Real magic or fake magic?

[visualartist]

A few weeks ago in my food science class we had a substitute teacher and my good friend mr.pitts who sort of takes care of all the ISS kids and stuff walks and we start a conversation about magic.
He's always interested in the history of it and enjoys hearing about Dedi and Houdin.Now
the sub gets interested in the conversation and Mr.pitts tells him that I do magic.
And the sub asks a question that I just realized I hear alot these days.
He asks "is it real magic or fake magic?" and mr.pitts says "well what do you mean?"
"I mean is it like david blaine stuff or just little tricks?"
Mr.pitts then tells him about an trick I did (angle zero) and where I pushed the piece into a "sealed" water bottle.
And then the sub just starts kinda awing same old same old.
This got me thinking..what do spectators mean when they ask if its real magic or fake magic?Or what do they expect it to be?What do you say when/if they ask you that?

In the subs case to him 'real' magic was what David Blaine did.
But,I cleared up with him that the things I do are illusions and he said "oh yeah,i know now.I just hoped it wasnt just some little tricks"
But this isnt the case with everyone that asks if its real magic or fake magic.
So again I ask..
what do ya'll think spectators mean when they ask if its real magic or fake magic?Or what do they expect it to be?What do you say when/if they ask you that?

 

[7uPyOuRs]

There in no such thing as "real magic". But I never tell them that.

 

[tally-ho]

magic only exists in the minds of those who want to believe.

 

[CaseyC]

I think anything, even 'little card tricks', can be turned into miracles in the spectators mind with the right presentation.

 

[James Wise Magic]

I have that same thing.

Except mine is a little more annoying.

ok so I have youtube videos and there are people that will CONTINUOUSLY hate on me because they said that trick was "fake".


And I'm just like, "Well duh! lol, what do you expect, REAL MAGIC??
There's a reason why it's called a magic trick, TRICK!!!!!!

But yeah, I go through that all the time.

 

[MagicShadow9]

Well the factors of real magic are what determines whether a trick is good or bad these days. These factors are:

Visualness: If you can do real magic, they should be able to see it happen.

Directness: They shouldn't be confused. It should be simple and understandable magic. Like a coin into bottle is direct, while the 21 card trick isn't. If it was real magic, you wouldn't need to gather all the packets up, they'd be able to think of a card and you'd find it.

Impromptuness: If you could really do magic, you should be able to just pull coins from thin air, you should be able to make a borrowed 1 dollar change into 20. You shouldn't require elaborate set-ups.

Impossibility: This is what gets most magicians. Especially the ones who like to use over-flourishy false cut during a magic routine. How are they sure the cards are really shuffled? They couldn't follow the packets. The more impossible conditions you put on yourself, the more magical it seems.


Although i don't agree with some of these points, these are what magicians use to determine what trick to buy. So if a trick has one or more of these points, then the spectator should believe in real magic. You can take a look at a trick David Blaine and many other magicians perform a lot, which is the basic tranpso (with a duplicate):

1. It's direct, two cards switch places, no confusion
2. It's impossible. That two cards, one held firmly by the spectator, can switch so fast
3. As far as you're spectator knows, there's no set-up.


Hopefully you understood that, cuz i was just typing whatever came to my mind lol.

 

[Toby]

I get that question all the time. I just say "It's all in what you believe. If you believe that it was real magic, than it was. I won't tell you what to believe in, you will have to make a decision yourself."

 

[lunatic core]

I have that same thing.

Except mine is a little more annoying.

ok so I have youtube videos and there are people that will CONTINUOUSLY hate on me because they said that trick was "fake".


And I'm just like, "Well duh! lol, what do you expect, REAL MAGIC??
There's a reason why it's called a magic trick, TRICK!!!!!!

But yeah, I go through that all the time.

They say everything is fake on youtube. It's like a gamer yelling "cheater".

 

[Zeedub81]

I get asked that all the time. Usually if they are even asking that then they do believe in real magic.
Don't say anything. Just smile.

 

[Ben Long]

There in no such thing as "real magic". But I never tell them that.

I am always very direct to my spectators that there is no "real magic." However, I lie about everything else. How did I manage to cause them to separate the reds and blacks from a shuffled deck? By using psychology, of course.

 

[lunatic core]

I personally found this goes away as you get older. Adults just assume that a big Tv star like Blaine must be doing something different than the local kids to get his own show. They don't know that his methods are basically in the same area. Meanwhile the bigger/more expensive stuff isn't any more "real".

 

[RickEverhart]

I personally found this goes away as you get older. Adults just assume that a big Tv star like Blaine must be doing something different than the local kids to get his own show. They don't know that his methods are basically in the same area. Meanwhile the bigger/more expensive stuff isn't any more "real".

I think lunatic is right...many spectators call "real" magic...the big illusions and things they see on TV specials. Most people don't think that we use the same tricks and skills that the pro's use. A lot of audiences have never had the experience of getting a live close up show from someone with some good talent and showmanship.
Many people think that when you say that you are going to show them something "cool" or magic that you are immediately going to go into the 21 / rows trick or the slapping the packet in their hands trick.

It is seriously funny...I can take out a deck and just start shuffling and you will hear at least one person in a crowd say..."Awwwww...I've seen this one." and you know they have no freaking clue what you are about to show them.

 

[Jessb1]

Who cares what some sub says? Who cares what any spectator thinks or says? They don't know anything about magic or what makes a "real or fake magic" thats why they are the spectator and you are the magician. The building up of the tricks you do not what tricks you do make the difference. If you put in the practice and time into an effect doesn't matter what it is you can make a miracle.

Its interesting I've tried to talk to my nonmagical friends about the history and philosophy of magic and they always sound suprisingly ( insert sarcasm) just like laymen.

My advice don't listen to laymen about the difference between real and fake magic because they don't have the passion for it like you do.

 

[MagicDude09]

i always tell my specs that i do real magic so they will want to see more

 

[tally-ho]

i always tell my specs that i do real magic so they will want to see more

Are these specs on the streets? If so, are you using a black tiger? I heard they pwn. -(pwn? Is that right? I'm not uppity on the modern interweb language.)

 

[MagicDude09]

Are these specs on the streets? If so, are you using a black tiger? I heard they pwn. -(pwn? Is that right? I'm not uppity on the modern interweb language.)

im hopping to work at a resturant soon and black tigers might scare the little kids

 

[visualartist]

Who cares what some sub says? Who cares what any spectator thinks or says? .

You cant be serious..