John Cox writes about Houdini Never Died

Over at Wild About Harry, John Cox writes about Houdini Never Died:

Here is the entire 1979 documentary Houdini Never Died. This was produced by John Watson and Pen Densham who later wrote and directed TNTs Houdini. It intercuts Houdini's story with footage of contemporary magicians including Doug Henning. It also has nice footage of James Randi performing a suspended straitjacket escape over Niagara Falls and the 50th Anniversary Official Houdini seance held at the Houdini Magical Hall of Fame. Definitely a product of its time, but that's what makes this great.

Read more.

David Peck: TEDx talk on wonder

Last month, David Peck spoke at TEDxSixteenMileCreek.  Watch his talk, "Pockets of Wonder" on YouTube:

Does Magician of the year mean the same thing as Perfomer of the year?

When Shawn posted the list of current nominations for "Magician of the Year" on the CAM website, I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one completely floored to see the name of an amateur magician in the mix.  (I was floored because the name was mine.  But many of you were shocked, I think, because an amateur was on the list.)

I, like many of you reading, assumed that "Magician of the Year" meant, among other things, "Performer of the Year."  I am incredibly honoured to be listed with all of the fine performers nominated thus far. (Imagine my surprise, to receive messages from people in support of my nomination!)  A casual glance at the names on the list, informs me that I don't stand a chance.

But it has lead to interesting discussions.  I'm pretty convinced that to win Magician of the Year, you have to be a professional peformer.  What do you think?

Should non-professional performers be eligible for CAM's Magician of the Year award?

Ottawa: Denis Behr lecture

From Magic Information Canada:

Friday, May 3

Denis Behr. Magic lecture.

Royal Oak Laurier, 161 Laurier Avenue East (at Copernicus), Ottawa.

Read more.

CAM Magician of the Year: Nominations for 2013

Last month, Shawn sent out an e-mail via Ballot Bin, inviting CAM members to nominate up to two people for the Magician of the Year award for 2013.  Recently, he posted this on the Canadian Association of Magicans Website:

As the time draws to the end I have been less than thrilled with the lack of interest in nominating magicians for our most prestigious award.  We have 400 members that are eligible to vote and 77 of you have participated.  That’s about 20%, which is dismal. I know you all care and want to have your own say, so what’s the problem?  Well I asked a few of you and found many didn’t know who to nominate.  With this in mind I have compiled a list of those already listed in the nomination process.  They are in no particular order, but will  help you to think perhaps of someone to name.  The four magicians with the most nominations will be placed on a the final ballot for the vote.  If you don’t see a name on the list that you feel is being missed, add it today!

Click through to read the list of current nominations.
 

The last date to submit nominations is February 28th.  What are you waiting for?

The very observant of you, after reading the list, will haved noticed a certain, ummm, magic enthusiast's name!  What an absolute honour to see my name listed there, with all of those fabulously deserving performers!  Thank you!

Trevor and Lorena Watters in the Moose Jaw Times

From the Moose Jaw Times:

The event was again headlined by comedic magicians Trevor and Lorena Watters, who said that Moose Jaw is one of their favourite stops on a tour that spans cruise ships and much of the continent.

Read more.

Toronto: FREE screenings of Magic Camp documentary

From Magic Camp Movie:

Hi Toronto magic friends!

Just making sure you know about the two FREE screenings of the award-winning new documentary MAGIC CAMP at the Toronto International Film Festival's TIFF Bell Lightbox Theatre this Monday, February 18 at 12 + 3pm. 

Two-time Emmy Award-nominated NYC-based director and former Tannen's Magic camper Judd Ehrlich will be in attendance for Q+As following both screenings.
More information: http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiffbelllightbox/2013/2330009340

MAGIC CAMP Trailer: http://youtu.be/FAqitNPKETs
We're happy to send you a press release, still images from the film or any additional information.

Thanks so much for helping spread the word to the Toronto magic community and hope to see you there!
All the best!
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MAGIC CAMP SITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER
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flatbush pictures + bkfn
10 jay st | studio 207a | brooklyn ny 11201 | ph 718 237 9018
flatbushpictures.com | bkfn.org
fredlebowmovie.com | magiccampmovie.com | scifilandmovie.com

[via Magic Camp and James Alan]

Jay Sankey on Henning, Copperfield and Blaine

Watch a YouTube clip of Jay Sankey speaking at the 'Session Convention' in the UK:

Toronto: The Comedy & Magic of Jean Pierre

This message was forwarded to me from Ariel Frailich:

Hello my name is Wes Evans, I'm producing an illusion show that is coming to The St.Lawrence Centre for the Arts on May 10th.

