The Art of Magic Series Web Journal

Great Teleseminar!

2012-01-27T10:38:00.000-06:00

A great big huge thank you goes out to Jack Turk with the Magic Marketing Center. On Wednesday night he hosted me on a live teleseminar which we called "Secrets to Building a Killer Act that Audiences Will Rave About!" It was great fun talking with Jack and sharing my ideas on how to create a great magic act. Jack has also generously offered to feature my Act Building Toolkit as one of his products on the Magic Marketing Center site.

And Jack even recorded our call together and will be sharing it with me so that I can make it available to you! I'm going to try to get it up so that you can listen to it sometime in the next couple of days. I'll make an announcement here when it's ready.

Updates for Email List

2011-12-09T14:07:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I sent out an email to everyone on my old mailing list to update their subscription. I also included a special, mind blowing, amazing, money saving offer on my Act Building Toolkit for Magicians, that's only good through this Sunday night. If you were on my email list for the Art of Magic Series, check your mail. If you're not on the list and would like to be included, send me an email.

Updated Link Page

2011-09-30T10:24:00.000-06:00

I've just updated the links page on the ART of Magic Series site. (Finally! I think it's been a couple years since I've checked it.)

Of note is a new featured link to my friend Norm Barnhart's site. Norm has some great resources for entertainers.

Enjoy!

Updated Toolkit Now Available

2011-08-19T15:56:00.000-06:00

Well it's been a strange summer for me, with several odd crises and unexpected difficulties that took my time and attention. So I'm breathing a sigh of relief that I've finally finished everything for the release of the newly updated version of my Act Building Toolkit for Magicians. I'd expected this to be out in late May or early June, but as they say, the best laid plans...

Anyway, I'm really excited about offering this valuable resource once more to the magic community in it's newly improved and updated format.

If you're on my mailing list, look for an email soon with a special limited time money saving offer on the Toolkit.

New Toolkit Coming Soon

2011-05-12T09:45:00.000-06:00

Just an update on the release of the new version of my Act Building Toolkit for Magicians. We're now in the process of putting the final touches on editing the video. Stay tuned for the latest on when I'll be launching the new product.

Levels of Character

2011-04-26T06:23:00.003-06:00

On my recent trip to St. Paul during my preparation for taping my new video, I got the chance to have some great conversations with Norm B. (see previous post) about some of the subtleties of approaching magic as an art form. One thing that came up, in terms of developing your character, is that just as there are two levels of motivation as applied to magic, for our purposes, there are also two levels of your character.

The first is the external or more superficial aspects of your character, and the second is the internal or more personal aspects of your character. The external character you could think of as a "classification" of who you are. And the internal character has more to do with your own unique personality traits. The external aspects of your character have to do with things like race, gender, nationality, social status, etc., etc. But the internal aspects have more to do with your emotional range and how you express yourself.

For example, Shimada could be classified as a "samurai magician". That's the external description. But it's his power, presence and charisma that brought that character to life and made it captivating and dynamic.

A cowboy might be an external description of a character, but Clint Eastwood and Jim Carrey could both play cowboys in a movie, and yet how they played those roles would be vastly different. Many performers in magic give thought to developing a character, but they often stop with mainly the external character traits and never go much deeper than that. But it is those internal, distinct personality traits that will allow you to express more of your unique individuality and make you more appealing and interesting as a character, and in turn make your magic much more than just a few cool tricks.

Actors understand this. We should definitely take a page from their book! It's one of the keys to making magic a true performing art.

Travels to Twin Cities and My New Toolkit

2011-04-13T09:14:00.005-06:00

I just returned from St. Paul, Minnesota, where I did my one man stage show, and also presented my lecture at Twin Cities Magic and Costume Co. It was really great reconnecting with Jim Berg and other old friends as well as getting to know a few new ones.

While there, I got to spend some time with a really talented performer and all around great guy, Norm Barnhart. Norm also does video production, and he taped my lecture and some interview segments for the new updated version of my Act Building Toolkit for Magicians, which I'm excited to announce should be available within the next few weeks sometime. This was my first project working together with Norm, and I can't say enough about him as an artist and a true professional.

And in phase one of the updates to my Toolkit and other products, I've just release a new updated version of my book, A Coin Routine: a Study in Naturalness, Focus, and Self Expression in Magic, and it's available for purchase now on my website. The book goes over some truly powerful techniques that you can apply to any of your magic to make it stronger.

Anyway, my thanks go out to Norm and to the folks at Twin Cities Magic... And stay tuned for more news about the launch of my Toolkit.

A Banking Mystery

2011-02-03T09:38:00.007-06:00

Well here's a new one: I got one of those applications in the mail a few days ago from Chase Bank to apply for a business credit card, addressed to my business, Mitch Williams Magic Productions. That's nothing new, as I get these all the time. But this wasn't addressed to me, it was addressed to "Mr. Ben Chavez"!... at my business and address.

For those of you who don't know, Ben Chavez was the founder of the Chavez School of Manual Dexterity and Prestidigitation, from which I graduated in 1981, under the tutelage of Neil Foster. Ben was Neil's teacher and mentor, as Neil was mine. I never met Ben, as he passed away in 1962.

So how this rather obscure connection could have found its way into a mailing list used by one of the biggest banks in the country is a bit of a mystery, especially since I don't currently have any direct relationship with the Chavez School. After Neil passed away in 1988, his branch of the Chavez school was taken over by Chris Jakway, another of Neil's students. It's been a few years since Chris and I have spoken to one another.

