THE MERCHANT OF MAGIC

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2010-03-17T12:58:00.001Z

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MAGIC MAGAZINE REVIEW

2010-03-02T15:34:00.002Z

Repertoire - By Ben Williams - INSTANT DOWNLOAD

Joshua Jay reviews the effect 'Heartless' (taught in Repertoire) printed in this months MAGIC Magazine

'Heartless is a trick that I started working on as soon as Ben Williams showed me. I knew the effect would be strong for a lay audience - and it is! Of all the tricks to pass my desk over the past few months, this is the one I have been using the most.

I spent time with Ben in the UK, and he's a clever magical thinker with many good ideas. This was my favourite of his effects in Repertoire VOL 1, and I use a version of it regularly in my professional work. I think very highly of this plot and am indebted to Mr Williams for sharing it.'

Joshua Jay - as seen in MAGIC Magazine

CLICK HERE to read more about Repertoire

TAKE THE DHARMA INITIATIVE TEST

2010-03-02T15:24:00.000Z

The Pen Spinning World Tournament

2010-02-24T14:45:00.001Z

They fight with felt tips, and do battle with ball points.

They... are Hong Kong's competitive pen spinners!

Faultless - Now live on site

2010-02-17T17:13:00.000Z

What practice can do...

2010-02-16T23:43:00.004Z

Self- working magic tricks are great, but if you feel like tackling something that requires time and practice, this video (although not magic related) demonstrates just what's possible when you apply time and effort to learning a skill...

Performer Showcase : Levent

2009-12-23T15:41:00.004Z

Levent recent appearances on MyNetwork-TVs new series “Masters of Illusion”

MAKE A BOTTLE INVISIBLE

2009-12-09T22:28:00.001Z

CAN YOU READ THIS?

2009-12-08T13:48:00.004Z

fi yuo cna
raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too

Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe
out of 100 can.

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Performer Showcase: Dimitri Arleri - "Opera" Card Flourishes

2009-12-02T15:42:00.002Z

Performer Showcase: - Camouflage artist - Liu Bolin

2009-12-02T11:34:00.004Z

LEAKED EXPERIMENT - ISOLATION

2009-10-08T13:16:00.003+01:00

Something of a 'holy grail' in the mind of Dee Christopher, to physically affect something while it's completely isolated.

IS THIS POSSIBLE?

Check out THE DEE CHRISTOPHER SECTION for his full range!

MEN IN COATS

2009-10-02T09:15:00.007+01:00

We have seen this video floating around Youtube being used to advertise/promote spam advertising for the last few years, but there are no references to the artists. Just for the record, these guys are Men in Coats.

BEN HARRIS INTERVIEW + DOWNLOADS

2009-10-01T11:38:00.005+01:00

The Merchant of Magic is please to have teamed up with one of the most influential magic creators of our time.. Ben Harris.

For those of you new to magic, Ben Harris has been inventing magic tricks since the late 1970's. His most famous invention, COSMOSIS: The Original Floating Match (1986) is one of magic's most popular effects. It is also one of the most ripped-off tricks in modern history as any search on the internet will prove. As the author of dozens of books, manuscripts and lecture notes on the art (as well as 40 plus individual tricks), Harris has toured, lectured and performed in over 30 countries.

Over the next few years, we will be slowly adding Ben's full range to the site! Check out his range in our BEN HARRIS SECTION

Interview with Ben Harris

“Card magic and guitar playing both float my boat. I like to explore the possibilities with each medium.”

Ben started his magic career in 1979 after a childhood obsessed with: searching for mysterious secrets, faking UFO photos, pretending to read minds, and karate chopping through stacks of roofing tiles with his proclaimed magical “Qi” power.

“I was a naughty boy, and still am.

Sometimes I really like to screw with people’s minds, push the boundaries. Take the ‘karate chopping through a stack of tiles or bricks’ as an example. It's a trick, but people are prepared to believe it’s something more mystical. They are prepared to believe that this trick demonstration "PROVES" some higher, or special, power of some sort. That's scary!

It even fools the Guinness Records people.

My first marketed trick was called ‘Needled.’ Immediately after releasing this I completed a booklet called “Eyes Only” which I self published. It was then picked up by Hades.”

“Hades published ‘Gellerism Revealed’ too, I believe.”

“Yes, they did,” Harris replies.

“What led to the Geller book—why did you write it?” I inquired.

