Image is Everything

[William Draven]

As an entertainer you can be remembered for two things. Who you are, and what it is that you do.

The magicians who are remembered for what they do usually are spoken of fondly by people in afterthought about the amazing effects that they performed at the companies christmas party the year before, but when asked who it was you only get a vague discription that could be any of about 20 diffrent guys.

Sure you may have done the most amazing card trick ever, but what good does it do you when people are more impressed with your skill than you as an individual.

With magicians like Copperfield or Burton (or many others too long to list here) what they do is a moot point. You remember the individual, the experience. They could perform a silk from thumbtip or levitate a car it wouldn't matter. You remember them.

Guess who gets booked more? And you wonder why.

So when you look in a mirror which one are you? Someone who is remembered for their tricks, or someone who is remembered for who they are?

Balls in your court.

 

[GusEds]

I can be a pretty hard to forget guy.

But I haven't given this much thought. I suppose reactions can't be used as a measure here. I guess I'd fit into the latter category.

However, it all comes with the image (as you have so aptly pointed out). The more we hear of David Copperfield, the more we will want to remember him.

G

 

[MattSmithies]

I know exactly what you mean. Quite frankly 90 percent of all performances I see fit into the first catagory. Even here I have only watched a handful of performances that inspired me.

This is so sad to say but the majority of people I mainly see display magic tricks they don't perform and they haven't found themselves. Because of this the pictures they leave the audience are not solid and memorable. Eventually they will degrade and stagnate naturally this will lead to them becoming forgotten.

So what you had the best reaction ever it doesn't matter!

Magic is about finding something unique that you can share with people around you something that you will always love to perform. It cannot be quantified by taking anothers presentation, as you will never be able to perform it well this way!

Alot of people who create there own tricks claim that they are their 'children'. I have never agreed with this statement as I believe the opposite is true. The presentation of an effect is what matters, actually creating that experience for people.

My goal is to eventually perform my effects better then any could possibly, making the pictures as solid, fun and memorable as possible. I realise that this goal is probably unattenable but it is something that I will always strive for.

Matt

 

[visualartist]

An absolute truth has been posted.
I expect responses from only the same 4 or 5 people though.
No one else will bother to think about it.

 

[SHANE BLACK]

As an entertainer you can be remembered for two things. Who you are, and what it is that you do.

The magicians who are remembered for what they do usually are spoken of fondly by people in afterthought about the amazing effects that they performed at the companies christmas party the year before, but when asked who it was you only get a vague discription that could be any of about 20 diffrent guys.

Sure you may have done the most amazing card trick ever, but what good does it do you when people are more impressed with your skill than you as an individual.

With magicians like Copperfield or Burton (or many others too long to list here) what they do is a moot point. You remember the individual, the experience. They could perform a silk from thumbtip or levitate a car it wouldn't matter. You remember them.

Guess who gets booked more? And you wonder why.

So when you look in a mirror which one are you? Someone who is remembered for their tricks, or someone who is remembered for who they are?

Balls in your court.

Interesting you brought this up I couldn't agree more. My magic is good because I practice with an attemp of perfection but every show I have ever performed and let me reinerate EVER the one thing that I hear from my audience is the same thing,..."Your magic is great! But your personality has made your show!". I can't tell you how many times I have heard this.

Example. I performed in North Dallas last friday night where I was hired by the North Texas Make a Wish Foundation to help host and give a unforgettable evening to over a 100 of the top business prospects in Dallas including the Dallas Council, Chamber of Commerce and a few other organizations that where there. When I got there I arrived 30 minutes early as I usually do so I can plant props on tables and get a feel for my surroundings. The event was a charity to raise money for a 3 year old girl named Lily that had cancer and is going to pass soon but her dieing wish was to go to Disney World with her family. Well we succeded raising money and Lily is on her way to Disney World. I took about 150 business cards with me as well as some press packets all of which where completley gone by the end of the evening and not once did I offer my promotional stuff it was picked up by the attendees on their own free will.

There's one other thing. The organization forgot to tell me one little detail before I got there. THEY hired another magician to perform with me. Now this rubbed me wrong on sooo many levels but as a professional I shut my mouth and shook his hand and spoke with him alittle about planning out our night and even a few tricks we can do as a duo. The other magician told me he had been doing magic for 30 years and he's a member of 3 different magic organizations and blah, blah, whatever. He asked me how long I was performing magic for money and I told him almost 8 years now give and take and I went on my way. At the end of the night there must have been a line of 50 plus people waiting just to talk to me and tell me how they enjoyed all my jokes and props and how my personality was just amazing and that they would love to see me perform again. The other magician came up to me and was saying the same things to me. Now why did I bring all this up?

