Hi peeps,

Came across a very interesting article on street magic. Makes very good points - I can't say I disagree, and I especially like the part about half shit youtube magicians exposing tricks. (My pet peeve)

http://www.antinomymagic.com/swiss.htm

Cheers,
Matt

Wow it is indeed a very nicely written article.

I like the part where he was saying

"Finally, thoughtful magic dealers with professional performing experience - men like Denny Haney, and David Malek[15] - repeatedly told me there simply is no street magic because, as Haney said, "Everything is street magic." ............. Good magic, they seem to be saying, will always remain good magic, no matter where it's performed. And bad magic doesn't become good magic merely by doing it in an empty lot."

Unlike most of the stuff here, this is great stuff, apart from the fact that I am also a big fan of Jamy Ian Swiss.

Personally, I feel that Street Magic is only viable for TV (and how viable is that?), apart from that it is mostly a fantasy.

Thanks for posting this link, mattlee

:lol:

To me, street magic simply refers to busking with magic. There's a clear distinction between true Street Magic and TV Street Magic. It's unfortunate that the likes of Ellusionist and Penguin have been imbibing the wrong ideas into the masses of new magicians.

All the so-called Street Magic that they are selling can hardly be called Street Magic material at all. How is OOTW from "How to do Street Magic" even possible to be done on the streets?

I was reading half way through and already, I cannot stop laughing inside me that I have to agree with the writer.

But I cannot deny that, most of us, including me myself, starts by believing that the E-magic can be done instantly, right after you bought it. I myself tried street magic and its really quite a hard time going around. Buskers are different, they establish an area and people that enter that area, and they perform. (Alan will agree with that) As for geniue street magicians, for my case, I feel its quite hard, in any sense, by any time you create a flow with the audience under the hot sun, you might already lost the interests from them, unless you have camera crews along your side(It does work)

The writer's argument about the creation of street magic are also straight forward, but true to a certain extent. (Esp on the videos that was created for marketing)

I think for many magicians that are geniue on this trade of art, they will not escape from the fact that they will go thru this street magic market, but from there, they will start to realise the truth behind it. I myself, agree on the videos that are too unreal, and the requirements stated by the magicians are also unreal. Its always better to look at the reviews from good magic forums, or read up the magazines, before jumping to get a "good" magic.

Most of us will step into that hole, but whether we can step out, look further into the magic line other than believing into street magic, is another issue. those that step out, and source for real magic, will realise that $20 dollar magic doesnt exist at all.

To add on, not forgetting the Too perfect theory. Its very true and most of us forget this concept and go on to make the magic, Too impossible.

You need a spec who basically has nothing better to do, and is patient enough to deal ALL the cards. Oh, and a table.

I'm sure you will find plenty just roaming the streets. Especially all those pretty girls in vacant parking lots.

Very very good read!!

I would just point out a few things here...

1. "If I could improve the video, I'd actually have Brad go out on the streets and perform for real audiences. That's all I ask for. In Street, he performed primarily in a living room for close friends and neighbors. Ninja 1 seemed to have the same comfortable, indoor setting. All the live performances in Ninja 2 took place in a fancy looking private bar. I would love to see Brad out in a nightclub with real people, or socializing on a street corner - with people he's never met before. I'd like to see some real human interaction through street magic."

Totally agree with this!! I always like to know how we can prepare a deck right in front of the specs for Out of This World or how to t**r a card before hand for Card Warp. He never showed it in his HTDSM video. (Anyway, both effects have different names in the video)

2. "Because, after all, if the beauty and power of sleight of hand lies is the ability to do magic with ordinary objects, as opposed to relying on unnatural props... then these special cards are a giant step backwards, as the simple trustworthiness of a pack of commonplace and recognizable playing cards suddenly becomes transformed into a spectacularly suspicious object - or, as it says right in the advertising video: "A deck never before seen." As if that were a good thing."

I think special decks are ok... if they are ungimmicked. Just that their advert tend to be highly manipulative.

3. "We were told it was easy. No skill required. No talent necessary! "Self-working magic," as if there ever were or ever will be such a thing."

Yes, I believed i this before. Luckily I didn't give up.... can't say the same for some of my friends who were sold by this pitch by internet and shopkeepers.

4. About the Youtube generations....
Actually I would say besides them, there is this another group who talks a lot of theories but couldn't perform a single effect properly to save their lives. They are usually the ones who are standing by the side, criticizing a performance but never dare to perform anything, preferring to act like an expert.

This happens in many places also. My cheerleading line also, you see people critise like they thought its easy, performance like dust, etc.

