The answer is in the NUMBERS.

Preparing for magic competition "Music Memory Magic Triggers"

I've been a little on low low key the past few weeks as I'm preparing for the Aces Magic competition @ The H.O.M.E. Bar Theatre, 1227 N. Rand Road Arlington Heights, IL 60004                                  (1/2 mile from P.J.'s Trick Shop) .
So far the rehearsal is going pretty good. One in awhile I get a few hiccups and I just start over again.  "Lat week I was at the Knights of Sleights Magic Flea Market"
 I happened to run across Arthur Trace. Arthur and I go a few years back. I hired him a few times to work with my wife Tracey and I at the Lou Malnati's Family New Years Eve Party. 
Little did I know that I would be performing with a legend in magic. I rember when Art was practicing for his big international competition and he would come over to my studio and show me his routine. It was quite impressive. I didn't even know then where his magic would take him.

One time I got hire to do a summer-fest for Carry Park District and I thought I would ask Art if he could open for me. I guess  wanted to help give him some opportunity to get his routine ironed out for the big day. I remember when I showed him my sponge ball manipulation routine that I came up with. I was planning on using it in the show at the summer-fest. When I showed Art, it even through him off with one of my moves. Well anyway the day off the event (Summer-fest) came Art did a outstanding job. Then it was my turn to do my sponge ball routine choreographed to music. I TOTALLY BOMBED OUT! I don't even know what happened. This rest of my show went good, but I was a little shaken up as to why, in the middle of my routine I went into a memory lapse.

It's not from old age, but rather something I struggle with day by day which is ADD. I really hate using that word because it's brought nothing, but pain and hardship in my life. It's very frustrating practicing your ASS of and then the payback is forgetting a line, move or slight in my routine and then it's just a domino effect. Here I am right next to the great Arthur Trace and I screw up. I remember telling him "I have ADD 

and I have trouble remembering things so why should I practice?" 

I think I said this more out of being pissed of from what just happened. I'll never forget that day. It was a lesson I will never forget. It was funny when I saw Arthur that day at the "Knight of Sleights" because Art comically brought that day up at the summer-fest. It kind of brought a bad memory to me that I was trying to forget, but at the same time I told Art of this new music editing technique I use that helps me remember. I call it "Music Memory Magic Triggers"

What I do is first I write my script and routine. After that I find the music I want to use. Once I find the music I then take the music to my editing software and that's where the magic happens.

What I try to do to help me remember what I'm doing next is little sound cues that can either fade in, out, stop or start abruptly, change into another song or use a sound effect. When I practice a routine I'll try to match it up to a note. I'll time the routine without music to see how long the routine is. Once I got it timed I will then sink the music with the routine and then either die down the music, cross fade, sound effect...or whatever I have to do to cue me that the music is ending therefore my routine should be ending a s well. When I'm ready for the next effect the music will just continue into the next song, or sound cue effect. Being in control of my music and editing seems to help, but once in awhile I still get tripped and forget, but it's know where as severe as it was.

I guess that's why I like entering into magic competitions because I feel that if I keep trying then things will start to shift in the direction I want it to go due to my belief and faith of good karma and just trying your hardest.

Many magicians enter contests for all different reasons. I guess one of my biggest reasons is for myself. I need to prove to myself that I can do it. Not necessarily for the award, although that would be great, but to prove that I can go through without a single mess up. That is my goal. Next will come the trophy and I wont stop until I win.

I guess that's also why I haven't been doing much with the "Imaginator" because I need to first work out some kinks in myself before I can move forward. 

Well I have to get going. I have the car packed and for the first time a detailed list of everything I need to do once I arrive at the magic competition. I believe that the more serious you take it the more confident and professional you will feel and look.

For any of you that may have hurdles such as mine or maybe your might even be more challenging.
DON'T GIVE UP! Learn more about yourself. Your strengths and weaknesses and find a way to work with them. Your BODY and MIND will LISTEN if you SPEAK to it.


Here is the Aces Magic Competition info.  

