One of Joe's biggest talents is being able to cater magic to a specific audience. When any of the huge companies that hire him book him for a gig, Joe instantly creates a presentation that:

-Incorperates the brand.
-Is incredibly entertaining.
-Sells the message that the company is trying to convey.

I managed to get Joe to give some advice about how to cater your magic to a specific client. 

Chris Beason
born to perform. 

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Chad Sanborn's magic is hard to define. One moment he is doing incredible walkaround magic as he mentally bends people's silverware, and the next moment he is on the largest stages doing an act that is so incredibly Vaudeville-esque that it could have easily come from the 1930's.

All of that isn't even bringing up the fact that Chad is a very busy actor, doing all sorts of commercials, television spots and more on a daily basis. Chad is truly a jack of all trades and so I had to ask him a few questions about his magic.

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I managed to catch up with Michael to ask him about his new DVD, the Drop'N Project.

Your new DVD "The Drop'N Project" has some seriously original routines. How did you get started with creating magic?

Thank you. I think what happens with all magicians is that they go through these phases. I have spoken to several friends of mine in the magic community and we all pretty much have the same story. We start out and try to make our gimmicks ourselves after we see how it's done. Sometimes they last and most of the time they work once and fail miserably. But what happens is that the creative juices have started flowing.

Next, we start meeting magicians and discovering ALL that magic has to offer. After realizing that there is SO much magic out there it hits us that ANYTHING can be made! You find yourself at Michael's craft store or Home Depot looking at EVERYTHING on the shelves and thinking to yourself, "I know I could do something with that!".

For me it was a result of working SO MUCH! I was at one point doing 6 nights a week at restaurants and I forced myself to ONLY carry cards, coins and rubber bands. I occasionally watched some video tapes and read some books but rarely did I do full on routines. I remember watching John Bannon's "Impossibilia" and I fell in love with his thinking. My next tape was Dan Garret's "Close-up Connivery". To this day I have only found a few DVD's that have ALL workable material. John Guastaferro's material is excellent as well as Joshua Jay's.

I have been going through this phase where I look at routines and try to trim the "fat" off of them…does that make sense? There's a lot of routines out there that do not necessarily have to be as long as they are. Most moves are redundant and if you're working close-up magic for a client time is money. SO I would begin to develop magic that I call "Hit and Run" style. Walk up, introduce yourself and then blow 'em away with something astonishing! Thank them for their time and onto the next group. All in all about 3-4 minutes. 

The routines on The Drop'N Project are obviously workers that you've honed over years of performances. When did you decide it was time to release them?

Well, about 10-12 years ago I lived in Lexington, KY and occasionally did a few lectures here and there. The routines in "Drop'N" were basically the ideas I had back then and I decided to revisit them several years later.

For example, the Coin Thru Glass started out as just a vanish of a coin. Around 2000 me and my good friends Jason Wethington and Bob Knigge were playing around with an idea on how to vanish the last coin during a "Translocation" routine. We came up with a way that looked great but wasn't doable on every surface. Later, I started working out the kinks and eventually came up with the Ricochet Vanish. That then lead to me doing the vanish during my Coins Table effect with a regular table and three coins. A few years later I developed a way for the vanish to turn into a visual penetration and that's how the Drop'N effect came to be.

The other card effects were things that I developed and used at the restaurants but need released them simply because I didn't know about lecturing or how to sell effects. The Rule of FIve was eventually put into print in my lecture notes "Second Thoughts". The Two-Card Monte Payoff was an idea I had so that the standard two-card monte routine would finally have a climax. I figured if it's a Monte (gambling) effect there should be a monetary payoff right? I mean, Emerson and West's Color Monte had the cute guy with the money at the end.

I eventually released that effect in my notes "The Works".

Your new DVD features one of my absolute favorite card under glass ideas ever. What was your inspiration?

As for the Card Under Glass…haha…it was discovered late one night while eating at a Waffle House of all places. I reached for something and accidentally almost tipped my glass of tea over. My cards were right next to the drink and I thought to myself, "I wonder if this would work?" I just started playing around with the move and one thing led to another. It only made sense to me that when performing the famous trick that the running gag is the card always finds itself under the glass. Well, the effect is so good that the spectator begins to force themselves NOT to take their eyes off the glass. So I decided to incorporate that ending into the routine because the hands are not reaching for the glass (as you can see in the trailer).

So after showing it to some friends and then to Jeff Kaylor he convinced me it was time to release it to the public. I agreed.

You perform everywhere, from entertaining celebrities to Fortune 500 companies to dinner tables. What is your favorite type of gig and why?

I really enjoy the small gigs. I love intimacy! I love being able to walk up to a group of 3-4 people and just chill with them and get to know them. I work with a GREAT group of guys here in Orlando. 

