Solution: Daniel Madison decides if you are a professional magician.

It was about a year ago, that I really asked myself, "Am I a Magician?" I stood in front of the mirror, and I performed effect after effect, control after force. But I didn't feel as if I had an answer. I sought out a friend, and performed the same effects. But, it was different. Being a performance for another, I put on a (mental) costume, and I acted a part, and told a story. The result and reactions I received were amazing and beautiful. It was in those moments, that I realized, yes, I am in fact a magician. It's a combination of performance and skill, I think.

I started to get into magic about two years ago I am 23 years old, and it changed my life. It is not something I like to do but something that I discovered about myself - I am a performer. The struggles you describe in this video are very close to my heart, I want to perform magic full time professionally, but I am very hard on myself. I train all the time, I even have a deck just for when I go to the toilet lol. I am what I call a constant performer, I perform everytime I get a chance, at university, in the bus, in pubs, or while waiting for a take-away, I perform to young people, old people, tramps, small groups large groups, as much as I can. I am very strongly influenced by the Spanish psychological approach to magic, I am a card guy. I emphasize a lot on performance because I care tremendously about the spectator's point of view yet I work constantly on sleights to be as clean as possible. I get really positive feedback from the people I perform to in the street, yet I am terrified at the idea of letting everything else go to do it full time, though I believe you need to go a 100% if you wanna make it work.

I have never called myself a magician. I say I am a guy who likes to play with cards. Don't think I am good enough to ever hold that title.

Love this frequency of videos! Also, love to see you being content with yourself and happy.

I think that being a magician is the hability to entretain people with very powerfull visual tool. But sometimes the focus shifts from the audience to the trick. You can have the best second deal in the world, but what good is that if you cant talk to people? If you cant even look in their eyes? I have seen people with tricks so complex and skillfull, that barely got any reaction. And others that with a simple double lift, can create miracles with a full group of people. So what really matters is the hability to entretain people. Magic is just a tool for achieving that.

I started calling myself a magician after over 3 years of obsessive daily practice in the art. It took countless hours of practice and performances over those first 3 years to build up the confidence and the presentation that make my magic what it is today and by that point I was finally confident to use some of the most difficult sleights that professional magicians use (like the diagonal palm shift, the classic pass, the bottom deal...etc) without the worry of the spectator seeing anything. But despite this I am still very critical of my work, always performing to a camera and reviewing myself later, and always seeking perfection with each and every sleight despite knowing that will never be achieved #wearemadison

its so nice to see a magician vlogging in a car, to look at the video background and see England.

I think honestly comparing ourselves to the undisputed greats of magic is the best way to judge ourselves, it leads to a constant feeling of not being good enough but if motivated will improve your magic.

I started callig myself a magician when I amazed people enough times to where they kept asking for more and I actually had more every time. However, this wasn't about the quantity of tricks I could perform. It was a connection with the audience that I had never experienced before. In that moment I realized I'm not just doing tricks anymore like a dog. I'm actually performing and I am a magician. Taking the time to research the routines, visit the lecturers and find a love and respect of the art is what I used to qualifyyself.

Well, I'm by no means a professional (it's something I'm working towards), but I began to call myself a magician when other people began to ask to see me perform more and more. I started out just doing magic as a fun hobby, and I loved it. Then, people kept asking to see me perform again and again, and a few people asked me to perform at events for them, and there were several occasions where I was asked by people at these events, "if you can do this, what are you doing working your current job?" That's when I realized that I could do magic full time, and I am in the process of transitioning over to it. So, for me, I decided I was a magician when others thought I was good enough and entertaining enough to seek me out to want to see me perform

I have had times where I considered myself as a magician but, then I would see another person (whether it be KZfaq, etc.) who has really perfected their own personal touch to the craft and I would step back and realize that maybe I wasn’t ready for that title yet.

After 6 years I still consider myself as a hobby magician. Friends and family like what I do but I have never performed in events or anything like that. I love magic but if I look at people who are inspiring me than I realize compare to them, compare to their achievements and knowledge and passion I am on a hobby level. I might be good or some people would say I am good but it is because they have never seen the really talented and professional magicians perform.

