The Good, The Bad and the Ugly of YouTube Education

 Yes, You Can Learn Magic on YouTube

             

     
                      
My last blog focused on what is essential reading for magicians, or if that is becoming increasingly moot.

There is no simple answer. I lean towards yes, but let's look at our "student" of magic in the 21st century, compared to my day in the latter part of the 20th century. 

Where do our next generation of magicians go to learn the secrets of magic...the library? I suppose this is a rhetorical question. YouTube is the obvious answer. (Don't get ahead of me, I will not bash the YouTube lovers, I am one as well.)

Videos on the internet began in 2005. The pioneers sharing magic secrets were often amateurs with little or no talent. (Amateur magicians have often contributed excellent material as well as invention of every style of magic.) Alex Elmsley was a computer programmer by day but was also major contributor to card magic. 

So, the first contributors to the field of magic on YouTube were hit or miss. I always advised the younger magicians to consider the classics books and video learning as well. The first videos were on VHS Tapes, and DVDs were not far behind. Today, downloadable videos are readily available from online magic dealers, the DVDs are fading in the sunset. 

Today, you can learn a lot on YouTube from extremely talented magicians, and much of it is free. What's not to like? Here's a few resources.

Alex Pandrea, Ekaterina, and Jay Sankey, * just to mention a few. All are knowledgeable and provide excellent insights and tutorials in magic. They also have products for sale as well. YouTube has come a long way since its inception. That is the upside.

Where I see a shortcoming is we lose the history of techniques and often proper credits to the original inventors. I know there are some who simply don't care, as they just want to learn a few tricks. 

David Blaine's "Street Magic" aired in April 1997. It was a new presentation style which captivated a new audience of young magicians. Soon after,they started "naming" the tricks he performed. One of the most popular became known as the Two Card Monte.

David certainly deserved credit for his personalization of the trick. In fact, his influence brought immediate copycats to his style. It surprised some magicians as they had the trick in their libraries and had passed it buy. It was hiding in an Eddie Fechter book from the 70s. You can see Pop Haydn performing it, not as the Two Card Monte but as 'Be Honest What is It?" 

David also performed a levitation effect. There was a little controversy amongst magicians, which is of no importance now. Suffice to say, the trick had been around for a long time, known as The Balducci Levitation. Kudos to David for recognizing the power of a simple parlor stunt/trick. 

There was no deceit from David. He just found a new audience who appreciated his style and stunned them with some of the old classics of magic. Here he performs "The Invisible Deck." 

The internet and TV have popularized Magic in a way I have never seen before. Watch Penn and Teller Fool Us. If you are a well-informed magician, their use of "code" will reveal most of the secrets to you. I hope that after this new generation learns their tricks, curiosity brings them an interest in Magic history, and they discover the "Shoulders of the Giants" we all stand on. It is always good to know how we got to where we are today. History is available to the curious, and you will be better magician for knowing it.

Boston Magician

Joe Ferranti

339-927-4710

* You can monetize your YouTube channel, and I imagine this is the case, but the cost is nothing to the searcher.

Also, there are now subscription channels where users need to pay a fee for access. For example, Netrix, there are many others, you can easily find them. 

Boston Corporate Magician Joe Ferranti

339-927-4710

A New Type of Close-Up Magic

                                                           

                     Magical Musings of Boston Magician                                    Joe Ferranti 339-927-4710

“Things change”... and in time honored tradition, old men complain that everything was better, back in the day. Well, I was physically a lot better, back in the day, but alas, I can not stop time, and I have no intention to complain about how things have changed. 

Nicolas Ribs

I just saw a French magician (Nicolas Ribs) on AGT, summer 2022…if you saw it, I expect you would agree it was magical and entertaining. I have no idea how it was accomplished.

Will Tsai

It reminded me of a past performance by Will Tsai, known as The Rose Act. Howie Mandel said of Will’s performance, “This is the best close-up magic I have ever seen in my life!”

Magicians are often a jealous group, and many took to social media criticizing Will Tsai. Let me just say that what Will performed required skill and a little something extra. Nearly all magicians use “a little something extra”... from time to time.

