This is the final of a three-part series for magicians on creativity. We share some important last tips and how to put them all together into your show. PLUS updates, news, contests AND Paul Romhany shares an exclusive peek into April's VANISH Magazine.
"If we can put our thumbs up and just get a few things lined up, chances are no one has ever made those same things line up before."
- Damian Kulash, OK Go
That quote comes from Damian Kulash the lead singer of OK GO when talking about how they come up with their unique and crazy music videos at TEDx.
He talks about how they start with a basic concept or plan "can we make a dance video on treadmills?" and play into that by thinking up ideas.
Today on the podcast we're dancing on treadmills and diving deep! The final chapter of a three-part series for magicians on creativity.
Before we jump into magician creativity ...
Check out the April Vanish Magic Magazine: https://vanishmagic.com
Connecting the dots and putting it all together
In the past two episodes on creativity, we’ve talked about how we capture ideas and our own personal rules for creativity.
The idea in steps 1 and 2 is to just let ideas run wild, record them and validate them with your own rules. If your original objective through all this was to make a virtual show. You probably now have a list of tricks and concepts you are more than excited to share. So let's dive into that.
But FIRST: One VERY Important aspect of CREATIVITY that we haven’t yet discussed is EXPLORING AND LEARNING COMPLETELY unrelated interests-- seeing what other industries are doing and how it can apply to magic
You CANNOT drive down the same road for 20 years and expect to see new things. Take roads less travelled.
Remind yourself of your objective
Make a new virtual magic show?
Design a new website?
Design a sales deck for virtual shows?
Remind yourself who you are and what you want to say.
I remember first starting out with my virtual show - it was a display of tricks. No message and overtime I figured that messaging out. But I have also played with the structure of my virtual show and the flow of tricks.
The first thing I look at is what props are needed before and after, what am I left with after a trick is done? Can those props/items be connected to the next piece of magic?
A true sign of a POLISHED MAGICIAN can be found in their TRANSITIONS!
The second thing to look at is the overall flow of the show. Start strong, end strong.
Let everything slowly build in the middle.
Finally, think about your target audience.
Does everything fit with them? Connect with them? Relates with them? This is where I’ll go back through and punch up all the little details or even remove something!