* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment * www.Alan-Watson.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #618 Date: Sunday 16th November 2008 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. 9 Recommended Hotels For FISM WCM 2009 3. Very Positive News About FISM 2009 In Beijing 4. 2008 DRAGON Award Photo/Movie 5. Remarkable Magic #72 - Nick Lewin 6. Magic Shows In Economic Hard Times - #94 - Kyle Peron 7. Entertaining On The Ocean #44 - Paul Romhany 8. Joan Caesar's Guided FISM Tour 9. Eric DeCamps Pure Magic 10. New Publication By Graeme Base "ENIGMA" 11. People Wrongly Advertising Themselves With Awards 12. Contest Rules FISM WCM2009 Beijing 13. Dale Salwak - My Apologies For The Error 14. Breaking News From Fab Magic Company 15. Another Rip Off 16. Guy Bavli Lecture Sydney Australia 17. Clips Of All The FISM Guest Artists 18. e-zine Archives 19. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- Have received a letter of complaint about non delivery of a Psychic Clipboard ordered from Fabrice Delaure of France. Ken Ring sent $2,000US to Fabrice back in August on the understanding in writing that clipboard was in stock and would be sent as soon as Fabrice received the money. Many e-mail later and many phone calls and broken promises it still has not arrived. I have also e-mailed and phoned Fabrice but my messages have gone unanswered! Have any of our subscribers had a similar experience with dealing with Fabrice Delaure? --------------------------------- Please to see that the new FISM Competition Rules and Procedures have tried to clear up the complex issues of property rights. Refer item 12. Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com -------------------------------------------- 2. 9 Recommended Hotels For FISM WCM 2009 -------------------------------------------- Message from The FISM WCM 2009 Organizing Committee Office Hotel Online Reservation for the FISM WCM 2009 will be officially open to use on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2008. Please visit http://www.fism2009.org/hotel/index.asp There are 9 recommended hotels for FISM WCM 2009, including 1 three-star hotel, 3 four-star hotels and 5 five-star hotels. The name and brief introduction of the hotels, types and amount of the hotel rooms will also be released on our website. Please be aware that this Hotel Online Reservation System is only open to the registrants of FISM 2009 WCM. To make a hotel reservation online, you need to fill in the FISM WCM 2009 Registration Number and registered email address to identify whether you have registered for our convention or not. For each identified registration number, only one room upon your selection may be reserved. Because of the limitation of the amount of each hotel room type, we suggest you start to make the reservation as soon as possible to ensure your favorite hotel room is still available. -------------------------------------------- 3. Very Positive News About FISM 2009 In Beijing -------------------------------------------- Message from Gordon Precious (Immediate Past President, Hat & Rabbit Club, IBM Ring 17, Toronto, Canada) I intended to write to you last week to thank you for the very positive news you conveyed about FISM 2009 in Beijing. Yours was the first news I have seen, showing the stellar line-up of performers. And something I was especially pleased to have confirmed - that the opening show would feature Chinese magicians, acrobats and dancers. I was so hopeful that this FISM would be a great opportunity for us Occidentals to combine seeing Chinese magic and magicians, almost for the first time, of which and whom we know so little, and at the same time for us to visit this country which is presently, quite possibly, the most dynamic country in the world. My wife and I spent a month exploring several parts of China, on our own, thirteen years ago, and it was incredible then - and I daresay I'll hardly recognize Beijing, Shanghai and some other major cities which have undergone such transformation. Most of the Chinese magicians we saw then were on television in our hotels, often as early as eight in the morning, and I would estimate 75% were female. Juliana Chen, here in North America and internationally, has been a wonderful precursor to some of what we are about to experience; trained, as I understand she was, from an early age with the Chinese Acrobats Association. I am also pleased with this week's Magic New Zealand news informing us of the substantial interest and support of FISM by the Chinese government. Frankly, I had been a bit concerned up until I read your report of performers who have been engaged, that beauroracy might have been stagnating the plans and progress, and might have taken control out of the hands of the FISM organizing committee and magicians, local and international. Now that I see by your last week's list of performers, that this is not the case, I am delighted. I know that when Chinese ministries and the government back something, it usually has spectacularly favorable results. I'm extremely excited (nice to be able to still get excited at age 84) about attending FISM 2009, Beijing, to see Chinese Magicians and their unique magic, to see so many great international magicians who are already on the roster, to watch so many wonderful competitors who will perform, to re-meet so many magical friends, and at the same time the opportunity to visit China. I hope that as many of your readers as possible, and magicians from everywhere, will do their utmost to take advantage of this great, maybe once-in-a-lifetime (certainly mine), opportunity. -------------------------------------------- 4. 2008 DRAGON Award Video/Movie -------------------------------------------- Message from Jane R. Stuart, President of the J. Marberger Stuart Foundation home of the DRAGON Award Congratulations to Michael and Hannah Ammar the 2008 winner of the DRAGON Award. They join past winners Petrick and Mia, Marvyn and Carol Roy, Mark Wilson and Nani Darnell, Chuck and Jan Jones, Duo Absolon, Harry Blackstone, Jr. and Gay Blackstone, Glenn Falkenstein and Frances Willard, Mike Caveney and Tina Lenert, John and Pam Thompson, Moi-yo Miller and Arturo Montes, Fantasio and Monica, Ed and Nanci Keener, John and Cathy Daniel, Lee and Helene Grabel, Peter and Coral Reveen, Paul and Debbie Daniels, Alan and Michele Watson, and Norm and Lupe Nielsen. Now, the foundation website has been updated with pictures from the event and a new movie! The photo/movie is also available on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNOcUqIREgM To find out more about the DRAGON Award go to: www.dragonaward.org -------------------------------------------- 5. Remarkable Magic #72 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message from Nick Lewin (NZ) Medallions, books and other things. Since I broke my general rule of thumb last week in writing about Martin Breese as a Remarkable Magician that I want to meet I decided to go a step further this week and talk about another Remarkable Magician that I have never met. The great Al Koran. I didn't even have the chance to watch Koran perform live but it hasn't stopped me from studying intensely. I have tried to collect every book, booklet and video of the great man that I can get my hands on. They have influenced my thinking about the performance of magic as much as anyone else I can think of. There is just something so direct about Koran's thinking. Not just the methods but even more importantly the effects he created using them. His cut to the chase style was as simple and direct as a laser. They contained a glorious simplicity that allowed a performer to truly concentrate on his presentation. Even if you have no interest in mentalism there is much to be gained by a careful study of how Koran got from point A to point B. It was usually the shortest and most interesting route. The fact that Koran felt free to mix non-mental magic with his mindreading show is a classic example of his direct thinking. Rather than take away any authenticity from his work as a mentalist it gave a very special tone to his work. When Koran performed the Torn & Restored Cigarette Paper or the Himber Rings he managed to endow them with quality that enhanced and worked synergistically with the rest of his show. Audiences can feel that magicians are rather special and curiously talented people and it comes as no great surprise to them that they