Video Taping Practice Sessions.

[Lavie Enrose]

I now have access to a video camera, and I have taken the advice of some master magicians (Burger, McBride, Randi) and started video taping my practice sessions. I find this very helpfull, as I can see my performace the way the audience will. Unlike the mirror - which lies (it shows everything in reverse) - the video camera shows me exactly how my performace looks. It also keeps me from constantly watching myself in the mirror while practicing, and getting too used to doing that.

The video camera has made my practice sessions so much better, as I can now catch the little mistakes that I do not see in the mirror. Being able to see myself on video before I perform is a great learning tool for me.

[Brown]

It's a great idea to perform in front of a camera. It's much better than a mirror, and you can often get a much better impression of how well the illusion comes across. You can also see the performance from a variety of angles, and angles are important for some tricks.

I have to say, however, that some tricks look great on camera but suck in real life. The camera tends not to "notice" some magical gimmicks that are often obvious to a live audience. Don't think that your audience won't notice (for example) an "invisible thread" just because you can't see it at all in the video. You still have to be careful about hiding or camoflaging some gimmicks, even if a camera can't detect them.

[Lavie Enrose]

Originally posted by Brown
It's a great idea to perform in front of a camera. It's much better than a mirror, and you can often get a much better impression of how well the illusion comes across. You can also see the performance from a variety of angles, and angles are important for some tricks.

That is very true. Randi suggests (I don't recall the name of the book) setting up three mirrors that are angled so that the video camera can record all three angles at once while you practice. Then you can be sure of what your angles look like before you perform the trick.

I have to say, however, that some tricks look great on camera but suck in real life. The camera tends not to "notice" some magical gimmicks that are often obvious to a live audience. Don't think that your audience won't notice (for example) an "invisible thread" just because you can't see it at all in the video. You still have to be careful about hiding or camoflaging some gimmicks, even if a camera can't detect them.

That would be one disadvantage of the camera. For this reason, I think it is a good idea to use both the mirror and the camera. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. But nothing beats performing in front of someone who will give you feedback on what they thought of it. I find family members and close friends are good for this. Then you can go out and 'hit the streets' and perform for strangers with confidence.

[Brown]

Originally posted by Lavie Enrose
For this reason, I think it is a good idea to use both the mirror and the camera. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. But nothing beats performing in front of someone who will give you feedback on what they thought of it. I find family members and close friends are good for this. Then you can go out and 'hit the streets' and perform for strangers with confidence. I think this is a good idea. Use all of your resources. Good luck developing an act.

My comments about video were prompted by the fact that I recently "built" a magic item that looks like a normal, everyday item but has a secret gimmick that alows the item to do something bizarre. When I saw the magic item demonstrated on television, the secret gimmick was absolutely invisible. Even if you knew where to look, you couldn't see it. But when I built the item myself, I found that the secret gimmick wasn't all that hard to see, and a live observer could quickly spot it. The trick with this item, I concluded, is one that looks great on video but not so great in real life.

[Voob]

There's a section on "Coaching Yourself With Videotape" in my 1982 edition of Henry Hay's Amateur Magician's handbook.
(edited to add: written by Randi)

I've been practicing a lot with videotape recently. It's great for card stuff, noticing flaws, making the moves less visible etc.

I'd be keen to share some clips online somewhere--I'm too embarrassed to upload to the well-known sites, as most of the guys there are 10 times better than me...

[Lavie Enrose]

Some magicians will review your video taped performace, and give you advice on any improvements - for a fee, of course. Eugene Burger does this:

Video evaluation. Eugene will watch your video and give you constructive feedback on how you might make your presentations stronger and more effective.

For more information:

Eugene Burger (http://www.yourmagic.com/MagicBeard/instruction.html)

[Rick Maue]

Greetings,

With almost four decades of magical experience, I agree completely with the use of a video camera. But, I would offer two additional bits of advice.

First, do not simply videotape your practice sessions and rehearsals (although make sure that you record both because there is a HUGE difference between a practice session and a rehearsal), but if you have the opportunity, also record any actual performances that you give. You will learn a tremendous amount by watching yourself in front of a real audience.

Second, in addition to watching yourself on video, I would strongly suggest investing as much time to also LISTEN to yourself on audio. The vast majority of magicians that I have encountered over the years worry about their hands, but they ignore their words.

Try this. Take a videotape of your performance (either in front of an audience, or at a rehearsal) and play ONLY the audio portion while you sit in a darkened room. Listen to every word, every pause, every moment.

Ask yourself if what you are hearing makes sense. Does it sound contrived? Is it nothing more than boring narration? (For example: "... and then I place the ball in my hand... blah, blah, blah...")

Forget about what your hands may have been doing and really listen to your words. If they do not flow, then you need to work as hard on scripting as you do on sleights. I mention this because a strong script (when delivered properly) will not only make your sleights even MORE invisible, it will also help to turn a mere trick into a powerful performance.

Believe me, after all these years, I find that proper scripting is still very rare among most magicians, so work hard at it and you will be far above the average trickster. I hope this helps.


Keep the change,
Rick Maue
Deceptions Unlimited

[Brown]

Originally posted by Rick Maue
Forget about what your hands may have been doing and really listen to your words. If they do not flow, then you need to work as hard on scripting as you do on sleights. I mention this because a strong script (when delivered properly) will not only make your sleights even MORE invisible, it will also help to turn a mere trick into a powerful performance.Speaking as an excessively amateur conjuror, I want to second that advice. Some of the tricks I perform that people have found to be the most puzzling and the most entertaining are the ones that have a good verbal delivery.

There are some tricks that are technically easy to do, but they become baffling because of what I say, not because of what I do. One trick in particular comes to mind. The trick is itself very easy to do, and basically I tell the spectator what I'm doing as I do it. However, my words are lies. What I say and what I do are two different things, but the spectator thinks they are the same. When you ask the spectator to repeat what you just showed him, he is unable to do it. Why? Because he focuses on doing what he heard, not what he saw. Here, the words make the trick.

For a lot of tricks, it's helpful to have some light patter. Puns are often good because they distract the spectator. Especially bad puns. If the spectator is busy groaning at the pun, he isn't paying attention to what you're doing.

[Tesserat]

I think video is one of the essential tools. I was at the PCAM conference in Vancouver, listening to Greg Frewin and Shawn Farqhuar. They were talking about the fact that on some bird tricks, and card tricks, they blinked at specific times. They realized that they were doing it when they saw themselves on videotape. Then they noticed that they blinked at times that they were flashing.

They eventually figured out that they had learned of these tricks by practicing in front of a mirror, and accidently trained themselves to blink so that they wouldn't see their mistakes.

[RSLancastr]

Originally posted by Brown
Don't think that your audience won't notice (for example) an "invisible thread" just because you can't see it at all in the video. You still have to be careful about hiding or camoflaging some gimmicks, even if a camera can't detect them. An acquaintance of mine was practicing a "floating scarf" trick at home. He has a room in his house dedicated to practicing his magic - it has a "stage" with black curtains and backdrop, etc...

So he was practicing floating the scarf, and his son (arond 4 years old) was really amazed by it. He (the son) said "Wow, it really floats! But dad, watch out for that spiderweb!"