Tim Ellis made a blog post titled Private Parties – Ten Observations.

1)  What a funny joke!  Truly though, it’s a good idea to always keep a handful of unopened cards in your car.

2)  An ideal setting?  This is what children do.  It is not intimate like Ellis is trying to point out.  It’ s downright awkward and juvenile.  Mise well go for the Mama’s party with the plastic cups and only fill them up half way with Kool-Aid just in case they spill.  I’d bet Ellis has bought a Happy Meal within the last few years.

3)  Don’t call your spectators anything but their names.  People respond to this and gives a sense of comfort.  Rapport is in the details.   “Participant” is cold, and has the same feel as “hey you”.    If you need a volunteer simply say something like “For this experiment I think Joan will be perfect”.  Ask them to give Joan a fun round of applause for helping.  Doc Eason is a master of remembering everyone’s names at a party.  In this his essence comes across more as a friend than a hired gun.

7)  Coming from Ellis that’s no surprise.

8)  Ellis giving fashion advice is like taking make up tips from Tammy Fay.  Seriously man, that blue jacket is omega gay.  The Miami Vice thing went out in the 80’s.  If you want good advice take out a female that knows her stuff.  You dress nice no matter what occasion your attending….even at a hole in the wall bar as far as I’m concerned.

9)  Are we to assume mentalism effects are the same as Bizarre effects.  I don’t really understand why he compares these things as dull or somber in perspective.  There are tons of fun and exciting mentalism effects anyone with any character can pull off.

10)  This is total bullshit.  Ellis is an awkward fellow and I’d assume from what I’ve seen he doesn’t mix well with general society and just “having a drink”.  He’s too fucking goofy.  If someone offers you to hang out and have a drink, and you genuinly like the crowd, it’s insulting and a dissapointment to your spectators to say no.  In no way should hanging around equate to dimishing the magic that has allready been done.  Ellis I tend to think is using this as an excuse to himself to “take the money and run”.  I beleive Bill Malone said the same things I just did in his “On The Loose” series.  Ellis couldn’t be more wrong if his name was Wrongie Wrongentein.

Whats Worse Than Pants On Fire?

Long ago I learned a term in the PUA world called a DHV (Demonstration Of Higher Value).  Let’s take a simple example.

“This is my friend Tom.  He works at the local grocery store and likes to collect He-Man action figures”

“This is Tom.  He owns a club in the city and gets laid like a rock star.  I’d roll with this guy anywhere”

People make assumptions of each other fairly quickly.  It’s not that we are inherently shallow, it’s just fruitful to have a defensive wall sometimes when first meeting strangers.

The way we open ourselves to a group goes back to the simple adage “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”.  In being in tune with simple things like walking to the group like you have somewhere to go, showing no nervousness or fidgeting, smiling, and open in posture and gesture may just be the most under rated topic in magic.

White lies can be icing on the cake when performing in streets, bars, clubs and random venues.  Don’t be a douche bag and go over the top.  Rather just use little white lies as a DHV.  For instance.

“I once performed this at a prestigious magic awards show and got first prize with this one”

“You know Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin?  I was invited back stage on one of their tours and did this one and one with him.  He liked it so much he gave me free tickets for the next show”

Some bleeding hearts may think doing such things are in poor form.  None the less it’s harmless and gives the impression point blank “this guy is no joke”.  A superb example is watching videos on MTV.  Ever notice that boy bands no one has ever heard of, it’s their first video and album….yet they are surrounded by models rubbing them down with oil on the beach , chasing them around like the Beatles “Hard Days Night”.  It’s pretty obvious in some ways why shitty music can sometimes lead to short stardom, because of a preconceived notion.

In the end the best DHVs are the events that really did happen in your life.  If you don’t have a big moment in your life to “sell” yourself to strangers, go out there more frequently and get some!

A must listen for sure.

Looks Like A Legit Box To Me

A little over 2 years ago at Go Magic Go (the late, but awesome podcast). I posted what I considered to be the longest possible hype for a magic project on the internet.  HERE

Low and behold Bryan Dean is……………………………..The owner of MagicTalk.

Funny part of it all is, I’d bet most of us have seen that ad, or his other 2 or 3.

Wizards Wouldn't Use Cards

Have you ever noticed you can mostly guess someone’s background in cards by how they present themselves?  At the opposite end of the spectrum you can do the same with Mentalists, but on a reversed scale.   An amateur card man will attempt to convey in a blatant way they are “special” and doing mystical acts.  Nothing says awkward more than that guy trying to sell him as such with Bicycles in hand.

First we should look at what the technical definition of “magician” truly is, as per Websters.

a person who is skilled in magic; sorcerer.

Synonyms:
2. necromancer, enchanter, wizard.

This is indeed Lord Of The Rings style, shooting fire balls out your eyes and farting lightning bolts.  Most magicians I’ve met or have read about, mostly disliked the handle of magician for these reasons.  Of course the simple fact also is that laymen will see you only as the image they have progressed through their own lives as to what a magician does.

It’s your world in how you present, but cards don’t turn invisible. And if your over animated in your arm movements while talking like you’ve taken an overdose of Valium, you may want to step back a little and humble yourself to how your making your spectators feel.  Leave the experience to your spectators own perception.  Nothing says ego more than pulling out cards and trying to be a wizard….then again nothing else could scream “this guy is a joke” more.  If you think playing the technical terms of “magician” is gaining you any reactions or admiration, look around at the professional card men for awhile.  They are where they are because they understand the power of being human just like everyone else, not bragging, and really being themselves.

Really in essence, understand the immense difference in Card Magic…and Card Magical.  One isn’t reality and a false term.  The other is the essence of an enjoyable performer.

Stop Trying So Hard To Be "Magic Man!"

A Face Fit For A Punching Bag.

Just a bit of background.  WE HATE Dave J. Castle.  Hell I’m even going to side with Tim Ellis on this one.  You can learn about his gig with a simple search.  Basically he’s a teen that wants to expose as much magic as he possibly can over the internet.  He also sells shirts and books and shit.  In a nutshell he’s a total man whore. It’s one thing to have kids explaining on youtube, but it’s another to try and get them all in one place and make money from it.  Be sure to check out the WMF channel…..brilliant.  So here is what WMF has concocted:

We did it. The fake video is now at learnmagictricks.org. Here it is. Marvel at the wonder of fake explanation.

I encourage others do do the same. Create lots of fake videos spam the site. (For legal reasons I am compelled to say that the former encouragement is made in jest.)

Oh and here is the sad thing. You DO NOT even need to submit your OWN videos. Just link to a video and enter a half decent description and everything works.

So here just an idea. Upload a few videos of your friend doing and explaining the magic, then have that friend complain at Dave J. Castle that the videos are up. The complaint will be just.

I’d like to add that in naming the ruse video on youtube, you may want to name it something like “adjkfs;dlzakjg;sajgdsvnm”.  So it appears to be “top secret”, and no one was meant to view other than a friend.

He chose......poorly

Bill Abbott is now selling 5 Card repeat for 60 dollars.  This plot does NOT need to be gaffed, and honestly isn’t much, if any harder with just normal cards.  The plot is old as the hills and is in more books than I can possibly state here.  The simple point is why would one purchase this item when you can buy the Dai Vernon Book Of Magic or Collected Works Of Derek Dingle for only 40 dollars, and get a lifetime of sublime material?

It should be noted also that the Homing Card is a fantastic plot that is basically the polar opposite of 6/5 Card Repeat.  John Hamman produced a fine method of this in Secrets Of.  Again for 40ish dollars and is the master’s life work.