So I'm wondering if I should be concerned. In a world where every bit of information on us is being shared by the marketing divisions of big corporations left and right, how do we know when something weird is going on? Well, in this case, I do know that something very weird is going on, I just don't know what or how, or whether it's a reason to be worried.

Or maybe Ben and Neil are just saying, "Hi, and keep up the good work!", from beyond. It's just the sort of practical joke that Neil would love to play.

So if anyone can shed some light on this mystery, I'd appreciate it.

Happy Holidays

2010-12-23T07:33:00.001-06:00

All my best wishes to all for the Holidays and 2011!

May your magic be more creative, more artistic, more entertaining, and more fun and fulfilling for you!

Creativity in Education

2010-11-07T22:50:00.000-06:00

I just saw a truly inspiring program on PBS, entitled, Recreating America, on the importance of integrating the arts and creativity into all aspects of education. When education is done this way, presenting all subjects creatively, with active involvement from students, utilizing the arts at all levels of the curriculum, students do better across the board, and the entire attitude towards school and learning shifts from drudgery to inspired involvement and high achievement. Following an educational initiative in Oklahoma, the program explores how using creativity in education in a variety of ways enhances learning for students from preschool to high school levels and beyond.

On Motivation in Magic

2010-08-16T09:54:00.004-06:00

If you've followed much of my work and discussions on magic as an art form, you'll know that I talk a lot about the importance of building motivation into your magic routines. In theatrical terms, "motivation" is, of course, the reason why you do... whatever you do, as a character.

To take this a little deeper than I have in previous writings, in magic, for our purposes, there are actually two types of motivation. The first, which I would call thematic or character motivation, is the same as in acting. In terms of who you are as a character, why do you do whatever you do? What is it that drives your character? This is closely related to what I discussed in my last post on "attitude".

The other type of motivation is what I would call situational or technical motivation. This is motivation in a more specific, "applied to each situation" kind of way. It answers more specific "why" questions that are related to the technical aspects of achieving specific magic effects. In a nutshell, you come up with a reason, in terms of what you are communicating openly, for doing whatever you need to do technically to make the magic happen. In this case, "communicating openly" may apply to what you say, or to more subtle elements of communications, such as body language.

A simple example: in a card trick you do a double undercut to bring a selected card to the top. The technical motivation, or the openly communicated (apparent) reason for doing the cut is to further mix the deck. The hidden reason is that it accomplishes the act of controlling the card to the top of the deck. But the apparent reason is mixing the deck. That's the "technical motivation".

Whereas the character motivation would answer the question, why do you (as a character) choose to do a card trick in the first place?

Character motivation is not absolutely necessary in a performance of magic, but it adds depth and makes your character more well rounded and believable. Whereas, technical motivation is absolutely essential to magic, if you want your magic to appear to be magic, and not just some lame trick.

Character motivation helps draw your audience into your world and makes that world magical, and multifaceted, and helps to create the overall world of fantasy... to weave your spell. Technical motivation makes the specific magical elements within that world seem natural and real.

Attitude and Range of Expression in Magic

2010-07-12T08:03:00.004-06:00

Well, for any of you still following me here, I have to ask your pardon once again for the inconsistency of my posts. Hopefully I'll remedy that sometime in the near future. We'll see. In the meantime...

This morning I was thinking again about the importance of having a performing character or persona as the foundation for performing magic. I've written about this many times before, but thought perhaps I could go into a bit more depth with it.

One reason your character determines everything else about your magic, is that your character determines your attitude and your range of expression.

If you have a good overall sense for "who you are" as a performer, then you know what your attitude towards your audience, your attitude towards the magic you do, and your attitude towards performing in general will be. Of course, these are all basic acting techniques, described in my own personal terms.

A David Copperfield, for instance, has a drastically different attitude towards the audience when performing than does a David Blaine. And each has his own attitude towards the magic he does and how he expresses himself through the performance of that magic. And these attitudes, regardless of whether they are consciously and specifically identified, or or unconsciously and subliminally "sensed", will nonetheless have a profound impact on the type of magic, and the style of performance that each of these types of performers will choose to do.

Each of these performers also has a certain range of emotional expression beyond which they cannot reasonably go, if they are to remain true to their performing characters. And this will also have a determining factor on the technical aspects of the magic they do. To give an obvious example, David Blaine is unlikely to ever do a grande illusion show with glamorous assistants in sequined costumes. And he would be just as unlikely to use the types of props that you'd see in such a show. Simply because none of this fits in (easily at least) with his emotional range as a performer. It doesn't fit "who he is".

So what is your attitude? Towards your audience or spectators? Towards the magic you do? In terms of the types of magic you choose to do? What are you expressing about yourself and your relationship to the audience and to your magic when you perform? And how does all of this relate to the magic you choose, to how you structure the routines, to the techniques you use to accomplish specific effects, and to how you end up actually performing them?

Even if you don't necessarily analyze all of this in detail, at least having an ever-present sense for what your emotional range and your "performing attitudes" are, will help you to remain consistent, natural, and believable as a performer. And it will help you in making the essential choices about selection of material, scripting, routining, and all the other elements of structuring your magic.

Art Works in 2010!

2010-01-26T09:17:00.003-06:00

Happy New Year! Hope you're feeling inspired to do great, truly artistic magic this year.

