I just read Bob Chua's post about how there was this heckler at his walkabout show who was telling his friends how each trick was done, and with a fair bit of technical knowledge too.

That got me thinking about magic exposure and exposure of magic.

On the one hand, magic exposure is where the secrets of the trade is released out by Masked Whoevers. On the other hand, exposure of magic is just magic gaining more prominence, popularity, and coverage in community or society.

Let's admit it, it is not terribly difficult to actually find out the secrets of magic. Heck, you can get Mark Wilson's Complete course for under $40 and learn just about all the fundamental principles of magic.

And with a bit of work (and money), you'll probably be able to find out how other stuff is done. So magic isn't really that specialised or private is it? Where there's a will, there's a way.

Isn't the enterprise of magic then dangerous? I do get a sense that the magic scene now is focussed on "innovation" - all about NEW tricks, visual tricks, amazing jaw-droppers. But that's not the point of magic is it? James Randi conducted a lecture at Princeton, where to illustrate a point, he slowly went through step by step the technique for causing the time on a person's watch to change. But as he was explaining, he managed to change the time AGAIN without the audience noticing. His point was that don't think that just because we have a bit of knowledge, we cannot be fooled, because before we can say "Double L****", the skilled practictioner has already done 5 of those.

My point here is that with the wealth of information and the ready accessibility of that information about magic and secrets, perhaps magicians should change their focus, and not be sitting each month, waiting for the next hottest gimmick or the next DVD, but instead concentrate on the things that really do matter in magic - misdirection, presentation, and skill.

Right, all this isn't new I know, but I just find it strange why everyone on other net forums would go up in arms about magic exposure, when the real problem as I see it is the exposure of magic. Not that I'm advocating not keeping magic really secret secret to the point that no one can start performing magic unless he is part of a trusted "brotherhood", but I suspect a bigger, more improtant point my be lying underneath this distinction. My brain's too dead to figure that out, so if anyone has any thoughts, hope to hear them. ^_^

yes, tough choice here. Exposure of magic leads to magic exposure. What we don't want to see is TV specials after TV specials because it means a simple thing. Everybody gets to watch "free" magic performances on TV.

It isn't as exclusive as watching Copperfield on stage but it still introduces magic to the lay people. Suddenly, everybody becomes interested for a moment on how it's done, the methods behind and almost immediately try to think of logical explanations.

It's a double-edged sword. Admit it. Without exposure of magic, do we even exist? And by "we", i mean us, people in SMC, hobbyist, part-time performers, professionals.

I'm certainly glad to be in this world.

Why not? I mean, people do not need to watch David Blaine's special to be amazed by the magic that you do.

Right, Alexander, but "Exposure" is a new term that appears to mean a free for all broadcast of secrets. Blaine exposure is all over the net now. And it's pulling in the interested people. The word clearly has a negative, possibly unethical connotation.

Awareness of magic, on the other hand, is welcome. People knowing about magic is good. Otherwise kids in schools playing with playing cards will kena hoot by their teachers. They look like they're gambling, some more they flourish with the cards so fantastic, surely learn from some gambling ah bengs. We know this can't be true today. But I tell you har, last time I was in primary school last century hor, blerdy embarassin to bring playing cards to school. We could only do it after our exams. I'm glad for the practice anyway.

But back on topic, magic awareness gives the non-magic people an education about cards, coins, etc. They don't have to know what a half pass is, but the non hecklers will be inclined to applaud when the conjurer performs a double lift well, or a top change or whatever.

Magic awareness will draw interested ones into the world of learning and performing, and that's why we're here.

So that's that. Exposure did NOT bring us in, at least not "magic exposure" a la ellusionist or the random "learn Blaine style magic" internet site. Awareness did.

Would you be interested in learning and performing the art if you haven't watched ANY magic performances before? Or if your certain someone didn't bring you the magic novelty you had since you were a young kid?

What brought you into this art?

Raising the awareness of magic in the general public leads to exposure. When something is done overboard, obviously someone's gonna start learning or copying it.

How do solve such a problem? We cannot stop magic from being broadcasted, and keep it SO secretively that nothing else comes out from magic.

It's what I call a double edged sword. Exposure of magic leads to new stuff, leads to innovation, leads to new ideas, but at the same time, there will be these black sheep who ruin everything by either furthering the magic exposure, or do their magic very badly and not practise.

What can we do? As magicians, what we can try to achieve is a state where your audience understands that MAGIC MUST BE RESPECTED. It's difficult, but let us try from individual effort, yes?

For example, when I perform for my friends in school, I sometimes tell them about some magic theory, like why magic should be respected, why secrets must be kept and so on. And they understand! They have become some of my best audiences and critics. When i perform for some other people, they will help me water down the heckler if they happen to be around. It's great to be performing in my school, especially my class.

Maybe you are thinking: In most situations, we don't have time to lecture our audiences on the inner meanings of magic. Just give it a try, at some point in time, insert a few lines of wisdom when it is apt. I believe it will work to some extent.

If we cannot stop the the suppliers of exposure, make the potential receivers refrain from accepting such rubbish. Simple, no?

By the way, Maddened, not every magician is into innovation and creating jaw droppers and such. A magician is to bring entertainment through amazement, and to create maximum impact, not only must the trick be good, the presentational skills help a lot. I agree that while creating an effect, ANY magician must always take into consideration the presentation, misdirection, subtleties, and NOT just how clean or how impactful the effect is. And that takes, a lot, a lot, a lot, of work.