Ken Scott is easily the busiest kid's show performer in Atlanta, and possibly the whole United States. Having performed at the White House 5 seperate times and averaging over 300 shows a year, Ken Scott has an incredible resume. 

I caught up with Ken to ask him a few questions about performing for children.

1) You are easily one of the busiest children's performer in the United States. How did you get started with performing for kids?

I got my start at the age of 8.  I don't think I wanted to do kid shows, but rather it just ended up that way.  At the time I wanted to do big illusions and travel.  Well, illusions cost a lot of money, something we did not have when I was 8, 9,10 years old. So I started doing kid shows when I went to work for Burger King at age 15.  It was great, I was doing magic for birthday parties at Burger King. 

2) How do you go about taking a basic effect and catering it to children?

I think you can take almost any effect and do that. It really falls down to entertaining, the effect or prop is really a FAR 2nd.  If you can entertain kids first, then you can entertain with anything.  So really comes down to your presentation.  

3) As a professional, how many different sets do you have (for repeat clients, etc)?

I have about 7 different shows that I can pick from. 

4) Finally, what advice do you have for someone wanting to start in kid's shows?

First you really need to like kids.  Don't do kid shows if you hate kids. It takes a certain personality to be able to perform for kids. But just remember kids love having fun so make it fun and at the same time make it entertaining.  Stay away from showing your latest card move or coin trick.  My style is I like to entertain the kids and adults.  When I entertain the adults I get corporate work. So find your niche.   

-Chris Beason

born to perform.

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Quite often, magicians are funny onstage. The patter will often contain some jokes, a few sight gags and maybe even a few inherently funny effects.

Geoff Williams is VERY different.

Geoff is HILARIOUS, both onstage and off. His quick wit never ceases to amaze me, and the amount of comedy that he can squeeze out of anything is unreal. Whenever I spend time with Geoff Williams, I have to spend at least 63.4 seconds trying to catch my breath, so I had to ask Geoff a few questions about his work.

1) I've seen your show several times, and it's always different. How often do you switch up your act?

In all fairness, you probably have only seen small snippets (12-20 min) of my larger shows. Because of repeat clients, I have maybe two completely different 45-min shows of what I believe is rather strong (A or  material). I mix things up quite frequently. I also customize my stage act depending on a variety of factors: time allotment, venue location, size of audience, setup time and what other acts (if there are any) are doing. For example, when I work the Magic Castle, I try to get with the other act(s) in that particular room ahead of time to make sure we're not duplicating anything.

2) You have released quite a few highly regarded magic effects over the last several years. How do you go about creating a new effect?

It almost always starts with some point of inspiration: a prop, a line, someone else's published routine, a gag, a "what if?" or maybe a bad late night snack followed by indigestion and then builds and mutates over time. Only a few (if even THAT many) of my creations would be considered truly "new" as most of my routines are based on others' works & ideas. I have a couple of sight gags that are truly unique in that I've never seen anyone do anything resembling them. Those are special. Most are based on things we are familiar with already. One of those (for magicians only) involves vanishing a lit cigarette into a D'Lite.

3) How long do you usually spend on an effect before its ready?

As far as ready to go into my act: I try to abide by Eugene Burger's "30-day Rule" when possible (unless any sleights & handlings involved are already a part of my toolbox). At 30 days, I will either be fascinated by it or have dropped it (or heavily modified it) by then.

As far as ready to publish for the magic fraternity: It could be a few years or more. It has to be something that I love and use and polish and feel others would benefit from before I'll share it. My reputation (or what little I have left) is at stake.

4) How do you go about making a basic presentation funny?

I am either fortunate, or cursed, in that I tend to look at everything around me in a somewhat comical way. Grocery shopping, junk mail, funerals. I found out early on that my comedic sense is shared by a wide range of folks (there are some who just don't get me and that's okay). My theatrical training has helped me with timing and shaping some of my presentations. I suppose I don't really try to make things funny; I just try to make things ENTERTAINING and comedy just happens to be my medium of choice. I actually have been working on a couple of close-up routines that aren't that funny (but I'm busy fixing them as you read this).

5) Finally, what can we expect next from Geoff Williams?

Brain-sucking pod creatures. LOTS of them. Goodbye society as we know it. You read it here first.

-Chris Beason

born to perform.

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(Okay, so maybe it wasn't days... it was weeks.)

When the Butterfly Effect was released, it was everything that I was hoping for. Everything that I love about a great stage effect perfectly packed into a close-up miracle, all while having that incredible Andrew Mayne flair.

Needless to say, I had to ask Andrew a few questions about his new download.

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I first saw Arthur Atsma several years ago, and his performance has stuck with me ever since. I caught up with Arthur to ask him a few questions about his vast performing experience.

1) I remember first seeing you perform about 6 years ago and realizing just how hilarious and captivating your magic is. How did you get started with performing?