I've been giving lots of thought to continually finding ways to make my magic seem more spontaneous and natural. I find what it really comes down to is simply being in the moment. Paying attention. Paying attention to the spectators, paying attention to your surroundings, paying attention to how you feel in each moment. And acting accordingly. Even if your magic is tightly scripted, and you perform it with the same wording every time, how you deliver that script should absolutely NOT be the same... EVER.

While you may in fact find elements of your delivery and timing that tend to work the best, and you tend to deliver them more or less the same each time, nonetheless, you must remain open to what feels most appropriate in each moment when you are actually performing. There can and should be at least subtle (and often not so subtle) differences in each performance.

What we're really talking about is communication. The root of the word "communicate" means "to have union with", to connect with another human being. Are you connecting with real people on a real, human level, or are you simply "talking at" your "spectators". If you're simply following your script, on autopilot, with the exact same delivery every time, that's what it amounts to.

While this is especially true of close up magic, it's also true of all other types of performance, even "silent" magic performed to music. Are you "present"? Are you in the moment? Are you paying attention and relating to your audience as real human beings, and not just "spectators"?

Keep this in mind next time you perform.

And hey, here's an update on the Art Works campaign and follow up to NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman's visit to Peoria. ArtsPartners just announced the release of this new video highlighting the arts in Central Illinois. (Included below.) And this weekend I'm attending a meeting of arts advocates to begin putting forward the participation and "working together" that Chairman Landesman suggested.

Art works!

NEA Chair Plays in Peoria

2009-11-10T07:11:00.003-06:00

This past Friday, I took part in a discussion that was part of a visit to Peoria by National Endowment for the Arts Chairman, Rocco Landesman. The visit came about as a result of comments that Chairman Landesman made several months ago, saying that he didn't know if Peoria had a theatre, but that if so, it probably wasn't as good as the Steppenwolf in Chicago. Suzette Boulais, Executive Director of ArtsPartners, and Kathy Chitwood, Executive Director of Eastlight Theatre each wrote to Rocco, saying he should come see for himself what Peoria has to offer. And he took them up on it, using his visit to Peoria as the kickoff for his Art Works tour, which will have him visiting cities throughout the country to learn how art shapes the economics, city revitalization, and social development of communities. He wrapped up his visit by attending a special performance of Rent at Eastlight.

The discussion I attended took place at WTVP studios and was taped for the NEA website, as well as a special edition of At Issue, a WTVP program with producer/host, H. Wayne Wilson. I was one of the audience members who posed questions to Chairman Landesman in both tapings.

I have a strong sense that those of us in the arts have a responsibility to make our voices heard, when it comes time to shape public policy that effects how the arts are funded and allowed to thrive. One of the interesting points that Chairman Landesman made is that even some Congress members have made comments about the (comparitively miniscule) amounts of the national budget directed to supporting the arts being frivolous, and that it could instead go to creating "real jobs". Rocco pointed out that someone who'd spent their life working to become the top violinist in a symphony orchestra would not think they didn't have a "real job". And he went on to note that the number of people who have full time jobs in the arts is actually greater than the number of people with jobs in the transportation sector and automobile manufacturing industries combined.

There was also discussion of the arts in education, how it's the first thing eliminated when budgets are tight. And yet it's been shown again and again that students who have the arts as a part of their curriculum achieve higher in all areas of academic pursuit, as well as at success in life and business after leaving school, than those who don't. We need the arts if we're to compete effectively on the world stage. Those who claim otherwise are simply ignorant of the facts.

So it's obvious that the arts play a major role in the economic, academic, and cultural health of our society, and it's time that those of us who have a stake in the arts step up and educate people on the realities of not only the part that art plays in our personal lives, but also of the value it has in our economic health as a nation.

The True Value of Art and Entertainment

2009-11-03T10:13:00.004-06:00

Well, it's been a while since I've shared anything here, so I thought it was high time. I've had a busy summer, and I'm currently gearing up for my holiday season. I've been tracking some of the press on corporate holiday parties, and how many companies are cutting back, due to the economy. And of course that can often cut into the bottom line of those of us who earn our living performing in such markets.

This morning I was thinking about entertainment and the real value of it. It's also come up recently about the importance of the arts and the loss we all suffer when funding cuts lead to the elimination of arts related programs.

So as a performing artist and entertainer, I give some real thought to the value of live entertainment. I was realizing that in our culture, much of the entertainment is mostly escapist in nature. In other words, people use it to "zone out" of their everyday stresses. Which is fine as far as it goes, but unfortunately, it often leads to "lowest common denominator" types of fare. Entertainment that just goes for the shock value, or the glitz and glamour that grabs attention, but has no real value beyond pure escapism.

In this climate of mindless media, it's easy to see why people often think of entertainment as frivolous and unimportant and having no real value. In order for entertainment to make the leap to performing art, there has to be something with a bit more depth: a message with meaning, or something that makes people think or feel, or simply something with real "heart and soul".

It needn't be complicated or even blatantly obvious. Red Skelton comes to mind for me. He played the clown, but in everything he did, his humble sincerity shone forth like a beacon of compassion. He touched people.

In magic, it's easy to be "lazy" and just go for the "I fooled you" effect. But what about creating a deeper experience? What about putting something of yourself into your magic, so that you can create a common experience for your audience? Doesn't matter if it's an experience of wonder or joy or something else entirely, so long as it has some real depth. Sincerity, honesty, something real.

Perhaps when and if we do this, it will become easier to sell what we do in the relevant markets in which we work. Entertainment can have more true value to people, value that makes a difference in their lives. We just have to create it that way.

