Should Magicians with a TV Spot Only Perform Original Material?

[ayli]

I have this little pet peeve that always creeps up every time I see a magician on a talk show or the sort, and they do tricks invented by other magicians. For example: Kieth Barry was on Ellen and he did Oz Pearlman's 21st Century Phantom.

Now I have no problem with a magician who has his own show (Angel, Blaine, ect.) performing effects that they didn't create, because there's no way that they would be able to keep on creating enough (good) effects to keep up with the show. BUT, IMO a magician who is being interviewed or just appearing on live/talk show TV, and will only be doing two or three effects, should perform something he/she created. I mean if they are basically "showing off" what they can do; why should it be something they didn't create. If you are good enough to make it onto TV, then show YOUR magic, not someone else's.


Televised rights aside, do you think a magician should use use another magicians effect? I feel that the show host and the audience thinks that he created it, when really another magician should be credited.

Just my $0.03

Anybody feel the same? Differently?

 

[morpheis91]

I seem to think that not every one who is a great or good enough performer that ends up on the news has created much Original material. Of course patter should be different or shouldn't be a direct copycat. But creating effects is not easy to all good performers and if one happens to be on TV why not perform something that you are comfortable with? I understand where you are coming from but I just think that Oz releasing his effect on DVD he takes into account that people are going to be performing his effect(s) on a variety of venues. Close-up, street, stage, TV whatever. I don't think that you should worry about this, if he landed a spot on TV I say awesome, let him do what he does best and give magicians a good image. I applaud anyone who ends up on television because I thoroughly enjoy watching magic and seeing people making moves to become successful.

 

[Austin Fields]

I don't think so either, mainly because methods are shared between magicians, as long as the original creator doesn't have a problem with you using their method, then it's OK. But you always ask first and you never, ever mirror exactly what the original was, be your own person, even if you're using other peoples methods.

I don't really know if that made any sense at all.

~Beans

Edit: oh right, and people think Criss Angel created all his stuff, and David Blaine created all of his, whats the difference? To be recognized as the creator is cool amongst magicians, but to tell laymen who created it and site a dvd is a little odd is it not?

 

[eight_card]

the only reason it irks me that some higher profile magicians (and by that I mean, more household names) don't perform their own effects...is because those responsible for creating them, never get the credit they deserve...

...of course amongst the magic community, being as specialized as it is, the heavy hitter creators, a very well known. But to the rest of the world, there is only a handful of people synonymous with 'magic', and those names are only the ones that 'perform' it on TV, not actually originate the effect.

but i suppose that just the way things work - the director will usually get all the praise for a magnificent film, when it was the director of photography, art director, casting director, so on and so forth that equally contributed to a film's overall construction.

 

[baller08]

eightcard..your last example pretty much answers your own question. In movies and music...the actors and singers are given all the credit when in reality it takes a team to make them look good.

But what the actor and singer has that the backstage people do not is that "It" factor...that star power...that ability to command a stage and connect with the majority of the mass population. Same thing with magicians. The creators of some of the best illusion would not appeal to the mass audience even if you gave them a major tv spot.

The people who become household names don't always earn it by creating their own illusion, writing their own music, or directing their own films....but they do earn it because they have something that most of the population don't have; unquantifiable star power.

 

[praetoritevong]

but i suppose that just the way things work - the director will usually get all the praise for a magnificent film, when it was the director of photography, art director, casting director, so on and so forth that equally contributed to a film's overall construction.

Well that's the nature of the business. Their jobs collectively is essentially to make the actors look good. Baller is right. Anyone with training can do a DoP's job (not necessarily the best, but they can do the job). But no amount of training will get someone who can't act a job as an actor.

And some people are secure in not being known also.

 

[Medifro]

Fred kaps wasn't a creator ( though he did create ), but a performer who breaths his personality into others creations.

You can put a single effect, and watch 20 magicians doing it differently.

You got good answers at the cafe too.

Cheers,

 

[CalvinTan]

It bothers you because you are a magician. You have to look at it like a laymen. That magician on TV is performing for laymen not other magicians. They really don't care or question the fact that the material the magician is doing is created by him or not. It's all about your audience! Forget about trying to fool magicians. It's all about the laymen. As long as the magician on TV does his tricks well, it's all good!

 

[ayli]

It bothers you because you are a magician. You have to look at it like a laymen. That magician on TV is performing for laymen not other magicians. They really don't care or question the fact that the material the magician is doing is created by him or not. It's all about your audience! Forget about trying to fool magicians. It's all about the laymen. As long as the magician on TV does his tricks well, it's all good!

I not bothered about fooling them, I know it's all about the audience. I'm bothered that the artist who created the effect doesn't get credited for his work.

For example: If a man named Bob Cheese created a phenomenal song called "Soap", but no one knew of the song except for musicians; because only musicians have heard of this man Bob Cheese. Then I (a musician) am being interviewed on Oprah because of my acclaimed work as a musician and singer. Oprah asks me to sing a song. So I get up and sing this song "Soap" who no one has heard of before. Now Oprah thinks I am the greatest musician ever because I came up with this amazing song "Soap", but our friend Bob is left in the dust and he gets no credit for his song.

 

[baller08]

I not bothered about fooling them, I know it's all about the audience. I'm bothered that the artist who created the effect doesn't get credited for his work.

For example: If a man named Bob Cheese created a phenomenal song called "Soap", but no one knew of the song except for musicians; because only musicians have heard of this man Bob Cheese. Then I (a musician) am being interviewed on Oprah because of my acclaimed work as a musician and singer. Oprah asks me to sing a song. So I get up and sing this song "Soap" who no one has heard of before. Now Oprah thinks I am the greatest musician ever because I came up with this amazing song "Soap", but our friend Bob is left in the dust and he gets no credit for his song.

Ayli, in the music industry that wouldn't happen too often. There are copyright laws to make sure the composer gets compensation every time a song is used in a movie soundtrack, on a remake, etc. The only time that wouldn't happen is if the composer sold the rights to the song.

Now in magic, there are no such laws yet to protect the creator. But I've read stories where David Copperfield bought an illusion from the creator and part of the contract is that creator can never perform that illusion in public again, thereby making that illusion essentially Copperfield's.

I think that for most famous magicians, when they start out, everything they do has to be original (or at least a unique take on an old principle) because they have no resources to help them. But as they become household names, they have other responsibilities to fulfill so they can stay on top of their game.

They have to take care of the "business" side of show business, which includes traveling and doing public appearances. When they reach that level of exposure, they have to rely on consultants to come up with new illusions...there just isn't enough time anymore.

So I don't begrudge the household names like Blaine and Angle for using a team of consultants because long before we knew who they were, they put in their time and worked very hard. They took risks and sacraficed a lot...so the fame they have is the fame they've earned.

 

[WilliamMckeehan]

I personally like when magicians use the very simple effects like david blaine for example doing the ACR and making it completely impossible that is so great. anyway we should just all share!