MagicGizmo

Modern Magic has evolved until now it may be classified into three major divisions with regard to its effect on the audience:

1--Effects which are accomplished by mere physical means. Tricks with cards, coins, handkerchiefs, etc. - things usually employed in a magical performance. In this division are effects which people believe they could do themselves if they could discover the "Modus Operandi." But you know, of course, that they seldom discover the clever magical principles. You have already learned many puzzling experiments which come under this division.

2--Experiments based on Super-Mentality. In this division are included mind reading, mental telepathy, and all effects apparently based on remarkable mentality. To Magicians these effects are no more mysterious than a simple card trick, but to the audience they are manifestations of unusual mental power on the part of the performer. The spectators think that they could not possibly accomplish these results. I am making two classifications of Mental and Psychic effects, although in some cases they really overlap. I place the effects in today's lesson in the second division. Some of them, however, really border on the psychic.

3--Effects which seem to be accomplished only by supernatural psychic power. Reading sealed messages, slate writing, table tipping, invisible communication, ghostly materialization, trumpet talking, bell ringing, jangling of tambourines -- all come under this division. To the audience these effects and illusions seem like miracles, and a great mass of people really believe the performer is in communication with the spirit world and is aided by spirits in accomplishing his effects.

Unlimited Opportunities in Magic

The field of Magic is so varied and so broad that its opportunities are limitless. In the three great divisions of the art, described above, there is no end to effects, experiments, illusions of all sorts. You can keep on developing and growing with Magic indefinitely. And your progress is, of course, commensurate with the earnestness which you put into your study and work. There are performers who do general magic, and there are those who specialize. Both have a wide scope, and for both there is BIG MONEY to be made.

Specialization

Specialize if you will after you have gained a knowledge of the general field of Magic. Each performer has his own likes and dislikes. Certain types of performers are better adapted to work along certain lines than others. Some take to comedy magic, some to mental feats, and others to psychic effects. Some specialize in manipulation until they are master Sleight of Hand artists, others become Illusionists. So, you see, there is no end to what you can do in Magic.

You can capitalize on your own likes and special abilities. But be sure that you make yourself an artist in your specialization. Don't think that merely because you have an act that is a little different and composed of wonderful effects that you can sit back and let the act do itself.

Presentation

The important thing is presentation. Any really great Magician will tell you that it isn't so much what you do as how you do it. You may have $50,000 worth of magical apparatus and be a failure financially as a Magician. Then again you may have a few dollars' worth of paraphernalia and be a huge success, financially and every other way.

Remember, an effect is only as good as its presentation. That is why I lay such stress on the Scientific aspect of Magic --on the Principles, the Psychology, Showmanship. While the actual trick is important, the little things that put it over are just as important. The trick is as nothing without the proper Presentation. Take an elaborate illusion—present it in a slipshod, uninteresting manner -- and you make it ridiculous. But inversely, take the simplest impromptu trick -- present it with finished Showmanship -- and you make of it a classic.

I want you to realize the close connection between Psychology and Magic. The more you study Psychology, the better will your Magic be. The discussions which I have given you on it are invaluable to you. Give them a great deal of thought. Not only will this study make you a better performer, but it will also make you a bigger public attraction. Study the reactions and impressions of your audience. Study the things that make them talk about you afterward. Study the creating of interest in them. Your reward will be packed houses when you play. Managers will come to know you as a big "box office attraction." And, of course, with this will come real money.

Creating of Effects

At this stage, you should be able to begin creating effects. I have no doubt but that you are getting ideas right along on which to build new experiments. Work on these ideas. Perfect them. You will find it tremendously fascinating. Then just think how wonderful it will be for you to come out and present absolutely new and original effects which you have created yourself.

Experiments of Super-Mentality

Today, as always in the past, effects accomplished by super-mentality, super-natural, or psychic power have a tremendous fascination for an audience. People flock to the performances of those who "see all and know all." They bring their troubles, their problems to be solved by the magician, so great is his power. As an example of this, the story is told of the Davenport Brothers, magicians of days gone by. It is said that when they performed as ordinary tricksters, their pocketbooks were thin; but when they claimed that their effects were produced by super-natural power, people began to be interested in them.

Fraudulent Mediums Fleece the Public

So great is the psychic appeal that fortune tellers, spiritualists, mind readers, clairvoyants, have all thrived on a deluded public. A smooth tongue, salesmanship, showmanship, work on the imaginative mind; and all these have served to fill the pocketbooks of many who have deceived the people with a pretense of psychic power.

The modern magician stands opposed to serious deception through the claim of supernatural power. The late Houdini fought hard against the "fraudulent mediums" preying on the people. His quarrel was with those who fleeced the public of thousands of dollars under the pretext of having psychic power. He brought out into the open their dark and secret means for deception and showed these to be nothing but mere magical tricks.

Magician Does His Psychic Tricks in the Spirit of an Entertainer

The magician of today mystifies the public, plays tricks on them, and fools them; but he does it in the spirit of an entertainer, not as a serious spiritualist. Because of his seemingly miraculous feats and his clever presentation, the public often believes that he has unusual intellectual and mental power and is a master of difficult and unusual situations. The imaginations of the people build this power around him and that is what makes him the "box office attraction."

In the case of Houdini, for instance, in spite of the fact that he lectured against and exposed the fraudulent spiritualists, and in spite of the fact that he stated expressly that he possessed no supernatural power, he could not convince many people that he was not aided by psychic forces in the marvellous experiments which he performed. There are thousands of people also who after seeing Thurston's wonderful spirit cabinet presentation, swear that Thurston must be aided by spirit forms. They cannot account for such peculiar happenings in any other way.

Through the cleverness of the magician, he produces effects which seem to be based on supernatural and psychic power. The important point, however, is that his presentation is such as to make his deception legitimate for it is done merely in the spirit of entertaining the public.

Mental and Psychic Effects Based on Imagination of Public

The magician accomplishes his apparently marvellous feats of a super-mental and psychic nature merely by playing on the imagination of the public which attributes such powers to him. The human imagination is such an elastic thing. It adjusts itself to almost any situation. The magician then can work on this imagination. He can answer questions in a broad and general way and let the people carry them out in their own minds to a satisfactory conclusion. Actually, the mind reader gives very little information of importance. What he says is information is really imparted to him by the people themselves or something that covers any case in a general way. The people then interpret this to suit their individual needs.

When you are behind the scenes, everything has a different aspect. You learn that the mind-reading, the slate-writing, the message-reading, and the so-called psychic phenomena are based only on a scientific foundation which is a regular part of your training as a Magician. You see that everything is based on natural law and that you give things their seemingly supernatural power only by the proper clothing with Suggestion,

Showmanship, Dramatic Atmosphere, and Patter.

All this you do to bring in the box office receipts and to create a lasting impression of your ability as a performer with the audience. Your supposed psychic power lies only in the imagination of the public. And you use it only for temporary effect and not for illegitimate gain. In your programs it is wise to maintain a good proportion between physical, mental, and psychic effects. It gives enough variety and interest to keep the audience in your power. The proportion depends on the characteristics and personality of the performer and on the requirements of the occasion.