theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards

Where did you learn that?

cedwards90

cedwards90

Aug 18, 2008
680
3
I have been performing publicly for a few years now, and I have started to get that question more and more. There's always one person who asks if you learned that on the internet or youtube or something similar. I never no quite how to answer it. I hate saying I learned it from a book or bought it online or anything like that. It makes you seem unprofessional, even though most magicians learn that way. I am guessing I get this question more than older magicians would, just because I am still 17, and look young for my age. Has anyone else been asked that type of question? What is your response?
 
When doing magic for your friends, they know you aren't real magic because they are with you a lot of the time. When doing magic for people I don't know well, I never get asked that question.

Best response? Books. I have NEVER been called a dork or something like that because I said books. Why? Its because you did something awesome for them. If you were giving them facts about the Grand Canyon, then maybe your responses would be a bit different. ;) Also, I never say I used Youtube. (I used Youtube when first starting like most of us, but I never went back. I never told anyone I used it though.) I pretty much say Youtube is evil. :)

-Doug
 
I get that all the time. All I say "I study many books on the art of magic". Never been insulted or called out after that.
 
i usually just put in a throw away and say "i had to stay up 3 days and 3 nights atop a coconut tree praying to the gods" (throw in a very cheeky smile here, and wait for the laughter).

Everyone knows you're kidding, and it just makes you seem more light hearted. I think people ask this question, but they never really want to know the answer. If they know you learnt it on youtube or something, it kinda destroys the illusion that you're doing magic, or what you claim to do. (and i feel you should never do that, unless it heightens the effect)

If i'm not mistaken, David Stone in "secrets of Close up Magic", has a little section on this (not sure which volume though), but along the context of replying to "HOW DID YOU DO THAT????" hehe.

Good luck
 
I like Doug's answer - and use an extension of that - I don't answer with a straight answer, I say, "What do you do when you aren't here - any hobbies? OR What do you do for a living?" - this gives me a chance to get to know them. When they respond, I think about their job and say, "How did you learn that"? They may say, "Trained by others, read a book on it, a family tradition"...anyhow, I just say - Magic is much like that - anyway you can think to learn, you can - but the stuff I am showing you is well gaurded.

This acknowledges that magic is exposed, but the best stuff (hopefully, YOUR stuff) is not "public domain".

NADZRI's response, I have a hard time NOT agreeing with, however, I think audiences may be insulted sometimes by having you sidestep a sincere question. I have gained MORE respect saying, "I study a book at Chapters...but the difference between me and most, I have read that book again and again - read between the lines...so much the pages fell out and I had to buy the book again" - rather than - "Where did you learn that?" and the reply a joke like "I went to school with Harry Potter". It will get a laugh, but that doesn't always convey success at connecting and dismissing a serious question.

The former, again, really answers their question - the latter just makes a joke, and although a great way to entertain and avoid...I think it has poor effect.

Anyhow - once again - I turned a short answer long - sorry.
 
Well, if you don't want to say that you've read books and watched DVD's, just say I have created all of these effect/tricks.
You can lie, it's ok, your doing that in most effects anyway.
It's not like their gonna call you out on it anyway, unless they're an ex-magician.

If they ask you:
"How did you create all this stuff?"
Just respond, "You have to be artistic and creative to think outside the box."

*Warning , a little off-topic*

I remember this 1 kid in my class in high school, telling everybody how much time I must have spent in my room trying to flourish cards like I do.
I just responded, "you know what, it's just comes naturally for me."

So I kinda turned it around a bit instead of having them laughing at me, it was more laughing with me.

But yeahh, any kid who says something like that about you when you flourish cards is really just jealous so he tries to make fun of you. You just have to be quick-witted and think on your feet.

Daniel Garcia puts $20 away in his pocket after performing Greed.
Spectator: Turn it into a Fifty, haha.
Garcia: *Throws 50 cent piece at specator*
Owned

Sorry, I got kinda off topic, but I hope you can use some info in here to help you.
 
Excellent response Morgician.

I personally find this question very insulting. Not only do spectators think the magic is cheap stuff you can search up on Youtube, but it ALSO conveys that the finesse I have added to the routine is EASY and can also easily be learned with a quick internet search. Exact opposite naturally. I don't know, the question really bugs me and makes me feel cheap, but I'm certainly taking it a bit too personally.

My response? "Oh no, nothing like that... any ethical magician takes long periods of time to put precision work into the magic he does, and we learn that from places you can't easily access (like Youtube)".
 
DannyT said:
Well, if you don't want to say that you've read books and watched DVD's, just say I have created all of these effect/tricks.
You can lie, it's ok, your doing that in most effects anyway.
It's not like their gonna call you out on it anyway, unless they're an ex-magician.

If they ask you:
"How did you create all this stuff?"
Just respond, "You have to be artistic and creative to think outside the box."

*Warning , a little off-topic*

I remember this 1 kid in my class in high school, telling everybody how much time I must have spent in my room trying to flourish cards like I do.
I just responded, "you know what, it's just comes naturally for me."

So I kinda turned it around a bit instead of having them laughing at me, it was more laughing with me.

But yeahh, any kid who says something like that about you when you flourish cards is really just jealous so he tries to make fun of you. You just have to be quick-witted and think on your feet.

Daniel Garcia puts $20 away in his pocket after performing Greed.
Spectator: Turn it into a Fifty, haha.
Garcia: *Throws 50 cent piece at specator*
Owned

Sorry, I got kinda off topic, but I hope you can use some info in here to help you.
Click to expand...

I really do not like your response... taking credit for the work of other magicians deliberately? Not the best way to go about things.
 
Michael Kras said:
I really do not like your response... taking credit for the work of other magicians deliberately? Not the best way to go about things.
Click to expand...

I feel like it doesn't matter how you answer the question.
I mean, laymen don't know pro-magicians, and I'm sure pro-magicians won't mind that a spectator thinks that you made a trick that isn't really yours. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong.

Spectator: "I'll just go look it up on youtube when I get home."
Me: "Well since I made the trick, I'll be amazed if you find it on youtube when you go home."

So, if you don't like this way, here's another:

"My good friend Danny Garcia made/taught me that."

Just say the magician's name for their trick to give them credit.
Don't worry, I'm sure by the end of the day, they'll forget the name or not know how to spell it,
and if you feel uncomfortable with this also, then totally ignore both my posts.
-cheers
 
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LOL, its unbelievable how many times i get this. i say " no, youtube only has junk, i dont learn from those stupid tutorials..."
 
Michael Kras said:
Excellent response Morgician.

I personally find this question very insulting. Not only do spectators think the magic is cheap stuff you can search up on Youtube, but it ALSO conveys that the finesse I have added to the routine is EASY and can also easily be learned with a quick internet search. Exact opposite naturally. I don't know, the question really bugs me and makes me feel cheap, but I'm certainly taking it a bit too personally.

My response? "Oh no, nothing like that... any ethical magician takes long periods of time to put precision work into the magic he does, and we learn that from places you can't easily access (like Youtube)".
Click to expand...

I feel the same way. Im glad im not the only one.

Except I respond "No, I buy the secret."

then theyre like "WHERE?!?"

and i say something like "thats part of the secret"
 
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