Magicians never share secrets, huh? Well here are some tips to help new magicians. Hope they help.
Want to know the real secrets of magic? Here’s how you can be a more successful magician.
When you're starting out in magic it's important to understand why you've decided to become a magician and what you hope to achieve. Without a clear understanding of where you are and where you want to go you'll end up wasting time, energy and money on tricks, props, videos and books.
First, who are you? It's hard to see yourself objectively but it's worth the effort. By seeing yourself as the world sees you, you can select material and craft your act accordingly. There's nothing sadder than a fat, jovial, middle-aged man trying to be cool man of mystery David Blaine, or a 13 year-old kid trying to imitate the worldly gravitas of mentalist Max Maven. It's far better for that jovial man to express his humorous side and that kid to embrace his youthful appearance rather than trying to be something he's not.
Secondly, where do you want to go? Is magic going to be a career for you or a hobby? There's no shame in being a hobbyist, in fact some of the finest sleight of hand artists and inventors in magic have day jobs. If you want to develop a professional act, think about where you'd like to perform. What type of audience do you enjoy entertaining? Get a clear sense of the type of magician you'd like to be and then take daily steps towards achieving that.
Third, learn all you can. Today's budding illusionist has easy access to more magic than ever before. You can click on a YouTube video and study the masters of today and yesteryear. How do you know whom to study? Read. Yes, there are a ton of DVD's and downloadable videos you can buy, but they won't give you a complete education. It's only by studying the books of the great minds of magic that you can begin to call yourself a real magician.
Fourth, practice! Don't give into the urge to learn every single new trick that comes out on the market. Commit to mastering one trick at a time. A neophyte learns the secret to a trick and runs out to fool his or her friends. Because they don't take the time to master the effect they make mistakes. Now, everyone makes mistakes but a master magician anticipates them. What will you do if the secret gimmick breaks in the middle of the show? How will you cover that? What if the spectator drops the prop? What will you do if you're challenged by a heckler who wants to examine that prop? Only by practicing over and over will you see these potential pitfalls and figure out ways around them.
Finally, perform as much as you can. That doesn't mean forcing your friends to watch a new trick every time you're at a get together; it means just the opposite. String together three to five of your best tricks and do them over and over again for new audiences. That's the only real way to hone your act to perfection.
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