Tips, review, banter

baguette

Elite Member
Mar 28, 2013
119
1
Hey all!

I've created a blog where i'll be giving out tips and reviews of products.
This is a great addition for those of you who want to earn valuable knowledge and insights on the latest news in the community.
You can come and check the blog out here: http://magiciansrapture.blogspot.com.au/
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
Forgive my ignorance - but "Baguette" and a low post count means I don't really know anything about you. Who are you? What's your experience in magic? What's your main focus?
 

baguette

Elite Member
Mar 28, 2013
119
1
Oh hi, first i'm not sure judging someone on a low post is a good idea as everyone has to starts somewhere don't they?
I'm a french guy living in Australia. Magic wise i have been into for 5 years now (i know that it isn't a lot to some if not most) but ui believe i've actually built an interesting amount of knowledge.
Outside of magic i thoroughly enjoy sports and reading.
I'm not sure if that's enough for you but i hope it is for the time being. Anywhow if you still have any question do feel free to ask them.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
It's not that a lot post count means you don't know what you're talking about - it means that you haven't talked enough for me to associate your internet handle with ... well ... anything. Basically, I was politely trying to ask "Why should I spend my time reading your blog?"

EDIT: Now that I've clicked your link I have some feedback - it's unreadable. You need to change the background or the text so the words actually stand out in a way that won't give people eyestrain trying to tell what you're saying.
 
Apr 17, 2013
885
4
Oh hi, first i'm not sure judging someone on a low post is a good idea as everyone has to starts somewhere don't they?

He's not judging you by the lost post count, he is pointing out that with only a few post we have no feel for you or your style. Your taste and expertise in magic and the related arts. We don't know you from anyone else who has only posted less than 35 times in just over a year.

You say you believe you have built a interesting amount of knowledge over the last five years. Interesting is not a qualitative measurement for the amount one knows. My cat has an interest in listening to the toilet flush. My plumber has two years of trade school and 10 years of on the job experience.
So this still gives us no back ground on you as a magician and why your writing should be something we take time out of our day to read. Why we should give any weight to it. What books have you read, what style of magic do you enjoy, who are your influences in magic. What have you done in magic. Meaning are you a hobbyist (there is nothing wrong with that, some fine magician were just hobbyist)? Are you a part time or full time pro. Do you do walk around, busking kid shows? We need something to go on.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Apr 17, 2013
885
4
I see he that kinda the same thing. Damn me to taking a while to type an email while posting.
 

baguette

Elite Member
Mar 28, 2013
119
1
Thanks for the feedback, i've changed the background and the layout. To me it seems readble. I'd just like your opinion on wether or not you can read it now.
In terms of my history with magic:
I used to be into cards. I worked with them about 3 hours a day on and on. I did that for 3 years. I then started to gravitate towards a more organic style of magic (i do know that organic isn't a term to everyone's taste).
In the past year i've been getting into mentalism quite intensly.
The best books i read that got me thinking and working are:
the approach by Jamie D. Grant (got me my first gig) and gave me my first insight on the business of magic
Luke Jermay's 3510 is also a favourite of mine.
My favourite performers that have influenced me greatly are:
Peter turner. Never had i seen a man that could talk in such an interesting manner. He is just amazing. his thinking his personality and his perspective on things.
David Williamson is also a favourite of mine. A lot of people like david williamson i realised.

To be honest i'm not a fan of classifying others and making lists (sort of contradicting myself here).
I don't believe that "one-is-myfavourite-because-he-is-this-and-that". There are so many performers to like out there.
But yes, the two performers cited above have influence me greatly.

I also have a product on the wire, nothing too incredible, it's the wire. you don't have to be a creative genius to be on there. It's called first grade and it's 99 cents.

I'm pretty sure i've given you enough background information about my tastes in the magic community but if you still have some questions, i'd be glad to answer them.
By the way, ChristopherT, sorry if my initial reply came out as rude to you, it wasn't intended.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
I do want to clarify a bit, since reading over this gives me the impression that Krab and I may have come across as highly critical - that's not my intention. I'm actually trying to help you create a better marketing approach to getting people to read your blog, which I assume is your goal: to have people read your blog. When you say, "Hey, I put up a blog, read it!" people instantly say to themselves, "Why should I?" You need to answer that question first. "I'm a magician, been doing it for 5 years, I studied this that and the other, my favorite book is, blah blah". Except not blah blah, obviously. Always let people know why they should read your blog and the result they will get from doing so.

The background is better, but still not appealing to me. I would say use a solid color but you may also want to ask other people as I have a fairly spartan aesthetic so maybe other people will like it.