And speaking of the value in what we do, here's a really interesting story from this week's CBS Sunday Morning program on how sleight of hand effects the brain, and how it may even be useful in helping to diagnose autism. Here it is.

Come See Me Perform Live!

2009-04-14T11:43:00.003-06:00

If you're in or near the Peoria, Illinois area and would like to see my ART of Magic show, which is my own approach to performing magic that's more artistic, here's an opportunity to do so.

On May 31, I'll be appearing at the Apollo Theatre in downtown Peoria in Magic, Music, Art, and Harriet, which features both my ART of Magic show and Edith Barnard's one woman portrayal of author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Read about it or order tickets HERE.

Hope to see you there!

The Importance of Art in Life

2009-03-20T10:20:00.002-06:00

Here's a fun little video that a friend from a local arts organization just sent me the link to. It's on the importance of art and sharing your expression.

Enjoy!

Arts Conference

2009-03-03T09:01:00.003-06:00

Couldn't remember if I'd mentioned it here yet, but I'm currently involved in a project in the arts community in the Peoria area. This June, Peoria is hosting the Illinois "One State - Together in the Arts" conference. It's a biennual statewide conference that draws artists, arts educators, and others interested in the business of the arts from all over Illinois.

I'm serving on the local planning committee for the event. This is the first time the conference has been held outside of Chicago or Champaign, and it's a pretty big deal for Peoria and the Central Illinois community. We're planning a variety of arts related entertainment and activities during the conference for the attendees to enjoy.

This is a great collaboration of artists and arts enthusiasts, and a great opportunity for the Central Illinois arts community as well. And as a performing artist and entertainer, aside from the thrill of being part of something so inspiring, it's also a great networking and PR opportunity too. You get by giving. (I already booked one show through someone I met at one of our planning sessions.)

As an artist, are you contributing to the arts in your area? Networking and collaborating with other artists from other artistic disciplines can be a great way to broaden your expression of magic, and move your career forward, if you do it professionally. And in general, I think that the more we promote the arts, the more opportunities there are for what we do as performing artists and entertainers.

I highly recommend giving it your consideration. There may be a wealth of opportunities in the arts community in your area.

Human Slinky

2009-02-11T08:22:00.003-06:00

Here's something really fun I just stumbled across. It's a "human slinky" act. What kinds of ideas for magic could this inspire? I'm especially interested in movement, choreography, and how those things also apply to magic.

Enjoy!

New Year Inspiration

2009-01-06T10:46:00.003-06:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope the New Year finds you filled with inspiration, wonder, and joy. In these trying economic times, inspiration is essential, in my view.

I was doing strolling magic at a gig on New Year's Eve, and in between tables, I was realizing what a blast I was having. And a big part of it for me was the sheer joy and wonder that people were responding to my magic with. I love that! How fortunate are we, to be able to do something that inspires those kinds of feelings for others? It just makes me feel blessed!

And I think that whenever we experience that kind of inspiration, it's always wise to express thanks for it. An attitude of real gratitude keeps the channels open and allows for the flow of inspiration to continue.

And here are a couple tidbits that I found inspiring and thought I'd share.

HERE is a talk by Magician Eric Mead on the link between magic and nature. I enjoyed it a great deal... his approach, while quite different than my own, is nonetheless right up my alley. I think you'll like it too.

And THIS is a link that my good friend Johnny Ace Palmer sent me recently. It's an inspiring and "magical" animation based on a new technology. It may take a few minutes to load, but once it does, a playing card will appear on the screen. Scroll down to the slider below and move it gradually to the right and stop and watch what takes place, then move it a little more to the right and stop and another show will take place and keep doing this till you are to the end.

Enjoy! And stay inspired!

Big Hands!

2008-11-26T10:57:00.003-06:00

Here's something fun a friend just sent me. A YouTube video called "Rachmaninov had Big Hands". I'm not sure of the origin of this, but it's really creative and fun.

What kind of magic routines might this inspire?

As I've mentioned before, it's important to find inspiration from a variety of sources, not just magic related ones.

And of course inspiration, in its many forms, is one of the important things we should give Thanks for this season!

Happy Thanksgiving!

John Calvert

2008-11-24T08:40:00.003-06:00

This past Saturday evening I was highly fortunate to be able to attend a performance and lecture by John Calvert, that was hosted by the Peoria Magicians Assembly. John Calvert is a living legend in magic, and his life and career read like some sort of high society adventure novel. He had a career as a movie actor "back in the day", and has traveled around the world numerous times performing magic. I've been wanting to see his show for years, and this was my first opportunity to do so.

And at 97 years of age, I must say the man still absolutely exudes charm. He absolutely lives up to his reputation as a master showman and ambassador of goodwill. One can't help but get caught up in his aura of good humored fun and positive emotion. He's a great lesson in what it means to be a master performer.

He's really the epitome of what I'm always advocating: find your character, be yourself, extend charisma, choose magic that fits your character, connect with the audience, (I could go on, and on, and on...), and he's a one-man study in poise and being comfortable on stage.

He's a true artist in every sense.

At the end of his show, John made a strong assertion that we in the magic fraternity are blessed to share joy and goodwill with the world, and that it is our responsibility to do so to the best of our abilities. And he attributed this mission of goodwill with his amazing longevity.

I couldn't agree more. If John is scheduled to come to your town anytime soon, I highly recommend that you do whatever you can to catch his performance. I'm confident you won't be disappointed by this master artist.