ACES 2013 MAGIC COMPETITION - Sponsored by ACEs Magic Club and P.J.'s Trick Shop

@ The H.O.M.E. Bar Theatre, 1227 N. Rand Road Arlington Heights, IL 60004

                                  (1/2 mile from P.J.'s Trick Shop)

12 acts from all over the Chicagoland area will vie for the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals

AND the coveted Audience Choice Award!

DId we mention FREE ADMISSION?

No food service will be available in the theatre so we suggest if you want to enjoy dinner at the H.O.M.E. bar restaurant arrive early and let your server know you are attending our event to ensure you are finished bu the start of the competition.  Beverages (adult and non!) will be allowed in the theatre.

PS:  If you stop by P.J.'s Trick Shop before 6:00 P.M. and say you are attending the competition you will receive 10% off your purchase!  P.J.'s is located at 1208 E. Rand Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60004.  Ph: 847-392-5280.

PSS:  Half-Priced Appetizers Tuesday nights at the H.O.M.E. bar !!!

--
www.acesmagicclub.com

Abstract Magic Photography

After a few hours of practicing today I decided to take a break and work on my photography. This type of genre photography I like to call Abstract Magic Photography.
Feel free to use the photos if you wish.

Do this next time someone asks you for a autograph.

Here is on of my alter egos called the NerdGician. Sometimes I just like to let loose and party. The NerdGicians has five display cabinets of pencil sharpeners, erasers and lunch boxes. His dream is to perform at the Magic Castle or better yet open up for DC. LOL!

THE MAGIC CLUB INVENTING and MARKETING ACT!

I was awoken in the middle of the night with this idea. Here I am at 2AM in the morning writing in my blog to document this idea I had. I guess this idea was to good too pass up. Ever since I created my "Butterfly in a Box" I've been thinking of other ideas to market as well. Some end up being filed away while others are on the tail end of manufacturing and presenting them to the magic community.

I like to think that my mind shifted a little to the inventing side once I got a taste of accomplishment and payoff with my hard work. At the time of created my "Butterfly in a Box" I belonged to a magic club. During the process of putting together the directions, dvd, magic effect, research... and many more things involved. I started thinking about how much magic clubs could benefit from inventing and producing magic. To me magic clubs are like your artery. It's like the heart of ideas, support and where things can happen. If someone invents a magic effect it could possibly spawn and inspire other magicians and club members such as I to invent and create beautiful magic to bring to the magic community. I guess some of these thoughts kind of slipped in and out of my mind. Eventually some of the thoughts just started to slowly go away.



This is where me making up today at 2am in the morning comes into play.  At some times I feel like Walter Elias "Walt" Disney,

where Walter left tons of ideas and drawings for people in the future to work on. Although I can't even compare myself to him, but it's the only way I can explain this idea. This feeling I have.

So anyway I'll cut to the chase.
What if magic clubs implemented a program where they put together a THINK TANK of all the members of the club and came up with new ideas, magic effects that the club and members could produce, manufacture and sell to the magic community? This program "THE MAGIC CLUB INVENTING and MARKETING ACT!" could have many benefits to the club and it's members. In a member stand point it could be very educational with the whole process it takes just to get a magic product to the magic community. Club members could get a feeling of what it's like on the other side of the inventing side of  magic which seems to be a hot topic these day as far as knock offs, magicians fighting over who created their effect first and so on. That's another story. 

The whole club and members could have jobs assigned to fit the skills of each member. You could have a cross reference research team where knowledgeable magicians research, look up magic effects in Tarbell or any other magic book where the magic effect they are creating could possibly be made already which as far as some certain magic effects is pretty much open to the community

(Open Market), but you still need to research and do your homework so that you can put valuable, knowledgeable magic information in the directions or dvd of the magic effect you're selling. 

It's crucial that you contact and credit the appropriate magicians where a effect is similar to yours and get their blessing of your magic effect. Once the club members get the okay to move forward after the research and are sure they aren't stepping on anyone's toes.

 The next step could be "Beta Testing" that's where they take the magic effect out on the field and try it out so they can get an idea of the reaction of the magic effect and decide based on the reaction if it's worth going any further and producing and marketing the effect.
Once you decide that the magic effect is worth pursuing the next step would be coming up with funds to  produce the effect. You will need cash so the members can buy supplies and material for the effect. At this point your probably thinking this sounds like too much! It's just too much for members to get involved with. You know what? You're right! but that's what's going to be the BIG PAYOFF for members that do invest the time into the program.

