Using Projection…

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about using projection in my stage show. I’ve been looking at how other magicians and performers are using it. It’s something that can make a lot of difference in how visible something is. For magicians, David Copperfield was the first that I was aware of to use in it … Continue reading “Using Projection…”

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about using projection in my stage show. I’ve been looking at how other magicians and performers are using it. It’s something that can make a lot of difference in how visible something is. For magicians, David Copperfield was the first that I was aware of to use in it his four ace routine. Currently using video is pretty common.


The best use of video that I’ve seen so far is Darren Brown in his Broadway show Secrets. Most people when it’s used, it feels like you are either watching the screen or watching the performer. When Darren did it, it felt like your attention wasn’t torn between two places. You were watching him perform and the video enhanced it.


That’s what I’m going for, using video to enhance what’s happening. Projection would be used for showing the signature of a card, but not the whole card trick. I think when the action happens on the table and the only way you can watch it is through the screen, then it stops enhancing the live show and becomes the audience watching TV.

Adding a Bonus Trick

It’s the little things that when people notice, I think it elevates your show. Before Darren Brown’s show, I noticed some posters in the theater that seemed out of place. Well, they played a role in the show, but their role wasn’t really IN THE SHOW, but after the show. They reinforced something that happened. … Continue reading “Adding a Bonus Trick”

It’s the little things that when people notice, I think it elevates your show. Before Darren Brown’s show, I noticed some posters in the theater that seemed out of place. Well, they played a role in the show, but their role wasn’t really IN THE SHOW, but after the show. They reinforced something that happened.


There was a very cool moment for some of the people that attended the show as we were leaving the theater. When walking down the stairs from the balcony to leave the theater, people noticed the posters and started commenting on how they were a part of the show. It was almost like the people got a “bonus trick” on the way out of the show.


I’m a huge fan of things that tell your audience that it’s not a bunch of tricks you threw together. That your put thought into your show. The easy way to do that is through call backs, when you reference things that happened earlier in the show later in the show. In magic, you can do more that just reference, they can have a role in what happens later in the show. Darren Brown’s show has this happen in the body of the show, but using it for something that people notice while they are leaving the theater is GENIUS!

Using Projection…

Lately I’ve been thinking of using video projection in my show. Not just using it enlarge smaller tricks, but to incorporate video into my show. Adding video elements can make a trick play a lot bigger without carrying additional props. I have some ideas and have been thinking about how to work them in. Seeing … Continue reading “Using Projection…”

Lately I’ve been thinking of using video projection in my show. Not just using it enlarge smaller tricks, but to incorporate video into my show. Adding video elements can make a trick play a lot bigger without carrying additional props.


I have some ideas and have been thinking about how to work them in. Seeing Darren Brown’s show and how he used video to enhance a few things that he did really inspired me.


What I really loved was how he didn’t use a traditional screen for the video. It was projected on the wall behind him. This made it feel like my attention wasn’t divided between him and the screen. Both were in my field of vision, so it wasn’t like I had to choose between watching him or the screen.


Secrets…

Darren Brown’s show is one I’ve wanted to see live for a long time. I got to see it last night on Broadway in New York City and it was amazing! I rarely give standing ovations to magic shows, however this is one that I did and enthusiastically did. Nothing in the show “fooled me”, … Continue reading “Secrets…”

Darren Brown’s show is one I’ve wanted to see live for a long time. I got to see it last night on Broadway in New York City and it was amazing! I rarely give standing ovations to magic shows, however this is one that I did and enthusiastically did. Nothing in the show “fooled me”, but it was all masterfully done and his ending would have gotten me if I wasn’t already aware of one of the principles that was happening.

One of the things that I found really interesting was how he managed to make a trick that was a transposition work within his character as a mentalist. I found this really cool and interesting, and what made it work was that there was only one part of the transposition. There was never a vanish, just a reproduction. I think that also gave it a lot more impact within the context of his show.


I love it when I see something that’s so outside of the “rules”, and the person makes it work and makes it work big! My only complaint about Darren’s show is that I don’t get to complain about any of it!

Magicy Week!

This week has been a very magicy week for me. With going to see Michael Carbonaro, to my friend from Ireland, and tonight I’m going to see a mentalist named Eran Raven. One of the pieces of advice I tell magicians is to go out and see all the shows that you can see. Being … Continue reading “Magicy Week!”

This week has been a very magicy week for me. With going to see Michael Carbonaro, to my friend from Ireland, and tonight I’m going to see a mentalist named Eran Raven. One of the pieces of advice I tell magicians is to go out and see all the shows that you can see.

Mentalist




Being exposed to what is out there really contributes to your growth as a performer. You will notice trends, then its up to you to either embrace the trend, or stay away from it. Either way you know what the herd of magicians is doing.


For example one of the big trends in magic right now is having a prediction reveal on a scroll that you unroll. It something that plays really big and is typically referenced during the show. Darren Brown, Penn and Teller, and tons of other magicians use this. Normally it’s used for a confabulation type routine.


Personally I’ve always liked the confabulation premise, but wanted mine to look different. Knowing the scroll reveal is popular, I looked for another way to do it. I ended up with doing an audio reveal from a recording. It’s got a different feel for the audience, so if they’ve seen someone do the scroll reveal, it’s a different trick!