Turning Inspiration Into Action

2008-11-12T15:03:00.005-06:00

As an artist, do you approach magic that way? Do you seek inspiration and use it to enhance your performances? Do you work to improve the "craft" of what you do so that it becomes more effortless and simply second nature, and so that you can therefore focus more and more of your energy and attention on your actual expression, that you are conveying through the vehicle of your craft? These are all topics that occupy my thinking on a regular basis.

My lecture at the Quad Cities Magic Club on October 23 was a big success. The following week, one of the attendees wrote an email to tell me that he'd already applied several of my techniques to his magic to give it more impact, and was noticing better audience response in his very next show! This is the sort of thing that's rewarding for me; not just getting people inspired about their magic, but seeing them getting actual results from what I offer. It's those determined and dedicated enough to take the ball and run with it, so to speak, that offer weight to these approaches to our art.

John Calvert is bringing his show and lecture to my area next week. I'm looking forward to seeing him, as I've always wanted to experience his work, and have just never gotten a chance 'til now. He's a living legend in magic, has performed literally around the world, and he's now 97 years old, and still performing. Simply Amazing! I'll try to put up a review of his performance and my thoughts on it sometime shortly afterwards.

Art in Times of Crisis

2008-10-18T07:51:00.004-06:00

With the current economic meltdown, it seems we may all be in uncharted territory. I've been thinking about the role that art plays in crisis. Historically, it is often the artists, and the creative class, who show us the way through our adversities.

Does magic have a role to play in all of this? I certainly think so. What's needed, in my view, is a perspective that we're all in this together, that whatever happens, we can rise above it and help one another to keep moving on. Competition and greed got us to this point; what will move us beyond it is cooperative effort: working together to meet the challenges that arise.

Magic, if used wisely, can bring people together; it can move people and inspire them. As Tolstoy put it, "art is a human activity that transmits to others the highest and best to which men have risen." Using magic to demonstrate our best, to reinforce our interconnectedness, doesn't mean you have to preach in your performances. It can be more subtle than that, and more direct.

Are you bringing joy to others with your magic, or are you using it to aggrandize your own ego? Are you using magic to convey, "Hey! Look at me, look what I can do that you CAN'T!" Or are you using it to connect with people, join with them in an experience of wonder, that can only be shared, and never imposed.

We do have a role to play, and a service to be rendered. Art means using your talent to share something meaningful with others, even if it's just a moment of joy. I challenge you to give some thought to what it is that you're sharing, and just as importantly, what you really want to share.

Be an inspiration, by simply being inspired, looking and finding your own inspiration, and then sharing it openly and freely with others. That's the real magic!

Oooops! Sorry!

2008-10-08T10:24:00.005-06:00

Well, I guess I owe an apology to anyone who's bothered to check out my blog here, as it's been over a year since I've posted. I could give you excuses, such as the fact that I've been swamped with other activities in my professional performing career, all of which would be true, but bottom line is I simply need to make these entries a priority. And I intend to make more of an effort in that regard.

I'm doing a lecture for the Quad Cities Magic Club on October 23, so it's a good opportunity to re-establish my focus on promoting magic as an actual Art Form.

Speaking of which, in my local area, I've been involved recently in several projects helping to promote the arts. Among other things, I've attended several meetings sponsored by the Economic Development Council in the Peoria area on creating an "Artist Relocation Program" as part of the downtown riverfront and warehouse district development in Peoria. The idea is to encourage established artists to move to the Peoria area as one means of stimulating the local economy, increasing tourism, and improving the lifestyle choices in the area.

Studies have shown that the economic development of a metropolitan area is driven largely by the "creative class", the artist, innovators, entertainers, and others involved in creative pursuits. Without them to draw interest and appeal to a city, nothing else happens.

I firmly believe that magic has a role to play in this crucial process. In these tough economic times, magic can inspire like little else. That is, if we're willing to step out on the skinny branches and make our magic represent more than just some cool tricks. How much meaning and emotion can you put into your magic? How much inspiration? It's certainly food for thought.

Art, Integrity, and Being True to Yourself

2007-08-14T07:58:00.000-06:00

Well, it's been quite a while since my last post, as I've been occupied with other projects. Recently, though, I had something interesting happen that is such a valuable lesson that I just had to share it. This is a little long, but I think you'll find it well worth your time.

Not long ago, I received an email from a young man who is a magic enthusiast and a senior at a large university in another state. He was writing to apologize for having been so 'inspired' by an article on my website on 'approaching magic as an actual art form', that he decided to use a good deal of it, word for word, in a speech he presented for his speaking class, without giving me proper credit for the work. His speech teacher had also apparently found my article on my website and accused him of plagiarism.

He was writing to say that he'd 'disrespected' me by not giving me credit, to apologize and ask my forgiveness, and to see if I might be willing to contact his teachers on his behalf, since he was in danger of being failed on the speech, in which case he would fail the course and possibly ruin his chances of graduating this term.

Here is the letter that I sent to him, also forwarding it to his teachers and advisors. I've changed his name, to protect his privacy, for obvious reasons:

Hi Jonathan,

What a surprise it was to get your note. Sounds like you've gotten yourself into quite a bind...

But let me begin by saying how pleased and honored I am that you were inspired enough by my writing to use it in your speech. And I also want to commend you on your honesty and courage in taking responsibility for your mistake, letting me know about it, and for your apology. I do appreciate it.

