Showing posts with label Shawn Farquhar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shawn Farquhar. Show all posts

19 March 2024

Toronto: Lost in the Shuffle a Hot Docs Special Presentation [Apr 25 - May 5]

Additional details at Hot Docs.

 

From the March 17th Instagram post by Hot Docs:

Pick a card, any card!

Enter the magical world of magician Shawn Farquhar (@magichampion) as he simultaneously devises a new magic trick and delves into medieval murder cold cases in @LostInTheShuffleMovie.

Seen through the eyes of some of the world’s best sleight-of-hand artists, LOST IN THE SHUFFLE is a loving look at how playing cards has become synonymous with magic and the mysteries hidden in their art.

This magical film will have its world premiere at #HotDocs24 as part of the Special Presentations program.

 

 

 

 

 

20 February 2024

New Westminster: Taylor Hughes [May 16 - 19]

From the February 18th Facebook post by Shawn Farquhar:

Some exciting news for Hidden Wonders Speakeasy Magic Experience and the magicians of BC. I have invited a guest artists to present their show for an entire weekend in the showroom in May. You won't want to miss this magician!  

If we ask really nice he might even do a lecture! Ticket sales are open to the public so this is certain to sell out fast, like all Hidden Wonders shows. 

https://buytickets.at/hiddenwonders/1162627




 

 

 

 

 

 

New Westminster: The MAGIC Festival [Mar 25 - 30]

Visit their website at TheMagicFestival.com.

 

From the February 12th Facebook post by Shawn Farquhar:

I'm excited to announce we're restarting The MAGIC Festival. It has been years since we had the time and energy to mount a week long festival celebrating Magic Arts Gathering In Canada... see what I did there? lol 

We have contributions from the Vancouver Magic Circle, IBM Ring #92, the SAM #95 Assembly, the Vancouver Magic Academy, Rick Bronson's House of Comedy, Stefanos Restaurant and Lounge, and it will all be held in Downtown New Westminster! 

Magic for the masses... mark your calendars: March 25th-30th.

 

 

 

 

 

17 December 2023

Shawn Farquhar on "This is BC" with Jay Durant

ICYMI, on November 9th, Shawn was featured in a segment of This is BC.   Watch the segment about Shawn in This is BC: Magician follows family tradition with Jay Durant.

 

 

 

 

17 October 2023

San Diego: Shawn Farquhar at PCAM [Nov 9 -12]

From the August 31st Facebook post by Shawn Farquhar:

Hey magicians, I am performing and lecturing at three magic events in the coming months. The TRIC's convention is SOLD OUT and the Retreat to Egypt is SOLD OUT.
This means if you haven't registered to either of those, and want to come hang out with me at a magic convention, where I am performing and teaching, you need to register for the PCAM in San Diego.  www.PCAMMAGIC.com

PCAM is my absolute favourite magic gathering. In 1995, when I produced the convention in Reno, Nevada I named it "The Biggest Little Convention", and it still holds true today.


 

The sold out Egypt retreat:

 

 

Chicago: Shawn Farquhar lecture [Nov 6]

From the September 29th Facebook post by Shawn Farquhar:

CHICAGO friends...
CHANGE OF PLANS DUE TO HIGH DEMAND

The local SAM Assembly #3 has graciously agreed to host my lecture at Magic Inc.  This means the price of admission is significantly less and more people can attend. 

You must RSVP in advance and that can be done by visiting this link:
https://www.magicalchicago.com/news

 

 

 

 

25 August 2023

The Legacy of Sorcerers Safari - part 7

Recap (click to show | hide)

From Part 1 of the series:

In lieu of a physical reunion bringing together past campers and staff, Canada’s Magic is hosting a virtual reunion of sorts.  We’ve reached out to the Sorcerers Safari community with a dozen or so questions to help bring us up to date on what everyone has been up to since our magic camp days.

If you completed our survey, keep your eyes peeled for your segment!  

If you would like to participate but haven’t filled out the survey, there’s still time.  The survey can be found here:  https://forms.gle/umg77yj9QxUzfpm76

Thank you to all that contributed!


 

Mike, Jen, Sorcerers Safari staff, and alumni, this series is for you.