A few years back, Kostya Kimlat and I started up Restaurant Magic Business. As a result of that, Kostya created a national directory of magicians and partner restaurants/clients called www.SeeLiveMagic.com. This has become a brand by culminating excellent magic with professional and courteous magicians. So while working at the Orlando Magic games as their official magicians we would stroll around the entire arena and perform at the exclusive areas and lounges, performing for all of the fans and the VIPs and celebrities throughout the arena. FInally we would do meet and greets with the corporate clients in the private suites upstairs.

All this led to us developing a very casual and inmate style that I love. 

Finally, what advice do you have for someone wanting to get more gigs?

You know, show-business is two words. You HAVE to focus on the business aspect of magic and not just the magic side. Believe me, i have paid my dues! My family never understood why I couldn't get a "real" job. They would always tell me that it was fine if I wanted to do my gig at night just find something during the day. They didn't realize that the eight hours prior to that gig was spent doing phone calls, setting up meetings, etc. Much like a magic trick itself your friends and family only see the end result of all your hard work. it might take you six months to learn a Muscle Pass but it's executed in less than a second!

It gets very frustrating when you can't find work. I have several dear friends that I care a lot about who are GREAT magicians and amazing with people but they are horrible at business. Just like a lot of magicians who are reading this now they lack the courage and conviction to believe in themselves and their worth.

Too many magicians worry about themselves and not others. Unfortunately greed takes over and magicians will become sharks in bloody water. They'll undercut their friend behind their back and then want to jam with them the next night. Magicians HAVE to stop acting like this. THAT is why you fail! Take a look around…there is PLENTY of work! If magicians would realize that they could pull together and triple the amount of gigs as a community their dreams would come a lot quicker. Instead, they mis-represent themselves and lower their costs because they don't want to miss a gig. The sad thing is that when they do that they also lower their dignity and compromise their character. 

One of the reason Kostya and I started the company is because we knew that the way magicians had approached restaurants and private gigs were failing. A small few knew the secret and those were the ones who have succeeded. With hard work, persistence, and creativity RMB was able to go in a whole other direction that had never been done before. We started focusing on what REALLY matters to restaurant owners and managers…the numbers. We knew the magic was a given and that people love it but we had to prove to the restaurant that the investment was worth it.

I can honestly say that Kostya is one of the HARDEST working guys I have EVER met in my entire life. This is a guy who is up at 7am every morning planning out his daily attack! With his tenacity and passion RMB now boasts an impressive resume of having partnered with several national brands as well as a corporate chain of restaurants. We hosted two successful training seminars last year and currently have over 40 magicians on board with us! 

Just believe in yourself. Believe in your abilities. Know your client and NEVER, EVER under ANY circumstance sell yourself short. You're worth EVERY penny you charge!

Check out Micheal Eaton's fantastic new DVD:
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2687 

Chris Beason
born to perform. 

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Tyler Wilson is THE definition of an artist. Everything he does exudes creativity, whether it be his shows, books, photographs or even they way he talks. But that's not all; Tyler also has an encyclopedic knowledge of virtually everything that has ever been released to the magic market.

Tyler Wilson is an incredible thinker, and with his second book now on the market, I had to catch up with him for an interview. 

1) Your new book "Reinventing the Real" has gotten INCREDIBLE reviews. It's a really innovative book in terms of material and design. When did you decide it was time for a new book?

Believe it or not, I started writing Reinventing the Real while my first book, Dominatricks, was still at the printers! I knew it wasn’t going to be a quick process, so I got an early start. It took me four years to finish the book. I am the world's slowest writer (it took seven hours to pop out that sentence). It's not that the typing is slow, it's that I write, write, edit, re-write, edit, write more, edit more, and then write even more. I want it to be the best it can be.  And then by that time, the trick will have changed over the course of many more performances, which means I need to start the writing/editing process all over again. I'm also easily distracted, so it works best if I do my writing on a park bench or in a canoe, otherwise I'll spend an unhealthy amount of time on the internet looking at pictures of cats.

2) This book is one of the easiest-to-read, most well-designed and original books I've ever seen. What did you emphasize the most when putting it together?

The magic. It always has to be about the magic. The format, design choices, and structure are all in place to compliment the magic. Did I mention the magic? Next priority was not misspelling “pork.”

3) Your new book is easily the most aesthetically pleasing book that I own. How did you go about designing it?

Thanks a lot, man. I happen to think it's pretty damn sexy, too. I'd love to take credit for it, but all the mammoth praise should go to the girl of the hour, Janice Baker. She's a professional designer out of Reno, Nevada. She's enormously talented, with killer style. When you're working on a book for four years, you naturally get certain design elements in your head with a rough outline for how you'd like it all laid out. But as soon as Janice got a hold of it, she blew my expectations out of the water. When I got the first drafts back, I had a smile from ear to ear, which was quite painful, actually (try stretching your mouth out that wide; you’ll probably tear something and look like Heath Ledger in Batman). She's in high demand in the corporate world, and it's easy to see why. You know the Subway logo? Well, she didn't design it, but she likes to eat there sometimes. You just can't go wrong with a cold cut trio. Where was I? Ah yes, Janice Baker. She's badass and I'm incredibly fortunate to have had her on my team for this project. Thanks, Janice!

