My EDC

(Note: I started writing this a few months ago, found the draft and wanted to continue it. So the intro I've left as it is as I liked it)

I've been doing a lot of soul searching again, and wondering whether it's worth writing this blog. I know I get a few readers but one of the hardest things to do is promote this site without people actually knowing it's me writing it. It's a bit obvious really if I say to someone "hey check out this cool site by an anonymous magician" when no one else is. So if you stumble on this post - share the hell out of it, please. Make it a lot easier for me to show off the hard work (and mental strain) I've put into this.

I've been really busy recently working on new projects. I've joined a lot of networking groups I don't usually go near - specifically producers groups for TV and theatre as I thought now is the best time for me to start getting in there. As things are starting to open up again it seemed logical to start plugging myself into different groups in the hope that someone takes a chance on this random magician and gives him his own TV show or theatre tour (ha!).

I got chatting to a few people who were looking for speciality acts etc and I've worked out a few different virtual "audition pieces" for when they are called for, as well as putting some new show reel bits together, but it got me thinking back to a time where you'd meet people face to face and actually have audition pieces ready to go. I'm one of those magicians that only really brings tricks out if I have a client booked or I know I'm going to be asked about performing a magic trick. Yet I do know a lot of magicians carry around with them their EDC or "every day carry". For those not in the know its a kit that people carry with them every day in case they get asked to do a trick by a random person. I get asked all the time what my EDC is and I usually tell them the blunt truth - that I don't have one.

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Some magicians take multiple decks of cards, numerous wallets, chains and other props wherever they go. They always want to be prepared in case someone says "show us a trick" or in case someone finds out they are a magician they can immediately wow them. But I can't stand this. I personally find it cringy and awkward. In fact it's worse than that. And the annoying thing is that a lot of magicians don't see this. They are more than happy to go around blissfully in their lives about how odd this actually is.

There's a simple way to prove this. Think about the last time you saw a soccer fan carrying round a football everywhere they go, just in case they are asked to play a game? Or a Tennis player constantly carrying round a racket and ball. Or how about a non-sport related one. How many chess enthusiasts carry round a chess board with them in case they are asked for a game... Pretty much none in all cases. And there's good reason for this. It's fucking weird.

Humans are more than one dimensional beings. A person isn't just defined as someone with one skill. Yet magicians, especially amateur ones try and replace their personality with magic and try and become a walking, talking magic machine. But swapping who you are for magic doesn't make you a better person. It doesn't make you more relatable. It makes you a walking cliché. It can do the opposite of what you want and actually drive people away.

That's why I really didn't want to carry round set magic tricks all the time. It's an unnatural thing. It doesn't show who you are, but instead just knocks you down into a stereotype. And a rather uncool one at that. Magic, stereotypically is uncool. It's used as a trope in TV for that very purpose. If I asked you to think of a TV character who is into magic (who isn't an actual magician) you'd probably think of this person:

Magicians really have a bad rep when it comes to being around others. A few years ago I spoke with a very well known magician and their manager. I purposely didn't tell them I was a magician. It was only when one of my colleagues mentioned it and I rolled my eyes that the conversation moved onto me and my work. Their gripe with magicians is that they would immediately want to show them a trick or something they were working on - and all they wanted to do was talk like normal people. Even magicians don't want to see magic all the time.

Being constantly prepared to perform set routines is cliched. No one else walks out of the house ready to perform at the drop of a hat. No singer prepares a song just in case they are asked, as it puts too much pressure on them. Having to be constantly prepared for a show is an harrowing task which takes up a lot of mental time and energy. So putting pressure on yourself to always be in a performing state is a flawed logic. It turns you into that one dimensional, cheesy magician that no one really likes being around for more than a few minutes, and burns your out.

I get it though. I've been there. I've been that person who is known for being a magician and you do end up carrying round magic tricks, just in case you're asked. I can really see how it's evolved into this state for many people, but to be more successful as a magician it's just not needed to have an every day carry. You don't need to have a deck of cards on you, or Chinese coins, peek wallets etc. But I know there is a dichotomy to this as well. When you get known as a magician you are expected to perform. So what good is me saying having an EDC is a terrible idea if people will expect you to perform anyway?

Well since writing this I've had a few thoughts about this and while looking up gifs earlier I came across this little clip that is cheesy as hell, but illustrates my next point perfectly.(The first minute or so anyway)

https://youtu.be/JGVvF05YqnE?t=33

(On a side note I love Teller in this, he plays the humour incredibly well even with the canned laughter and it's nice to hear him in a speaking role)

Magic should be natural. It's been one of my biggest sticking points when it comes to my own work and when I teach others. When magic is put in a natural setting it works brilliantly. Take the above clip as an example. Howard could have pulled out a deck of cards and done a trick, but it wouldn't have seemed right. But what Howard did there fits with what is going on, is unexpected and doesn't introduce anything unusual into the situation. It's the perfect kind of EDC trick. It should be unexpected, natural, and with things lying around. Otherwise magic goes from being something really unusual and cool, to something tacky.

In my younger days I've tried pre-setting items ready for tricks and I find that I spend more time being aware of what's happening with those items then being in the conversation. I remember first learning the "Healed and Sealed" can tricks and trying it out. I spent so much time hoping that no one would clear it away before I had time to use it I never joined in the conversations. I ended up looking more out of place, just because I was looking for the right time to do a trick that as most would have got a "oh... that's cool" kinda reaction.

So for your every day carry, perhaps its better to work with coins, tissues, small objects. Learn the classic sleights and palms. Drop the multiple packet tricks, the multiple decks of cards, the complex ITR's and "not suspicious looking at all" wallets and stick to things that people will see every day. Simple and effective. That's what I've done for years now and it's worked really well for me. For me, it's so much more magical for someone to see something truly unexpected. You know that a card will be found or some "natural" object that comes out of a magicians pocket isn't natural at all and has probably got a secret compartment. Even modern day tricks like Digital Force Bag don't always work because simply it is your phone and frankly that raises suspicion in even the most gullible of audiences. So find magic in the natural.

Final note: I know I've gone on about not having an every day carry and performing in a more natural way but with the advent of new technology there's a new opportunity for magic - on other people's phones. I'm quite liking Inject as there are a few possibilities that can be done with other peoples phones that could be reasonably hands free. I'm looking to see what interesting things can be done with this, but again I think using software like Inject works really well if it uses the every day - like other peoples phones.

Additional Additional:

I suppose I should mention (as someone pointed out) that there is a huge difference between amateurs and professionals when it comes to an EDC. I think the size of your EDC comes down to how professional you are. You soon realise that your EDC gets smaller the more professional you are. I used to carry a hell of a lot more until I started working full time. I put it down to the reasons above, but in hindsight a lot of it probably is down to the fact that amateurs don't get chance to perform to others as much as a pro. If you're an amateur and having a complex EDC allows you to perform in situations that you don't normally, well screw it. Go for it. Just make sure you follow the advice I gave earlier and make sure it's natural. Make sure what you do doesnt scream out "I'm a corny magician with no social life other than magic" and make it a natural part of the conversation. Don't be that person who brings it up in every conversation or forcing others to watch tricks they don't want to. Don't worry about it, you'll find that once people discover that your a magician the requests for performances will come from the audience which will make your magic a lot more popular than it normally is.