I think its time for me to stress one problem that is going on in MMF. I got myself thinking since the day I planned to conduct a magic course locally with Jeff at my university. I received calls and feedbacks from various people such as Rainking which helped by providing ideas on giving learners a good bargain without exposing too much magic elements.

MMF seems to be encouraging a lot of people to learn magic. Which is a good thing in some ways where it can create a magic awareness. But people NEED to LEARN magic and not easily discuss on things they do not understand openly. This magic awareness created can influence people to look for magic exposure instead.

Example: A knows B does magic. A knows B is in MMF. A makes a nickname and enters MMF. A asks around and he finally finds out ALL he needs to know about B and his magic. A ain't interested in magic. He only has the awareness....

How many members of MMF are seriously into magic? Serious as in being able to learn magic for at least 3-4 years without falling off the wagon. Some of us here in MMF might have discarded or ignored the knowledge that magic IS A SECRET ART and IT SHOULD BE KEPT THAT WAY!

From my POV, people who just joined MMF can get total exposure of magic. How? Examine this: (fictional based on real events -*B does not refer to anyone in particular)
A: Hi, I'm new in magic and I wish to learn from all of you. Can anyone show me how I can start learning magic? Where are you guys from? Anyone from KL?
B: Hi A, sure. We're from KL and we meet up every month. There are no exposures allowed in this forum BUT you can come to our meetings and learn from us.

Done.

Magic is magic and magic is always a secret. Its like finally having a threesome. You're so thrilled and excited but its supposed to be a secret. Going around and telling everyone about it will not help in anyway and may allow you to look like a fool. Magic is an art to be respected. IF there are other people who want to learn magic, they HAVE TO EARN their way up the line. They have to be responsible to get materials to learn themselves. Learn the basics to climb up the rope. If they are not interested in learning basics, and want to go perform like Blaine, Angel or Cyril, and hope to attain fame like such, I say to hell with them!

Magic is not just about disappearing silk handkerchiefs or plucking a quarter out of your ear. Its about levitating people on the streets, its about reading thoughts of others. Magic has matured in a way and we have to subdue to the fact that it takes serious studies to attain the modern state of magic now.

I am all for learning the art of magic. But there must be a way to protect the art from laypeople. After all, ANYONE can register into this forum and ANYONE can claim to know magic. Hopefully a system will filter laypeople from the serious magicians. In this forum, the serious magicians and laypeople mingle together because there are no separations...

Sigh...


Here is a story I plucked from Kennedy's recent book:

I'd like to invite you to go back to when you were seven years old. You are only seven, less than ten years you have been in this world and already you have experienced the wonder and amazement of magic.

You decide you want to be a magician, a wizard, or some performer of the magical arts. One day you seek out this Aladdin's cave of wonder known as the local magic shop.

Upon entering, you are enthralled as the walls, ceilings and counters display many things of mystery and intrigue to your young mind. Youwant to know what wonders lie within.

You pluck up the courage and approach the counter and a young lad called Mike greets you with a warm smile and asks how he can assist you.

"I want to be a magician" you squeak to him in your own little voice. Without saying a word, Mike picks up a small square of blue silk and waves it around before pushing it tightly into his clenched fist.

He slowly opens his fist and...

BAM!

Its gone.

Your little mouth drops open and you just can not believe your eyes.

You enquire as to how much it will cost you to learn the secrets of this amazing piece of hocus pocus.

The price is told unto you. It is four whole pounds. You look down at the change in your hand and realise that you must leave this mystery solving mission for another day.

You scurry home all excited wanting to know how you can make your friends be just as dazzled and amazed as you were. You take on jobs, tasks and responsibilities in return for small payments. You save for six weeks solidly. Not a penny is spent on chocolate bars, ice creams, nothing at all. It all goes into the Magic Jar. Thats the place where the money for magic is kept.

Now the six weeks have passed. You clear your bedroom floor and tip out the contents of the Magic Jar. Counting every penny you have worked so hard for, you discover that you have enough now to go back to that magic shop and discover the secret to the vanishing blue handkerchief.