 

The Legacy of Sorcerers Safari

 

Part 7 features:  Jonathan Santiago, Shawn Farquhar, and Alex Zander

 

  Jonathan Santiago  
Professional magician, Casino Pit Manager.

Attended camp from 2001 to 2003 as staff.

Since his time at camp Jonathan has:

  • Improved his leadership abilities.


In his own words:

  • My leadership abilities were enhanced by my time at Sorcerers Safari.

  • Favourite Sorcerers Safari memory?  
    • The Jam sessions after hours.

  • Biggest take-away from Sorcerers Safari?
    • Made friendships that still exist today.


Please resurrect the Sorcerers Safari!!

 

 

  Shawn Farquhar  
Professional magician, magiChampion.com
Theatre Owner, HiddenWonders.ca
Film maker, LostInTheShuffle.film

Attended camp from 2008 - 2016 as staff.  (Excluding 2014)

Since his time at camp Shawn has:

  • Opened his own theatre and has continued to help young magicians become better.
  • Completed principal filming on his documentary Lost in the Shuffle.


In his own words:

  • Sorcerers Safari made me see things differently and has had a lasting impact in life.

  • Favourite Sorcerers Safari memory?  
    • Having all my personal belongings duct taped to the walls and ceiling of my room and having to wander the entire camp as "Farquharfish" trying to discover where my laptop was hidden. Oh, and watching Eric Buss conduct an Improv Workshop.

  • Biggest take-away from Sorcerers Safari?
    • To this day I run into campers and love that we made a bond of friendship that will last my lifetime. 
    • Best Camp ever.

I hope you'll reach out to Michael Ammar to talk about his "Card on Sky" routine, and the Buck Twins about the joy of eating pie without hands.  I miss camp.

[Editor's note:  We LOVE hearing campers tell us about their Card on Sky memories.  It comes up often!  We've reached out to Michael Ammar and the Buck Twins.  Hopefully they'll write back to us with their perspective of those fabulous memories!]

 

 

  Alex Zander 
Professional magician, AlexZander.ca

Attended camp in 2013 and 2014 as a counsellor.

 

Since his time at camp Alex has been:

  • The youngest elected President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, 
  • A full time magician, solo income since that 1st year at camp,
  • The lead artist in 9-month performance tour across North America, and 
  • The organizer of local, regional, and international magic conventions.


In his own words:

  • I met lifelong friends and mentors at Sorcerers Safari who continue to motivate me every year.
  • Camp played a huge role in unlocking my skills of community building in the world of magic.

  • Favourite Sorcerers Safari memory?  
    • “Trolling for the Farquharfish”  if you know, you know!!
    • As the youngest counsellor on staff, I was assigned to the youngest cabin of campers. Spending time working on their new magic, introducing them to routine-building, and watching as their eyes were opened to a whole new world of the craft was truly magical. To this day, it is always a joy to see when camp kids (now all graduated) excitedly find us to reconnect at magic conventions or while travelling. They’re all so much taller….


  • Biggest take-away from Sorcerers Safari?
    • The world of magic is like a social club. You get out what you put in (and many times more!).
    • Taking the time to volunteer in your local, regional, or global magic community creates social bonds and professional rapport that will outlast whatever project you are working on.

Sorcerers Safari alumni were fortunate to experience a small slice of magical nirvana. Away from the distractions of everyday life, Camp Directors Magic Mike & Jen created not just an experience but a family of magic lovers from all walks of life.

Some campers have remained in the magical arts, some found new passions and success,  though all campers have one thing we can agree on. No matter what year you attended, it was the BEST SUMMER EVER… and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

 

Thank you Jonathan, Shawn, and Alex for sharing your memories!

Check back throughout the month to read updates from other Sorcerers Safari alumni and staff!

 

 Previously featured 

 

Learn more about Sorcerers Safari.

part 1part 2  | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10 | part 11 | part 12

<< part 6  |  part 8 >>

 

 

04 August 2023

Jack Schwartz interviewed by Kidney PLUGGED IN

From the August1st upload "Meet Jack, a grade 7 student at Vancouver Talmud Torah. Jack is a Magician and Youth Philanthropist." on the Kidney PLUGGED IN YouTube channel:

Jack is an accomplished magician, helped to raise funds by putting on fabulous magic show for friends and family!  Inspired by his father, Daniel Schwartz, a nephrologist at St. Paul’s hospital.
Jack chose to donate the proceeds from his show to the BC & Yukon Branch of The Kidney Foundation in support of vulnerable kidney patients in BC/Yukon.