4) In Reinventing The Real, every trick contains a hilarious presentation. How do you generally go about writing a presentation?

Each trick is different. Sometimes I have a solid trick but then hum and haw over the presentation. Other times I have a solid presentation but then hum and haw over the trick to put it with. It also very much depends on when/where I plan on using the trick; context is everything. A general rule of thumb I tend to adhere to is to keep presentations born out of normal, everyday experiences. If you look at traditional, observational stand-up comedy, it's the same type of thing. Audiences get into the performances because they can directly relate. If you have to start a presentation with a two-minute explanation of the socio-political climate in Norway, and how it affects the indo-Chinese Californians' thoughts on Spongebob, then you're fighting an uphill battle. That's not to suggest you should dumb everything down, but you need to ensure the audience understands exactly what they're about to see. Only by understanding can they appreciate. And only by appreciating can they be fooled pantsless. And then you can sell their pants on Craigslist. Free money!

5) One thing I was hugely impressed by is how well your book is credited. Jeff Prace and Rich Aviles both tell me on a regular basis that you are an encyclopedic knowledge on all magic... What are your thoughts on proper crediting?

Let it go on record that I man love Rich Aviles. Regarding your question, I'm less of a human encyclopedia and more of a human Wikipedia. I'm always updating my knowledge with earlier and earlier findings, with the occasional random edit to include Ke$ha. I'm fascinated by the history of magic and how the tricks, moves, and ideas have evolved over time to where we are today, so I love reading books that span hundreds of years. If you head over to cherryvillain.com, I have videos showing the often-surprising origins of magic’s classic plots.

When it comes to crediting, we need to separate a few things. First things first: crediting is only an issue when it comes to teaching. If you’re strictly a performer, then it’s perfectly okay if you don’t know nor even care about magic’s history. There’s nothing wrong with that. But things change the moment you decide to sell a trick/book/DVD. You take on a responsibility to research your material and ensure it’s fit for release.

When it comes down to it, if you create something, you’re awesome. Pat yourself on the back for the accomplishment. No joke, you’ve done something great and you should be proud of yourself for it. No one can take that away from you. Now, if you later find out someone else thought of it too and published it fifty years ago, does that diminish the work and creativity you put into it? Hellz no! If anything, you should feel even better that you’re on the same creative level as some of our past greats. You’re in great company.  It’s nothing to feel bad about.  But it DOES mean you can’t release the trick onto the market. You can continue performing it and feeling great about what you’ve done, but you simply can’t sell it. It would be the same if you created a cute mouse character with a high pitched voice and big round black ears. Disney might have some words for you. The kind of words not allowed in a Disney film.

The first thing research does is it prevents us from rehashing existing material. I can’t count how many times a magician has shown me a variation of a move, only for me to tell him that the move he based his on was a variation of an even older move, and his variation of the variation has now come full circle and recreated that original move! It’s the plot for Inception 2. Research prevents such duplication from cluttering the marketplace. The second thing crediting does is applaud and thank our past masters who have built such an amazing foundation for us to live on. Crediting isn’t a burden, it’s a celebration. It’s a wonderful thing. But you specifically asked about “proper crediting.” Crediting can be just listing names, but "proper crediting" must come from within. It's about being honest with yourself, citing any inspirations, and if you're not sure about the actual history, asking others. And if someone points you to an earlier source, look it up! Don't just take the person’s word for it, read it yourself. I see a lot of people these days just copying credits word-for-word from other books without checking the sources. So when errors creep into those original credits, these erroneous facts keep spreading. Instead of making the new author look great, it makes him look twice as bad. Copy & pasting is not "proper crediting." I'd rather see someone be honest with fewer credits than someone trying to sneak past the credit police with their ctrl+c skills. I have a friend who never checks, so I recently punked him into unknowingly crediting an ‘80s sitcom character on his last DVD. Muwahahaha!

The biggest misconception about crediting is that it takes away from your own accomplishments. If you don't credit anyone, you'll look like a superstar who created the entire thing from scratch! Right? RIGHT?! Nope. It tends to have the opposite effect. I see magicians painfully try to squirm out of crediting, fighting teeth and nail to keep hold of "their" creations. Guys like Harry Lorayne do this frequently for a lot of their material. And when confronted, they invite even more controversy by spinning long, convoluted stories  about “independent creation” and whatnot. All they'd have to do is say, "Yup, [insert name  here] had something similar before me. But check out what I've done with the idea..." That’s it. That’s all they’d have to do. But pride gets in the way. There is no shame in acknowledging prior influences. Quite the opposite. It shows you care.

6) Finally, what advice do you have for magicians who want to create more original tricks and sleights?