After much begging and being nice, you persuade your dad to take you back to the magic shop. In through the door you bound, right up to the counter and Mike is still standing there with that smile, this time holding a cup of coffee.

"Can I have the dissappearing hanky trick please Mike" Your voice blurts out with excitement.

He hands you over the sacred package, you hand over your hard earned coinage. Homeward you travel, so utterly excited to see whats in the bag. Straight through the front door and up into your room where your secrets will be safe.

Weeks go past as you practice and perfect everything about this miraculous vanishing handkerchief trick. You really want to be smooth and amazing in front of your friends at school.

You're ready. You decide to brave it in front of all your friends. So, armed with the magic, you go to school. Standing at the front of your class, your friends are gathered expectantly. Your whole reputation as a living breathing human being relies on this moment.

Out comes the handkerchief. You show it around gracefully. You carefully tuck it into your hands.

Open your hand and

BAM!

Its vanished!

There is a stunned silence. Everyone stares. Even the teacher is gob smacked.

THEN cutting through the silence a voice from the back of the class calls:

"Thats the one with the fake thumb! I read it on the internet last night!"


That is the power of exposure. That is the power of illegal copying and file sharing. It doesnt just damage the author's right to earn a living. It doesnt just show a deep disrespect for the hard work that goes in to creating this material meticulously over time. Nor the disrespect for the time to write it down so carefully as to share everything about is.

What it does damage, above all else, is the value of the secrets. This work is about secrets. Without secrets, there would be no magic.

I happen to quite like magic. So I don't like to share.

Yes, u are right Mindfreak.

There's just too many lurkers and just too many new people wanting to learn magic.. i dunno seriously or just for the sake of getting awareness and satisfy their curiosity.

That's why i stress that no exposure is allowed. This is not a forum to discuss abt secrets etc. Its a public forum, thus u wanna talk secrets, PM or go to other forums to talk abt it openly. Unfortunately this forum dont have so call "Special members" only YET.

I just saw last nite that wow there were 52 members online.... but i got no idea who are they? i assume they are just all new people interested in magic.

Its v easy to source for the forum, go to google and type malaysia magic, and this is the first thing in the list. also, MMF spread thru word of mouth.

Again, lurkers or people online reading msgs wont really gain much. they may know where and how to learn magic, but they wont be able to do it or know the secrets if no one exposes them the secrets.

Guys, appreciate ya art more. Those just starting in magic, pls dont think u can instantly know the secrets in this forum. Coz, its a NO exposure forum. U may be given good advice from the experience here abt wat books/dvds to get but nothin is free. U wanna learn magic, practice practice and practice. Its not abt how much u know, but how u do ya magic and how well u do them that makes u stand out from others. But then again, its always great to have the knowledge.

Guys, i recommend u the Cafe. Its a great place and u get a lot of professionals in the forum to give u the best tips and best info abt products and touches in magic.

MMF, created main purpose for the networking of magicians in Malaysia. Having gatherings, building up skills of people. Magician helping magicians. We dont simply teach newbies. They have to do their homework first, as i said nothin is free. Sometimes i see a lot of people asking the same questions... where can i learn how to flourish, where can i learn how to do magic when all these are already posted up in most magic forums. Newbies asking these kinda questions just shows that they dont do their homework and want quick and fast answers.

Mindfreak, thanks for pointing out ya opinion.

Cheers,
Brendan

No exposure in the forum is not enough.. when we had a gathering, there were some magician discussing p**s, d***** lift, p**ming and do it infront of lay ppl..
this is worst than exposure in the forum...

yes, u are right Jack. But wat is a magic gathering that does not discuss abt sleights involved?

its good to get to know people interested in magic, whether u wanna expose the sleight to them is up to you.

i always prefer jamming with those that I personally know or those who knows how to do magic. Im not so keen in meeting those that just there to know how something is done etc. They can feel free to come but dont la ask people how to do p**s or DLs etc. I mean if they already know wat DL or p*ss, or gl*de or elmsley etc, but needs correction, then no worries. But if they dunno what it is but just know its some kinda move which looks something like this or that.. it really means they know nuts abt the move and thus we shouldnt show them.

as always in any of our gatherings, they'll be new people, newbies there to watch and wanna learn something. So for us the usual members, u know wat to do. if u think its going to be a BIG exposure, then pls dont do or practice ya new moves or the sleights u working on in front of them. go elsewhere to discuss with ya magic buddies.

but then again, if any newbies wanna learn a bit abt flourishing, im ok to teach and guide them abit abt it.