On this episode, you’ll meet this amazing young man, hear about what motivated his philanthropic and be treated to a performance of some of Jack’s magic tricks.

Read more and watch video.



From the August 2nd Facebook post by Shawn Farquhar:

Meet Jack Schwartz, one of the younger members of the Vancouver Magic Circle, IBM Ring #92. He was just featured in this nearly thirty minute program, performing magic and doing interviews. He's not only a Magician, but a Philanthropist for raising $2,600.00 for the Kidney Foundation by producing his own magic show. 

I love that he mentions the International Brotherhood of Magicians, and our local Ring, and was delighted to be included in his list of mentors along with his Father and Rod Boss.
We have a wonderful community of magicians in the lower mainland and Jack is a fine example.  Kudos to you Jack on a job well done! *Daniel Schwartz, you can be rightfully proud!  😉

 

 

 

14 June 2023

Checking in with Matt DiSero and The Fog Machine of War

We had the opportunity to check in with Matt DiSero and learn more about his recently released book, The Fog Machine of War: Observations, Stories and Advice from the Showbiz Trenches.

As many of you are aware, Matt is a show biz veteran who has accumulated over 30 years of experience and stories about both the entertainment industry and life on the road.


 
 
 
What is your first memory of magic? 

First memory was of my great uncle doing magic. I couldn't have been more than 5. He worked in the side show occasionally and played piano at private gigs. Black sheep of the family. Naturally I was drawn to the dude who was doing card tricks for me. Better than being drawn to Uncle Jimmy the pot dealer. The real thing that got me hooked on magic happened at Morrissey Magic, and that story is in the book, so you'll have to read the story of the crack that got me hooked on magic.
 

Who inspires you that isn't a magician?

Fran Lebowitz, Peter Hujar, William Gibson, John Wing, William Burroughs, Edward R Murrow, Hunter Thompson and a zillion others.  Worthy of note, I don't see much of their influence in my own work. Ironic. I can be a lazy arse about work sometimes. By that metric I suppose another influence is Garfield. Also I noticed just now that I'm influenced by a lot of older or deceased artists. That's troubling. 

Who from the magic community inspires you?

A lot of people inspire me for a lot of different reasons. Jay Sankey for his ability to create, Steve Valentine for being an obsessive student of the history of magic and one of its greatest performers, David Ben for many of the same reasons and for treating this like an art, though I'm not sure it can be. (Let's start the fight! It's in the book too.) Mostly though, I'm inspired by any magician doing the type of work they want to do, that's OF them and who are still excited to be in this. The juice is performing live. For me, that's where the respect is at.
 

What prompted you to write this book?

I had no real desire to write a book because WOW I'm lazy... but magicians are often asking me to write one. They seem to like my Facebook posts and think I have something to say. Well, I'll prove them wrong, just you watch. Not sure I have anything to say, but when I thought about it, the idea of putting out a book would silence the constant ask. At the same time donating profits to a magic school in Bolivia absolves me of any guilt from asking for cash for the work. See the goal here is to straddle the constant self loathing while equally promoting this thing. Apathy, it's my sword and shield. Hey, lets also not forget that the published author tag also sure helps on the green card application, which I'm currently in the middle of getting through. Not long until I'm outta this frozen hell hole of Hoth we call Ontario.
 


 
 
 
What is your favourite anecdote from the book? 

I'm fond of the Magic Castle story, because the first time performing there is super special and I think people ought to read how it feels if they've never been. Mostly though, it's the Monkey story. The whole thing screams show business. If nothing else I was hoping to show people just how crazy this business can be, and that's the coolest thing about it. Even when the money wasn't great, the stories were. It was the best way to grow up. Oh... there's also a ton of swearing in it. Apologies, but I swear a lot. It's a personal failure. Take it up with the editor of this thing.

You're not making a profit from this book.  All proceeds are going to charity.  Tell us about the charity you're supporting.
 
