AboutJohn Gordon - Master Magician Expertise I am a professional performer, and attained status of Gold Star Member of The Inner Magic Circle and, over and above this highest degree, I am only one of 5 perfromers alive who has been awarded their coveted 'Silver Wand'. I perform at the highest level as well as train and coach both beginners and experts in learning a few tricks to creating a brand new award winning act. I ran The Summer School at The Magic Circle for many years as well as booked performers for the monthly public shows. I run a company called `MagicWorks` which provides magic for adult private and corporate events, television, film and theatre productions. I also hold training workshops and seminars, teleconferences and online training on using magic in business, performing at Trade Shows, Magic for Presenters etc and provide after dinner or conference talks and speeches all on the subject of business and personnel development. This includes creativity, presentation, online and offline marketing etc.
Experience Whilst I have been a performer for many years I now spend an increasing amount of time as a personal and business coach, using magic as a metaphor in my teaching and training sessions. I have several Internet Businesses that include Coaching and Mentoring entertainers in the whole business of self Branding, Promotion, Marketing and filling their diaries with bookings.
Question QUESTION: Hello!
My names is victor and I'm 13 years old and i can very much magic but i want to learn to do illusions
like you know David cooperfield.
And i wonder if you can help me.
Because i want to build my own and i haven't so much money so i canīt by big illusions.
please can you help me .
Victor Haskel /Sweden
ANSWER: Hi Victor
Your enthusiasm for magic and illusions is great. I will help you where possible.
You say you want to build your own.
Are you performing small magic already?
Do you have any magical knowledge? If so ... what?
Are you familiar with illusion methods?
How about structural knowledge of illusion building?
Let me know what level you are at and I'll recommend some resources that are suitable for you.
What illusions are you thinking of building?
Where and how will you perform these.
This is another point. Many are large and may or may not 'break down' so storage and transportation is expensive. Do you have a car and trainer? Or a van?
Will they be for full stage performance or cabaret (dance floor)? Again it make s a big difference in terms of audience visibility, method used etc.
Apart from the design and build you must think of the limitations above PLUS all the rehearsal required. Most illusions take not just you as a performer, but also an assistant and perhaps 2, 3 or 4 people offstage. Rehearsing these means you need the crew to be available for days and weeks before hand and you may need to hire a hall with suitable stage, wings, tabs etc as well as lighting .... the list goes on.
I don't wish to dampen any enthusiasm, but to make you aware of the road ahead!
So ... I look forward to your reply so I can help with the nest stages.
John Gordon
The Infotainer
MagicWorks
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QUESTION: ok.i want do funny illusion and i want to dissper an appeared. and i haven't cars and things .
i do small magic yes i do bill switch and many tricks litel bigger tricks whit ropes is the biggest i have so can you help me whit to do little bigger magic tricks like boxes or something.
victor haskel
ANSWER: Hi again
If you don't have transport and want to learn something a little larger fro now ... here's what I'd suggest.
Start with learning some tricks you can perfrom in a stage situation ie that are large enough for an audience of perhaps 200 to see from the back. Something like the 'bill switch' is not visible enough at that distance.
Before embarking on building and rehearsing and all the expense that entails, get some performing experience first. I'd sugegst (especially if you want "funny" stuff) .. . that some effects where you get one or two people up and do something using them. This immediately makes your act larger and potentially entertaining but easier for you to make the transition from close-up to stand up and stage.
What routines do you do with rope? This is a great prop and has good distance visibility.
DO you do any larger card effects like 'cards across' or 'cards to pocket' or any mind reading effects? These would all be suitable. How about 'silk to egg' or ' signed bill to lemon' or 'watch smashing' etc?
This is what I recommend .... sy#tudy these classics then add on an illusion when you have larger audience performance experience.
Perhaps a good introduction to this would be a rope escape .. see 'Grandmother's Necklace' especially the variiation where the escaper (can be an audience member) has ropes threaded through their jacket. However, you will need two helpers to perform this.
Let me know what you think...
John Gordon
MagicWorks
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QUESTION: i do proffesor nightmear and trhe ways to move the knot.
do you have msn so we can talk there .
Answer Hi
Professor's Nightmare is an OK routine. Somewhat dated (but that's OK) but problem as a cabaret piece is that the ropes are 'normal' but viewers think they must be elastic or something. It would be essential to throw the 3 pieces out for inspection first. Then your problem is to make this quick entertaining and getting the pieces back ... all as entertainment -- or it will kill the routine. From a stage this isn't easy.
When you are on stage ... in a situation where you may perform grand illusion ... the audience is typically far away, and you are raised and nopt always steps up to join you. So the whole business has to be managed with getting assistants or handing stuff out. That's why it's useful to progress from close-up to stand up mini-cabaret first to get experience in addressing a larger further away crowd!
Also on stage you can usually NOT see the audience. Stage lighting is bright and blinds performers. You'll often see performers ask fro the 'house lights' to go "up" fro helper selection. That's why.
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If you meant a 'moving knot' ... this would need to be worked into a routine. No reason why it cannot be done. Pavel has a great 'Walking Knot' Routine and Dan Harlan the best ever! Very funny, done silently ... check it out.
The best way to reach me is direct email. I get 500+ emails a day so put |||||| MAGIC LESSONS |||||| in the subject and send to johngordon[at]magicworks.co.uk and I'll give more instructions from there.