Couldn't agree more with you guys. My sentiment exactly.

I've been noticing for months now that we've always had more "guests" logged on than members and have expressed my uneasiness to Brendan.

Mindfreak,

I'd rather have the newbies come out and join us in our gatherings rather than lurk as guests.
That way we know them, and can see for ourselves who they are and how far their commitment is. We don't teach at our gatherings. At least I've never seen anyone teach anyone anything. Exchanging pointers yes. Flat out teaching no.

I guess we all have to be more careful where and when we practise our sleights.
Thanks for the timely reminder Mindfreak.

IMO, Internet is a great learning source. You can basically learn EVERYTHING from the Net for FREE. When a product(knowledge) is on the market, you'll get it from "kind hearted" people over the Net.

My point is, when we decided to "make more friends in magic" , we're actually attracting more layman to join the forum and hoping for some exposure. Unless, ofcos, we restrict the membership.

This is my opinion only. No one has to agree.

Honestly, I don't know what the fuss is about exposure. Trust me when i say, it won't hurt a bit. So what if a group of smart*sses out there know how to do a trick. There are still millions of people who still love to watch magic. In my opinion, it's only the insecurity of magicians that make us worry so much.

Of course, I don't blatantly announce to the world how I do my tricks (gasp! i said the word "trick" twice already! I meant "effect"!). Usually the people who want to find out how to do magic are the ones who actually go looking for it. And if they're not serious about it, they'll forget about it. And what does that do to the Art of Magic? Absolutely nothing! I hope I make sense here.

So Magic is a "secret" art. If it was too much of a secret we wouldn't even have any magicians in the first place. Yes I'm sure you guys are worried about people accidentally exposing the p*ss, DL (sheesh I hate having to type the asterisks), but let's say a layperson sees it and goes "hmm, so that's how they do it". Will they go and do "it"? What the hell is "it"? They won't have the slightest idea how to apply a DL, how to apply a p*ss(yet another asterisk), how to do this, that, etc.

If you're a good enough magician, you shouldn't have to worry about exposure. Maybe in some ways a little exposure is healthy, to help contribute to the expansion of Malaysian Magic.

Let's not get too carried away, Magic should be enjoyed as an Art to learn and savor, and as a unique form of entertainment. Don't take things too seriously, and most of all, have FUN!

Afoi, you hit it right on the head.

I hope I didn't offend anyone with my post, although I'm pretty sure I did. As I said, no one has to agree. These are only my thoughts. Sorry for rambling.


thoughtfully,

Baalan.


PS - and yes, i'm against piracy. which is not an easy thing to say, living in Malaysia.

dats y im more into flourish..hehe jk..
hmm,... yeah true what rainking say..
its how commited to them to invoilve in magic
eg they join every meeting..
d one dat i dun agree is dat sum of them r keen to knoe d secret, spread them to laymen, and make it a fuss... n also leave d magic just like dat...

mindfreak, im agree wid ya..
those pros out there, they have been coming up with these crazy ideas and yet it is not appreciated, by those "laymen"..

different ppl got different opinion..
how about u guys ??
:ph43r:

Best bet would be to have two separate sessions. One for intermediates and another for newbies.

It will not hurt anyone physically, etc, but in a way, laypeople will lose the appreciation of magic. Malaysia is a small community. There are millions who love to watch magic. There are also millions of smart a$$es who will always think that they cannot be fooled. Thus, the kiasu concept. With these people around, exposure is guaranteed. So these people would be the ones heckling around and spoiling every people's awe. If there were 1 million people interested in watching magic, and 500k kiasu people, the awe when watching magic is lost.

