Asking too much...?

[canadamagic]

I want to strike up a disccusion that has been on my mind for a while. This being my first "rant" bear with me.

I am now often seeing people asking each other very often for help which is a great thing don't get me wrong. Though to what degree? One thing that I have been seeing is:


"Can someone help me create this trick..."

or

"I need to make -so and so- anyone want to tell me ideas how?"

This has been something that has been eating at me for several reasons. One being that I feel this is taking the originality out of the effect. If you are attempting to create your own trick why are you asking for others for ideas on how to do it. This would be like Ford asking BMW to help them create a car that they, Ford, can sell (rough desription though subtable). This just seems like taking someones ideas to create your own trick.

I have been seeing this more and more, at least three times in the last 2 days and I want to get your opinion on this. I don't want this to sound arogant or "snobbish," just a question I wanted to toss out. What are your thoughts?

 

[James Smith]

First of all, the title of this thread should be, "Asking too Much...? Sorry, studying for my English final, and I can't stop correcting grammar.

If you're asking someone for help on an effect you are hoping to sell, and you don't intend to cut them in on the profits, that's messed up. If you want to have someone help you, and make a book, e-book, or DVD together than that's fine. If you just want some help with an effect for you to perform, I see no problem with that.

 

[Justin.Morris]

First of all, the title of this thread should be, "Asking too Much...? Sorry, studying for my English final, and I can't stop correcting grammar.

If you're asking someone for help on an effect you are hoping to sell, and you don't intend to cut them in on the profits, that's messed up. If you want to have someone help you, and make a book, e-book, or DVD together than that's fine. If you just want some help with an effect for you to perform, I see no problem with that.

I was going to type, then read that you already typed what I was thinking.

 

[Brad Henderson]

i see nothing wrong when people seek guidance or thoughts in helping flesh out an original idea. However, in many cases, what we see are not others seeking input to help evaluate original, untested steps, but those who lack any sense of foundations seeking someone to do their homework for them.

while I think it is wonderful that people are trying to be original, without a strong foundation in methods and history, how will you ever know you are?

Along with coming up with new ideas, serious "creators" should be building their tool box. This means reading old books that cover the development of our art.

No dvd set in the world will give you as broad a base as Tarbell.

If you want to create, you have to have the tools to build those creations. That requires study and time.

 

[Randomwrath]

I believe it depends on the motives.
If I had been taking an idle bath one day, and suddenly jumped up and shouted 'Eurika!' (consequently sloshing bathwater over everything nearby) because I had just thought of an effect I would like to be able to perform, asking for help is perfectly acceptable. I see nothing wrong with this. If, however, I wanted to create an effect for the sake of creating effects, and so that I could lay claim to the fame and prosperity that everybody knows instantly is yours once you have created your own material, this is not good. This is choosing to be original for originality's sake, and then asking somebody else to do the thinking for you. Bad.

 

[Dylan P.]

Well, to put a different perspective on things, I feel that excessive asking of questions like this do take the originality out of everything. For example if someone was to ask:

"Hey, I really want to make a card change if I shake it up and down. What moves can I learn to do it."

Things like that are bad and show total lack of effort as well as originality. However, if you were to go and ask for some help, or team up with somebody in order to create the effect then that would be okay, as long as you put effort into it first. For example:

"Hey guys! For a few months I have been trying to create an effect in which a card visually changes while a move it up and down. I have tried to find a way and have come close, however I just can't find a good way to end clean. I was hoping to colaborate with somebody and hopefully come up with a way to end the trick.

Due credit will be given."

Things like this can only improve magic and better it by letting two creative people come together and share ideas.

Dylan P.

 

[canadamagic]

Well, to put a different perspective on things, I feel that excessive asking of questions like this do take the originality out of everything. For example if someone was to ask:

"Hey, I really want to make a card change if I shake it up and down. What moves can I learn to do it."

Things like that are bad and show total lack of effort as well as originality. However, if you were to go and ask for some help, or team up with somebody in order to create the effect then that would be okay, as long as you put effort into it first. For example:

"Hey guys! For a few months I have been trying to create an effect in which a card visually changes while a move it up and down. I have tried to find a way and have come close, however I just can't find a good way to end clean. I was hoping to colaborate with somebody and hopefully come up with a way to end the trick.

Due credit will be given."

Things like this can only improve magic and better it by letting two creative people come together and share ideas.

Dylan P.

My sentiments exactly, thanks all for the responses

 

[Renaldo]

"Hey, I'm working on this effect, and can't figure out how to make X turn into Y." Okay, you don't know enough how to be able to create this effect. You need to go learn more before you start trying to create effects. If the effect meant that much to you, you'd put in the time and work to create it. Instead, you're taking the lazy way out and expecting someone else to do the heavy lifting. Yep, you have to read books, and this is one of the top reasons why.

Also, keep in mind that you may have a killer idea, and you're online posting about the effect and how you don't know how to get it done. Anyone can read your post, and if they know how to do it, that effect is theirs. There's nothing to stop someone from taking it since they can actually complete it, and selling it or doing whatever they want with it. Most magic development is highly secret, this is why.