Sorry there haven't been many rants lately, my friends... Christmas makes me nice. Plus, I'm nearing the end of a semester and I'm up to the eyebrows in school work. Trust me guys, very soon, I'll be back up full force!
Until then, ladies and gentlemen,
Michael Kras
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Things Magicians Should Stop Saying: Part 1
"This is the oldest trick in magic"
"This is the world's fastest trick"
"Fair?"
"...So, it only makes sense that..."
"Um..."
"I'll just sprinkle my hand with some woofle dust"
"The Jack of Spades! That's a very ambitious card. It loves to be on top!"
"See this? It's a piece of nothing. But with a rub, this piece of nothing becomes a coin!"
"Name a number from one to six. Five? We'll spell it... F-I-V-E. We've arrived on Red! Fair choice, right?"
"Red cards and black cards are like oil and water... they can't mix!"
"This is the world's fastest trick"
"Fair?"
"...So, it only makes sense that..."
"Um..."
"I'll just sprinkle my hand with some woofle dust"
"The Jack of Spades! That's a very ambitious card. It loves to be on top!"
"See this? It's a piece of nothing. But with a rub, this piece of nothing becomes a coin!"
"Name a number from one to six. Five? We'll spell it... F-I-V-E. We've arrived on Red! Fair choice, right?"
"Red cards and black cards are like oil and water... they can't mix!"
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Hand Care
Let's create a scenario shall we? You're performing your star quality magic for a few people surrounding you. You`re the center of attention. Things are going well, your magic is strong, your sleights are imperceptible... but your spectators barely take notice. They look beyond the magic, beyond your finger-fliging, and just see this:
Nice visual eh?
It's astonishing how many magicians I see who have the ugliest hands imaginable. This is even more frequent amongst teen magicians, many of which who, let's face it, couldn't care less about hand care. And that's a problem.
As magicians, our hands are our number one asset. They are what the spectator will be staring at 90% of the time you're performing. So, why go out there with Crypt Keeper Claws? Nobody likes to see it. For some of the more OCD spectators you may encounter, it could ruin their experience. We want to create an attractive, pleasing image with our magic... the way we dress, the way we handle our props, the way we speak, the way we carry ourselves. Having hands that are cracked to the point of bleeding isn't helping.
The thing about hand care is that it's so EASY... and it's one thing I happen to know a fair bit about. I'm probably one of the few teenaged guys out there that has bottles of Hand Lotion on his dresser and actually uses them for their intended purpose. Let's go over a few tips.
First of all, wear gloves in cold weather. I know this is a given but many people neglect this simple precaution. Your hands will dry up in no time if you leave them to the mercy of the chilly winter's day. Get a nice, warm, insulated glove. If practicality is an issue for you in terms of gloves, don't get those gigantic puffy ski gloves... they prohibit major finger movement and are next to useless. Get a nice, thin, warm leather glove.
Next, MOISTURIZE. I don't care how feminine it sounds, it's so important. Every night, before you go to bed, just rub half a squirt of hand lotion into your hands and let it soak in over night... not only will this keep your hands looking great but will keep them moist and tacky, which is ideal for sleight of hand close-up magic.
Third, for the love of God, take care of your fingernails... they are so important and the condition of your nails is always noticeable. Get a cuticle push done and get rid of the excess skin that grows above your cuticles... Clean your nails if they are dirty and cut them on a regular basis. Don't even give them a chance to grow the least bit long... trust me, this is SUCH an unattractive look.
Another point... get Manicures on a monthly basis. Again, this may seem feminine, but it's so helpful... they'll get your hands looking their best. Just pop into your local spa or salon and they'll give you a quick manicure to make your hands look and feel amazing. Remember, you can't spell "Manicure" without "Man".
And finally, my own personal secret: Crabtree and Evelyn's "Gardeners Hand Recovery" solution. This stuff is a miracle. It's not cheap (anywhere from $15 to $20 a bottle) but it works wonders... one scrub of the hands with this stuff once or twice a week will keep your hands looking and feeling amazing. It leaves your hands smooth and moist without being oily or sticky. The solution has thick sea salt in it that exfoliates, scrubs deep and removes all of your dead skin. It's a brilliant product and it's my secret weapon. You're welcome.
That's all I have on that! Hopefully you take something away from this and keep your hands looking as great as the rest of your beautiful self.
Nice visual eh?
It's astonishing how many magicians I see who have the ugliest hands imaginable. This is even more frequent amongst teen magicians, many of which who, let's face it, couldn't care less about hand care. And that's a problem.
As magicians, our hands are our number one asset. They are what the spectator will be staring at 90% of the time you're performing. So, why go out there with Crypt Keeper Claws? Nobody likes to see it. For some of the more OCD spectators you may encounter, it could ruin their experience. We want to create an attractive, pleasing image with our magic... the way we dress, the way we handle our props, the way we speak, the way we carry ourselves. Having hands that are cracked to the point of bleeding isn't helping.