EVERYONE is interested in magic because it stimulates the mind. People like the feeling of being deceived in small ways. EVERYONE is open to the fact that there are exposers around. They do not support exposers but they do not close their ears to them as well. If I were to perform, then an exposer comes to expose my tricks, the crowd will not be supportive of the exposer, BUT they WILL listen to his thoughts on how the trick is done and the WORST thing that can happen is not the exposure but the fact that your magician status can be degraded. People will lose their awe and wonder. THIS is what hurts magic.

When people stop believing...

We should incorporate as much fun as possible. Of course, but even computer gaming clans are serious in their art and respective strategies...

A famous magician (I don't remember the name) once said :

"I would gladly expose the method for 9 people if the 10th person would be fooled and entertained."

I love the above saying.

Which is why I don't worry so much about exposure.

And BTW, magic communities have a tendency to be elitist. I sincerely hope that MMF doesn't turn out that way.

If all magicians were like that...
sigh...

I'm not speaking of future forming elitists. Its just that in this forum, information is too easily available and not appreciated.

Laypeople cannot know secrets. If you knew how Angel or Cyril levitated people on the streets, it won't be just as appealing.

A vivid example would be to compare the number of topics posted on the unknown techniques (such as street levitation) and to really simple and often overlooked tricks (such as the Biddle Trick). Its almost like 10:1.

A performer that walks up the wall compared to a kid that does the biddle trick. Both have equal magic skills. The difference lies in how much time they each put into learning tricks and which one people THINK is amazing.

Magic is like a fairy. As long as you still believe and be amazed, it will continue to live on.

It depends... on a lot of things. Like what's in your arsenal and who are the audience or who is in the audience and preparation and .... etc.

Baalan, you gotta know, there are many people who cannot resist to tell a person who got fooled. The more people there are that knows, the more chances of your one fooled guy getting told of the secret therefore the likelier it becomes 0 people entertained. So that statement is not a good guide.

If they want to know the secret, let them work or pay for it like we did or if you wanna be less harsh, don't give things away so easily or wait a year or two or more before simply giving or selling the secret.

Therefore the thing is we gotta try to leave as little clues as possible while being able to maintain communication while posting on these boards.

Throughout my 38 years experience in the performing art - I have come across large number of hecklers, mister know-it-all, boastful and kiasu magicians, etc - you name it and I have met and encountered them personally.

And you know what? Psychologically humans are egoistic at times and at that time they can do damage to your show, reputation or even tear you down. Even lay public - those that do not like to see other people better than them can also do a lot of damages to you.

It does not matter whether they pick up magic freely or pay for it - you are dealing with a human and it can be pretty unpredicatable. You just don't know what can happen and you have to be prepared for anything.

And the solution is to be damn good in what you are doing. You have to be flawless and technically proficient. Only then you are ready for the unknown.

Guys, remember this - it is not a simple case as someone telling others you are using a TT - they can tear you down, destroy your self-confidence, ruin your reputation, etc.

I have personally experienced all these encounters. It is through these experiences that I develop my way of handling them.

My advice is - Be Prepared for anything.

So it does not matter how magic is being learned. The root of all problems lie in the person learning magic or even the attitude of the lay audience itself. This is a human problem and it is a reality of life.

wow.... i surely enjoyed reading ya opinions regarding magic and how it should be handled. Thanks for ya comments guys.

everyone of us here have a point.

Strong points (IMO). Magic has to be:
- Fun (but not until like u satisfy only 1/10 and expose to 9 of them!)
- Magic is not just abt knowledge but how u execute it when performing
- Quality weighs more than quantity
- It does not matter how u learn them. It's how u respect and it after u gain the knowledge and skills.

Guys, people tend to have the tendency to teach (even i do), but I limit to those with real passion. Who you teach and give pointers to is solely up to you. But before you teach, think abt how this would benefit the art or benefit the person. Will it be worth it? Eg. People like James Tong, he is an experienced magician, mature in the art, and he is kind enough to train up young and vibrant magicians to be one of the greats.

