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

Who are you?

Keokesilverfang said:
That just tells me you are being your normal self you have no persona developed other then some dude who can do awesome **** with cards.
Click to expand...

i typically do magic for people who i socialize with outside of a performance. i use magic as a means to make connections. as a means to meet new people. magic opens a whole new world for me.

someday if magic becomes a means for money, and outside of the magic i'll never see people again. then a character may be beneficial. but as for right now. i see no benefit for me.
 
I actually don't think it's always necessary to literally be YOURSELF. Shun me if you wish. But it's not. Now, what I feel is important is that you KNOW your character. Copying other people's characters is not what you want to go for. Look inside of yourself and try to figure out what is best for your magic. Know what you can pull off. You have to know yourself for this process to work. Have a vision of magic as well. You have to pull off your character in a believable manner. Like... I will never be a... Criss Angel for instance. It's just not me. It's him. But not me. I'm not going to go buy a bunch of jewelry and leather pants because I see his character works for him and I think it's cool and will bring me wealth. Sometimes YOURSELF is good enough, keep in mind. Sometimes you need to exaggerate the qualities of yourself to create something. Sometimes, like Blaine, you need to go to Colorado on a personal retreat and develop your character from the bottom up. I think the main problem that comes up is when people very new to magic and even the older folks... some, start imitating their idols, lose all identity of self. and that hinders their magic. Anyway, enough rambling.
 
"I try to be myself always as i perform. When i am having fun they are, that is my goal."

What in the name in ****buckets is that?
A simple question, what character are you. What type of performer are you?
Is that so hard to adress.

Im overwhealmed by the fact that i myself, Draven, if i remember correctly Steerpike, Dee Christopher have put out materials for making a super duper character and trying to blast through the idea that as a performer being yourself always is not best.

I mean, if i were my true self 3 years ago id be a unconfident little critter how thinks that my spectators are smarter than me. I mean come on, evolving yourself is natural and i take pride when i can win another person over to my side thanks to old books on Showmanship and Character building.

Now to the point, im more of a performer who is very lively but at the same time deep. I make jokes but when im doing something important i pay attention to it and guide my spectators towards it. Although i don't pay attention to what i am doing with my hands rather than the proccess of what i am doing with my mind.

Let it be said that i am a Mentalist.
My character and persona seems like a friendly but at the same time very educated and way ahead of its age.

The ones that know me for some time on these boards and from tinychat i am a very lively person who seems to know a lot about stuff and seems ahead of his age. Let it be said that i am only 16 but im seen as well over 20 on stage although some of my childly flaws to come up every once in a while.

I am myself on stage but i have brought out a few things of me.

An idea which i might go ahead and try is to incorporate feelings into my presentations and my persona. I am a very emotional person, i feel sorry for people who have it worse than i and generally feel emotions when walking around and just chillin. Also lost loves and broken feelings will be something i wish to incorporate.

M.
 
Nickerus said:
Keoke, I've been wanting to create a character like that, I always thought it would be fun to create some sort of character in my magic. I think I might do that and take it to the mall (despite my last post).

Steve, the killer of kittens, "I use their little baby souls to power my magic!"

No... maybe not.


Gregg, the close talker, invader of personal space. Take a shower? Not today!

Probably not him either...

I'll be pondering this for a while.
Click to expand...

Nah man you got to be Tom the kid, white van escape artist.
 
drkrelemnts said:
That is how I used to go when I first started magic. After seeing David Blaine, i thought that it was what a magician was supposed to be. Magic later gave me the confidence and realization that I should be who I am. I find it it more fun and people enjoy it more.
Click to expand...

LOL you made me feel like a david blaine wannbe :p

Acctually i stay away from mainstream magic. and what got me into magic was witnessing magic at a cranival so no david blaine here.

Just that i believe, by joking and being humrous my magic effect's worth becomes less and it can be taken as a joke. I have seen so many magicians doing effects and then the spectator just laughs :o
 
I suppose I should develop my original thoughts.

As artistic as I fancy myself, I'm also a man of science. Friends have told me of my performances that I always give things context and come across as a very learned individual. They say I'm like a mad genius. So I play that up. I draw influence from Nikola Tesla and numerous mad scientists from pulp lit and comics. I affect a different demeanor depending on the context.

In seances, I'm Alexander Vornoff, the last of the Shadowlanders. I'm working on a mind-reading act in which I portray a 9th-rate loser superhero with psychic powers named Dr. Question Mark. And I've also started developing a horror/black humor act that can best be described as, "an evil mad scientist gets an educational science TV show" except it's on stage instead of on TV. It's called Dr. Vornoff's Lab.
 
I'm...(you'll hate me for this) myself. I would agree with everything AsherF wrote. I just enjoy being me. I laugh, have fun (still getting over nerves though), but also I like to be artistic with my magic, especially card magic. I like to make everything smooth looking, a little flourishy, and graceful. I like making the magic a different experience then the cliche in a lot of laypeople's heads.
 
I'm Haunter. I am a dual type ghost/poison pokemon. I evolved from Gastly at level 25. (I'm 25 years old)

I am a dangerous pokemon. If I beckon you while floating in the darkness you must never approach me. I will try to lick you with my tongue and steal your life away.

Also, I do magic.

Possible real answer to follow...eventually.
 