I'm going to say that the initial impression I get from the posts that are up are someone who is wanting to prove himself but doesn't have much experience. Particularly in the mentalism front. The fact that you're balking over the prices of pieces that can be very strong with presentation tells me you're looking at mentalism as just more magic tricks. This is not the case.

You specifically state, "But it is your standard method. The only improvement which i do find worthwhile is the presentation." This tells me you don't understand what you're talking about. Mentalism is pretty much all presentation. The presentation justifies everything and creates the experience for the audience. Methods are purposely kept as simple as possible to allow the performer to focus on creating an engaging experience for the audience.

Another thing you may be dismissing is that the really good material is purposely priced out of the range of the casual buyer so that these things don't end up on YouTube the next day. People don't value the product if it's cheap. If they have to make a significant investment to purchase it they are far more likely to keep it guarded. One of your own major influences has quoted me a price of, "Ridiculously expensive" for a book of his. His words, not mine. Why? Because he's keeping it exclusive so the methods and presentational angles aren't passed around like Halloween candy. That part is my words.

Your title is Magician's Rapture. It gives a rather authoritative air, but a Wikipedia puts it well, I think, "Rapture is a term in Christian eschatology which refers to the 'being caught up'...". You're rather caught up in your opinions but I honestly don't think you have the experience and knowledge to back them up. Until you've been performing mentalism for a significant amount of time (my opinion - years) you can't make the kinds of judgments you're trying to make. You simply don't know yet.
 
Apr 17, 2013
885
4
http://weeklymagicfailure.blogspot.com/ shows the same lay out but with the text block more opaque. You talk about pricing shows a lack of understanding on how strong magic is released. Look at something simple like Just a Cup. It is over $200. Magician know when someone who is a good creator puts something out that is priced high it will be a strong effect and that little johnny Youtube will not be exposing it. There are also times where people will sell the performance because their script and presentation are that good. Look at Giovanni Livera three releases. They are all priced high for single effect DVDs but you are buying his presentation. You get to see what he does what he does and why it works.
 

baguette

Elite Member
Mar 28, 2013
119
1
Thanks you once again for your feedback.
I do agree with you that good presentation and patter can be worth the 200$. However this is not the case in a lot of new releases.
Luke Jermay's faith healer was good in essence and provided excellent patter, however after having see his advertising video for the product and then the actual workings and mechanics i kinda felt ripped off expecting at least a new sleight or handling.

I am ready to invest a certain amount of money but not for a simple patter. Peter Turner's bigger fish was well worth the investment as it provided solid routines WITH patter. It was an improvement on certain methods or simply great new ideas.

another thing, when you say "This tells me you don't understand what you're talking about" and that mentalism is all presentation are you going to rock up to someone and amaze them because you had ONLY a script. Sure you might touch their hearts but only because of a nice story not because you read their minds. Of course if i could touch someone with just a presentation i'd do it anyday.
However, when i see a product advertised as being capable of changing a cult i would have enjoyed the addition of "this is a particular patter that will change your public's view on faith" not a lack of advertising and overhype of a simple trick.
Of course these are only my thoughts and you can disagree i don't care.

Also rapture's first meaning in our society is:
rapture
ˈraptʃə/Submit
noun
1.
a feeling of intense pleasure or joy.
"Leonora listened with rapture"
synonyms: ecstasy, bliss, euphoria, elation, exaltation, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, cloud nine, seventh heaven, transport, rhapsody, enchantment, delight, exhilaration, happiness, pleasure, ravishment;

Also to relate back to what you said about my lack of knowledge in pricing. I know a wonderful cardtrick. You place a card in a deck and it pops out instantly.
Uhmmmm... i like the trick, i want to share it but only to exclusive people. Yeah i'll price 500$. It's not worth it but only exclusive people can claim to have it.
See the problem i have? Some performers have the right to do so. However a lot of people assume that they can price what they want however they want.
I could go on and on about overpriced mentalism products in this world but i won't.