might, just might, have some highly unusual abilities. The fact that Koran felt free to open his show with a highly focused Linking Ring routine speaks loudly of his natural skill at grabbing attention and then using his own special alchemy to redistribute that attention. Whenever I am asked by young magicians what books they might find to be beneficial to their progress I put the Koran books high on the list if they wish to learn the dynamics of making an impact on an audience. The tricks are detailed in a rather brief and haiku like manner that keeps coming back to these books and finding something new and fresh. While I am on the subject of indispensible reading matter I may as well add that if they want to discover the real art of how to create a flawless routine then I suggest studying the writings of one of magic's most modest genius' Roy Johnson. Roy eliminates rough corners and slight inconsistencies that most people wouldn't even notice. His routine for the Sidewalk Shuffle is such a thing of beauty that you need to perform it for a year or two to fully appreciate it. If close-up card magic is your thing you should make the early Harry Lorayne books your bible. Not just because of the tricks (which are amazing) but because of his trailblazing style of writing them. The Man makes you learn the trick before you even knew what it is all about. This guy is a national treasure in the magic world. Anyone interested in comedy magic should read 'McCombs Magic' from cover to cover and absorb his skillfully sprinkled wisdom. There is also a large and basically undocumented collection of routines, lecture notes and pamphlets that highlight Billy's true legacy as a magical creative genius. However, as I have often stated I believe that Ron Wilson's book 'The Uncanny Scott' is one of the few books that if truly studied can furnish a performer with an entire repertoire of first rate, commercial magic. A dedicated performer could make a fine living without ever straying from within the pages of this superb book. Please feel free to email me your comments and ideas for future columns. It is sometimes a little depressing how little feedback you get from readers! Contact me at nicklewin1@me.com There is also an entire hidden magic area on my website www.nicklewin.com see if you can find it. -------------------------------------------- 6. Magic Shows In Economic Hard Times - #94 - Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message from Kyle Peron (US) magic4u02@aol.com http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com The price of gas climbs, the stock market plummets, banks do poorly and you (as a magical entertainer) start to panic. Well maybe not panic, but you certainly start to sweat a bit wondering and worrying about how it impacts your magic business. The calls are not coming in, the email inquiries are not there and perhaps you even feel like you are seeing a drop off on birthday party shows and certain markets you perform in. What do you do? Well certainly you can scream about it, complain about it and even talk to other magicians about how bad it really is. But there is another solution. In all this downside and negativity, there can also be a silver lining as well. It is all in how you view things. There is no denying that economic hard times happen and that we go through them. There is also no denying that in these times people do experience drop offs in shows and markets seemingly dry up. The key though is in what YOU yourself do about it. My belief is that I can sit and complain about it or I can go out there and do something active to solve it for myself and to make change in my own business. I have the power to change things if I want to. It is too easy to blame a bad year on the economy. But with as many folks saying they are hurting with their magic business, there are also countless others who are doing very well and maintaining the shows and even increasing their income. If so, then how are they able to do this? What tends to be the real reason folks do not bounce back is the fact that they do not realize that as the economy around us changes, so must our marketing and our business approach and practices. Marketing is a very organic thing. It is always growing and adapting. One must never get too comfortable with your marketing plan that you fail to review them on a constant basis and adapt them as needed. Simply said, when times change, your business model must change with it. A slow economy can actually benefit you. I know that sounds weird but hear me out. Since the economy is kind of slow, families are not taking their kids out nearly as much to expensive amusement parks, family-style arcade food places or even movie theaters. The cost of gas and the economy has made families start to rethink how they spend their dollars on birthday party and celebration style events. More and more people are going toward stay-at-home events. Recent studies have clearly shown that Americans are spending less on travel and costly vacations. However, these folks still want to have a good time and still have the need for a more cost-effective way to do it. Birthday's still happen. Anniversaries and celebrations are not forgotten. Families are just looking for different cost-effective ways in which to do it. This is where YOU as an entertainer can directly change your marketing tactics and tap right into a direct need. We are not just entertainers but we are "solution providers" We provide direct solutions to meet the needs of the clients we perform for. If we now understand what this new need is, we can combat it directly and use it in our favor. Take this golden opportunity to fill the need that is out there from folks not traveling to other places for their events and celebrations. If folks are not traveling as much, then YOU can provide the solution for them. A birthday party event where YOU come to their house, provide entertainment, give out goody bags and assist in their party is a total solution these folks are just waiting to receive. You are the one that can show them the savings that can come about by having the event at their home. They get to have a great event by saving money. Folks no longer have to drive as far because most of the families coming would be in the area. This is a solution to a direct need that YOU can provide. So when the economy starts to go down, it does not mean your magic business has to go down with it. It simply means you must change and adapt your marketing. It means looking at what the needs are and how these needs have changed for people. The needs are always out there. They just may be different then what you thought they were 6 months ago. As always, I encourage you the readers to let me know your thoughts. So if you have any thoughts on my articles or suggestions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me directly at magic4u02@aol.com. I would love to hear from you. - "Encore! Creativity in the Art of Magic" Ebook. Order online now at: http://www.magicenhancer.com/Encore.html - "Tips and Techniques on the Chair Suspension" Ebook. Order online now at: http://www.magicenhancer.com/ChairSuspension.html Kyle Peron Magician and Illusionist www.kyleandkellymagic.com Chair Suspension Ebook Author http://www.magicenhancer.com/ChairSuspension.html NEW E-Book: Encore! Creativity in the Art of Magic! http://magicenhancer.com/Encore.html -------------------------------------------- 7. Entertaining On The Ocean #44 - Paul Romhany -------------------------------------------- Message from Paul Romhany (NZ) Ramblings from Paul Romhany I am pleased to bring back some great articles by my friend Colin Underwood - a professional magician based out of South Africa. Here is the first in a small series from Colin. Remember to check out my weekly BLOG for the latest reviews and to find out about a brand new book that is almost finished - will be released mid-December. BLOG - http://romhanyreport.blogspot.com Visit my website to see a list of the original products I sell. http://www.paulromhany.com Performance Hints and Tips by Colin Underwood The following hints and tips are sourced from recent performances and contracts. I have only included the magic related problems as I perform with a variety of different skills. I have listed the tricks and topics for easy access so you can source information that might be relevant. These solutions are based on my contracts where I was traveling from one