“I wanted to join the Magic Circle in London. That was every young magician’s dream, right? My thesis for membership is what, in due course, became ‘Gellerism Revealed’. It took years of careful research and observation. The book is credited with being the first to really lay bare the methods and the all important psychology of the so called 'Geller Effect.'

I'm told that James Randi has even called it The 'Bible' of gelleresque methodology.

I recently watched Richard Osterlind’s ‘Easy To Master Mental Miracles Volume 4’ on DVD, and both he and Jim Sisti spoke fondly about it. This is the book that really pushed metal bending along in the magician’s realm.

Uri quotes from it at his website, twisting the context in a quite brilliant stroke. We once debated head to head via satellite which was quite a buzz.”

Harris pauses at this point and a card exits the deck with a little click. Gliding across the table, it comes to rest at my fingertips.

“Examine it, if you will. Make sure there are no secret attachments or motors, or mirrors, or...”

We both laugh, we both know the drill. Seriously, let’s get back on track. When did you start touring and creating magic for a living?

“The big break came in 1980 when I created the ‘Epic Flight’ concept. This was a genuine discovery of an odd scientific principle. No one had noticed it before. The effect sold by the thousands and by this time I had a whole swag of other effects.”

“Epic Flight? That’s with the keys and marking pen?”

“Yes, the secret being that a dry erase marker will neutralise a permanent marker. What was not possible to erase became possible to erase. The method has found much praise in the professional mentalism field.”

“You undertook world lecture tours in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. What were the highlights—your favourite countries, your most vivid memories?”

“I could not do it today. With all of the current travel restrictions, the delays, the delays, the delays. I just don’t have the patience. However, in my day I lectured in over 30 countries. I’d attend the big conventions too. Running a dealers stand really is hard work. Have you examined the card? May I have it?”

Ben takes the card at his fingertips and places it face-down on the table. He now waves his hand in small circles above the card. He’s moving his hand in swirling circles, casting a magical “spell” so he says.

Amazingly, the card starts to move. It firstly slides across the table top—in little jerking moves—AWAY from Ben’s hand. It looks so weird. Logic dictates that if there were any threads, it simply would not “look” like this! Then, suddenly the card simply “took off”—sliding across the table and leaping into my lap.

He laughs and asks that I examine the card again. He then takes the card back, asks that I examine his hands, then repeats the effect. I was baffled. This was like real PSI (or so I imagined). Harris then picked up the phone and muttered what I assume was a product number. Promptly, a slickly packaged product called “ZOOM” was delivered to the desk.

“A gift. Now let me show you something special. I’d like you to sign the card in your lap with this pen. Or if you like, you may want to exchange it for one of these...”

He spread the deck face up between is hands allowing a free choice. As I’d be signing the card, I opted to exchange my Jack of Spades for a more signature-friendly Two of Spades.

“Will I sign the front or the back?” I asked.

“It matters not” came the reply.

As I inscribed away, Ben picked up the tale where he’d left off.

“The times we are talking about, all the tours and what now seems like and endless stream of product, all occurred between 1985 and 1995. Cosmosis was a hit and controversial. My books like ‘Killer Klose-up’, ‘Dimensional Relativity’ and ‘Off The Wall’ were all successful. Tannens now own ‘Wall.’”

I proffered my now signed card to Harris and he slowly slid it into the center of the deck. He snapped his fingers and then turned the top card over. It was my signed Two of Spades. Once again he slipped the card into the deck’s middle. He handed the deck to me and asked that I hold it on my flat, outstretched, palm. Again he snapped his fingers. A look of “go on check it out!” prompted me to turn over the top card. Again it was my card.

I was impressed, but this is fairly standard “Ambitious Card” fare at this point.

“You see, that’s the ‘power of enlightenment’ at work. The term ‘Enlightenment,’ contrary to popular belief, does not refer to the gaining of wisdom. Rather it is...

“Rather it is...

The ability to make an object lighter, by increments—to ‘enlighten.’ Let me show you. Turn your card face down atop the deck. Now watch...”

Harris made strange passes from his position across the table. I held the deck in my outstretched palm in front of me.

“A fully fledged demonstration of the power can achieve levitation. It’s complete ‘Enlightenment,’ nirvana.”

As he spoke, the IMPOSSIBLE began to happen. The top card of the deck, my face-down card, BEGAN TO FLOAT. It lifted about an inch or so into the air, hovered and then settled back down onto the deck. I’d already turned the card over before Ben had a chance to say, “Go on, you know you have to take a peek!”

“Leave the card face-up this time.”

