Magicians - Are you respectful?

[StevenLevitt]

My other thread: Magicians - How much do you charge? seemed to of created some good discussions.

I am hoping this will too, do you really feel the magic community is a community any more?

Here are some views of magicians.

Show-off - People use magic to show-off, to be a better person than anyone else.
Cannot take criticism - Continue to perform without changing, to perform without improving.
Does not give credit to other magicians - Ripping apart the magic which has been worked on hard by a credited magician.
To much procrastination of their own work - People not performing as them selves, but continue to copy what another magician does.

Do you respect other magicians? - Also, do you respect yourself?

 

[theJokerhahaha13]

yes. I am NEVER someone else. I would go and live in a ditch before I became someone else

 

[mini magician]

Yes

I love performing as myself, performing as someone else no people feel these things you walk up as yourself you introduce "Yourself" then you put on this act they realise straight away.

As we know ALOT of people can't take criticism i myself enjoy the constructive side of criticism the other side is just people being stupid and annoying usually for the sake of it. Criticism should help you build as a performer improve. Criticism is great ,if you take it the right way of course, but in the end if you don't accept it you can't make those improvements that are needed to help "You" no one else but "You" to become a better performer and magician.

Tom

 

[SHANE BLACK]

My other thread: Magicians - How much do you charge? seemed to of created some good discussions.

I am hoping this will too, do you really feel the magic community is a community any more?

Here are some views of magicians.

Show-off - People use magic to show-off, to be a better person than anyone else.
Cannot take criticism - Continue to perform without changing, to perform without improving.
Does not give credit to other magicians - Ripping apart the magic which has been worked on hard by a credited magician.
To much procrastination of their own work - People not performing as them selves, but continue to copy what another magician does.

Do you respect other magicians? - Also, do you respect yourself?

I would hope I respect myself. I think it's important to have a degree of respect for fellow people as a whole but there's a point of respect that should be earned. Do I knock others for them doing their own thing? No. Do I believe and buy into everything someone tells me? No. It's important to give proper credit it only helps you as a magician. Having said that it's easy to come up with something and think your the originator only to find out later it's someones pet trick at which you should change the credibility correctly.

Copying is flattery according to Justin Miller and I can see how and why beginners do this. You only grow into a rose after throwing a few thorns. People naturally follow to learn then have a tendancy to grow into their own style for the most part it's just human. I can honestly say most of the magicians I converse with after some time always grew into doing their own thing so I don't throw knifes at beginners its expected.

Criticism? Wow,..this is my pet peave. HUMILITY is the BEST teacher. You take the good with the bad and learn from it if not get out and save the rest of us the trouble. I make mistakes everyday I learn from them and get better. No excuses. I take criticism as a question not an insult. If someone is critisicing me then why? What can I do to make it better? Is it worth it? Just a few questions that roll through the dome there.

Showing off - In a way we all show off. Thats the point. Any true worker in the field of entertainment realizes not only should you give a great show to get repeat business but you have to leave the message that your the best and that my friend is called reputation. Should I do a 5 face Sybil? Not what I'm getting at. I'm referring to a little ego can take you alot further than a mute with the personality of a rock.

Just some thoughts.

 

[The Tumbleweed]

I perform as myself, probably because I don't pay enough attention to anyone else to see what they're like

Sure, it's important to not be anyone else, but that doesn't mean we can't learn things about performing from other magicians. I love the way Wayne Houchin introduces himself to his spectators and informally creates the vision that he's a nice guy first and a magician second. So I use that in my performances.

 

[Sir FansAlot]

To answer the original question. Yes, I am respectful for other magicians as well as being respectful for myself.

Only some magicians though... And only part of myself... It gets better over time I would hope. (I'll post up a quick card trick in the ""CARD"" section before I go to bed).

I need confirmation from the awesome crew though. Or the dork crew. Whichever is first.