I got started performing at a very young age.  Piano recitals, school plays, and being the class clown!  My first magic set came to me via my older brother Louis, who got a Hocus Pocus magic kit from one of my uncles visiting us from Holland.  My brother took no interest in it, so I started playing with it.  ( I still have the box, tricks, and book.) From there it was magic tricks for Christmas, Svengali decks, rubber chickens, practical jokes, joke books from the library, and just being funny at every opportunity!

While in high school I played in jazz band, swing choir, was involved with theater, and speech team.  While in college studying music and theater, I met a few others who where into close up magic.  I began to apply the same disciplined practice of rehearsal of a musical instrument to that of magic routines.  

My first real performance of magic happened at my oldest brothers wedding reception.  I used Sam Berland's "Thimble Routine" as a toast to my brother and his new wife.  the routine has many great moments and ends with a thimble on every finger.  The guests laughed throughout the whole routine, but when the ending came with the final display of all those thimbles the room went completely quiet, then... incredible applause!  I knew then and there that this was what I wanted to do.  Bring joy and mystery to young and old!

2) You are one of the busiest magicians in Atlanta. What is your favorite type of gig and why?

That is a tough question because all gigs I am thankful for!  Each one has it's own characteristics that make it  favorite.  Whenever I get to perform for people, there is magic that happens.  

I enjoy  corporate audiences made up of doctors, lawyers, accountants, ceo's, scientists, sales people, and engineers.  Beyond trying to "blow them away", I wish to entertain them, make them laugh, and take them away from the reality of their everyday. There are certain routines that are better suited for the performance environment that I get when performing for these circles than the magic I would perform at a festival or fair.  Typically that environment has few distractions.  The story line of the effect can be developed, and the impossibility of the outcome greatly enhanced.  And for the most part they do get "Blown Away"!

However, the fair/festival scene is all about excitement, energy.  There is a lot to compete with in the way of sound, activity all around, and even time.  Magic is fast visual, loud, and big.  The challenge to engage an audience that has a lot of choices on what to focus on is a rush!

 I love both types of gigs, since they are so different.  I would not want to really have to trade one out for the other.  

The house party is another gig that is completely different. This past holiday season I did more house/company parties than in recent years.  Fifty or so guests in a home.  Catered party where the atmosphere is lively.  I perform strolling magic and a forty five minute stand up routine.  The audience is very personable.  The pacing is relaxed, yet intense!  As the evening progresses everyone feels like family.  A full range of magical effects are shared great conversations had, and new friends made.

Then there are the kid shows!  Whether at schools or parties it is hard to beat the look on a kids face when they see something really magical for the first time, and being part of that experience. I find it very rewarding when the child turns to their adult and says "That is real magic!

Theater shows have a sweet advantage however of having a real stage with an audience that is there just for entertainment.  I have a 90 minute theater show that is a blast to perform. I get to present a one man variety show.  Performing magic, mentalism, music, comedy, a touch of juggling.  

I honestly love all situations, whether close up, platform, or stage.  I  appreciate that aspect of the art.  Magic can be shared everywhere.

3) How do you go about adding comedy to a magic effect?

Boy, that's a tough one... Really the process is different than just adding comedy to an effect. There is character, plot, motivation, situation, irony, visual, etc.  

I have to ask a lot of questions about the effect as whether my performing it has comedic potential. How it can be funny, or what's funny about it, or is the situation comedic, or am I funny performing it.  Is the effect visually funny? I don't want to be vague here, but to get into all the details will take up more space than an interview can allow! 

One rule that I do have for having comedy is that my volunteer will not be the target of the humor. They may be a participant, but i will not make them look stupid or embarrass them.  I work it so I am the target of humor. That being said when I choose a volunteer for an effect that is going to contain situational elements that will have comedic possibilities, I make a study of who in the audience is going to be best suited to be my accomplice.  They don't know it, but they are carefully chosen!

4) Finally, what advice do you have for someone who wants to market themselves more efficiently?

One great way to "get more gigs" is to do really well with the gigs you have.  Treating your clients with the upmost respect, and professionalism.  Do a great performance, and all, but on top of that be prompt and courteous in all your dealings with clients.  Answer your phone, emails, and text messages quickly.  Taking care of your client today will be the best marketing you can do for tomorrow. Deliver what you say you will do, then give more than they expected.  The word will get out that you exceeded their expectations.  This is a good thing!  

Be unique in offering what no one else in your market can.

The majority of my gigs are repeat, or referral clients.  So, with a wide variety of performance venues, I have a very diverse clientele base.  I take  every performance as an audition for the next gig, while at the same time it is the most important performance of my career.  With that thought I have booked many corporate gigs after performing for a child's birthday party.  (I do not do a standard kid party!)  After the show, the kids go to the next room for cake and ice cream, I am often approached by a few parents in attendance.  This is where I break out a brain damaging effect and before you know it i am getting booked as a seminar speaker with breakout sessions!

