Journal Excerpt - November 9th, 2010

"Stroker Ace"

I have this thought in my head that my idea is real. It's just a given. It's like I know that I have to. It's on my schedule. I just have to suck it up and do it.

What am I talking about? My long chased after goal to redord a full length magic video. Over the last year I know that I've recorded enough effects to truly accomplish it, but it didn't have that start to finish feel.

No one has guaranteed that they can help, the sun will set at 5:00 p.m., I have no camera besides my cheap one, and my Flip camera software sucks.

Still... the pieces have seemingly aligned in my brain and I know it will happen.

So much so that I foresee myself recording something tonite, rehearsing tomorrow, and recording two days straight afterwards. Then I'll pick up next Wednesday recording any effects that need another take.

I've lost my hope to film this for promotional reasons. The aim is now for me to allow my imagination to become reality.

I'd like to find a focus while recording. I'd like to learn to enjoy spontaneous performances. I'd like to learn to appreciate rehearsal and routining. I want to find a focus, a character, and give myself a voice. I also want to see something through from start to finish.

Magic Monday

Magic Monday's is something I started doing years ago at my old house. I set aside an hour to create my own magic effects. I would choose a creative environment and listen to some creatively inspiring music. Most of the time I listened to the four part album Ghosts by Nine Inch Nails (since they advertised it as an album for daydreaming, it felt perfect.) I also chose to sit in my garage with the doors open so that I could hear the outside world, take in the sights, and feel the breeze go through.

I've just moved back in with my family, but we no longer live in the same house, so I will be on the lookout for a new creative environment. Right now I sit with my magic journal at Border's or Tim Horton's.

My first step is coming up with effect ideas. I sent a text out to all of my friends (none of whom are magicians) asking what they would do if any effect was possible to them. I got back very few responses, but it still got my mind going. One friend said "pull your heart out" and the other said "do something with invisibility." Another friend that was in the room when I sent the text mentioned levitating a chair.

Here's some of my list as it was written in my magic journal:

A coins across effect in someone else's pockets
Color Change done on a camera phone
Christmas in July (outside snow effect ala David Copperfield)
Make a chair appear (home or a restaurant)
An ambitious card routine where the deck disappears

The appearing chair came from my friend's idea. He had mentioned making a chair disappear, but making one appear would serve a more usefull purpose. Wouldn't it be great to invite some friends to a restaurant, not have enough chairs, and then make one appear?

The next few "Magic Mondays" will hopefully see the evolution of these ideas and more.