Magic's Royal Duke Sammy Cortino » For Illusionists http://sammycortino.com Dare To Dream Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:08:48 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Five Lessons Every Magician Can Learn From Jim Morrison’s Artistry http://sammycortino.com/archives/2824?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=artistry http://sammycortino.com/archives/2824#comments Thu, 26 May 2011 16:00:21 +0000 admin http://sammycortino.com/?p=2824

A certain force within us as artists must emerge to direct our every choice.

In the resurged interest in The Doors and particularly Jim Morrison with movies like When You’re Strange or books like No One Gets Out Alive, a certain fascination is initiated in the artistry of frontman Jim Morrison. A troubled soul – a poetic and artistic genius: yes.

Morrison found a channel to express his being and never fell prey to the music industry’s expectations. Regardless of controversy surrounding his artistry, Jim stayed true to who he was as an artist. A certain force within us as artists must emerge to direct our every choice. It all begins with what makes us unique as artists and from there to decide the exact manner we can channel that. Only then will you experience true artistic growth — artistry that is truly meaningful and not a replication of what another artist is expressing.

As magicians, what are five things we can learn from Jim Morrison’s Artistry?

  • Be who you are in performance. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing — just perform what you feel fits you the best. Quit copying other performers.
  • Appearance is vital. Why did Morrison dress the way he did? His pants fit him for one. For another, he wanted to influence the way people perceived him. Dress is visual and therefore important. We should look at ourselves in the mirror and ask ourselves if we are communicating the right message.
  • The message is important. Morrison wanted his lyrics to have double meanings and oftentimes the messages in the songs were crystallized and focused. They were meant to have an impact for the listener. A magic routine is no different.
  • Seize the moment. Rehearsal is an important part of what we do, but there were many times (for better of for worse) when Morrison was in the moment and that resulted in things that were just magic. Take for instance the critically-aclaimed L.A. Woman, album that was recorded in a week just because the vibe was right. Find a force that moves you and jump on board.
  • Draw influences from other sources. Morrison had a love for Chicago blues. With the allure of the American west to accentuate his fashion, Jim drew from many influences to balance an american rock band. Magic is no different.

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]]> http://sammycortino.com/archives/2824/feed 0 A study on magic and news coverage: get involved! http://sammycortino.com/archives/2735?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-study-on-magic-and-news-coverage-get-involved http://sammycortino.com/archives/2735#comments Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:21:24 +0000 admin http://sammycortino.com/?p=2735 For his honors thesis at Appalachian State University, Sammy is conducting a study on magic and the news coverage it has received throughout history. As part of the study, he is sampling entertainment news about David Copperfield and Harry Houdini.

If anyone has pre 1990 news footage about David Copperfield and or radio broadcasts about Harry Houdini in 1926, CONTACT US. We reimburse and your contribution to this study will help further magic’s understanding of media.

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]]> http://sammycortino.com/archives/2735/feed 0 Making It http://sammycortino.com/archives/1932?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=making-it http://sammycortino.com/archives/1932#comments Fri, 22 Oct 2010 20:30:15 +0000 admin http://sammycortino.com/?p=1932

a person must have a drive to do whatever it takes to fully fulfill their art for the realization of the masses.

In podcasts and photos that take place in my studio, you may recall seeing a Led Zeppelin poster on my wall. John Bonham, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones are the epitome of individuals that had the “it factor.” While musicians starved in the early 70s, Led Zeppelin was larger than life and living it up. They pushed the boundaries of what a rock band could be and brought the modern day expectation of what a rock band should be.

Was it being in the right place at the right time? Perhaps. I feel for anyone to make it in a field that they love (especially in entertainment); their internal makeup must be just right. A person must have the right combination of traits and certain knowledge. Most importantly, a person must have a drive to do whatever it takes to fully fulfill their art for the realization of the masses.

It all begins with daring to dream.

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]]> http://sammycortino.com/archives/1932/feed 0 Magic and Superheroes http://sammycortino.com/archives/1295?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=magic-and-superheroes http://sammycortino.com/archives/1295#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 14:54:58 +0000 admin http://sammycortino.com/?p=1295 superheroes

In recent years, the superhero genre has become extremely popular in movies with the resserection of Iron Man and Spiderman. What was a geeky realm ten years ago is now trendy and somehow inspiring. The times we live in now and the popularity of superheroes are correlated.