It concerns me that so many today seem to be acting with no sense of integrity, honesty, and accountability. Our society has so often become rampant with acts of selfishness, "self-centeredness", and greed, with seemingly little or no need to accept accountability for such actions. And to my mind, these are the very issues that art, in it's highest and best, is meant to address.

So thank you for having the courage to face up to this and to contact me, as embarrassing as I'm sure it must be for you.

(Of course, the possibility does occur to me that you might not in fact be contacting me out of concern for whatever "harm" you've done me, but instead for your own self interest, in hopes of saving yourself from failing the course and not graduating this term, BUT I'm inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt, and for now at least, will assume your intentions are entirely honorable.)

I learned recently that one of the effects that's come about due to the ease of finding the wealth of information on literally any subject that's now available on the internet, is that many college students are finding it much too easy and tempting to simply "cut and paste" their way to a research paper or other course project, and plagiarism is becoming a huge problem in higher education. Many teachers and professors are now having to spend inordinate amounts of time and energy checking, re-checking, and researching students' works to make sure they are in fact original.

Even in journalism recently, periodicals as "prestigious" as the New York Times have been caught in huge controversies over cases of lazy journalists who tried to take shortcuts and use someone else's material rather than devoting the necessary effort to adequate research and to giving proper credit.

Perhaps more to the point in our case, in the world of magic, I really believe that one of the main reasons magic is so often not seen as an actual art form is that so many magicians simply don't approach it that way. Art is about finding and expressing your own unique vision through your work. Rather than putting in the time, effort, and energy to find their own uniqueness, develop a distinctive performing persona, and create original material, many (if not most) magicians seem so often to be satisfied with simply doing the same old magic, the same old way... in some cases even stealing original material from other more innovative performers. As you no doubt know, this type of theft has become a huge point of contention within the magic community.

I don't mean to imply that any of this was true for you. I don't know what your actual motivations were in using my article without credit. (I would hope that it was simply an oversight on your part, an honest mistake, or perhaps simply not being aware of the proper way to give credit in the context of a "spoken" work... all of which are certainly forgivable to my mind, particularly since you are now aware of your mistake and attempting to address it. I've certainly made enough blunders of my own over the years, especially when I was younger.) But I bring up these examples simply to say that I realize these issues are of real concern, and are certainly not to be taken lightly, especially by those in the educational field.

In my own case, the field of magic is not just my hobby, my art, and my passion, it is also my full time career, and the way that I earn my living. And in point of fact, the article that you used is excerpted from a much longer copyrighted work that I sell as a home study course for magicians on how to improve their magic and make it more artistic. So it's actually a source of income for me.

That being said, it's also true that one of my main intentions in offering this work is to help educate and inspire people to recognize magic as the true art form that it can and should be. So, in a sense, by sharing my thoughts in the way you have, you are in effect assisting me in this endeavor.

Would I have preferred that you had given me credit up front? Absolutely. But you certainly haven't done me any harm that I can see, (I seriously doubt that any of your classmates would be in a position to purchase my course), and frankly, I'm flattered that you thought so much of my ideas that you saw fit to use them as you have.

Of course, finding your own "voice", and putting these or similar ideas in your own words would have been a better example of "artistic self expression" on your part, but perhaps this experience will inspire you to do so more in the future.

Yea, OK, you blew it... But don't we all at one time or another! And it would seem you've actually done yourself more potential harm than you have me. In my experience, without exception, absolutely the most valuable lessons I've learned in my life have been ones where I made some stupid mistake that caused potential harm to others, and over which I in turn suffered tremendous personal pain and embarrassment as a result. These have been the greatest source of my own growth and personal advancement. My sincere hope for you is that you will be able to use this experience in that way.

I'm reminded of a story of a multi-millionaire businessman who had a personal assistant who made a huge blunder and lost a million dollars in a business deal that went bad. The assistant came to the mogul and said, "I guess you'll be wanting my resignation." Whereupon the wealthy businessman replied, "What? Are you crazy? I've just spent a million dollars educating you!"

I don't mean to minimize the severity of something like plagiarism, which really does need to be taken seriously and addressed when it happens. But I also don't believe in holding grievances or in retribution -- I believe in people taking responsibility for their actions, which from what I can tell from your letter, you appear to be doing.

As to whether you should fail the course over this mistake.... I honestly can't say what is most appropriate, since I don't know your particular situation, the entire context in which your speech is being graded, or whether or not the hardship suffered in failing would far outweigh the error in judgment on your part. I certainly hope this doesn't go that way, and I'm "cc'ing" this message to your teachers at the contacts you supplied. And I'd also be willing to discuss the matter with any of them by email or phone.

Oh yeah... to address your question,... yes, you can feel free to use the articles on my website... Just give me proper credit next time you do!

Finally, I think that most artistic people (and especially those of us in magic), have had the experience of being so inspired by someone else's work that, for one reason or other, seemed to really "resonate" and "ring true" with us personally, that we were tempted to copy it. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But part of growing into a true artist is in learning to discern between being inspired and influenced by someone's work, and simply using it as is, as though it were our own. Often a hard lesson, but an important one if we hope to contribute anything new to the world. I hope you'll find your unique voice as an artist in whatever you decide to do in life.

In any case, thanks for the refreshing dose of honesty, and I wish you all the best in your endeavors. (Please don't be afraid to keep me posted on how this all turns out!)