I’d placed the deck on the table and now placed my card as instructed. Once more, after the magical incarnations, my CARD ROSE INTO THE AIR. Again it hovered, and then floated back down. This was a card I freely selected. I signed it. Harris is across the table. I held the deck! I examined everything. The grin on his face was broad. He knows that this is something special. (Update: Indeed it is something special! This effect is called ENLIGHTENMENT and it was released to the magic fraternity in May of 2008. It has met with international acclaim, becoming one of the years best-selling and most discussed effects).

One of those “I have to take it phone calls” interrupts the proceedings. Harris is required at the factory to “place nicks.” These are the small nipples that hold die-cutting within it’s parent sheet to stop all the bits from falling out. “The positioning on some jobs is critical,” Ben adds. With this, the meeting is wound up and I proceed to my car—Zoom in hand and my head filled with ‘enlightenment.’

WE HAVE FINALLY UNPACKED!!

2009-08-31T10:59:00.005+01:00

Pheww... About 30 minutes ago, I unpacked the final box of magic tricks and added it to the stockrooms at our new shop location. We have been working late into the night for the past week, to get the whole move finished in time to start dispatching orders when we reopen tomorrow. A big thank you to everyone who has helped with the move and setting up the shop
(especially John, Caroline, Steve and Darren)

The biggest thanks should go to all of you who have continued to order from us while the warehouse has been out of action. It great to get so many emails and messages wishing us good luck with the move.

Today and tomorrow we will be working through all the orders placed last week while we were closed. Once they have been dispatched we have some AMAZING new magic tricks to add to the site. Our new shop gives us a HUGE amount of stock space, which we have been needing for a long time now. It means we can expand the range in several new directions, so watch this space!

Keep practicing and good luck with your magic!

Dominic Reyes

These guys are just too ridiculous.

2009-08-06T17:27:00.006+01:00

Wanna see proof of a couple of guys who can do an INSANE card flourish?
I'm not talking the usual stuff where you see people fiddling with a deck of cards.

This is stuff of movies, that even the most experienced card handlers only dream about. Remember what Gambit did in X-men Origins, where the cards flew into the air? This is it, but the real deal, with an absolutely normal deck of cards.

These guys make mastering it EASY, and they're the best teachers I've ever seen with video production standards that match up to Hollywood. No kidding.

They're giving out a bunch of tutorials absolutely free that some of the best teaching we have ever seen.

Check out some tutorials they're sharing at WLD2009 here:

CLICK HERE FOR FULL DETAILS & SOME FREE DOWNLOADS

So what is this all about?

Well, modern card flourishing legends Virtuoso and Bone have organized the largest online event ever in the art of playing card flourishes, and they're featuring a card flourish known as Anaconda: "The World's Longest Dribble".

There are 78,000 magicians and card flourishers attending from all over the globe, and so many people have been waiting for this for the longest period of time.

Even if you're not into card flourishing, you'll love the free tutorials that touch on style and finesse when handling playing cards.

They have this stylish elegant feel that you just have to witness.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL DETAILS & SOME FREE DOWNLOADS

P.S. These guys have legendary reputations- not some BS product of the month. And it has nothing to do with rigging a deck together. This is the real deal!

VENOM - By Mike Davis - Release Date : AUG 09

2009-07-13T13:34:00.004+01:00

A most distressing discovery, it is attracted to human flesh...

Charlie Caper wins Swedens Got Talent 2009

2009-06-14T17:43:00.004+01:00

Congratulations Charlie! We didn't understand a word of it... and we enjoyed every minute of it!

Parsing image illusion that tricks your brain

2009-05-21T00:07:00.003+01:00

Move far away from the picture and it will change.

The Samsung HD Phone Illusion

2009-05-17T10:17:00.004+01:00

For the release of the Samsung i8910 Omnia HD Mobile Phone, here is a very clever visual puzzle. There are lots of clues in the clip too!

If you really can't work it out, the answer is in the clip below:

TWITTER TIPS FOR MAGIC BEGINNERS

2009-05-17T08:59:00.004+01:00

We ask our @merchantofmagic Twitter followers to give us a tip for complete magic beginners. Here's ten of the best replies:

1) Keep eye contact, keep it simple, be clear in what you are saying, sum up before effect, take it slowly, be confident From @TMBrainwasher

2) For anyone who wants to get into card magic 'Royal Road to Card Magic' Jean Hugard is a must! From @richardmagic

3)Study magic books first, then move on to DVD's. Then you get to be yourself not a copy of someone From @AidanHeritage (MoM Note: Many beginners do find learning from DVD's easier to begin with. However, once you have the basic skills, you will find a lot of original material in books, so don't overlook them.)

