Saturday Night Contest - Learn. Share. Collaborate.

[CaseyRudd]

Hello Everyone!

I sit here at my keyboard after the legendary David Berglas closed this year's Essential Magic Conference. WOW. What an experience! The past 3 days have taught me so much about this art of magic, it really makes me wonder. Technology has come around over the past few decades, and it is astonishing at how far it has taken and expanded the magic community.

EMC expresses three ideas: Learn. Share. Collaborate. With those 3 ideas in mind, EMC has brought the whole magic world together in one Studio 33 in Portugal. 33 top of the line speakers giving lectures and performances that really leave an impact. It gives young students of magic like me a chance that they didn't have. To have access to the greats of this industry that can truly shape their life and journey in magic. I am deeply honored to have this privilege, and I am sure most of you are too.

Tonight's contest is for you to take those ideas, and explain how modern day technology has improved your magic. You don't have to write a long response; just a couple of sentences will do just fine. You can base your response after the 3 ideas I have written above, or you can write about your own connections. How has this technology shaped you into the magician that you are today?

Submissions are due at 11:00pm EST. After that we will pick a random response, and that person will receive 3 BRAND NEW DECKS being released next Friday, on the house!

We are looking forward to seeing everyone's responses!

 

[TylerWest]

I have learned basic magic over the internet ( Youtube).
I have shared what I have learn over Youtube.
I have collaborated with magicians on some effects at TMS.

 

[lolmanthe]

Hi,
I got started in magic about 2 years ago when my older friend (from another country) came to visit me for the holidays.
His part time job was a being a magician and performing at restaurants and other gigs.
He gave me some decks of cards and hes been training me over Skype ever since teaching me cool tricks and sleights.
So modern day technology not only helped me improve but get me into magic.

Thanks.

 

[MagicofAdam]

My father left for Iraq when I was 12 and got me into magic actually right before he left by taking me to a show. Now I am almost 19 and for the past 5 years everytime I do a show or am working on a new effect I'll take a video and send it to him through e mail. Sometimes it takes weeks for him to respond but he tweaks what I do and tells me if its good or bad or whatever. He shows it to everyone else there though and I have been their entertainment for many nights from what I'm told. But, my Dad has told me many times that sometimes the only light in his day is being able to see me perform what I love and how I love to allow people to experience magic as well. So technology of video and e mails has helped me spread magic and evern some sheds of light to the world that really have none at all. That's how its helped me.

 

[stovermagic]

I had a revolution in my magic when I discovered T11 and other online magic websites. I started my own website, www.bedeceived.com which helped me further my growing business. I started my own forum, where myself and others learn share, and collaborate together at www.bedeceived.com/shell. Without technology, I would be nowhere near the entertainer, magician, or business I am today.

 

[magicollie]

I have been able to Learn for the instant downloads for website such as theory 11 and ellusionst. Its hard to find magic DVD's where the quality is as clear as some of the instant download on magic websites.

I am able to Share my ideas of magic forums and get feedback from other magicians and learn how to improve certain tricks.

I can Collaborate with magicians around the world through fb chat which allows me to explain ideas and they can take the idea and take it to a whole new level.

 

[Haunter]

I like that modern technology has let me interact with so many other magicians with so many other perspectives. Seeing other perspectives has helped expand my own understanding and appreciation of the art. Plus, it makes me feel like less of an outsider having other people I can talk about all this esoteric knowledge with.

 

[AxelHård]

Hey guys! Great contest!

I've learned almost everything I know via the internet. I've got the opportunity to share my ideas and get feedback on Youtube. Youtube also introduced me into card flourishes, which I do more often than magic nowadays. Skype and Tinychat have helped me to collab with other people live around the world. I've got a lot of new friends over the internet who share the same passion as I and I'm very thankful for that.

There's a bunch of other possitive things that I could say, but I wanna keep it short and simple.

-Axel

 

[gio]

A technology basically allows me to get into magic and develop my magic. Cause of internet i could find dvd, video but mostly books are thing that are not avaiable here in Poland. This is an opportunity to read things i never find in my country and never read in my national language. I'm glad of from where i am but even best Polish card handler Ed Marlo published in english so without internet (and knowing other language) it wold be impossible for me to be who i am now and to perfect myself as a magician.

Sorry for my english.

