5 STEPS TO GET STARTED IN ILLUSIONS

By jcsum - May 17, 2013

While a lot of the content in this website is geared towards the serious student of illusions and professional
illusionists, it is important to ensure that a newcomer to illusions has a good introduction on how to get
started in illusions.

Here are my5 Steps to Get Started in Illusions:

STEP 1: BE A STUDENT

The rst step is to nd all the information you can on illusions and be a sponge. Learn everything you can on
the subject, just as you would for any eld you intend to master. Here is how I recommend you approach
being a student of the art of illusion.
Read
Read everything you can on the subject of illusions. Start with the free resource The Internet. If you are at
this website, you are already on the right track. In addition, visit magic forums, such at The Magic Cafe and
read through the tens of thousands of posts in theGrand Illusion section.Di erent magicians have written
articles on the subject posted in di erent websites, so a Google search will help nd some of these articles.
Next, buy or borrow books on illusions. I have created what is currently the most comprehensive
recommended list of books & DVDs on illusions here. Slowly build your library and knowledge over time with
these books.
Watch
YouTube will provide you hours and hours of reference material on illusion performances. You will watch
every standard of illusion presentation imaginable, from the great to the downright horrible. However, you can
learn from watching both good and bad performances, as long as you can di erentiate between the two.
There is also a select range of DVDs that I recommend in my list above as well.

David Davinci performing Doug Malloys Shadows

Observe
After acquiring some kind of basic awareness of illusions (i.e. various standard illusion plots, e ects,
performance styles, prop styles etc), you should try to get up close with some illusion equipment and props.
Get rst row tickets to live shows that feature illusion performances. Observe everything you can about the
performance including, but not limited to:
Routining
Propdesign(size,material,visiblemechanicaldevices,construction)
Presentationincludingpatter/script
Choreography,Blocking&Movement
PropSetup
Music
Lighting
Costuming
Stagehands(roles,attire,movement)
If you are lucky enough, you can go one step further and work with or be an apprentice to a good professional
illusionist. Contact him/ her and o er to be part of his/ her crew and help in any way you can. You will learn a

lot just by setting up, packing and breaking down illusion props. While the chances that you might nd
someone willing to take you on are slim, you will never know unless you try.
Think
After absorbing everything you can with the 3 approaches justhighlightedabove, you need to internalize the
information and process it in your mind. Think about what was good and bad about what you learnt. Do not
accept all information wholesale. Understand that everyones experience and approach to illusions is di erent
based on the context of their lives, geographical location, nature of performance environment, age, cultural
in uence and hundreds of other variables. All these factors shape each individuals approach to the design and
performance of illusions. Consider the context of the information you have learnt and distill what would work
best for you.
Learn to di erentiate between good and bad information. This takes time and experience. But, the more you
read, watch and observe, the more obvious the distinctions become. Therefore, thinking is important,
otherwise, even if you read, watch and observe; without thinking, the information will not be applied properly.
Knowledge is power, but only if you use it.

STEP 2: EXPERIMENT WITH SIMPLE ILLUSIONS

After you have acquired wide-ranging knowledge on the various aspects of illusions, you can start
experimenting with simple illusions. By that, I mean experimenting with some basic illusion principles and
techniques using items that you can obtain cheaply. This includes constructing illusions from cardboard, cloth,
PVC pipes and other easy to obtain material.
Grants Victory Cartons book, Mark Wilsons Complete Course in Magic, Mark Wilson on Illusions as well as
Andrew Maynes various booklets and Illusion EFX DVD all contain illusions that you can make inexpensively
with literally cardboard boxes and duct tape. Here is a link to a clear storyboard on the Victory Cartons. Be
sure to get Grants book for even more easy illusion ideas.
These inexpensive illusions will allow you to experiment with various illusion techniques like protecting angles,
choreography, movement, teamwork, working with large props andpantomime.Film your experiments with
your smart phone, a cheap video camera, or web cam and observe your routining, movement and illusion
handling.

Hector performing his version of the Flying Box

Besides honing basic illusion techniques through experimenting with simple illusions, this exercise will help
you nd your inclination and strengths towards certain illusions. This will also help you start to develop your
illusion style, may it be a physical style like Hans Klok, dramatic like Copper eld or patter intensive and
comedic as opposed to silent with pantomime.

