Saturday Night Contest - Learn. Share. Collaborate.

So most people when they meet me never believe that I have only been into magic for barely two years. I honestly don't think that I would be where I am now if it wasn't through modern technology. I first got into magic my senior year of High School while on a band trip to TN. I spent my entire time in a magic shop and I purchased two tricks; pen through dollar and spongeballs. What really got me into magic though was when I asked the clerk for a business card and he pulled one straight out of the air. I had no idea that was possible and was completely flabbergasted. I must have spent months trying to figure out how he did it, eventually I began to search online. It was through these internet searches that I discovered online communities such as Penguin and T11. It was through these sites that I was able to interact with other magicians and actually learn from those much more experienced than me. There aren't that many magicians near where I am, so without these online communities I would never have been able to get the help that I have over the past two years.

One of my closest magician friends lives in Korea and the two of us Skype quite a bit. I'm constantly trying to come up with something new, and whenever I do create something I typically call him up. Its through modern technology that I am able to instantly show him what I have been working on. Without it, it would take weeks for me to send him my ideas via the post and even longer as I awaited his response. In fact I probably would never have met him without joining the online communities I listed above. Its amazing that I can share my ideas with someone who literally lives on the other side of the world within minutes of coming up with them.

As most of you know I am REALLY into YouTube. I focus a lot of my time making videos, and recently it all paid off by me becoming a partner. One thing YouTube really stresses is collaborating with others. I've made friends all over the world and have begun to do videos with them. Up until recently I only did videos with other magicians, but after attending a YouTube convention I realized something, the majority of these people have not seen magic. This really opened my eyes and now I have begun to work a ton of different people on videos; comedians, VFX guys, sketch groups, rappers, musicians, and even interviewers. I have begun to introduce literally thousands of people to what I do by collaborating with others. If it weren't for internet forums or sites such as YouTube none of this would be possible.

This last part has nothing to do with the three points mentioned above, it just has to do with technology in general. I was lucky enough to win a pass to EMC and it was such an amazing experience. Up until this point I have never been to a magic lecture, convention, or conference. In fact up until now I have only seen three magicians perform live in my life. I'm a college student so money is really strapped for me. Even if I had the opportunity to go to a convention I wouldn't be able to afford the price to go. By winning this pass to EMC I was able to do things I had never been able to. I wasn't able to watch today because of technical issues and family commitments, but I learned so much in that first day alone, its amazing. EMC was such an eye opening experience and I really feel that I will become a much better magician because of it. As Casey said, if it wasn't for modern technology, there would be no possible way for people in 61 different countries to simultaneously learn from some the greats in the industry. It was an extremely eye opening experience that would be impossible to reproduce otherwise.

~Josh
 
I know its frowned upon (even I don't think it's a good idea now), but I got my start in magic by tutorials on Youtube. Now I post my performances on their so everyone can see how I've grown in magic. Not to mention the awesome resources that are Theory 11, Ellusionist, Penguin Magic etc. Without technology I'd be no where near anything I'm capable of today.
 
Aug 31, 2007
72
1
Los Angeles
Technology has changed my whole view of magic. When I was younger I remember sitting around the television with my family watching "The Magic of David Copperfield", (presented by Clorox) and being absolutely blown away. We used to video tape these specials so my father and I could watch em back, even slow em down to try and figure out what the "trick" was. However, no matter how many times we watched, we were always left puzzled. There was no internet, there was no way to connect with other magicians, and there was no way to share secrets, unless you knew these people personally. Years later I remember watching the David Blaine Street Magic specials. I was older now, but I was still left puzzled for the most part. I was performing magic at this point, but nothing like what I was seeing on television. I had a few books I had bought when I was younger than taught some beginner card effects. I remember being at a store somewhere and purchasing a specialty deck of cards, and upon examining the box, I found a website. I went to this website and it opened the door to everything we see today. The decks of cards, the instant downloads, the PDF's, the DVD's, etc etc. Technology has helped in opening my mind to what is out there. To what some of these extremely gifted thinkers share with us, the magic community. It gives them a platform and a way to share this with magicians, both young and old. People can argue against it all day, but if it wasn;t for technology, a lot of these great minds wouldn't be where they are, a lot of us wouldn't be so invested in the art, and I think the art, in some way could have been lost. Something like the EMC wouldn't even be a thought without the technology we have today, and thus I wouldn't be able to sit down in the comfort of my own house and learn from the most amazing minds in magic in a one on one type atmosphere. The technology today has helped further the art and has opened my eyes to so much amazing material.
 
May 2, 2011
9
0
The technology has helped me with magic and card flourishing in various ways. The key invention that lead to such convenience is the internet. The internet provides us with sites, numerous sites, such as this very one, theory11, ellusionist, papercrane and all the other magic sites, which provides a hub for people to not only learn magic but also discuss and share their problems and experiences. Not to mention sites like Youtube, which gives everyone a chance to perform and also learn through videos. Online broadcasting used in EMC is also based on the internet. It allows us to learn from experience magicians in an even more detail and personal manner. Ellusionist also uses a similar concept in their sessions, where they allow you to use skype to talk 1 on 1 with a selected magician or cardist. With my 3 years in magic, I saw with my very own eyes how such technology is being used more and more in this field to help beginners and students to learn magic. Youtube started 6 years ago and has been growing since then. Theory11 started 4 years ago and has also been rapidly growing. EMC began last year, and within two years, living legends (eg. DC) are taking part in it. I believe I will soon see even more ways of technologies being used to spread the art form.
 