The thing about hand care is that it's so EASY... and it's one thing I happen to know a fair bit about. I'm probably one of the few teenaged guys out there that has bottles of Hand Lotion on his dresser and actually uses them for their intended purpose. Let's go over a few tips.
First of all, wear gloves in cold weather. I know this is a given but many people neglect this simple precaution. Your hands will dry up in no time if you leave them to the mercy of the chilly winter's day. Get a nice, warm, insulated glove. If practicality is an issue for you in terms of gloves, don't get those gigantic puffy ski gloves... they prohibit major finger movement and are next to useless. Get a nice, thin, warm leather glove.
Next, MOISTURIZE. I don't care how feminine it sounds, it's so important. Every night, before you go to bed, just rub half a squirt of hand lotion into your hands and let it soak in over night... not only will this keep your hands looking great but will keep them moist and tacky, which is ideal for sleight of hand close-up magic.
Third, for the love of God, take care of your fingernails... they are so important and the condition of your nails is always noticeable. Get a cuticle push done and get rid of the excess skin that grows above your cuticles... Clean your nails if they are dirty and cut them on a regular basis. Don't even give them a chance to grow the least bit long... trust me, this is SUCH an unattractive look.
Another point... get Manicures on a monthly basis. Again, this may seem feminine, but it's so helpful... they'll get your hands looking their best. Just pop into your local spa or salon and they'll give you a quick manicure to make your hands look and feel amazing. Remember, you can't spell "Manicure" without "Man".
And finally, my own personal secret: Crabtree and Evelyn's "Gardeners Hand Recovery" solution. This stuff is a miracle. It's not cheap (anywhere from $15 to $20 a bottle) but it works wonders... one scrub of the hands with this stuff once or twice a week will keep your hands looking and feeling amazing. It leaves your hands smooth and moist without being oily or sticky. The solution has thick sea salt in it that exfoliates, scrubs deep and removes all of your dead skin. It's a brilliant product and it's my secret weapon. You're welcome.
That's all I have on that! Hopefully you take something away from this and keep your hands looking as great as the rest of your beautiful self.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Someone Who Does Things RIGHT
Fabulous routine, isn't it? David Regal is everything great about magic... he's technically skilled, likeable, and entertaining as hell. He knows how to make us CARE about his magic, as his scripting and presentation is extremely engaging and relateable (No doubt helped by the fact that he is a writer for television shows such as Rugrats and Everybody Loves Raymond). I mean, the man made me invest myself in a five minute Ambitious Card routine... to make a magician care about Ambitious Card is no easy feat, especially a routine that's five freaking minutes long. I could watch Mr. Regal perform for hours. I just did myself a favour and ordered myself his DVD set "Premise, Power, and Participation" (Which, by the way, is on for a ridiculous deal at World Magic Shop... Can't beat a four DVD set for $70!). You know you love a magician when you buy his DVDs just to watch him perform.
Long live Regal. May others follow in his footsteps. The man's got it right.
The End-All Visual Reference For Erdnase
An expert on Erdnase? Finally!
Look at this. The style! The grace! My god, I cannot possibly fathom the sheer amount of minutes put into these techniques.
First of all, kudos to whoever made this spoof trailer... it's freakin' hilarious.
Now, let's get into this... Wesley James, three-time First Place winner of the International John Malkovich Look-a-like Competition, decided he was passable enough at the techniques taught within perhaps the single most important work in the art of card technique to create a visual reference teaching the technique.
Honestly, when I saw this trailer without knowledge that this DVD actually existed, I thought it was a joke. But it does exist. And it still is a joke, but one of the unfunny kind of jokes.
I've never seen someone claim to be the end-all expert on ANYTHING without being able to practice what they preach. Sure, Wesley James can technically do the techniques, in the sense that he can complete a move from start to finish. That is, unfortunately, the extent of what can be said of his work. Isn't that a wonderful Charlier Cut?
The fact that ANYONE should try to enhance or adapt the material within Erdnase is an insult... those of us actually working hard, busting ourselves in an attempt to learn and perfect the work within the book don't appreciate half-assed attempts at making DVDs teaching the technique we're diligently attempting to master. Especially from a man like Wesley James.
Ugh.
Look at this. The style! The grace! My god, I cannot possibly fathom the sheer amount of minutes put into these techniques.
First of all, kudos to whoever made this spoof trailer... it's freakin' hilarious.
Now, let's get into this... Wesley James, three-time First Place winner of the International John Malkovich Look-a-like Competition, decided he was passable enough at the techniques taught within perhaps the single most important work in the art of card technique to create a visual reference teaching the technique.
Honestly, when I saw this trailer without knowledge that this DVD actually existed, I thought it was a joke. But it does exist. And it still is a joke, but one of the unfunny kind of jokes.
