Bullets

It’s been many moons since my original creativity notes were put together. I felt it was time to add and expand upon my old theories and include the new stuff I have ruminated upon over the last few years. Obviously there is no formula for being creative or else everyone could do it. What is contained herein are exercises to get your brain thinking at right angles. Included are concepts that focus on improving the way you approach and think about your magic, performing identity, and props. I will never sell this information because I feel this knowledge is more important to being a better performer than ANY amount of money in the world. If I can open just one person’s eyes then my efforts have not been in vain. Let’s get on with it already shall we?

Eye-Dent-It-Tea (AKA: Character vs. Style vs. Persona) We use the word “character” far too much in magic. We are always asking others what their character is or telling them they need a “stronger” character. The problem is this word is too limiting and often used incorrectly. I thought about it and came up with some other options. These are not the ONLY ones of course. There is a lot of grey area inbetween but these three basic concepts will help you get the gist of it all.

Character In my book performers such as Sylvester The Jester and Rudy Coby are characters. They use costumes, make-up, props, etc. to create a world that exists only on stage. They have created a “character” that is different from who they are off stage (more or less. We always take a bit of our real selves on stage no matter what.)

Style For this example we can look to performers like David Copperfield and Lance Burton. They are themselves on stage (albeit theatrically enhanced) but have a certain way of doing things that is unique to them. If you met them off stage they are fairly close to what you see on stage. Persona This is a mixture of the two above categories. They meet in the middle. Kevin James and Jeff Mcbride are a good example. They have a bit of character and certain way of doing things but they don’t go too far one direction or the other.

Obviously these are a little black and white but it shows you that you have options to either be crazygonuts TM on stage and become something entirely different or just be yourself. The one thing any and all of these have in common however boils down to one simple thing: YOU SHOULD HAVE AN IDENTITY! You need something that sets you apart from the rest of the rabble. Away from those who are too lazy to work on their craft. Magician is not an identity! It’s a job title. Too many performers think that just being a magician is enough to set them apart. Guess what… they are wrong. How do you find that identity you ask? Well that’s entirely up to you. It’s not one thing, it’s everything. Your costume, your props, the music you use, the way you move, even the way you approach a problem or react to it. Technique and skill is just one aspect but it’s not your identity. Keep reading and I will give you some tips that might just help you start down the right path to creating better magic and maybe even… yourself.

Restrict Yourself “Having constraints, or any sort of limits, is beneficial and leads to solutions.” - Stephen M. Kosslyn

I know it seems strange to put limits on yourself for such a limitless art form but trust me when I say this is one of the best ways to focus not only your material but also your performing identity and motivations. The best way I can help you wrap your head around this concept is thus: If you could walk thru walls, you would never invent the ladder or the door. Magicians want to be able to do everything. The problem is then you have no flaws or limitations and that makes you boring and generic. Jon Armstrong talks about defining what your “super power” is. I say go the other way and decide what powers you DON’T have. I personally am not a “levitator”. I don’t float things. This refusal to do such effects makes it where I cannot fall back on buying something like a Losander Floating Table. I have to focus on the things I can and will do. Think about the things you can do and won’t do. What sleights and tricks you refuse to perform. These kinds of restrictions force you to find a way to perform the magic you want to do and possibly invent new ones in the process. I refuse to do the double undercut and thus I had to create a sleight to accomplish something in a trick I liked. The hard part is not faltering and giving in “just this once”. It’s your world and you get to create the rules. However you have to stick to those rules or the whole thing comes crashing down around your pointy little head. It’s very easy to fall back on tricks like linking rings to “fill time”. However if you are like me and refuse to perform classics you must rely on your own ingenuity to create something new. (I’m not saying don’t learn how to do said effects. It’s good to have a base understanding of what’s out there) If it helps to make a big ol’ list on your wall of the things you won’t do then so be it. Whatever it takes to make the magic to you and not the other way around. This brings us to our next point….