I'm emailing today to ask for your help in getting the message out to the Toronto magic community and magicians. The show is entitled "The Comedy & Magic of Jean Pierre." The show has been seen all over the world to over 2 million fans but this is the first time we're bringing it to Toronto.
 

 To learn more about this show, visit JeanPierreMagic.com

SAM: Magic camp scholarships

From the Sorcerers Safari Facebook page:

The Society of American Magicians Magic Endowment Fund
Presents . . . MAGIC CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS

For over twenty years, the Society of American Magicians Magic Endowment Fund has awarded full tuition scholarships to promising young magicians between the ages of 10 and 18 to attend facilities focused on the magical performing arts.

The S.A.M. has awarded over $115,000 in scholarships over the years to support magic education for our youth. Scholarships are available for either Tannen’s Magic Camp in Pennsylvania (July 13 – July 20) or the Sorcerer’s Safari Magic Camp in Toronto, Canada (August 27 – September 1). The Magic Endowment Fund realizes the importance of the magic arts in the lives of youngsters. The development of magical skills and respect for the art of magic can help them gain a positive mental attitude and become more confident in themselves. Candidates must be able to demonstrate talent and dedication to the magical performing arts discipline.

Both camps are wonderful places for youngsters to learn new skills, improve their performance abilities and make new friends with similar interests. The campers study under some of the leading professionals, receive helpful critiques of their performance ability, and attend classes which improve their skills.

Read more.

David Peck: Tips on increasing wonder

From Biz TV Canada:

As business people, we struggle with balancing our work and life schedules and how to deal with the stress of the day. The answer may be to add a little play time into our day. Our change guru, David Peck has five tips on how to add that play time and how to wonder more.

Read more.

Trailer: A Series of Unfortunate Effects

Watch the trailer for A Series of Unfortunate Effects on YouTube:

Ron Guttman gives the gift of life

From Ron Guttman's Twitter feed:

Join me on Sat Feb 23 at Hillcrest Mall as I make my 100th blood donation. New donors welcome. Sign up at signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4FADAF…and save time
— Ron Guttman (@ronguttman) February 5, 2013

Congratulations Ron!

Sorcerers Safari early bird and other deals

From Sorcerers Safari:

The registrations are up and ready to go. As an incentive to register early this year – on or before April 1st – we are offering $100.00 worth of magic stuff which you will receive up at camp if you are registered in full.

Read more.

And from their Twitter feed:

2013 REGISTRATION DEAL!:This year if you register with a friend, you BOTH get 10% off your registration fee! Tell your parents, campers!
— Sorcerers Safari (@SorcerersSafari) February 7, 2013

And to help get you in the magic camp frame of mind, the 2012 camp video:

Bill Abbott Vlogs from the UK

Watch Bill Abbott give advice to beginners and demonstrate his cure for the common cold with The Merchant of Magic in the UK.

Ontario: Teach magic

This message is via James Alan:

There is currently a special opportunity available in Ontario for those interested in teaching magic. It is a chance to earn some extra money and share magic with children.

The requirements are

• Organization and dependability
• Experience and willingness to work with children (mostly 7-12 years old)
• Confidence and enthusiasm speaking in front of a group
• A flexible schedule (most of the classes will be during the day, either lunch time or immediately after school)

Read more and contact James.

Everything Erdnase: The Erdnase Scroll

From Magicol:

Good news for our devoted Erdnase fans and magic history enthusiasts — we have added a new gallery to our Everything Erdnase exhibition — an online presentation of the exploration of various editions of the iconic book, The Expert at the Card Table.

The new gallery can be found in  ”American Variations” category, under the heading: “The Miracle Factory“. It exhibits some photos of the limited edition scroll (only 50 copies made) of The Erdnase Scroll,  a forty-foot long ivory, parchment paper scroll.

Read more.

Magicana’s community outreach

At the end of January, we briefly mentioned the Linking Ring write-up, "The Benevolence of Magic," which included Canada's own Magicana.

For more information about Magicana’s community outreach programs, please see their post, "The Benevolence of Magic," over at Sharing Wonder.

Shawn Farquhar on the news in 1988

If you've attended one of Shawn Farquhar's lectures, chances are you've heard him speak about the night his apartment building was damaged by fire.  Shawn's recently posted a video clip of the news segment from 1988.