It's true that magic is the only skill you can buy at a store. The Magic Castle in LA will "test you" for membership - it's a great idea that people could be "ordained" or "licensed" since any other profession would have a degree or bestowed title.

This is something I have also thought about a lot. I have always thought it was odd when people told me “oh you are so good at magic” because I feel like if they really knew about any magic basics, they would see that I am really only a beginner. I have definitely screwed up my share of tricks and have only ever had the guts to do a trick for a stranger once. I think within the magic community there is a different view on what makes someone a professional compared to everyone else. This is probably because methods are generally kept secret and those that find a trick amazing might only be fooled by a double lift. I do not much care where other people lie on this professional scale, but I definitely know I am not even close. That’s not me being a downer. I just feel that I have so much more to learn. I appreciate everything you do and I’m glad you’ve been working for something better. I can’t wait for your next video.

I think if you can amaze people without saying you are a magician, then you are a magician! :) I do not like to call myself a magician, nor anything, but other may call me like that. Although this is only my opinion, since I am not a performing person. I only perform when it comes to it, otherwise I do it for myself, but people tend to ask me to fool them. I like magic, because I like to be fool, but now that I can see the majority of moves I love it even more. It is not about the mechanism, it is not about the sleigh, it is not about quickness, not even about the cleanness, it is about the flow; although the cleanness is a close second, but a lot of magicians are clean, especially if you look at the top ones. Pen and Teller, Chris Ramsay, Xavior Spade, Wess, Daniel Madison, and so on and so forth like Shin Lim, but after they reach that cleanness, the flow of the performance is mesmerizing. (Oh yea, Shin is really clean! Got to love that guy!)

not a professional but have been a student of sleights and magic for many years and always suffered with confidence and being overly critical of myself (which i think is good). I always have assumed that laymen know what i know, can see my doubles, can see my false shuffles etc, but at the end of the day, thats just in my head and i have had many complement me and simply be blown away at what i can do with a deck of playing cards, meanwhile i think my skills are no better than that of the amateur who just picked up a deck for the first time.

I have to agree with your comment about achieving expert skills before actually working or considering yourself on a professional level. It's comparative to being a MUSICIAN. You wouldn't play a tune publicly or on a performance level until you mastered it after playing it to death and becoming sick of it. Putting your heart into it makes you an artist, when you, as an individual, strive toward having an affect on people more than the magic effect itself. It's only a media, it should not define you or label you.

I think calling yourself professional should always be just a matter of business. To me, it only has value to people outside the magic world, to establish yourself as somebody who can do gigs and that stuff. But being magic a performance art, I find the word professional kind of arrogant. As a perfomer, you can always perfect your skills and learn more. The word professional stands to me as reaching the top, and I wouldn´t like to get there ever.

I am still on that journey, practicing hard everyday, building myself up to finally get out there and call myself a magician. Only been on this journey for a year and a half, but do see myself growing and getting closer. I think it takes a certain amount of hours of practice to qualify. Practice in technique, performance, and psychology. And I too ask myself that question, would the magicians I look up to respect what I do, so thank you Madison for giving that guidance and thought on all the components involved in magic and being a magician.

I've been studying and practicing magic and sleight of hand since before the internet. I've even performed for birthday parties and events but i in no way consider myself a professional magician. What you said about representing the art, the years of knowledge and the masters who came before you, hits the nail on the head. Great food for thought Daniel, thank you for your wisdom and input.

It was wayyy before I got my first paid gig. I was 17 and I performed in an arts college and it all went like amazing and I was proud that I didn't leave a clown like impression rather I performed trick after another as per the situation and didn't rush things. That was 14 years ago and I really feel like start doing more magic to real people.