Anyway, you can setup before carp warp, not a bad thing. But the thing that "you can do it straight away" is too much.

Unless busking is meant, I share the view that there is no genre in magic called street magic. Street magic in this sense simply means performing usually closeup magic in the streets to small groups of people, as you do for closeup magic. What distinguishes it is venue of performance. Therefore, street magic is not a genre of magic just as table magic is not a genre of magic, they are just different performance venues for closeup magic.

But I am not against the performance of closeup magic in the streets, to me, it's just another area of performance (as buskers show). However, I am quite sceptical about the hype surrounding 'street magic'.

It's a good read! Interesting thoughts and points raised up too!
But I can't agree with everything mentioned there though.

Personally I only perform on streets / or on campus,
or for magician friends who happen to meet up and discuss.

Anyway, here's my take on what Street Magic is.

Firstly, it is NOT busking because you don't get money out of it.

I perform mainly because I'd like to bring an atmosphere of surprise and wonder to the lay person waiting for a cab in a horrendously long queue.
Or it could be simply because someone said "hey! your shoelace is untied! then you perform a STSL"

I think that Street Magic should be something almost impromtu.
Not as in impromptu effects but rather...
Just carrying a deck of cards with you, or one coin to perform Stuck.
Or perhaps just bring a LP around you?

It could be a simple case of a boy watching you fold that dollar bill in the bus, and you perform LIFE for him.

Secondly, it is real time. Not only meant for broadcast or video decoration

Real time Street Magic at a non-professional context means that the magician has no mics or camera equipment labeled Mediacorp on their stuff.
The general objective is NOT to record a great reaction and effect that falsely represents what the original effect is.
Rather its just simply hitting people hard *with magic, not a fist*

It's also not standing there in the open space doing dozens of routines hoping to get people crowd around you and clapping for you like you've just juggled 20 pins or something.

It's more about making people believe that you have the power to do magic in the quickest most impacting way, carried with a sense of humility.

Thirdly, it is an Art. Not to show off, but in the true essence to entertain freely.

Street Magic to me is the Art of presenting magic in a setting where you the magician come across as a simple ordinary everyday guy.
And personally Street Magic is definitely NOT taking out a table and doing table magic on the street!
That above example would then be considered busking.

Finally, Street Magic requires different things than table magic or parlour magic.

In table magic, your target audience is a group around your table.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the "theme of table magic" is entertainment for an audience that creates an intimate sense of understanding through a continual showcase of magic.

Basically it just means that there's no point to doing here and there on a Table setting. While it makes more sense to do an ACR.

however in Street Magic, you don't have a huge audience in real time!
In fact you've got to keep the effects simple and to the point cause people don't just stay on the streets for nothing! They are in the middle of doing something.

and it's not the same as table hopping, cause you're probably to do at most 3 effects to blast their brains away and move on that movie date you're catching at 7.30pm.

I could probably go on and on about the differences...
In which case i'd probably just write a book or something

I believe that Street Magic is a genre that allows the magician to present his effects to be seemingly impromptu using common everyday items.
Personally, even Sponge balls seem out my Street Magic definition.

While many do oppose this view that Street Magic is a mix of table magic, busking, parlour, etc...
I honestly believe that there is a proper way to approach Street Magic,
to give the optimal form of showmanship involved!

An example is the 2 card monte. The Kard Klub DVD clearly shows performances from others and compares what one should or should not do in the effect.
And its there that one would realize what kind of approach would work for Street Magic.

It's strange that I just can't see how Street Magic can't be collectively grouped as its own form of magic!

I might also add that this are just my opinions and I don't mean to offend anyone at all :)

R™

If you go Youtube search for the "Kaos card trick" look for a vid that is 1.25 mins stating that it is the tutorial or explaination. It's a good one

KAOs Tutorial Explaination

It's a healthy video :mellow: :mellow: :mellow:

Best read I've had in ages.

- harapan. magic!

very good read! However, i doubt there is much anyone can do to stop the trend in this IT era.

Great article! Thanks for sharing! I agree with most of the stuff in it.

I think that Street Magic is just a genre of magic, just like coin magic, card magic, etc. To me, it is magic that must be able to be done on the streets, using everyday objects like coins, notes, or a borrowed deck of regular cards. That's if you want to talk about the definitions. But it is the way the tricks are marketed that diluted the spirit.

Street Magic exists. It can be done! Because I have seen it before with my own eyes. People can really go up to strangers on the streets and perform, although it may not be that glamorous or exciting or rewarding all the time like in those instructional videos. Doing street magic well is a dream that many of us, including myself, have.

this should be pinned, very good article. B)