[Guest post] Bobby Motta dealer demo at Browser's Den

The following is a guest post from an author who wishes to be known as The Magic Demon.


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BOBBY MOTTA DEALER DEMO AT BROWSER'S DEN OF MAGIC
Sunday, Feb. 3rd, 2013
A review by "The Magic Demon"


Even a basic dealer demo with Bobby Motta is an event worth attending.

I'm pretty sure everyone who witnessed Bobby Motta's dealer demo of original professional products at The Browser's Den of Magic in Toronto on Sunday afternoon (February 3rd) all felt the same way too.

Watching Bobby demo and explain his own effects I was struck by two thoughts. (1) Bobby Motta is a naturally laid-back, extremely funny and charismatic performer, and (2) Bobby Motta has an incredibly inventive mind. He is the creator of numerous out-of-the ordinary professional effects in use by names like Penn & Teller, Criss Angel, David Blaine and Derren Brown. Oh yes, this is the man who helps make them all look good.

And according to Browser's Den of Magic owner Jeff Pinsky, Bobby Motta practically grew up in the Browser's Den. Jeff has seen Bobby go from fledgling hobbyist to world class professional mentalist in what seems like only a scant few years.

Bobby later told me he was a bit apprehensive about doing this demo. It was not advertised as a lecture and it was definitely not meant to be a performance. So what was it? It was a roomful of appreciative magic aficionados allowed the privilege of learning first hand how a top rate mind came to create a dozen or so of his most powerful effects and the secrets behind them - all for free. What's not to like? The fact that the majority of us could not afford most of them did not seem to deter Bobby from his entertaining task (although I noted at least a couple working pros afterwards decided to enhance their routines with some of Bobby's higher-end creations as well as a larger number of amateurs happily buying some of his less expensive ones.)


The Demo

Bobby opened with his current much-talked-about commercially available effect, "Blackmail". If you are into mentalism, or would like to be, you can perform miracles with this clever utility device, inspired by but significantly updated from a classic principle once described by Corinda.

He followed with a presentation of "That's Alive". If I tell you it is a revelation effect with a surprise finish that caused his audience spectator to jump you can guess it was judged a big success by the room. And all I will add is that his lovely assistant Amanda made a most welcome guest appearance.

"Taste" involved a young audience member repeatedly choosing different beverages behind Bobby's back without his knowledge and yet... Bobby proved that he somehow knew which drinks had been selected and in what order, again and again and again. This one just blew me away when he performed it and blew me away again after he explained how it works. Ingenious! (And Jeff Pinsky's favourite of the event).

Bobby then presented (but was unable to fully demonstrate) his "Lethal.  A card is chosen, the deck is thrown into the air, a knife is thrown at a spectator wearing a protective board and the knife impales the chosen card right onto the board! It didn't matter that he couldn't fully demo it, the room was again delighted with its explanation - another combination of innovative technology and applied human psychology.

"Shock Treatment" was briefly discussed - it's a classic secret of mentalism/magic that Bobby has brought into more modern times featuring greater portability than in past versions.

Bobby then demonstrated the use of certain exotic electronic flimflammery that those in mentalism will already know about and the rest of you will not get any more information about from me. Suffice it to say that Bobby likes electronics very much.

He ended with his visually strong effect "The End" - what could be more fitting? Unknown letter cards freely chosen by spectators are randomly arranged in a horizontal frame and eventually turned around to reveal they spell - guess what? Beautifully constructed props and a stunning reminder that sometimes the greatest impact of all can be had from basic but unsuspected methods.

Bobby added an encore of his own devising which he calls "Advil." It's something that he says he will never reveal nor sell in which numbers called out at random from the audience somehow turned out to be the exact serial numbers on a audience member's previously chosen and physically isolated five dollar bill. A jaw-dropping conclusion to a most enjoyable afternoon with a most talented performer/inventor.

Many thanks to Bobby Motta of course and to Jeff Pinsky of the Browser's Den for hosting yet another worthwhile special event. I assume some of Bobby's effects can be purchased through Jeff or directly from Bobby himself. Bobby also performs on a regular basis in Toronto and details can be found on his website, www.bobbymotta.com.

Oh yes, I read later that there was something else going on that afternoon elsewhere. Not that any of us attending seemed to know or care very much. Super Bowl? What was that? Some kind of extra huge load Lota Bowl?

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Thank you The Magic Demon for guest posting at Canada's Magic!