With the potentiality of a new movie emerging that will protray Houdini as a superhero, it’s clear that magicians in a way are superheroes: they escape that which confines them and defy reality. Most importantly, they inspire people to do great things. Magic and superheroes are genres in two industries: magic in performing arts and superheroes in movies. The two genres connect to us as an audience in the same way. In each of us, there is this great longing to eascape the everyday, particularly with present world events and economies. These are times where we are required to be strong and we find this inspiration with the superhero, the person who can conquer anything. We also find this in magic, where we forget  everything we thought was absolute and escape into a realm where anything is possible.

Comics that featured the superheoes of today were first printed in the depression, a time where (like today) people were in great need to escape their everyday. Could it be that magic in the next few years will experience a great period of growth to meet the new needs of people today?

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]]> http://sammycortino.com/archives/1295/feed 0 Magic is Theatre…But By How Much? http://sammycortino.com/archives/1269?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=magic-is-theatre-but-by-how-much http://sammycortino.com/archives/1269#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:00:38 +0000 admin http://sammycortino.com/?p=1269 Theatre Wall

Those of you who have had the privilege of working in theatre know there is a process of research and then an application of that research in conjunction with a creative concept to make a play a successful artistic achievement. It has been said magic is very much theatre. How much of it is really theatre? Depending on the performer in any performing arts center, I’d say anywhere from 60%-80%. This varies from performer to performer. You have to realize: performing in a theatre is a form of theatre in itself. Suspension of disbelief is in the center of the experience, along with the “fourth wall”, which means the stage edge acts as a fourth wall between the performers and the audience.

Although it is a performing art, magic relies much more on suspension of disbelief and is not dependent on reproducing real life situations like theatre and this is where the major differences lie between the arts. This, and the fact that magic is presentational in nature as opposed to representational, is why you do not see plots in magic so much. Some illusionists like Doug Henning and David Copperfield have been known to take magic to almost a pure theatrical approach. This approach to theatre truly comes down to aesthetics and it is up to you as an illusionist to determine how much into theatre you wish to delve.

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]]> http://sammycortino.com/archives/1269/feed 0 Creating An Artistic Experience http://sammycortino.com/archives/1202?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=creating-an-artistic-experience http://sammycortino.com/archives/1202#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:11:45 +0000 admin http://sammycortino.com/?p=1202 Garden

I have seen performers who truly believe that a magic show is simply that: no artistic features are needed in the program. The results? Just another magic show. Me and other Illusionists viewing the show? Predictable and one-dimensional, although the audience realizes this also whether they are aware of it. The secret behind creating a memorable experience in a magic show (and I’m talking about large, stand alone 75 min+ in theatres) is to cultivate the arts into your repertoire. I’m about to say something that may be hard for some to do: limit your exposure to other Illusionists.

Instead, pursue your interests (while still practicing magic, of course) in other art forms and think of ways to incorporate them into your program. The show will then be an artistic, powerful program. I have a fond love for music. I listen to music several hours a day, watch and go to concerts a lot. I have been able to incorporate music in my shows to augment the feeling I want to be created onstage. The same holds true for dance. I believe adding dance to your program will add a certain level of grace and sophistication to your show. It can be a way to tie loose ends in your sequence and serve as a transition.

In the end, the audience will not walk away from your show thinking about the tricks. They will walk away from the program thinking about the way the tricks were presented to them in ways that move them.

Best magical wishes as you venture into the deepest parts of your imagination to create an unforgettable artistic experience, Sammy

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]]> http://sammycortino.com/archives/1202/feed 0 Smoke 101 http://sammycortino.com/archives/1121?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=smoke-101 http://sammycortino.com/archives/1121#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:37:05 +0000 admin http://sammycortino.com/?p=1121 Imagine being able to evoke a mood of mystery as you perform with atmospheric smoke. Synonymous with magic shows, smoke is used in varying ways, each for different purposes.

1. Fog Machines

f100

Like High End’s F-100 “fog generator” pictured above, all fog machines are single unit devices which produce a cloud of smoke that will fill the air. The fluid you use ranges in how long it takes to dissipate and type of scent. The fog, after dissipating, turns into a haze (discussed below) and is ideal for exposing the beams of stage lighting, which gives a show added dimension.