I've never seen someone claim to be the end-all expert on ANYTHING without being able to practice what they preach. Sure, Wesley James can technically do the techniques, in the sense that he can complete a move from start to finish. That is, unfortunately, the extent of what can be said of his work. Isn't that a wonderful Charlier Cut?
The fact that ANYONE should try to enhance or adapt the material within Erdnase is an insult... those of us actually working hard, busting ourselves in an attempt to learn and perfect the work within the book don't appreciate half-assed attempts at making DVDs teaching the technique we're diligently attempting to master. Especially from a man like Wesley James.
Ugh.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Time To Get Tudor-ed
Brian Tudor - Boy Wonder. Let's see what kind of shenanigans he's up to now, shall we?
Wow. Let's begin.
First of all, he reminds me a little of something...
Neat eh?
Mr. Tudor seems like quite the angry fellow... I imagine the only way he is given gigs and lecture bookings is through the fact that he frightens clients into submission. Can he speak a single sentence without swearing?
Silent, still reactions are better than people clapping and cheering for your magic? Yeah, okay. Just because you've never had the latter reaction, it doesn't mean the unimpressed silence that you mistake for awestruck bewilderment is better. "Make no mistake 'bout it."
The Charlier Cut sucks? Really? Okay, whatever you say. I don't want you to fly out here to battle me in card magic and flourishing... because, in the event that you lost, I wouldn't want the Tudor Thunder brought down upon me. I'm sure I'd be Zipped, Snapped, Inversion-Somersaulted and called a Dumb Motherf***er.
Isn't it fun to go on angrily ranting about stuff you have no clue about? At least most people as untalented as you know they're untalented. Brian Tudor, I can't imagine what could possibly possess people to think you're any sort of magician or performer. You're like the school yard bully who frightens the lunch money out of his peers. Well, there's no room for you on our playground.
Wow. Let's begin.
First of all, he reminds me a little of something...
Neat eh?
Mr. Tudor seems like quite the angry fellow... I imagine the only way he is given gigs and lecture bookings is through the fact that he frightens clients into submission. Can he speak a single sentence without swearing?
Silent, still reactions are better than people clapping and cheering for your magic? Yeah, okay. Just because you've never had the latter reaction, it doesn't mean the unimpressed silence that you mistake for awestruck bewilderment is better. "Make no mistake 'bout it."
The Charlier Cut sucks? Really? Okay, whatever you say. I don't want you to fly out here to battle me in card magic and flourishing... because, in the event that you lost, I wouldn't want the Tudor Thunder brought down upon me. I'm sure I'd be Zipped, Snapped, Inversion-Somersaulted and called a Dumb Motherf***er.
Isn't it fun to go on angrily ranting about stuff you have no clue about? At least most people as untalented as you know they're untalented. Brian Tudor, I can't imagine what could possibly possess people to think you're any sort of magician or performer. You're like the school yard bully who frightens the lunch money out of his peers. Well, there's no room for you on our playground.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
For The Love of God...
... Who does this guy think he is?
Where do I begin with this?
This man clearly doesn't take magic seriously. From what I gather, to him, magic (Sorry, "Goshpel Illushionshs") is merely a gimmick to "illustrate God's truth"... mediocre effects that he makes sure EVERYBODY knows is "just a trick".
I mean, my God... half of his advice in this little video contradicts his intentions! He makes a point to tell us to "practice practice practice!" and gives us excuses as to why we can't repeat a trick (The one about the batteries running low is going straight into my act, let me tell you). So, we're going to practice our magic to make it deceptive? Why should deceptiveness even matter when you're trying so hard to make your magic NOT look like magic.
This guy is everything wrong with our art. In the video, he advises us to "pray about magic". I think that's the one legitimately sound piece of advice the man has.
Nice shirt, by the way.
(Thanks to Roland's "Weekly Magic Failure" blog for bringing this video to the attention of the world. I just wanted to share my own thoughts on it.)
Where do I begin with this?
This man clearly doesn't take magic seriously. From what I gather, to him, magic (Sorry, "Goshpel Illushionshs") is merely a gimmick to "illustrate God's truth"... mediocre effects that he makes sure EVERYBODY knows is "just a trick".
I mean, my God... half of his advice in this little video contradicts his intentions! He makes a point to tell us to "practice practice practice!" and gives us excuses as to why we can't repeat a trick (The one about the batteries running low is going straight into my act, let me tell you). So, we're going to practice our magic to make it deceptive? Why should deceptiveness even matter when you're trying so hard to make your magic NOT look like magic.
This guy is everything wrong with our art. In the video, he advises us to "pray about magic". I think that's the one legitimately sound piece of advice the man has.
Nice shirt, by the way.
(Thanks to Roland's "Weekly Magic Failure" blog for bringing this video to the attention of the world. I just wanted to share my own thoughts on it.)
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