I'd like to remove the word "professional" for a bit... For about a year or so I struggled with the question "when can I call myself a magician?" I got a regular gig. Nope. That wasn't it. People have come to me saying they'd heard of "the magician" but nope, that wasn't it. People saw me with cards and asked if I was a magician and I couldn't honestly tell them yes because I didnt FEEL like it was ok to say so yet. I would answer with things like "I'm a student of magic" and other bs. And then one day it happened. A child asked me if I was a magician. Now, this wasn't the first child to ask me over the years, but this particular time was different. You see, I feel that when a person lies to a child, they know damn well. For me in particular, this was a struggle. One day, after about a year of regularly going out and performing at bars and all that crap, a little kid saw me do some stuff with cards and asked if I was a magician. For the first time, without hesitation, I said yes I'm a magician do you like magic? During that moment I did not feel like I was lying. That was the moment I felt comfortable calling myself a magician. I may be a work-in-progress, but I think the test for me was whether or not I felt truly inside like a magician. Like I had the right to say so because I had put in hundreds or thousands of hours of practice and forced myself into uncomfortable situations so that I could perform my way out of them. I had gotten big reactions I had gotten bad reactions I had failed and failed and failed. I had paid some dues I guess. Nothing like what's someone of your caliber has been through, but perhaps only because you've been at it longer than I have. But to me the test was to be able to look a child in the eyes and say yes I'm a magician without an ounce of guilt in my heart. #AMA #AskMadisonAnything (not sure of the right tag)... for those of us who still have to maintain our 9 to 5 jobs waiting for the moment to make the leap to Magic, how did you find time to dedicate to your studies and practice while maintaining your job until it was time? I never feel like I have enough time to devote to my practice or studies. I almost want to just quit entirely and go practice on the streets and live in a cardboard box if I have to but I can't because I have family and people to take care of. how did you personally make time to perfect your craft while paying the bills before you were good enough to take the leap?

Enjoyed the Madison perspective, cheers

Well said...I consider myself an enthusiast of pasteboard prestidigitation! lol

Iv only been practicing for just over a year. I consider myself nowhere near pro level. Yes I know some slights and have a basic understanding of delivery and performance but have a long way to go. Being a professional involves skill, knowledge, the right attitude and willingness for continuous development. Interesting you put this up today. Last night at the pub one of my friends introduced me to someone as a magician, I instantly dismissed it and didn't take the conversation further. Made me think, I'm always happy to show people close to me a few ideas and perform a routine but seriously lack the confidence to show strangers. Kicking myself today as the only way to get more confidence is to face the fear.

Basically your are a professional magician once you reach jebrizus level. That being said nobody will ever get there.

The best answer!

I'm a young teen practicing and learning the art of magic, and I don't know how to qualify my self as a magician. But thank you for this video it helped me a lot. I believe what you said will help me think more about my magic and my self as a student in magic.

I feel like it should fall under "how many tricks can u do with an ordinary deck of cards"

For me it was after my first PAID gig

I knew it was time to call myself a magician, when I was learning more and more, and showing more and more people magic. I realized I had been keen on playing cards, sleight of hand, and magic since I was a small child. It was time to admit to myself, and everyone else, that I am a Magician.

More theory PLEASE OMG this was really really really very very GOOD

I think you're asking the wrong question. Anyone who performs magic for others is a magician. Anyone who gets paid for it is a professional magician. By definition. But to be a masterful magician is something that there is no clear definition. It takes a deeper understanding of the art than even some well-known professional magicians have. I think you're right to be harsh with self-judgement for the benefit of the audience, and magic as an institution. Personally, I'm a hobbyist who is focused on history and theory, and doesn't really perform much for other people. I don't feel like a natural performer, but I'm working on changing that as I'm preparing to audition at the Magic Castle. I don't want to join for validation, but for access to the place, community, and the library. Your thoughts are inspiring me to keep in mind on making the audition as magical as I can, and not to just focus on getting through it.

Hi Daniel The show business market is big enough to take good and bad performers. There’s room for everyone. On the other hand, the market is small enough that eventually we perform alongside other performers and then the audience starts making their decision on the status “he’s magician” versus “he sucks”. I would separate the tag “magician” from “professional magician” being that both require performing to other people but I consider a “professional magician” as someone that has a business around that activity. I would say that someone that pays taxes is a professional. I understand that my definition gets a bit fuzzy because we now have people performing only online but take it to a professional level, even if they don’t actually monetise the activity. I’m actually thinking about Jeremy Griffith. In my case, I always set goals for myself to measure my progress. The money I make is just a measurement because I have a full time job that allows me to just do magic for the art. When I started I decided that I would be ready after doing 50 shows simply because it takes 50 jumps out of an airplane to be a licenced skydiver. But I got paid gigs right at the beginning. On my first trial busking I made a little bit more than £6 and a couple of trials later I was above £50. I call myself a “magician” but I’m not a “professional magician” and I'm not a "busker".

i qualify myself as a sorcerer....and Thank you for taking us around your city sir madison.

