Ok I've always wondered this. What do you guys think of tricks that use stories? Like the jacks that are robbers trick. I don't remember the now of the effect but it has a story with it. I personally think card tricks that have stories,(not to be confused with patter you made up) are very cheesy. My friend did a self working card trick and he made up a story with it that dealt with a student catching a thief that would move from place to place within our school. I personally cannot stand effects that have a 'story' that goes along with them. What are the opinions of you forum go-ers?
Stories
- Thread starter JD
- Start date
It can be done well. Bill Malone does Sam the Bellhop pretty well. Doc Eason does the 'Kate and Edith' trick with the jumbo cards, it's pretty funny. If the material is poorly presented, it will be cheesey or annoying. If it's done well, it's entertaining. Same with all tricks, really.
Oh I forgot about Bill Malone. He's really good. I just don't like stories with tricks for some reason
A friend of mine let me borrow a 3 set of dvds of Bill Malone. He is incredibly fast. I like that guy. He's really funny.
James Galea has an AMAZING effect using a story. He performed it on Ellen and another talk show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDG1mDCfoBo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDG1mDCfoBo
I hate overly stupid stories with tricks...the kind with elfs and dwarfs
when a magician starts telling stories that hardly relates to the trick and sometimes he just tells it because he didn´t have any music or interesting patter...I just walk away...
when a magician starts telling stories that hardly relates to the trick and sometimes he just tells it because he didn´t have any music or interesting patter...I just walk away...
Well, it kinda depends on what you define as a story.
I mean, I laugh at the number of posters here who say I HATE ALL STORIES THEY SUCK!!! butbillmaloneiscoolilovedsamthebellhop.
Christopher made a very good point about generalising.
But see, here's the thing. Basically all of our patter are stories. I mean, they may not be "This is a time machine" (Shanku, if you're reading this - sorry
) or "These jacks are robbers". But in some form, you're telling a story. Magic needs stories in some form or other because a card changing to another card, or aces transposing with kings, or a deck disappearing, by itself, has no meaning.
As a mentalist, my performing persona is that of a student of psychology. Therefore, I often talk about real psychological phenomena that I apparently demonstrate. Granted, sometimes I go into more detail than other times, and vice versa. But regardless, even if I just mention it, I've giving my effect a story.
Of course, let's take a more obvious type of story. Let's take a story about a gambling routine. That's a trick with a story. There are lots of them. What about those? This is the problem with generalising.
Incidentally, anyone interested should also check out Daniel Garcia's impromptu version of Sam the Bellhop, it's brilliant. Also, Tony Chang's ACR has a great story to it.
Of course, that's not to say that some very valid points have also been made above - I think stories are fine, stories are necessary, even. But the problem with stories is the problem with a lot of patter in general - it just needs to be better scripted. It is true that scripts that are too cheesy will be boring - there are lots of them. There are also many scripts which comprise of "I'm now turning over the top card. And look, just one card, nothing fishy." Boring! But magic does need meaning - to that effect, don't be so quick to disregard stories - only bad stories.
I mean, I laugh at the number of posters here who say I HATE ALL STORIES THEY SUCK!!! butbillmaloneiscoolilovedsamthebellhop.
Christopher made a very good point about generalising.
But see, here's the thing. Basically all of our patter are stories. I mean, they may not be "This is a time machine" (Shanku, if you're reading this - sorry
) or "These jacks are robbers". But in some form, you're telling a story. Magic needs stories in some form or other because a card changing to another card, or aces transposing with kings, or a deck disappearing, by itself, has no meaning.As a mentalist, my performing persona is that of a student of psychology. Therefore, I often talk about real psychological phenomena that I apparently demonstrate. Granted, sometimes I go into more detail than other times, and vice versa. But regardless, even if I just mention it, I've giving my effect a story.
Of course, let's take a more obvious type of story. Let's take a story about a gambling routine. That's a trick with a story. There are lots of them. What about those? This is the problem with generalising.
Incidentally, anyone interested should also check out Daniel Garcia's impromptu version of Sam the Bellhop, it's brilliant. Also, Tony Chang's ACR has a great story to it.
Of course, that's not to say that some very valid points have also been made above - I think stories are fine, stories are necessary, even. But the problem with stories is the problem with a lot of patter in general - it just needs to be better scripted. It is true that scripts that are too cheesy will be boring - there are lots of them. There are also many scripts which comprise of "I'm now turning over the top card. And look, just one card, nothing fishy." Boring! But magic does need meaning - to that effect, don't be so quick to disregard stories - only bad stories.
I didn't mean to offend you Prae. I just don't like cheesy I guess. I guess im picky, I don't know. Some people can pull off stories and others can't. I've watched people do it and I can't stand it and I have to walk away. I know Steve Fearson has his effect called Legend that has a story. It's ok but I don't like it. Theres a book test in 13 Steps to Mentalism called Zakamorta(spelling?) that has a story that I really like.
No offense taken at all buddy. I definitely don't mind people disagreeing with my opinions.
No, I think you're right, but I also think you slightly missed my point.
You're absolutely right - cheesy is not good. Cheesy will never be good.
But - good stories are not cheesy. And what I was getting at is that magic always tells a story, in some form or other. It's what gives magic meaning. When well done, magic should not appeal cheesy.
No, I think you're right, but I also think you slightly missed my point.
You're absolutely right - cheesy is not good. Cheesy will never be good.
But - good stories are not cheesy. And what I was getting at is that magic always tells a story, in some form or other. It's what gives magic meaning. When well done, magic should not appeal cheesy.