In response to Krab now, when you order just a cup, you get what you expected: A cunning, working method that is better than your precedent way of doing the effect (or simply fooling if you never did an effect of this kind before), a solid routine, physical objects and something you will use regularly. Same applies to Giovanni Livera, however his dvd has great patter and single trick but it's price for 40$! It's simply great! You pay for a patter and a routine that could possibly be worth 20$-40$ more max. in my opinion and get what you expected.
It still remains a simple matter of choice.
Also Roland is the person that isnpired me to get my own blog. I contacted him asking for a tip or two on making an appealing/good laying out of a blog. I still haven't gotten an answer yet, waiting impatiently.
Anyhow thanks for your feedback once again.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
another thing, when you say "This tells me you don't understand what you're talking about" and that mentalism is all presentation are you going to rock up to someone and amaze them because you had ONLY a script. Sure you might touch their hearts but only because of a nice story not because you read their minds. Of course if i could touch someone with just a presentation i'd do it anyday.
However, when i see a product advertised as being capable of changing a cult i would have enjoyed the addition of "this is a particular patter that will change your public's view on faith" not a lack of advertising and overhype of a simple trick.
Of course these are only my thoughts and you can disagree i don't care.

This is why I'm saying I just don't think you have the experience in mentalism yet. Touching their hearts is far more powerful than anything a sleight can do. Quick story - I recently did a run at a local fringe-style festival. There were two other magicians performing at this festival as well. They are both far more well known than I am. They both have more props, better sound equipment, more than three times my experience, etc. In short they should have blown me out of the water. When the festival was done, one of the magic shows won an award. One of the magic shows got good reviews. One of the magic shows sold out. Guess which one? Mine.

In the end, I sold more tickets and got better responses than two guys who should have easily out run me with their experience (both over 15 years). But they both did pretty much 'standard' tricks with standard presentations. Maybe not right off the instructions, but not far from it.

I bend coins. The method is nothing special, same thing a lot of guys use. But the way I present it makes it hit with the spectator. I run into people years later and find out they still have that quarter I bent on their nightstand so they can think about the stuff I said all the time.

If you don't think presentations are worthwhile - Then I have to say you're doing it wrong.

Also to relate back to what you said about my lack of knowledge in pricing. I know a wonderful cardtrick. You place a card in a deck and it pops out instantly.
Uhmmmm... i like the trick, i want to share it but only to exclusive people. Yeah i'll price 500$. It's not worth it but only exclusive people can claim to have it.
See the problem i have? Some performers have the right to do so. However a lot of people assume that they can price what they want however they want.
I could go on and on about overpriced mentalism products in this world but i won't.

You can price it however you want. But I don't think there's a card trick out there worth that much. It's a card trick. It's meaningless. There's probably three similar tricks already on the market for 50 years in books that you can pick up for $35. Mentalism techniques are purposely kept under wraps and away from the people who don't understand with high prices and in some cases, exclusive vetting by the creator. As in, they have the copies to sell in their house. They have to talk to you before ever considering selling it to you. This is why the top end performers seem to be able to do things that no one else can do - they have access to the minds and the material that are kept away from the people who just don't get it.
 

Colin

Elite Member
Jan 25, 2013
152
22
If this is something that you are serious about doing long term I would also suggest that you read some books on how to write. Pick up a copy of On Writing by Stephen King or William Zinsser's On Writing Well and read properly written reviews, not just website review or customer reviews. Read the review sections of Genii and Magic Magazine or the Linking Ring and pick up the weekend newspapers to read the book reviews.

You have been given a lot of advice/feedback about the experience needed for people to trust your opinion, which I agree with, but it is also very important to write a well created review of the product. Grammar, punctuation, and proper proof reading make a big difference when you are asking people to trust that you know what you are talking about.

We like to talk about Magic being an art, well so is writing. If you are serious about reviewing your posts deserve the same attention to detail that put into a magic routine.
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
Actually I would suggest ignoring reading magic reviews and focusing more on reading reviews of things that are a lot more subjective. Like reviews on art, Poetry, and perhaps cooking.
 

Colin

Elite Member
Jan 25, 2013
152
22
That is why I mention the weekend newspapers for their book reviews (and other arts reviews) but I wouldn't completely ignore reviews on magic if that is what he wants to write about. Reviews on art are different than Poetry which are different that cooking in their construction, and you will make yourself a better writer by exposing yourself to well written example of all of these, just as reviews of a magic prop or effect will differ to the previous examples.

The important part is focusing attention on the well written examples over the general internet flotsam. You can learn about reviewing magic products by reading someone like Jamy Ian Swiss and are less likely to something useful by reading things by 'tedrockswithcard62'.

I wouldn't suggest reading reviews of a product that you are planning to review yourself because you don't want outside influence creeping in to the piece but other than that seek out good writing and read.
 

baguette

Elite Member
Mar 28, 2013
119
1
I'm not sure i got my point accross with christopherT but i'll just drop it.
I'll take in your opinions and try to get the most out of it.
I really don't want to sound like that one kid that never listens to anything you have to say.

Thank you once again.
 
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