venue to the next each night with different conditions and staff and of course audience types. It is also long-term contracts with over 100 to 200 performances. It is assumed that your show is of a professional standard and that you are fully prepared and rehearsed. I do suggest practicing a new routine an extra 100 times before putting it into the show and also try to look at the new routine based on your previous experiences and assess what might go wrong, I have found if you can visualize a problem occurring then there is a good chance of it happening. Music Have both mini disk and CD options as well as copies of each with you. Make sure you have both a jack and pin adapters for your microphone. An adapter plug and an electricity extension lead are also useful. Keep a spare battery in your sound case. Have copies of your cue sheet in the prevalent languages with lighting plot on same sheet. Add an upbeat pre showpiece of music that sets the theme and atmosphere. This is because sometimes the venue plays bad background music just prior to your show, which has put the audience to sleep; this allows you to set up knowing how much time you have before the introduction. Supply your own voice over recorded onto the music. Most people have no clue how to introduce you and it will make a difference when entering onto the stage. Posters and publicity Have a say in the design of poster or supply your own posters, as this is what the people judge you on and decide whether to come to your show or not. Use the comments that audience members have mentioned to you about your show in your publicity. Show type Make your show shorter in the beginning of the contract and add in extra through the season. There is a natural increase in length as you add gags and extra effects. Have adaptable parts in your show that you can slot out and change for another type routine, Have routines that you can present with a child or with and adult. Prepare for outdoor shows and weather conditions. Have a pack small, play big mentality. Be aware by the end of a season the prop trunk seems to get heavier. Visual shows are better than slow talking routines. Emergency kit Have small box with useful tools such as a leather man as well as super glue and a selection of scotch tapes. Black marker pens are good for white spots on clothes. Have another box with duplicate items such as silks and gimmicks. This should include your regular replacement of items such as mouth coils, cards, batteries and other disposable items. Have a glue gun and a small torch available as well as a small mirror stuck inside the lid of the box. Liquid shoe polish can also find a place in the box. Prop boxes Have sturdy boxes made with one main box with large rubber castors. Pack all the others onto this main box. Make the main box narrower than a normal household door. Pack your boxes exactly the same way each night, that way you know if something is missing. Costumes and Make up Have duplicate costumes or parts of the costume for washing each Day. If you are in close contact with the audience during your show be aware of body odours and general cleanliness. Do not leave the makeup case in the vehicle should you be in high temperature areas. Sweat dries; as white streaks or blotches on your black pants so make sure, you have duplicate clean costumes or air the costumes at night. A protective good quality suit bag to carry the costumes is also suggested. Patent leather shoes look smarter but are less durable, have two pairs if your act is physical. If you wear, black shoes in the show make sure you only wear them at the show and not for general use as you might forget them one Day. High Humidity and Temperatures Drink plenty of water and have extra supplements to relieve the excess loss during peak summer months. There are many energy powders on the market with good electrolyte replacements. Check your CD disks after performing outdoors in high humidity near sea air as it is highly corrosive. Do not store props outdoors in such conditions. Mouth coils and packs of cards stick in your pants pocket from sweat so set them at the last minute as well as pulling your trouser pockets inside out once you have your costume on. Cigarette lighters also do not work well with excess sweat; always have a duplicate lighter with you. When choosing a lighter, go for the bright colours as back stages can be dark. Insulation tape becomes sticky and peels off props in excess heat or humidity. Carry a hand towel with you and wear dark colours to the show if you sweat excessively. Do not leave plastic props and modeling balloons in your vehicle during very hot Days. Paul Romhany paul@chaplinmagic.com www.paulromhany.com www.chaplinmagic.com BLOG - http://romhanyreport.blogspot.com -------------------------------------------- 8. Joan Caesar's Guided FISM Tour -------------------------------------------- Message from Joan Caesar - IBM International President Mountains and Rivers Tour 14-Day Contact Joan Caesar for further information: JCaesar@sentex.ca Depart from Toronto and Montreal (other departure cities are also available in Canada and USA) Highlights: Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, Large Wild Goose Pagoda, Dumpling banquet and Tang Dynasty Dancing Show Giant Panda Research Base, Huanglong Scenery Area, Jiuzhaigou Scenery Area and Yellow Mountain Scenery Area Forbidden City, Great Wall, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Peking Duck Dinner and Acrobatic Show Itinerary: July 12-26 Day 01 - 7/12 - Flight Q Beijing Starting your tour by taking deluxe flight to Beijing, cross the International Date Line. Day 02 - 7/13 - Arriving Beijing Q Xi'an - Grand New World Hotel (4-star) or equivalent Arrive in Beijing - the capital of China. Transfer to Xi'an directly from Beijing airport. Nexus Holidays tour guide greets you at the Xi'an airport and transfer you to your hotel. Day 03 - 7/14 - Xi'an (B/L/D) - Grand New World Hotel (4-star) or equivalent Have  free time in the morning. You may need a good rest after a long-haul flight. Xi'an is the first Chinese city to open up its doors to the world during the Tang Dynasty. Over a period of more than 2000 years, Xian was the capital for eleven dynasties. In the afternoon visit the Ancient City Wall which is one of the largest and most complete ancient military defense systems in the world. Day - 04 - 7/15 - Xi'an (B/L/D) - Grand New World Hotel (4-star) or equivalent In the morning you will go sightseeing of the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, the attached defending army to the first emperor of China, it is regarded as "the eighth wonder of the world" and among the top archaeological excavations of the 20th century. Visit to the Porcelain Terra Cotta Warriors Factory. Then visit the Large Wild Goose Pagoda, the symbol of the city, it is said to have been built to house and protect Buddhist scriptures collected by the Chinese monk, Xuan Zang, the key figure in Journey to the West. Enjoy the Dumpling Banquet dinner and the Tang Dynasty Singing and Dancing Show in the evening. Day - 05 - 7/16 - Xi'an Q Chengdu (B/L/D)  - Water Hotel (4-star) or equivalent After breakfast, visit the Shaan Xi Historical Museum. In the afternoon, fly to Chengdu. Upon arrival visit the Giant Panda Research Base, here is the best place to see Chengdu's most famous residents. The Museum here graphically details the panda reproductive problems and there is also a large breeding ground at the site. Visit the local silk factory. Enjoy the local cuisine dinner in the evening. Day 06 - 7/17 - Chengdu Q Huanglong v Jiuzhaigou (B/L/D) - Gesang Hotel (4-star) or equivalent Fly to the Fairyland - Jiuzhaigou Valley, which is famous for its natural wonders in terms of colorful waters. Tour to the Huanglong scenic area firstly. It is famous for its magic landscape of limes formation, made up of 3400 multi-colored, different sized ponds. Calcareous fluid with bottom paving with golden line deposit, plus five waterfalls, four stalactite caves and three ancient temples, all of them gather in the same place, which look like a dragon surging down from snowcapped peaks of Mountain Min. Ref.: http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/huanglong.html Day - 07 - 7/18 - Jiuzhaigou(B/L/D) - Gesang Hotel (4-star) or equivalent Today you will spend the whole day exploring the fantasy of Jiuzhaigou. Visit the Mirror Lake in the early morning, you may see the bird fly in the quiet water and the fish swim in the sky. Then take the sightseeing of the Virgin Forest, the Grass Lake and Swan Lake. Walk along the Panda Lake, you may have a chance to meet the lovely giant Panda. Visit the Five Flower Lake and Pearl Shoal Waterfall and Nuorilang Waterfall. The water here appears to be either magically peacock blue or emerald. All those who encounter it are overwhelmed by the breathtaking beauty of both its landscape and lakes, springs, waterfalls, streams, rivers, and shoals. Ref.: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/637/ http://www.chinapictures.org/type/nature-scenes/jiuzhaigou-valley/ Day - 08 - 7/19 - Jiuzhaigou(B/L/D) - Gesang Hotel (4-star) or equivalent Today you will continue your tour in Jiuzhaigou. Visit the Long Lake which is 3103 meters above the sea level. 