MagicGizmo

I must admit that I am a big fan of some of the TV reality shows. When you mix a reality show with magic, I am hooked. I am sure many of you had seen Celebracadabra which features semi-celebrities which were taught and then competed against each other for the best acts. I was surprised as to how good some of the performances were but since many of the contestants were already performers of another sort, it was not that surprising.

I was also a big fan of show called "Faking It" which I believe originated in the UK but had an American version for a short time. I came across an old episode of this BBC production where a physicist trains to be a magician. The subject of the show then trains with mentors for a month and then does a final test where judges try to figure out who the "Fake" was. See the edited clips below.

Faking It: Part 1

Faking It: Part 2


On "Faking It", they tend to pick someone who they believe is the polar opposite of what they are intending to become. In this case, Kevin McMahon, was extremely shy and performing in front of a group was the probably the most unnatural thing he could imagine. His early performances were simply awful and yet in the end, he fooled all 3 judges. He ends up quitting his job to pursue magic full-time.

It makes you wonder what could be accomplished with an amateur or semi-professional magician with some natural talent who wants to give magic a go as a full time career. Not everyone can afford to hire a magical mentor or have Penn and Teller critique their performance. However, here are some things that are possible:

• Seek the advice of other magicians, either through your local magic club or through online forums.
• Have someone video tape your actual performance or just set the camcorder on a tripod and do it yourself. Review the tapes and take notes of what worked and what didn't
• Practice more in front of the mirror (and a camera)
• Do more performances, whether for pay or not, make sure you are getting the experience in front of an audience.
• Consider retiring the old and too often seen effects from your act and replace with something new or with an original spin
• Treat improving your act as your major goal for the next 30 days, make a video at the beginning and the end and compare the two.

The magicial transformation that occurs during these reality shows is due in part by the focus that is put on the end goal. If your main focus is improving your act, it will improve. If your main focus is on getting more bookings, you will get more. In the process of "faking" to be a real magician, the contestant cannot resist actually becoming one.