STEP 3: ACQUIRE A FIRST ILLUSION

Miguel Gavilan performing Jim SteinmeyersTorch Box

Once you have experimented with simple illusions and you think illusions are for you, you will want to acquire
a professional illusion prop. My rst recommendation is toread my list on Choosing Your First Grand Illusion
for Modern Illusionists.
After deciding what illusion you want to get, you can decide how you want to get it. You have di erent options:
Buy a New Illusion From an Illusion Builder
Buying a fabricated illusion prop from an experienced illusion builder is the best way to ensure you get a good
quality, deceptive and working illusion prop. You will also learn rst-handthe proper construction techniques

for building illusions which you can apply in future.However, buying a professional illusion is expensive and
may not be a viable option for most rst-time illusion buyers.
Sometimes if you are lucky, an illusion builder might have a showroom model or a new illusion that was
returned or not paid in full by apreviouscustomer that is in his shop. More often than not, the builder would
be willing to sell this illusion at a discount. I got my rst illusion this way, as well as a few others over the years.
Buy a Second-hand Illusion
There are several websites thatspecialize in used Illusions such as Magic Auction and Taylor Reeds Used
Magic & Illusions. Also keep a look out on magic forums, Ebay and Facebook groups that list used illusions.
You can also ask around at your local magic club or contact professional magicians to see if they have anything
for sale. More often than not, someone will have an unused illusion that they are willing to part with.
Here are some tips on buying a used illusion:
Doyourresearchontheillusion.Lookforphotos,videosandreviews.
Makesurethepropyouarebuyingisanauthorizedillusionandnotapiratedknockoff.
Besuretogetinfoontheoriginalbuilderoftheillusion.Theresalevalueofapropbya
reputablebuilderwillbehigherthanahomemadeprop.
Requestforrecentphotosoftheactualprop.Useitasaguidetodeterminetheconditionof
theprop.Mostqualitypropsholdupovertimeunlessthereisdamage.Scratchesandminordings
areexpected.
Build the Illusion Yourself
If you are handy and have a workshop, you might consider building your own illusion. I suggest you watch
Gerry FrenettesBuilding Your Own Illusions, The Complete Video Course(6 DVD Set).This is a great set of
DVDs and the only instructional video of its kind that teaches you everything from handling tools, materials,
building techniques and painting.
After that, you need to get building plans for the illusion that you want to build. Note: You cant just build any
illusion that you watch on YouTube. You have to do your duediligenceand nd out if there are authorized
plans to an illusion. If there are authorized plans (whether published in a book orseparatelyas a set of plans),
you will have the right to build it for yourself but not to manufacture itcommercially.
After getting and understanding the plans, you should build a mock-up with cardboard to make sure it ts and
that dimensions are accurate. Personally, I prefer to be conservative with the dimensions and opt for a tighter
t than an overly large prop. So, follow the dimensions on the plans and t the illusion for your assistant. I

will ght to save every 1/2 of space. This is for both deceptiveness and to save space. More often than not,
rst-time builders are worried that a prop will not t or will be too small. Trust me, more often than not, the
prop turns out too big.
Commission a Non-Illusion Builder to Build the Illusion
Instead of building the prop yourself, hire a carpenter, cabinet maker or prop maker to fabricate the prop for
you. Everything I wrote in Build the Illusion Yourself applies here with one additional step: You have
tosuperviseand oversee the building of the prop. While acarpenter, cabinet maker or prop maker knows how
to measure, cut and assemble materials together, they have no illusion knowledge. They may also have their
own way of building things which they may try to apply to your illusion. It is important you ensure they stick to
the illusion plans. The two most common issues I have with non-illusion builders are:
1.Dimensionsarenotfollowedaccurately.Tomanybuilders,being12offisacceptable.Itis
notwhenitcomestoillusiondeception!
2.Materialthicknessandweightarealwaystoomuch.Forexample,1/43/8plyissuitablefor
mostnonstructuralillusionpanels(sidesofillusionboxes).However,nonillusionbuilderswill
naturallygowith3/41asthatiswhattheyuseforcabinetsandcupboards.Thisalters
theoverallsizeandweightofthepropsignificantly.

