The Magicanada Project

Jeffrey Tong · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 15 Location: Toronto

When one performs, he/she tend to say card tricks, while performing magic. This seems very ironic for me. So, do you still call your card effects tricks?

P.S. to me, tricks seems like a devious word that is there just to fool someone, not really mysterious. But then again, once you start performing, the audience totally forgets you've every said trick or magic.

BrianMillerMagic · Joined: 14 Aug 2007 Posts: 543 Location: New York State

I call everything I do tricks and I don't care about saying tricks. People associate magicians with tricks and, let's face it, that's what we do. I view it as my job to show people just how entertaining tricks can actually be. We sound like pompous a******s when we correct people by saying "effects" or "illusions". Our venue of entertainment is built on deceit* so we might as well be honest about it.

*I say deceit instead of lying because while lying may be a component of decent, it isn't necessarily.
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Michael Kras · Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 6:10 pm Post subject:

I never correct my spectators on these sorts of things for the reason Brian stated above, HOWEVER from that point on if I ever refer to a "trick" I call it an effect. As many magicians have said in the past, calling an effect a "trick" can sometimes belittle the effect and bring it down to just puzzles and fast hands. If you call an effect a "trick" in front of your spectators, it's possible they might take it as a challenge.
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Ben Train · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 268

One of the things I sometimes discuss in more formal instructive sessions is Ascanio's concept of magic-magic versus pseudo-magic. I highly recommend you pick up book one of Ascanio's series and reading it cover to cover.

I also highly recommend getting Burger's "Experience of Magic".

"As a professional magician, it is my work to perform for real people from all walks of life, and to bring to them the experience of magic. But what IS the experience of magic?

In this century, conjurers have produced a literature larger in size, perhaps, than any other creative art or craft, yet there is surprisingly little written in it about important questions such as these: what is the experience of magic? How does this experience differ from other experiences - most especially, from the experience of being amused, or the experience of being puzzled, or the experience of being frightened, or even the experience of being fooled?"
- Burger, The Experience of Magic

What is the difference between a "trick" and "magic"? What is the "experience of magic? Why do I always answer questions with other questions? Wanna check out a sick video?

http://ca.video.yahoo.com/watch/3873567/10559053

Jeffrey Tong · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 15 Location: Toronto

Liam · Joined: 30 Dec 2007 Posts: 424

I call them tricks for a few reasons
1) As brian said, thats what they are.
2)its alot easier to gain a report with your audience if you start with something they know is true
3) if i claim it to be magic, it sounds like a challenge

Jeffrey Tong · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 15 Location: Toronto

Michael Kras · Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 3:03 am Post subject:

BrianMillerMagic · Joined: 14 Aug 2007 Posts: 543 Location: New York State

Michael Kras · Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 3:18 am Post subject:

Sure, the word "trick" is more universal... if you ask to show a spectator an "effect" they will have no idea what you're talking about in most cases. However, in saying "trick" they know what to expect. It also sets the magician up quite nicely for the kill.

Even for laypeople, "trick" is a word associated with the minor magic Uncle Jimbob pulls off at family get-togethers. So, when you do some mindblowing Ben Train effect, they are off-guard and shocked. It could be a great way to hold interest.

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Michael Kras
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