theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards
How did you do that?
- Thread starter crashbang1969
- Start date
Any response to a question will still leave a spectator questioning. Its about being stern with the spectator and making them answer their own question "he wont tell me"
First of all, if they are questioning your magic a lot, it means something is wrong with the perfomance, if you like to leave your spectators with the "he wont tell me" thought, well, they will almost be sure that there is an answer and explanation to the thing you just did....they dont know it, but they know there is a solution or explanation for it.
Im sorry... but why you comming at me so negative?
First off, Its magic if you get them to ask you how you did that....then you have accomplished alot. What are you saying with this? " if they are questioning your magic a lot, it means something is wrong with the perfomance," Who said that?.....
"they will almost be sure that there is an answer and explanation to the thing you just did"
....A duhhhhh. Nobody is going to think your Jesus in the flesh...
It comes to the performer in the end, and Im not being negative im jsut trying to take this thread a little step ahead than just talking about "funny things to say"
Have you read Darwin Ortiz "strong magic"? I suggest you read it and then read my post again.
Well, im not taking my magic to that step, but I usually like to present my magic as something more than simple "card tricks".
As I said, it always comes to the performer in the end, that answer kinda letted me know what kind of performer are you.
Since you guys doesnt want to discuss these kind of things, lets keep the thread talking about "funny things".
Wow... you're on an 18 year old power trip.... You need to relax and realize this threads original purpose. As for someone who’s been here longer then me... I would expect more courtesy from you. Obviously you don’t care about how you present yourself on the forums to newer members.
I never attacked you buddy, I just cuestioned your thoughts, am I wrong because I want some good discussions here? trying to learn more from you guys? I know that the TC wanted some funny comments, I thought that we could make a interesting discussion about this thread, I guess im wrong.
Dude you came at me saying my responses to people asking "how did you do that" were basically pointless because they raise more questions.... I explain my point of view and then you come at me saying if I have people questioning my performance then there is something wrong with what I do. You can take magic seriously, but still be funny or have fun doing it. This thread was based off of "Funny" responses because he wants to be that type of entertainer. If you want to be a Chris Angel entertainer and take nothing with a grain of salt then so be it, but don’t push your views on me and try to put me down because I would do it differently then you.
I have no problem with you nor have I ever. So lets let this go and let the thread carry on.
Apologizes to crashbang and anyone else who read these posts and felt them to be out of place.
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Wow. Thanks guys. So far you've all given me some really great material to add to the repertoire. About the only thing I had (it's magic) was getting pretty wore out.
It's cool to have places like this to come and get input when you get stuck. Thanks T11 and all you guys.
It's cool to have places like this to come and get input when you get stuck. Thanks T11 and all you guys.
WOOOOOOW
Kontents, I'm not trying to be negative here, but your responses DO, and I mean DO bring up other questions about it.
"It's really hard to understand" insinuates that there is indeed a solution behidn the magic trick that the spectator coulod easily figure out or even be able to do themselves. I've said responses just like that, they DO bring up other questions.
and no, not all responses bring up other questions. "Very Well Thank You" is one that has no other questions brought up. The spectators GET that you're not going to tell them and that even there is nothing to tell.
If they do ask "but howd you do the trick?" then you can say "magic" and they get the hint, if not and they keep asking questions, then it has fallen on them to be as pestering as possible and no matter what you say will make them leave other than a swift kick to the crotch, I MEAN, simply say that you aren't going to tell them.
Youre response "it's a special deck that I will sell you" implies something about that the decks are "messed up" in some way. You might not be using them, but it's now a possibility to them that decks can be messed up.
One simple google seach for "magic decks" bring up other options for "magic trick decks" and other things as such. The majoirty of the results are for Magic the Gathering, but simply typing in magic into the google box brought up "magic trick deck" and etc. etc.
"It's a trick" again insinuates that it's nothing more than a SIMPLE trick, something that they can figure out or even do.
Magic isn't known for being impossible. Let me try to explain. EVERYONE knows that you somehow managed to accomplish the magic trick in SOME WAY. The magic (at least to me) seems to be the impossiblity of a logical solution. The magic isn't taken as "he can actually make things float." it seems to be more "he put his hands around it, there couldn't have been a string."
