How do you create effects

[JokerZingo]

This has been on my mind for a while now and I was kinda thinking how other people creating effects I been reading the biggest profiles on theory11 and how they create effects but I just wanted to know how others "none famous" magicians create effects.

This is my way please tell me if I can improve it in anyway always good to get some critisism:
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Step 1. I write down all moves I know on a piece of paper I look trought them what can be put toghter in a routine also I use some of my own moves that I invted got 2 of my own so far.
Step 2. I try out a few ideas that I get, I buy the things I need for some of the ideas. (check internet if the trick is already created)
Step 3: I film myself doing it how it looks on camera if it looks good I take the trick to the next step
Step 4. Try out the effect for family friends and other magicians. See what's good and what works with the tricks.
Step 5. Take the 1-3 best ideas work on them and practice them really much for a while and preform for real people on your shows etc.
Step 6. Good reactions = good trick + your trick have to make seanse. Also always keep working on your trick I like to say that no trick is ever finished always things you can improve there you go some help if you want to create a trick.
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Not sure if this is the best way but this is how I do it of course I just play around sometimes and come up with ideas that can just be preformed on the spot.

But I would really like to know how other people create effects and give me some ideas how I can improve my way and mabye help others with my ideas, always good to hear from fellow magicians =)

Thanks and hope to hear some great ways soon - JokerZingo/Markus
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NOTE:
Not sure if this is the right place to put it but I think so ^^

 

[yyyyyyy]

Well, in my opinion, that process seems a bit convoluted. Don't take this the wrong way at all, I'm not insulting your method by any means. If a creative method works for you, stick with it. But for my personal creations, I don't really focus on the methods and the processes. I just try things out. Many great inventions were accidents. I find that truly original and astounding material shows up in your head whenever it chooses to. This sort of applies to other things as well say, acting. A story circulated for a long time that Dustin Hoffman, being a "method actor", stayed up all night to play a character who has stayed up all night. Arriving on the set, Laurence Olivier asked him why he looked the way he did. Hoffman went over his thought process and methods in great detail, to which Olivier replied in jest, "Why not try acting? It's much easier." Sometimes, simplicity is the way to go.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

I think of something that would be interesting, then I figure out a method to do it. I try the method, and then I refine it to make it better. Usually somewhere between the 3rd and 10th attempt I have something that actually works.

I never force creation. I always have an idea of, "Wouldn't it be awesome if I could do this?" Then I figure out how to do that. Usually I start from the very end. The visual and feeling I want to create in the audience. Then I think of what would create that visual/feeling, then I figure out how to do that. I never just sit down and think, "Ok, what can I create?" I feel that trying to create a new trick just for the sake of creating a new trick leads to poor tricks. It leads to the mentality of, "What would be more impossible?" Instead of "What would create this feeling?"

 

[ii3randonmagic]

I have a little pocketbook that I carry in my back pocket when i'm out and I think of things that would be visual or with cards, "original". So I start with an idea that I think would be powerful and from then on I look for a method and once I have created a basic idea I sit down and perfect it for however long it takes and if I think that it is good by itself and doesn't need a routine I just use that otherwise I will sit down and try to create a routine.

 

[SinCera]

I carry a notebook everywhere I go.
Whenever I got an idea, a very simple inspiration, I'll jot it down in the notebook.
Wherever it is, whenever it is, whenever it is, whatever it is. Even if the inspiration is just seeing some pigeons flying past by, I'll jot it down.
The next step is to basically trying to visualize it as a magic trick. Visualize the reaction of the audiences, and visualize the way I'm doing it.
The last step would involve the creation itself. and That is pretty much about it, I guess.

 

[WyattSB]

I've got stuff that I think of written down in a little book I have, or on my phone, those are mostly presentation ideas though, or how things could be used for other things. I don't really come up with too many methods or effects myself, but if I do they are normally improvements on stuff I already can do, and normally only think of those with cards in my hand.

 

[JokerZingo]

Thanks for all the comments, I think it's good to hear new ideas because sometimes you get too caught up in your own old ways.