There's a saying something like " A master should always be proud when his students does better than him".

It is people like that wanting to see the levels of magic (not awareness, but skills/performance). I dont really want laymen to know so much abt magic. I just want a network of enthusiastic and capable magicians in our fellowship.

Perhaps, in near future, i will make a password and limit this place for members only. I dunno, not confirmed yet. I see too many people signing up as well but not contributing to the forum. Oneday i will filter them out. Of course, I will make an announcement first before doing this. At the moment, i just want to sit back and see how MMF is going and remember how and what MMF becomes all comes from "us". Im sure the core members in this fellowship would want the best for the forum so each of us, play our part ya!

Keep on rocking and practice ya Art with the right passion and attitude.

Cheers!
Brendan

Damn It happened again.

Typed 2 whole paragraphs, and the office cleaner asked me to move for her to vacuum my place. She knocked my PC and it switched off. Here I am typing it all again.

I agree with this part totally.

Its human nature to chase the latest effect seen on TV, hottest new magician etc etc. I'm guilty of this myself.

But its sad to see the basics and classics not given its due importance. Hardly anyone talks about the TT, and I know some possibly even look down on it. But its an amazing amazing tool. Very few of the members here post about cups and balls, multiplying billiard balls, linking rings, ropes. Thats kinda scary. Only a few guys here do those stuff now.

I somehow see a possible future with the only magicians in malaysia being all cardicians ( after all I AM psychic :P Cue : twlight zone music :bwahahahaha !!!!!)



just my 2 cents.

mindfreak,

Starting this topic was a stroke of genius. The MMF needs a dose of intelligent discussion, not just "how to do that" or "how afst can you do this". Thiis the the type of healthy discussion that will open the minds of our fellow magi to approach magic as more than just a bunch of tricks. While we may not agree on certain things, it still is healthy to have it all out and discuss things for the sake of enhancing the Art.

Thanks. I wish I'd thought of this.

I really like this thread. So much of deep thoughts in one discussion..showing how much passion and care that we hav for this art of magic. Hmm i hav a few points to say:

1. We shouldn't be too afraid of exposure. Nor should we be too willing to expose. Balance is the key. I'm saying this becoz a magician once told me, "You're who you are today becoz you learnt from those who's willing to share with you." We're lucky to hav the opportunity to learn this art, so how can we so selfishly set a rule that we dun expose anymore? I mean to those who's willing to learn of corz..and by this mean, then only this art will get improved, perfected and brought to a new level.

2. Feel free to look at this: http://media.putfile.com/mindfreak-throughtheglass0-6500
It's a wonderful effect by criss angel, but take a look at the comments. Ppl are scrutinizing it, giving all kinds of critics instead of enjoying it. So this is the real world, when you do magic, some ppl will enjoy and be amazed, but others might want to think of thousand and one way to ruin and damage you. To overcome this, i very agree to what James said, "You have to be flawless and technically proficient. Only then you are ready for the unknown."
And I'd really like to add, just a piece of my opinion, i prefer calling myself 'entertainer' rather than 'magician'. Sometimes when i face potential hecklers, i always emphasize on a point that "i'm here to entertain you, not fool you, so pls relax and enjoy this."

3. In view of the growing no. of members in MMF, I think it's probably a good idea to make a 'general' and 'members' area. Leave this to our moderators to decide.

Alright tat's all for now..just my 2 cents.

well-spoken, darren.

don't deliberately expose, that would be stupid. and yet, don't be too obvious about hiding something either.

hehe. :wub:

Darren,

dude, you are so right. The people who have no clue what they are talking about but insist on talking anyway....smart alecks have an asnwer for everything in the universe.....i wonder why we need scientists and researchers when we have people like them?

