To be a magician, do you need to be someone else?

[StevenLevitt]

When being a magician, do you need to be yourself? Or act like a character? Or have a theme going on? Or a certain style?

How should it be? Or are there no limits?

As far as I know, you need to be unique...

 

[Deleted member 2755]

When being a magician, do you need to be yourself? Or act like a character? Or have a theme going on? Or a certain style?

How should it be? Or are there no limits?

As far as I know, you need to be unique...

Well, I have about 3 answers for your question.

1. no

2. no

3. no

Be yourself. Don't be someone your not. Don't make up a whole new personality for your magic. Be yourself and no one else.

-Doug

 

[StevenLevitt]

There are a few top magicians who play as someone else out there though. Who are not truly their selves.

 

[Deleted member 2755]

There are a few top magicians who play as someone else out there though. Who are not truly their selves.

I guess that's their viewpoint then. I won't argue with someone who has been in magic 25x longer than I have. I have my opinion. They can have theirs. I just feel if you are yourself, then you will generally be a lot better off.

-Doug

 

[StevenLevitt]

I suppose it could depends on the type of magic you perform as well. I accept your opinion and I agree with you to a certain extent and I hope we can discuss this deeper

I do not believe that everyone who performs is being their self... I don't know though, I need more magicians here to discuss!

 

[RikAllen]

If you're doing mentalism, it's hard to be yourself...since you're not a psychic...(devils advocate...more fun than agreeing with everybody ^_^ )

As a general rule of thumb, however, be yourself and put your personality/likes/dislikes into your magic.

I will paraphrase a quote by Robert Houdin though (if you don't know who he is...you need to go google and learn about him now) He said(and believed) that Magicians are in fact Actors, playing the part of someone with super-natural powers.

And I think it was W:H on his Control Dvd where he said something along the lines of 'practice your presentation and figure out who you want to be when performing this effect.' When you make your pulse stop you could do it similar to Wayne or you could stop it completely conscious and aware of what's going on-neither is wrong, which is why magic is so great.

It's all up to you in the end. Most good street magicians are themselves when they perform. So, take your time to learn the tricks you'll enjoy performing...and then present them in your own way. Do magic you would want to watch someone do...

Just a couple of thoughts.

-Rik

 

[romeo sierra]

Although I agree you should remain true to yourself during performances, I do believe you must work to develop a character to make your magic effective. In order to truly make an impact on people, it's necessary to command respect and intrigue to a degree. Any working professional will agree to that. Emphasize your strengths and flaunt them as much as possible.

I believe that's what made the likes of David Blaine so famous to begin with. He acknowledged he was a quiet, deliberate individual and recognized how people responded to that energy. According to his book, he developed the character we see on television based off his strong qualities and personal experiences. What set him apart from his adversaries and copycats was that his persona was legitimately original to him and audiences believed in it. Everyone listened to every word he said and paid attention to every gesture. He commanded their attention and made them wonder what he would do next. Something can obviously be learned from that example.

Magicians should strive for originality. What makes tricks feel like magic? It's what the performer adds to them. I was recently at Denny&Lee's Magic Studio in Baltimore and Denny accentuated a good perspective. Anyone can do tricks. A MONKEY can do tricks. It's the role of the magician that adds the element of drama and intrigue into the equation. For this reason, I don't believe just merely being yourself can work universally. It's essential to add a and put major focus on a distinct flavor to the recipe. Everyone can add a original element to magic, and they should focus on what makes them peculiar and different and use such characteristics to their advantage.

The bottom line is that quality magicians succeed by accenting their personalities and character in their work. They set themselves apart from the crowd in order to gain people's attention and interest, but also keep themselves grounded in order to relate to their audiences. It's a fine line that deserves some thought and experimentation.

Hope this helps.
RS.

 

[Sean_Raf]

"Be unique, just like everyone else."

Be yourself, if you're being genuine, your magic will be genuine.

