We can't let magic die

May 20, 2017
7
2
my name is matt indiviglio the other day I was on YouTube and was watching one of my fav magicians Chris ramsay, the video name was " is magic dead" I clicked on it and as I was watching the message he was saying got to me the community is becoming very small I don't see many street magicians like David Blaine anymore amazing the world and bringing joy to people on the street anymore or just posting on YouTube I know not everything is about YouTube but think about it YouTube is one of the biggest video community's the reason I got into magic was because I saw a video of David Blaine doing street magic it inspired me so here's what I wanna do I have a friend with a great camera he makes videos on YouTube and he's also a magician and we want to make a YouTube channel performing street magic just like the good old days I love the reactions I get with tricks it's the best feeling and I'd love the magic community to support me I know I'm new to the theory 11 community but we need to get magic back and more give it more exposure(not talking about breaking the magicians code I'm really big on that) what I mean is doing tricks and to people on the street and getting their reactions making people at home amazed and be like woah how did they do that that's sick I want to learn, that's exactly what got me into magic that type of stuff grows this community it sparks interests in what we do I need all your guys thoughts and I'd love support from you guys and girls
 
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Tower of Lunatic Meat

Elite Member
Sep 27, 2014
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Holy run of sentence.


Anyway. I don't think Magic is in short supply of magicians. Magic gained a helluva following in the last several years. While I haven't been around as long as others; if the magic community is seeing a decrease, I'm willing to bet it's mostly comprised of people who haven't been around very long and quickly burned out for one reason or another...or ones that saw it as a fad or thought they could see a quick return in benefits, or had unrealistic expectations about it all.

Then again, the magic community has always been rather small.

I see you reference a lot of street magic and performances in said field. Magic is ALWAYS evolving. Street magic will always be a...how do I put this...archetype?

But it seems that a lot of focus and attention isn't on street magic anymore. Honestly it seems that 'geek' magic is the next big thing. And that's not really a subset of magic that's really for those who...aren't going to be on the train for very long.

Aside from theoretical fads in magic, welcome to the community! Don't be afraid to ask questions. Enjoy the ride!
 

obrienmagic

Elite Member
Nov 4, 2014
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Magic is growing increasingly more and more popular. It has a ton of mainstream traffic and is actually in my opinion from dead. I love Chris and his work, but I think it is a bit dramatic to claim magic is dying. Perhaps he meant the secrets of magic are becoming more exposed? That I may agree with since youtube allows a 5 year old kid to expose something that took years of work for someone to practice. But as a whole I think magic is just fine :)
 
May 20, 2017
7
2
Magic is growing increasingly more and more popular. It has a ton of mainstream traffic and is actually in my opinion from dead. I love Chris and his work, but I think it is a bit dramatic to claim magic is dying. Perhaps he meant the secrets of magic are becoming more exposed? That I may agree with since youtube allows a 5 year old kid to expose something that took years of work for someone to practice. But as a whole I think magic is just fine :)
I agree with what your saying but wouldn't it be more beneficial to get the name and amaze people and truly let them experience the unexplainable. street magicians are allowing a variety of people to see magic not just people on YouTube or people who pay for shows it can make someone's day so much better or spark an intrest in what we do.
 
May 20, 2017
7
2
Holy run of sentence.


Anyway. I don't think Magic is in short supply of magicians. Magic gained a helluva following in the last several years. While I haven't been around as long as others; if the magic community is seeing a decrease, I'm willing to bet it's mostly comprised of people who haven't been around very long and quickly burned out for one reason or another...or ones that saw it as a fad or thought they could see a quick return in benefits, or had unrealistic expectations about it all.

Then again, the magic community has always been rather small.

I see you reference a lot of street magic and performances in said field. Magic is ALWAYS evolving. Street magic will always be a...how do I put this...archetype?

But it seems that a lot of focus and attention isn't on street magic anymore. Honestly it seems that 'geek' magic is the next big thing. And that's not really a subset of magic that's really for those who...aren't going to be on the train for very long.

Aside from theoretical fads in magic, welcome to the community! Don't be afraid to ask questions. Enjoy the ride!
I understand what you mean but why isn't Street magic the focus anymore can you touch up on the "geek" magic for me please
 

Tower of Lunatic Meat

Elite Member
Sep 27, 2014
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I understand what you mean but why isn't Street magic the focus anymore can you touch up on the "geek" magic for me please

I think street magic has given way to 'Instagram' magic. While you can do tricks that are suitable for street magic on Instagram, you wouldn't be able to get away with super-angle-sensitive Instagram magic in a setting where you're surrounded on all sides.

It's the 'a square can be a rectangle, but a rectangle can't be a square' argument.