After that, get a good web designer who is proficient at search engine maximizing!

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Justin's newest release, Card Artistry, is one of the most artistic and creative card reveals that I've ever seen. I managed to track him down and ask a few questions about his new DVD and his creative process.

1)Card Artistry is THE most original card revelation I've ever seen. How did you originally get the idea for it?

Thank you! I really appreciate that. I prefer very unique card magic and my dad planted a seed of the idea by suggesting several cards combining to create a photograph of Michael Jackson. However, I hated how long it took to turn over 16 specially printed cards. I arrived at the combination of the “Flush Brush” move and the painting action out of shear necessity. It was faster! It was a very happy accident. It wasn’t until I started performing the effect that I really fell in love with it.

As a side note, the “painting” move was something I learned from Chris Kenner’s book Totally Out of Control. Though I didn't know about it at the time, there was a move before Kenner’s also utilizing the back of a close up pad originally published in a trick, "Poetry in Motion" by Mike Bornstein from The Close-Up Magic of Frank Garcia (1982). And the late Barry Price, a magician from LA, should receive special mention because he had an effect where the climax was the Mona Lisa on several playing cards (although there was no card revelation). Card Artistry is just the next step in the evolution.

2)Card Artistry is both a perfect opener and closer. Where do you normally place it in your act?

Right now I open with it. I play a strange upbeat jazz song in the background as I describe the most unique card effect. And then I show them. It sets the tone for a different kind of magic then the audience was expecting.

3) When I watched the DVD, I was impressed by how simple, easy and practical it was. Were these specific parameters when creating the effect?

I’m a stage magician first, so any card magic I perform has to be straight forward and memorable. As for how easy the effect is to perform, sometimes you just get lucky!

4) By looking at your work, it's obvious that you perform a lot. What is your favorite type of gig and why?

I perform on a ton of cruise ships and am very lucky with how technologically advanced their theaters are. I travel with a camera and much of my show is projected on a giant screen for 2,500 people. I love those gigs as Card Artistry is perfect for that situation.

5)Finally, what can we expect next from Justin Flom?

There’s a new version of Card Artistry I’ve been performing since last year and it involves a SIGNED selection that becomes a part of the painting. Then I let them snap a photo on their iPhone before removing the card as a souvenir. I’m not sure when to expect that but hopefully soon.

I also have a few ideas up my sleeve we are still developing so keep tuned in!  And again thank you so much for your interest in Card Artistry!

-Chris Beason

born to perform.

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When Harry isn't out performing, writing and creating magic, he's usually out memorizing... just about everything. Time Magazine called Harry Lorayne "the yoda of memory training", as he has found a way not only to develop a superhuman memory, but also teach it to millions of people through his books and major TV appearances.

Harry Lorayne is someone who has influenced my magic and memory over the last decade, and so it was an absolute honor to be able to ask him a few questions about his work.

1)      You have released more effects than almost any other magician in history. What is your creative process? 

        This is really quite a difficult question to answer. Sometimes something happens that sort of triggers a bit of creativeness. Okay, quick example. Many, many, years ago I was sitting on a couch, trying to work out a card effect. There was a facedown ribbon spread on the carpet at my feet. I had just dropped one of the cards I was holding in my hands; it had fallen right on the ribbon spread. At that moment, I was called to come to dinner. I reached down to pick up the spread of cards. As I scooped up the spread, the card that had fallen onto the spread “rode” along the spread to the top of the deck! Bingo – I stopped and stared, realizing what had happened and, after dinner, devised what became myThe Spread Control (with three cards, but using the concept of that sliding-on-spread card I had witnessed by accident) , which I’ve used for decades, as have card guys all over the world, I’ve written about it many times, etc. 

     And, a large part of my I guess you can call it my “creative process” is, and I’ve written about this in APOCALYPSE, is what I call the “what if” concept. Simple idea. I’ll see something done with, say, a difficult-looking riffle-shuffle stack. I can’t do a decent riffle-shuffle stack, so the first thing that comes to my mind, that is if I like the effect, is – WHAT IF that can be done WITHOUT the riffle-shuffle stack? That’s it, that makes the wheels start to turn.

     Or, I’ll see an effect done with a gaff, or with a stacked deck, neither of which I ever use. And I’ll think, “Wow, WHAT IF I can do that with a regular, a borrowed, deck?” And, again, that starts those “creative” wheels spinning. Same holds true for anything I see or read that necessitates a difficult technical sleight. I can’t do difficult technical sleights, so – “WHAT IF” I can eliminate that difficult item and substitute an easier one? I can’t do a decent under-spread cull if my life depended on it – that “WHAT IF’D” me into devising my The Lorayne Force – a much, much, better way to cull and force, or whatever, one card; then the imagination keeps “going,” and I’ve devised many effect utilizing that move. Decades ago I started to feel that too many people were aware of double lifts, so I thought “WHAT IF” I can start with, prove that it’s, a single card? That “created” my Ultra Move, Scoop Change, and more. So, “WHAT IF” has enabled me to, helped me to, create quite a few effect/routines/ideas.