8 kilometers in length, 103 meters in depth and 3100 square meters in area, it is the largest lake in Jiuzhaigou Valley area. Then visit the Multicolor Lake, the Rhinoceros Lake, the Tiger Lake and the Shuzheng Waterfall. You may also visit the local Tibetan Village and select your favorite souvenirs. Day - 09 - 7/20 - Jiuzhaigou Q Chengdu Q Hangzhou (B/L/D) - Xiang Yuan Hotel (4-star) or equivalent Fly to Chengdu in the morning and transfer to Hangzhou directly at Chengdu airport. Check-in the hotel and have free time in Hangzhou. Day - 10 - 7/21 - Hangzhou v Mt. Huangshan (B/L/D) - International Hotel (4-star) or equivalent After breakfast take a coach to Mt. Huangshan in the morning. Mt. Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) is the most famous mountain in China and the rich heritage of mankind. It has been famous for thousands of years for its unique pine trees, stones of strange shapes, the sea of clouds, and hot springs. Day - 11 - 7/22 - Mt. Huangshan (B/L/D) - Shilin Hotel (4-star) or equivalent Take a cable car to the top of the mountain. Explore the famous peaks. From the summit the neighboring peaks look dwarfed and in the distance the whole scene gradually merges into one shade of color. Stay overnight at the hotel on top of the mountain. Day - 12 - 7/23 - Mt. Huangshan Beijing (B/L/D) - Jade Palace Hotel (5-star) or equivalent Rise early to catch the breath-taking view of the sun rising from the horizon with mountain peaks shrouded in the sea of clouds. Continue the excursion on the Mt. Huangshan. Descend by cable car and tour the Hongcun Village, which has been recognized as the World Culture Heritage of mankind. Visit the local market. Fly to Beijing in the evening. Day - 13 - 7/24 - Beijing (B/L/D) - Jade Palace Hotel (5-star) or equivalent Beijing served as the capital of 5 dynasties over a period of 800 years. Start your city tour with a visit to the Forbidden City. This complex, the largest and most intact conglomeration of ancient structures of the imperial palace ever built in the world, features more than 800 buildings with 9999 rooms, resplendent golden-glazed roofs, red lacquered pillars and vermilion walls. Next stop is the Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world. Then tour to the Temple of Heaven, which was used to offer sacrifices to heaven and pray for good harvest in ancient times. The next stop is the Summer Palace, the largest ancient preserved garden in China and a former summer resort for Emperors and the chosen few. Visit the local silk carpet factory. Enjoy the famous Peking Duck dinner in the evening. Day - 14 - /25  - Beijing (B/L/D) - Jade Palace Hotel (5-star) or equivalent The highlight today is a trip to the astonishing Great Wall at Juyong Pass. The Great Wall is the most famous image of China throughout the world. It is the only man-made object visible from the moon, and one of the Eight Wonders of the world. It is also a symbol of Chinese traditional culture and the pride of the Chinese nation. Later visit the Sacred Path of Ming Tombs, where 13 of the 16 Ming emperors have their tombs. This is an attractive destination as much for the natural scenery of the area as for the tombs themselves. Visit the Cloisonné Factory and the biggest Jade Exhibition Center in Asia. Enjoy the famous acrobatic show in the evening. Day - 15 - 7/26 - Beijing (B) Take part in the FISM WCM2009. 7/31 - Beijing Q Toronto Tour guide will transfer you to the airport and fly back to your home airport. -------------------------------------------- 9. Eric DeCamps Pure Magic -------------------------------------------- Message from Eric DeCamps (US) George Schindler is the guest host for the Sunday November 16 presentation of, Eric DeCamps PURE MAGIC - A Performance of Contemporary Conjuring. George Schindler is the Dean of and a past National President of the Society of American Magicians. He has authored nine books on magic, is a leading authority on the art of ventriloquism, a celebrated comedy magician, lecturer and a Gold Star member of the London's prestigious Inner Magic Circle. Mr. Schindler is an inductee of the Society of American Magicians Hall of Fame and has been honored with the Milbourne Christopher Life Time Achievement Award for Magic. Mr. Schindler has served as consultant for David Mamet's, "O'Hell"; The New York Opera Company's, "The Consul" and has appeared in several TV commercials and soap operas. You may recall him in his role as Shandu, the Chinese Magician, in "Oedipus Wrecks", the Woody Allen segment of "New York Stories". The show, a limited engagement, will be repeated every Sunday afternoon at 4:00pm through December 28 at the Metropolitan Room (34 West 22nd Street-212 206 0440). For tickets, show times, area parking and recommended restaurants, please go to: www.ericdecamps.com More surprises in the weeks to come! -------------------------------------------- 10. New Publication By Graeme Base "ENIGMA" -------------------------------------------- Message from Ross Skiffington (Aust) Today I had the great pleasure to launch a new publication by Graeme Base "ENIGMA". It was in the Spiegletent here in Melbourne outside the Arts Centre. I had spoken to Graeme over a year ago about this launch when I was on The Conversation Hour with him on ABC Radio here in Melbourne. In the past few months he had been on a book launch tour through Canada and the USA where ENIGMA was listed on the New York Times best seller list. Graeme has written 12 books for children and readers might know him by his most popular book ANIMALIA. He said it takes him about 2 years to do each book and when you see the illustrations you can understand why. ENIGMA, like all his books, is magnificently illustrated by Graeme and the story of Bertie Badger who visits his grandfather "Gadzooks the Great" at the Retirement Home for Elderly Magicians. His grandfather loves to perform magic every time he visits but one day all the props go missing so Bertie sets off to find out where they have vanished to. It is a mystery he eventually solves and on the way meets the others who live in the Retirement Home who all happen to do magic. Some of the characters included are Vlad the Bear of Wrath who saws babushka dolls in half, Lord Pandamonium who levitates and Miss Pollyanna Parrapoup "The Goddess of Caracas", a Carmen Miranda showgirl. It's a wonderful read with a code to break and magic panel to unlock. Magicians should love this one and I think will be a most popular gift for children this Xmas. I highly recommend it. It will make a great stage show and Graeme and I have already had preliminary conversations. Here is a link to Penguin, the publishers http://www.penguin.com.au/lookinside/spotlight.cfm?SBN=9780670072019&Page=Details And an on-line review http://www.epinions.com/review/Book_Enigma_A_Magical_Mystery_Graeme_Base/content_448403967620 -------------------------------------------- 11. People Wrongly Advertising Themselves With Awards -------------------------------------------- Message from John Taylor (Aust) I just wanted to write about something that I feel is now getting a little bit out of hand and that is people wrongly advertising themselves with awards they have not even won such as Eg: "Magician of the Year", or "Illusionist of the Year" or "Champion of Magic" etc etc. Although it doesn't bother me on the work side, as I am solidly booked out till 2010, it's a real slap in the face and disrespectful to the people that HAVE legitimately won these awards. I just think it's a joke and I'm not the only one that thinks so and I believe it's time that someone addressed it... Guys