Unfortunately, because 'Instagram magic' is a marketable thing, it's sometimes hard for magicians to figure out if a certain tick would be appropriate for the environment they excel in prior to purchase and finding out that it's only good from one very specific angle.

Don't get me wrong, there are some good tricks for this field, it's just a bit unfortunate that (due to the way marketing goes), profits will be made from people who either don't know or are too impatient to wait for reviews.


As for 'geek magic'. It's more physical magic and manipulation of the body...I think. David Blaine's new special uses some 'geek' effects (bullet catch, the water vomit trick, etc). Also, Wayne Houchin's 'Thread' where you pull a thread out of your eye.

Not really bandwagonable material. You really have to be a dedicated sort for it.
 

RickEverhart

forum moderator / t11
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Sep 14, 2008
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I believe magic is alive and well it just has "adapted" and changed a tad bit to our current society and technology.
The thing that I dislike in my own personal opinion are the young kids performing Youtube/Instagram magic in front of the "safety" of their own camera and thinking they are truly performing. In a way they are yes, but if you put 9 out of 10 of them in a real world situation walking up to a group of strangers or a table at a busy restaurant they aren't going to have the first clue on how to deal with angles, hecklers, pocket management, etc. You get "that" experience by actually jumping into the fire and getting after it so to speak. You learn quickly what works and doesn't.
 
Jan 26, 2017
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Just because magic is changing, doesn't mean its dying. I have to completely disagree with you. More and more people are entering magic everyday. As for Insta/YouTube magic, magic for a camera does not nearly get the same reaction as magic for people. You need to understand that street magic is literally incorporated in all sorts of magic we do now. All the magic I do, and a ton that others do - at school, at a close up performance, walk around, etc. is based on street magic. And as for the example you gave of DB, I don't think I've seen anybody doing street magic like him - unless you count tricks in schools, work, etc. which I see a ton of. So to say Magic is dying is a completely false argument.

As for your channel, I can't see how that's a bad thing - as long as you do it right. I understand you will be doing magic - but how will you do it? To a camera, or to spectators whom the camera is focused on.
 
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May 20, 2017
7
2
Just because magic is changing, doesn't mean its dying. I have to completely disagree with you. More and more people are entering magic everyday. As for Insta/YouTube magic, magic for a camera does not nearly get the same reaction as magic for people. You need to understand that street magic is literally incorporated in all sorts of magic we do now. All the magic I do, and a ton that others do - at school, at a close up performance, walk around, etc. is based on street magic. And as for the example you gave of DB, I don't think I've seen anybody doing street magic like him - unless you count tricks in schools, work, etc. which I see a ton of. So to say Magic is dying is a completely false argument.

As for your channel, I can't see how that's a bad thing - as long as you do it right. I understand you will be doing magic - but how will you do it? To a camera, or to spectators whom the camera is focused on.
DB is my idol and I want to do what he did like walk up to spectators and do it the right way not revealing anything I've been doing Street magic for a while now so I know the angles and what needs to be done in order to keep the secrets hidden
 
my name is matt indiviglio the other day I was on YouTube and was watching one of my fav magicians Chris ramsay, the video name was " is magic dead" I clicked on it and as I was watching the message he was saying got to me the community is becoming very small I don't see many street magicians like David Blaine anymore amazing the world and bringing joy to people on the street anymore or just posting on YouTube I know not everything is about YouTube but think about it YouTube is one of the biggest video community's the reason I got into magic was because I saw a video of David Blaine doing street magic it inspired me so here's what I wanna do I have a friend with a great camera he makes videos on YouTube and he's also a magician and we want to make a YouTube channel performing street magic just like the good old days I love the reactions I get with tricks it's the best feeling and I'd love the magic community to support me I know I'm new to the theory 11 community but we need to get magic back and more give it more exposure(not talking about breaking the magicians code I'm really big on that) what I mean is doing tricks and to people on the street and getting their reactions making people at home amazed and be like woah how did they do that that's sick I want to learn, that's exactly what got me into magic that type of stuff grows this community it sparks interests in what we do I need all your guys thoughts and I'd love support from you guys and girls


My first bit of advice to you is to never write an entire paragraph like that again. No commas, periods, question marks, nothing. You have got to change that. Haha.

With that being said, welcome! Wow! I can remember being you. Your post bring me back to always wanting to soak up all the knowledge I could.

The best advice I can give is to learn everything as much as you can. Also practice. The more you do the better you will be prepared to perform. Also perform any chance you get. The more you perform for real audiences, the more "exposure" you get and the more opportunities come your way. You get to pick up tips and things that no one else can teach you based on your own experiences.

That's just a start.

