Originally Posted by
raymondsingson
Theatrics in Scripting: Magic
Raymond Singson
All too often, I seem to hear amateurs argue that in order for an effect to truly inspire or touch a spectator on an emotional level, it needs to speak for itself. In other words, being quiet and letting the magic happen is a direct route to a spectator's initimate mind. Perhaps the popular Blaine and Angel fad inspired this type of nonsense, but I wanted to offer a different point of view so others with the energy and drive to push their magic further can attempt doing so with a great degree of success.
When writing a script, I understand how most people don't know where to start. They have no idea how to make a particular illusion hit home with a particular person. "How can I invoke this type of reaction with this type of effect?" "How do I come off as the character I want to be with this illusion in my arsenal?" There are a lot of daunting obstacles in scriptwriting that should be seriously pondered in order to truly connect with an audience on a personal level. For the sake of example-- I'll conjure a script for Michael Ammar's Floating Dollar Bill (FDB),
The FDB has always been a major favorite item of mine. In effect, the magician slowly causes a borrowed bill to levitate off his hand and undergo a series of elegant maneuvers that subtly cancel out any possibility of thread work. In the right hands, the magician can effortlessly dance with the bill having it descend all the way to the ground and then back up through his awaiting hands. It practically flies in every direction and even plays with the spectators for a brief moment. The bill gradually loses its vigor and drops into the magician's hands where he can immediately hand it out for examination. Ammar's technique obviously constructed by a careful, methodical professional who believes in strong, visual magic.
...And yet I firmly believe that the illusion presented above is a highly forgettable one. Granted, it will always be a crowd pleaser-- audiences will always be surprised and respond with applause and laughter, but I feel that they all too often go home at night and easily forget about the miracle they witnessed. Why? Because despite it being one of the strongest and most visual close-up illusions on the market today, as a stand alone effect, it sucks. It needs and craves the performer to back it up.
Step One: Planting the Seed of Emotion
"When was the last time you wanted something that you couldn't have? It could be anything-- Think about the car of your dreams... or the girl you wanted in high school. Just fall back on that memory of you wanting something to happen so much but never following through. Really remember it... and picture what could have happened if things were just a bit different-- if you believed you could do something a little bit more about it..."
The above introduction instantly plants a seed of desire in a spectator. It should be delivered with a hint of awe so that the spectator can let down his guard and feel as though you can relate to his personal experiences. Have him speak a little if he wants to share. Get him involved with his personal thoughts and memories. In a moment, he'll apply this thought to the effect and allow a simple dollar bill do something miraculous.
Step Two: Anchoring the Emotion
"For me personally-- I remember sitting in class just wanting time to fast forward. It was so slow and so boring, I wanted so much to just get out of that room and get outside. I was so focused on wanting time to fast forward, I didn't realize that [snap fingers] it was even possible."
This is a Derren Brown theory as discussed in Pure Effect. At the pivotal point in the effect, the performer triggers an anchored emotion he sublty put in the mind of the spectator. In the example above, I used the idea of something being possible with a snap of my fingers. Theoretically, when I snap my fingers again at the crucial point of the effect, the spectator will instantly be taken back to the idea that something is possible. This NLP idea is very important.
Step Three: Involving the Spectator
"Watch. Confidence is key. I understand that this may sound absolutely absurd, and I fully agree-- but I want to test just how much is possible in the world we know. I have five dollars with your name on it... as long as you do as I say and make it move using nothing more but that memory of yours. Do you understand?"
This small, friendly wager does several things. It primarily urges the spectator to cooperate with you and take the effect seriously. For five dollars, a lot of people would do anything you ask. I understand that five dollars is five dollars... but I'm sure you've spent the money on things less important.
It also catches the spectator offguard. They're so focused on the wager and offhand claim, that they automatically dismiss the use of threads. Why-- as a magician-- would you even do such a thing? No money's ever free... If you could simply attach a thread to the bill to make it float, then why would you offer to give the bill away? It makes the patter logically more sound. It pressures the spectator to believe in the miracle.
Step Four: The Magic
"I want you to take a deep breath and hold it for as long as you can. Think about the last time you wanted something to happen so much but couldn't do anything about it. Think about willing this money to move... and it's yours. Think about the last impossible thing you wanted to make happen... Think about what you wanted... And as your breath runs out, envision the possibility coming to life... Just imagine... [Long pause until the spectator releases his breath. Snap your fingers and point at the bill. Another long pause. Silence. The bill begins to move. It hovers an inch off your palm for five seconds and drops down into your hand]
This is where the theatrics come in. The moment before the actual magic happens should have tension and controversy. It should encompass the conflict of the emotion at hand. It should generate a problem trying to be fixed. And once you have the tension-- let it build with silence. Let it linger... let it make people uncomfortable. The snap the fingers-- hint that it's possible to simply move the bill... and make the bill float a few inches off your palm. Less is more. The lower the levitation-- the more subtle it is-- the more realistic, and believable it will be. Do all this while being quiet. Let the bill descend, and slowly... give it back to the spectator. Let him bask in this moment of mystery and glory. You'll see astonishment on his face. It's a much deeper reaction than the typical obsenity or sudden scream. It will most likely be a quiet, nervous look...
"Thank you. You did it. You did it..."
Walk away with the bill in his hands. If performed correctly, he'll most likely remember the experience for a long time to come.
Just some nonsense...
Ray.
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