Sincerely,

Mitch Williams

Now, (assuming you're still with me...) here's the even more interesting part... This is the response that I received from the administrators at "Jonathan's" university. I received their permission to share this, provided that I protected the identity and privacy of the student.

Dear Mr. Williams:

Thank you so very much for your insightful response to our student. I thought you might be interested in my colleague Adam G's reaction. I think you have made his Monday morning! Best of luck in all of your endeavors.

Sincerely,

J B
Associate Dean of the Faculties
XXXXXX University

******************************************
From: G, Adam

All,

What a wonderful reply this magician/artist/educator provided… Through his response, Mr. Williams did what we hope to do when our process works at its best:
Explain the error in a way the student could understand;
Personalize the learning experience for both the violated party and the student that committed the violation;
Identify personal integrity as the violated principle and apply it broadly to explain its importance and the implications of its violation.
Other important elements of his response:
By acknowledging that the student’s message could have been motivated by pure self-interest, Mr. Williams demonstrated how doubting one’s character is an easy leap to make once personal integrity has been questioned.
By explaining the connection between the student’s actions and his own livelihood, Mr. Williams framed accountability in a very personal way (i.e., loss of personal income).
By commenting on how the absence of personal integrity has effected his profession as a whole, Mr. Williams applied the principle to his vocation. For reasons that we well know, this is something that we in higher education need to continue to explore and improve upon.
Yet, as is appropriate, Mr. Williams did not comment on the form of accountability the institution feels may be best suited for the situation.
Lastly, in one of the most ‘artful’ elements of his response, Mr. Williams left the door open to further conversations with the student so that he would feel ‘safe’ to grow beyond the error.
In so many ways, Mr. Williams did something that we could not do: As the ‘owner’ of the misused material and as someone who the student truly respects, he brought the learning experience to a personal level that we can not reach. For these things – for the gift of communication that he obviously has – and for the time he committed to this student’s learning experience, I am very grateful…. Should your office respond to Mr. Williams, please do feel free to share my gratitude.

Sincerely,

Adam G., Ph.D.
Associate Dean of Students
XXXXX University

Final notes:

Needless to say, I was pleased by this response from the administrators (I've yet to hear back from "Jonathan" as to how it all turned out... though I admit I'm quite curious.) I'm also heartened to realize there are people in higher education who really "get it", and are guiding our young people in such potent ways.

I felt strongly about sharing this, since it's such a wonderful lesson in the important role that honesty -- self honesty, as much as anything else -- truly plays in the life of an artist, and how this sense of honesty and integrity plays out and effects all areas of our lives. As true artists, who have great potential influence through our work, it is our responsibility to hold ourselves to a higher standard, if we are to have any hope of creating our art with purity and impact.

Part of that responsibility is, to my mind, also about not holding grievances, since had I done so in this case, it would have severely limited my potential influence in the situation. And also, integrity as an artist, and being true to oneself, is about doing what's right not just because it's right, but also because if we don't, it will come back to haunt us, and at the very least, stunt our growth and possible influence as artists.

This story is also a great lesson in how, provided we stay open in both mind and heart, we can learn from one another in deep, profound, and truly meaningful ways -- from both our mistakes as well as our successes. And of course, I've learned a lot from this experience, both about myself and about the importance of the issues I've discussed. So I'm feeling grateful to this young man for creating this opportunity. As Johnny Ace Palmer put it when I shared this with him, it's been quite... edifying.

Finding Inspiration

2007-03-09T09:25:00.001-06:00

Where do you find inspiration for your magic? One of the best pieces of advice I ever got (though come to think of it, it was really just a strong reinforcement for what I already believed myself) came from Vito Lupo several years ago, when I was getting ready to pull up roots and move to Los Angeles. He advised that I not just look for my inspiration from within the magic world, but to look outside to other sources as well.

What is it that inspires you? Is it music, art, great ideas, nature? I've been inspired by each of these at different times, and have found ways of integrating them into my magic performances.

I've always been very inspired by physical movement and have made it a very big part of how I approach magic. It's how I developed the "balanced movement" techniques that I teach other magicians. Since most magic is mainly a visual art form, and we must express ourselves with images, one of the major ways we create those images is through the use of body language in its many forms. So movement, both big and small, bold and subtle, in all its various intricacies, is a vital aspect of performing good magic.

Some of my inspirations outside magic have included Cirque du Soleil (I discovered them years ago, after the first or second version of the troupe began touring), avant-garde juggler, Michael Moshen, and dancers like Fred Astaire and Mikhail Baryshnikov. I find each of them to be quite magical in their own right, and it inspires me to attempt to create that same feeling in my magic.

And speaking of Vito Lupo, he is one person that has always been consistently inspiring for me as well. Practically every time I talk to him, I come away inspired in one way or another. I take something from the encounter that's new and thought provoking or uplifting in some way. And the reason Vito's so inspiring? He's inspired! And he has a passion to share his inspiration.

So whatever it is that gets you that inspired, find it, study it, use it! Use it for your own inspiration, and above all, share it with others. Because inspiration that isn't shared soon withers and dies. You must keep an open, free flowing channel that not only takes in inspiration, but that offers it as well.

I just found another source of inspiration outside magic. Some of you may be familiar with him, but he was new for me. He's a juggler named Chris Bliss. I found a video of the finale of his act. He's using fairly common juggling tricks, but using them brilliantly, flawlessly, and above all, quite artistically. I hope you'll find him inspiring as well. You can check out his video HERE.