The same kind people that would tell you the ending of a movie they have watched but you have yet to watch because it makes them feel more superior and clever knowing that Bruce Willis was a ghost all the while and you didnt know it. That they'll have a headstart in their life and found the secret to everlasting happiness because they knew Bruce Willis was a ghost.

err...arr....you can tell I hate spoilsports don't ya?

There are two sides to everything. So let us take a look at both sides of the art of magic.

On one side you have the technical know-how, the theories and principles, props and accessories and tons of sweat (practise) stringing the above variables together so that you can execute them flawlessly and proficiently.

On the other side you have you. You are not a magician. You are not an entertainer. You are not a mentalist or psychic or manipulator or illusionist. The most important ingredient is YOU!

The art can only come alive through you. You are the vessel from which the art can be expressed and appreciated.

It is because of YOU (your name) that magic in the art form (executed flawlessly with a good personality and character) is appreciated, being talk about and ending with the most important response - the public remembers YOU! They do not even compare you with anyone.

IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE SO DAMN GOOOOOOOOOD!

And because of that the lay public just like to stuff your pocket with $100s notes and jam up your bank account with cheques :!!:

In my mind there's no such thing as PROs semi-PROs, amateurs, hobbyists, etc - there is only YOU! Without you nothing matters.


In all the teh tarik sessions with magicians and also in my magic coaching sessions, I try my best to navigate everyone's perspective to this point.

There is just too much emphasis in one side of the coin and very little is dealt with the other side - YOU!

So guys - start dealing with YOU! Want to know more - it is only a teh tarik away. PM me for a teh tarik kurang manis - kao kao - glass besar :!!:

hehe... ill have my usual MILO ais, kurang ais.. lol... funny rite?

kkk.... back to the topic! ^_^

we need more topics like this man...

Hi all,

This topic has really been utilized! Its amazing to finally get these points straight. Most importantly for newcomers of the art.

All these are valuable information to all magicians. Performers and non performers alike.

Just started this topic for reminding people and creating the awareness...


James:

- Really good advice man!

Darren:

- If they're willing to learn, and willing to sacrifice something to learn, its cool. But not just because they ask to show how it's done. Good point Darren.

Baalan:

- Exactly.


Cheers for the really constructive comments and advices!

true true... a dude in my college calms he knows magic just b internet source.. its good a lil but than -.-" he went performing to nearly everybody and exposing him self as a "just learned 5 min ago" and yea so u guys know wad happends next.

nearly every body saw the flaw on his trick.. well i think even though if mmf is a total non exposure just by typing few words and "walla"

its good to have new talents but its bad to have laymen talents. but cant imagine how many of these people out there are like that.

anyways its an inspiration for me to read this thread :) :)

Why sad and scary? You should be rejoicing! That may very well be a blessing in disguise! :!!:

While the rest of the masses are going with the flow and worshipping the latest effects and sacrificing their hard-earned(?) ringgits, you will stick out like a sore thumb. And having a sore thumb is not necessarily bad at times. B) At least you don't have to invest in yet another effect with yet another cups and balls trick with yet another 3 more cups! Get three good cups and it will stay with you for a long time to come. Same with the multiplying billiard balls. Same with the Rings. Same with the TT.

The only thing that will mostly change are the routines. I don't know about you, but those things above are cost-effective to me. However, they take time and patience to master, which is what not a lot of people today are interested in. So if it's a quickie you are looking for, then I guess you are better off with the masses. See the two different worlds now?

There is a reason why the above props are called classics and have stood the test of time. There is also a reason why some things are called fads. Therein lies the commercial side of magic. The bottom line. Imagine if everyone did just rings, balls, cups, etc. All these props last a lifetime (as long as they don't get lost/stolen). And if you sell just things that last a lifetime, you will be out of business in no time. So an ideal would be a mix of both. I figure cards alone must be the single best investment of a magic shop, since they have a lifespan. More so for commercial card tricks with a gaffed card(s). Not everyone knows how to maintain their cards, and to a merchant it is better off if no one does. Replacements equal profit. That's the business side of things.