Question Everything Too many magicians buy/download/read a trick and perform it verbatim as they learned it. If you want to make it your own it’s a simple matter to just ask yourself questions like this: • • • •

“Is this the best way this can be done?“ “Is this the best way for ME to do this?” “What else does this look like?” “What happens if I do THIS? (turn it over, paint it, etc)”

These are obviously not the ONLY things that should be going through your head but it’s a good start. It’s not a difficult task to make a trick or prop match you and/or you show. Take the things you like, that make you who you are, and apply them to your magic. By having magic that is uniquely your own you will stand out from the rest and people who want someone like you will have to hire YOU!

Give Your Props a Reason to Exist If you ever see my act you will notice that all of my props are items people are familiar with. When you use regular looking items people have handled or seen before then they assume they are free of guile and are not tricked out in any way. It’s when those same items do something amazing that people are truly astonished. Cups and balls with borrowed cups and napkins is more amazing than magical looking props. You want the credit for the magic to go to you and not that expensive looking box. This concept isn’t just about having normal looking props, but finding ways to motivate the use of said props as well. Why is that box there? What does that piece of cloth do? I need a drink because I just put something gross in my mouth… maybe I will make one appear. You get the idea…

Little Truth, Great Big Lie “Give your audience a little bit of truth and they will believe a GREAT BIG lie.” - Bizzaro.

They just need a hook, something they are familiar with or believe in. Once you have them, you can take them down a big ol’ path full of BS. This goes hand in hand with the above thinking. If you use a prop they are familiar with they won’t question it. If you give them a concept in your patter they have heard about or know firsthand they just kinda go with it. It’s a fascinating thing while also being quite open to interpretation. Personally I don’t like to use presentations that insult my audience’s intelligence. They KNOW that you don’t have magic powers so don’t try to convince them as such. Just let them have a good time and they will like you more. Let me give you an example of how I use it in my show: I took my torch thru arm prop and turned it into a fire extinguisher. This not only motivates the prop to exist but the “truth” is that they know a fire extinguisher is used to “resist” fire. The “lie” of the torch going thru it and the person’s arm is then successful.

Learn About the World Around You I like to wander around stores. Up and down every aisle looking at what they have. Even places I have no business being in like camping or sporting goods stores (that kinda stuff isn’t my thing really). However, the items in those places are sometimes interesting. The reason I do this is so I know what’s out there. You see magic is not always the answer. I know, how could I possibly say that?! Most magicians only know what is inside their little magic box. When I come up with an idea it is usually the effect that comes first. I know I can devise a method down the line in some form or another. Usually that method is derived from something I found outside of magic.

I know how to make props out of latex. I have learned about all kinds of cool adhesives, paints and other sundry items. I even learned simple electronics. Some of this stuff is magic in its own right. However I would never have known this stuff existed if I hadn’t peered outside the magic box that many other performers seem content to hide in. Some people go into a store and buy all of the stuff they don’t know about and play with it to find out what it does. If you don’t have that kind of budget just make a mental list (or a physical one) of what’s out there and what it does so when the time comes you can use it to create something that is your own. In today’s world you have NO EXCUSE to not learn how to do things yourself. You have the biggest school in the world right at your fingertips… literally. Most of you reading this have a tiny computer in arms reach at all times. When someone asks me how to do something that I know they could answer for themselves I give them this simple advice: “Google it!”

Get What You Want From Your Magic Much like relationships, you should never “settle”. You should always strive to get what you want out of, not only your magic, but life. Sometimes it takes a little longer than we like. However if you work towards your goals, always trying to improve and get what you want, you can create something cool. That doesn’t mean you should sit on an idea until it comes to fruition. If you have an ultimate goal then work towards it but use what you have at the time and get familiar with it. I have an act that I worked on for two years to get the ending I wanted. I have a trick I sat on for eight years to get it where I liked it (and a name for it I didn’t hate). You should always be looking for ways to improve your magic. Just because you reached your ultimate goal doesn’t mean it’s done. This idea isn’t just for your props or routines either. It can apply to your whole show, your costuming, etc. You use what you have but work towards what you want.