Feb 9, 2011
53
0
Like most people here, I completely agree that Technology has made it possible to discover magic, watch demonstrations, watch shows/performances, learn magic, create magic, preserve magic, promote magic and bring the magic community much closer together than was heretofore possible.

But let's look at what else technology has done for magic.

In "Profiles of the Future" Arthur C. Clarke's Third Law states that "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." When Clarke's words were written in 1961, computers still filled rooms, music was recorded on plates of vinyl and the space shuttle was something kids only read about in comic books. A visitor from today toting an iPad loaded with nothing but 1961 vintage movies and television programs would have received a world-wide greeting akin to that of an extraterrestrial god. And a demonstration of Angry Birds would have eventually raised suspicions that the visitor's intentions may ultimately not be all that honorable.

Fast forward to 2011. Today's technology is not magic. But much of it has magical roots. To be able to place a call on a cell phone still evokes memories of the first time many of us heard William Shatner say "Kirk to Enterprise." Every time I use Dragon Dictation I can't help but remember Lorne Greene as he spoke into a miniature microphone as his exact words appeared on screen in Commander Adama's video text log.

These advances in technology have compelled magicians to become even more creative, more clever, more skilled and more entertaining in order to stay at least one step ahead of that very same technology. It has caused us to both eschew and to intimately incorporate technological effects and methods in our art and in our quest to entertain our audiences. The more magical technology becomes, the even more magical magicians must be. Advancing technology advances the art of magic.

But technology is not always going to be magic's friend. One has has to wonder if videos on demand, Skype, and all of the other great things technology is doing to push magic forward are nothing more than technology's way of secretly advancing its own evil plot. Until one day, like SkyNet, it reveals its true intention: to destroy magic forever. And that will happen on the day when Star Trek's transporter becomes reality. For once that unmistakably useful device is perfected, refined, miniaturized and deployed, magic itself will vanish. From card tricks to the grandest illusions, from the Tooth Fairy to Santa Claus, technology will have wiped the notion of magic from the minds of everyone on the face of the earth.

Damn you, Gene Roddenberry.
 
Jan 30, 2011
50
0
Technology helps magic is every way possible. Without the internet I would have to drive hours to buy a custom deck. I probably wouldnt even know what a custom deck was. Technology of today lets us create magic with it. Mike Hankin's Illuminate is one that distinctly comes to mind, not to mention all of the other crazy gimmicks invetive magicians have brainstormed. Now with social media we can share advice, stories, inventions, philosophies, and not to mention the performances that fool us. This helps magicians see like laymen and become that little kid again. So thumbs up for technology!
 

themagicofzachary

Elite Member
Jul 9, 2011
1
0
Modern technology has played an integral part in the advancement of my magic education. In 2008 I as in a serious bicycle vs. U-Haul truck [I was on the bicycle] and one of my many injuries was damage to my left hand. My parents and I were worried about my future with magic since the doctors were unsure of how severe the injury was. So once it was determined that some type of therapy would help, I turned to magic to help with the dexterity and movement of my hand. This is where modern technology came in play. If it wasn't for the internet and magic DVD's, I might not have healed properly. With the help of learning new card tricks and such, I was able to eventually function properly with my hand. Now 3 years later, I still use the internet and DVD's to educate myself on magic.
 

CaseyRudd

Director of Operations
Team member
Jun 5, 2009
3,393
3,801
Charleston, SC
www.instagram.com
Alright guys, thanks to everyone for participating!

It was great to go through everyone's responses and read how this modern day technology has improved their magic and how it's improved themselves. Thanks for that guys! I truly appreciate it.

I went through the generator and the random number was 40, and the 40th post was from Aaron.Williams! Congrats Aaron, we will be sure to contact you after we release the new decks!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend, and see you guys next Saturday. Cheers!
 
Jul 18, 2010
210
0
Well the 40th post was his, but the 40th response was Zenn. You have to remember yours doesn't exactly count. Congrats to Aaron though. Free cards are always nice.
 
Apr 2, 2011
72
0
repsons to snc

Modern day tecnology brings new opportunities to present day magic, thanks to the internet we are able to share our ideas with magicians 1,000 of km away. A perfect example would be youtube, I know it doesnt have the best teachers, but every once in a while you can bump yourself with a great magician that will inspire you, or you can perform a trick you created and you will get feedback form magicians, and people wondering around. Thanks to the internet EMC was possible, and I am just so appreciative that I was able to join them, EMC opened my eyes to the REAL world of magic, not what youtubers think it is, it inspired me in ways I never thought possible, it just made everything better...
 
Nov 9, 2010
9
0
Russia, Ufa
I use a youtube to share my exp. with other people
Some of technology's I use to make a gimmick's
And most important, is the video technology that help me REC my videos
 
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