STEP 4: PRACTICE & REHEARSE

Sean Alexander performing Mark Kalins Fire Spiker

After getting your illusions and all related items (additional props, costumes etc), you need to practice and
rehearse the illusion performance.
Practice refers to the blocking and technical handling of the illusion. You and your team need to know the
procedure, mechanics, movement and staging of the illusion. It also means producing the music to go with the
performance (if any) and timing it to the music.
Most new illusionists stop after practicing and do not rehearse. Or, they think both are the same thing. They
are di erent and rehearsals are what make a performance polished and show-ready. Rehearsals include the
complete performance of the illusion, taking note of all aspects of the performance.
By the time you start rehearsals, the technical handling of the illusion must be perfect. You should also have
timed the illusion on cue with the music. If these aspects of the illusion have not been perfected, you have not
practiced enough.
Work on polishing yourmovement, choreographyand interaction with your assistant (unless it is a one-man
illusion). Pausing at important moments as part of the storytelling is a tool that new performers do not utilize.
Many new performers strike an overly dramatic nale pose at the end of the routine but do not pause during
the routine to allow the audience to register e ects, theatrical moments or to applaud.

Rehearsals include getting in and out of the illusion presentation. On the illusionists part, this includes your
patter, position on stage and starting pose. On the crews part, they need to know when to set-up the prop and
when to strike it, including clearing all incidental props o theground such as; cloths, illusion parts or
costumes.
For Ning & myself personally, from the time we receive a new illusion in our studio, it takes at least 6 10
weeks (4 days a week) for us to practice and rehearse the illusion before it is stage ready. This includes music
production. If we can only work on the illusion on or o a few times a week, then it takes 3 6 months. So, it is
not something that you can and should do in a week.

STEP 5: PERFORM

Primavera performing an authentic Japanese-theme version of Jim Steinmeyers Origami

The nal step is to actually look for opportunities to perform the illusion. Typically, for new illusionists, one of
the reasons for getting an illusion is because they have an upcoming show that requires it. That is a great
motivation to practice and rehearse but the evolution of the illusion and your growth as an illusionist needs to
go beyond this single performance. Performing an illusion twice a year at magic club events does not make
you an illusionist.
You need to look for places to perform, regardless if you are paid or not. Charity shows and community shows
are a good place to volunteer to perform for an appreciative audience. You can also include the illusion as a
value-add to regular clients if you are a commercial performer.

It is important that you review your performance after each show. Film yourself and review the performance
with your team. Be critical and go beyond the magic e ect and basic movements. Look out for:
Dead Time Unnecessary time wasted in actions. Practice economy of action, which meansany single action
should be accomplished with the least amount of movements.
Unsightly Visuals in the Show Look out for awkward poses, tentativeness and lack of surenesson the part
of all performers and crew. Anytime anyone looks lost, is hesitant or fumbles during the performance, it looks
bad.
Stage hands must not be seen distracting in the background of the performance and if they are on stage, they
should be in costume or dressed in all black. They should move like ninjas, with stealth and be unnoticeableby
the audience. They must never cross in front of the performer when they clear the stage.
Messy and Unorganized Stages If your performance starts/ ends with cloths, swords, tubes. streamers and
silks all over the place, you might want to consider the onstage organization of your act. Besides being
unsightly, a messy stage is also a safety hazard for all performers and crew.
Finally, you should solicitfeedback from experienced professionals. And, I stress experienced professionals. It
will be a mistake to seekadvice from amateurs or magicians who do not perform an illusion show regularly.I
am in no way saying that their views are not good. But I strongly feel that at this stage, their advice may not be
accurate and in your best interest; for the singular reason that they have not chalked up enough time on stage.
Although, they may have good intentions, their inexperience on stage may sway you from your correct course.

Adam & Selina presenting Eclipse

After dozens and then hundreds of performances, you will be on your way to becoming an illusionist! Good
luck!

If you are a new illusionist, check out How to Be an Illusionist, the most comprehensive modern guidebook
on the market.