Thanks alot and if you want cristism my way, thats why I wrote it because I want to change my way of creating things =)
so it doesn't feel that "forced"

Thanks again - JokerZingo/Markus

-----NOTE-----
leaving towmorow for a week so if I don't answer you know why ^^

 

[JokerZingo]

Thanks =), Yah mabye simplicity is the way to go. I won't take it the wrong way I always like to hear new ways because the way I do now feel abit "froced" as I wrote in the comment below but thanks for the ide with simplicity might be the way to go =)

Thanks - JokerZingo/Markus

 

[RealityOne]

I "create" magic by reading. I read books with magic effects, I read books about magic theory, I read books about magic history, I read books on child psychology, I read books that tell amazing stories, I read on-line news articles about all different topics. It is all about knowledge.

It is like being a chef. If you know how to make 10 recipes, would it make sense to start developing your own recipes? Of course not. You need to learn a number of techniques and subtleties -- most of which are best learned by imitation. And then, after you have learned the fundamentals, you start altering recipes -- adding your own subtleties. Finally, when you've mastered the fundamentals and have expanded your knowledge, then you can create your own masterpieces.

If you are a card guy and haven't worked through all five volumes of Card College, stop trying to create and start learning. If you do magic beyond cards, you need to read Tarbell. It takes three hours to recreate (often with an inferior method) what has been done before but only a half hour to learn it. If you learn, you will be six times the magician than if you try to figure it out on your own. Don't try to be famous among magicians, try to be amazing for your spectators.

P.S. #1 - If I tried to list the methods I know, it would take hours and consume pages of text.

P.S. #2 - Focusing on creating methods tends to lead to less developed plots (typically lose a card / find a card type effect). Start with the plot or the idea of what you want the effect to look like. Study the classics to learn about what plots work and study guys like Bannon and Gustaferro to see well developed plots and then study Card College Light / Lighter and Lightest to see how to tie the effects into routines.

P.S. #3 - If you don't believe my method works better, we can have a contest -- someone posts an "idea" and we both try to come up with a method to accomplish that idea.

 

[SinCera]

I "create" magic by reading. I read books with magic effects, I read books about magic theory, I read books about magic history, I read books on child psychology, I read books that tell amazing stories, I read on-line news articles about all different topics. It is all about knowledge.

It is like being a chef. If you know how to make 10 recipes, would it make sense to start developing your own recipes? Of course not. You need to learn a number of techniques and subtleties -- most of which are best learned by imitation. And then, after you have learned the fundamentals, you start altering recipes -- adding your own subtleties. Finally, when you've mastered the fundamentals and have expanded your knowledge, then you can create your own masterpieces.

If you are a card guy and haven't worked through all five volumes of Card College, stop trying to create and start learning. If you do magic beyond cards, you need to read Tarbell. It takes three hours to recreate (often with an inferior method) what has been done before but only a half hour to learn it. If you learn, you will be six times the magician than if you try to figure it out on your own. Don't try to be famous among magicians, try to be amazing for your spectators.

P.S. #1 - If I tried to list the methods I know, it would take hours and consume pages of text.

P.S. #2 - Focusing on creating methods tends to lead to less developed plots (typically lose a card / find a card type effect). Start with the plot or the idea of what you want the effect to look like. Study the classics to learn about what plots work and study guys like Bannon and Gustaferro to see well developed plots and then study Card College Light / Lighter and Lightest to see how to tie the effects into routines.

P.S. #3 - If you don't believe my method works better, we can have a contest -- someone posts an "idea" and we both try to come up with a method to accomplish that idea.

THe books suggested by R1 are not a recommendation anymore. It is a must have.
I would like to add Expert at The Card Table by S.W.Erdnase and 13 Steps to Mentalism by Corinda, that is of course up to your style and kind of magic you're doing. But Card College and Tarbell are a must have for every magician.

 

[4ofClubs]

Two more "Must have" books when it comes to creativity are "Strong Magic" and "Designing Miracles" by Darwin Ortiz. "Scripting Magic" by Pete McCabe (and others) has also really helped my creative process.

I find a lot of times playing with a particular move can be a good way to consider all of the possibilities. What does a particular sleight allow you to do? I think R1 is on the money that this sort of thinking can lead to simple/direct effects, but considering all of the "angles" for a particular method can be a good place to start thinking about possibilities.