Below I have a couple ways to help you hopefully find that eventual end goal. At Play - This refers to making a prop or getting the props you need together and just... playing. No matter how absurd an idea MIGHT be, you should at least follow thru with it. (Don’t ever think an idea is too stupid not to try at least once.) Make a prototype if need be. You never know what you are capable of until you get something in your hands. You should make a prototype AS SOON as you can just to see if your idea works and to see what it does. Play with it. See what its limitations are. Maybe it does something cooler than you initially thought or has a completely different use. Sometimes a temporary fix can become a permanent solution. A lot of people have great ideas but never follow through with them. Don't be a lazy ass!! Whip it out and play with it!! (ummm...) Even if the initial idea you had doesn't work, something MUCH better might present itself. I prefer serendipity to luck any day. In the Moment - When you are onstage or performing an effect for the first time, there are some aspects of a trick or presentation that you could NEVER have thought of in mere mirror practice. You have to be in the moment in front of real people because that is when your secret subconscious performing reflexes will kick in. There is an energy that is only present when performing live. Don't be afraid to say or do something right out of the gate. Have a vague idea of what you want to say and do, but do not be afraid to deviate from the flight plan. Mind you, the best time to have no fear in performance is at a place where there is no pressure. Find an open mic night or create your own somewhere. Sometimes you just have to find a good place to be bad.

Creative Process It’s not unusual… to be loved by anyone… wait. That’s a Tom Jones song. Let’s try that again. It’s not unusual for me to get asked what my creative process is. For me it goes a little something like this: “Wouldn’t it be funny if…” You can substitute funny with amazing/cool/scary etc. Regardless, for me it is almost always the effect first. I don’t worry about the method immediately because I KNOW I can devise that down the road. It’s the effect and the effect it has on the audience that’s important. All you have to do is think of something that YOU want to see. That way it comes from your brain and your heart (and possibly your spleen). If for some reason your life is just too busy or you really suck at fabricating things there are people out there who can help you make the props you need. All in all, you should learn to pay attention to the things and places that spark your creativity.

The Secret If you have read this far you might just deserve to know the real secret to being a better and more creative performer. It’s real easy but some of you might not be prepared to hear it. I’ll give you a minute to brace yourself. Ok ready? Here it is. The real secret to being a better performer is…

Drum roll….

(insert dramatic pause here)

GIVING A DAMN!! It really is that easy. The more you care, the more you love what you do, the more you will strive to be better than those who are too damn lazy to reap the rewards. If you care you'll work on something until you are content with it. An act or performance can never be done. There is always something to improve. The question is how do you find those improvements? Simple. Go out and effin' perform!! The more you sail the boat, the more leaks you will find. The more arrows you fire the better your aim will be. The more cats you shave the umm... fuzzier your… uh... pants will get.... (They can't all be gold folks). My point is every performance is a learning experience IF YOU LET IT. Some people just perform, collect their check, and go home. Every time you perform, something is different. Something is better or worse. Something can be fixed. You have to pay attention to it tho'. You must be like Skynet and become self-aware! Be proactive! (I don't mean the acne medication either) If you can't get to it right away, make a note of it. Every cell phone has a way to make notes. Take advantage of that! The more you perform, the more chances you have to fix things. The more you fix, the better your act will get. The better your act is, the happier you (and everyone who watches it) will be. So the next time you see me on stage just know that backstage afterward I will be taking stock of everything that just occurred (and possibly crying or throwing things.)

That’s it for now. I hope these ideas will be of help and jump start those creative juices inside of you. If you want to hear more of my strange ramblings, rants, and thoughts you can go to www.whyamistuckinmagicianhell.com.

Until next time…