Netflix has lined up a blockbuster slate of short documentaries heading into Oscar season, including the latest from two-time Academy Award winner Ben Proudfoot in collaboration with the Obamas’ production company.
The streamer announced four acquisitions today, beginning with The Turnaround, directed by Kyle Thrash and Proudfoot, a documentary that “tells the story of Philadelphia Phillies’ superfan Jon McCann, who helped inspire an unlikely 2023 standing ovation for Phillies shortstop Trea Turner, which helped turn the team around after hitting a major roadblock.”
Presented touring magic shows across Canada for 30+ years (Fantasy Magic and Holiday Magic).
We're delighted that Dick made time to answer our questions ahead of this year's Bash!
Who inspires you that is not a magician?
The significant others who support the magical fraternity and suffer our constant barrage of "Let me show you a new trick."
What is your first memory of magic?
I was born and raised in England and saw my first magician at about the age of 12 years. It was at an office party celebrating the holiday season. The magician performed such mysteries as the die box and square circle. The presentation was aimed at children younger than myself and although it peaked my curiosity I was not overly impressed. It was not until I was in my later 20's when living in Canada that I became interested in this magical form of entertainment.
Who from the magic community inspires you?
I am always in awe of those performers who continue to provide inspiring
entertainment and to those with magical knowledge who pass that knowledge on the up and coming generation. The list of names could be endless and I would hate to miss anyone out.
Was there anyone or anything instrumental to you becoming a magician?
I have been fortunate enough to meet and work with some fabulous people over the years. In the local club circuit it would be impossible for me not to mention past members Sid Lorraine, Bruce Posgate, The Wacky Wizard Jack Bateman, Magic stores of Morrisey Magic under the leadership of Herb, and The Browser's Den under the leadership of Len [Cooper] and now Jeff [Pinsky]. Magic Camps.... The one and only Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp under the leadership of Mike and Jen [Segal].
International performers Michael Ammar, David Copperfield, Jaun Tamariz, plus Terry Seabooke, and so many more.
Our centurion... GORDON PRECIOUS (always presenting his latest miracle).
Dick Joiner
Did you ever get discouraged and think about quitting
magic?
Slow times make you wonder about why you are doing what you are doing. I have always been fortunate enough (at least in my earlier days) to always have something come-up at the last minute.... A cruise ship offer, a tour with Bobby Vinton or Bobby Curtola as an opening act, a long running dinner cabaret show, etc etc. Great agents that believe in you can certainly make booking gigs so much easier.
Do you have any tour or pre-show rituals you’d be willing to share
with our readers?
Arrive early at the performance site is a MUST FOR ME. It also became a MUST for any of the cast we had performing over the thirty plus years I was presenting either "Fantasy Magic" or "Holiday Magic" show tours across Canada. It is also a great concern to me that we give the client 110% effort on the show and provide for them what they envisioned the show to be.
What are you most looking forward to about participating in the 2024 Browser's Bash?
Restarting what BROWSERS DEN had started before C19. This is a great get together of a very talented community and a wonderful opportunity to learn more about either a chosen hobby or career. Friendships are re kindled and n friendships made.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
IF YOU DO NOT GO AFTER WHAT YOU WANT - YOU'LL NEVER HAVE IT.
-
IF YOU DO NOT ASK THE ANSWER WILL ALWAYS BE NO.
IF YOU DO NOT STEP FORWARD, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN THE SAME PLACE.
Thank you Dick for making the time to answer our questions! We look forward to seeing you at this year's Bash!
To learn more about Dick Joiner follow him
on Facebook.
Visit the Browser's Den of Magic website to buy your ticket and learn more about this year's Bash! See you on Saturday, July 13, 2024!
Delivered magic lectures in more than 70 cities around the world!
We're delighted that Ben made time to answer our questions ahead of this
year's Bash!
Who inspires you that is not a magician?
Is it too cheesy if I say "my dad"? 'Cause I think he's
pretty awesome...