2. Hazers

neutron
Pictured above is British maker LeMaitre’s hazer, called the Neutron. Haze is essentially partially-dissipated fog. The sole function of a hazer is to expose the stage lighting beams. Many times, the device is used in conjunction with a fan, which makes the haze almost unnoticeable to the audience.
3. Dry Ice Machines
coldflow_ts1
Picture above is Rosco’s ColdFlow. Dry ice machines (as the name implies) require dry ice to run, which needs to be used as soon as possible following purchase. High End, however, sells a fluid that allows their F-100 Fog Generators to act as dry ice
machines.
0
In Lance Burton’s levitation sequence, a good deal of dry ice is employed. Note the fog is low lying and does not rise over three feet. Also note the stage lighting in this picture. The lighting beams are exposed through the employment of a hazer.
Smoke is a great addition to any theatrical show. Watch your  fog levels – if you’re not careful the audience will not see you! Some companies will actually use a ducting hose to direct the fog output to the desired area. There are a lot of ways to control fog, be it through the theatre’s lighting system or manually with the supplied control. The possibilities are limited to your imagination and to what extent you wish to enchant your audience.

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]]> http://sammycortino.com/archives/1121/feed 1 I Don’t Breathe Magic http://sammycortino.com/archives/1079?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=i-dont-breathe-magic http://sammycortino.com/archives/1079#comments Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:54:49 +0000 admin http://sammycortino.com/?p=1079
I'm not this obsessed...

I'm not this obsessed...

People are surprised when they notice I don’t breathe magic. After all, as an illusionist, shouldn’t magic be your only interest? Many people picture me wearing magic t-shirts daily, sporting only magic posters, and listening to soundtracks of Las Vegas magic shows.

While magic takes a certain part of my daily life, I do not let magic bear all my creative inspiration. I particularly limit the amount of magic I watch and how much technique I worry about. Why?

After a while, you tend to develop magic cliches that are abound in the magic community. These cliches include outfits, jokes, and routines. Some of the cliches include not being in touch with the audience’s view of the magic you are doing because you worry about the mechanics of the trick too much.

dsc06298

I place more weight on the presentation of the trick, rather than the mechanics. The ultimate staging is something to prioritize as well. To many people’s surprise, I spend more time staging my illusion shows on a technical level than I do actually rehearsing the tricks. I easily spend 100 hours overviewing the technical end of the 90 minute illusion show.

Allowing yourself to explore other arts you find more balance in your presentation. Instead of MAGIC, MAGIC the audience gets more variety. Construct your interests around the type of magic you want to present.

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]]> http://sammycortino.com/archives/1079/feed 0 Sensing Greatness http://sammycortino.com/archives/1073?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sensing-greatness http://sammycortino.com/archives/1073#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:06:05 +0000 admin http://sammycortino.com/?p=1073 8-2

If you can feel that something is going to be special, there can be no possibility for the contrary.

This phrase is a truth I have lived for years, but what am I referring to?

As a creative person, as I work, I must never proceed onward unless I can honestly say to myself, “this is amazing.” Otherwise, I am shortchanging my audience by giving them something that is not inspired by life events. Magic is, after all, very much theatre and theatre is inspired by everyday life.

I have developed a knack for predicting how a routine or piece of media will be received by people. My experience has been that however amazing your work is multiply that amazement by two as people may not be familiar with your craft or yourself and that will be the reaction as part of your contemporaries.

In brief, never work unless you have a feeling that the product is going to be special. Your work needs to reach its full potential.

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]]> http://sammycortino.com/archives/1073/feed 0 Making the Performance Understandable http://sammycortino.com/archives/1058?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=making-the-performance-understandable http://sammycortino.com/archives/1058#comments Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:46:37 +0000 admin http://sammycortino.com/?p=1058 dsc06298

Ever had an experience where you performed a presentation and the audience was completely lost?

All performers have an internal monologue, or internal personas and stories.The use of an internal monologue creates a meaningful performance for yourself as well as an authentic experience for the audience.

Do we reach a point, however, where we get too carried away by our internal monologue and the audience becomes lost? Remember, in theatre the audience only: sees and hears. Anything in the middle is is merely something to be put on the backburner of priorities. Without action and voice there is nothing for the audience to observe. The audience is not comprised of mind readers, after all. So how do we go about creating action onstage that the audience can understand?

Have a core action, or one thing you are doing in a particular moment in time. Think of actions and words that complement the core action and you’re on your way.

Performance is all about moments in time and should be carried to its motivation by core action.


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