Fredrick Turner

Reflections

Magic

  • Performing for People

    While digesting this material, it is important not to become burdened with your knowledge of the method—it is vital that you perceive it through the eyes and mind of a layman (don’t think about what you are actually doing; concentrate on what an audience is thinking). I say this because magicians have a tendency to… Continue reading

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  • Scotty on Sleights

    It doesn’t seem that many remember Scotty York. He’s faded from memory as the magic culture shifted over the last decade or two. Like his counterparts Jamy Ian Swiss, Eric Mead, Steve Spell and Doc Eason, he was a bar magician. According to his biographical sketch on Genii’s Magipedia: Scotty York (1937-2012), known as “The… Continue reading

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  • What’s the Effect?

    “The great difference between the professional magician and the amateur magician is that the professional magician knows what an effect is. He knows what the audience sees. It doesn’t matter how crude the method of performing-as long as the effect is good, he will use it. The amateur is more interested in the method. If… Continue reading

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  • Reflecting on the Structure of Magic Effects

    In the Mystery School book, Eugene Burger published an essay On The Structure of Magic Effects. Fortunately it was reprinted in the first posthumous book written and published by Lawrence Hass. Unfortunately I believe both are only available on the secondary market. It’s only a few pages long however there’s much to consider and contemplate.… Continue reading

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  • Quotes of Note

    Whenever I read a quote that speaks to me, I put it into a file that I keep in a text editor app that syncs to the cloud. I’ve been doing this for many years so you can imagine it’s a long list of mostly random quotes. Here’s a few recent on the performance of… Continue reading

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  • Book Notes: Lesser Magic

    I don’t believe I’ve spent as much time reading 68 pages as I have with John Wilson’s Lesser Magic. I have read and reread it several times since acquiring it a few months ago. “Reading a second time leading to a different shift than the first, the coordinates having shifted, the perspective experiencing them having… Continue reading

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  • Strange Phenomenon

    Recently I’ve noticed a trend of magic effect trailers where the workings are exposed. I became aware of a small independent creator that has all of their tutorials posted on their website to view whether you purchased an item or not. I find this to be a curious decision. In the days of magic shops,… Continue reading

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