Being Creative with Magic (Jorg Willich)
"Stretching magic in various directions, reapplying old principles and looking for new inspirations,
is an essential part of the art. All magicians should aspire to new ideas and think creatively about
the magic they perform and the magic they'd like to perform in the future.
When I connect the dots to draw a picture, I "make" a picture, but I don't "bring into
being a new" picture, I merely "reproduce" one already in existence. In the most positive
scenario, if I use different colors than are suggested, I can "vary" the picture, but still not
"create" a new picture.
This doesn't mean that one can only talk about "creating" when something is brought into
existence which has no relation to anything which has preceded it. Even apparently new
ideas are based on something which already exists if you examine them closely. It's the
bringing together of new connections as well as the original combination of the already-
existing thoughts which are generally referred to as "creativity" or even "ideas."
In the following discussion we will see that when one wants to increase creativity, we
are dependent on a few rather complex things:
1. Way of thinking. The more movement and freedom we allow our thoughts and the
more we rely on our unconsciousness, the easier it becomes.
2. Knowledge. The more factual knowledge we have, the easier it is.
3. Openness. The more exposure we have to other people, their criticisms, and unconventional ideas, the more easily we can do it.
Our conscious thinking is based on the fact that our brain constantly selects and organizes
our thoughts. In this way, the thoughts of which we are aware are reduced to those which
we are capable of processing.
This can easily be compared with the perceptive mechanisms of our senses. For example,
if we stand at a noisy corner engaged in conversation, we can hear the person with whom
we are speaking because we consciously listen. The noise from the street fades into the
background, even when it's louder than the conversation. If our attention is called to the
song of a bird, we hear the song actively, although it was previously fully filtered out from
our conscious perception (in psychology, this phenomenon of selective perception is called
the "Theory of Filtration").
How important this filtering process is for our perception can be seen in autistic patients.
They suffer partly from a disturbance of the perception filter and register their surroundings,
unfiltered, in a ratio of 1:1. This leads to a total flood of stimulus, which the autistic patient
instinctively attempts to manage by "cutting himself off" from the outer world. An attempt
to reduce the conscious surroundings (for example, by sitting under a table) or a substitute
reaction (for example, continuous rocking with the upper half of the body) are the natural
reactions to this kind of stimulus overload.
(See The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat: And Other Clinical Tales,
Oliver Sacks, 1987.)
There is also a filter for our thoughts which is similar to the filter for selective perception.
Let's use a mechanical comparison: one can imagine a "valve" between "consciousness"
and "unconsciousness" which regulates the transfer and exchange of thought fragments
between them. With this process, thoughts are processed to a certain degree for their
usefulness. The width of the valve determines the amount and breadth of what is allowed
through, i.e., the associations of which we are aware. Associations which aren't useful
"are sorted out," even before they enter our consciousness.
These valves are often of different sizes in various areas. Some people have a comparatively
small valve in the visual area so that they can more easily find associations for abstract
pictures, others have a playful potential in the mathematical field and are more creative
in this area.
Although one can define the concept of creativity-thinking and being creative cannot be
defined. By examining various people one can determine certain similarities in the
creative process, but there are no rules which guarantee success in increasing your
own creativity. On the other hand, there are "exercises," which help one to shift your
way of thinking in the direction of creativity. At the end of this chapter a concrete
example will be given.
In order to be creative, I must first know "where." In our case this means limiting the areas
of magic to those where one can be creative. I think that there are three basic areas in
magic in which creativity is important. These areas are "effect," "technique" and
"presentation." All three are related to one another, but first I want to look at them
separately.
The Effect
With "effect" I understand this to mean "the magical happening," the pure effect independent
of the presentation. In a card trick this means, for example, a chosen and signed card which
is put into the deck then disappears and appears at another point. When I think of a new
effect, I attempt to do this not only independently of the presentation, but also removed
from technical limitations. I compare the construction of a magic effect with the figure of
the Thalic-circle in Geometry:
Point A is reality and point B is our magic dream, the wished effect. If we could connect
points A and B with a straight line then we could perform true magic. Even if a few effects
come very close to this line, it doesn't really exist. For this reason we need the "secret
method" or trick technique. At the same time it forms the weak point of the effect and is
marked with an X. That is the price we must pay when we want to create an illusion.