I'm inspired by artists, athletes, writers,
politicians, activists, etc. Instead of listing any... you can talk to
me and ask. :)
What is your first memory of magic?
When I was 8 years old my parents took me to the Browser's Den as a reward
for doing well (or doing better than I normally did) at school. I'm sure I
saw a lot of magic that day, but the one I remember most vividly was the
Mismade Queen - a scaled down close up version of the famous ZigZag
illusion. I loved that trick, and ended up playing with it so much that I
wore out the cards that came with it!
Who from the magic community inspires you?
Rather than give you specific names, I'll break it down into the two
types of magicians that inspire me.
First are the people who focus on growing and building up their local
communities. These are the volunteers at magic clubs, the ones that
provide spaces for their fellow performers to try things, the ones that
organize regular jams and hangouts. I see the Ottawa magic community as
an example of people doing this really well.
The other type of magicians that inspire me are the ones NOT involved in
their local communities directly - the ones that just focus on making
their own magic as good as they can possibly make it. These are the
people inventing new tricks, performing kick-ass magic, and making magic
better simply by being GOOD.
Was there anyone or anything instrumental to you becoming a
magician?
Sure! In chronological order:
1. Jeff Pinsky made me feel welcomed into the world of magic.
2. Steve Forte and Dai Vernon (videos/books) helped me fall in love with
learning magic.
3. Sorcerers Safari gave me the confidence to start sharing magic.
4. Bill Abbott and Bobby Motta made me want to be a full-time
performer.
5. All the amazing friends over the years that inspired me, and continue
inspiring me, to keep working on getting better!
Ben Train
Did you ever get discouraged and think about quitting
magic? God. All the freaking time. I think about shows that went wrong.
Audiences that didn't seem to care about what I was sharing. About how
bad I am compared to other performers I know. About how useless, in
the grand scheme of things, what I do is.
But then I take a breath and remember why I LOVE what I do. About
how happy it makes people when I'm able to connect with an audience.
About how good I feel when a show goes well.
Do you have any tour or pre-show rituals you’d be willing to
share with our readers?
First and foremost, I set the stage with everything I need for the
show and then double check it’s all there and where I need it to
be.
Next, I do a quick walk-through of how I want the show to run.
This means preplanning where I’m calling audience members from,
how long it’ll take people to get on stage, where I’m entering and
leaving the stage, etc.
Depending on my mood and the event I might be interacting with the
audience before the show or “hiding”, but either way I’m trying to
get psyched up for the show. I remind myself I don’t HAVE to be
doing this - but rather I GET to do it. And I remember how much I
enjoy sharing magic, making people laugh, and connecting with
people.
Then I take a big pre-show poop and hit the stage.
What are you most looking forward to about participating in the
2024 Browser's Bash?
I love seeing friends and meeting new people… but if I’m being honest
what I’m looking forward to the most is seeing dope magic.
Do you have a favourite Browser's Bash memory?
Yes.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Nothing makes me happier than seeing magic. So if you’re coming to
the Bash I would be DELIGHTED if you show me a trick. .
Thank you Ben for making the time to answer our
questions! We look forward to seeing you at this year's
Bash!
We're delighted that Jeff made time to answer our questions ahead of this year's Bash!
Who inspires you that is not a magician?
I find inspiration more in ideas than in people. So I'll read philosophy, science, art, history and look for inspiration there.
What is your first memory of magic?
My first memory of magic is my dad dressing up as a magician for my 5th or 6th birthday party, and trying to perform a bunch of tricks from a magic set. I distinctly remember one kid heckling my dad quite well.
Who from the magic community inspires you?
Honestly, not one person in particular. But when I see young magicians starting to really develop their magic, and when I see younger guys that are making a go of it, performing public shows, it helps rekindle that early passion and love.
Was there anyone or anything instrumental to you becoming a magician?