4) Don't start with JUST gimmicks and gaff's. Learn stuff with normal cards or coins as well. From @LokiB

5) Read a good book on acting or storytelling. Purchase a magic book or DVD with several tricks instead of just one. From @DonTheo3

6)Stamp your own personality on a new trick, instead of being a carbon copy. From @Stephen_ward

7) Don't worry about the shaky hands phase. It will pass and you will become the cool, calm, collected magician you wish to be From @swede1403

8) Learn just two or three simple tricks at first then you can concentrate more on your performance From @Markcookx1

9) Magic is a form of expression...present yourself through the effect From @owlmagic

10) Get out of your bedroom and show some real people some real magic! From @gingermagic

Amazing FREE tool for Magicians

2009-05-10T12:16:00.005+01:00

For the over a year now, the team at The Merchant of Magic have been using Evernote to make our magic lives easier and more organised. What is Evernote?
On the web it allows you to Create, clip, and share notes and see them everywhere. On your phone you can take snapshots, read to-do lists, record audio whenever and wherever you like. On your desktop you can use evernote to search through all your notes, even find text within images, whether online or off!

It's such a useful tool for magicians, that we thought we would share our top 10 ways magicians can use it..

1) Keep copies of all your booking contracts, so wherever you are, you can see all the details.

2) Clip a copy of all the magic items you own as an instant inventory

3) Clip all the magic items you would love to get in the future (the ultimate want list)

4) Save copies of company logo's at gigs

5) Save copies of all the business cards you get given, and have then at have and instantly searchable wherever you are.

6) Hear a great oneliner or routine idea? Save it instantly.

7) Parking your car for a booking. clip it's location and you can find in instantly

8) Save copies of all your trick instruction sheets, so you have everything always accessable.

9) A prospective client gives you their telephone number for a booking enquiry - Clip the image into evernote and you never lose a lead.

10) save copies of all the magic pdf's you own, so you have a library of magic to read wherever you are.

To get Evernote visit them HERE

Piers needs more magicians on BGT

2009-05-08T15:44:00.003+01:00

Piers Morgan has said that he would like to discover new magicians on 'Britain's Got Talent'.

Reported in the The Sun, the talent show judge said: "I've seen some great magic acts and we're all aware of people like David Blaine and David Copperfield, and we've seen nothing like that on 'Britain's Got Talent' in three years."

"I don't know where they are, or whether they're scared because we have a sort of anti-magician feel to the show."

"All those acts you expect to see on an old-fashioned variety show we've not seen a lot of at a high level."

Source http://www.rte.ie/arts/2009/0508/morganp.html

Interview with Jeremy Hanrahan

2009-04-22T13:15:00.009+01:00

Dominic Reyes caught up with magician and magic creator Jeremy Hanrahan (inventor of the international hit 'ENTITY' ) to find out more about him and what he has planned for the year ahead.

Dominic: Please tell our readers about yourself.

Jeremy: I Live in Hamilton Ontario Canada and am married and have a gorgeous 3-year-old daughter. I run Undergroundgaffs, which deals mostly in off brand specialty card gaffs. I perform on average theee times a week and love to hang out at Morrissey Magic in Toronto. I am laid back and like jamming with other magicians to see what ideas come from these sessions. I have made a lot of friends from around the world as a direct result of magic and would not change my life for the world!!!

Dominic: What do you like about developing your own magic tricks?

Jeremy: I would have to say being able to perform effects that others can’t is a good feeling. I love fooling magicians more then spectators, and enjoy being fooled by magicians myself more so. Also seeing other magicians perform my magic tricks is real humbling, makes me smile whenever I see a haunted deck in sealed bag being performed lol.

Dominic: You have a growing range of effects out, which is your favorite?

Jeremy: It’s hard to say, as the three magic tricks I have out now are so different from each other. I like the visual aspect of my Coin through bottle called Untouchable which is no longer available.

Dominic: Will you re-release it?

Jeremy: Possibly later this year as a download. It has the most visual penetration of the bottle I have seen and it is real easy to perform.

Entity is my baby though, I love the trick because it enables the magician to do the things we are suppose to do, moving a card just by a magical gesture or cutting a deck in sealed bag while not using Invisible thread is truly a joy to watch. And the reactions from spectators are over the top. Tapout is a crazy visual sandwich effect that has three phases, each phase more impossible then the last with a nice little kicker at the end.

