magicvault.netMagicVault Blog – Speaking the tongues of magic!

We have all been there. We get the latest greatest prop, or we dig out the props from yesteryear and we put them in our show – proudly performing them to audiences.

While the roar of applause may have you feeling great about performing that effect, you may be doing yourself damage without even knowing it.

When performing the effect, did you make it your own or did you simply “rinse and repeat” the canned routine?

Now don’t get me wrong, there is a place for using battle-proven routines. However, all too many times magicans make that the norm and thier shows are nothing more than a strung together series of SOMEONE ELSE’S material. 

To be truly professional and unique, you need to take those effects and turn them into something of your own. New patter, new handlings, new reveals… take the original and MAKE IT EVEN BETTER.

One example of this is the magician Tim Ellis. He does the cups and balls, the 6 card repeat, and many of the other “old classics”.  HOWEVER – take some time and look at his performances on You Tube and you will see truly original creations. The effects are not the typical, watch the ball go from this cup to that cup… or the “how many cards do I have now? still six!!!” He took those effects and made them his own and in turn is seen as a truly entertaining ORIGINAL performer.

So ask yourself this – “How can I make this effect better and something people have not seen before?”

Your magic will only get better if you do…

As I type this blog entry, I am confronted with two emotions…  sadness and guilt.

Sadness for the loss of such a legend in magic and busking. Sadness that a man so talented is now gone.

Guilt for those same reasons with the added fact that I should have made more of an effort to experience his magic while he was still living.

Folks… there are only a  few legendary magicians left in this world. Let’s make sure we do not wait to experience thier talents and gifts of magic. They are here on this Earth with a gift for all of us.

Rest in peace Jim. You will not be forgotten…

Well, the moron with the mask and the stripper assistants has hit a low of lows. While I never really paid much attention to him since many of the effects he exposed were ones that have been public knowledge for quite some time, this recent bout of TV abuse has opened the door of exposure to two very solid and often performed effects – Healed and Sealed, and Needle thru Arm. Both effects are in the arsenal of many magicians and often used in live paying shows. Both carry a strong impact on the audience. The fact MM chose these to expose is a severe slap in the face to the struggling magician that is using them to make a living. Back when Valentino exposed, he claimed he was exposing the older stuff to drive creativity – but now with this exposure of newer effects, it is clearly all about the money the networks pay the MM. It is a simple case of him taking the food out of the mouths of performing magicians families. Between the MM and YouTube, magic is becoming a public novelty. It is time to take back the magic and keep our art safe. It’s time to become more selective about our magic and educate the younger guys on the importance of keeping stuff off youtube. Its not cool to show how its done – its cool to show it being done!

What can you do to help stop this spreading of exposure? Is there someone you know that often tips the trick? Educate them.

Looking for a great place to busk? Baltimore offers many areas in the city limits that sees good foot traffic – especially tourist traffic. Fells Point, the Stadium area, the convention areas are all solid areas. The key to performing in those areas is to have a city entertainment permit. This can get obtained by calling the Dept of Licenses at 410-361-9690. The cost is $25 annually.

Baltimore is a city rich in culture and tourism. Why not give it a look?

With so many makers of coin gaffs, new magicians often find themselves wondering “who makes the better gaff?” or “What are the differences between all these guys?”. With exception to the high end custom makers such as Schoolcraft or Lassen, most coin gaffs are commercially produced using precision metalworking equipment in a mass production approach. Schoolcraft and Lassen are focused on custom work where each set of coins is treated as a unique process and even greater focus is given to the finer details. While custom makers offer the absolute best in quality, be prepared to spend hundreds of dollars on your gaffs. But what about those of us that just want an affordable gaff set to practice and learn with… do we need to give up quality fit and finish? The answer depends on what manufacturer you choose. We will highlight the most common makers of commercial coin gaffs and try to give an honest opinion of the pros and cons of each…

Johnson Precision Magic
Johnson is considered to be the best maker of commercial coin gaffs. They have been around for a very long time and have a commitment to quality that surpasses any other commercial maker. The fit and finish of their coins are so close to the custom makers that unless you are looking for special coins (antique silver dollars for example) Johnson is the way to go. I think you would have an incredibly difficult time finding any magician with something bad to say about Johnson products. The downside to Johnson is that not every magic shop carries them, and they are usually priced higher than most other makers. MagicVault is proud to be a Johnson dealer and can supply you with any of their items.

Tango
Tango is an Argentinean company that has recently gained more of a presence in the U.S. They offer a very wide selection of items. In fact, in addition to the common gaffs, they offer many unique items and gaffs that are exclusive to Tango. Many times these unique items are common gaffs tweaked in ways that the founder of Tango feels adds more value or ease of use. The quality of Tango items is very good. Not quite as good as Johnson. The fit and finish of the gaffs are of quality, but if you place them next to a Johnson, you will notice a difference. Sometimes the edging and milling is a little rougher, or there is a little more gap in a shell. Nothing major, but still a difference. Where Tango does fall short is the included instructions with gaffs. They are horrible. They are written in very broken English that often leaves unfamiliar magician unclear about the use or method of handling. If you order a Tango item, either know how to use it, or know that you can work with a fellow magician to get the handling down. MagicVault does carry various Tango items we feel are of merit. We do not carry the entire line as we suggest magicians purchase Johnson when possible. Pricewise, Tango is very close to Johnson – usually about 10-20% lower.

