I've been trying to find tricks or routines, for either close-up or parlor, that don't look like traditional magic tricks but look almost like puppetry. It's hard to explain, like things that use a lot of technical and mechanical things to create very elegant illusions that tell a story. Think Teller's Rose trick, the Orange Tree, or the Eric Chen ribbon act. If anybody could find either an act like this or a book or tutorial for an act like this, that would be greatly appreciated.
Need help, don't know where to start my search
- Thread starter leslie_maalic
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I'm trying to wrap my mind around what you are exactly looking for. Are you thinking of effects like "Botania" where flowers appear in pots etc.? Understand that the really good routines (Ex. Teller's Rose Act) are a combination of skill, methods, story and performance. It's hard to "pre-buy" all of that in one package. I would think you could use some rope/string routines with play on the puppet theme. I can see "Chinese Sticks" easily transitioned to a marionette based effect. Like Teller does, you could play with the shadows the puppets create etc. For books, I would point you to ones that polish up your presentation and story telling.
If you have / get a subscription to Genii, check out the columns of John Gaughan in past issues.
I am already quite adept at presentation, story building, etc. I am looking for either techniques, general systems, or the like that can help me create acts almost like the Paper Dove act on Penn and Teller Fool Us, or maybe a Shin Lim-sort of routing.
Good luck on your quest. If you are already good at the presentation and story building, then I'm sure you will find what you need to fill in the techniques. Have you checked out books like Rob Zabrecky's (Astonishing Essays - Rob Zabrecky - Vanishing Inc. Magic shop) or others that really bring together showmanship and magic?
I'm no expert, but my guess would be that Penn and Teller & Shin Lim work backward. They understand what they want the audience to feel and experience and then find the methods. If you are a story-builder, then you have the tools you need to write the experience and work backward. Ask yourself, in this story what would make sense for the audience to experience next?
For example, I have a very casual "best friend" approach to magic whereas most of what you see on AGT, etc for Shin Lim is very polished and smooth. We could both use the same technique and prop but it feels much different. It makes sense for Shin to make a deck appear with smoke. For me, it makes much more sense to pull a deck out of my junk drawer. We could both be using a gimmicked deck etc.
It is also going to greatly depend on what and where you are performing. Shin Lim can't do his routine without a lot of setup and he often really likes to be seated etc. Personally, I'm never in an environment where I could pull off most of his techniques. Also, will you be in a highly controlled stage environment like Penn and Teller. Also, if you like their style, have you checked out their Masterclass? (MasterClass | Penn & Teller Teach the Art of Magic) If you like the way they think and structure, I'm sure this glimpse behind the curtain will get you thinking.
I hope this helps. Glad to be a part of the conversation. Onward and upward.
Flip has some amazing routines that could be presented similar to puppetry. His Flip Stick stuff is a lot of fun!
Zombie ball also comes to mind, but it's a PITA to do close up (for me at least)
Michmag has good advice with Rope routines, although it could hardly be "puppetry" but for Parlor and even close up it can be amazing (depending on what you want and where you are, there are many, many out there)
Multiplying balls, or the dye tube and silks are also solid options for parlor, then again there are a LOT of parlor type effects out there that are all exceptional.
Just a few from some magicians that come to mind.
Zombie ball also comes to mind, but it's a PITA to do close up (for me at least)
Michmag has good advice with Rope routines, although it could hardly be "puppetry" but for Parlor and even close up it can be amazing (depending on what you want and where you are, there are many, many out there)
Multiplying balls, or the dye tube and silks are also solid options for parlor, then again there are a LOT of parlor type effects out there that are all exceptional.
Just a few from some magicians that come to mind.