Man you are right and I would respect you no matter what happens

yeah man. Big up!

I never asked that about myself now that you mentioned it im a magician scince age 14 on and of and my influences are david cooperfield and mark wilson an penn and teller i never had bookings either i dont know how too but i can perform in gatherings or parties .

I personally would call myself a hobby magician and not a professional...I think that being a professional magician is a matter of business but being a true magician is a matter of how you view the art. Those who learn a trick or two to impress people and don't have an interest in the art shouldn't be called magicians in my opinion.

Amazing speech! Actually where are you going?

By the way, for the AMA I was thinking it would be interesting if you answered some of the same questions from your previous AMAs... To see how your thoughts have changed. Peace✌️

100 % agree .

Last year I had 3 paid gigs. Ranging from $50-$100 an hour and one free stage gig. Also sometimes I perform for random people instantly showing them a card trick with hesitating. I actually once got a free drink and burger. The problem I feel now is I’ve had a decent # of people tell me that I do really good and I should really take my tricks to the next level. See when I learn I routine I never perform that routine I make something out of that routine that fits my style. Takes me about 6 hours straight to make a 2 hour routine that flows together. So I guess my question is. How do I get out of this slump I’m in? Every time I walk around with cards and I do some fancy flourish or something or just a card spring no one ever comes up to me. It’s like so many people now a days don’t care for entertainment and they just wanna rush through there normal day. You would think if they saw a unique deck of cards or a shiny deck of cards they would wanna see something amazing, but the only thing I get now a days is maybe some looks, but mainly just people walking by me not paying attention. Like with all of the exposure on KZfaq and all of that with it getting millions of views then wouldn’t that make the audience less interested because they know how it’s done? Most people just don’t want to be bothered now a days and even though I put the time and practice into the art I don’t wanna be a bother and get in the way of a person’s day or interrupt there meal or anything like that.

I think the term "Professional Magician" is something that shouldn't matter within the magic community. Stay with me here, I promise it will make sense. Personally, the term professional means that whatever you are doing to make a living, as a profession. The term itself doesnt define one's abilities, just means that's how they put bread on the table. If you have the ability and drive to book gigs and perform, call yourself anything that makes sense. In talking in groups with fellow magicians, card manipulators, or even hobbyists, I've never heard anyone call themselves a 'professional,' until they are trying to sell you something. We're all just magicians to each other. Skill level and undercutting "competition" in the industry, and defaming the perception of "Professional" is an entirely different and lengthy argument that will likely never be solved. There are [curse word] professionals in every industry... there will likely never be a fix to that, especially in performance art. It up to the truly amazing professional magicians to buck the trends of the few bad ones. I have thought about this for a long time as well, as magic theory is something I could talk about forever. TLDR VERSION: Thank Daniel, love your channel, do more theory talks. Cheers from Arizona!

Hey Daniel I read in ken Weber's maximum entertainment that "the stronger the magic, the less need for showmanship" what are your views on that?

Personally, I don't call myself a professional magician. I'm a magician. I'm a hobbyist. I don't market myself for parties or events, but the day I do, I'm a professional magician.

Love your videos. Plz can you teach us some more moves. (tutorial)?👍

Been a magician for 20 plus years and i still dont perform professionally, i still feel i should become more performance based but inevitably its the sleights that i play with the most , the magician part maybe ill get some gigs next year with any luck , but even then i wont be sure

I actually don't want to be a professional magician I'm more of a hobbyist because I just love magic it's super fun like skateboarding when I was younger but actually I love tricks of all forms even football trick plays