The magic club and members could host magic competitions or do a magic show for the public to raise funds so they can go FORWARD with purchasing supplies and material for the product. Once they get to that step they can put together a qualified team to make the product. This could be a great way to find the strengths and talents of club members. One member might be good on the technical side while others may be good at putting the instructions or dvd of the effect together. 

One the magic effect is made and packaged it's time to SELL and bring the magic effect to the magic community. THIS IS WHERE IT GETS GOOD! Once the club starts selling the product and hopefully making a profit they can then set up a separate account where they can continually invest/market in the magic effect and buy supplies as needed. The funds could also be used to hire magicians to do magic lectures at the club, go on magic field trip outings, travel to competitions or even invest in a magician at the club that you feel may go far, but needs some extra help or schooling out side of the club. the idea are endless with what you can do. Now I'm not saying that the profit from the created magic effect could fly all the members to Las Vegas, but it could maybe help with traveling expenses or help with bringing hotel costs down or even pay admission fees to popular yearly magic seminars.


We need to start updating our thinking in the magic community. These days everything is social networking and media. Why not use these tools to our benefit. If we start working together and collaborating on ideas we may find a little more respect within one another and get a better understanding of each other. Think of  "THE MAGIC CLUB INVENTING and MARKETING ACT!" as somewhat like Boy's Scouts or Girl Scouts. (A little shout out to the female magicians)

You have to work together to complete a common GOAL. We all want BADGES and TROPHIES, but they don't come FREE! You have to work for them.

So if anyone reading this finds value in what I'm saying and maybe you could pass this along to the higher ups in magic, just please credit me with my idea, because I have many more. Otherwise your going against everything I'm saying here. It's like taking a architects plans before he finishes. I have many more, but this is just the rough draft.

Well now that I have this documented it's now time to put my brain to rest and get back to sleep.
I would like to end with this.  Next time you wake up from a dead sleep due to a thought or idea I suggest you listen to yourself and your heart. When it keeps pulling and tugging at you it's time to take action. Sleeping it off may only bury a GREAT DREAM!
 Mark Presley
AKA
-Imaginator-

MAGIC TAPE SENDS A MESSAGE TO TOUCHY PEOPLE!

I was recently setting up to do a show when I forgot my "Magic Tape" the show was in a gym and quite frankly it was busy. Right away I knew that I was going to possibly have a problem with people coming up, asking questions and touching my props with out asking. I think the thing that bothers me the most is when people don't even have enough respect and courtesy to even ask. I  guess they feel like they somewhat have ownership because they are paying for the show.

Usually I'm setting up on stage, but this was on a gymnasium floor. Thank goodness my buddy Marshall Brodien showed up to see my show. He happened to have some on him so he lent it to me. I almost religiously have the "Magic Tape" on hand, but had recently sold a roll  to another magician at a magic club I was attending.
Anyway, I tapped off a small section using chairs to anchor the attractive yellow construction tape so I can block myself in and setup my magic without being bothered.

As patrons were walking by I heard a lot of chuckles coming from them as they read  the message on the tape.
"Magicians Props Do Not Touch or you will DISAPPEAR!" It seemed to get a good reaction and that's what I wanted. I wanted to come up with a non - threatening way to send a message to people that simply says "Hey! this is my stuff don't touch it!" of course I decided to go a more comical route
to lighten up the message.

I hope this will help other magicians in the magic community in there shows as well.


Sold elusively through Murphy's magic and now available at  participating magic shops.


Use the Magicians Tape to tape off your magic props while you set up. The Magicians Tape sends a clear message that says "Magician's Props DO Not Touch or you will DISAPPEAR!" How many times either before or after you set up do you get people coming up and handling or touching your props without your permission? With the "Magicians Barricade Tape" it sends a clear message in a funny and straight forward way that will get your point across.

COMING SOON!

Magic Contest Trophy

Here is some of the trophies I'm looking at so far for the magic contest I'll be funding.
Which one do you like?

Do you like magic competitions? what do you think the benefits are? pros, cons.
Please comment.