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How to create original effects? Gaetan Bloom
To truly invent new tricks, one must possess a curious mindset. It's not just about being curious about magic, but also being curious about everyday objects. Every object has clever elements built into it, from lipstick to mint boxes. For example, some mint containers have a slide mechanism that when pressed, pops the lid open. This simple mechanism is beautiful, just like magic! The key is to look at everyday items with a different perspective and see how you can incorporate them into your magic. To discover new effects, you can begin by focusing on an object, a method, or a plot.
One way to start is by looking at objects. You can find inspiration in places like toy stores and hardware stores. The possibilities for magic effects are limited to things like appearance, vanish, transformation, transposition, mental effects, levitation, penetration, and a few more. For example, if you focus on "transformation," there are variants such as color, shape, and size transformations. Additionally, you can explore more common transformations, such as weight, temperature, & even sensory transformations such as sound, taste, and smell. To come up with a new idea, you can take any object and apply it to the list of effects. Many theme acts take a specific object and make it the focal point, by changing its color, multiplying it, making it float, or altering its size. This helps in creating a new and visually striking effect. To do this, consider the object you want to use and ask yourself the following questions: What is its normal use?
Under what circumstances do you normally use it?
What is its opposite use? Or for what purpose do you not need it?
What can be its opposite meaning or use? For example
Take an eraser as the object. What is its normal use? Erasing something written. When do you use it? When you've made a mistake or when you want to correct something. What would be its opposite use? Using the eraser to write on a white paper instead of erasing. By thinking in these terms, you can come up with new and creative ideas to use the object in a magic trick. You can take this idea further. Imagine drawing an eraser on a piece of paper, then taking a real eraser and erasing the drawing. The audience sees that the real eraser has vanished by being erased by the drawing! This could be a good plot for a magic trick where you use a magical eraser to correct errors at a distance, without ever touching the actual board. By just jotting down ideas, we already have a few different possibilities, and each with its own meaning. Another tactic is to find other objects that resemble the eraser. For example, a common eraser can look like a brick or a piece of sugar. You can then make connections between the sugar and other objects, such as a cup of coffee. Imagine drawing a cup of coffee with a sugar cube in it, then magically dissolving the sugar cube. Or you can take an eraser, erase the sugar cube, and make it appear as an eraser. This can be achieved by a simple switch.
Finally, you can have a production of a coffee cup from the crumpled paper for a surprising finish, then drop the sugar in it in the end.
Organizing your brainstorming process is crucial. Always force yourself to write about your chosen object. Write any thought about it, or a chain of thoughts. For our example, the eraser:
- You erase with it
- You use it with a pencil
- It can be different colors
- You can rub your hand with it, etc.
Never stop writing, even if you can't think of anything else. This technique was inspired by the book "Accidental Genius" by Mark Levy. Set a timer for half an hour and write everything you can think of related to the object. It does not have to be related to magic. Continuously write the phrase "I can't think of anything to write" to maintain the flow of your brainstorming session. This technique encourages your brain to generate new ideas.
Use index cards to organize your ideas. Keeping them in card files or binders with pockets is a great way to organize your magic research. You can have one file for all objects that you find inspiring, another for classic magic tricks such as Linking Rings, Chinese Sticks, and Die Box, and another for secret magic gimmicks. techniques, including invisible thread, thumb tips, magnets, nail writers, the Zombie principle, and roughing spray. The great thing about this system is that your file will grow as you gain more knowledge and add more items to it.
One way to find inspiration for new magic plots is to read the Ripley's Believe it or Not series, where you can pick your favorite stories such as "The man who eats everything," or "The man who lost fifty pounds in ten minutes," etc. These stories can serve as a starting point for creating new and interesting magic plots.
Take ten minutes to brainstorm ideas by connecting an object of your choice to different concepts. For example, if you choose an eraser, consider how it can be associated with things like a reel, magnet, or invisible thread. Allow your mind to wander freely and pay attention for any sudden insights or "eureka" moments. As you practice this technique, it will become easier to generate creative ideas on your own. At some point, you may hear a tiny inner voice, like an inner alarm clock, telling you that you've hit upon something.