First of all, I’d like to thank you for all the blush-inducing questions. You’ve been so flattering that I thought I was being interviewed by a bottle of Prozac. But to answer your question: write! Write all your ideas down. These ideas can be for anything: tricks, moves, trick names, presentations, clothing, interesting props, whatever! In this day and age, phones all have note-taking apps that can make sure you never, ever lose an idea. You, me, and all the people reading this are walking, talking idea machines (no offence to wheelchair-bound mutes). Ideas come from anywhere at any time, and if you don’t write them down, you’ll forget. Trust me. I used to forget tons of ideas before I started writing them down. I could have had something as awesome as Hippity Hop Rabbits, but now we’ll never know. This inspiration is the best place to start. They’re your own ideas, so you’re more motivated to act on them. Some books like Fitzkee’s Trick Brain advocate writing objects and plots on pieces of paper so you can randomly grab three slips and try to create that trick (“ferret” “heartburn” “transposition”). The problem with this plan is that the results are uninspiring. There’s no “you” in it to drive the trick forward. There’s less satisfaction – on a personal creativity level – for developing the trick. Using your own ideas as a starting point is far more fulfilling. Notes don’t need to be pages long, so don’t be put off by the idea of writing much when you’re out on the town. Here, let me go into my own notes to give you examples of what I mean. You’ll be able to tell these are my genuine notes because of the poor quality of ideas (I’ll purposely include some stinkers) and the even poorer quality of writing:

- Double Lift name: Double Dragon

- Presentational premise: Have a side effect to one of your powers. So if you've got super-memory, the side effect is that while you're using it, you say the worst puns ever. Or maybe you uncontrollably dance an Irish jig. Or whatever.

- Right Place, Right Time: Have an envelope with a prediction. A spectator deals down cards from a face-up deck until she wants to stop, while another spectator times her on a stopwatch (or iPhone equivalent). She ends up at the Five of Diamonds and it takes her 8:27 seconds to do it. Opening the envelope shows a Five of Diamonds, and on the back is written “8:27.”

- Moving Belly Button: Secretly part the hairy treasure trail in the opposite direction. Shifting this visual marker makes it look like the belly button moved instead of the hair.

When you’ve got time to sit down and create, you can open up your notes and start expanding on your ideas. Sometimes you’ll end up somewhere completely unexpected. That’s when things get really fun.

Check out Tyler's incredible new book:
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2681  

Chris Beason
born to perform. 

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Most magicians look at magic from one of two perspectives:

1. They look at it as a performer and tailor it to audiences.
2. They look at it as a creator and tailor it to performers.

Aaron Fisher is different. Aaron looks at magic from the perspective of an art form. If there is a single part of a routine that is not 100% effective, efficient and aesthetically pleasing, Aaron will toss it and start again.

A great example of this artistic thinking is in Aaron Fisher's work on the "get-ready". To most, the "get-ready" is that small movement either before or after the move to prepare for it. But Aaron doesn't try and eliminate these moves: he uses them to his advantage. I managed to catch up with Aaron to ask him a few questions about "get-readys".

To see more of Aaron's work, check out Panic!:
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2647

Chris Beason
born to perform. 

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Timothy Noonan is a huge player in the corporate magic world. Having done shows for literally dozens of Fortune 500 companies, Timothy knows what an audience wants. 

I was fortunate enough to catch Timothy for an interview on corporate magic.

1) You are easily one of the busiest corporate performers in the United States. Did you start out  performing corporate magic?

No, I actually began performing at theme parks for Paul Osbourne way back in 1986. My first theme park gig was performing a 30 minute illusion show 10 times daily, and also performing the puppet shows 10 times daily. The usual hours were 10am to 11pm, seven days a week for 5 months straight. Often, I would manage other shows, perform my own show, run sound and lights for another show. Brutal, but amazingly fun. From there I had a stint working for Ken Fletcher's Magic Masters shop in Las Vegas, then to a show called the Wizard's Secrets, a close up illusion show at the MGM Grand produced by Gene Patrick Productions and Director John Moerhing. During this time Joel Bauer used to drive out to Vegas and cold call trade shows, sleeping on my sofa, but that is another story (as a side note, he had a 100% booking ratio). From there, I took my show to Japan for six months, and then landed my first trade show by accident. A new world opened up to me, and I focused on corporate entertainment since then. That was around 1995 or so. Since then I perform at trade shows, corporate events, and sales meetings. I also do quite a bit of keynote speaking now as well.

2) The magic that you perform is very commercial and hilarious. What makes corporate magic different than other types?

Corporate entertainment is generally for a more (but not always) literate and critical audience. Corporate entertainment can be for any type of business, but I generally perform for the tech sector. There are usually engineers, programmers, high level executives in the audience, and they have a discerning palate. So my presentations tend to be more on the cerebral side. You are right though about the comedy element, there is an interesting juxtaposition with the highly educated audience - they can be absolutely doubled over with laughter with Rocky the Raccoon. I think the reason is because it is so out of the normalcy of their routine, they are usually so focused and serious much of the time, that the right comedy magic can kill. Listen, my magic is certainly not earth shattering, I am not the most original performer, but I do know my audience and what works for them.

3) You're great at tailoring magic to specific audiences (as seen by your impressive resume). How do you typically add the companies message to your magic?

