The Genii Forum

Hello Genii family,

In this over saturated lecture world I am looking for the "good stuff" that is out there these days.

I am not only interested in good working material that is always important but even better in a good communicator that can rely the material effectively and entertainingly and that has a likeable persona.

Please be kind to share your experiences about good lecturers that are active today and share what is it that called your attention.

Thanks for sharing.

A few names you might not hear often:

David Acer
I saw him lecture at PCAM years ago, and he was a perfect mix of silly and funny punctuated by the insights of a real world performer who thinks deeply about his magic. I'm not sure if David still lectures, but if you get a chance SEE HIM.

Francis Menotti
A charming artist. Material thats really and truly different. His opening card trick is one of the best card tricks ever, in the history of the art. And that's all I've got to say about that.

Doug Conn
A really smart guy with years of experience "on the street". Literally. He grew up in magic working the streets in New Orleans and knows how to get and keep a crowd. Some of his materials a knuckle busting, and some nearly self working, so there's something for everyone at the club. And he has what might be the single best use of the Business Card Turnover move...

Tom Frank
Another street-smart guy. Tom is a friend, and I've not seen him lecture as he only recently started doing that sort of work, but he's owned magic shops in two major cities, worked the streets for years, pitched Stripper Decks, and entertained behind the bar (at the Magic Castle no less), so he has a fair amount of knowledge to share. And he's been mentor to lots of folks who make a living doing magic so he's willing and able to share the real work.

Thanks Bill, your feedback is valued and much appreciated.

I've never seen Acer lecture, but I've seen Menotti, Conn, and Frank all lecture locally, and can confirm that they all do a great job. Our club's most recent lecturer was Geoff Williams. We've hosted him 3 times in the last decade or so, and each one was excellent. Also recently enjoyed Norman Beck, Joshua Jay, and Eric Jones.

I should really start doing lectures for magicians. I would need bodyguards though....................................

A number of magic clubs I've lectured for in the U.K. have told me their members are sick of card tricks, and it has been proposed at their A.G.M's to stop booking 'card' lecturers. Obviously, there are exceptions, but to aspiring lecturers, please note that you are more likely to get booked with things other than card tricks.

I'll add the names of Dan Fleshman and Kainoa Harbottle.

Thank you guys for the feedback. Like stated in my initial post...I am well aware that there are great people out there doing wonderful stuff but I am being a little more demanding this days. I would like to get a combination of not only good material but also a good teacher and a fun character to be around.

I have seen many lecturers through my life and I will take any of the ones that were good entertainers over knuckle busters that don't know how to address and audience any day and twice on Sunday. Finding that combination is difficult...not impossible. Some examples have been given here, but please besides providing the names I will much appreciate if you can tell me what caught your attention on this particular lecturer.

Thanks again.

At David Sandy's Workshop this past November, I saw one of the best lecturers I have ever seen: Tim Hannig. http://pkshow.com/ and https://twitter.com/prokids

Before the lecture, About 100 to 200 kids were bused in and we all watched Tim's show from the back. He was entertaining, smart, positive, hilarious, and had a remarkable rapport with the kids. They absolutely roared! It was a tremendous show (even for the adults). As evidence of his prowess, he received a spontaneous, thunderous standing ovation from the magicians after the kids were dismissed.

He then began his lecture, and explained the "How's" and more importantly, the "Why's" of his show, including the preparations, the bookings, marketing/publicity, how he directs the audience, the use of music and pacing, the importance of "Communicating, not commentating", and a very useful segment on how to develop new material. Real world stuff from a real world performer who is working all the time.

I realize that kids shows are not everyone's cup of tea (and that kid show performers never get the respect they deserve), but as a sleight of hand guy, I thoroughly enjoyed not only the performance, but the lecture as well--lots of insights I can directly apply to what do. I love watching a master performer at work, and inside information from someone who actually performs for real people is like gold to me. What I liked most was learning from someone who is in a field that is 180 degrees from what I am typically interested in. That different perspective broadened my horizons and forced me to think about my magic in different ways.

I left the lecture really admiring the guy as a performer and as a person--Tim's a cool guy and a real nice fellow to talk to.

erdnasephile,

You are now talking my language. Huge thanks for your comments on this particular lecture. I know they have to be many lecturers like that out there. Some of them might not be well know but still true experts in the bussiness. I will definitely look him up.

I am different from most magicians. I DETEST watching lectures. They bore the crap out of me. I haven't the attention span for them. If I need to learn magic (and I constantly study it) I learn it from a book.

Performer,

I think that you are a victim as many of us of the big batch. I invite you to track down a lecture from Tommy Wonder (International Magic for example...unedited) and if you tell me that bores you then you will have me scratching my head. We all go through natural stages in magic, we first begin wanting to know secrets (this stage is fulfilled by 95% of the lecturers) but as we grow into the art or the art grow into us then we start valuing the entertainment portion of it mixed with the amazement. Now if you can find the right combination mixed with a good teacher then you have the right formula. As I stated there are plenty of guys out there that can do amazing stuff, there are some that are very entertaining but very few that can do both at the same type and then have the teaching capabilities to pass their knowledge along.

No. They all bore me no matter how good they are. I suppose my problem is that I know everything anyway. I do try to be very polite during the lectures and always manage to sit behind a very fat member of the audience so the lecturer cannot see me reading a book. One does have to show some courtesy after all.

erdnasephile wrote:At David Sandy's Workshop this past November, I saw one of the best lecturers I have ever seen: Tim Hannig. http://pkshow.com/ and https://twitter.com/prokids

Before the lecture, About 100 to 200 kids were bused in and we all watched Tim's show from the back. He was entertaining, smart, positive, hilarious, and had a remarkable rapport with the kids. They absolutely roared! It was a tremendous show (even for the adults). As evidence of his prowess, he received a spontaneous, thunderous standing ovation from the magicians after the kids were dismissed.

He then began his lecture, and explained the "How's" and more importantly, the "Why's" of his show, including the preparations, the bookings, marketing/publicity, how he directs the audience, the use of music and pacing, the importance of "Communicating, not commentating", and a very useful segment on how to develop new material. Real world stuff from a real world performer who is working all the time.

I realize that kids shows are not everyone's cup of tea (and that kid show performers never get the respect they deserve), but as a sleight of hand guy, I thoroughly enjoyed not only the performance, but the lecture as well--lots of insights I can directly apply to what do. I love watching a master performer at work, and inside information from someone who actually performs for real people is like gold to me. What I liked most was learning from someone who is in a field that is 180 degrees from what I am typically interested in. That different perspective broadened my horizons and forced me to think about my magic in different ways.

I left the lecture really admiring the guy as a performer and as a person--Tim's a cool guy and a real nice fellow to talk to.

Just now saw this. Thanks so much for the great review. It's because of the response I received at The Workshops that I moved forward in writing my 450 page book, which took 3 years.

PERFORM came out in 2020, and was voted "book of the year" on the magic cafe. It's been a crazy ride!