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Due to his vast performing experience, if there is one thing that Dan knows about, it's relating to people. I caught up with Dan at a recent magic meeting and he was gracious enough to give some tips on relating to your audience.

Chris Beason

born to perform.

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Spectators are always more interested when you perform tricks THEY
would want to do. And few skills are as useful as detecting a liar.

Can you tell when people are lying? Probably not as well as Patrick Redford.

"Prevaricator" is a diabolical method for detecting a lie, and
discovering who is hiding a borrowed object and which hand they are
hiding it in.
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2630

Two spectators are handed an object (say, a crumpled bill) and invited
to play a game: one spectator will be the liar and one will tell the
truth. While your head is turned, one of the two spectators takes the
object. And you ALWAYS know who the liar is, and which hand they are
hiding the bill in. You can repeat the game indefinitely, and close by
divining the serial number on the borrowed bill.

Almost 2 HOURS of video instruction and a 100 page ebook (with
contributions from Barrie Richardson, Gregory Wilson, Banachek, Ben
Blau, Garrett Thomas, Paul Vigil and more), Prevaricator sets the bar
as high as we've ever seen for an instructional product.

Still reading this? Here's what the pros are saying:

"I have known and eagerly followed the creations of Patrick ever since
he was George (or is it the other way around?) His deep thinking on
the Truth/Liar object location is of value to anyone who wants to grow
from owning props to possessing power."-Michael Weber

"This is one of the best "psychological magic effects" in years!
Direct, simple, and baffling" -Patrick Kuffs

"Prevaricator and it's extensions is one of the closest things to real
mind reading... because it is. No gimmicks , no double talk or dual
reality, it is what you would do if you read minds... because you do.
Put your two cents in this miracle and sufficient practice and if you
are not rewarded, I will personally pay for your investment. I have no
stock or investment in this marvel of psychological control, but a
deep respect for its method and presentation." -Marc Salem

"For just a moment, forget about Prevaricator...forget about the
effect, the method, everything-it's just another piece of mentalism.
Instead, focus on what you can learn about mentalism from
Prevaricator, and then you will really have something." -Rick Maue

"Most mentalists are looking of that "holy grail" of mentalism. That
one effect that is really magick, the one effect that is "real."
Patrick Redford has come as close as it gets when it comes to this
with Prevaricator. One would be mistaken to think this is just a
single effect. It is so much more than that, in this booklet you will
learn tools that will help you in all your other mentalism
presentations. Prevaricator hands you subtleties that will help you
advance your artistic mentalist abilities get you thinking outside the
box." - Banachek

"I remember how Prevaricator struck me when it was first published. It
came as a kick in the head. Though packaged as a modest little
booklet, it packed a wallop. I hadn't seen anything like it and hadn't
a clue why it worked. I didn't believe it would work until I tried it.
But work it does. I've used it successfully ever since in connection
with my own truthteller routine for an extra kick and to rule out any
logic puzzle. I'm thrilled that you're finally releasing the
long-awaited DVD and latest thoughts on this classic effect. They're a
godsend. I can't wait to put this wealth of information into
practice." -Leo Boudreau

"It's not often that I am sooooo badly fooled. If Prevaricator got me
only once, it could've been lucky. Twice was impressive. But reliably
over and over and over, it was downright remarkable!" -Gregory Wilson

See the demo here:
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2630

Gregory Wilson's RIGHT. It's not often a trick this powerful and
fooling comes along. You'll love it, no question.

Acar Altinsel
born to perform.

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That being said, there is ONE thing that separates John from most other magic creators: there is NO fluff in his performances or products. Everything John has ever done has been a calculated piece of magic that condenses years of the kind of experience that only he can offer. Needless to say, I had to ask John about his work.

1) You've been in the magic scene for a while, so I have to ask: what’s new with John G.?

Lots going on so far this year… new website, new eBook and new projects in the works.

I redesigned my entire website: www.MagicJohnG.com. The new website highlights my work as a professional magician and my love of the arts overall. Very excited about the look and feel of it all. Easy to navigate, yet plenty of bells and whistle. Beyond the magic, visitors can also view my art portfolio and listen to me playing guitar.

I just wrapped up a brand new eBook: READY, SET, GuastaferrO on Feb. 1, 2012. It has 12 new card effects right out of my working repertoire. I’m also working with Vanishing Inc. Magic (who published One Degree) on possible future projects, including new downloads and marketed items.