Mind reading effects, even ones as simple as forcing a card and "reading" their minds seem to bring up the most interesting responses. Classic Forcing a card, and reading their mind is something that I've gotten different responses to. From, "the cards are marked" to even "he read my eyes."
Short antidote.
I was finishing up my street show with the TOD, i asked the lady to clear her mind, then think of her card. Once I said think of her card I said what the name of her card was. The show ended, I hatted the audience, etc. etc. and the lady came up to me afterwards and said, being completely honest, "I know how you did that last trick. I wasn't thinking of my card when you told me to, but then I thought about it, and then you knew it. You could see it in my eyes, you just read my eyes to know what the card was."
Now here is someone who, not by a flaw in my performance, but it was her own intuition and thoughts that concluded that the ONLY possibly explanation was that I could read things through people's eyes. She had thought of other possibilities, and conlcuded that read it through her eyes was the only possible explanation. That's what magic seems to be these days.
Magic isn't miracles or powers. It's the lack of an explanation that leads them dumbfounded.
So saying that "it's hard to understand" or that there is a trick deck involved leads them to a more rational explanation that is closer to the truth.
I wasn't trying to be negative, just give for a good discussion
Kontents, I'm not trying to be negative here, but your responses DO, and I mean DO bring up other questions about it.
"It's really hard to understand" insinuates that there is indeed a solution behidn the magic trick that the spectator coulod easily figure out or even be able to do themselves. I've said responses just like that, they DO bring up other questions.
and no, not all responses bring up other questions. "Very Well Thank You" is one that has no other questions brought up. The spectators GET that you're not going to tell them and that even there is nothing to tell.
If they do ask "but howd you do the trick?" then you can say "magic" and they get the hint, if not and they keep asking questions, then it has fallen on them to be as pestering as possible and no matter what you say will make them leave other than a swift kick to the crotch, I MEAN, simply say that you aren't going to tell them.
Youre response "it's a special deck that I will sell you" implies something about that the decks are "messed up" in some way. You might not be using them, but it's now a possibility to them that decks can be messed up.
One simple google seach for "magic decks" bring up other options for "magic trick decks" and other things as such. The majoirty of the results are for Magic the Gathering, but simply typing in magic into the google box brought up "magic trick deck" and etc. etc.
"It's a trick" again insinuates that it's nothing more than a SIMPLE trick, something that they can figure out or even do.
Magic isn't known for being impossible. Let me try to explain. EVERYONE knows that you somehow managed to accomplish the magic trick in SOME WAY. The magic (at least to me) seems to be the impossiblity of a logical solution. The magic isn't taken as "he can actually make things float." it seems to be more "he put his hands around it, there couldn't have been a string."
Mind reading effects, even ones as simple as forcing a card and "reading" their minds seem to bring up the most interesting responses. Classic Forcing a card, and reading their mind is something that I've gotten different responses to. From, "the cards are marked" to even "he read my eyes."
Short antidote.
I was finishing up my street show with the TOD, i asked the lady to clear her mind, then think of her card. Once I said think of her card I said what the name of her card was. The show ended, I hatted the audience, etc. etc. and the lady came up to me afterwards and said, being completely honest, "I know how you did that last trick. I wasn't thinking of my card when you told me to, but then I thought about it, and then you knew it. You could see it in my eyes, you just read my eyes to know what the card was."
Now here is someone who, not by a flaw in my performance, but it was her own intuition and thoughts that concluded that the ONLY possibly explanation was that I could read things through people's eyes. She had thought of other possibilities, and conlcuded that read it through her eyes was the only possible explanation. That's what magic seems to be these days.
Magic isn't miracles or powers. It's the lack of an explanation that leads them dumbfounded.
So saying that "it's hard to understand" or that there is a trick deck involved leads them to a more rational explanation that is closer to the truth.
I wasn't trying to be negative, just give for a good discussion
I can understand your point of view, but the point of the thread was to be FUNNY. If it was supposed to be serious responses I wouldn't have said any of the above....
Funny, I wrote a thread about this the other day.
Yes, you've turned it into a puzzle instead of theater.
Do you walk into a movie and refuse to suspend your disbelief for even a nanosecond and shout advice at the screen?
Translation: ass-kissing.
This is basically just a long-winded version of the "it's my style" excuse used by people who don't know what style is.
Because all jokes are funny. There is no such thing as a bad joke. Right? .... Right?!
