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Category: Magic Blog

To the Magic Circle and beyond…….

Sarah Harfield 0 Comments
 Last week I was back in England visiting family and due to a last minute change of plans ended up with a free Monday night.  First time this has happened in 6 years and it gave me a chance to visit The Magic Circle – my favorite magic club.
Scott Penrose (President of
the Magic Circle), me and John Lenahan
It was great to reconnect with some friends who I haven’t seen in a while.  And I got several complaints about my failure to send out any newsletters! So here is a quick update of a couple of fun things to share.

A few days earlier I was hanging out at Magi-Fest in Columbus and bumped into another colleague.  I was with a bunch of my American friends and we spent an hour or so chatting to Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee.  They all came away saying the same thing ‘What an awesome guy’.

 

Paul was amazingly frank discussing magic and his life in the entertainment industry. We all felt that he had shared something of himself with us, something personal, we weren’t just magic fans, we were his new friends.  This incredible ability is one of the things that made him such a big star.

As the dealer hall was packing up I was chatting to Gabe Fajuri of Potter and Potter Auctions, and there, sitting on his table was an old book.  On it was a piece of paper that said ‘The Discoverie of Witchcraft, First Edition’.

My eyes nearly popped out of my head – the first magic book in the English language printed in 1584, and it was just lying there on the table!

Admittedly it was only there for a few seconds as Gabe was packing up but I had to smell it and handle it for a moment.

As I held this book I felt the hairs on my neck prickle.  And yes I was very careful as I didn’t have the 25 grand to buy it if I dropped it.

All the above happened in a few consecutive days. Life is sometimes really magical.

    

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Magic Capital of the World

Keith Fields

This year ‘The Verge’ visited Abbots Get Together.  I had heard of the latter as it hasphoto 1 become a regular feature of our year since we have been in the USA, but I had no idea who or what ‘The Verge’ was, or what that would mean for the Get Together.

The who is the easy bit, just look at their web site.  They are a news/media website producing content at the intersection of technology, science, art, and culture.  They were going to do a 15 minute short form documentary about Colon.

The ‘what it would mean’ bit made me smile.  I have been to magic conventions where there are film crews before.  I am glad to report that Abbotts was no different.  There were the rumors (a reality TV show about magicians, another masked magician), the nay sayers (lets go to the other bar where the cameras aren’t) and the ego’s (lets go to the bar where the cameras are and start doing tricks!)

(tiny question from the Wife & Editor – And which one are you Keith?)

Then, standing outside 5 Star Pizza someone said, these film guys need some shots of people throwing cards.  The game was a foot!  For those who don’t know there is an unofficial thing that happens every year.  We try and throw cards over the road (about 4 lanes) and hopefully over the buildings opposite.  Those who just try, their names are quickly forgotten, those that succeed, well they are forgotten just as quickly!  As I said, it is just a thing.  A group of us got up and started throwing for all we were worth.  Unfortunately, most of the group were at least over 40.  Our throwing arms were not as good as we would like to think they once were.

It was at that moment that my good friend Michael Mode said ‘come over here, I want you to talk with these guys’ and I was suddenly in front of the camera!  I gave them about 15 minutes of brilliant stuff, more than enough to do the whole documentary, They could just use me and then relax and enjoy the rest of the convention, but sadly I have been edited down to about 30 seconds – And that my friends is show business!

Seriously though, that is how it happened!  And the guys produced a wonderful short film – 15 mins so watch it on the link below :

Colon, magic capital of the world.

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Whats New on the Radio… How to Produce Your Own Magic Show

Sarah Harfield 0 Comments

It is 9AM.  I am up, dressed and sitting at my computer to write a newsletter!  I have already been through my emails, checked FaceBook, and put the laundry in the washing machine.  Those of you who know me well will be wondering what has happened.  Well it is not me turning over a new leaf, just the result of jet lag.  It has been a busy summer and I have now slept in my own bed for 2 nights in a row – a first since June.

The last 3 months have been a bit of a roller coaster.  Doing my show “A Brit Of Magic” in Gatlinburg followed by a trip back to the England for a reunion at The Comedy Store – wow it was great to see old friends and watch the new up and comings on the London Circuit – oh and of course fitted in a family wedding (hence the jet lag).

