Mentalism is an art that has not received nearly as much on-screen attention as magic. This favoritism extends to a lack of fictional characters who possess the gift of mentalism.
Part close observers, part detectives and part lucky-guessers, the traits of a mentalist certainly lend themselves to airs of drama, suspense, theatrics and even the occasional heroism. Producers and writers should definitely take more advantage of the stunning and exciting displays mentalists can elicit.
Here are some of the rare characters on television that have set the standard for mentalists and given mainstream audiences a taste of their capabilities: Continue reading →
We have already talked about how watching magic can have a positive effect on the imaginations and creative problem solving of four- to six-year-olds. A newer study shows that magic can have just as profound of an effect on an even younger crowd: babies.
A new study published in the Science academic journal revealed that even children less than a year old can appreciate magic in unexpected ways. Babies were shown simple magic tricks that defied basic concepts of motion and physics. To the surprise of the researchers, the babies were able to pick up on the unusual events and showed more intentioned curiosity when examining the objects used in the trick.
This finding shows not only that babies have already developed a small sense of universal logic even at a young age, but that defying this logic through magic heightens brain activity and a desire to learn. Continue reading →
In a 1990 TV special, Penn and Teller performed a variation on the “body separation” illusion. Throughout the performance, Penn takes apart and rearranges the boxes containing the “body segments” of his hapless mute partner Teller and scatters them throughout the stage. Teller’s body parts poke out periodically according to music cues, teasing the audience by appearing as if they are in the separate pieces.
While this trick is impressive enough on its own, Penn and Teller decide to go one step further and reveal how the trick is done. They assure the audience that the first version is how “everyone else does it,” but they prefer to do it again with clear acrylic versions of the boxes. “We got these special made,” Penn tells the audience as they begin to dissect the trick.
The question the viewer is left with is, why go through the trouble? Why would Penn and Teller break the magician’s code and prove to everyone that the illusion was indeed a fake? The answer, along with a video of the performance, lies in the rest of this post.
Penn and Teller reveal the trick for the same reason most magicians do things: showmanship.
Penn and Teller want to establish a connection with their audience and make them feel “in” on the act. Their casual dismissal of the illusion runs contrary to how much trouble the process obviously takes. Watching the video, Teller scrambles on his back to be ready for his next cue, indicating the amount of rehearsing required.
When Penn tries to brush aside the skill involved, what he is really doing is playing up the creativity and dexterity magicians need to make their illusions work. He later tells Victoria Jackson that “We do stuff like that with the clear boxes because everybody thinks they know how magic is done. People think that if they think enough, they can just figure it out on their own.”
Trade Secrets
The truth is that the secret behind the tricks is often far more complex than the audience can realize. While they are trying to process the apparent nonsense going on in front of them, the performers are scrambling behind the scenes to make their cues and achieve the look of effortlessness.
In the end, Penn and Teller are simply adding to the mythos that magic creates. Besides, they are fairly tight-lipped about how their other tricks work. They once sued a magician who threatened to reveal one of their secrets, and they included an unexpected ending to another trick reveal as a knowing wink to the audience.
They want to assure audiences not that magic is “fake,” but that the real skill involved in close up magic in Miami comes from making it all seem easy. Visit our videos page to see more performances and try and guess how they were done.
One of the biggest sayings in magic is that a true magician never reveals their secrets. This has become taken at face value in our culture. Some people accept it for what it is, while others become frustrated. No matter your feelings on the matter, many accept it as an inevitability.
Many people do not bother to ask “why” this code exists. No, it is not to make the magician feel smarter or to hide some dark conspiracy from our patrons. Magicians simply recognize that keeping tricks a secret is the very reason why our trade is so entertaining. Continue reading →
When magicians are able to impress a huge number of entertainers, politicians, athletes and working professionals alike, they want you to know that they have the utmost credentials to captivate a wide variety of clientele. They also want to communicate that they can delight even people who have seen and done amazing things throughout their entire life. Continue reading →
Having a professional magician attend your fundraiser can potentially be a major contributor to its success. A magician’s natural showmanship makes perfect sense in a fundraiser setting, and here is why: Continue reading →
By now, most people know that the secret to close up magic lies in misdirection. The term “misdirection,” does not just refer to getting people to look the opposite way while you fumble around with some sleight-of-hand. Misdirection can also refer to the way you guide your audience’s expectations through use of careful performance.
When you shatter these expectations, the audience becomes astounded – the goal of any true magician.
Many people are unfamiliar with the term “close up magic” and what it specifically refers to. The reason that the term was created was to differentiate this type of magic from “stage magic” or large-scale performances.
Outstanding in every way. When you have a bunch of law enforcement officials including FBI, DEA, chiefs of police, and others watching intently and they can’t figure it out that is pretty amazing magic. It was really a fun experience and has people still talking about it. MIO thanks.
Chief Phil Cotten
Executive Director
Oklahoma Association Of Chiefs of Police