And you may be right about the cardician thing. I can imagine it too. It's pretty much the same over here.

why cards are becoming more popular compared to linking rings, cups and balls, TT, etc etc,?

well coz card.. there's so much things u can do with a deck. numerous eye catching flourishes, stunts, displays, ways u can manipulate and show one ya skill...

where as classics such as linking rings, Cups and balls, sponge balls etc... there just aint much u can work on after u know a few routines on it.

having a deck on ya hands u can be creative....

there's like hundreds of effects u can do and learn with a deck of cards where was the classics props... only maybe a few good routines...

its great to see more people into cards now... im sure it will build up the skill and creativity amongst malaysian cardicians and card manipulator/flourishers.

its growing big and i like it!

Dont get me wrong.... i still like LR< C&B, Sponges etc... but its just i get more entertain when someone show me something with cards....

And in forums... there's more to talk abt with cards then other stuff.

just my 2 cents

i have to agree with brendan.

I think it all boils down to practicality. LR , C&B are seems to be too much hassle. Nowdays we are bombarded with so called "New age" magicians like Criss Angel, Blaine, Mondo boys and others. These indivisuals profess a more practical and "grunge"-like approach.

Having a grunge like apprearence but carrying L&R around kinda ..eerr..you know, funny. I guess its not as bad as carrying a deck of cards around.

Don't get me wrong, i respect C&B, LR..etc..who desnt right? i mean, those are the props that exposed us to magic world when we were young. But in this context, i must say that at the end of the day, practicality hold the no 1 spot.

Doing magic spontaneously / impromptu gives more lasting effect because it surprises the audience. You will be more surprise if a guy suddenly do magic stuff with normal items compared to a well dress magician which u might have known that he is capable of pulling rabbits out of a hat.

All and all, both are fine, it depends on the situation. You need to know when is proper to dress up like a magician and indulge in stage magic and when to be nonchalant and spontaneous.

After all, we are presenting a gift of ancient art to the world. its the level of respect towards this art that we need to uphold.

P/S: i suck with TT. my thumb is cooked.

Thats just my two cents, Merry Christmas!!

How wrong can this get? Yes, I agree with yongster on the practicality and impromptu-ness of things but having a card in hand suddenly wouldnt be any more practical as carrying a LR around.

Which layperson would walk around and suddenly appear with a deck of cards? As far as I know, laypeople use a deck of cards for gambling... and unless you're not gambling, or look like a gambler, people will still take you for a magician... and looking from here, you're not mentioning much about every day items such as coins so I am assuming that you must be talking about cards. Cards are everyday material??

There are MANY many things you can do with LR, CB, Sponges and so on!! Brendan was mentioning about using creativity for cards. How about creativity with other things? Being creative around one genre of tool doesnt make a person creative. Creative is being able to use materials around us and make them look magical. If you know flourishes with cards, and another person can dance with LRs very well, I say the skill level of creativity is equal. There are no differences in that.

The only difference is using them as part of your repertoire. Obviously, we can see that there are people here who are dedicated solely to pasteboards and not opened to other source of magic.

My point, is that you cannot compare these things if you do not use them or do not spend time learning about them...

Yeah i guess what matters is what u always do or where ya main interest lie. I love cards too much and sometimes too busy to venture into other forms of magic.

I cannot say that other things, cant be creative.. just that ive seen lots of creativity in terms of card effects but as for other things... i have not seen too many of them..

i dunno much abt other "things" so yeah.. i cant comment much.

Im am open to other forms of magic... i enjoy watching them, i love ammar's cups and balls routine that won him the award, i also love tommy wonder's routine as well.... a total amazement! top notch!

but it is cards that i enjoy doing and wanting to specialise on it. that's why i often tell people im more of a cardician than an all rounder magician. But I do perform other stuff like rubberbands, metal bending, learning some ropes too (hehe)... but again... they are not really my area of specialisation.

hahah..sorry.. that was me down there. didnt realized i didint logged in..

i must be getting sleepy here in the office. dang!

wow...
this goes to prove that you dont have to be registered to post...
sigh...

hahah... indeed man..indeed!