you know who you are so please cut the BS! You're really not doing yourselves or anyone else any favors or gaining yourselves any more respect from making such false claims. Your reputation is the most important thing in this industry - what kind of a reputation do you hope to build for yourselves if you have to lie to try and improve it? At the end of the day the proof is in the pudding so just get your acts together and let the rest speak for itself. John Taylor www.johntaylormagic.com -------------------------------------------- 12. Contest Rules FISM WCM2009 Beijing -------------------------------------------- Message from Eric Eswin, International President of the FISM Contest Rules and Procedures for the FISM World Championships of Magic (Valid as of the FISM WCM2009 in Beijing) 1. About The Participation a) FISM World Championships of Magic (WCM) are organized under the auspices and supervision of the FISM and are open to * any magician who has reached the FISM Level (see Article 7d) and who is a member of a Society affiliated to the FISM, after having received the written authorization of the President of the FISM Society of which he or she is a member; * any magician who has reached the FISM Level and who is not a member of a FISM Member Society, after having received the written authorization of the Presidents of FISM Member Societies from three different countries. b) The President of the FISM Member Society who has given this authorization is responsible for the quality of the act of the contestant. Only contestants having attained the FISM Level should receive such an authorization. The names of the Member Society and its President will be mentioned when the contestant is announced. Member Societies, having sponsored more than one competitor performing under FISM level, can - by judgment of the Presidium - lose their sponsoring rights for the next FISM WCM. c) The number of contestants is limited to 150 applicants, being around 100 for the Stage and around 50 for the Close-up competition. d) Excluded from participation in a given FISM WCM are artists who are booked by the organizing committee to perform or lecture at that Championship. e) A contestant who has been awarded a Grand Prix in a previous FISM WCM is not allowed to compete again with essentially the same act. f) A contestant must be a paid registrant of the FISM WCM during which the contest is held. The organizing committee must have received the duly signed registration form for the contest, including the appropriate authorization(s), the convention fee and the contest fee, at least four weeks before the opening of the Championships. g) All contestants, as a right of competition agree to abide by and be bound by these Contest Rules and Procedures for the FISM World Championships of Magic. 2. About The Jury a) To determine all prizes and other awards (see Article 6), two judging panels are composed, one for the performances on stage and one for the performances under close-up conditions. The judging panels consist of seven to nine judges. One of the judges of each panel is the chairman. A non-judging president presides over the two panels. b) All judges, including the Jury President, are chosen by the Presidium. These choices should be based on the qualifications of the candidates in both the Art of Magic and that of judging magic performances. There should be a diversity of age and cultural background and all judges should be able to communicate in English. The Presidium should also acknowledge continuity in FISM juries. Preferably there will be only one judge for any one country. c) For the second phase of the competition (see Article 7a) the Presidium may decide in common accord to add a non-magician, preferably an authority in the theatre or entertainment business, to the appropriate judging panel. d) The president of the jury, although watching as many contest performances as possible, does not judge the acts as the other judges do. He chairs the joint jury meetings and attends as many of the panel meetings as possible. He or she concludes and summarizes the final decisions and is, together with the panel chairmen, responsible for the observance of the FISM contest rules. In case of a tie, the jury President will arbitrate, and that decision will be final. e) Judges will be exempt from paying a convention registration fee, and will get free refreshments and meals during their judging time. f) The decisions of the judges, are final and not subject to appeal. g) The President of the jury will send a full report of the contest results, with appropriate remarks and observations, to the International President of the FISM within three months of the closing of the Championships. 3. About The Categories a) The contest performances are open in the following categories: Stage Magic Performances: - Manipulation: A magic stage act wholly or largely based on sleight of hand. - General Magic: A magic stage act which is, in most cases, a mix of several of the other categories. The props used are usually smaller than the ones used in a Stage Illusion act. Some performances using modern high-tech or video technology can also be categorized under this denomination. - Stage Illusions: A magic stage act in which huge props are used (even when these are not visible to the audience). Often several people and/or animals are involved. - Comedy Magic: A magic stage act of which the main purpose is to make people laugh. It can be based on any one of the aforementioned categories, provided the emphasis is laid on the magic nature of the performance. - Mental Magic: Branch of magic comprising demonstrations of apparent extraordinary or supernatural mental powers, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, telekinesis, super memory, lightning calculation and simulations of mediumistic phenomena. Close-up Magic Performances: Acts, intended to be performed for small groups of people in close proximity. The contestant can be seated or standing behind a table, mostly with some members of the audience also seated at this table, but the act can also be presented standing up without any use of a table. The items used are generally small and most effects directly involve the spectators or participants. Three categories are distinguished: - Card Magic: the act is exclusively based on effects using playing cards. - Micro Magic: although playing cards are not to be excluded, the act is of a more general nature. - Parlour Magic: An act, midway between close-up and stage magic, meant to be performed for a group of people in a moderately sized room. b) If the Judges are of the shared opinion that it would be in the best interests of a contestant to change his category, they are entitled to make such a change. 4. About The Contestants And The Contest Performance a) A contestant is responsibile for his own performance. He undertakes to FISM that he has secured the necessary rights to perform this full and complete contest performance, (also known as his 'act'). b) The contestant's undertaking includes the right to perform the act in question and encompasses the contestant securing all ancillary rights and licences whether music or otherwise from all legally required third parties, if applicable. c) The contestant will specifically undertake to FISM that he is entitled to exploit and grant solely licence of his act and that his act does not infringe the rights of any third party. Comment to 4a, 4b and 4c: No one else but the contestant is responsible for his performance at the WCM. He needs to have fulfilled all (legal) requirements. It should be noted that these paragraphs do not refer to the right to compete at a WCM, but just emphasize the responsibilities of the performer when competing. d) In the event that the contestant is in breach of any of the aforementioned undertakings, he has to accept all the consequences and liabilities. If the contestant is in breach of the regulations concerning the Music Rights of his act, if necessary the Organizing Committee has, after having communicated with the contestant, the exclusive right to either obtain the necessary performance and/or music rights at the expense of the contestant or to substitute the music in question. Comment: If a contestant (despite his responsibilities/obligations, as mentioned in the preceeding paragraphs) has not taken his responsibilities seriously, he has to accept the consequences and liabilities. If it concerns the