Haunter said:
I'm Haunter. I am a dual type ghost/poison pokemon. I evolved from Gastly at level 25. (I'm 25 years old)

I am a dangerous pokemon. If I beckon you while floating in the darkness you must never approach me. I will try to lick you with my tongue and steal your life away.

Also, I do magic.

Possible real answer to follow...eventually.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but Wartortle could easily beat Haunter with a simple water gun attack. Even a Bubble attack could do it. Silly, silly ghost type.
 
Well I like to be myself.. And myself is fun and comedic type. But to add to it when I perform parties or something along those lines I wear...

-red dress shirt
-black vest
-black tux jacket
-red and black wrist band from hot topic
-black skinnies
-and I paint my nails black.

But this is my character and some people might not be able to pull it off... Ex. The black nails amd skinnies. But also I'm not like a serious type of peson even though I wear black and paint my nails, I'm still fun and funny. And that's for parties I usually wear band shirt, skinnies, and ofcourse my nails are black when I do street magic.

So you just have to find you own image and character like I did.
 
Question to all the people who like to say, "I'm just myself."

Are you really nothing more than a collection of generic adjectives?
 
Steerpike said:
Question to all the people who like to say, "I'm just myself."

Are you really nothing more than a collection of generic adjectives?
Click to expand...
It's actually a common misconception that if your yourself, you going to be boring and just a face in the crowd that nobody remembers...that's not true. So what if your shy!? So what if your quiet!? That's just a sign of not being completely mature and comfortable with yourself yet. But you can change that. Being yourself doesn't mean your shy and quiet.

My uncle would be a prime example. He's very unique, and a quirky character, but he's awesome! He's also himself! What do ya know! He's the life of the party! Most people get along with him well! He's very comfortable with who he is too. That's just one example.

The point is that being yourself doesn't mean your shy quiet or boring. So don't make these generic statements that group people into silly misconceptions. Nothing wrong with being yourself.
 
Steerpike said:
Question to all the people who like to say, "I'm just myself."

Are you really nothing more than a collection of generic adjectives?
Click to expand...

generic adjectives are can mean different things to different people. and no typed out set of adjectives specific, generic, bla bla. will ever represent a human being.

i'm me. and the only way to know me. is to meet, hang out and get to know me.

i'm never going to be able to put myself into words. nobody on a forum is ever going to know the real me.

infact. noooo body is ever going to know the real me. sure there are levels of proximity to knowing somebody. but. not a single person in this entire world, is ever going to know the real me. ever.


only God can know the real me. and heres the ridiculous thing, He still loves me! he knows the real me, he hears the rude crude sick things that i dont say. he knows every thought that passes through my head and he loves me. truly loves me. all the same. more than anybody else could ever Love me. more than any human could love another human, more than any human could love anything. its amazing.
 
Well since this thread has gone off on another tangent let me try bringing it back to my tangent. I apologize Nick if I stole your thread. I got candy if you want it. *Points to his white unmarked van*

Okay worldwideme and others here is another way to approach this question.

*A man dressed in a business suit shakes your hand*
Good morning Mr./Mrs. (Insert Name here.) I have heard great things about you.

*The man then gestures for the magi to take a seat in front of a clean desk, not an eraser shaving out of place.*

Please have a seat.

*the man takes a seat behind the desk and brings out a few papers with the words "Interview Questions" in bold lettering.*

Now I have to ask a few questions about yourself to make sure you are right to hire for this event.

Do you have any needs or requirements in order to perform? Do perform on the fly or require special lighting?

*The man pauses and lets the interviewee answer. Once finished he continues his game of 20 questions.*

What is your character? Is there something I compare you to, to make sure you are the right type of performer that is needed for this event?

*Nods to your answer*

How do YOU think people will describe you as if you were to perform for this event? In other words describe YOURSELF as the magician, sell yourself as a product, why should I buy you, what makes you different from Joe shmoe magician?

*The professionally dressed man sits back in his chair, thumbs idly twirl around each other as he listens to the magician answer the question.*
 
ok in that situation i would give the man "generic adjectives".


i would say things like,


"my performances are laid back with a touch of professionalism, and class. but not to the point that they come off as snobby."

"i try to keep things personal for my audiences, i try to show them little bits of myself when i perform. i tell them about my passions, magic, music, faith. or maybe just shoot the breeze with them then drop in a 'hey check this out' they all vary based on whos watching."
 
Keokesilverfang said:
Well since this thread has gone off on another tangent let me try bringing it back to my tangent. I apologize Nick if I stole your thread. I got candy if you want it. *Points to his white unmarked van*
Click to expand...
I'm not even gonna try to describe how much I laughed at that.

Anyway, I see your point. And in a situation like that, I would be more descriptive, telling him how I perform and what I act like. I wouldn't just say "I'm me", cause that's a bit ridiculous when a job is on the line. But technically, what I would describe would still be me "I like a fun atmosphere, and getting everybody involved. I like to get everybody smiling and laughing, and keep a laid back performance."

See what I mean? I'm being more descriptive then just "I'm me" and yet I'm still describing me. Now don't tell me there is something wrong with that performing style I was talking about above. That's me, and I act like myself. I don't have to fake being someone else just to get people interested in me. I'm genuine, nice, and easy going. I see nothing wrong with that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.