And I’m keeping busy performing at corporate gigs, hanging out at the Castle when I can, and balancing my day job in marketing and my full-time role as a dad/husband. Whew!

2) You are known as one of the most innovative card magicians in the world. What first drew you to cards?

I’ve dabbled in all forms of close-up magic, but was ultimately drawn to cards because of their rich history in close-up magic and their modern appeal that continues today. They have a classic elegance that can also be used in creative and offbeat ways. Also, it’s important for me to use organic props—those that have familiarity with the audience—and cards fit the bill perfectly. My brand of magic depends on fluid and graceful handling, which I believe cards give me the opportunity to present. Finally, even though we are talking about cards, these are just props. Cards, like anything else, tools that allow us to create memorable experiences for our audiences. I use cards to create impact on PEOPLE, so I’m intentional on not letting my props upstage the audience experience.

3) I am always impressed by watching your effects, and then more impressed by seeing the methods. How do you go about creating new effects?

New tricks and ideas come about in many ways. Effects can spawn from trying to solve a problem, integrating the uniqueness of an odd prop, adding a prequel or sequel to a favorite effect and improving older effects with a new “one degree” additions. Sometime, new ideas can even come about by pure accident.

For example, I used to perform Allan Ackerman’s Gemini Mates to produce the four Aces. One time during practice, four random cards came up by ACCIDENT. I was perplexed! I asked myself how this might completely unexpected moment could yield a dramatic finish. but it need closure to turn this failure into a plot twist that would exceed expectations. That’s when I thought how great it would be to have actually predicted these random cards. That’s how "Gemini Prediction” (Brainstorm DVDs) evolved.

Sometimes adding an ending on to an effect can spur creativity. Lost & Found adds to Roy Walton’s Jefferson’s Jest by adding a phase where the card goes BACK inside the clear sleeve. But how? I came up with as many methods as possible, ranging from gimmicking the clear sleeve to switching it out. During this process, I discovered something I call the friction principle (those of you who own Brainstorm know what I’m talking about).

I’ve always loved Paul Harris’ Bizarre Twist. So, I set out to build a “prequel.” Bizarre Prequel (Brainstorm DVDs) is an example of combing ideas of Point of Departure, Grasshopper, Bizarre Vanish and Bizarre Twist into a tight cohesive sequence. This opened up doors of trying our different methods to hide the odd-backer throughout all three phases.

Truth In Advertising (One Degree) evolved by adding a one-degree shift to my previous effect, Optical Opener (Second Storm DVDs). Adding the new “Pick Me” card strengthened the magic immensely and also spawned the advertising presentation, to draw on my real life experiences in marketing.

My advice to others is to read, read read. The more we surround ourselves with the ideas of our predecessors and masters, the more we know what unchartered waters we what to venture into, and what proven ideas we want to build upon. Creativity evolves out of researching, questioning, searching for opportunities, building upon the strongest points, and realizing that even a small change can have massive impact.

4) Once you've created some ideas, how do you go about routining them together?

When developing a routine, I aim to make combine effects so the whole is cohesive, synergistic, engaging, powerful…and not contrived! In my new notes, I mention that connecting the dots in five “Ps” can help create a more cohesive set: plot, premise, patter, props and presentation.

A great place to start in building a routine is to just pair two tricks together. Look for opportunities to not only strengthen the presentation, but also the method! Either Or is a fun way to connect with someone in the audience AND give the devious opportunity set up for the next trick. Palm Reader takes it from here, causing four Aces to change in the spectator’s hand.

Here’s a trio of effects I often do: 1) Color Blind (Brainstorm) to produce four Jacks; 2) Homage to Homing (One Degree), which uses the four Jacks and a selection for a card-to-pocket effect; and 3) Assembly Line (RSG ebook), which uses the four Jacks in a stand-up assembly, finishing with a blank deck (made possible by a deck switch during the previous effect).

My effect In The Doghouse utilizes two Jokers. I have a bigger set that continues to use the two Jokers, including: Club Sandwich and Double Monte (Brainstorm DVDs); Lost & Found (Brainstorm DVDs); Mr. E. Returns (my new RSG notes); and a new Ace production I’m working on with John Carey.

My effect Lost & Found uses a “travel” premise, since I refer to the clear sleeve as a luggage tag. I built a bigger routine around this. I introduce a leather passport wallet and remove four postcards from different parts of the world. Each of these places is “stop on our journey together.” We stop in 1) EGYPT (I do an effect with hieroglyphics based on a Max Maven idea); 2) VEGAS (I perform Intuition and Out of the Blue after producing four blackjacks); 3) HAWAII (I perform Lost & Found as we ”lose our luggage on the way to Hawaii”); 4) ROUTE 66 (I perform Gemini Prediction with a road trip plot, using all the postcards as markers/predictions). I have a fifth postcard of Irma the Ghost from the Magic Castle, which is blank on the other side, providing the perfect way to reveal the ghost-like blank deck ending. 