Music Rights of his act, if necessary, the contest-organizers will help the contestant to solve the issue as explained in the rule. e) A contestant must present a complete act (not a single trick) of at least five minutes and not more than ten minutes. f) A contestant can only present one act in one category in Stage magic and one act in one category in Close-up magic. g) A contestant who presents an act that is obviously a copy of the act, or a significant or typical part of it, of another performer will be disqualified. h) Performances, mainly depending on a pre-arrangement between the contestant and a volunteer or assistant in the know, are not considered magic performances. The contest, being a contest on the performance of magic, the Jury can decide to disqualify the contestant. In case of doubt the competitor will be asked to explain the method used and, if necessary, to repeat the effect in front of the judging panel. Comment: The inclusion of a 'non-stooge paragraph' was suggested by the Jury of FISM WCM2006 in Stockholm who noticed that in the absence of a 'non-stooge' paragraph in the CR&P means that we continue to accept that we are not able to disqualify a performer who obviously makes use of a stooge. The Presidium agrees with the FISM WCM2006 jury that it is better to accept the fact that we cannot detect ALL cases of using a stooge, than to have to accept not being able to disqualify a contestant who obviously does make of a stooge in a way that is not acceptable for a magical performance. A contest rule should not be considered a means to detect and cover all the ways of making use of a stooge, but more and primarily as a clear signal that the obvious use of a stooge is not allowed and that if a violation is detected it can lead to disqualification. It should be emphasized that it is a magic contest in the first place that is being judged and that performers who obviously violate the widely accepted rule within the magic fraternity that the use of stooges is not a contribution to the Art of Magic, can be disqualified. As there can be circumstances however that will not justify a disqualification, we leave the decision to disqualify a performer to the judges. i) A contestant must be ready to perform his act at least ten minutes before the scheduled time. The jury may disqualify a contestant who is not ready by this ten-minute notice. j) An act begins when the contestant enters the stage or when the music of the act starts, whichever comes first. k) At the front of the stage will be two electric lamps, one yellow and one red. After nine minutes of a performance, the yellow lamp will be switched on. After the tenth minute, the red lamp will be switched on, showing the contestant that he or she is over time and therefore disqualified. A contestant will also be disqualified in case of a flashing red lamp (see Article 7e) l) When introducing a contestant, the Master of Ceremonies of the competition will refrain from any comment on the performer or the act, restricting the announcement to the name of the contestant, the category of performance, the country and society and the name(s) of the President(s) authorizing this participation in the contest. 5. About The Rights Of Competition Comment: Unlike Article 4, which deals with the personal responsibility of a contestant/performer, the paragraphs in this Article 5 reflect the rights of competition. That is to say that in order to have the right to perform at a FISM WCM, a contestant has to agree with these rules. Of course a contestant has the right to disagree with one or more of these rules, in which case his free will not to participate in a FISM WCM can only be respected. a) By no later than four (4) weeks prior to the commencement of the competition, the contestant will provide the Organizing Committee with a list of all music titles to be used in his act; including the title's name, composer, adapter, recording artist, the time of the soundtrack and the name of the label. Comment: all contestants have to obey to this rule as it is a legally required necessity. The Convention Center needs this information to be able to clear the performance rights during the contest in the Convention theatre. b) A contestant's performance or act may be recorded and/or videotaped by or on behalf of FISM and broadcast and transmitted to monitors inside and outside the performance theatre. Comment: This is a minimum requirement for a well organized contest. As not all conventioneers will watch all the contest in the theatre, the transmission to monitors provides the possibility to watch an act outside the theatre, if for whatever reasons a conventioneer wishes to do so. c) The contestant, as a right of competition, authorizes and allows FISM without limitation to time and/or place to use his image and/or voice and to edit, and re-assemble a contestant's recorded act as FISM deems appropriate. Comment: This is a consequence of FISM being the rights-holder of the recording (not of the act). FISM, in its role as promoter of the Art of Magic, will always respect contestant's act and shall not jeopardize the artistic quality of an act. The products will be used for historical purposes or for the promotion of FISM or, in general, to enhance the Art of Magic. d) The contestant, as a right of competition, further authorizes FISM to reproduce, adapt, sell and market his performance. Comment: Participation in a FISM WCM is not without engagements or obligations. This obligation is fundamental and basic for the participation in a FISM WCM. During a WCM, FISM's takes great effort in exposing contestant's act in the best possible way to magicians, lay audiences, producers, booking agents and the international press and media all over the world. In doing so FISM provides a contestant with a unique advertisement opportunity for free. Past WCM's has shown that participation in a FISM WCM, results in a lot of benefits for the further career of a contestant, benefits that cannot be easily achieved in another way, if at all. Therefore it is only fair that a contestant authorizes FISM to use his act for historical reasons, to enhance the Art of Magic, to promote FISM and to encourage FISM to stay a well respected, global platform for magic. Of course a magician may choose not to agree with this condition, in which case he should not participate in a FISM WCM. The argument that this condition will prevent qualified magicians to participate in a FISM WCM is non-proven and highly questionable as a FISM WCM is a unique and worldwide recognized championship and the benefits for a magician when participating in a FISM WCM are clear and tangible. FISM in consideration of same agrees to pay the contestant a one-time contractual compensation, calculated per second of contestant's performance in a (video) programme to be marketed. The amount of the compensation will be set by the Presidium of the FISM. This amount can only be contested by the General Assembly of FISM and requires the prior written approval of three (3) separate delegates who must each be from different countries. Thereafter, the matter will be decided by the General Assembly who's decision will be final and not subject to further challenge or appeal. Comment: If a contestant's recording, or part of it, is marketed, contestant will be paid a one- time amount for that recording. This amount is not to be considered a fee, but a compensation for his consent to make use of his images and voice in exchange for the benefits for participating in a FISM WCM. Basically FISM will produce a documentary/show of each FISM World Championships of Magic. In such a documentary/show the highlights (mostly abstracts of acts will be shown), including (parts of) the prize-winners' acts. It is FISM's intention to treat the contestants to their best interest and to take all measures to get the best conditions for an optimal representation of their act and to prevent any unwanted exposure of magic. The one-time compensation shall be set by the Presidium who will again take great care in contestants' interest and will assure the highest possible amount, which, of course also depends on the calculated sales price of the production. To give a contestant a formal counter-balance possibility, the decision of the Presidium can be challenged by the General Assembly. Note for the FISM WCM2009 Although at the moment (October 2008) the negotiations with a TV broadcasting company has not been finished yet, the one-time compensation for the FIWSM WCM2009 in Beijing is expected to be between US$ 100,-- and US$ 200,-- per minute, with a guaranteed minimum amount between US$ 500,-- and US$ 1000,-- Example: Suppose the amount per minute as set by the Presidium is US$ 150,--.with a guarantee of US$ 400,-- In such a case a contestants, whose act is included in a programme to be broadcast for 1 minute, will be paid US$ 400,-- (the guaranteed amount). If the act is included in the programme for 6 minutes, the compensation will be 6 x US$150,-- = US$ 900,-- For a 7 minutes inclusion the amount will be 7 x US$ 150,-- = US$ 1050,-- and so on. Please take note that the mentioned amounts are examples and subject to change. They are mentioned to give an idea of the height of the compensation the Presidium has in mind. The exact amount per minute and its guarantee for 2009 will be announced as soon as the revenues from a contract with a TV broadcaster are finally set. In the planning schedule this will be foreseen before January 1st, 2009. e) If requested, FISM will provide to a contestant for his personal use only and for commercial use after FISM's prior approval one (1) copy of contestant's performance, against payment of the copy's delivery. 