As charities go, this is a good one. It's a magic school for kids in Bolivia. If you've ever been anywhere in South America you'll notice they have it pretty rough compared to here. It's a good place to try and raise some cash for. To be fair it was Shawn Farquhar who put me on to that school. I always wanted to do something to help kids in magic and Shawn had a connection to the school, so it was a great fit. Magic has given us all so very much and so many crazy adventures. I like the idea of helping out a kid who loves magic who might one day have their own crazy stories. Maybe because we bought some props and helped them along.... hey I'm just a steel town girl on a Saturday night, looking for the fight of her life. In the real time world no one sees me at all, they all say I'm CRAAAAZZYYY... she's a maniac....maniac on the floor.....

[Editor's note:  Great.  Now that Michael Sembello song is stuck in my head.]

 

Is there anything else you’d like to share about you or The Fog Machine of War with our readers?
 
I always say this is bathroom reading for magicians. It's not a long book, really not long. I'm saving trees. Short stories, often less than a page at a time. I'm not trying to put out a Ken Weber style work. It's light reading, hopefully, to make you laugh and think about the industry. There's a few pieces in there specifically designed to start some debates, maybe even fights. I was always a fan of Metropolitan Life by Fran Lebowitz, so I sort of patterned the book after that. Naturally my book is nowhere near as good as Fran's. That said, maybe I can build an empire off publishing a single book. Hey, worked for her.
 

 

Thank you Matt, for making the time to answer our questions! 

To learn more about The Fog Machine of War and to purchase the book, visit MattDiSero.com/book/

Learn more about Matt at his website MattDiSero.com and follow him on Instagram.

 

 

 

 

 

20 May 2023

Shawn Farquhar special guest at TRICS 2023 [Nov 2 - 4]

From the March 31st Facebook post by TRICS:

Final TRICS Talent Announcement!
This time our Guest of Honor. He is a 2 time FISM winner and a great guy. He supported TRICS back when we were just getting started and has allows been a good friend.
I'm so Happy to announce Shawn Farquhar as this year's Guest of Honor.
This year's line-up is now complete!
Shawn Farquhar
Eric Jones
Danny Garcia
Zabrecky
Jon Allen
Jon Armstrong
Kayla Drescher
Blake Vogt
David Jonathon
If there has been a better line-up at a small convention, I have never seen it. If you haven't registered, please do so now at www.tricsconvention.com !
Thank you all for he many years of support! See you in November.

 

 

 

 

 

22 April 2023

New Westminster: Bernardo Sedlacek at Hidden Wonders [May 8 - 9]

Tickets on sale at Hidden Wonders


From the April 13th Tweet by Shawn Farquhar:

I’m bringing a special guest to @hiddenwondersshow for two nights. Tickets are on sale now. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 April 2023

Checking in with Shawn Farquhar and Lost in the Shuffle

You may remember some time ago we posted that Shawn Farquhar and Jon Ornoy embarked on a journey to create a documentary.  Their project, Lost in the Shuffle, is "a multi-faceted look at this remarkable 400-year relationship that’s seen these simple playthings provide an endless source of miraculous inspiration for magicians throughout time."  

"At the same time we want to uncover a 500 year old cold case murder mystery."

 

 

 

The project team, which also includes Alexandra Duvivier, Juan Tamariz, Richard Turner, and Michael Vincent, spent the last few weeks filming around the world.

Earlier this week we caught up with Shawn, who kindly answered our questions and gave us an update on the project. 

 

 

 

 

 

Why is now the right time to share the story?
 
April 7th marked the 525th anniversary of the death of Charles VIII and we filmed on location where he died.  The idea that the history we know might not be the true history, is an intriguing thing, in a time when so many people are screaming fake news. At the same time the fascination with magic continues to grow and now a whole new audience is emerging with the popularity of cardistry.  It’s an ideal time to explore the world of cards and try to unravel the mystery at the same time.
 
Who is the target audience for this project? 

Our goal is to make a documentary that is appealing to everyone. To show the world the passion that we magicians have for something as simple as a deck of cards.  At the same time we want to uncover a 500 year old cold case murder mystery.  In doing so we hope to make people more aware of the common everyday object we take for granted and maybe then we will all see things in a different way.
 


How far along are you in this project?

As of Easter Monday we have completed principal filming. We are in the process of the animation sequences and there is a lot more to be done. We need the movie score, the editing, and tons of of things to make the final feature. 
 