5) Out of every routine that you've ever published, which one do you use the most for real people?

Wow, I feel like all my published effects are strong for real people. I only publish the effects I do and have done with the real world. Lately, I’ve been performing these a lot:

-      Invisible Opener (RSG ebook)

-      Truth In Advertising (One Degree)

-      In The Doghouse (G Notes ebook)

-      Untouchable Triumph (RSG ebook)

-      Homage to Homing (One Degree)

-      Assembly Line (RSG ebook)

6) When reading through One Degree, I noticed you place a lot of emphasis on making magic look natural. How do you go about accomplishing that?

In One Degree I emphasize many things, including: Connecting with your audience; Understanding YOUR personal brand; and Identifying “one degree’ improvements, where small shifts in your magic can yield massive impact.

Making your magic look natural is an inherent part of all these factors. So what does “natural” mean? To me, it means relaxed, not rushed, eye contact and dialogue with my audience, and graceful handling. Since it can’t be SEEN in One Degree, I think my Brainstorm DVDs are a good example of these factors in action. I utilize my moves under natural conversational movements. And while it might all appear casual and off the cuff, make no mistake about it—it is ALL very intentional.

The paradox here is that it is hard to make things appear simple. It takes many hours of practice, preparation and on-air time with real world to make it effective. Naturalness comes when your moves become “invisible” and you are wholly engaged with your audience.

7) Finally, what is the one more important thing for you when work-shopping a new effect?

So, I was at the Castle a few months ago. My good friend David Regal was showing me a card effect. What struck me is that beyond the effect and the handling was how invested David was in the presentation. I mean he was expressive; his voice was pitched; his hands were animated; and he sold it. I mentioned this to him afterward, and I can tell it was no surprise to hear this, since he is well aware that he does this…all intentionally and strategically. With an affirmative nod, he looked me in the eye and said two words: “I COMMIT.”

Wow, what powerful advice. Commit! Don’t just go through the motions, even when shop-working a new effect to a fellow magician. The expressiveness in presentation is not something we just tack on at the end. It IS part of the effect. Every word & action should be used to make the impact as clear, compelling and entertaining as possible. Great rules to follow.

Chris Beason

born to perform.

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Spin a globe, close your eyes and put your finger down: Aldo Colombini
could probably ENTERTAIN 5 to 5,000 people there without breaking a
sweat.

How can I be so sure? Three reasons.

1. In the HISTORY of the Magic Castle, Aldo is the ONLY magician to be
nominated for an award in ALL SIX categories: Comedy, Stage, Close-up,
Parlor, Bar magician and Lecturer!

2. He can perform HIS WHOLE ACT in either Italian, English, Spanish or
French!!! Speaking a foreign language is not easy, and being FUNNY in
a different language is tough. But to do it all while performing
magic tricks is DARN DIFFICULT!

3. I haven't even mentioned yet that Aldo has published more magic
tricks than most magicians ever even learn!

All of this added up means the man is UNSTOPPABLE. If they ever make a
working magician edition of the TV show "Survivor," I've got my money
on Aldo.

And TONIGHT at 9pm Eastern, Aldo is going LIVE at Penguin, and you can
get a front row seat.
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2638

Learn the real secrets of professional magic, wisdom and tips you
won't find in any book or DVD. (Ok, plus like a bazillion tricks.)

Did I mention the whole thing is interactive? Ask Aldo ANYTHING tonight.

See you there!

Acar Altinsel
born to perform.

PS: Richard Osterlind's lecture on Saturday was off-the-charts. He
went over by an hour and a half. To all of you who stayed up, thank
you for supporting live magic!
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2629

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Because of his vast experience, I knew Ed Ellis was the guy to ask about routining magic. I caught up with Ed during a convention and he was gracious enough to share some of his advice for this blog.

Chris Beason

born to perform.

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When Wayne came to town, I had to go and see his show, but more importantly, I had to talk to him. I caught up with Wayne to talk with him about his life, his work and his experience as a consultant with Criss Angel.

(The interview was originally an audio interview which is will be uploaded by tomorrow, but for now, the whole interview has been transcribed below.)

PM: The way that you got into magic is a little different than the way that the typical magician has: most magicians start out with close-up and then move into stage magic. Plus, nowadays, magicians have almost started off as creators instead of performers. You did the opposite.

Wayne: I did start backwards. My first shows… I started when I was twelve years old, every single week, every Saturday for two years, I would do a different show. So, I started by performing stand-up for twenty to thirty people, and along the way when I was fourteen or fifteen I had been performing for so many years that I just started to create my own stuff.

