Getting Real
I think a lot about being real. Coming across as genuine and sincere when performing magic. I think it's essential if you want your magic to be really strong. Of course some people have these "larger than life" characters. But to me that just means that their "character" acts in a way that's consistently both true to him or herself, and also true to whatever situation in which they happen to be in
Some of you may recall the stand up comedian, Emo Phillips. He has this really extreme, really "off", character, almost like some nearly psychotic, almost perverted, really strange guy. I worked with Emo several years ago, before he was all that well known. He was just as funny off stage as on. The character was toned down considerably off stage, and not the whack job he plays on stage, but he just has a "naturally" weird way of looking at the world. And he's comfortable with it. And I kinda think that's really who he is. Or if not, he's incredibly good at faking it.
So often performers are forced. And they don't quite know "how to be" in certain situations. And when they have to do some "move" or other in the context of a magic routine, it tends to get worse. I've gotten to the point that I absolutely can't stand to not be genuine when performing. I have to feel both comfortable and "appropriate" to the situation. We've all seen people who don't know how to be appropriate. So for me that means that whatever technique I'm doing in the context of a routine, has to somehow fit into a natural conversation or communication. All the body language and inflections and timing has to be congruent with my conversation. Otherwise it doesn't work. And the older I get, the more intolerable that incongruity becomes.
I've seen many magicians who are totally natural having a conversation, and then as soon as they start to do a routine, they go into "performing mode", and it's totally out of character with who they are normally. And it puts people off. It also makes the magic less believable and therefore gives it less impact.
A big part of the appeal of guys like David Blaine and Chris Angel, whatever you may think of them or their characters, is that when they're doing magic one on one, they're natural, like having a normal conversation. Of course, it's a normal conversation where supernormal things appear to be happening. Which is the power of it. That seems to be some of the appeal of the whole "street magic" movement that's become so popular. It's really just seemingly impromptu close up magic in a natural setting. But in order to pull it off, you've got to be natural!
One of my magic teachers once gave me the analogy of Clint Eastwood in one of those old cowboy movies. He saunters in, pulls out a match, strikes it on his shoe, lights his cigarette, and flicks the match across the room so it lands right in this little can sitting on the floor. And he can do it every time. But he does it like it's no big deal. As opposed to someone who can do the same thing, but he's like, "Check this out! I can do this every time!" And he makes a big show out of the whole thing. Which is more impressive?
Anyway, the whole experience of being genuine when performing has become the biggest focus in my magic over the past few years. Out of necessity, since I can't stand it to not be real. It just seems so fake and insincere. For me anyway. But I really do think it's one of the main elements to making your magic truly artistic.
Hey, before I go, I just want to share a great line for anyone who does card on the ceiling. I do it at the restaurant I work, and one of the questions people often ask as soon as you do the trick is, "How does it stick up there?" One night I was doing it for a group, and someone asked that, and this little kid at the table, in this voice filled with wonder and enthusiasm, goes, "You have a really sticky ceiling!" We all just lost it. So I use the line whenever someone asks.
Some of you may recall the stand up comedian, Emo Phillips. He has this really extreme, really "off", character, almost like some nearly psychotic, almost perverted, really strange guy. I worked with Emo several years ago, before he was all that well known. He was just as funny off stage as on. The character was toned down considerably off stage, and not the whack job he plays on stage, but he just has a "naturally" weird way of looking at the world. And he's comfortable with it. And I kinda think that's really who he is. Or if not, he's incredibly good at faking it.
So often performers are forced. And they don't quite know "how to be" in certain situations. And when they have to do some "move" or other in the context of a magic routine, it tends to get worse. I've gotten to the point that I absolutely can't stand to not be genuine when performing. I have to feel both comfortable and "appropriate" to the situation. We've all seen people who don't know how to be appropriate. So for me that means that whatever technique I'm doing in the context of a routine, has to somehow fit into a natural conversation or communication. All the body language and inflections and timing has to be congruent with my conversation. Otherwise it doesn't work. And the older I get, the more intolerable that incongruity becomes.
I've seen many magicians who are totally natural having a conversation, and then as soon as they start to do a routine, they go into "performing mode", and it's totally out of character with who they are normally. And it puts people off. It also makes the magic less believable and therefore gives it less impact.
A big part of the appeal of guys like David Blaine and Chris Angel, whatever you may think of them or their characters, is that when they're doing magic one on one, they're natural, like having a normal conversation. Of course, it's a normal conversation where supernormal things appear to be happening. Which is the power of it. That seems to be some of the appeal of the whole "street magic" movement that's become so popular. It's really just seemingly impromptu close up magic in a natural setting. But in order to pull it off, you've got to be natural!
One of my magic teachers once gave me the analogy of Clint Eastwood in one of those old cowboy movies. He saunters in, pulls out a match, strikes it on his shoe, lights his cigarette, and flicks the match across the room so it lands right in this little can sitting on the floor. And he can do it every time. But he does it like it's no big deal. As opposed to someone who can do the same thing, but he's like, "Check this out! I can do this every time!" And he makes a big show out of the whole thing. Which is more impressive?
Anyway, the whole experience of being genuine when performing has become the biggest focus in my magic over the past few years. Out of necessity, since I can't stand it to not be real. It just seems so fake and insincere. For me anyway. But I really do think it's one of the main elements to making your magic truly artistic.
Hey, before I go, I just want to share a great line for anyone who does card on the ceiling. I do it at the restaurant I work, and one of the questions people often ask as soon as you do the trick is, "How does it stick up there?" One night I was doing it for a group, and someone asked that, and this little kid at the table, in this voice filled with wonder and enthusiasm, goes, "You have a really sticky ceiling!" We all just lost it. So I use the line whenever someone asks.
Labels: being genuine, card on ceiling, sincerity
posted by Mitch Williams at
7:30 AM
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