Aha, this is actually a big secret you are asking me to give away here, as the main barrier to trade show and other performing is the challenge of the customization of the magic. Suffice it to say that being able to tailor your magic somewhat can be a huge hit, but is not always the right thing to do. Sometimes, you must go with what you know, and stick to time, audience tested routines. If you feel you must customize the magic, make it personal, something with the products or services highlighted in a relevant and meaningful way.

4) You do more types of magic well than most magicians have ever even tried. What is your favorite type of gig and why?

Thank you, but I feel that I am just an average magician who also makes my clients happy. I do not see myself as special, except that, you are correct, I do perform close up, stage illusions, comedy magic, and mentalism. Working in the theme park venues, I never focused on ONLY stage, or comedy magic, or mentalism, or close-up. I had to do it all, and I had to perform hundreds of times. My favorite is actually combining the comedy magic and mentalism, performing for smaller corporate groups of 100 or less. It allows me to give a more intimate, stand up performance and create a more theatrical experience.

5) Finally, what advice do you have for magicians who want to book more gigs?

Decide on your message, do not be a jack of all trades. If you want to do corporate, tailor your website to look, feel, and sound corporate. If you also do kids shows, have another site for that.  Write material from the viewers perspective. In other words, it is not so much about you, as it is the experience the reader will have, or the benefits they will achieve should they go with you. Also, make sure you keep it clear and simple, make it easy to book you. Include a call to action. Come see my lecture at IMX to learn more!

To hear more from Timothy from your own home, sign up for IMX Live right here on Penguin!
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2659  

Chris Beason
born to perform.

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Joe M. Turner is a fantastic corporate magician out of the Atlanta area. One of the busiest performers in the Southeast, Joe performs in more places than almost anyone that I know. While it's not possible to always know where he is performing, the one thing that you always know is that his deck is probably in a memorized stack.

In this video, Joe Turner shares his easy method for memorizing a deck of cards.

Chris Beason

born to perform.

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Gregory Wilson products aren't like other magic releases. They're
field tested more than military weapons and most drugs. The man isn't
normal! He performs magic non-stop, and whether he's at a gig or
ordering a venti latte, he's "on" 24/7/365.25.

Exact Change is no exception -- it's been in Greg's professional
repertoire for years: A soon-to-be-stunned spectator gives you a
number from 1-100. You remove all the change from your pocket and the
total matches exactly! No funny moves, it's THAT STRONG.
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2668

But the most frustrating part for us has been that making the gimmicks
takes SO FREAKIN' LONG that we haven't been able to get any in stock
(despite begging Greg for A YEAR) until today. We just got a very
limited supply so we're telling you first.

Still reading? Here are some Exact Change fans you may have heard of:

"I love being fooled! How do I put this in my next TV special?" - Cyril

"As real as it gets!" - Banacheck

"A beautiful perfect thing." - Paul Harris

"That's #@&^ing amazing!" - Bob Cassidy

"This fooled me entirely! I'm an instant fan and want to do it asap!"
- Joshua Jay

PROFESSIONALS: Exact Change has been honed for years in Greg's
professional repertoire, it's a perfectly direct and deceptive feat of
mentalism that has impressed some of the best minds in magic. If
anyone's name gives a product a seal of quality, it's Greg's, and this
one's no exception: a true, guaranteed winner. Absolutely perfect for
walkaround or casual interactions.

Watch the awesome (hey, it's Greg!) demo here:
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2668

Acar Altinsel
born to perform.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Gregory Wilson products aren't like other magic releases. They're
field tested more than military weapons and most drugs. The man isn't
normal! He performs magic non-stop, and whether he's at a gig or
ordering a venti latte, he's "on" 24/7/365.25.

Exact Change is no exception -- it's been in Greg's professional
repertoire for years: A soon-to-be-stunned spectator gives you a
number from 1-100. You remove all the change from your pocket and the
total matches exactly! No funny moves, it's THAT STRONG.
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2668

But the most frustrating part for us has been that making the gimmicks
takes SO FREAKIN' LONG that we haven't been able to get any in stock
(despite begging Greg for A YEAR) until today. We just got a very
limited supply so we're telling you first.

Still reading? Here are some Exact Change fans you may have heard of:

"I love being fooled! How do I put this in my next TV special?" - Cyril

"As real as it gets!" - Banacheck

"A beautiful perfect thing." - Paul Harris

"That's #@&^ing amazing!" - Bob Cassidy

"This fooled me entirely! I'm an instant fan and want to do it asap!"
- Joshua Jay

PROFESSIONALS: Exact Change has been honed for years in Greg's
professional repertoire, it's a perfectly direct and deceptive feat of
mentalism that has impressed some of the best minds in magic. If
anyone's name gives a product a seal of quality, it's Greg's, and this
one's no exception: a true, guaranteed winner. Absolutely perfect for
walkaround or casual interactions.

Watch the awesome (hey, it's Greg!) demo here:
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2668

Acar Altinsel
born to perform.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Gregory Wilson products aren't like other magic releases. They're
field tested more than military weapons and most drugs. The man isn't
normal! He performs magic non-stop, and whether he's at a gig or
ordering a venti latte, he's "on" 24/7/365.25.