To be honest we are also in need of more funding. We had some major hiccups with strikes, plane cancellations, timing issues, etc.  So while we continue to work on the film we are also actively looking to find a couple more major investors who would like to be Executive Producers of the film. For as little as $10,000 Canadian they can become equity investors in the project. We have had some wonderful friends help us and with the help of just a couple more we should reach our goal.  
[emphasis added]


 

What surprised you most during your recent filming?

I think the biggest surprise I found on my recent travels was just how open people on the street were to seeing magic. We all know magic has a universal appeal, but I couldn’t believe how easy it was to break out a deck of cards in front of Buckingham Place and draw a crowd! I was also pleasantly surprised to discover many people knew me from TV and YouTube.  I had no idea my reach was so big.





  
 

Were there any touring mis-adventures that led to a serendipitous beneficial circumstance?  
 
There were a tremendous amount of mis-adventures on the trip, but none lead to good things… okay driving for fourteen hours straight to keep our schedule was a great way to get to know each other much better I guess.

Is there anything else about Lost in the Shuffle that you'd like to share with the readers of Canada's Magic?
 
I have so much to tell you and the readers of Canada's Magic, but I am told I have to save it for the movie.  For now I’d ask you to follow us on all social media platforms and to check out our official website www.lostintheshuffle.film



 
 
Thank you Shawn, for making time in your busy schedule to give us this update!  We look forward to learning more about this project as it progresses.

 

To invest in Lost in the Shuffle please email Jon Ornoy at
"jon @ animalmotherfilms dot com"


To learn more about Lost in the Shuffle visit their website LostInTheShuffle.film and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.


 

 

 

 

 

 

27 March 2023

Canada's Got Talent: Getting to know Magic Ben

Next in the the series of Canada's Got Talent contestants is Whitehorse's / Saskatoon's Magic Ben!

Who inspires you that is not a magician?
 
My father, Hypnotist Corrie J and Dwayne The Rock Johnson. They are all extremely hard workers and I look up to that every day.
 
What is your first memory of magic? 

I was 9 years old the first time I saw a magician, it was at my parents’ wedding. I remember seeing him perform a linking rings routine and I ran to my dad and asked him how he’d done it. My dad told me that if I wanted to know, I'd have to become a magician. The next day I was playing with a deck of cards and it brought us here!
 


Who from the magic community inspires you?

Le Grand Sahibe, Joan Caesar, Hiawatha Johnson Jr. Shawn Farquhar, David Blaine, Dani Daortiz, Juan Tamariz. I could name so many!

 

Was there anyone or anything instrumental to you becoming a magician?

I started competing at the Festival de Magie de Quebec in 2014 and was a finalist 6 years in a row. That and attending Tannen's Magic Camp in 2018 sealed the deal for me. Living in the arctic comes with its challenges and learning magic was one of them. 





  

Did you ever get discouraged and think about quitting magic?  
 
I was 6 months old when my parents decided to move to a small fly-in and fly-out Inuit community in the Canadian arctic.  I was the only “white kid” and I grew up learning their language and culture. Magic helped me figure out my identity, who I am,  and overcome the challenges of living so remotely. Sometimes I'd quit, but it usually was only for about 2 hours!

Do you have any or pre-show rituals?
 
Two things could happen: If I am lucky enough to eat some country food from where I come from (Beluga, seal, caribou, arctic char etc.) it would be that or I will listen to some Coldplay.

 
 
What inspired you to be a part of this season of Canada's Got Talent?
 
I represent hope and inspiration to all the youth of the northern fly-in and fly-out communities that no matter where you come from in life, anything is possible. That is why I'm on Canada's Got Talent, for my friends up north!

 
 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
 
I speak three languages: French, English and Inuktitut. I am hoping to be a bridge linking all Canadians together through my experiences living North, East and West. I once did a show at -48, I think that makes me the Magician of the North! 

 

 

Thank you Ben, for making the time to answer our questions!  Break a leg on CGT!


Learn more about Ben at his website MagicWithBen.com or follow him on Instagram.

 
Was that Ben's smiling face at the end of last week's episode?  Tune in tomorrow to find out! 

 
Watch Canada's Got Talent Tuesday nights on CityTV.