6. About The Prizes And Other Awards a) Prizes In each category, three prizes can be awarded by the jury: a first prize, a second prize and a third prize. b) Special Contest Awards * The Jury can issue one or more awards for an invention both in stage and close-up competitions. The inventions have to be presented as part of an act in one of the categories and the invention has to be claimed by the contestant when registering for the competition. There is no hierarchy for awards for invention. The jury, who will determine the invention to be at least a new effect or a new method or technique, will decide on these awards. * The jury is entitled to award a special contest award for 'Most Original Act' to the act (in any category) that can justify such a decision. c) Grand Prix In the second phase of the judging process (see Article 7), on top of the aforementioned prizes and special contest awards, a Grand Prix for Stage Magic and a Grand Prix for Close-up Magic will be awarded by the jury. d) Other awards No other prize, award, distinction or gift can be given without the approval of the Presidium and the President of the jury. This includes any prize or award given on behalf of a private company. Only FISM contestants having received a prize or a (special) contest award, are eligible for an additional prize or award beyond those mentioned in the preceding paragraphs of this Article. 7. About The Judging Process a) The judging process is two-phased. In the first phase the jury will judge all the contestants' performances during the contest in order to determine who's eligible for the prizes and awards as mentioned in Article 6a and 6b, when appropriate. The second phase is meant to elect the two Grand Prix winners, as mentioned in Article 6c, and to determine the final order of the best performances in each of the categories on Stage and in Close-Up. (see paragraph h). This second phase will take place during the final competitions. b) A member of the jury shall give a fair judgment on the performance of every contestant, without prejudice, with an equal level of critical standards in regard to the following six aspects: * Technical Skill/Handling. * Showmanship/Presentation * Entertainment value * Artistic Impression/Routining * Originality * Magic Atmosphere c) In the first phase, using the official judging form in conformity with Annex A, each judge will give a total score of up to 100 points to each contestant. After each contest performance, the part of the judging form below the dotted line will be collected by a member of the special staff as mentioned in Article 9a. Adding the scores of all Judges and dividing the total by the number of judges, the final score will then be calculated. The maximum final score for a contestant will thus be 100 points. d) A contestant with a final score lower than 50 points is considered below the FISM level and will be disqualified. e) Judges will each have access to a switch to activate the red lamp on the performing platform. If, after the first three minutes of an act, a Judge is of the opinion that the performance is below the FISM level, he can press his button. When at least 70% of the number of Judges have pressed their button, the system activates the red lamp which then starts flashing, meaning the contestant is disqualified. In the stage competition the curtain will close within 20 seconds after the red lamp started flashing. f) At the conclusion of the first phase, having seen the performances of all the contestants, the individual Judges may reconsider their judgments and, with the approval of the President of the jury, will be given the opportunity to change some of their scores. These changes will be given to the special staff members who will recalculate the final scores. g) After all necessary calculations are complete, the list of final scores will be handed to the President of the jury, who will assemble all the judges in a meeting to determine who qualifies for the divers prizes and who will be in the final competition. h) The prizes will be awarded to the highest scores in each category. To be awarded a first prize, a contestant must have a final score of at least 80 points. The final score must be at least 70 points for a second prize and at least 60 points for a third prize. i) If no contestant has the required points for a given prize in a given category, that prize will not be awarded. j) The list of prizes and other awards as mentioned in Article 6a to 6c will be kept secret until the official proclamation and presentation of the trophies to the winners. The declaration of the awards will be made in reverse order, beginning with the special contest awards, then the lowest prize and ending with the first prize. k) For both performing conditions, Stage and Close-Up, a maximum of eight contestants with the highest scores, are qualified for the second phase of the judging process, during which the winners of the Grand Prix will be elected and the final order of the winners will be determined. In judging the competitors in this second phase, the jury will apply the same standards as mentioned in paragraph b of this Article. After the last performance, the judges will be asked to list all contestants in the order of their preference. Their number one gets (n) points, where n is the total number of contestants, number two on the list gets (n-1) points, number three (n-2) and so on. The Jury Staff Officer adds all the points of each contestant and the contestant with the highest total points will be awarded the Grand Prix. All other finalists will be awarded a prize according to their final score in the first phase. 8. About Titles a) Only a first-prize winner is entitled to use the title of "World Champion" along with the prize category prize, plus the year of its acquisition (e.g., "World Champion Stage Illusions 2009" or "World Champion Card Magic 2009"). b) The holders of the two Grand Prix awards are entitled to precede their title of "World Champion" by "FISM Grand Prix Winner" (e.g., "FISM Grand Prix Winner and World Champion Manipulation 2009" or "FISM Grand Prix Winner and World Champion Card Magic 2000" 9. About The Administration a) The organizing committee, in coordination with the Presidium, will appoint official timekeepers for the contests. A special staff, headed by the Jury Staff Officer, will assure a smooth-running judging process. Among other responsibilities, the jury staff shall collect the forms, do the necessary calculations, and take care of the well-being of the Judges. The jury staff will keep all the scores strictly secret, revealing them to no one except for the jury President, who will share it with the chairmen of the judging panels. These scores will not be shared with the other judges before the list of final scores is provided (see Article 7g). b) The organizing committee will provide the official trophies, the necessary judging forms, clipboards as well as the diplomas for the contestants. c) Trophies for the divers prizes have to be designed according to FISM specifications. d) The Jury Staff Officer will send the contest rules and procedures to the Judges no less than four weeks before the start of the Championships. e) At the beginning of the convention, prior to the start of the contest, the judging panels (as mentioned in Article 2a) will be briefed by a member of the Presidium or by the President of the Jury on the main issues of these FISM contest rules and procedures. 