And yes, don't be such in a hurry to become David Blaine. Be yourself. Learn who you are as a person and your style of performances. Its going to pay off in the end.
 
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May 3, 2017
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17
Here is something I have learned about the state of magic today.
I got into magic as a very young teen. Back then, you either had to know someone or you bought the books. I bought the books. Then I found L&L Publishing and bought a few VHS tapes. They were GREAT!

Life caught up with me and like most I got out of magic. During a move someone stole a couple of boxes off the trailer, they were my entire book collection on magic. I was devastated!!!! To me that is where the magic was! When we got moved I had a young fella working for me that was getting into magic. He was a natural and eventually I wound up just giving him my entire magic room lol.

Fast forward about 20 years I find myself doing magic once again and this time I discovered how much one could learn from the internet. I was excited and then worried! My thinking was if the availability of the secrets were so easy I would never get away with magic..........I was wrong!

I race slot cars and often do magic at the track. Lots and lots of people. I also do magic at my favorite coffee lounge and book store.
One day I did my favorite CC Knife routine for the lady that makes my coffee and she said ..."I am 40 years old and have never met a magician in real life!" So this got me to thinking and I started asking everyone that I found myself having a conversation with if they have ever met a magician in their everyday life. I have yet to hear anyone say YES!

If you involve yourself in the world of a certain topic it would seem that it is everywhere. Your online social media has been proportioned to involve the topics you are interested in and you find yourself falsely assuming that everyone is in on the topic.

Yes, the information is out there but 99% of the magic for the spectator is an IN THE MOMENT event! At that particular moment they want to know how the trick is done. At that particular moment they would do just about anything to figure it out.

When it is all said and done, most of those people will go about there merry lives and never think to look online for the trick! The ones that do most certainly won't even know the name of the routine.

All that is needed to keep magic alive is for those of us who love it to treat it like it is a special gift. I do not believe magic will ever be put to rest, it may slip between cracks of popularity from one generation to the next, but if that happens consider yourself an ambassador to an art that has found itself once again where it belongs....HIDDEN IN THE SECRETS!!!

Just have as much fun as you can and do not sweat the small stuff!
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
If you involve yourself in the world of a certain topic it would seem that it is everywhere.

This is called "blue car syndrome" (or various versions of that). Basically, when you buy a blue car suddenly you notice that there's a lot of blue cars on the road.

Unless someone is part of a performance community of some sort, the chances that they will see more than one magician live and close up is pretty low. That's why it's so important to really do your best at every performance, even casual ones. Because when someone sees a bad singer, they say, "Wow that singer was bad, I don't like them", but when someone sees a bad magician, they say, "I don't like magic."

All that is needed to keep magic alive is for those of us who love it to treat it like it is a special gift.

Pretty much, yeah. Create interesting experiences for people and magic will always be there. Its form will shift, the popular venue will shift, but it will always be around. I mean, chances are magic has been part of human culture since the very beginning already.
 
Jul 26, 2016
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I am encouraged when I read threads like this that MAGIC is alive and very well. Reading the very thoughtful and insightful comments of the Members here takes this Forum light years ahead of the Genii Forum with which I have become quite dillusioned (if you'll excuse the pun). They don't discuss magic in any kind of depth on there; just boring things like who came up with the this or that variation on such and such variation of so and so's trick, or trivial things that have nothing to do with the performance and presentation of magic, how to make it entertaining, and understanding the psychology of spectators. Reading the posts on this Forum gives me great cause for optimism that MAGIC is indeed in good hands and will only continue to flourish (again, pun not intended). Magic is a PERFORMANCE ART. Whatever you want to call it ("Street Magic" or otherwise) the way to improve in MAGIC and as a MAGICIAN is to perform live for people, as often as possible, and in as many different venues as possible...
 
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Josh Burch

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Aug 11, 2011
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I've got to say that I don't think that magic is anywhere near dead. Last year there were something like 9 magic television series on cable. Most of these were of magicians doing "street magic" to random spectators. This year we have already seen great magic on BGT and AGT. We had a series by Adam Trent. The Carbonaro Effect is going strong. To say nothing of the successful You Tube magicians the likes of Stephen Bridges, Jibrizy, Rick Lax, Chris Ramsay and more.

I have heard Calen Morelli, Jibrizy Taylor, and Cashaan Wallace all talk about their own magic specials coming up. Odds are we will get a bunch of "street" performacnes from them.

David Blaine and Dynamo are mounting tours. Derek Delgaudio is currently performing his landmark show. Derren Brown is performing in New York. I could keep going but I wont.

Kudos to you for wanting to share more magic with the world. I think that some day magic will be as popular as skateboarding. I feel like magic is thriving to the point where it very well could.
 
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