A notebook (or several)=essential.

Watch great magicians PERFORM. Explanations are great, but watching the greats perform can get you thinking and remind you why you found magic in the first place.

I have had some success working at the puzzle from different angles. Sometimes I think Presentation->method...other times it is Big Idea->Presentation->Study existing effects->etc. Sometimes I have a move I really like and then think about how to use it. The more different approaches you use, the more likely you are to allow yourself the freedom to be creative. I think having one fixed process/pattern can be really limiting.

 

[JokerZingo]

I "create" magic by reading. I read books with magic effects, I read books about magic theory, I read books about magic history, I read books on child psychology, I read books that tell amazing stories, I read on-line news articles about all different topics. It is all about knowledge.

It is like being a chef. If you know how to make 10 recipes, would it make sense to start developing your own recipes? Of course not. You need to learn a number of techniques and subtleties -- most of which are best learned by imitation. And then, after you have learned the fundamentals, you start altering recipes -- adding your own subtleties. Finally, when you've mastered the fundamentals and have expanded your knowledge, then you can create your own masterpieces.

If you are a card guy and haven't worked through all five volumes of Card College, stop trying to create and start learning. If you do magic beyond cards, you need to read Tarbell. It takes three hours to recreate (often with an inferior method) what has been done before but only a half hour to learn it. If you learn, you will be six times the magician than if you try to figure it out on your own. Don't try to be famous among magicians, try to be amazing for your spectators.

P.S. #1 - If I tried to list the methods I know, it would take hours and consume pages of text.

P.S. #2 - Focusing on creating methods tends to lead to less developed plots (typically lose a card / find a card type effect). Start with the plot or the idea of what you want the effect to look like. Study the classics to learn about what plots work and study guys like Bannon and Gustaferro to see well developed plots and then study Card College Light / Lighter and Lightest to see how to tie the effects into routines.

P.S. #3 - If you don't believe my method works better, we can have a contest -- someone posts an "idea" and we both try to come up with a method to accomplish that idea.

Thanks for the tips I have, I got 1-5 card college and I belive your knowledge idea is really good.
I like the reference you draw to chefs and cooking food that was a great one so true what you said.

Thanks alot for the help it was great.
At the moment I read Expert card techniques feels like a book I missed when I started with magic few years back what do you think about that.

Thanks alot for your input mate =) - JokerZingo/Markus

 

[JoshuaGillespie]

I don't tend to come up with the methods first, I find that this (most of the time) leads to bad magic. You may have to make 5 effects this way before any of them are good enough to use. Here is my method for creation:

1) I have a theme. This is something like chance, gambling, mind-reading or time-travel. These aren't the limit, just some examples.
2) I try to think of what may be a good effect to do with this theme. At the forefront of my mind I'm always thinking "what will the audience want to see"?
3) I come up with a method. I'm not sure how this happens, it just kinda does. I don't practise the method too much yet though.
4) I come up with the basic premise for the patter.
5) I practise the method whilst keeping the premise in mind, the method and patter tend to help each other when I do it this way.
6) I add in any clean-ups that may be required and any subtleties (verbal or physical) that I may have thought of.
7) I practise the effect to death, speaking whilst I practise the sleights. I know I sound like an idiot to my family, I just don't care; it''s better than stammering whilst I perform.
8) I perform it for a camera until I feel that the body language and timings are sublime.
9) I perform for trusted spectators
10) I perform for strangers

 

[junkbox]

You shouldnt create an effect for the sake of creating an effect. Think of something amazing that you want to accomplish, and then brainstorm. I have two things I am working on right now actually, one of which is a new gimmick I came up with and that, if successful, will create miracles, and the other is a sleight of hand, impromptu, out of the ordinary sandwhich routine. When coming p with these, I thought of what I wanted to do first. I wanted this certain twist on sandwhich effects, and I have now started thinking of the method and am almost there. Basically, think of what you want to accomplish before you think of a method. Also, dont rush it and force it. Let the idea come to you. One day it will hit you and you will be on your way to creating that truly amazing effect.