 

I believe their objections were that, as close-up magic goes, it could not be presented in classic close-up style. Meaning that spectators could not have been seated at the table to witness the magic. This objection is unwarranted, in my opinion.

Traditionally, Close-Up Magic is unique because it is presented  mere inches from the eyes of the spectators, and that’s the way it was, until the advent of TV. Cameras could share the close-up experience to large audiences. What a pleasure it was to see some of the greatest Close-Up Magicians on TV. There was no other way I would have seen Jimmy Grippo, Frank Garcia…no need for a list.

The next step was projecting close-up magic on large screens which enabled stage magicians the ability to share their skills as close-up magicians live, during their stage shows.

I remember David Copperfield performing the $100 Bill Switch in a stage performance, the use of a large screen allowed an entire theater to see the illusion close-up. On another occasion, David went into the audience and performed the Floating Rose. Again, camera and screen enabled all in attendance to witness a memorable performance.

So,what has changed? Simply, the gentlemen I first mentioned were able to perform their close-up illusions on a large stage. The difference being the inability to have a small audience witness the magic up close.

This does not seem to be a problem for the layman…think of Howie’s reaction to Will Tsai. The restrictions of viewing meant nothing to Howie.

The problem exists with “magicians”. As I said earlier, we tend to be a jealous group, knocking the achievements of others. Most often the ones who are most popular and receiving media attention. Think back to David Blaine. His first television special launched him to the top of the industry. And just as quickly he received the barbs from the so-called “cognoscente.”

But, David didn’t rest, he moved forward to bigger challenges and earned a place in magic history alongside the greatest.

So, keep an eye out for the new “Close-Up” magicians, and remember it’s not what they do on their first performance…it’s the follow up. (Well done David Blaine.)

Joe Ferranti

Massachusetts Close-Up Magician

From Tricks to Performing

 Boston Comedy Magician 

Joe Ferranti 339-927-4710 ferrantimagic.com

From Tricks to Performing

As we begin, we learn a magic trick because it fascinates us. Little do we know our family may not find the same fascination. However, if you are a parent or a grandparent you are familiar with “applauding” everything our children do. On the other hand, if you do not belong to the school of, “You can become anything you want.” You may reserve your applause not wanting to see your child face disappointment.

The good news, with magic is there are many levels of performing which can be satisfying to most hobbyists to professionals. Many of our respected magicians have other jobs and still find time to perform.

Professional Magicians with other jobs

 If you are a magician, a few that come to mind are John Guastaferro , John Bannon and Marc DeSousa. These gentlemen aren’t exactly hobbyists, but you get the point.

The rest of us fall somewhere in between.

Realistically, we will not attain the stature of those I named, and there is a simple reason and I do not think I have to mention it.
Still, there are opportunities to perform for all who wish to, there is only one rule…”First, do no harm.” (Fact…this is not a part of the Hippocratic oath, go ahead, look it up…I’ll wait.)
Here is my advice, be the best you can be, within your skill set. (BTW, we practice for life, so our skills are not static.)

Putting Together Your Show

Second, put together a show, this means you need a beginning, a middle and an end. There are many sources to learn how to do this. Don’t expect to learn this for free or by trial and error, but here's some good advice for free.

There are many sources to learn how to structure your act. If you belong to a club, seek the advice of someone who is working. Be careful not to ask everyone in your club, I’ve found that everyone likes to give advice, even those who have never actually performed.

Some magicians gladly share their shows they have structured…feel free to use that as a starting point. Do I have to mention that you should integrate your personality into the show!

Finally, do not copy any one’s act. Yes, it happens, even on the highest levels. With so many professional magicians willing to share their creations you will eventually develop your own style and have a show that is unique to you.

Good Luck

Joe Ferranti

Magical Beginnings of a Boston Magician Part 4

March 13th 2022  Skyplex Venue Everett Ma.

Back into Magic:

Ten years have passed. I’ve been busy with other things and had no time for “magic.”