Exact Change is no exception -- it's been in Greg's professional
repertoire for years: A soon-to-be-stunned spectator gives you a
number from 1-100. You remove all the change from your pocket and the
total matches exactly! No funny moves, it's THAT STRONG.
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2668

But the most frustrating part for us has been that making the gimmicks
takes SO FREAKIN' LONG that we haven't been able to get any in stock
(despite begging Greg for A YEAR) until today. We just got a very
limited supply so we're telling you first.

Still reading? Here are some Exact Change fans you may have heard of:

"I love being fooled! How do I put this in my next TV special?" - Cyril

"As real as it gets!" - Banacheck

"A beautiful perfect thing." - Paul Harris

"That's #@&^ing amazing!" - Bob Cassidy

"This fooled me entirely! I'm an instant fan and want to do it asap!"
- Joshua Jay

PROFESSIONALS: Exact Change has been honed for years in Greg's
professional repertoire, it's a perfectly direct and deceptive feat of
mentalism that has impressed some of the best minds in magic. If
anyone's name gives a product a seal of quality, it's Greg's, and this
one's no exception: a true, guaranteed winner. Absolutely perfect for
walkaround or casual interactions.

Watch the awesome (hey, it's Greg!) demo here:
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2668

Acar Altinsel
born to perform.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Michael Lair not afraid of using ANY prop to get a magical effect and it's evident in his magic. He has a very sepcific style: when you see a Michael Lair effect, you KNOW that it's his. 

Michael is incredibly inventive and has a wide variety of effects with props that most would never see magic potential in. I managed to catch up with Michael for an interview.  

1) You create a huge amount of magic, so I have to ask: where do you start when creating a new piece? 

Most of my magic effects are created when I am developing a new routine or visual effect for my own, personal magic act. If the routines works well for me for multiple performances, I then decide if it is something that the magic public would be interested in to use in their magic acts, and then I look into deciding if it is an item where I could continually purchase the needed parts, and that I could create in quantities to sell at a reasonable price.  

2) Your magic uses a wide variety of different props from drinks to fans to beach balls. How do you decide on a prop to use for a magic effect?

My second favorite hobby next to magic has always been travel. I have travelled the United States extensively, and spent some time in Asia and Europe as well. I am always looking for wholesalers, distributors, and outdoor markets to find some unusual item that is well priced, well made, and would be fun and interesting for a magic routine. You wouldn't believe what I have brought home through the years! I have made several excellent connections with various suppliers that have become good friends in the process! It's interesting that you mention the beach ball. 'Beach Memories' has been my #1 best seller through the years. It is very interesting and I still can't believe it, but, when I saw these rice paper toys in an Asian marketplace, my mind thought out immediately and in great detail a complete animation routine, so I bought several of them, brought them home, and a rare thing then occurred: The routine I envisioned with the beach balls, worked perfectly the very first time! I love demonstrating this effect all day at conventions, and, believe it or not, it still sells! When I stated that it is rare that the routine I envisioned worked precisely as I envisioned it, most of my routines take hours of reworking from my original vision. In fact, there is a magic effect I am currently working on that I have been testing and reworking for about 3 years now...when it is eventually ready for market, it is an exciting, visual piece of magic...hopefully, I will release it soon!       

3) Almost all of your magic can be done close-up or on a large stage. Which type of magic do you prefer and why?

I love close-up magic. The Fechter's 4F convention is one of my favorite conventions that I annually attend. I also dearly love stage magic as well as performing it. Performers like Fantasio, Shimada, Jeff McBride, and Vito Lupo have greatly influenced me. I would have to say that any magic that I can watch or perform stand-up, and can be seen and enjoyed by a large group of people, would be my favorite type of magic. I always try to develop visual magic effects that can be seen and enjoyed by large groups of people. Most of my magic shows are before 100+ people, so I am always thinking and experimenting with routines that would play strong in these situations.   

4) Your recent DVD "Drink Magic" had some material that you have obviously spent a lot of time on. How did you decide that these effects were ready for release? 

Thank you for the kind words about 'Drinkmagic'. I greatly appreciate it. I spent about 2 years working and reworking the routines on this DVD. It was the most challenging project I have ever completed! I had been performing Shrink Drink, 20 oz. Production, Mini-Size Me, and Redmagic all from the DVD for a few years before releasing it to the magic public. I added a few other routines that I had been working on that I enjoy performing, also. There are so many effects and DVDs on coin and card magic out in the current magic market, that I decided that I wanted to focus and release a DVD on an area of magic where I had never found very much magic literature and video work. I love magic with drinks and liquids. Any effects that have been released on the subject, I usually purchase immediately. My favorite effect with liquids/drinks of all time is the Chen Lee Water Suspension. MAK Magic manufactures it, and I perform it in every show. I have added a few of my own touches to it, and I just think this water suspension is one of the best effects in magic. It always surprises me that I don't see it performed very often by other magicians.      

