Just thought I'd share this article here. Its from the ellusionist e-zine.

// How "Pure" Are You?

One of the most heated debates in the art of magic involves people who prefer to use gimmicks in their performances and people who refuse to even consider a gimmicked trick in their own. While this is a personal preference, I can't help but wonder why magicians would want to limit themselves when they don't have to.

Gimmicks have provided the art of magic with some truly amazing effects that simply cannot be reproduced without them. On the other hand, there are also some gimmicks out there that are simply terrible. Whenever I hear someone indicate that he will not perform with a gimmick because he doesn't care for them, I instantly know that all of those performances are more for the magician than for his audience.

While there might be some backlash to that last statement, it is true when you honestly consider the following...

A magician who's truly looking to create the most powerful magical experience for his audience will consider performing all types of tricks and he will completely ignore the methods.


Now, I'm not saying run to your local shop and buy the latest gimmick and use only gimmicks. I'm also not saying that you should pass over a trick based on the fact that it might require a gimmick. I'm only saying that you should give every trick what it deserves - your consideration.

We need to get to the point of magic - the real reason we're performing. Think back to before you knew anything about magic and someone performed something for you and you were left amazed and excited. When you're in that state, you could care less about the method. The performer connected with you and left you spellbound.

That feeling is what magic is all about. Look past the sleights, the gimmicks, the theory, the latest product, the current "hottest performer" and focus on your audiences and your performances. Once you get to that point, you'll realize that as long as your tricks connect with people and leave them spellbound, the method really become irrelevant.

The only time I'll completely disregard adding a trick to my repertoire is when I feel that I can't make the trick work for myself and for my audiences. If I really feel for a trick and I believe that when I perform it I'll be able to truly connect with them, then I find a way to make it work regardless of the method. The more caught up you are with yourself and what you're doing, the less you can truly connect with your audiences.

Try to remember that an audience who has connected with a performer doesn't care if it's a trick deck or a TT. An audience who has connected with a performer doesn't care if it's incredibly difficult sleight of hand. An audience who has connected with a performer looks past the method of the trick to what magic is really all about - people - and we should remember to do the same.

The Shaman
Shaman@ellusionist.com.

<Sorry, my earlier post was incomplete. Rectified the mistake>

A gimmick is good if there is a way to hand to spectator to check or a way to switch in the middle of the routine.

Most gimmicks are cleverly constructed so that it can be examinable. Im not talking abt cards.

As for cards i much prefer magic with normal deck of cards.

Oh i remember one time i performed the ultimate three card monte to a group of people (laymen). They were v suprise and astonish by the effect. Its like real magic.

BUT... then they'll ask, can i see the cards... lol

so yeah... that's where u just have to say... No.... :P they know there's something in the card but no idea wat it is that makes the magic.. :P

Even though they may now that the card is gaffed/gimmicked, they were still amazed by the magic, which counts for more points.

I like those kinda magic that maybe uses double backs/faces/blanks etc... but im not interested in those deck especially made for one effect.

Cheers,
Brendan

*pOof*

I'm not a purist. I don't use a lot of gimicks, but this is due to the fact that i don't really need a lot of gimmickry in my routines, and its also due to the sometimes ridiculously expensive prices of props here in malaysia.

Anyway my attitude is this : I have absolutely no qualms about using any and every resource available around me in order to achieve a desired effect, which of course includes gimmicks, stooges, cheating by using an easier method compared to a more technically challenging method when in the end the effect is the same. I don't see the point of learning something super difficult, I guess it's just to show off to your other magician friends.

But then again, I mostly do mentalism. What I believe in might not apply to other branches of magic.

thoughtfully,

baalan.

