After each performance it's usually a good idea to review in your head the things you did, and how you feel about how the show went. Was it good? Was it bad? What could you improve upon? Etc. To help you along the way I've created a set worksheet to help you grade yourself, or have others grade you for your own development.
This is a great tool to use when you are reviewing video of your performance. If you are not practicing in front of a camera, then you should be!
The set sheet uses three grading marks. Exceeds, Strong, and Needs Improvement (NI).
Exceeds means that you've gone above, and beyond all expectations in that particular category.
A Strong performance is ideally where you should be aiming for on a consistent bases. It means your presentation was entertaining, your sleights executed without flashing, and you accomplished creating that magical moment with your audience.
A ranking of Needs Improvement is pretty self explanatory. These are area's that need immediate attention and improvement in.
Of course you can always rank a Not Applicable (NA) in the areas that don't apply to a specific performance when being reviewed.
I've broken the worksheet up into two categories. Presentation: which is designed to address all aspects of performing magic, and Production: which is a specialty section that can be used for internet, webcam, or youtube magic.
Presentation:
Patter or Script: Did the magician follow the script, and was the patter delivered in a coherent, easy to understand non convoluted way?
Angles: Did the magician cover all angles during the presentation to avoid flashing the sleight or the gimmick?
Physical Appearance: Is the magician pleasant to look at? Hair neatly trimmed, combed, nails clean, clothing or costume clean and unwrinkled.
Voice: Was the magician easy to understand? Did he/she engage the audience in a way that was entertaining?
Improv: Was the magician able to improv with the audience, or surroundings to create that magic moment? (Play off a fumble, work with a heckler, use something in the area as a prop for the magic, etc.)
Choreography: Was the choreography accurate, and all steps executed on cue with precision?
Entertainment: Was the magician entertaining overall?
Music: Did the music enhance the magic, or did it distract from what was being presented?
Production:
Sound & Lighting: Is the lighting decent for the production? Is the sound clear, and crisp? Can we hear the magician clearly when he/she speaks?
Camera Operations: Is the magician or magic properly framed? Did the magician avoid using a crotch shot? Is the camera still and in focus?
Environment: Is the performance environment or set clear of all unnecessary clutter, clean, and presentable?
Music: If music is edited in, is the volume levels acceptable? Is the music complementary to the magic or does it distract from what is being done?
Editing: Does the editing work to clearly convey the artists vision?
I hope you can use this tool, and please feel free to edit, or tweak it to your own use as well! Happy Holidays everyone!
This is a great tool to use when you are reviewing video of your performance. If you are not practicing in front of a camera, then you should be!
The set sheet uses three grading marks. Exceeds, Strong, and Needs Improvement (NI).
Exceeds means that you've gone above, and beyond all expectations in that particular category.
A Strong performance is ideally where you should be aiming for on a consistent bases. It means your presentation was entertaining, your sleights executed without flashing, and you accomplished creating that magical moment with your audience.
A ranking of Needs Improvement is pretty self explanatory. These are area's that need immediate attention and improvement in.
Of course you can always rank a Not Applicable (NA) in the areas that don't apply to a specific performance when being reviewed.
I've broken the worksheet up into two categories. Presentation: which is designed to address all aspects of performing magic, and Production: which is a specialty section that can be used for internet, webcam, or youtube magic.
Presentation:
Patter or Script: Did the magician follow the script, and was the patter delivered in a coherent, easy to understand non convoluted way?
Angles: Did the magician cover all angles during the presentation to avoid flashing the sleight or the gimmick?
Physical Appearance: Is the magician pleasant to look at? Hair neatly trimmed, combed, nails clean, clothing or costume clean and unwrinkled.
Voice: Was the magician easy to understand? Did he/she engage the audience in a way that was entertaining?
Improv: Was the magician able to improv with the audience, or surroundings to create that magic moment? (Play off a fumble, work with a heckler, use something in the area as a prop for the magic, etc.)
Choreography: Was the choreography accurate, and all steps executed on cue with precision?
Entertainment: Was the magician entertaining overall?
Music: Did the music enhance the magic, or did it distract from what was being presented?
Production:
Sound & Lighting: Is the lighting decent for the production? Is the sound clear, and crisp? Can we hear the magician clearly when he/she speaks?
Camera Operations: Is the magician or magic properly framed? Did the magician avoid using a crotch shot? Is the camera still and in focus?
Environment: Is the performance environment or set clear of all unnecessary clutter, clean, and presentable?
Music: If music is edited in, is the volume levels acceptable? Is the music complementary to the magic or does it distract from what is being done?
Editing: Does the editing work to clearly convey the artists vision?
I hope you can use this tool, and please feel free to edit, or tweak it to your own use as well! Happy Holidays everyone!
