The Magic Network Community Blog

Hello to all Magi.  My name is Joel and i have been performing magic for about 25 years.  i did start to do proffesional magic until about 8 years ago.  its never been a money thing with me but more of a medical thing....long story.  anyway  i have been a member for several months and just have been busy so i just wanted to say hay. 

my story is strong and true.  if you want to know then ask.  im not shy.  magic changed and saved my life.  i love the art and respect the ways of it. 

ps i am trying to come up with a name for myself.  i like Zander as the last name but have no idea of a first name that would link with it.  any ideas?

The world’s greatest magicians learned some of the greatest secrets of magic through diligently studying books, perfecting their knowledge and gaining a deeper appreciation for the art.  Becoming a magician of great stature required a deep passion for the art and a great deal of commitment.  On occasion, learning a single trick would seemingly involve sleepless nights in order to perfect the desired effect and result.                                              

As books were harder to come by, the secrets to magic were better guarded and cherished.  Exposing secrets of magic to those seeking a quick and easy way to perform a trick, rather than taking the time and effort put forth by true magicians, was frowned upon.  Taken from an article written by Geo Schulte in the Magical Bulletin of February 1921, it was written as follows:

“The exposer is worse than a criminal.  He is a fool.  He not only pulls down the standing of his art; he pulls down himself and his whole profession.  He scuttles the ship in which he himself is afloat.  Nothing is so easy as to expose a clever magical effect; and nothing is so hard as to put that particular effect back among the fascinating and mystifying problems of magic, when once the secret has been exposed to the general public.”

Modern technology has allowed the exposure of such secrets, allowing everyone and anyone to access some of the most valued techniques of the trade.  No longer does one need to spend time and effort in learning the many various ways to perform a trick, they merely need to do nothing more than mimic another imposter desecrating this fine art. Internet now serves as cliff notes to magic books, providing a quick easy fix. Because of the over-exposure of the secrets to magic, due mainly to internet sites such as YouTube, the value of the art of magic has diminished; the mystery has begun to lose its touch, over-popularizing techniques, leaving few ideas original and leaving many without a sense of amazement or astonishment.

Here's the first magic contest announcement you've all been waiting for!

We're gonna kick our Fall 2012 contest series off with a bang and give away one of our biggest prizes right off the bat.

That's right, Jamie D. Grant's "Industrial Revelation" is up for grabs, along with Jamie's latest: "The Vault" with a deck of the sold out Limited Edition Red JAQKs from Theory 11 thrown in (Note: the Vault and Red JAQKs contest is now closed.) Industrial Revelation is still up for grabs!

This is a little update plus kinda of a question thaqt has been asked alot of times,

Awhile back you guys might remember a effect I came up with (Salt Shaker).

A signed coin penitrates a salt shaker filled with salt, Now the idea sprung from a justin Miller effect where he did a move that I practice over and over again then from there I started thinking of other ways to apply that move to different situations. I came up with the method and it looked cool...But looking cool and creating magic are different things. Everyone I know can do some sort of" trick".

But to create magic is much more of heart, paying attention to what people do, how they do it and why?. I learn't this along time ago but didn't apply it to creating, until I paid attention to what all the creators were saying and they all say the samething, I'm not going to tell you that part you have to find it for yourself.

So I started hanging out at resurants watching people((Not creepy at all)) not to watch them but to observe them in how they eat, drink there beverage, hold there fork, spice up therte food.. That was it it hit me after seeing countless people doing them same manurisim time and time again I worked it into my effect to make it that much more natural, make it seem like nothing is happening, because if they do it as habbit there not going to pay much attention to it at all.

INTRODUCTION:

Many a times must we have heard someone say the phrase 'breaking in a deck' or calling a deck 'broken in'. But we are not certain on what it means or how to do it. This blog/article is aimed at sedding some light on 'breaking in' a new pack of cards. Please note, that the definitions and processes are highly subjective. What I discuss here is merely my own understanding and the things that I think work best.

WHAT IS BREAKING IN:

Most of the decks of cards used by people are from the USPCC or similar manufacturers who use a special varnish on a deck to make it slippery and/or smooth. Such qualities, although desirable, need a perfect balance. Less slide and the deck clumps. Too smooth and it slips out of the hands. Also, a new deck has a stiff stock. New deck stock is difficult to control in springs, harder to palm and makes sleights difficult. If you have used a new bicycle deck, especially the ones made in USPCC's Cincinnati factory, you'll know that the edges of the deck are also rough and uneven which makes dribbles and riffles a pain.

I was excited to see Bryn Reynolds' new ebook release, "The Logar Scrolls," as I am a big fan of his first ebook, "The Safwan Papers." I picked up a copy and reviewed it in detail. You can read the full review here.

Let me know what you think!

With so many options and tools available for magicians to market themselves on the web, choosing the right tools to focus on can be difficult. Which tools will give you the most value for your time and efforts?

One tool I highly recommend to all magicians marketing themselves on the web is Facebook. Facebook has become the world's largest social network and it is highly likely, for magicians in most geographies where Facebook is popular, that your potential clients and target audiences are spending a lot of their time on Facebook.

What is the best way for you to engage and reach your target audience on Facebook?

Rather than using Facebook with a regular profile, which you may want to limit to your friends and other magicians (since your personal posts may not be relevant for your target audience, and they may include content that you do not want your target audience to see, such as posts about magic products), I recommend setting up a Facebook "Page" for your magic performing business.

Your page should carry the name of your stage/performing persona, as you want your target audience/potential clients to see it. When you post as your "Page" on Facebook, your posts should be valuable for and engaging to your potential clients. Ask a question, for example, "What is one of the most memorable magic tricks you have seen?"

In the spirit of writing more blog posts here on The Magic Network about web marketing for magicians, and helping magicians to make money by getting more gigs and improving their magic, I decided to start this off by telling you about a new project from my friend Paul Romhany, who is offering magicians like you a free regular magic magazine.

It is called "Vanish International Magic Magazine" and it is absolutely free!

The magazine covers a lot of useful bases for magicians, and is definitely worth reading. The first issue (Edition 01) which came out a couple of months ago, featured interviews, a few close up effects, tips on improving your act and connecting with clients, and more.

Here is the table of contents of Edition 01:

How is the Value of a Commercial Magician
Measured?..................................................... 10-12
A series of professional magic by JC Sum
Chipper Lowell Interview............................. 13-24
In-depth look at a comedy giant by Paul Romhany
Evolve Your Magic........................................ 25-28
Magic Babe Ning brings magic up to date
Bamboozlers................................................. 29-30
Diamond Jim Tyler shares a great bar trick
It’s Child’s Play.............................................. 31-34
Tony Chris aka Zany Zak on kids magic
Magic Tricks Review..................................... 35-39
Harry Monk reviews books and applications
The Magic of Mentoring............................... 41-42
Nick Lewin looks at his favorite mentor
Winning Numbers........................................ 43-44
Wayne Rogers shares a stand-up mentalism routine
The Success Series....................................... 45-46
Cris Johnson looks in to connecting with clients
Magic Face-lift.............................................. 47-49
Illusion designer Mark Parker explains his quick change routine

Great news everyone - points are back (as many of you have noticed), with new ways to get points. The threshold levels and names of the levels are also new, as many people didn't like the old names and thought they were too "divisive." Hope you all like these better.

I am still looking into ways that I can give even more recognition and rewards to our top contributors, and am open to your suggestions. Will keep updating the program as I work on it.

The details are here:

http://themagicnetwork.com/points-program