Dominic: How do you come up with your effects?

Jeremy: I picture the type of effect I want and then work backwards. Once I get the general feel I work out a routine so that all actions seem natural and fluid. Once that is finished I test it out on magicians and spectators tweaking it and improving on the method if need be.

Dominic: Do you then use a 'test group'?

Jeremy: Yes. Once all these are taken care of I teach the effect to workers and they take it to the people so to speak. I collect feed back from them if any and improve or update the handling even more. I then look to see if there are any effects that are similar. The reason why I do this last and not first is because I do not want to be influenced by other peoples work. Ideas and methods will always be rehashed and improved on, but it’s the routines you can come up with using different methods and tactics that can make a mediocre effect and turn it into a giant!!! I don’t have dreams of magic tricks and they do not come to me in visions lol, I create to add signature pieces to my act and create to really make people think what they are seeing is real magic. I always say to myself after a creation, “Does this look like real magic”? If the answer is no then it gets dropped on the floor with the hundreds of ideas that feel before.

Dominic: Who are your favorite magicians?

Jeremy: Performing magicians I would have to say Greg Frewin. His dove act is aces and his stage presence is strong and masterful!! The first magician that has influenced my magic the most is by far Michael Ammar. I like his style and the way he talks to spectators. He always has insightful information in his training videos, and has a way about him that makes learning effects easy and enjoyable. Others include Paul Harris (no brainer), Marlo and Bro John. More recent influences come from Steve Haynes, Jason Messina and Luis Castro. These guys always have the time to talk magic and help me get my ideas from my head to the performance. I have also started to dabble in card flourishing and have had the chance to befriend Huron Low from Virtuoso who has given me some much needed advice and teaching that I can not believe I flourish the way I do in such a short period of time. Thank god for good teachers lol.

Dominic: What do you have planned for this year?

Jeremy: Shock and Awe. The most visual and devastating magic trick of mine to date that will be released thus far is planned to release late May. I don’t want to let too much out of the bag but you have seen it, maybe Dominic, you can tell your readers about it lol. I just don’t want people to think I am biased and that I am exaggerating lol.

Dominic: Yes readers, more information about this will be released next week.

Jeremy: I will say this though; everyone will want to perform this. Its so visual it’s crazy!!!

Dominic: If you could only perform three magic tricks, what would they be?

Jeremy: Hard question, I would have to say Invisible Palm Aces, Your signed card and Bizarre Twist. All three are visual stunners and get the reactions I look for in all my magic. Not to mention that all the effect seem impossible with only one explanation, Magic!!!

Dominic: On an average, how long do you practice?

Before my daughter was born on average I practiced for 5-6 hours a day. If I wasn’t practicing a new trick I was playing with a deck of cards, or reading a book or watching a DVD. When my daughter was born I cut back a bit to 4 hours and slowly realized that there is more to life than magic. As with everything in life it should be done in moderation.

Dominic: So has your passion for practice decreased?

Jeremy: well, yes and no. Why waste time getting a move down 125% when 100% will do the job. My point is that you don’t need to learn or know how everything is done. Just pace yourself or you will burn out like I almost did. My wife saved me from this when one night I was working on the Spring Board Double by Lee Asher (which I still have to master lol) and my lovely wife walked over to me with our beautiful daughter in her arms, removed the deck of cards from my hands, placed our new born daughter in my arms and kissed me. Enough said? There is more to life than magic friends. Don’t be a spectator in life, be an actor friends.

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Magicians needed for Hospitals

2009-04-17T17:08:00.001+01:00

The Hospitality Organization is a voluntary organization aiming to connect volunteer performers, such as comedians, magicians and musicians, with local hospitals where they can perform for the patients. The organization focuses on bringing entertainment to the children's wards, but will later expand into adult and senior groups as we feel all ages can benefit from entertainment during recovery and/or treatment.

The organization is currently in its early stages and is therefore is looking for volunteers to handle tasks such as scheduling, interfacing with the hospital staff to organize dates for performances, as well as approaching entertainers to get them to volunteer. For the same reason the organization currently only operates within Surrey and neighboring counties, but with hopes to expand as volunteers from other areas become available.

If you wish to volunteer, perform or help further the organization's goals in any way please send an e-mail to volunteer@hospitalityorganization.com with your:
Name, E-Mail, Phone Number and Location.

Click here to visit their website

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