Pointing In Magic

[MohanaMisra]

I read a very interesting anecdote some time back, and I paraphrase:- (please correct me if I'm wrong in any way)

Mark Wilson's son, Greg Wilson was being tutored for a short session by Dai Vernon. Apparently, it was Mark's philosophy to always point, whenever he performed magic. Of course, he taught his son that too. However, after Vernon and Greg worked on Greg's French Drop for some time Greg performed it for his father Mark. Mark watched his son perform and after he finished, Mark told him that the move looked very clean. But he forgot to point.

Vernon replied then replied that Greg's lesson is over.

(Again, correct me if I'm wrong. I read it some time back and might have forgotten essential details)

The story to me seems to highlight the power of pointing in magic, to guide the spectator's attention during a performance to where the magician wants it to be.

Is pointing really that powerful?

Does the power of pointing hold up even for a performance before a camera?

Do reply!

 

[ChaseC6]

What do you mean by pointing. Personally I don't think physically pointing would work, however, their are other ways of directing the audiences attention and misdirection them. These include starring somewhere else, having a conversation with them so they look at you, or focusing their attention on one hand when the other is doing something sneaky. I hope that made since. To answer your second question, pointing or misdirection doesn't really work on camera. This is because In person there is a lot going on to distract the spectator however on camera their is nothing to focus on but the performer. Even if the misdirection worked once, if the video was reminded of wouldn't work a second time.

 

[RealityOne]

That is my only complaint about Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic -- that he always tells you to point at the hand where the object isn't. Don't. Point. Ever.

 

[Luis Vega]

I read a very interesting anecdote some time back, and I paraphrase:- (please correct me if I'm wrong in any way)

Mark Wilson's son, Greg Wilson was being tutored for a short session by Dai Vernon. Apparently, it was Mark's philosophy to always point, whenever he performed magic. Of course, he taught his son that too. However, after Vernon and Greg worked on Greg's French Drop for some time Greg performed it for his father Mark. Mark watched his son perform and after he finished, Mark told him that the move looked very clean. But he forgot to point.

Vernon replied then replied that Greg's lesson is over.

(Again, correct me if I'm wrong. I read it some time back and might have forgotten essential details)

The story to me seems to highlight the power of pointing in magic, to guide the spectator's attention during a performance to where the magician wants it to be.

Is pointing really that powerful?

Does the power of pointing hold up even for a performance before a camera?

Do reply!

Doesnt make sense to me... I think it´s way better to act as there is nothing going on... also I might add.. a common mistake I see in almost all magicians (particulary card magicians) is they describe what is happening... like "I am going to take your card and put it in the top of the deck, then I snap my fingers and the card dissapears... now I am going to take my underpants and well, well, well... there is your card right on the crack!!"

I hate they do that... also the card in the crack trick...

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

a common mistake I see in almost all magicians (particulary card magicians) is they describe what is happening

Because they don't have anything to say with their performance, and haven't realized it would be better to say nothing than to describe what we can already see.

 

[ChaseC6]

Because they don't have anything to say with their performance, and haven't realized it would be better to say nothing than to describe what we can already see.

I kinda have this problem especially with the ambitious card routine. Is there something better I should say or should I just not say anything at all.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Any part of a performance that does not add to the performance should be removed from it. If you can't think of anything better than, "I put the card in the middle of the deck, snap my fingers, now it's on top!" then just say, "Watch".

 

[ChaseC6]

I think I get the idea, thanks

 

[MohanaMisra]

So the lesson is not to point? (also, does anybody know the anecdote and can explain to me what exactly it means?)

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

The lesson is that the whole thing where you do a false put or like a retention vanish, and then point at the empty hand to indicate that's where the object is, is a terrible way of 'misdirecting' and should be avoided.

 

[MohanaMisra]

Thanks a lot!

 

[Al e Cat Dabra]

This a great place to get some great "pointers" from people (but not with the fingers, LOL). One thing I have learned is that what looks best is what looks natural, so placing a coin in the hand for a vanish should look as close to how it would look if you were really just placing a coin in your hand. Otherwise, the spectators will suspect and know that we "did something" even if they do not know what we did. As Erdnase said, "They should not even suspect, let alone detect." We wouldn't actually place a coin in our hand in real life and then point. It would look kind of ridiculous. Also, if we are going to place a coin from one hand into the other, there should be some reason for doing so, for example, to pick up a sharpie to use as a "wand" to make the magic happen. Creating a justification for an action is part of the fun of it all, provides misdirection and cover, and makes the magic infinitely stronger.

@ChaseC6, you have posed an important question in regard to the Ambitious Card routine, which is a question that applies to almost everything we do. And it leads to another question: Why should they care about what we're doing? We have to give them a reason to care. An entertaining or intriguing plot or story line is always a good "hook." Dai Vernon insisted, "You must have an emotional hook." Examples that can be applied to the AC that I've personally employed include saying, "You know, when someone signs a card it will actually take on their personality and attributes. You [Chase or whomever] strike me as a person who will not settle for being second best, and because of your drive, ambition, and will to succeed, you will always get to the top." This is a very strong emotional hook because nothing matters more to most people than themselves. Or, you can give the card itself a personality by saying. "There are certain cards in the deck that always want to be the center of attention. They want to steal the show." These are just a couple ideas you can spring off from and use your own creativity to engage and entertain them...

 

[obrienmagic]

I usually "Point" with my eyes. I look where it isn't without saying anything.

 

[ChaseC6]

This a great place to get some great "pointers" from people (but not with the fingers, LOL). One thing I have learned is that what looks best is what looks natural, so placing a coin in the hand for a vanish should look as close to how it would look if you were really just placing a coin in your hand. Otherwise, the spectators will suspect and know that we "did something" even if they do not know what we did. As Erdnase said, "They should not even suspect, let alone detect." We wouldn't actually place a coin in our hand in real life and then point. It would look kind of ridiculous. Also, if we are going to place a coin from one hand into the other, there should be some reason for doing so, for example, to pick up a sharpie to use as a "wand" to make the magic happen. Creating a justification for an action is part of the fun of it all, provides misdirection and cover, and makes the magic infinitely stronger.

@ChaseC6, you have posed an important question in regard to the Ambitious Card routine, which is a question that applies to almost everything we do. And it leads to another question: Why should they care about what we're doing? We have to give them a reason to care. An entertaining or intriguing plot or story line is always a good "hook." Dai Vernon insisted, "You must have an emotional hook." Examples that can be applied to the AC that I've personally employed include saying, "You know, when someone signs a card it will actually take on their personality and attributes. You [Chase or whomever] strike me as a person who will not settle for being second best, and because of your drive, ambition, and will to succeed, you will always get to the top." This is a very strong emotional hook because nothing matters more to most people than themselves. Or, you can give the card itself a personality by saying. "There are certain cards in the deck that always want to be the center of attention. They want to steal the show." These are just a couple ideas you can spring off from and use your own creativity to engage and entertain them...

Thanks, great ideas. I think sometimes as magicians we worry to much about method and not enough about presentation. But if we over come this we can take our magic to the next level.