At first I tried to avoid gimmicks; they seemed too much of a hassle to always carry around "just in case I get to perform." I didn't have a lot of time to perform on the streets, so school was my only other option, and not many opportunities came up.
I got Panic by Aaron Fisher a few years back before it sold out. I never had experience with a gimmick before, so I didn't know what to expect. I thought it was some weird contraption that sneaked the deck up my sleeve or something (I was a freshman and like a few months in magic, cut me some slack here). So when I opened up the mail package and saw what the gimmick really was, I felt a little cheated. Little did I know those little guys would help me perform a miracle. So I practiced and practiced and showed my family and trusted friend who loved it and was floored. He always asked me to show other people. Even though I carried the gimmick on me at all times, "just in case" I found that it was really hard to get into with people looking at you expecting you to perform. Now I know Aaron talked about ways to get into the trick several different ways and there are countless arguments on this; but this story has a different point, so I'm staying in that direction. Anyway, I got so frustrated and felt hassled carrying this gimmick around all the time that I eventually just left it at home and pretty much forgot about it. I found different effects; and Panic, much to my shame, became buried under other DVDs and props on my magic shelf.
Now, however, my ideas on gimmicks have changed. I got Transit by Calen Morelli for Christmas with full knowledge that it used a gimmick. I figured I should start branching out of cards more and this seemed like a good opportunity. When it came in I saw the little baggie of materials and thought, "what the hell am I going to do with this?" Once I popped the DVD in, I laughed out loud at how genius the effect was. I loved the gimmick and practiced all the time, I carried it with me all the time and even brought it to a New Years party, you know, "just in case." And good thing I did. After everything died down, my girlfriend noticed my new blue rubber bands and asked "Is this for transit? Can you show me!" so sure enough I did the effect and she loved it; the gimmick worked wonders.
I also ordered dress code with some money my grandma got me for Christmas. Upon opening the package, I had pretty much the same reaction as with Transit. I popped in the DVD and, again, laughed out loud at how genius this effect is. I was a little bummed about "ruining" a shirt (if you even call it that for performing a mind blowing effect.) I made the gimmick, practiced, and showed my brother. He loved and said it was such a cool effect. After that I realized that gimmicks aren't so bad, and they really help bend the laws of reality. Hell, I'm definitely considering bringing back Panic and start performing that again, what can I lose, right? Gimmicks allow magicians to achieve what we are expected to: the impossible. They allow us to reach new heights and create things that manipulate reality and leave people in wonder. Why not have some help to create amazement?
Now for part two of my semi-epiphany: Organic magic. Usually when I tell people I do magic or a friend recommends me, I get one of a few typical responses. 1. "Show me a card trick!" 2. "Can you (insert some ridiculous scenario)" or 3. (my personal favorite) "Are you like Chris Angel?!" Now cards are perfectly fine, I have nothing against them since they are my primary medium for magic. However, I feel that with cards, most people seem to be "looking" for a move most of the time. This could just be over personal experience, since I mainly deal with high schoolers and a fairly heckling family. It seems with items other than cards or coins, people are more relaxed since they are not familiar with rubber band or money "sleights." Also, these are things people use everyday: tic tacs, gum, money, rubber bands, straws, lighters, matches, sharpies, shirts (hopefully). With the familiarity factor increased, it seems that relaxation increases as well, which will decrease suspicion, which is good for us. I do have a solid rubber band routine, and people love it and never call me out as much as with cards. Because of this, I am deciding to branch out more into organic magic.
I have Symphony, Pressure, Hypno Bill, Free Will, Sinful, Control, and Miracles for Mortals vols. 1 and 2., and am considering buying Five, all of these have amazing, non card effects that hit hard and amaze people. Now you're probably wondering why I need to branch out if I have all these effects in my possession, and if you weren't, well I'll tell you why anyway. Because, to be honest, I got them because I simply wanted to know how they were done. I can honestly say I have performed (for real people); Control (although only once; getting into it is an issue for me) Pressure (love it!), Free Will (KILLED at my talent show) Some stuff from Symphony for like two months; Stairway (1-on-1 download, do it all the time). That's basically it. Hypno Bill is on hold due to my lack of big bills, although a 20 will most likely suffice. I haven't practiced the others as much, but after this realization I had, I really want to get back in those DVDs and learn those effects, and not have hard earned money just laying there unused.
Gimmick or no gimmick? Either way I don't mind, it's all about the impossible factor, and if you need some additional help, so be it. Cards are usually associated with "moves" or "trick decks" when an audience can't figure it out. With organic magic, for example, putting a quarter into a tic tac case, the audience can't think of any explanation and are left with a really magical experience.
If you have made it this far, thank you so much for sticking with it. There is a point to all this, I promise. I took a risk by placing trust in gimmicks, and it payed off tremendously. In fact, I took a break writing this to practice dress code some more then went downstairs to show my step dad, aka, my toughest critic. I did the change (with a V neck, a great subtlety by the way.) and he loved it and we started brainstorming some ideas for it right then and there. Magic is all about finding the laws of nature, and breaking them. Yes cards and coins can bring people amazement, carbon paper and devastation are two of my favorites and floor people, but what about everything else that is out there in the world? You don't have to be the creator of the next miracle working gimmick, but just use your imagination, write down those ideas, and who knows, they could become reality one day. I definitely recommend buying at least two different gimmicked effects to see the imagination, ideas, and workings of gimmicks, and maybe you'll be inspired to create your own.
I'll leave you with one of my favorite lyrics, from Enter Galactic by Kid Cudi: "I know it's easy to imagine, but it's easier to just do. See, if you can't do what you imagine, then what is imagination to you?"
I hope you enjoyed reading this and took something away from it. My 2011 will be very fun magic wise, I can already see it. Thank you for reading and I would love your thoughts on this. Happy New Year everyone!
