How to become a better magician? Part one.
20, August 2024
This will be a series of posts.
Would you like to be a better magician? If yes, please continue reading.
Let's start this process with a creative excersise.
Ask yourself this: Who are your 5 favorite magicians and what qualities do you admire in them?
I'll let my answers be an example for you. And to remind you, these are my personal intepretations of the magicians mentioned below. Many of whom I have never seen live or met in person.
As I've grown older I have started to appreciate the late Max Maven more and more. I'm jealous of the confidence he had to be the unique performer and character he wanted to be. I like how his minimalism and straigh-forwardness left room for mystery, he would only let the audience know just enough so that their imaginations would start racing with questions. With only few words he could introduce concepts and frame effects. He was also a master of theatrical mentalism.
I love Paul Vigil's sense of drama. His very carefully considered scripts. His shifts in intensity. He can be both serious and commanding, but a moment later, humorous, and very generous, caring and polite towards his audience.
Nate Staniforth's presence makes the audience consider that magic and what they witness could actually be real. He's very serious about the things he does. He's also masterful at explaining the conditions and consequences of his effects.
I'm trying to be somewhat of a serious performer, but I admire Roberto Giobbi's quick wit, his dryish humor, and most importantly his elegance, and how knowledgeable he is not only of card magic, but also of life and art.
Lastly, Derren Brown. The man has shaped and changed the field of mentalism, and has left his mark to the history books of said art form. What does he do what other's dont? He doesn't perform tricks; he doesn't take somebody else's effect and just change the script. He has the same methods and knowledge as us, but how does he use them differently? He starts from a completely different starting point. He starts from the experience he want's to create the audience. He creates expreriences. His creativity is on a level not achievable to the huge majority of us. But we can still try to and should learn from him. He is a mere mortal, he hasn't sold his soul to the devil, atleast that I think so.
I want you to think about what you can learn from this excersise for a moment.
There's a reason why you have favorite magicians. The obvious answer is that they perform the kind of magic you enjoy, in a way that you find fascinating.
Do you perform the kind of magic you want to perform, in a way that you find fascinating?
Please don't think this is an invitation to steal from your favorite performers, but think, what is something you can learn from them?
Do you share any of these qualities you find most compelling in them?
By looking at them, and analyzing why you find them interesting, examining if you share any of the things you admire in them, is a good way to find a path towards becoming the magician you want to be.
Every artist finds inspiration in others. Through the process of understaning why you like certain things, you end up learning more about yourself.
- Max Arcanie