You punched up bad responses. You got criticized for it. ****ing deal with it.
OH- I thought we were supposed to put funny responses, then you put yours and the laughing stopped, my mistake.
are you also insinuating that someone asking for funny responses can't be helped by an indepth discussion on what lines work the best? OF COURSE NOT- why should any of us grow as performers if we already have our own style?
Good call
Magic is theater if you are performing for people who don't know you and have paid you to perform. No matter how hard you try, you're friends and family are never going to believe that you are gifted with magical powers. This is something that magicians need to think about. The general census knows that what you are doing is sleight of hand. So no matter how smooth or natural your moves are, To them it will always be a puzzle. They may not say it out loud, but they are sure thinking it.
You ever notice how when you perform "magic", that people will look down at your hands and then up at your face and then down again. Well there's your answer. They know you don't have special abilities. No amount of acting or reading is going convince them otherwise.
Unless you are getting paid for a gig. magic is NOT theater. it's magic. It's fun an and it's entertainment. So enjoy it for what it's worth. Once you start getting older and getting gigs, THEN you say say Magic is Theater.
2 quick notes
the first bolded thing in your post, where is the magic happening, they aren't going to watch your face the whole time while the trick is down at your hands, logic point
the second, why should the art form be degraded and not be the same quality. are you saying that since I do not do paid gigs that my magic is not the same quality as someone who does? I do a street performance, I busk, my magic and my show is more theatre and comedy than it is magic.
Paid gigs IN AND OF ITSELF does not mean that you have stronger magic or that your magic is more theatrical.
Most of the people here are in High school or Middle School. It looks silly when they try to make it theatrical. Because their friends and family KNOW them and have been around them for ages. Which is why I said that.
Another thing is rather than blindingly listing to steerpike everytime he blurts out the word "Magic is Theater". I'd suggest actually reading some books ON theater and acting. Because otherwise, the more times he says it and the more times people agree with him. They really have no idea what he is talking about and are just agreeing with him so he doesn't yell at them. Which is stupid in itself.
Another thing is rather than blindingly listing to steerpike everytime he blurts out the word "Magic is Theater". I'd suggest actually reading some books ON theater and acting. Because otherwise, the more times he says it and the more times people agree with him. They really have no idea what he is talking about and are just agreeing with him so he doesn't yell at them. Which is stupid in itself.
I have read books on theatre, I am in theatre at my high school, as well as outside productions. I'm a actor who is attending RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) next summer for their Conservatory program.
I have intigrated numerous acting techniques, comedic timing, and voice projection into my show to make it much better. "theatrical" does not pertain to eloquence and a certain "air."
In the Middle Ages actors had to be traveling troops to escape the law, and they performed right out in the middle of the streetit was still theatre.
"theatrical" is a level of quality that can be reached through any venue or age. That is where performance technique and presentation is so crucial. As a street performer, people don't watch the show for the magic, they watch it for the performer.
I have to run, I shall be back later this evening, I need to go out and perform, Randy, I hope we can continue this conversation in the civil manner that we have been and noone goes to extreme, here to hoping
I have intigrated numerous acting techniques, comedic timing, and voice projection into my show to make it much better. "theatrical" does not pertain to eloquence and a certain "air."
In the Middle Ages actors had to be traveling troops to escape the law, and they performed right out in the middle of the streetit was still theatre.
"theatrical" is a level of quality that can be reached through any venue or age. That is where performance technique and presentation is so crucial. As a street performer, people don't watch the show for the magic, they watch it for the performer.
I have to run, I shall be back later this evening, I need to go out and perform, Randy, I hope we can continue this conversation in the civil manner that we have been and noone goes to extreme, here to hoping
???.... The hell?
My friends and family are not my audience. They're my critics.
And we all know that Indiana Jones is in fact played by an actor named Harrison Ford and that he is not fighting Nazis but actors dressed up as Nazis and that the ruined temples he risks life and limb to explore are in fact sets on a sound stage.
But Harrison Ford does not stop in the middle of a scene to wink at the camera and enthusiastically say, "God, I'm acting!"
Uh, dude? They look at my hands because that's where the incidental props are. Now you're just reaching.
So the difference between brainless spectacle and art/theater is in a financial transaction? If that's the case, then you'd have to tell me with a straight face that Disaster Movie was in the same league as The Shawshank Redemption.