DVD On Presentation & Showmanship

Aug 14, 2010
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Hello people! I just want to ask, are there any good dvds on presentation & showmanship? Thanks!
 

Sean.Cinco

Elite Member
Sep 2, 2007
683
2
Orlando, FL
www.seancinco.com
These aren't solely focused on showmanship, but the Art of Card Manipulation series and the World Class Manipulation series by Jeff McBride have alot of great tips on showmanship. The interviews on the True Astonishment box touch alot on performance as well.
 
Jul 13, 2009
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Tony Chris, Karnival of Magick has a lot on presentation. Showmanship is something you'd have to find out through trial and error. Well I mean...Showmanship you got it or ya don't and if you don't you'd better learn.
 
Sep 1, 2007
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Montreal, Quebec
Men I know that you asked for a dvd but you HAVE to look up Maximum Entrainement by Ken Weber. It's for magicien and mantalism. I can't stress enought how much this will help you.
 
I own pretty much every book on the subject, I have to agree with strong magic by darwin ortiz, but the most successfull thing that helped me further develop being an entertainer is taking acting lessons and improv classes, we are the people who study magic, they study how to act, believe me, they have a lot of usefull information that you can use with magic- I've always considered myself an actor playing the role of a magician.
 
Sep 2, 2007
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London
In my opinion, Derren Brown is the most powerful performer around today. Therefore, I would recommend getting inside his head by acquiring everything he's written (Pure Effect, Absolute Magic, Tricks of the Mind, Confessions of a Conjuror), plus his Devil's Picturebook DVDs, and the DVDs of all his TV and stage shows. If, after imbibing all that, you don't come away with some profound and practical ways to make your magic and showmanship better, then you weren't paying attention!
 
Nov 15, 2007
1,106
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Raleigh, NC
Showmanship for Magicians by Dariel Fitzkee is a great book that (after you sift through the older style language) is full of invaluable insight that will make you a better performer.
 
Jul 13, 2009
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Just had a revelation DVD I'd suggest getting "Freaks the circus sideshow" Todd Robbins . Sideshow artists are the best source to look at both good and bad showmanship, half of the show is showmanship. You gotta build the excitement and the feeling of need in your audience in order to be a great showman.

Actually, watch some Cirque shows as well, they are on DVDs now. Watch youtube clips of magician's and performers and study what you like and what you don't like about a certain performer's presentation. Sure books are great, but they really only get you so far. Once you finish reading the words, what next? Well you go out and apply it of course. But sometimes that is easier said then done. No amount of book reading will make you a better performer, it isn't magic after all. You have to supplement the books with visual examples and experience through performing in front of people.

Whenever I see threads like this, I don't like to name drop books for this very reason. Showmanship and performance arts can't be all learned in a book and that is partially why I posted in here in the first place. It's the first time I've heard someone who has wanted a DVD source for showmanship, it is a refreshing change of pace that unfortunately has made apparent to me that many people are still in the "School" mode of studying magic text books.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Nov 15, 2007
1,106
2
35
Raleigh, NC
Whenever I see threads like this, I don't like to name drop books for this very reason. Showmanship and performance arts can't be all learned in a book and that is partially why I posted in here in the first place. It's the first time I've heard someone who has wanted a DVD source for showmanship, it is a refreshing change of pace that unfortunately has made apparent to me that many people are still in the "School" mode of studying magic text books.

Great suggestions man, I suggested the book that I think requires the most outside thought and suggests you watch other performers (of every different performing art) while telling you ways to make it relevant to magic.

In then end, DVD or book or both, going out and doing it is the only way to really develop your presentations and character- so study up and flesh out an idea for a character and then go take your spectators for a ride.

I did remember Ellusionist having a DVD where they followed a magician around and put it out, Here I did the work for you, it's only 12 bucks.
 
Jan 23, 2011
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Outside of books specificly on magic Stanivlasky's method acting books helped me a lot in presentation and showmanship. Watching as much magic as possible also helps. Watch mentalism specificly and study there presentations and timing. Watch Richard Turner the cheat his act is a fantastic combination of raw skill and presentation. Also study never beats actual practice where you can get it. Preform whenever possible and you will find eventually that there are very few problems you cannot overcome through calibrating yourself in actual preformances.

Charming Cheat
 
Jul 13, 2010
526
34
I second the book recommendations.
Darwin Ortiz has a new DVD-set , 'Nothing but the best'. Every DVD has a theory section at the end which covers
The Magical Experience, The Audience is Not the Enemy, Meaning, Conviction and Conditions, Causality, The Critical Interval,
The In-Transit Action, Pacing, and Handling Hecklers.
I don´t own the set but I have his books and they´re indeed the most valuable I own.
I would also suggest to watch some performances by Tommy Wonder. IMO he was a legend in that regard.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Nov 8, 2007
1,238
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Hello people! I just want to ask, are there any good dvds on presentation & showmanship? Thanks!
I suggest starting with Darwin Ortiz's "Strong Magic."

It's a book. Books are good. You know...

[video=youtube;TgcZNpmOKuk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgcZNpmOKuk[/video]
 
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