Pictures – Page 122 – MagicShow.Tips

Custom Props…

The more you do magic, the less “off the rack” magic props you will use. The more you use props professionally, the more you figure out exactly how you’d like them to feel, handle, or whatever. Sometimes this means using custom made props, sometimes this will mean using props that are altered. Recently while travelling … Continue reading “Custom Props…”

The more you do magic, the less “off the rack” magic props you will use. The more you use props professionally, the more you figure out exactly how you’d like them to feel, handle, or whatever. Sometimes this means using custom made props, sometimes this will mean using props that are altered.

Recently while travelling the TSA screened my checked baggage and lost my two table tops. After two weeks of phone calls I managed to find track them down at an airport lost and found at McCarren Airport in Las Vegas. They are sending them to me via overnight FedEx at my cost! It’s crazy, that they were in the TSA’s control, and I need to file an claim to get reimbursed shipping to me.

The worst case scenario was that the tables were gone and I had to get them remade. This scenario where I’m out a few bucks to get them back is still cheaper than having to have them remade. Also it gets them to me quicker, I don’t have to wait while someone remakes them.
-Louie
Click here to learn more about building your own magic props!

Memory = Creativity

One of the books I’m reading is Moonwalking With Einstein, which is a book about memory competitions. It’s a great book and really breaks down memory systems and why they work. It doesn’t really teach memory systems, but it’s a great overview of different techniques. In the book in there’s a mention of creativity and … Continue reading “Memory = Creativity”

In the book in there’s a mention of creativity and how people with good memories tend to be more creative. Then it basically breaks down how creativity works in less than a sentence. I’m paraphrasing, but the book says, “creativity is to be able to connect two unrelated ideas”.

I totally agree with this. The better you are at connecting two ideas the more creative you are. That’s what makes a joke work, connecting a set up an punchline. That’s what makes a magic trick work, connecting a prop with an effect. Of course there’s also the craft part of it, where you turn the two ideas into a workable chunk of material.

The better your mental file cabinet is, the more ideas you’ll have.

Laughs Per Minute…

In my trek through all of the Greater Magic Videos on MagicFlix, I recently watched Tom Mullica‘s video. This is an interesting video, because it’s a huge change from what was before in magic. Tom is funny, and good. I mean all of the tricks are good…and he’s technically amazing on the video! The video … Continue reading “Laughs Per Minute…”

In my trek through all of the Greater Magic Videos on MagicFlix, I recently watched Tom Mullica‘s video. This is an interesting video, because it’s a huge change from what was before in magic. Tom is funny, and good. I mean all of the tricks are good…and he’s technically amazing on the video!

The video before Tom was Charlie Miller. Charlie is a slice of a different era, where people performed comedy magic differently. I’m also aware that the video of Charlie recorded when he was older, so he was probably past his prime.

The huge difference was that Charlie did more “classic” magic tricks, where what Tom did felt fresh. It’s not that the root effect was new, but the way he did them was new. Tom wasn’t relying on things that worked, he took a path that forwarded his character. Watch Charlie, then watch Tom and you’ll see where magic made a turn.

Ummmm….

My current reading is Ken Weber’s book Maximum Entertainment 2.0. This is the expanded version of the original book. It’s something every magician should have. It’ll make you think about your show, and hopefully make some changes. In one part of the book Ken writes about performers saying “ummm…” and how it’s a bad thing. … Continue reading “Ummmm….”

My current reading is Ken Weber’s book Maximum Entertainment 2.0. This is the expanded version of the original book. It’s something every magician should have. It’ll make you think about your show, and hopefully make some changes.

In one part of the book Ken writes about performers saying “ummm…” and how it’s a bad thing. I’ve been hyper aware of it, and a ton of performers say it a lot! I went back and reviewed some video and I say it a lot in my newer routines. I need to go back and work on my learning my scripts

Go watch video of yourself performing and listen for the “Ummms“, I was really surprised when I heard them!

Little Things…

With a magic trick, all of the little things matter and they matter a lot! There’s a trick that I do in the show that when I started doing it, it used three thumb thumb tips. At one point I had to remove something from one of them, and put it into a different thumb tip!

After really thinking about how the trick flowed, I managed to figure out a way to do it with only two thumb tips. One of the tips is a XXL thumb tip, and that solved the the problem of having to move something from one thumb tip to another, and it also meant one less time that I need to go to the bin on my table.

The next problem was prop management. On my table, there’s a bin. In that bin are my props, and the thumb tips used to just lay on the bottom of the bin. The problem is that they roll around, especially if my table is carried out, and not preset. I solved this by 3D printing this holder:

The foot on the holder is to provide a more steady base, so that it can’t tip over. Hopefully the thumb tips will stay upright!