5) Finally, what advice do you have for someone who wants to create more original magic? 

It's probably the same advice I give to students to whom I have taught magic in the past. I always tell them that there is only one 'you' in the whole world. The greatest gift you can give the world is something unique, fun, and special that only you could create. In creating original magic, don't be afraid to try something new, using a prop or method that no one has ever used before. Don't worry about pleasing everyone, either. Stick with it. There will be challenges during the creation process right up to the final packaging and releasing to the magic community. If you believe in the magic and add in your own unique creativity, the chances are good that other magicians will want to look into it, too. Also, brainstorm about what you would like to see yourself performing. Work hard to create this vision, and, if satisfied with the visual results, you have a magic effect/routine that other magicians may very well be interested in performing in their own magic acts. This entire process from idea to marketplace can be so exhilarating and quite rewarding!   

Chris Beason

 born to perform.

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If you already do Hundy 500 or Extreme Burn, be sure to read this...
 
"First Hand" by Justin Miller and Paul Harris is a GAME CHANGER.  Show 4 single one dollar bills (or any currency!) and place them in your spectator's hand.  In the BLINK OF AN EYE they change into 4 hundreds, and are TOTALLY AND IMMEDIATELY, 100% EXAMINABLE.
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2660 

It's amazing how many magicians I've run into who carry Hundy 500 in their pockets, and the reason is always the same: the reactions that producing BIG MONEY creates are INSANE.
 
There have been several methods to this effect over the years, but HERE are 12 reasons why FIRST HAND is the one to have, and why you'll perform it ALL. THE. TIME.

1. Takes up almost no space in your pocket
2. No need to modify your bills
3. Change happens in full view on spectator’s open hand
4. Very Very easy to do
5. No palming
6. You never have to touch the bills after they change
7. Changed bills can be immediately examined
8. Perform surrounded and in just about all conditions
9. Re-sets in seconds
10. Works with most foreign currency
11. Customize your gimmicks for any bills in two minutes
12. Two Big Bonus Effects

Watch the extended trailer here:
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2660
 
Total no-brainer. A+++++++++++++
 
Acar Altinsel
born to perform.

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Aaron Fisher's Secret Weapon has been sold out for the last 2 weeks,
so it's just today that I can tell you about it. We got the only
shipment in North America for the next couple weeks.

Where card tricks are concerned, this thing HAS IT ALL. It's funny,
it builds, it's SUPER deceptive, and it gives people something they've
never seen before, it fits in your card case, it's inspectable, it's
dead-simple to learn AND drives people NUTS.
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2654

And the price?? Only $249.95. Ok, I'm kidding.. only fifteen bucks!
A total no-brainer.

A card is chosen, and revealed in a funny way.. on a 52-on-1 card (a
card that has every single card in teeny tiny print). A funny gag --
but where most magicians end there, Aaron takes this up several HUGE
notches. The deck is then freely cut and the card replaced. Now
here's where things get crazy: you take the tiny 52-in-1 version of
their card and DRAG it to where they placed it!

PROFESSIONALS: Applause, laughter and CLOSE inspection is what comes
next. Just sit back and bask in it. Have fun, Secret Weapon is a
guaranteed good time and RESETS INSTANTLY. If you do walk-around,
this is a definite must-have.

Check out the full demo here:
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2654

Acar Altinsel
born to perform.

PS: Don't miss Oz Pearlman this Sunday, he's doing an absolutely
killer lecture. 100% worker material you can put straight into your
acts. Some closeup, some stage, some unreleased, but ALL tricks he
uses day, after day AFTER DAY in his corporate gigs.
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2652

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There's an invisible dividing line between experienced professional
magicians and those just getting their start:

It's the ability to engage a ROOM full of people with a FUN and
FOOLING party trick.

David Regal has been performing professionally for YEARS. He's got a
deep, deep understanding of what makes magic great, and what makes
parties FUN.

He's probably the only person who COULD have created Mind Ball. It's
got charm and nostalgia. It's fun and DEFINITELY fooling.
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2643

Perform it, and you'll honestly have a hard time NOT being the
life-of-the-party. The ball practically does the entire routine for
you, and you get all the glory. Not a bad gig!

If you perform at parties, Mind Ball is a must have. If you ever
MIGHT perform at a party, I still say it's a must-have. And if you're
the occasional performer, keep the darn thing in the trunk of your
car, it'll save you more often than your jumper cables that's for
sure!

People obviously love parties, and people love games. And David Regal
can show you just how much those same people love MAGIC that involves
PARTIES and GAMES.

Watch David Regal show you more here:
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2643

Have fun out there!

Acar Altinsel
born to perform.

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If you've ever dreamed of gathering HUGE crowds on busy streets and
earning a living at the same time, DO NOT miss this event...
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2649

Last month, Gazzo came to Penguin LIVE and gave a great lecture on the
tricks he uses in the streets. But several professionals in the
audience voiced disappointment that the business of professional
busking (performing magic on the streets for money) wasn't discussed.
Well, we listened.