In any case, wherever it may lie, find your inspiration and bring it to your magic!

Getting Real

2007-02-21T07:30:00.000-06:00

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.

Going a Little Deeper

2007-02-09T14:28:00.000-06:00

Inspiration is the foundation of any art, so I do so love sharing it whenever it comes up.

A few magicians have asked me on occasion to talk a bit about my deeper philosophies of art, magic, and life. I haven't written publicly about it all that much, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to share something that goes a little deeper than some of my other writings.

But first, I have some "other" inspiration to share. Someone recently sent me a link to a video of a really fabulous artist from France (I believe). His name is Jerome Murat, and he combines mime, magic, and some really creative characterizations for one of the most artistic acts I've seen in some time. He's an excellent example of so many of the things that I'm always talking about, such as having a well defined character and invisibly integrating magic technique with expression. He can be found both on YouTube as well as another similar site, DailyMotion. Enjoy!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, let's get philosophical... This is something I wrote recently.

Here are a few thoughts...

ON BEING AN ARTIST

My attitudes and approach to magic tend to mirror my attitudes towards life. Or at least that's the direction I consistently attempt to pursue in my work. And to my mind, this is the essence of being an artist. Your work becomes an expression of, and a vehicle for, your deepest and most basic sense of both who you are, as well as your outlook on life and the world around you. This need not necessarily be consciously applied, but at some level, the artist integrates his most fundamental life perspectives into his work.

This can be very simple and basic, or it can be complex and profound.

For me personally, I believe that life is about service. Serving my fellow human beings and humanity as a whole in whatever small way I can. It's also about peak performance: becoming all you can be and striving to reach your personal potential. Peak performance, however, must be for the purpose of service. If this personal potential is not shared, and put directly to the service of others in some way, it is pointless, myopic, selfish, and largely wasted. And thirdly, I believe in the overwhelming power of the experience of wonder to inspire and transform.

So my approach to magic, essentially, is to first of all become the best I can be at what I do, and to then share this with others in such a way as to, hopefully, touch their hearts and minds with that experience of wonder, thereby creating inspiration, joy, and perhaps even a feeling of mutual respect and interdependence.

That doesn't in any way mean that I need to speak of any of these things in my performances, though occasionally I do, when I feel it appropriate and helpful. But it does mean that they are an undercurrent, or to put it in acting terms, the "subplot" in all my work.

The techniques of magic are for me merely the means to express all of this and share it with others. But that means that these techniques must be so skillfully utilized and applied that they are invisible in the performance. They work "behind the scenes" to create the experience that I wish to share. If the "techniques"—whether I mean by that a double lift, or my timing and phrasing in my delivery of a line of dialogue—are apparent or obvious as techniques, they will distract and detract from the experience of wonder, joy, and goodwill that I am attempting to share. This is the "peak performance" side that must come into play.

So what is your outlook? Everyone has a philosophy of life, regardless of whether they admit it, or whether they've identified it consciously. I like to say that if there are 6 billion people living on the planet, that means there are also 6 billion different religions, and necessarily so! If you expand the definition of "religion" to simply mean "your beliefs about the nature of life and your approach to it", then everyone has a completely unique perspective on this, because we are, each and all, completely unique individuals, with completely unique vantage-points on the world. In this sense, even an atheist has a "religion". And it's absolutely necessary to honor this, in my view. Free will and freedom of thought are not optional, they are essential. And of course, herein lies both our greatest power, and our greatest potential for conflict.

One step in honoring this individual outlook is by honoring your own, for only then can you allow yourself to honor that of others. And we must honor this in others, if we hope to survive as a species on this planet. Just because my outlook is different from yours, and perhaps even apparently contradictory to it, doesn't mean that either of us is wrong. It simply means we each have our own unique way of seeing the world. This is the beauty of life. How can we not honor that? For an artist, that means allowing your own life perspective to shine through into what you do.

It also means, to me at least, to do so in such a way that it honors the life perspective of others. We're talking here about respect, goodwill, cooperation. And so, most often unconsciously, but nonetheless quite unmistakably, these attributes have become an increasingly essential aspect of all my performances of magic. I could no more be deliberately rude or offensive to an audience than I could cut off my own finger. It would be that personally painful and against my nature.

What is your life perspective, conscious or unconscious? Just because you're not aware of your personality traits doesn't mean they don't shine through (or perhaps in some cases, come glaring through!) in what you do, for good or ill. What are the subliminal messages you are sending? And does it matter?

I think so. I think it matters a great deal.

Welcome to the Art of Magic Series Web Journal

2007-02-08T08:53:00.000-06:00

Greetings!

Well, I'm excited to begin this, my first Art of Magic Series blog post. This is where I'll keep you abreast of my current thoughts, experiences, news, and information about approaching magic as an art form.

I hope you'rll find something of interest and stay in touch as we begin this journey together. If you have comments, questions, or snide remarks (as my friend, Johnny Ace Palmer would say), please feel free to share them. I'll do my best to respond to questions as time allows.

If you're a returning visitor to my website, you may notice I've just recently done a complete overhaul of the site, with a new look and feel. I also hope to be posting some new articles in the very near future, so stay tuned.

One upcoming event I'm excited about is the release of my new book test through Black's Magic Group, as well as my involvement in the new Street Magic Magazine. Thanks go to my new friend, James L. Clark for giving me the opportunity to work with him on these projects. I'll be sharing more about both of those as they develop.

In the meantime, keep in touch, and stay inspired!

Mitch