would like to keep or listen to the older solo episodes, you can download them before they’re removed from the site.   The post Magician Appetizer #1: The Audience’s Perspective appeared first on Discourse in Magic.

On episode 161, Jonah sits down with Gordon Precious to discuss exploring life and searching for real magic. Besides being an incredible magician, Gordon has traveled to over 100 countries, owns an extensive magical apparatus collection, and holds the world record for being the oldest heli-skier at the age of 94. Gordon fondly remembers how his interest in magic was sparked. His uncle, who lived in Toronto, would often come visit young Gordon in Hamilton. Each time he visited, he would stop at the Arcade Magic Shop to purchase jokes and pocket close-up tricks. In 1937, around the age of thirteen, Gordon began to work semi-professionally, starting out at the Hamilton Lions Club and the Rotary Club. Eventually, Gordon decided he wanted to travel the world and fund his travels through magic. Searching for Real Magic During his 94 years of life, Gordon searched for real magic. His quest began at the Hamilton public library where he found books on how to perform magic. After exploring the juvenile section, he was allowed to explore the section of magic books that were locked away from the general public. Knowing that he wasn’t going to find real magic in the West, Gordon set his sights on India and Africa in the hopes that he may witness a true miracle. So, for three and a half years, Gordon traveled from village to village performing tricks for people. Everywhere he went he seemed to hear “you should have been here last week when this person performed a real miracle.” It would always seem like he just missed the thing he was searching for. While Gordon never saw these mystics or miracles in action, he did have the opportunity to witness various magicians around the world; he fondly recalls a magician in Delhi who gave him a vanishing bird cage and helped him land a ten minute spot in a nightclub. Gordon also remembers seeing a magician in Egypt named Gali Gali who was hoisted onto the deck of a ship Gordon was travelling on and performing what seemed like miracles. Exploring Life with Magic Gordon recommends magic to anyone who is interested in magic. It is intriguing to see wonderful presentations; it’s intriguing to learn how to perform tricks; and it is sometimes mind blowing to see what others come up with. At the end of the day, it is about enjoying magic and sharing your passion with those around you. During his travels, there’s one thing that Gordon holds true: love your fellow man, woman and nature. While it may be difficult some days, it is important to enjoy everything and be happy that you’re alive. Having prejudice and hatred towards other people, even if it’s hard some days not to, will only hold you back from experiencing life. Magic Collection Over the past 40 to 50 years, Gordon has acquired an extensive collection of magical apparatuses. He has a love for the beauty and ingenuity behind the tricks. He especially has an appreciation and intrigue for older electronic effects; Gordon has everything the Dutch magician Tony Anverdi created with his favourite being the Anverdi Key Box. Helicopter Skiing Gordon has always been an ardent skier and goes heli-skiing every five years. This year he set the record for being the oldest person to go helicopter skiing at the age of 94 — surpassing the previous record holder who was 91. The people in charge of the helicopter skiing operation filmed Gordon’s trek down the mountain which you can watch here: https://youtu.be/hreJznwyTZo Wrap-Up Endless Chain Cesaral Take Home Point Jonah really enjoyed the idea of enjoying life and respecting your fellow humans. Ben liked that, during his travels, Gordon never lost sight that magic was the means for him to experience the life he wanted. Gordon reiterates the idea that you need to love your fellow human. What do you like about modern magic? What do you hate? Gordon enjoys everything about magic whether it’s modern or old. If it’s clever and well presented then it’s great. If not, then it’s just bad magic. Final Words Practice hard, and you can never practice too much. The post Searching for Real Magic with Gordon Precious appeared first on Discourse in Magic.