Matthew asks: How do I prove I am the best magician in school?

We recently had this question come in from one of our customers and it raised a great point for us. Due to the increase in the popularity of magic, students are likely to encounter other people at school that also study the art of magic. What should you do if this situation arises?

I think it is very important to consider why you are asking this question. There really is no way to prove you are the best. However:

Your thoughts shouldn't be about how you can be the best magician,

it should be on how to give the best possible experience to someone else.

If you concentrate on making sure you are personable, friendly, non egotistical, and you also practice hard, everything will fall into place. It will become known that you are skilled in all aspects of performing, and presenting magic. You will be able to give your spectators the best experience, and as a result, you won't have to feel like you have something to prove.

School can be competitive. Try not to get sucked into the 'I'm better than you game'. Rise above comments like this. Concentrate on what you are doing, and what you love. It doesn't matter what they think, just keep giving, and respect will fall your way.

Everyone is different.

It is up to the audience to decide whom they like, and people's opinions are different. Some people like chalk, and some people like cheese, it is the way of the world. You cannot please everyone, so even if someone prefers another magician at school over you it doesn't matter. There are billions of people in the world, so there are many more you can please!

What to say.

I understand that this can be a tough situation, but the best thing you can do for you and your magic, is to not get bogged down with it. If someone says they are better than you, simply say, 'ok, that's good!' if it doesn't rattle you, or bother you, then there is no ammo for them anymore . They will realise they are not in a race or competition with you.

If someone says 'so and so is better than you' just say, 'that's cool, they practice lots, I'll keep going though!' Statements like that pop their bubble and there is nowhere for them to go. People only make statements like that to get a reaction, and if it doesn't bother you then they realise they cannot affect you. They may even respect you more for remaining kind about the other person.

The best piece of advice I can give you is to stay true to yourself. Keep practicing your magic. Focus on what you love (even if it isn't magic), and don't worry about other people and what they are doing. Build a magic act with magic tricks that work well together, and focus on your own development. You will soon see that it really doesn't matter who is the best magician.

How Magicians Build Magic Sets For Their Acts – Choosing Magic tricks

by Dominic Reyes 3 Comments

By Dominic Reyes

We discuss how to build your magic tricks into magic sets that flow together. Constructing a magic act.

One of the most common questions our magicians get asked is how to order magic tricks into sets for performing to the public. Let’s look at the types of magic tricks that can be built into working magic sets, and how to order them into your act to get the best results.

Getting ready.

The first step is to understand what kind of magician you are. Do you enjoy comedy magic? Perhaps you prefer a more serious style, featuring hard hitting mentalism? Your magic style should dictate the shape and style the magic sets, and how you will be perceived by your audience. Take time to decide exactly which style of presentation would suit you best. Choose tricks that compliment and communicate the ‘style of magician’ you want to be.

Once you have a style, it’s time to build magic sets. We will build 3 magic sets, each containing 3 magic tricks. The three sets will each have a different pace, designed for specific parts of an event, and types of spectator.

Set one: The approach.

Magic Trick 1) The Impression.

The first magic trick will be your opener. This is the trick you will use when you join the first group of the evening. It needs to be quick, with a goal of capturing the attention. The magic trick must show that you are professional and skilled. When you join your first group, they may not know that a magician has been booked, so may not have anticipation of the magic they are going to see. Choose a magic trick that requires little initial attention. Think quick, fast, and impressive! A simple coin routine works well in this position, especially a 3 fly coins across. Perhaps a colour change card trick with a little flourish built in? If you use comedy, make sure you get a laugh with a strong line. The aim is to make everyone notice, and focus on the magic as quickly as possible.

Magic Trick 2) The Build.

After your opener magic trick, you will have the group engaged with your magic. This is the time to perform a longer trick that will stand up to focused attention. You are now interacting with the group. Start using spectators names, and get them involved. It’s this point that will most often have new spectators joining the group to see what is going on. Open up the circle if you can. Involve a few spectators, and look for magic that takes place in their hands. This could be a strong card routine, an expanded sponge balls set, chop cup routine. The aim is to relate to the group and expand it.

Magic Trick 3) The Shout Out.

Your final magic trick in this set should cause people to freak out. The aim is to have people getting noisy about what they have just seen. The goal is to capture the attention of other people in the room. Go for a magic trick that blows people away, and gets a round of applause, or some high fives. A bill in lemon, an omni deck, a bottle through table. This trick is a closer, so should end in an applause cue stance, with your arms open.

Keep it to three.

Each set should contain maybe 3 tricks. You want people to remain hungry for more. Explain that you need to visit everyone, but will show them more later.

Set Two : The group next door.

This set follows set 1 as you move to a group nearby. It may be the case that some of the first group will follow you as they want to see more. The new group may have watched a little of you magic from a distance as they heard the reactions form the first group. You now need a new set of magic tricks to perform for the new group.