 

[theguyinthehat]

I started magic almost a year ago in september 2010. When i got my first magic package from magic geek. I've learned so much in those past days.
I've shared my work with other magicians who have brought me so far in a year.
The work of them and me i have collaborated to younger and older magicians.

 

[Justin.Morris]

It was because of some encouragement from online magic forums that I took the plunge and started performing at a restaurant.
I have learned a wealth of knowledge sharing and collaborating with others around the globe via the Internet.

I also appreciate that magic is available at my fingertips via online stores. The art is expanding and changing in the last decade more than ever before.

 

[ATH]

What about cardistry? It wouldn't even exist without the internet.

 

[mads655b]

The technology got me started in magic!
If we go back to a little more than a year ago, i saw one of my friends on facebook do the Houdini card trick (The one with the rubber band) i was just amazed, still the performance wasn't good, but it got to me. So i started to search the Internet for more card tricks, and i started learning with my bridge sized cards. But from that day, i was just started to fall more and more in love with the Art we all love, Magic. The technology got me started, it helped me improve from day to day, it keep me updated about whats new and good performances. So now i have a new body part = a deck of cards. I always carry a deck and with my smartphone i can learn or get news about magic, wherever i am.
I collaborate with a lot of magicians on Tinychat and skype.

So if the modern day technology didn't exist, i would never have started magic. (I know im not supposed to say never, but its such a describing word)

Thats how technology influenced/influences me and my magic.

- Mads

 

[L3X11]

Technology really helps me to be a (hopefully) good magician. I have learned over the Internet, some via trusted sites like Theory11 and some via youtube, because its quite difficult to get original books in my country. Then I shared my experiences and performances on youtube just in order to learn more from the responses, critics, advice, etc. I also collaborated with my friends via youtube, sometimes we practiced together via skype.
So yeah,modern technology helps me a lot.

 

[Bicky247]

Learn - Share - Collaborate

I learned magic in my adult life from the internet, although I have read the books in my younger days. I have shared my magic with my children, and shared with friends over long distances via WebCam and Skype. My faithful assistant, my confidant, and my best friend, who is also my wife often collaborate on new ideas via cell phone and email. If it weren't for technology - my magic would be limited to my own ideas and I would have never discovered Theory 11. Thanks and keep up the good work guys!!!

 

[eostresh]

I grew up in Wyoming, a rural State, with very little access to magic shops and magicians. The internet first served to get me back into magic and regardless of where I am I can participate in the magic community. First it helped me to learn by ordering from on-line shops, then I could learn more nuances from more experienced members of various on-line forums. I have recently begun lessons with Aaron Fisher which has allowed me to have somewhat of a "mentoring" relationship vie Skype. I have also begun skype sessions with other magicians of similar levels. And finally, am am able to impart what I have learned onto newer members of the magic community.

 

[Joshgan]

How technology helped me get started? About a year ago, I started learning through the internet (where I also found Theory11). As I advanced through the art, at the same time I also shared my knowledge to other magicians (through the internet) and learned a lot from them as well. After 9 months I have already collaborated with hundreds of magicians which began using the social networking site, Facebook and going through blogs.

 

[KrazEman]

Access

The internet's affect on magic, as well as for me, is really that it gives people access. The first thing I ever bought about magic was Mark Wilson's Encyclopedia and the only reason I was able to get was because of amazon. It gave me access. Then I found Ellusionist which introduced me to the idea of dvd's (although not always ones of high quality). Stumbling upon Theory11 is what gave me access to a community, and a place for people to discuss magic. The Internet = access.

 

[popchris3]

Technology has helped my magic in the form of building lasting relationships with magicians who I would not have met otherwise. A lot of my best friends are ones that I would not have had the pleasure of meeting throughout anything other than the internet and with technology.

 

[Kaare Rugsted]

When i was 8 i saw david blain tie his shoes just by shaking them on tv. it made wanna LEARN.
When i was 14 i saw a little kid on youtube trying to do a bill change´(hi was flashing...a lot) it made me wanna SHARE.
When i was 15 my friend lost interest in magic and that mede me want to find someone new to COLLABORATE with

all these goals I had, I have reached through modern day technology.

modern day technology doesn't only give me the opportunity to learn. it also makes me WANT to learn and get better and i think that is the most important part.