But I am not going to go on about any of that as there is one thing I did during the summer that you simply must hear.  Julian Mather asked me to do an interview for hisMagic Business website and you can download it here…

Keith Fields – How to Produce Your Own Magic Show

Those of you with modern electronic devices can access it through iTunes and listen a your leisure.

I am primarily talking about my recent experiences putting on A Brit of Magic but as always there are nuggets of wisdom that you can apply to whatever type of magic you do.  I have just listened to it and impressed myself with some of the things I said!

If you haven’t discovered Julian’s site you are in for a treat as there is a ton of great stuff here from some very knowledgeable people.

So what are you waiting for?  Time to expand your mind and get learning.



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Living Your Dreams!

Keith Fields 0 Comments

For virtually every entertainer the idea of having your own show with your own audience who are there just to see you is second only to winning the lottery.  For some it would be first, but those are the ones who forget that if they won the lottery they would have enough money to buy their own theater… and audience!

The great thing about dreams is that they are just that, dreams!  In mine, I am in a luxury theater in a five star resort and the full house is ready and waiting, this is not so much a dream, more of a fantasy!

A couple of months ago I threw caution to the wind and headed south to work on my dream.

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Keith Fields on Heckling

The Washington Post & How To Handle Hecklers

Keith Fields 1 Comment

It was an ordinary sunny Wednesday morning and the last thing I expected was an email from the Washington Post. It was the day that Michelle Obama was heckled and there was a certain amount of discussion as to how she had handled the situation. Journalists and editors were now scurrying around to try and find some experts to interview and quote. Thanks to my book ‘How to Handle Hecklers’ I became one of those experts.Hecklers - how to handle them!

You can read the full Washington Post article here :

Washington Post : heckler-michelle-obama-first-amendment

As Michelle Obama discovered, how to respond to a heckler can either make or break a situation. Luckily the press will only be interested if you are a) a celebrity, and b) you get it wrong. For most of us this is quite a relief. The truth is that heckling situations, for most entertainers and speakers are few and far between. But you still need to be ready and prepared for that moment, because sooner or later it will happen. And the most important moment happens inside your head just after the heckle is delivered. This is a moment when the fight or flight reflex can kick in (the same reflex that causes a rabbit to skip away to safer territory when it hears a movement in the grass). If the heckler is also running towards you with a weapon then the rabbit option is a good one. For most other situations the first thing you need to do is take a moment to assess the situation and deliver a balanced and considered response. If you are not prepared then it is very easy to make a bad decision in the heat of the moment. One example would be to assume that the whole audience is against you and that the heckler is speaking for the whole audience. This is rarely the case. Usually it is the heckler who stands alone, and audience is on your side, and they will stay there if you handle the situation well. The way you deal with an unexpected interruption can turn a meeting round, make a good show into a great show, it can even close a sale or get a contract signed!

She may need it again in the future so I sent Michelle a signed copy of my book. Keep in touch!

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Santiago’s Red Light Jugglers

Keith Fields 0 Comments
This headline on the BBC news website caught my attention… 

Santiago’s Red Light Jugglers

By Maryrose Fison, Santiago, Chile

Was this is a story about a variety entertainer or a new and dangerous way of taking a left at the lights? 
It was in an international news website so of course I was going to read it just in case. But I had already sort of guessed what it might be about. Do you have any idea?
 
This is my story…
About a year ago I was traveling home from a cruise, it was Lima, Peru.  I was picked up by a taxi and was en-route to the airport.  It was only the second time I had been there and both times I was disembarking. This meant little or no time to sight see, in fact my only experience of that city is the port, the airport and the inside of a taxi.
 
This Taxi was better than the usual (the air conditioning worked) and the windows had been freshly cleaned (thanks to  the squeegee boys at the last junction) so I was relaxing and enjoying the scenery.  It was dusk and the exciting city was just coming to life.  Not the business life, that was just ending, I’m talking about the night life.
 
Lima is a colorful city and there was sound and light everywhere.  The roads were busy and the aggressive form of driving (one hand on the wheel the other on the horn) seemed to be the order of the day. The car behind honked us because we accidentally stopped at a red light!
 
And that is when I experienced a Red Light Juggler.
 