Magic Trick 1) Moving house.

You are already warmed up, and the reactions you have been getting from your first set, will have been notices around the room. This first magic trick also needs to be quick and capture the attention. This magic set doesn't need to demonstrate your abilities as much as the first trick in set 1. A three card monte works well in this position, or an ambitious card routine. Short, punchy, and lots of climaxes and the secret to opener tricks. Your aim here is to move to the new group and get them engaged quickly to keep the buzz about you going from the first groups reactions.

Magic Trick 2) The Meat.

Now is the perfect position for a more meaty routine. Perhaps some mind reading, metal bending or a levitation routine. Play to the whole group and expand it. Card magic works well here as you could do a multiple selection routine such as the MRD deck by Liam Montier.

Magic Trick 3) The Big One.

To end the second set, we recommend that you hit them hard with a signature piece that will cause a stir. Ring flight, ring in walnut, bottle through body. Something that makes everyone applaud and freak out.

Set Three) The Circus.

You’re in the middle of the room and at a point where a large group is all around you. Most of the people have already seen your magic from sets 1 and 2. This set is almost like a theatre show.

Magic Trick 1) Helpers.

Use 2 or 3 helpers for a routine and bring them into the center of the group. In the hands chop cup routine, a rope routine like fiber optics extended, or a mind reading routine may be perfect here.

Magic Trick 2) Comedy.

Look for a magic trick that allows a few of the spectators to be comic if their personalities suit this. A street hypnosis routine, or an arm bend/twist routine would work well here.

Magic Trick 3) The Closer.

To end The circus set, you need your most dramatic closer. Something that gets 3-4 people joining you to help. Bring in some interaction from tables near you as well, and address the whole room. At the end, go for an applause stance. If you are performing to a single table, have the guests stand during the trick as this is a feature effect and should aim to be as visible as possible.

It's about pace.

So there you have three sets of magic tricks. Each set designed to be used at a different point in an event. You repeat sets 1 and 2 around the room, working towards the middle of the room, stage, or towards a top table. If you have the whole rooms attention, set 3 brings everything to a climax.

The pace for each set is different. Building from fast and flashy, to engaged and interactive.

Once you understand the flow and goal of your magic sets, it becomes much easier to choose new magic tricks to include, and to be able to order the magic tricks you already know, to be positioned within your sets to get the most out of them.

Adding Focus and Direction to Learning Magic Tricks – Review

by Dominic Reyes Leave a Comment

We just received this feedback from magician Bill Richards about adding focus to learning magic tricks:

I must say that I am incredibly pleased with my decision to follow the sleight of hand for beginners training course, and even now after just four days of practice I can unequivocally say that although there is a far more left to learn and master than I could even begin to imagine, I do feel that I have improved, which I think is mostly down to the focus of my practice sessions; without guidance of course it is far too easy to pick up a trick, have a go at it, not be able to do it as well as would be preferred, put it down and reach for the next trick which sounds like it might be a little easier, or more interesting etc. This I think is the main benefit provided by such a course, focus, and being instructed by a professional as to what to do in those focussed sessions, how to go about practicing, how much time to spend, what to practice, etc.

I really like Liam’s presentation, his explanations are clear and concise, and his demonstrations are clean and precise. This first DVD set is, I think, something which I would not have selected to view and study had it not been presented to me.

Bill! You hit the nail on the head my friend. The course is all about focus. The truth is that nothing contained in the course is particularly unique. It's all material that is available individually on DVD's. In fact, you can order the individual DVD's that make up the course as stand along products. The value we add comes from attempting to slow down the learning and focus the student on working through the material in a systematic way. It's the follow up emails, coaching, and performance reviews that are offered over the 3 months that are the real secret to the results the course is achieving for magicians that take the time to work through it.

Every day the team at the Merchant of Magic supply magic DVD's and new tricks to hundreds of magicians all across the world. It's a constant stream of new material being snapped up by magicians hungry for the 'next new thing' in magic. Even though we are in our second decade of supplying magic tricks, it still amazes us, how quickly magicians move on to the next magic DVD to be released. They simply can't be learning all this new material, and it often feels like collecting more than magic training.

This first course, on sleight of hand, was an attemto to see if magicians would be prepared to work on a focused program, to learn the classic, core techniques in card magic. We hoped, with the right encoragment, we could get magicians to make a commitment to just one technique at a time, and really put in the work to master it, before moving on to something else. We know from the personal tuition that we offer to magicians on a one 2 one basis at the magic shop, that so much more progress can be made by slowing down the learning process. Once a core move has been REALLY MASTERED, thats the time to add applications for the move. In doing this 'directed learning program' a whoe range of new magic tricks open up to the student, once they have the technical movements mastered.

Keep up the great work Richard!

Best wishes as always

Dominic Reyes