The Magicanada Project

Reuben The Great · Joined: 11 Sep 2007 Posts: 245

I believe that there are a lot of things in magic we in a way, "take for granted." By this, I mean...well, this. Imagine you've never seen a card trick before, or you've only seen magic on tv, or you're not REGULARLY entertained by magi. Having a card change infront of your eyes, visually, is freakin' AMAZING! Having two cards switch, your card magically transpose inbetween the two jokers, or having a card vanish are all absolutely mystifying things. But, I don't think a lot of us milk the effect for what it's worth. To us, having a "triumphed" deck magically restore is an everday occurence, but this isn't so with the average lay audience. I think we have to imagine ourselves from a spectator's point of view. If they magically fixed themselves, I would need a moment to reel back and say HOLY LLAMA DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?

I think we skip ahead a tad bit too quickly, or don't realize how amazing it really is since we're magi. I know I am guilty of this too. Even something as simple as having their card appear sandwiched between two others is jaw-dropping, but since we don't realize this ourselves it isn't portrayed in our actions. Just some thoughts.

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Ben Train · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 268

You're dead right my friend.

I find that it sometimes happens when I have a new ending for an effect (say, a new ending for he ambitious card), so I rush though the effect so I can show case the ending.

It's a bad, bad, thing.

Michael Kras · Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 11:19 am Post subject:

It's true... we should definitely take the spectator's interpretation of these events into consideration. I'm guilty of rushing through the "restoration" phase of a Triumph effect because to me, it's standard and I do it every damn day. I've got to watch it and milk it.

However, some magicians play solely on the fact that "these magical things are happening and they have no idea why"... which is of course all a matter of personality.

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