Jacob
I got Panic by Aaron Fisher a few years back before it sold out. I never had experience with a gimmick before, so I didn't know what to expect. I thought it was some weird contraption that sneaked the deck up my sleeve or something (I was a freshman and like a few months in magic, cut me some slack here). So when I opened up the mail package and saw what the gimmick really was, I felt a little cheated. Little did I know those little guys would help me perform a miracle. So I practiced and practiced and showed my family and trusted friend who loved it and was floored. He always asked me to show other people. Even though I carried the gimmick on me at all times, "just in case" I found that it was really hard to get into with people looking at you expecting you to perform. Now I know Aaron talked about ways to get into the trick several different ways and there are countless arguments on this; but this story has a different point, so I'm staying in that direction. Anyway, I got so frustrated and felt hassled carrying this gimmick around all the time that I eventually just left it at home and pretty much forgot about it. I found different effects; and Panic, much to my shame, became buried under other DVDs and props on my magic shelf.
Now, however, my ideas on gimmicks have changed. I got Transit by Calen Morelli for Christmas with full knowledge that it used a gimmick. I figured I should start branching out of cards more and this seemed like a good opportunity. When it came in I saw the little baggie of materials and thought, "what the hell am I going to do with this?" Once I popped the DVD in, I laughed out loud at how genius the effect was. I loved the gimmick and practiced all the time, I carried it with me all the time and even brought it to a New Years party, you know, "just in case." And good thing I did. After everything died down, my girlfriend noticed my new blue rubber bands and asked "Is this for transit? Can you show me!" so sure enough I did the effect and she loved it; the gimmick worked wonders.
I also ordered dress code with some money my grandma got me for Christmas. Upon opening the package, I had pretty much the same reaction as with Transit. I popped in the DVD and, again, laughed out loud at how genius this effect is. I was a little bummed about "ruining" a shirt (if you even call it that for performing a mind blowing effect.) I made the gimmick, practiced, and showed my brother. He loved and said it was such a cool effect. After that I realized that gimmicks aren't so bad, and they really help bend the laws of reality. Hell, I'm definitely considering bringing back Panic and start performing that again, what can I lose, right? Gimmicks allow magicians to achieve what we are expected to: the impossible. They allow us to reach new heights and create things that manipulate reality and leave people in wonder. Why not have some help to create amazement?
Now for part two of my semi-epiphany: Organic magic. Usually when I tell people I do magic or a friend recommends me, I get one of a few typical responses. 1. "Show me a card trick!" 2. "Can you (insert some ridiculous scenario)" or 3. (my personal favorite) "Are you like Chris Angel?!" Now cards are perfectly fine, I have nothing against them since they are my primary medium for magic. However, I feel that with cards, most people seem to be "looking" for a move most of the time. This could just be over personal experience, since I mainly deal with high schoolers and a fairly heckling family. It seems with items other than cards or coins, people are more relaxed since they are not familiar with rubber band or money "sleights." Also, these are things people use everyday: tic tacs, gum, money, rubber bands, straws, lighters, matches, sharpies, shirts (hopefully). With the familiarity factor increased, it seems that relaxation increases as well, which will decrease suspicion, which is good for us. I do have a solid rubber band routine, and people love it and never call me out as much as with cards. Because of this, I am deciding to branch out more into organic magic.
I have Symphony, Pressure, Hypno Bill, Free Will, Sinful, Control, and Miracles for Mortals vols. 1 and 2., and am considering buying Five, all of these have amazing, non card effects that hit hard and amaze people. Now you're probably wondering why I need to branch out if I have all these effects in my possession, and if you weren't, well I'll tell you why anyway. Because, to be honest, I got them because I simply wanted to know how they were done. I can honestly say I have performed (for real people); Control (although only once; getting into it is an issue for me) Pressure (love it!), Free Will (KILLED at my talent show) Some stuff from Symphony for like two months; Stairway (1-on-1 download, do it all the time). That's basically it. Hypno Bill is on hold due to my lack of big bills, although a 20 will most likely suffice. I haven't practiced the others as much, but after this realization I had, I really want to get back in those DVDs and learn those effects, and not have hard earned money just laying there unused.
Gimmick or no gimmick? Either way I don't mind, it's all about the impossible factor, and if you need some additional help, so be it. Cards are usually associated with "moves" or "trick decks" when an audience can't figure it out. With organic magic, for example, putting a quarter into a tic tac case, the audience can't think of any explanation and are left with a really magical experience.
If you have made it this far, thank you so much for sticking with it. There is a point to all this, I promise. I took a risk by placing trust in gimmicks, and it payed off tremendously. In fact, I took a break writing this to practice dress code some more then went downstairs to show my step dad, aka, my toughest critic. I did the change (with a V neck, a great subtlety by the way.) and he loved it and we started brainstorming some ideas for it right then and there. Magic is all about finding the laws of nature, and breaking them. Yes cards and coins can bring people amazement, carbon paper and devastation are two of my favorites and floor people, but what about everything else that is out there in the world? You don't have to be the creator of the next miracle working gimmick, but just use your imagination, write down those ideas, and who knows, they could become reality one day. I definitely recommend buying at least two different gimmicked effects to see the imagination, ideas, and workings of gimmicks, and maybe you'll be inspired to create your own.
I'll leave you with one of my favorite lyrics, from Enter Galactic by Kid Cudi: "I know it's easy to imagine, but it's easier to just do. See, if you can't do what you imagine, then what is imagination to you?"
I hope you enjoyed reading this and took something away from it. My 2011 will be very fun magic wise, I can already see it. Thank you for reading and I would love your thoughts on this. Happy New Year everyone!
Jacob
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