Do As I Do…

There are certain “plots” in card magic that I’m really not a fan of. One of them is the Do As I Do type of tricks. These are typically very procedure heavy and the payoff isn’t that great. Usually it ends with you and a spectator finding the other person’s card. Last night I was … Continue reading “Do As I Do…”

There are certain “plots” in card magic that I’m really not a fan of. One of them is the Do As I Do type of tricks. These are typically very procedure heavy and the payoff isn’t that great. Usually it ends with you and a spectator finding the other person’s card.

Last night I was reading Principia by Harapan Ong and came across his trick called Perspective.

What makes this Do As I Do trick great is that it’s not a “pick a card” type trick. It’s a color change type of card trick, but the cards change for both you and the spectator! Best of all there’s no procedure! The top cards on both halves of the deck keep changing, it’s great!

I love encountering tricks that change how I feel about magic plots!

Playing Bigger…

Making the tricks that I currently do play bigger is something I’m always working on. There are a lot of ways to do this, however one challenge has always been card tricks. I don’t do a lot of them in the show, but those that I do are generally limited to poker sized cards.

One trick that I do uses cards in a holder on a pole. This is one of the rare instances where I can use jumbo cards, but haven’t. Last night I 3D printed out a new holder for the trick that will take jumbo cards.

My concern is that the pole won’t be able to hold the larger cards. When the cards on the end, the weight will make the pole bend. I do have a shorter pole than I normally use, and that would help with the bending a little bit.

Larger cards will help solve the problem of cards being visible from a distance.

Magic Prop Problems…

There are many magic props that are a pain to use. Mostly because of either they wear our or need to be maintained. For example, you may have a prop that has a flimsy hinge or a string that rubs against something. Those are things that you need to keep an eye on. On thing … Continue reading “Magic Prop Problems…”

There are many magic props that are a pain to use. Mostly because of either they wear our or need to be maintained. For example, you may have a prop that has a flimsy hinge or a string that rubs against something. Those are things that you need to keep an eye on.

On thing that I use in my show is a remote control to run my audio. I’ve heard stories of people breaking the belt clip on it. While not a huge deal, it’s a pain the butt to not have one while you are waiting for a replacement to arrive, or trying to figure out how to make a makeshift belt clip.

I was working on another prop and had some leftover silicone, so I made a mold of the remote control’s belt clip and made a couple belt clips.

These fit perfectly onto the remote control. The are going to live in the bottom of my audio case for when I need them, or am working with with someone cool who might need one.

-Louie
Click here to learn more about building your own magic props!

The Vanishing Bird Cage is one of the hardest tricks I’ve ever worked on. It seems like every problem I solve, another problem pops up. In the recent past when I did the cage, the plan wasn’t for it to stay in the show for very long. Because of this, I didn’t put a ton … Continue reading “”

The Vanishing Bird Cage is one of the hardest tricks I’ve ever worked on. It seems like every problem I solve, another problem pops up. In the recent past when I did the cage, the plan wasn’t for it to stay in the show for very long. Because of this, I didn’t put a ton of time into it.

Now that I think this is something that’s going to be in the show for a little while, I’m putting more time into it. I want to do the vanish of the bird cage faster than the “slow motion” vanish. I’m having a frequent problem with the cage hanging up on my sleeve at the exact same spot. I think it has to do with the coat more than the cage. Material seems to bunch about 3 inches inside my sleeve and the cage gets stuck about 20% of the time.

My solution was to have it not run up the sleeve. I’m having it run across my hand. This gives me a more unusual grip of the cage, the cage sits on the palm of my hand. It’s similar to the one handed grip that John Carney uses in the CARNEY 2013 video on the Vanishing Bird Cage.

The main difference Carney’s grip and mine is that my hand is completely palm up. The cage can be displayed with no support from either hand, aside from my right palm as a base.

Adjusting my grip has reduced the cage hanging up to less than 5%. This is good, but still a long way to go!

No Outs and Snagging…

Honestly, I’m not sure how I used to do the vanishing birdcage. I think I was very lucky in that years ago it never really hung up on my sleeve in a show. I also think that I’m currently more aware of failure without an “out” in tricks that I do in the show. Billy … Continue reading “No Outs and Snagging…”

Honestly, I’m not sure how I used to do the vanishing birdcage. I think I was very lucky in that years ago it never really hung up on my sleeve in a show. I also think that I’m currently more aware of failure without an “out” in tricks that I do in the show. Billy McComb in an interview on the Greater Magic Video Series says, “…there is no out when the cage is hanging out of your sleeve.“

Currently I’m following Tommy Wonder‘s advice. Every time the cage snags on something, I’m trying to figure why it snagged and what I can do to stop it from snagging. It’s a smart approach, and one that’s a lot of work and will end up with a fairly altered jacket.