In fact, a lot of the things that I’ve released were created in that time period. Stigmata was one of those from when I was fourteen years old. I started working on the thread through the eye when I was sixteen. Coin in Soda can… I think I was seventeen or eighteen. So a lot of the things that I’ve released I’ve been doing for almost half of my life at this point, which is why I feel I’ve put enough work into it to put them out.

So yeah. I started performing and that, for me, that is where the creativity comes from. Being able to stand-up in front of an audience and do a show, that’s when my creative juices start flowing.

PM: Out of close-up and stage magic, which do you prefer and why?

Wayne: Stage. Absolutely.

It’s funny because a lot of the things that I created… well, you saw the show, it’s very parlor style. It’s sleight of hand magic but it’s done in front of the audience.

PM: But it can all play for a much larger audience?

Wayne: Right, it does. And that’s how I’ve performed it since I was in high school. But a lot of the things work really well as street magic, which it just so happened that when David Blaine blew up and street magic was popular, a lot of things that I’d created were kind of in demand.

That was never my intention, I never intended to create street magic or to create magic for other magicians. I was really kind of ignorant about the whole internet thing until I started working with Criss Angel. But I eventually went online and saw how big it all was. So it’s really been kind of interesting how I started creating because of the live performances.

Then I spent several years working for different magic companies and making videos. I stopped doing that back in 2008, and the last couple of years I’ve been traveling and performing and creating again. I’ve got actually a lot of new stuff that I’m really excited about… Some of the stuff you see in my show.

PM: How was your experience working for Criss Angel?

Wayne: It was great for me, and that was a while ago, back in 2005. And it really kind of blew me away, looking at how much work went into doing something on a TV show. A lot of people say “Oh well, I could do it. If I had enough money and the right kind of camera gear, I could put together a television special.” But being around it and seeing day and night how much work it took… Being able to stand there in a hotel suite and see this team of people all working towards one goal around the clock, it really kind of opened up my eyes to how hard it was and how much work it took. So that was the biggest thing for me was the work ethic, seeing just how hard it was to do that and to be successful. And Criss has been phenomenally successful with it.

PM: Your performances have many moments comedy to drama to tension. How did this come to be?

Wayne: It’s come from years of performing. I think any performer has to play around with their different styles and when I started, it was terrible. It was like watching a twelve year old do David Copperfield magic (laughs). As I got a little bit older, I began to play around with a very comical show, and eventually I went a little too far into the dramatic for a few years. And now I feel like I kind of have a good balance to where there are some good moments where it’s funny, but there certainly is still mystery.

I think that’s important. And I think it’s possible to present a magic show where you’re not underestimating the intelligence of the audience. In other words, not once during my show do I pretend that I have real powers, or try and “blur the line between reality and magic”. You can treat your audience as they are intelligent and you can still have mystery in what you’re presenting. You can be honest about the fact that what you’re doing is psychology and sleight of hand, but you can still have the magic be mysterious. It’s a balance, but I think it’s something that everyone needs.

PM: What tips do you have for people who strive to find their own character?

Wayne: Perform as often as you can, and then be honest with yourself. When you perform, it’s so easy to get caught up with the ego or to think that just because you got a decent reaction, that you did a good job and that nothing needs to change. After every performance, you have to sit down and ask “Why were they reacting? Were they reacting because I was good at performing or simply because I didn’t screw the trick up?” Those are two very different things.

There are some very simple tricks that are very powerful and strong that you could teach a non-magician. You can do them and get a great reaction, but it doesn’t make you a magician to just be able to do a trick and not screw it up.

So you constantly have to be actively working at it. Try to figure out what your character is, what you want to convey to the audience and what you want them to feel while they’re watching. If you want them to be creeped out, do you want them to be laughing because it’s funny, or do you want them to have a complete sense of awe? Most likely, it’s going to be a combination and then the question becomes how to best create those moments.

PM: As a final question, what can we expect next from Wayne Houchin?

Wayne: Good question. Honestly, I’ve had so much fun traveling and performing over the last few years that it’s going to be something that I'm going to continue doing. I have a few things that I’m considering putting out eventually, but right now I’m just working on the act and loving it.

Chris Beason

born to perform.

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Seth Rovner is a fantastic magician who resides and performs in Philadelphia. When Seth isn't doing shows, he's usually consulting for big TV specials.

Seth is one of those rare professional magicians who is happy to share information about performing, effects and creative processes... and advice he gives is solid gold. I managed to ask Seth a few questions about his work.

1) I remember seeing you first perform Sunk and the realization about how ingenious the idea is. How did you go about creating it?

I originally had the idea of Sunk after playing with a trick called Close-up Illusion by Larry Jennings. It is not the same effect at all but I noticed something about it and kept playing around until Sunk was born. 

2) Every effect I've seen from you has been practical and easy. Are these parameters you work around when creating a new effect?