Through the choice of various techniques we can move the weak point between A and
B in accordance with technical aspects which are important for us. This doesn't mean
that the trick is better when point X lies closer to point A or B so the resulting triangle
is flatter. Regardless of where the point X is, the angle at X will always be 90º and always
represents the same weak point. The position of X only demonstrates that we can change
the focal point of the secret method according to our personal requirements in order to find
the optimal method for each of us to perform the effect.
The Technique
Technique is important. One sees this in the fact that it's possible to make effects today
that were impossible in the past. This holds for "manual technique" or sleight of hand as
well as "technical technique" regardless of whether it's mechanical, electric, or electronic.
A good example for the creative development in the mechanical-technical area are the tricks
of Tenyo, a Japanese magic company.
Creativity is important for us from a technical point of view in two areas:
1. In the preparation phase alone in your room. This is analytical creativity, which is
particularly interesting to us and which also forms the larger part of the creative product
later on.
2. In the "fight phase," for example, when working tables. Here spontaneous creativity is
often needed in order to accommodate the special wishes of the audience. One could
also speak of spontaneous or ad-hoc creativity.
1. The preparation phase.
The more knowledge a magician has, the easier it is for him to realize new ideas. I am
speaking of basic knowledge in the sense of sleights and techniques, in the absence of
the context (effects) within which they are learned. Only when one looks at them individually
is one able to use this basic knowledge in a playfully-creative way.
Some magicians are of the opinion that a large basic knowledge about magical methods
isn't necessary. Without the inherited burden of this knowledge, one is forced to go in new
directions and to find new, creative solutions. This point of view cannot be fully rebutted,
an example are magicians from Eastern countries. They were forced-as a result of their
isolation from the west-to develop new techniques. Western magicians have always been
impressed by this creative self-sufficiency. This is based on the fact that the "new"
techniques were in many cases unknown in the West so that one could be deceived.
Deception of the specialists is worthy of praise (and a few colleges live very well from it),
but it's no guarantee that the best method for realizing an effect has been found since we
should see the deception of the so called "lay-audience" as our main aim.
In looking for the ideal method, a detailed analysis of the problem together with a playful
approach are of great importance. Only when I know what I want, and where I want to go,
can I find a way to get there. As Jim Steinmeyer has said, "Every problem contains and
reveals its own solution. . . . With the best and most perfect magic tricks, effect and
method form a harmonic compound."
A large basic knowledge paired with a problem analysis and playful treatment can be
advantageous in this case. The greater the "bag of methods" from which we can draw,
the easier it is to find the ideal technique.
(see also Jim Steinmeyer's essay "The Dog and the Hoop," in Strange Power, Steinmeyer, 1992)
1.A: Improvement Through Simplification
One way to find the ideal technique is to change or simplify the available techniques.
This can happen in two ways:
-The actual motorized complexity of a sleight is reduced. (The magician is happy about this.)
-The sleight remains (unfortunately) difficult and complex, but appears simpler, natural, which
means real and better. (The spectator would be happy about this if he knew, wouldn't he?)
This work should not be underestimated as a creative achievement. One must understand a
sleight or a group of sleights (for example, coin vanishes) in order to be able to see them with
some degree of perspective. Only from this distance is it possible to recognize weak points
and eliminate them.
This is comparable to abstract painting. Although one out of two people who look at an abstract
picture maintains that he could have painted it, it's astonishing that the most important abstract
works have been created by artists who have studied classic painting techniques and have copied
the old masters for years before they developed their own abstract style (e.g., Kandinsky and Picasso).
1.B: The Creation Of New Techniques
It's possible that one cannot find a suitable technique to realize an effect. When the advice of
outsiders (to increase basic knowledge) doesn't help, I sometimes do the following: I go through
the story of the effect without doing a trick until I find points in the procedure which seem plausible
for a trick technique. Now I attempt to play in those directions until I find a way to use the trick
technique. This playing around I call "getting at things from the inside."