10. About Liability a) A contestant and FISM will indemnify each other in case of an intellectual property infringement claim by a third party. FISM's maximum aggregate liability shall not exceed the total amount paid by FISM to the contestant for the matter at the origin of the indemnity, and excludes any indirect damage, even if foreseeable. b) These rules do not constitute a partnership or agency between a contestant and FISM. c) Any dispute arising from these rules, provided that no out of court agreement has been reached within thirty (30) days from its occurrence, will be governed by the laws of Switzerland, with the exclusive place of jurisdiction deemed to be Lausanne. -------------------------------------------- 13. Dale Salwak - My Apologies For The Error -------------------------------------------- Message from Dale Salwak (US) Among the artists booked for IBM 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee will be Scott Land (not Scott Lamb as originally reported) with his brilliant marionette parody of Carl Ballantine. My apologies for the error. -------------------------------------------- 14. Breaking News From Fab Magic Company -------------------------------------------- Message from Rick Fisher (US) August 5-8th - Breaking News From Fab Magic Company - Colon, Michigan - The Magic Capital Of The World Announcing 1st Annual 'Busking' Competition August 6th & 7th during magic week in Colon 2009. All types of street performers are invited to participate*. There will be cash & product prizes awarded! There is NO registration fee associated with this event. Rules & Details will be available 1st week of December 2008. Limited amount of registrations accepted. Thanks to our coordinator Al Angelo who will be working directly with us in preparing this super-spectacular event! Also - just booked - FREE lectures during magic week - See Troy Hooser, Bob Sanders, Al Bach, Al Angelo and more to come! The ONLY FREE Magic gathering on the planet - now celebrating our 6th year! Come see our new Magic themed community park in Colon - the ONLY magic capital of the world! For more information please check us out at www.fabmagic.com or email - sales@fabmagic.com -------------------------------------------- 15. Another Rip Off -------------------------------------------- Message from Paul Romhany (NZ) It's been an interesting week. Since my posting last week on people trying to steal my work - I have had several emails of support from many prominent magicians around the world. One sent me this note: "Imitation is the sincerest form of thievery." I also had several emails from people telling me of a 'well known magic video company' in the UK who is now copying my idea of producing personalised DVDs for magicians. It really is sad that the ethics in magic seem to be flying out the door these days. People are driven by greed and money and feel they can take an original concept and claim it as their won. I have spent the past nine years selling my Personal Magic DVDs to magicians all over the world - probably sold several hundred to over twenty countries. Somebody sees my idea and copies it. I am saddened even more that this person recently started producing DVDs for the magic community and now feels they can take my concept and sell it as their own, at a higher price. This is an unfortunate statement about this persons character and their business ethics. My only hope for our craft is that other don't use their service and continue to deal with me and my company. Actually, our DVDs offer way more value and more features than the rip off version. You not only get generic magic tricks but you also get other bonus chapters giving it much more value. As many of you know, my company has been doing this and promoting our services for the past nine years in all major magic magazines and through the internet - we were the first company to do so and still produce the highest quality product with more features. We are actually about to release our THIRD brand new personalised teaching DVD to the magic fraternity by the end of December - and the cost will only be $300. As I said, it is actually cheaper than the rip off versions and we offer more - it's your choice. I am becoming saddened with the magic fraternity and the lack of ethics that seems to be brought to my attention more and more. It's time we all stood up and did something about it. Paul Romhany www.paulromhany.com www.chaplinmagic.com -------------------------------------------- 16. Guy Bavli Lecture Sydney Austraila -------------------------------------------- Message from Sean Taylor (Aust) Merry Christmas From Taylor's Magic Shop 11 Spring St Chatswood. Australia's biggest magic shop! 2 Lectures in 2 weeks! Sydney is looking towards a magical Christmas with Taylor's Magic Shop holding 2 events in 2 weeks and the great news for the pros is that they are on Monday nights! For more info call 02 9411 6233 and speak to Sean, Diana, Billy, Paul, Patrick or Dave. Monday 24th November 7.30pm - $25 - all welcome from Israel via Florida, we present Guy Bavli. Guy is probably best known for emulating his hero Uri Geller as one of the world's leading metal benders but his work goes much further than that. Guy has built a reputation as one of the world's top corporate performers with his unique abilities. Guy has performed literally thousands of shows from Caesars Palace to Carnegie Hall and in more than 50 countries. He has appeared on numerous television-shows worldwide and recently starred in the NBC prime time series PHENOMENON. Guy Bavli has been featured on national ad-campaigns and performed for Microsoft, Volvo, IBM, Delta Airlines, Jaguar and Coca Cola just to name a few. To learn some unbelievable mentalism you should attend Guy's one and only Australian lecture. You can find out more about Guy at www.masterofthemind.com Monday 1st December - 7.30pm- $15 - all Welcome Christmas MagiClinic will be a very special night as we enjoy the very special talents of Neville Wiltshire. I'm sure like me you have grown up with Neville's writings in Abra, The Magigram and many great magic magazines. He has written over 70 articles for Abra alone. Neville will present a lecture on magic which will include stand-up, close-up and kid's effects. Literally something for everyone. He lives in Dublin, Ireland where being a GP of magic is the order of the day. Much like Sydney, you need to be versatile to survive. Neville have been at the top of his game for over 30 years and performed all kinds of magic professionally including a long stint as Ireland's Ronald McDonald. Come along and enjoy some Christmas cheer, a mince pie or 2 and some great magic from a true pro. Sean Taylor -------------------------------------------- 17. Clips Of All The FISM Guest Artists -------------------------------------------- Message from Tim Ellis (Aust) Here is a link to my blog where I've added clips of all the FISM guest artists http://magicunlimited.typepad.com/magic_unlimited_with_elli/2008/11/fism-2009-guest-artists.html And here is a piece on the AIM website listing the FISM guests with links to their websites http://www.australianinstituteofmagic.org/index.php?view=article&catid=63%3Afism-2009&id=311%3Afismguest09&option=com_content&Itemid=55 -------------------------------------------- 18. 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Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed therein. Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted. Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles to this e-zine, the authors grant Magic New Zealand® the right to publish such articles and such authors confirm their copyright of the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand® are protected by international copyright legislation and articles must not be published for profit by anyone other than the individual authors without the written permission of Magic New Zealand®. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this publication may be freely redistributed, but not sold, to other magicians if copied in its entirety, including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer. © Copyright 2008 Alan Watson