Like before watching because I'm really greatful for everything you have been doing

you're good at driving

Why don't you join chris xavior and others at las vegas

i honestly dont think ill ever consider myself a qualified magician. usually its either im qualified enough to do a certain trick or im not. for example the dragonfly by PM was one of the first real tricks that i learned. but it wasn until i could do it 1) flawlessly without hesitation. 2) can perform it infront of multiple people without flashing. 3) had it down to muscle memory, that i actually considered myself to be qualified enough to perform that trick, and that trick alone. and I do this with every trick/routine that I learn or read about. only until im happy with those 3 points. i wont feel qualified enough to perform it. kinda like you said, nothing is there to stop me from calling myself a qualified magician, or a professional magician. but if im not qualified to perform the trick properly, i wouldnt call myself a qualified magician. i hope that kinda makes sense

Wow This is by far one of the most interesting content, in my opinion! Thanks for sharing! How far do you think is it the responsability for one, who works in a magicshop to, reach the costumers and give advices in form, of how to treat magic? I‘ll often have to sell magic, to people, feeling (thinking) is not the right thing for them, or they will not perform this properly, cause of missing knowlege about theory of magic (and even worse seeing many of the FB Pages how they representing them selfes as proffecionals) any opinions an that? Ure Channel is real!!!🔥🔥🔥 Regards Josh

I wish to be a magician, I am trying to do it, I am a terrible performer, I learn from my mistakes and I wait until somebody who is an authority in that field will tell me that I am good enough. By myself I can't say if I am or not, I am not qualified.

I never really thought about this but I won‘t consider myself a magician, I started magic nearly two years ago, just for my friends, family and myself. I‘m not confident enough to go on the street and perform to strangers but I guess I would be good enough. For me you are worth being called a magician when you make people beliebe the art form and enjoy it and when you get good feedback/reactions from it. I also think that it‘s hard to get known in the magic industry and so I think you can call yourself a magician when you get booked for shows. Now to your final point that you should look up to your idol I would probably look up to you or chris brown and I think you guys would like my techniques and performances but I guess you wouldn‘t consider me a magician.

For me is more like, if i start to do magic as a work (leave normal job and start do magic commercial) for me is good reason to say im the magician, and if i see magic is my life, and people tell me im good :)

Question for the AMA, what was the slight/move you were caught doing at the poker table that led you on this current path?

Also how many tricks can u perform without a deck of cards.

I still don't feel qualified.

What other Masterclasses do you have planned for the future?

Not yet

Im not qualify, not performer, im not magician. But i just person who love magic, and practice sleight of hands. But i meet and made a good people in magic.

I am not yet😓

I think that for the world a great performer is a magician. I like in mentalism, you can do a "bad" trick but if your performance is good it will sell. I think that people with no skill and good presentation can be called magician if they do their work correctly. On the other side there is people with insane skills but no presentation. I think they can be called masters in the community but if they can't present it to the lay people they can't be called magicians. Our work is to entertain. What do you think?

I think anyone can call themselves magician just like anyone who picks up a paintbrush and slaps some paint on a canvas can call themselves an artist. There are always gonna be people like that, there’s good magicians and there’s bad magicians. I’d say the best route is to be humble about what you can do, but to call yourself an expert magician I think you have to have credentials to back up the claim. There’s levels to it, just like everything else: beginner, intermediate and expert.

Are you gonna release any cardistry DVD in future?

What’s your favourite deck of cards? (Excluding any of your decks)

when a professional talks to you in a "colleague" way and not in a "student" way I think that is the time when you are qualified.

Truthfully... I don't consider myself to be a magician or even good enough to be a magician.. I started magic almost 2 years ago... And I still consider myself the guy who messes around with cards...

What does being a Magician means? And what defines you as a magician? Another great video.

I'm not even sure what I think now😂

Are magicians cool? If so why and should they be?

Question for the AMA- Is there any way for me to submit a trick to you, and if you like it, sell it on your website?

I don't consider myself as a magician. I consider myself as a dude how know the secret to some tricks, but I mess up sometimes, so definitely not a professional or even a magician. Just a young man how knows to handle some paperkards.

It's going to take years until I consider myself a magician, but I still love to practice performing for friends when I get a trick down. I only show my meanest of friends that are brutally honest when I really want to improve. & if they are being too nice, I threaten them loll jk

Driving on the wrong side lul are you going to mentor the sleight of clubs member a bit or would you in generel mentor people / get students?

