Observation and Duplication

http://www.stonecoldmagicmagazine.com/images/brad-gordon.pngObservation and Duplication
By Brad “Scarnecky” Gordon

From my experience there is something quite powerful found within the scope of observation.  I have recently learned that Leonardo da Vinci made continual observations of the world around him.  He kept notebooks comprising some 13,000 pages of notes and drawings which were made and maintained daily throughout Leonardo’s life and travels.

By now Christmas and Hanukkah have come and gone, with Kwanzaa underway.  I trust you had and are having a wonderful time with family friends and loved ones.  For me this holiday season seems to plateau and end quite abruptly.  Thank goodness for New Years.

I have been observing something very interesting over the years which may seem quite obvious to many, however to me it is a simple idea holding great potential, allow me to expand.

The winter holiday season begins to approach around the end of November and there is a constant build up in the commercial domain.  Grocery stores begin to create dedicated holiday isles, department stores set up elaborate displays and start playing Christmas music, lights and decorations continue to get more creative upon rooftops and in the yards of our homes.

The subject I would like to focus on is that of the Christmas or holiday music.  As you know and experience, there are whole radio stations that dedicate their entire air time to holiday music.  Every year there are new artists who decide to record an album of sorts.  In addition there are always holiday movies that are released every single year.  Even on television certain sitcoms or dramas broadcast special holiday episodes.

This year the music, movies and sitcoms have been playing, for an entire month and what I have seen time and time again is all of these holiday expressions get re-released or broadcasted over and over EVERY single year.

A few popular examples in the movie industry:

  • It’s a Wonderful Life
  • A Christmas Story
  • Miracle on 34th Street
  • How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

Music Examples:

  • Adam Sandler
  • Mannheim Steamroller
  • Trans-Siberian Orchestra
  • Bing Crosby

Now these are obviously just a few examples of the almost countless array of holiday entertainment.  The point is, even though there are possibly hundreds of NEW artistic holiday presentations each year, the old ones continue to be just as important or valuable.

There are those who make a really good living playing the part of Santa Claus each and every year why (?)  because every year there is a demand for it and probably will be for many decades to come.  This year I was hired to perform for a family party and they also hired Santa, by the way this particular Santa pulled out the old Color Cube trick and performed it for the kids- pretty smart I thought.  I know quite a few Santas who have added magic to their entertainment.  This particular family tries to hire Santa every single year and I am sure they are not alone in their efforts.

Many of us who perform professionally get hired a great deal more around this time of year because of all of the corporate Christmas parties, holiday events, and family gatherings which take place as a result of the season.  Most of what I am referring to is common knowledge.

Which brings me to my point:
Let us consider for a moment that your specialty is strictly a magician or mentalist.  You get hired frequently during the holidays and you even throw in some special Christmas effects during the season.  My question is-  What could you do that would model the music industry?  What could you do to your show that would make your act or name wanted or demanded year after year even if they have hired you before?

Every year I enjoy watching many Christmas movies and listening to so many of the same Christmas audio CDs or now downloads in this day and age.  Some of us might even have a special section in the old i-pod for Christmas music.
Think about it- if you added that little something whether it be a special Christmas character or you designed an entire act/ play which displayed magic within its story- you could literally become a tradition for hundreds, thousands, even millions of people.

By discovering or naturally knowing what it is you want to create, this prospect becomes, realistic, possible and quite obtainable. If you already have a holiday show or act of some sort, you are obviously many steps ahead of the game.  However if you are not being hired as much as you want to, or you would like to make a bigger impact upon your specific market, I’d just like to challenge you to take a look at the music model.

Align what you do with the wonderfully familiar holiday music and movies that play constantly.  Ask yourself what it is that department stores and malls do to make that maximum impact upon their customers.  Maybe it’s not your show that needs assistance, maybe all you need to do is switch your marketing strategy to one that is a little bit more aggressive.  I would advise you to search out other professionals who are more qualified to give advice on this subject.

I suggest experimenting with new characters and fresh ideas, which model your cyclical environment.  We have ten months until the next Christmas/holiday season arrives.  Make a few changes and take a few steps toward becoming that act everyone wants.  This same idea should be combined with as many holidays as possible to take full advantage of commercialism and traditions, wouldn’t you agree?

It was only this year that I made this particular observation and I have challenged myself and asked myself these important questions.  I must say that it feels very powerful to have this sort of parallel to work with.  I wish you all the success with this reflection and I’d love to see not only myself but many of you become powerful, valuable traditions thus adding extra fulfillment and maybe even a little extra income to whatever it is that you do.

With Gratitude,
Brad “Scarnecky” Gordon

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