The Genii Forum

What do you think of magic competitions? Mostly (if not only) in conventions?? Do you think you really see a magician at its best in a competition? Knowing he/she created and rehearsed that act especially for magicians to judge?

wow.... its quite the discussion we're having....

Ok.... I will clarify a little why I am asking this. Last year I entered a stage competition at the Canadian Association of Magicians convention and I did rather well in it. I had my friend tape the act and when I got home and told my friends the good news, they obviously wanted to see the tape. After viewing it, they just kind of sat there in awe. Not in awe for the tricks but in awe the stuff I was doing got me the gold. They all agreed they have seen much better magic from me in my other shows or even close up. It made me think.. Its 2 different worlds!

Take the zombie effect. I do not do this in my act but will use it for an example. For laymen, the silver floating ball is the ball that floats on the cloth. What if in a copmetition the ball started floating in front of the cloth and around my head and to the floor and up again. To lay people this is the floating ball, but to magicians watching this is a killer effect!! Why?? Cause it fooled magicians??? Cause it is original? (kind of)

Which brings me to my original question. Do you think you really see a magician at his best in a competition?? Knowing the performer created the act to be presented in front of his fellow craftsmen. That is what i meant.. I hope this gets the forum going.. if not I am having fun writting replies to myself!!!!!! haha

i saw a lot of magic competitions during the years i participated as a member of the ibm convention committee and believe me the acts that did the best seemed to be the ones that made you forget you were a magician and carried you away with their personality and stage presence.

Tabmeister is correcto...

I have, personally competed, four times, with three First Prize Trophys and a second. Each time I included little seen, or original stuff.

I have judged many times, including at FISM... and the winners are usually the ones that have originality, and a great performing personna. Lots of confidence, lots of skill, and do not do the stuff the magicians have seen over and over again.

Now, to make a living in the laymen world? You can do simpler stuff, as long as it is entertaining and you can do it without even thinking about it.

thats with no hands, right???

Originally posted by Nicholas Carifo:
magi refer to this as "magical masturbation" :)

Originally posted by -=tabman:
thats with no hands, right???

Originally posted by Nicholas Carifo:
[b] magi refer to this as "magical masturbation" :)

[/b]

HAHAHA:) Hey, it's not the size of the magic wand, it's.. oh never mind.

One good reason to enter competitions is to be seen. I know of acts that tried getting booked via tape, but failed, then they were in a competition, and even though they didn't win... they were booked to work pro gigs.

This happens a lot at the FISM conventions, as a lot of the European talent agents attend just to scout new acts.

Originally posted by Pete Biro:
One good reason to enter competitions is to be seen.

i think you're right on it there pete. who are some of the acts that have gained national and or regional fame and fortune by first competing at ibm/sam/fism and the better known regional events? personally, i think its a great system and gives an excellent opportunity to get an act in front of a large national audience.

Pete's right. I for one attend the contests to see who I might find and book for the World Magic Seminar. Contests are great for finding up and comers that the magic world may not be familiar with yet.

Well Eric, you know how I feel about competitions....and you did a nice job at IBM.
My question is WHO IS JUDGING THE JUDGES???????
There are LOTS of politics involved. This, I know from lots of experience. I appreciate Pete Biro's wonderful comments, but, I know for a fact, that often the entire team of judges are not aware of agendas that other judges may have....
I've been there too many times, and heard comments after a lot of drinks at the bars....lots of judges are involved with a contestant as a friend, or mentor....and never reveal this to other judges, and of course, do their parts to make things go as they wish....
My feeling is that there should be simply a show of amateur magicians, auditioned for, and performed in front of their peers. The competition forum is often not fair, in spite of the idealistic hopes of those competing and judging.
But, to answer your question....I think that being in a show of any sort, raises the bar for magicians. So, ....practice on, and be your very best at all times. That's what has given audiences Lance Burton, and the like. ;)
Let the audience decide on what is magical to them....PEOPLE's CHOICE all the WAY!!!! :)
Gerry Morrison