Scripting Magic

by Pete McCabe

When Scripting Magic was first released in 2007, it was an immediate, surprise sensation. Magicians around the world, hungry for ways to improve their magic, were thrilled to have a volume dedicated to the vital question: what you say when you perform? Written by Pete McCabe and including contributions from 26 of magic’s best thinkers and most experienced performers, Scripting Magic zipped through three printings and has been unavailable for years.

Vanishing Inc. Magic is proud to publish the definitive edition of Scripting Magic. This new version, expanded with illustrations, contains fantastic magic from luminaries like John Lovick, Jon Armstrong, Max Maven, and David Regal, and covers the process for creating memorable presentations. You'll learn how to write, edit, and perform compelling magic in this one-of-a-kind exploration into the presentation of magic.

Genres: Magic

454 pages, Hardbound

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Julius · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing educational book for anyone who had already had their first steps in magic - on how to make effects interesting and meaningful. Not only it explains scripting and presentation principles, which, for beginner, might sometimes be hard to follow, but also adds examples and variations, some of which are from very prominent people in the field as well as having very different presentation styles, think: Michael Ammar, Jon Armstrong, Eugene Burger, Max Maven, Vic Sussman, Jamy Ian Swiss, Teller and many others. It covers A LOT of different effects: from card tricks with ordinary deck to Hot Rod, cups and balls and even some self-working out-of-the-box magic - there is definitely something in it for everyone. And on top of that you get suggestions on how to better adapt the magic to your character, and references where to find the methods (with some brief explanations included). Unfortunately it was out of stock in a lot of places, but when I found an option to buy it - I didn't hesitate a second. Truly one of the best investments I have ever made to have a deeper understanding on the presentation aspects of my hobby.

[Cameron Copper · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read. At times, I feel like the concepts covered could have used a little more structure and a little less "proof by example," but I think it goes without saying that someone could master the concepts provided in this book and be able to do very incredible things in the eyes of a spectator.

[Robert Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a view--an unacceptable one, in my humble opinion--among many magicians (particularly amateurs, though I've found that the view is also disturbingly common among some professionals) that scripting is unnecessary for magicians. It is my belief that this attitude has prevented the conjuring art from having received the respect it is due (that is, respect not only as a craft but as a proper performing art). It is with a heavy heart that I have to admit there are still magicians who refer to the words with which they accompany their performances as "patter," arguably the most insulting and degrading term of art ever inflicted upon an entire profession.

There have always been those who take the art more seriously. Some of them have even managed to get noticed by the magical community at large. But what Pete McCabe has done is to condense into a singe volume an impassioned plea (both from himself and his numerous contributors) for a more thoughtful approach to scripting magic, as well as a practical guide for the practicing magician to begin developing skill as a scripting magician.

The book is full of many tricks, most of which are taught in some detail. But this is not a book one reads to discover magical methodologies. In fact, many of the tricks taught are classics already in the repertoire of numerous professionals. What this book offers instead of tricks is a guide to improving one's speech during performance.

I now consider Scripting Magic to be required reading for magicians. If I were to offer one criticism, and this is what prevents me from giving this book a perfect five-star rating, it is that much of the advice seems disjointed. While the attentive and thoughtful reader will still have no difficulty absorbing what this book has to offer, I think it fails ever so slightly to live up to its potential as a guide for beginning magic script-writers because its advice does not offer a structured approach to learning the writing craft. The information is all there, but in a world where there are still magicians who, for some perverse reason, take pride in their inability to write a script, I fear much of that information might elude the readers who need it the most.

[Noah Sussman]

My dad has a posthumous contribution in this book of magician's scripts.