I believe your presentation and image is everything to your audience and thats how you build a good repoiture. Yes your magic need to be good but thats only 20% of your show its the approach to your audience that seperates your from the other guy. My friend Ryan Plunkett it drives him crazy on how much I emphazise presentation when we talk because I practice what I preach. I hope there's something a few of you guys can take away from this thread because to me it's the most important issue we have with magicians today. I keep hearing practice from every one on these forums instead I say Perform!

Peace!

 

[RickEverhart]

Great Job Shane. I don't want to to toot my own horn as well but I believe image is HUGE as well.

Your appearance, mannerisms, personality, etc. all contribute to how your audience reacts to your effects and their outlook on you. Your magic can be outstanding but if you look and act like a slob or look like some bum off the street....it greatly has a negative impact on your magic.

I tend to be a well built guy who works out a lot and normally didn't have any problems getting the attention of the ladies in college. I only wear very sharp clothes when performing, and have a super personality that makes everyone want to be around me. I use some good natured humor and like to let everyone laugh and get involved. These have payed huge dividends for me and have brought more repeat bookings than other magicians in my IBM ring who do not pay as much needed attention to image.

People will say that "looks" aren't important but I disagree 100 percent. When someone looks at you, you are getting judged right away and perceptions are made.

 

[SHANE BLACK]

I think its sad how entertainers like me and other members that actually work in the field that try and help and contribute to this community repeativly over and over get no stimulation to our threads when their created to actually help the theory11 members. Guys get with the program and get your heads out of the popularity bubble and learn something thats actually going to help you in the REAL world of magic. I've must have posted 4 or 5 threads in the past two months trying to steer conversation in presentation and delivery and I can count on one hand how many people got involved. This gold of information is to help the ones that are confused and misguided you know who you are so..............ask questions and learn. At this rate you'll start losing the last of us that actually contribute and believe in helping our fellow magicians and these forums will amount to nothing but useless fast food for the mind threads. I'm not losing any sleep over it.

Peace!

 

[phrozunsun]

funny, I sort of touched on this a few minutes ago in some other thread...I'll c&P it and add...

Best thing I ever heard is this little thing about comedy:

A comedian tells a joke, the joke is funny. A comedian tells 3 jokes, he's a guy telling a few jokes that are funny. A comedian strings together a whole set, he's a guy that's funny.

So do I want to be a "magician"? Not necessarily. I'm just being me, and being me is just being an interesting guy who happens to do magic and mentalism. I do other things, and talk about/demonstrate those things too.

Basically, what you're doing is building is a BRAND. What sets apart Donald Trump from other "Real estate developers"? What sets apart Britney Spears from other "Singers" (and yes, I use that loosely)?

It's not even their skill, though that can help - see guys Lance Armstrong and Usain Bolt - but instead, it's their ability to sell their BRAND. There's a reason why you choose them over other people. There's an emotional connection that draws you to them. There's a reason, love or hate, why you pay attention to them. It's because they've built a brand in your mind.

So you can keep being some no-name-store-brand magician, or you can be YOU.

You choose....

 

[romeo sierra]

I (of course) believe image is crucially important in becoming a memorable and successful performer. Professionals strive to follow that mindset everyday they step in front of a paying audience. However-- I also believe that saying that image is everything is a bit overzealous and misleading. The scale tips both ways. I'm sure William Draven and others would agree it's absolutely necessary to have a solid balance between image and talent. Without that balance, a performance just feels... "off."

The magic community is filled with a lot of finger flickers and sleight geeks. I'll agree to that. But I also believe there's just as many magicians who try so hard to keep up a character that it actually becomes a distraction. Most of the time, I think the flamboyant wardrobe and offbeat personality and loud presentation are meager attempts to compensate for sub-par talent. I hate pointing fingers and dropping names, but we're all familiar with a certain magiceleb who hides his lack of talent and originality behind a cheap facade of wild antics and rockstar reputation. I obviously can't speak for everyone, but the main opinion around my parts is that laypeople find him more laughable than effective as an artist or magician. Is he memorable? Of course. But is he good? To each his own, I guess.

This is what I admire about magic. I believe the quality of an artist's work as well as his image are equally important to achieving and measuring success. Magic is about developing personal relationships. The quality of a performer's tricks is important to acquiring people's interest and the quality of a performer's character is important in maintaining it. Without solid footing in both departments, a performer will never be as good as he wants.

My two.

RS.