In just 24 hours, the world's greatest working street magician, Gazzo
hits our Penguin LIVE stage this time for a FULL 2-HOUR LECTURE
DEDICATED TO BUSKING. While tricks may be used to demonstrate
lessons, the focus will be on the business of making money on the
streets with your magic. Many of these are secrets of street
performance you won't find in ANY book or DVD.

* How to select a location
* How to gather a crowd
* How to choose your tricks
* How to maximize your tips
* and much, much more..

You can even ASK YOUR OWN QUESTIONS LIVE. I'll be personally
attending and fielding questions to Gazzo.

But we're still getting a lot of questions about how to attend. So
here it is in 3 simple steps:

1. Reserve your seat here.
2. Then Saturday before 7:00pm Eastern, sit down with your laptop (no
ipads) and go to http://www.penguinmagic.com/live
3. That's it! Learn bullet-proof tricks, and pro secrets you won't
find in ANY book or DVD. And most importantly, ask questions LIVE.

If you need any more convincing, here are a few Gazzo fans you may know:

"GAZZO is an incredible performer and a great influence on modern
magic". - DAVID BLAINE

"Gazzo is so funny he scares me" -AMAZING JONATHAN,

"In my opinion, Gazzo is one of the best entertainers in the world. He
makes you laugh at him and at yourself and you love him for it. He's
earthy and yet almost regal. He's sassy and gracious, impudent and
courteous. Gazzo makes eveybody in a room, whether they're kids,
kings, farmers, dowagers or captains of industry, into one raucous,
uproarious family. His magice seems so effortless, it's hard to
realize how masterful it is--mostly because you're having such a good
time. When you see Gazzo you feel like you're watching a showbiz
legend." - TELLER of PENN & TELLER

If you haven't been to a magic lecture, there's never been a better time.
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2649

You'll learn practical usable information from a guy who has been
working the streets full-time for the last 30 years.

See you tomorrow night!

Acar Altinsel
born to perform.

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If you went to Blackpool 2012, then you already know what I'm about to say...

Micro Psychic is a marvel of magic, engineering and simplicity.
You'll treasure it and (I'm being totally serious here) PERFORM IT FOR
YOURSELF. It's nuts ;)
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2650

I bought one for myself on-the-spot at full-price within 60 seconds of
seeing it. Each one is carefully hand-made by Nakashima Kengo in
Japan, which is why we had to wait so long to get them at Penguin, but
the only shipment for the next month is FINALLY HERE.

An ordinary looking nut and bolt are examined and then held at the
fingertips. Then suddenly, the nut starts turning, spinning until it
falls right off the end of the bolt.

And here's the part that had everyone's jaws on the floor at
Blackpool: It's all self-contained inside the EXAMINABLE BOLT.
There's NOTHING ELSE hooked up to your body. Perform it in short
sleeves, or even totally HANDS OFF!

One of the strongest presentations lets you put the nut and bolt under
a drinking glass, then watching as the magic happens.

If you're into PK, Micro Psychic is as "must-have" and "James Bondy"
as they come.

* Totally examinable before and after
* No switches
* Easily replaceable battery
* No funny moves.
* Super EASY to perform.

Watch the demo here:
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2650

It's not inexpensive, I know. But if you can afford it, you'll have
something unique that will last you many, many memorable performances.

You'll love this one.

Acar Altinsel
born to perform.

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In the magic community, there are hundr--- thousands of creators. What seperates the good from the bad isn't how much they create, but how many truly great effects that they put out. 

Peter Eggink is the best of both worlds. Peter releases a huge amount of truly great material. Everything I've ever purchased by Peter has been both practical, innovative and incredibly powerful. So, I had to track down Peter to ask him a few questions about his work.

1) I am always impressed by how innovative your effects are. How do you generally go about creating a new performance piece?

Usually it starts with an effect that I would like to accomplish and then I try to find the best method I can ... reverse engineering. Sometimes a cool method pops up in my mind and then I'll try to create an actual effect around it. It's difficult to describe how the creative process works but most of my effects where born "accidentally" while playing around and allowing myself to "be". Hope this makes sense?

2) Haunted is a big part of my act and easily one of the coolest methods to the haunted deck. What were the parameters when creating it?

Haunted was created in the strong desire of having a complete hands off haunted deck with nothing connected between the body and deck, so no loops or thread hook ups etc....I had this idea roughly 3 years back. Last year I showed Paul my idea for the haunted deck and he instantly wanted to produce it, which took almost a year from concept to final product. Paul also added some really good touches and all together that is what Haunted makes what it is today: a rock solid kick ass piece of Magic!

3) Out of every effect that you have ever released, what do you do most for real people?

 4) Finally, what advice do you have for someone who wants to create more magic?

If you want to create magic, simply allow yourself to do so: be committed and think in possibilities and solutions -not in problems. There is nothing you can't achieve when you set your mind to it. Just do it and believe in yourself.

Chris Beason

born to perform.

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