Around 1985, I had a renewed interest in sleight-of-hand magic. So I picked up where I had left off and continued my study. It was a private, quiet pleasure. I enjoyed practicing. Hours could pass, but it was not a chore. If you do not enjoy the “work” required to attain the skills necessary for sleight of hand, you’ve chosen the wrong hobby. Dai Vernon said,” If it was easy,everyone would be doing it.” 

As I mentioned previously, I never had a mentor, and that came at a severe price. Although I enjoyed my books, it was impossible to learn everything from the written word. However, videotape players were common in nearly every household. In fact, there were two competing formats, but this is all history. The VHS format won the battle.

It wasn’t long before Tannen’s Magic to introduce their “Stars of Magic” Video Tapes. These featured well-known magicians teaching their material and some of the more difficult to learn sleight of hand. For the first time, the student could have a “mentor” with a video player and a TV.

When I combined my book library with some visual aids (video tapes) my skills grew rapidly.

Who is your audience?:

Performing was a unique challenge. Magic is a performance art. Ultimately, it needs an audience. This is the biggest problem for most amateur magicians. Mostly, we rely on family and friends. Honestly, we’re not the best magicians and they’re not the best audience.

Our family and friends know us well. This familiarity can make them a challenging audience. Our familiarity allows them to interrupt a performance with questions or grab our props for inspection. It’s a wonder that anyone gets past this hurdle to becoming a professional performer.

( It’s a two-way street, we also bear responsibility. Do we present our magic in a “challenging manner”? We can learn a lot when we finally perform for an audience of strangers)

The Internet arrives:

I can not remember the year, but I was searching for a “slot box” on the internet. (A slot box is a magic prop for holding coins.)

I found a supplier who apparently had what I was looking for. The company was Diamonds Magic, and I called to get information.

“Diamonds magic…” were the first words I heard. I learned I was talking to Eddie Gardner, and yes, he had what I was looking for. He asked me where I lived. I told him, “Wilmington”. At that point, Eddie suggested I stop by his shop in Peabody to see the prop. That was a big surprise… there was a real magic shop in Peabody? The only shop I was aware of was Hank Lee’s Magic Factory. Which was a well stocked and long established magic shop in Boston. My only hesitation with dropping into Hank’s was the Boston drive and, more so, the Boston parking.

So,I got directions and headed to Diamonds Magic.

In my next and final “Magical Beginnings” I cover the transition to performing as a semi-professional.

Joe Feranti

The Magic of Joe Ferranti

Ferrantimagic.com

339-927-4710

Boston Magician

 

Boston Magic Show

                     

The Parlor Show

Getting the right show for your event, is easy...with a little knowledge. If you are looking for a Vegas Stage Act...you might have to travel to Vegas. Sometimes big stage productions go on tour. Keep your eyes open. Some spectacular shows may travel near your location.

https://boston.broadway.com › shows › the-illusionists

Close Up Strolling Magicians are readily available locally. The talent varies, so do your homework, with so many reviews and available videos there's no reason for you to hire someone blindly.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpRsNPm-L8lJgbR2T-M7iKA

Maybe you want to try a Mentalism show, simply search for those who specialize in that field

Others have shows that play well to a few hundred people, perhaps a School Show or a corporate gathering. Again, do your research. You can find the type of show that you want. Maybe you want some comedy style magic, or something a bit more serious.

All my work contains a certain amount of humor, but equally strong Magic. Recently I have been servicing corporate and private holiday parties with my "Intimate Par Show." I've performed in offices, Restaurants and homes. The audience size varies from 15 to 40 people. During the show, many participate and are the "eyes" for the audience. Keep in mind the audience can see as well, the participation amplifies the effect for all in attendance. 

The show runs approximately 50 minutes, usually a bit longer. I try to come in at a bit under one hour.

If you are the one arranging the event, this is an extremely easy process, as all you need to do is provide the space, restaurant, office, home. I will arrive early to insure a prompt start for your scheduled time.

After that, all you need do is relax and take the pats on the back for arranging such a great show.

Laughter and amazement brought to you. call 339-927-4710 

The Magic of Joe Ferranti

The Very Best in Boston area Magic.