@Andersonchow

Indeed. Sometime, many magicians are over indulgent in their "magic" that they end up enjoying themselves doing a series of sleight when they perform, rather than transmitting and presenting the magic itself.

ps. Welcome back to the board! We missed your awesome contributions here! :)

for me, i like to use gimmick.. using gimmick is one of the way to learn how to manage ur spectators.. many ppl dont like gimmick because cannot end clean..
switching and vanishing the small gimmick are the ways i end clean

and one thing i really dont understand is why we need to let the spectators examine our things? just to prove that we can do the effect without any help of any gimmick??

if you do street magic, after performing you just say thank you and walk away..
strangers dont know you.. they never know you are doing a trick or real magic.. the ppl who want to see your things are always ur friends and your family coz they know u!

sometimes when i perform to strangers and they ask to see my gimmick, i will say, "luckily u suspect my things but not "me", if not u will catch me to the lab for experiment.." then they will laugh and i just say thank you and bye bye..

in my opinion, again switching, vanishing and joking are good way to end u clean.. and i dont like to hand my things out to spectators is.. when they examine your things, eventhough they cannot fingure out, the entertainment value gone already.. what u expect them to say? they will feel they were fooled by u, thats it!

Jack has got a point there. Abt those wanting to see the gimmicks are ya frens and family. Strangers on the streets may just have to appreciate the effect and wont question u so much.... i dont think. Unless they are hecklers

I dont really care if they think its gimmick or not. Let them be the judge. Just dont confirm it. Just say.... its up to you to beleive whether its real or not. Leave them puzzled....

I preffer non-gimmicked
however like brad from ellusionist said in Ninja 2
end result determine everything

basically, the reason to perform is to amaze and entertain ppl
doesn't matter with gimmick or not
as long as u can get the result u want..

the reason i prefer ungimmick stuff is i can pick up a deck from anywhere n start to amaze ppl.
*but i notice i bring my deck everywhere i go larr*

isaac

yes isaac,
its the result that we want from the spectators..
gimmick@ungimmicked tricks ?
i prefer ungimmicked tricks.
not only when doing card tricks, also when doing other close-ups..

sometimes i feel guilty when doing gimmicked tricks..
and this pump up adrenaline and make me nervous.
" Can i end this cleanly ? will he believe me ?"
in ungimmicked tricks, its a matter of hand sleight.
Which one i use is according to d situation im handling with
and also d type of tricks im doing and again my practice..

:ph43r:

hmp, i am a bit different from h4xor
IMHO
when doing gimmick trick, u noe the special "tools" will help u settle most of the trouble n reduce usage sleight of hand
i will b much more confident when perform gimmick trick

however when i performing a fully sleight of hand trick
sometime i will get nervous on can they see me on different angle
or sometime will i flash my Dl or my elmsley count ..

n feeling guilty ?
hmp kinda no lor, cos when doing "false calling"
for eg they edi hold diff card in their hand, or even a DL
we r kinda fooling them around.
actually our main killer tool for magic is misdirection (which also bring the meaning of fooling them around) tell them see what they need to see n what not

again personal opinion
just for discussion
:)
God Bless
Isaac

yeah
dats the same too with ungimmicked tricks.. :)
but i feel more confident doing it..

just my POV :P


:ph43r:

Did copy and paste against the forum rulez?

Tenkaikool, i dont get ya dude. What do u wanna copy and paste? If u agree with someone's post, u can just click quote and type i agree and comment there.

actually, what isaac said brought a funny thought to my mind.

A lot of folks don't use gimmicks because they prefer impromptu magic , can perform anytime with a borrowed deck.

however, most of the time, when don't have bikes available, and forced to use "Cap Tiga Kuda Tempang" brand of cards, we find it hard to do a decent DL and we blame the cards. :P

I used to do that a lot man.

most of the time, impromptu magic looks like a trick rather than magic..
personally i dont like "pick a card trick", because a card cheater also can do the same thing..

magic is not just to show ppl that u can do the things they cannot do.. try to work on the presentation.. make it meaningful :)

have u thought of it the other way round?

a card cheater may do more than a magician can with card... hmm.. maybe?

a card cheater or card shark or cardician would be a great card magician if and only he knows the routines in card magic.

Patter and story telling does make card magic interesting... but sometimes im just too lazy to talk the story i just say watch. my hand actions speaks the magic effect itself.

depends really.... hehe... i like visual card magic.

so personally, it doesn't matter gimmicked or ungimmicked tricks
(we might prefer one of it larrr)

the goal is
we can perform it well n give ppl a nice touch of magic
let them feel
let them touch (it happen in my hannndddd)
let them see (the queen cahnge to aces in front of my eye)
let them hear (some girl screaming ... it is impossible ... GHOST)

we r good magcian n on the right track :)

isaac

*pOof*