All of a sudden standing in the middle of the road was a guy juggling five clubs. He did a 60 second routine that involved  behind the back and under the leg and several other tricks, and any juggler will tell you that we are talking highly advanced stuff here!
 
Just before the lights changed he rushed around the four or five cars to collect tips, and then it was over. The shortest street show I have ever experienced, and this one really was in the street!
***
I still go out and do street shows a few days every year.  I do it because I love the challenge, it keeps my street chops fresh, and I still say that it is the sweetest money I ever earn. 
 
I used to joke that a successful street entertainer was just a beggar with talent. You are basically asking for money from strangers, but you do it in a slightly nicer way than your average down and out. Then I thought a better simile would be a con man. You have to find a mark, show him a trick and get him to give you some money, and none of this was the marks intention when he left home.  Now-a-days I think the whole thing has become an exciting game that I love to play and I love to win. But most of all I love the fact that I go out there and have no idea exactly what is going to happen next. 
 
You can read the BBC story and see some pictures of the red light jugglers here.  Watch the video link of the whole process… 
Santiago’s red light jugglers by Maryrose Fison
 
 
So here is your challenge for today – 

The lights have just turned red and you have 60 seconds to impress the crowd and get the money! 

What would you do in your 60 seconds

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Keep It Fresh

Keith Fields 0 Comments
Keith FieldsI received an email today complaining about the lack of messages that I have sent to my mail list of late!  I guess that means I occasionally say something of interest.One of the reasons is that we have been busy updating websites and have now put all magic newsletters and blogs on a new site at www.KeithFieldsMagic.com My main site www.KeithFields.com carries a link to the magic site but has been redesigned to promote, shows and speaking work.We value feedback from our magic friends so please let us know what you think.And now my thought for the day…

Keep It Fresh
My thought for today is actually just over a year old!
I was on a lecture tour in California and a fine tour it was. I had several lectures to do and a few shows at some casinos.  During a lecture at Grand Illusions in Sacramento I met the proprietor,Steve Johnson, who asked me if I would do a short radio style interview for his web site.  I am always willing to try anything that sounds like fun so I did the interview and promptly forgot all about it!
Fast forward twelve months (to yesterday) and I walk into my office to hear my voice coming out of Sarah’s computer.  I had no idea what it was and I was intrigued.  Especially as Sarah was laughing. Turns out that I was both quite funny and full of good information and I was also in trouble. I now had to explain to my wife why I hadn’t shared this gem with her and with you.
So here we are.  It is twelve months late but I hope you enjoy it.
It only lasts ten minutes so click here on picture below and I hope it puts a smile on your face.
the magic broadcast banner

Put the Fun into Fundraising
– A new Ebook by
Keith Fields and Sarah Harfield

put the fun into fundraising

 Between them, Keith and Sarah have over 50 years of experience  working with schools, PTO’s, churches, charities and non-profits of all shapes and sizes.
 They have distilled and shared their experience and wisdom in this new EBook.
Learn a constructive approach to analyzing your fundraising efforts and some of Sarah Harfieldthe best ways to raise thousands of $$$.
Click on the picture of the book cover for more information.
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The Magician’s Wife

Sarah Harfield 0 Comments
Sarah HarfieldThis month prepare yourself for something different in my news letter.
 It maybe something dangerous and a little scary!
The truth is that I write ’em, and Sarah, my wife of 21 years (that is how long we have been married not her age) puts ’em into some order and sends ’em out to you.  If it was not for her they would never leave my laptop and for this we should all be grateful.
This month, however, she has decided that you lot deserve the feminine touch!  And who am I to disagree?  I promise I will be back next month but for now…
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In search of the ULTIMATE comedy equation

Keith Fields

I don’t know if you have seen it, how could I? I don’t know who you are.  But if you haven’t do yourself a favor and hop over to youtube and search for ‘hack lines magicians say’ by Paul Draper and Jason Andrews.  (Or Click here).  This funny little clip started me on one of my Think Journeys –

What makes a line a ‘hack’ line? AND, Does it matter?

One thing Paul and Jason say in their written description of the clip is ‘We just don’t like it when some insert them into their shows without the work to make it their own’ and I agree with their sentiments.  I would also like to use this forum to add some more comments.

But first a confession…k6

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