 I always have an idea first and then comes the "how do I get there" part. Usually when I first start working on something I over complicate it, and then after playing around for a decent amount of time, though trial and error, I usually figure out a simpler method for the effect. Some other original stuff that I do for paid gigs uses a lot of misdirection and that comes with people buying into my character and trusting me. The most beautiful magic to me is when it seems simple and direct. I never want anyone questioning my movements or actions, just pure suspensions of disbelief. To reach the result of how I want people to feel that is the road I take to get there. A quick example is the Apple Trick from "The Supernaturalist" 

3) You've demonstrated magic in a brick-and-mortar magic shop for years. How has this affected your formal shows?

Demo-ing magic over and over helps being able to read people. I have noticed with the proper verbage and context you can take the simplest trick and turn it into a great effect. However demoing magic and performing magic are two completely different entities because you have different goals at the end. When demoing a trick the goal is for them to purchase the trick, when performing magic that should not be the goal.  

 
4) At the shop, I've seen you take the cheapest little tricks and turn them into miracles. How do you feel about using magic marketed to tourists?

I think TrickZone is different from the average magic store. I never want anyone to be dissapointed with what they purchase when they leave. I don't want the one and done customer, I want to build a customer for life. I remember as a kid being dissapointed all of the time with tricks that I bought, and I never want anyone to share that feeling. I try to pick out the best effects that are the easiest to do. Also everyone is different, if they want to learn a trick to do at a bar I will demo 3 tricks that are easy and fit that mold. Sometimes people come in wanting a trick they can show their kids or a class and that would be 3 different tricks I would demo. One thing I started to notice is when people bought the levitation system as their first trick, they rarely came back, but when they bought a svengali deck or scotch and soda they were hooked. This is something that is important to pay attention to.

5) Finally, what can we expect to see next from Seth Rovner? 

I have a few projects I am working on which I unfortunately can not discuss, but one of them is huge and I am very excited for it. I some new material that I may put out in a few months, so stay tuned...

-Chris Beason

born to perform.

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1) They need to be incredibly funny.

2) They need to have REAL work experience.

3) Their effects need to be TOP notch.

It was just about instantly that we decided on Nathan Kranzo. If you were there for his lecture last week, you know just how breathtakingly funny Nathan is while still having some of the most powerful effects around. I finally caught up with him to ask him a few other questions about his work.

1) I've seen you perform several times and I've never seen the same show twice. How often does your show change?

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I managed to get a hold of Rahat and ask him a few questions about his latest video, Drive-Thru Smokey Coffee.

(If you haven't seen the video in question, check it out: http://trick.ly/8nH )

1) When I first watched the "Smokey Coffee" video, I was amazed by the amount of guts it took. How did you first get the idea?

Well I got the idea from an incident that I had in senor year of high school. One day, I was drinking coffee in the car, and for some reason I guess the lid wasn't fully on. So when I went to sip my coffee, the lid popped open and coffee spilled all over my lap! All of this was all happening while I was driving.

At this point I was pretty frustrated. My clothes and my car seats were pretty soaked with coffee. Remembering this event, I thought why not apply this to a prank. And that's how the idea of Drive Thru Smokey Coffee was born.

2) I know you've done quite a few tricks with smoke in the past. Which is your favorite and why?

I would say that my favorite using Pure Smoke would be Drive Thru Smokey Burger, mainly because that video wasn't as terribly messy as the Smokey Coffee one. I love the reactions I get from this video. They usually have a great confused and worried looked on their face trying to figure out what in the world would cause a burger that they just handed to me to mysteriously start to smoke.

3) How many times did you have to get "Smokey Coffee" before you had all of the footage?

I got about six video clips through different drive thrus. Two of the clips I did not end up using only because the reactions or the engagement of the spectator wasn't strong enough. Gathering up all of the footage for the finished video took about two full days of filming.

4) Now for the question I've been dying to ask: how many pairs of pants did you go through to make the video?

Honestly, I went through only one pair of pants. But that's only because I'm cheap and I didn't want to ruin two pairs of pants. That being said, I did ruin two shirts during the duration of the video. 

5) Finally, any new projects in the works?

Yes, I have a lot of new videos on the way. Tons more drive thru and Walmart videos. Also, I'm exploring new places and environments to do my pranks. For example, two of my videos before "Drive Thru Smokey Coffee" I pranked the delivery driver in my house. So there will be a couple more of these in the future. As for the new places and environments you just have to tune in to my channel to see whats coming up in the near future! 

Chris Beason

born to perform.

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• A GUARANTEED attention getter.
• FASCINATING to watch
• SUPER EASY to perform.
• Creates a memorable souvenir
• and COMPLETELY natural in almost ANY environment.

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I managed to track down Richard Osterlind and ask him a few questions about his work to help make waiting for the lecture on Saturday a little easier. ;)

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