(see also the essay "Mind Movie" by Tommy Wonder in The Books of Wonder Vol.I, p.53,
Wonder and Minch, 1996.)
If I don't get any further through this playful act, I write down all the detailed movements necessary
for the effect and analytically attempt to find a place for the trick technique from outside. The time
before the beginning of the effect needs to be taken into account, since a part of the trick can be
prepared before the performance.
If I find several different solutions for the trick technique, I play them all through in order to find the
best one.
2. The Fighting Phase
The creative implementation of trick techniques of which I am speaking here refers primarily to their
use while working tables. In magic on the stage, the program usually runs along a fixed line and
spontaneous corrections and changes in the technique are usually only needed when something
goes wrong.
While working tables, on the other hand, the close proximity forces one to be prepared for a spectator
to interfere by not placing his cards in the deck or expressing other "special wishes." An attempt to
fulfill these wishes can be very dangerous since many spectators tend to force the magician to the
border of what is technically possible. If one accepts the challenge and succeeds in fulfilling these
extra wishes, this becomes a convincing demonstration of his magic capabilities, leading to a higher
status of the performer in the eyes of the spectator.
Another way of spontaneously fitting the circumstances is described by Daryl under the tittle
"Jazz-Magic." During the performance of an Ambitious Card routine for example, Daryl knows
exactly with which sleights he begins and ends. The individual sleights that are used inbetween,
however, are decided upon spontaneously, depending on the situation and according to the mood
of the audience. The performance becomes very commercial, because he can set things up (such
as the angle of view) ideally for each audience.
(see also Darly's essay "Scratching the Surface" in his Lecture Notes to Convention session No.1, 1982)
Even here, what has been said is valid: the larger one's knowledge of methods, the easier one can
find a way out. However, in this case the "methods" must be actively mastered, which is not
necessary for the creative patchwork at home, since in the planning phase passive knowledge is
enough at first.
The Presentation
Why are performances with considerable originality (assuming perfect technique) remembered
longer than others?
In my opinion, this has to do with the "Story" on which the performance is based. When you
first develop a plot, the magic can be neglected, but then one must figure out how you can work
in the effects. This procedure increases the chance that one develops something which also gives
magic a "meaning" for the audience instead of being only something apart. This forces one to go
in new directions and find creative solutions in order to combine them with his favorite effects to
form a program.
It's important that the effect retains relevance to the story. A story about your family can be a
suitable theme, but to picture a red cloth as your mother-in-law doesn't work since the connection
appears abstract and manipulated. The treatment and story shouldn't appear contrived.
Many magicians have a difficult time developing a usable original story and presentation. In many
cases this is because they have not practiced enough. Unfortunately many magicians consider themselves
multi-talented and worry about dramatics, requisites, costumes, music, etc., themselves. The sad fact is
that there are very few people who know enough about all these individual areas to achieve professional
results in all of them. Why not take advantage of the help of outsiders (magicians, directors, actors, etc.)
in order to outgrow your own limitations? Our group the "Flicking Fingers" is based on the fact that a
combined group of 10 heads can think more than 10 individuals.
The development of the story and the presentational ideas connected with it prevents one from
making the error of simply performing one favorite trick after another. Individual effects are usually the
result of surprise. When you perform one effect after another, you have a collection of surprises-each
individual one may be good, but the total structure of the act often doesn't reach the desired degree of
dramatic tension. Darwin Ortiz claims that often too little attention is paid to suspense and too much to
the surprise. Suspense arises when the spectator knows what will happen but is captivated by the
getting there." Just because he suspects what will happen, however, doesn't mean that he knows how
the trick works. Because the spectator correctly suspected what would happen, he experiences, in
addition to the magic, the satisfaction that he knew what would happen
(see also Darwin Ortiz, "Stronger Magic" in MAGIC magazine, October issue 1995.)
Hitchcock called the knowledge of the end suspense. Truffaut describes in detail how Hitchcock works
with suspense and surprise: the audience sees the bomb under the couple's table in the restaurant.
The two converse in a relaxed manner. The public is a jump ahead of the pair and would like to warn
them of the danger. In this way Hitchcock creates a constant tension that contributes more to the
scene than the surprise of a bomb suddenly exploding without any warning.