Roy Kueppers
You occasionally find gaffs made by Kueppers. Kueppers is actually a custom maker but supplied gaffs commercially. These gaffs are well made. Kuepper also makes various coin utility items such as coin benders. Kueppers is on par with Tango and priced similarly. If you cannot get a Johnson, Kueppers is a decent alternative. Be careful as some dealers tend to sell Kueppers at a high price comparable to Johnson.

Sterling
You do not see Sterling too often these days. Due to the dominance of Johnson and Tango, Sterling has become a lesser known maker. Sterling offers a decent quality – but again a definite noticeable difference when compared among Johnsons. They are much lower in price, and do have a narrow product line that is mostly limited to shells and nested coins. MagicVault does not carry Sterling at this time.

Sasco
Sasco gaffs are where you start getting into the low cost economy coins. Sasco, while inexpensive, often lacks the quality and detail fit and finish that working professionals and picky amateurs require. They are perfectly fine for beginners looking to get a few gaffs to learn and practice with, but in all honesty we suggest taking that money and putting towards one of the better made gaffs. The prices are not that much lower that it creates a huge spread. Sasco has been getting better at quality and hopefully they will grow to the point of being on the same level as Tango.

No Name Makes
These are usually gaffs made overseas. They are made in bulk lots in a very quick and sloppy manner. They often have rough edges, gaps in milling work, sloppy fit, etc. They look gaffed and spectators will notice. Stay away from the coin gaffs that are no name brand. You will be wasting your money.

Schoolcraft or Lassen
As we mentioned at the start of this article, custom makers are the absolute best in terms of quality fit and finish. Schoolcraft and Lassen are the premier makers of custom coins. Be prepared to spend a great deal of money – however you will have a gaff set that holds its value and performs flawlessly. If you are a working profession that relies on coin work and are making a good living doing magic – these are for you. Amateurs with some extra cash and desire to have the best – take a look at them also. Anyone else – stick to Johnson. Johnson will not disappoint you.

 Folks, basically what it comes down to is that if you are a person that wants the absolute best, go with Schoolcraft or Lassen. If you are happy with a quality commercial gaff and not looking to spend a fortune, go with Johnson with Tango as a secondary.

I would like to share with you a video of Dan Sperry when he performed at the Magic Castle. This video really shows someone that is intouch with their performing persona.

Dan Sperry Performs \”lifesaver\” At The Magic Castle

A friend of mine, Danny Hustle, stated it perfectly:

“Here is a guy who just so frigging gets it. The contrast of each layer of that performance is amazing. Here is a guy who LOOKS like he would eat razor blades. Instead he pulls out an innocent lifesaver. That I’m sure played a part in why he chose the Perry Como soundtrack to go with it. Just the JARRING juxtaposition of his character combined with the music and the lifesavers is hysterical. His barely cadged animal ticks and silent asides REALLY build the tension until he yanks that sucker out of his neck. What a GREAT little piece of theater!

This is a guy who knows his character incredibly well and is so open minded as to the world around him. taking it all in and not passing judgment, but finding interest in anything on things. I think of how far this performance would have fallen short if he did it to a NIN or ChemLab soundtrack which would have made much more sense to his character but would have lost all the cheekiness. I just love this performance, Sperry is a real thinker and a great entertainer.

There is a lot to be learned there if you have an open mind.”

What is your persona?
What sets you apart and makes your magic memorable?
What juxtapositions can you work in to create impact?

Some things to think about as we all journey down this road of magic…

With the holiday quickly approaching, many of us find ourselves reflecting on things we are grateful for and things that have made a difference in our lives. As magicians, we often find ourselves in situations where we have a direct impact on people – performing for children in the childrens cancer wards, the elderly at the old age homes, etc… We often leave people with something far greater than we imagine. To us, we perform and see the smiles and hear the laughter… then we pack up and go home – placing that show behind us and looking ahead to things both magically and non-magic. For those we touch however, sometimes a part of us stays behind and leaves an ongoing impression… the child laying in the bed remembering the trick you did… the elderly person with no one that visits, sitting there smiling as they recall the show. As magicians, lets reflect on that aspect of our art over the next few weeks and realize that we should be thankful for having a talent that has such a personal and dramatic influence of those we entertain.

Beyond that, lets be thankful for the way magic has allowed all of us to see past what is mundane and ordinary and look at the potential for what is extraordinaty – for what aspects play out as amazing. Magicians often see the world differently – and for that, I know I am thankful.

On a different note…

MagicVault Store has added a few new features!  You now have the ability to create a wish list and a gift registry!  With the wish list you can easily create a list of items you want and save that list for future reference. With the gift registry you can create a list of items and have our store email that list to others! The best part is, the list tracks what is purchased so those on the registry can see what you still need/like that others have not purchased for you! Great for Birthdays and Holidays!

It has been quite some time since I posted a blog entry. Things have been very busy with magic. We have migrated to the new webstore. We have added many new products… and much more. The biggest announcement is that we have added a clothing line!!! Yes that is right – magic themed clothing! TShirts, hats, sweatshirts and more! This is where most of our time as went lately. The designs are all unique and personally designed by those of us at MagicVault. We plan on adding new designs weekly! Check out the Clothing and Apparel category at www.shopmagicvault.com.

I have also been busy personally with magic. I have decided to focus on a series of effects with razor blades and other gruesome objects. I guess the spooky halloween is coming out in me!

I had the opportunity to spend some time with Aldo and Rachel Columbini. Wow what a great pair of magicians! Not only is the magic strong, but the comedy is insane! Two of the warmest down to earth people I have met. Kudos Aldo and Rachel!

Things are going great. Magic is growing. People are being amazed. Thats what its all about…