I bought a Svengali deck from the booth that Browser's used to operate at Wonderland in 1996. I got my wooden nickel for a free trick from the shop at Bathurst & Eglinton. I took in my nickel, got my free trick, and my life was changed forever.
'Young' Jeff
Did you ever get discouraged and think about quitting
magic?
I didn't just get discouraged, I did quit magic for 5 years. I came back in 2017. What encouraged me to come back was living in the real world for 5 years lol.
Do you have any tour or pre-show rituals you’d be willing to share
with our readers?
I personally do not have any pre-show rituals.
What are you most looking forward to about participating in the 2024 Browser's Bash?
Being on the stage and performing again (my last performance on the Bash stage was at the 1st Browser's Bash).
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Get ready, the next few weeks are gonna fly by!
Thank you Jeff for making the time to answer our questions! We look forward to seeing you at this year's Bash!
We're delighted that Mark made time to answer our questions ahead of his
appearance tomorrow on the premiere of the 2024 season of Canada's Got Talent!
Who inspires you that is not a magician?
Andy Kaufman. Most car salesmen. It's gotta be hard to sell
cars.
What is your first memory of magic?
I had the Wacky Wizard at my third birthday party. I don't remember it but I'm
sure he was great. 4th birthday I had Mr. Oh (Owen Anderson) and I remember
that a bit more. I've been doing magic since three, so longer than I can
recall to memory. But many trips to Browser's Den Magic shop are cemented in
my mind! Thanks Jeffs!
Who from the magic community inspires you?
At large? Penn & Teller, Mac King, Tom Mullica, The Amazing Jonathan. In
my immediate community? Scott Hammell, Nick Wallace, Paige Thompson, my
dad.
Was there anyone or anything instrumental to you becoming a magician?
Oh plenty! The book "Magic and Showmanship" changed some things for me.
Derren Brown's "Notes from a Fellow Traveler" did a lot for my onstage
persona. The aforementioned Browser's Den. Sorcerers Safari Magic camp.
Couldn't of done anything without my mentor Scott Hammell. My father built
my props. My mother supported me. She still does! She's actually typing this
out for me. No don't write that. Stop it.
📸 : CGT
Did you ever get discouraged and think about quitting
magic?
One time in 2020 the
world ended for two long years. Before that I was a kid who was cranky and
tired of it. Why didn't I quit? I can't. I've tried! This is an affliction
and part of my chemical makeup. It's impossible to stop. Magic is all I
know.
Do you have any tour or pre-show rituals you’d be willing to share
with our readers?
I eat an entire bag of Funions.
Why is now the right time for you to be a part of
Canada's Got Talent?
Because I wasn't on last season.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If you give up, or stop following your dreams, I will find you and I will
make you suffer.
Thank you Mark for making the time to answer our questions! Break
a leg on CGT!
There were 42(!) posts at Canada's Magic this month. The popular posts statistics have been hugely skewed by the 12 part series "The Legacy of Sorcerers Safari" which eclipsed all of our regular offerings, so we're considering the series as a single post. Here are the most viewed posts in the past 30
days:
Thank you Mike and Jen for all of the hard work and dedication you put into making Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp the fantastic event that it was. The magic community as a whole, was made better because of your efforts!
The previous 11 parts provide a pretty accurate snapshot of the Sorcerers
Safari experience, and the breadth of expertise of the people involved.
We especially enjoyed finding out what everyone's accomplished since their
magic camp days!
If you would like to participate but haven’t filled out the survey, we'd love
to hear from you. The survey can be found here:
https://forms.gle/umg77yj9QxUzfpm76
Otherwise, consider this the final installment of our Sorcerers Safari Virtual
Reunion!
Part 12 features Jen Segal and the two Mikes who hatched the plan to create
Canada's only sleep away magic camp, Mike Toal, and Mike Segal
Thank you Jen, Mike, and Mike for sharing your memories. But more
importantly, thank you for all of the hard work and dedication you put
into making Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp the fantastic event that it
was. The magic community as a whole, was made better because of
your efforts!
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.