The effects and plots, however, shouldn't be too complex. We spend a lot of time with our act, but
the audience must be able to understand it the first time.
A presentation which is worked out in this manner not only helps to strengthen the effect, in the
best case it can also support the technique, or even replace it. An example is the effect by Juan
Tamariz wherein he names more colors in his Color-Changing Knife-Routine than can actually be
seen, so the audience believes they have seen these colors. This is an effect which could otherwise
only have been realized by a secret switch of the knives. To grasp the picture of the Thalic circle once
again: point X cannot only be moved by chosing various techniques, but also by chosing the right
presentation.
(see also "Rainbow of Knives" in Sonata by Tamariz, Editorial Frakson, Madrid 1993)
We recognize that the individually described areas of effect, technique, and presentation interact
strongly with one another and build a unity together. This should be taken into account again and
again in the creative process.
Learning Creativity
In mentioning the "valve" between consciousness and unconsciousness, I implied that you can
influence your creative thinking by practice and techniques. There are various ways to change the
effectiveness of the valve in order to improve your grasp of the associative potential of unconscious
thoughts.
Brainstorming
(Freely translated: To sit together on the floor of a magic convention hotel room late at night and
exchange ideas.)
One sits comfortably together with others (the formation of a "creative, relaxed atmosphere" is helpful)
to talk about the theme-in case one is given-and everyone can say whatever comes into his head. The
participants shouldn't criticize or suppress any thoughts. Everything is allowed and all thoughts are
written down, and whomever has new associations throws them in. Only at the end does one attempt
to sort through all of the chaos on paper to select that which can be used.
Hypnosis, Meditation, Dreams
Breaking through the barriers caused by "closed valves" to unconscious thoughts and the perception
of them can also be achieved through hypnosis, meditation (such as Yoga), and dreams. By relaxing
and cutting off distractions, it's easier to hear the "inner voice" of the subconscious. With special
exercises this can be consciously influenced in order to increase your creative potential. For example,
one can influence dreams by thinking about the "problem" on which one works several times in the
course of the day and repeats these thoughts just before falling asleep. Since dreams are often
concerned with what happened during the day, there is a good chance that the theme of the magic
effect will be taken and further developed in dreams. I personally have never been able to do this, but
in the psychological and esoteric literature, diverse attempts are described by which this is possible.
Pure Chance or "Outbreak from Nothing"?
The effect "Gummi-Bear Penetration" in this book treats a case in which the idea for an effect literally
sprang out of the situation. Even if it seems that the creative spark comes from nowhere, it is often
preceded by long hard work. Often one works on an idea and doesn't come even a single step closer,
but ends up in a corner without an exit. When one gets into such a situation, one should stop working
on the problem and work on totally different things. When the body and spirit are distracted, or (even
better) relaxed, the problem is often further studied by the subconscious until it finds a solution. Or as
Thomas Fraps once picturesquely described: Similar to the common cold virus, an idea needs a certain
incubation time, meaning that one becomes infected and it takes some time until the cold (idea) develops.
(see also "The Psychology of Invention in the Mathematical Field," p.12, Jacques Hadamard, Dover Books, 1954)
Association Games
Such games can make it easier to have a brainstorming session or even make it possible to
brainstorm with oneself. There are various possibilities for such games. I have thought of a game
which is described at the end under "Brainstorming-Brain warming." Have fun with it.
Closing Thoughts
Even if creative work is hard work, Thomas A. Edison once said: "An idea consists of 99%
perspiration and 1% inspiration." Whomever waits for the kiss of the Muse must have a lot of
ways to keep busy or a very large sitting area.
But believe me, when the Muse comes, she kisses very well.
Jim Steinmeyer
How often have you heard the lovely words "be creative" or "creativity" used incorrectly?
Like "individuality" and "self-realization," they have become slogans that reflect our time
and values. They are repeated at every opportunity, both suitable and unsuitable, used
and misused. In a book under the heading "Creative Drawing," I saw directions for
"Drawing by Numbers." Is that creative? If you look up "create" in the dictionary you
find that it comes from the Latin and means "to originate, to invent."