- Sean

 

[Squ!rrel]

I think you should always be yourself.

Look at magicians such as Wayne Houchin, Daniel Garcia, Lee Asher, Daniel Madison and Chris Kenner. Their personality doesn't change at all when they're performing.

I would never use a character, it would feel very unnatural and I think it would make it very difficult for me to connect with people.

 

[Nikki]

be youself, its harder to try and be someone your not

 

[Dylan P.]

When being a magician, do you need to be yourself? Or act like a character? Or have a theme going on? Or a certain style?

How should it be? Or are there no limits?

As far as I know, you need to be unique...

1: Be yourself. (unless you are a birthday clown... then be a character.)
2: Your style should be your own.
3: There are no limits. If you can dream it you can do it.

 

[Chr!s]

When performing, I have a very relaxed, conversational style which accurately exemplifies my personality. I perform in the same manner at a cocktail party as I would for my friends at a party (perhaps with considerably less swearing...).

For me personally, I consider it important to try and remain as open and honest as possible, and I achieve this by not putting on a 'character' while performing. I've made friends through performing magic to them, and I believe that it's because my genuine personality and attitude comes through in my performance's.

If there are any typical performance ticks I have picked up, it is simply that my sense of humour gets a little dryer will performing.

CL

 

[praetoritevong]

General consensus is to be yourself. In certain circumstances, there are those who have made completely different personalities, for example the late Jack Parker. Nonetheless it is advisable, except in the case of extremely experience magicians, actors, circus members, etc. (such as actors who have studied Commedia del'arte), to stick to who you are as a performer.

 

[blahblah]

I have a charcater, im not like a totally differant personality, im just "bigger", I think its great actually because its kinda like an alter ego, I do bizzare and mentalism though which were it helps to have "something", and its great for making up patter and stuff for your routine, its still me performing but Im a magician, then I come out and im a normal person, still the same "person" but just magicial in one and not so much in the other

if im in my "normal" personna I do tricks and sleight of hand, if im in my magicial side, Im doing the strange and abnormal. I think having a character is cool, david blaine has one, its a mysterious stranger.

 

[uhhh_kyle]

I say be yourself. My mother is a professional clown for a living and I was raised in that enviroment my whole life. With this in mind I saw her "normal" self and her character. I was used to doing different characters and when I decided to pursue magic 100%, I used a fake name and a character and it did not work at all. When I went by my real name and was who I am everyday, I got tips left and, bookings through the ceiling and making new friends at every turn. If your doing comedy magic, just amplify that side of you one notch more. Just don't turn it up to 11. Amplify Parts of you, but always stay realistic. When people see and meet YOU and not a character, they become more attached and are blown away even more. When I do nightclubs in San Francisco, I mainly talk and just hang out with the people there. And they really do enjoy that more than me doing one trick right after another. The best magians I've met are the same when they're doing magic as when they're playing Xbox.

 

[taychenghong]

Like the Audioslave song, "To be yourself is all that you can do"

No point being someone that you're not..

 

[dejavu05]

No doubt be yourself. But remember to act like it is real magic when you do magic.

"A magician is an actor playing the role of a magician"
-Robert Houdin

 

[iwannayoyo]

No doubt be yourself. But remember to act like it is real magic when you do magic.

"A magician is an actor playing the role of a magician"
-Robert Houdin

I dissagree 100% some of the greatest magicians ever do not act like their magic is real, some come out and downright say that they are doing slight of hand and screwing with their heads.

 

[TeeDee]

I dissagree 100% some of the greatest magicians ever do not act like their magic is real, some come out and downright say that they are doing slight of hand and screwing with their heads.

I think that approach isn't inconsistent with acting like the magic is real. If you're going to perform a false transfer and make a coin vanish, it's absolutely essential that your attitude conveys that you genuinely believe the coin is in your hand, and let the audience feel the moment that it vanishes. You can openly admit that you are performing sleight-of-hand, but in that moment, the audience has to feel real magic.