As far as I'm concerned as long as you can make a feasible income with magic then you are a professional. Thus calling it your profession. If you can preform well for strangers even without receiving money, you could probably call yourself an amateur or a enthusiast without much problem. Magic isn't just sleight of hand it is a performance. It isn't the trick you preform it's how you perform it. It is easy to tell the difference between someone who is experienced and someone who just picked up a deck of cards. A great example would be comparing how they do the ambitious card. The instant someone riffles up the back of the cards for a double it's pretty obvious.

I don't know for magicians but as far as the highest levels of networking in IT you are judged by the other professionals and have to submit to being judged to gain the top level qualification. I don't see why it should not work the same way for other professions.

If I just had $1 for every time he says "magician" .. lol

Can i just take a test?

I think i've coined the phrase Psuedo-Magician.

I hate saying magician. Most people think of someone in a suit and top hat when you say magician. When I here magician I think about Blaine, Madison, and so many more cool people.

I am not a magician I am a dude that knows some shit that other people think is out of this world.

Question: you talked about nearly being killed in a video. I don’t want to be disrespectful if it’s sensitive. But if you want to Could you say what happened?

I think so.....I’m not sure.....You know what! Yes I Am

If you could only have one (and u could do it perfectly every time). Second deal, center deal, or bottom deal?

The question is what is the definition of magic everyone says something different

Can u do a bottom deal with bridge sized playing cards

What i really want to purchase is your "the bottom deal masterclass" but i am a beginner and of course if i asked you should i buy that project you would say yes because its your product but having in mind that I am a beginner should i buy it?

Why charlie?

6:22 Enough said mate.

I still have 3 outstaning orders. I have sent a number of e-mails. Can I please get the product I have payed for?

Maybe my sleights are not so bad, but i'm absolutely piece of shit at performing

Even if , almost 2 years ago I started to practice sleights of hands and others moves, I think that I started to study magic only some months ago. Why this? Because I always considered (now more than before) magic different from a "simple" sleight of hand: I can spent hours for learning a move and then become the best of the world, but magic (at least for me) depend on what we are, is a representation of ourself: how we approach with a person, how we think, how we see the world, how we fight problems. It's more than a "simple" sleight of hand, magic come when we repesent what we really are, for this we should to be natural when we do something, this will define our style and our point of view of the world. In addition, magic it's an emotion (coming from what we are) that can leave something to a person, something that can change what they are a bit, this is more "philosophical" than a colour change, it' isn't only a sense of amazement: it's more than this. All things that we do should to have sense (also because these actions will represent ourself): performing billions of colour change without sense will brought people to think that we are good, but we will not leave something good on them, would to be better if we performed only a magic trick, but with a sense, i think that this will leave to them more things that they will remember for more time. I don't know if I'm a magician or not for others, for me to be a magician don't depend only on how much time I spent studying magic, how much decks of cards I have, if I use gimmicks or not and if I perform complex moves or not. I think that I can consider my-self a good magician when I leave something to another person showing also who I am for real, bringing them to look beyond what they see. We can fool anyone also with a "simple" move like a snap change (if we use good sense) more than with a" complex" one like a bottom deal (for example). I dont't know if this is a good answer or not, but this is my point of view of the magic, what I mean for magic, a thought that in my future (with the study of books, videos and myself) could change again or become stronger... Anyway, please let me know what do you think about this, I'm curios of your answer becuase a lot of my projects and thoughts started from yours, for this, I also hope that this will help me to get noticed by you and at the end you will give me a chance to work with you and exchange ideas. If you are interested to see my projects and style, I'm on instagram, search @magicfonzie Here the link of my Instagram page: instagram.com/magicfonzie/?hl=en

I don't feel I'm qualified

i agree its like in martial artist how do you call youre a great kung fu artist when youre not bruce lee bruce lee was the firstr and ahead of his time in perfecting his art like wise like ,magicians and cardestits theyre not humble in performing like Bruce lee his one inch punch was famous and he participated in a karate tournament and thew white peopl never knew kung fu so thats why all that martial arts if youre good youre good but youll never be a Bruce lee in magic the same thing youre a magician youre good as one but youre no chris angel ..

Daniel, please, please, I am writing you emails, please answer. Answer this comment if you will read it soon, please

So, is it fair that you call yourself a Mechanic after only playing in actual games for 6 months?