Astonishing Essays - Joshua Jay (Volume 10) By Joshua Jay. (Instant Download)
Description & Effect
The Deception of Perception
As magicians, we dedicate ourselves to the art of illusion, but how often do we truly scrutinize our own understanding of what captivates an audience? "Astonishing Essays - Joshua Jay (Volume 10): Magic by the Numbers" offers a groundbreaking, empirical deep dive into the spectator's mind, challenging long-held assumptions and revealing the scientific truths behind effective magic. This isn't just another magic book; it's an essential guide to transforming your craft through data-driven insight, helping you understand what truly resonates beyond anecdotal belief.
Unveiling Audience Secrets
In 2014, Joshua Jay embarked on a pioneering collaboration with a team of statisticians, commissioning an innovative research study into the perception of magic. The goal was simple yet profound: to unearth objective answers to questions magicians *think* they already know. What types of tricks are most memorable? What do people genuinely enjoy or dislike about magic? The initial findings, published in 'MAGIC Magazine', were often surprising, sometimes controversial, but always invaluable. This essay provides a unique 'moneyball' approach, moving beyond traditional wisdom to reveal what *actually* makes an effect powerful and memorable from the audience's viewpoint.
Expanded Insights & Modern Relevance
Now, eight years later, Joshua Jay revisits and expands upon this seminal work. This final installment in the massively popular 'Astonishing Essays' series presents an enhanced version of the original article, incorporating previously unpublished material and fresh perspectives. Jay meticulously updates the research with insights from *new* studies, experiments, and contemporary information, ensuring its relevance for the modern magician. You'll gain clarity on fascinating topics such as the most effective card forces, whether item examination is better before or after an effect, and how audiences perceive the strength of a thought-of versus a selected card, all backed by empirical data.
Transform Your Craft with Data
"Magic by the Numbers" distills lengthy academic research into concise, actionable summaries, equipping you to make informed decisions about your material and presentation. This captivating essay explores the most interesting and applicable results, providing a detailed look at Joshua Jay's pioneering approach. It is a must-read for any magician eager to elevate their overall performance, challenge their perceptions, and ensure every routine connects more deeply and memorably with their audience. Discover the secrets to becoming a truly astonishing magician, backed by the undeniable power of numbers.
Original Specs
As magicians, we deceive our audiences. But, are we also deceiving ourselves? Are there things—big things—that we get wrong about our craft? More importantly, are these things that our audience could identify, yet we never think to ask? The answers, it turns out, are “yes,” “yes,” and another resounding "yes.”
Offered as the final installment in the massively popular Astonishing Essays series, Magic by the Numbers by Joshua Jay examines an innovative research study about how magic is perceived and explores how much has changed in the years since it was commissioned.
Magicians have spoken at length about what they believe makes for a good magic trick. Yet, they almost never explore what audiences look for in a magic effect. In 2014, Joshua collaborated with a team of statisticians to step into the minds of people who watch magic.
He wanted to find the real answers to questions that magicians think they already know the answer to. How much do people actually like magic? What kinds of tricks are most memorable to an audience? What do people like most about magic? What do they like least?
The answers were surprising, shocking, and sometimes even slightly depressing. Some magicians took issue with the findings and questioned the collection techniques when they were first published in MAGIC Magazine. Others used the unexpected results of this wide-ranging survey to reshape their material. It was undeniable though that this was a thought-provoking and invaluable resource for becoming a better magician.
Now, eight years later, Joshua Jay sheds new light on this groundbreaking research with the Magic by the Numbers Astonishing Essay. The first half dives into an expanded version of the original article that includes previously-unpublished material. Joshua then discusses how our craft has evolved in recent years, sharing insights from new studies, experiments, and information that are immensely beneficial for the modern magician. Even if you loved Josh’s original essay and research, you’ll find lots here that has never seen print before.
This captivating essay explores the most interesting and applicable results of these studies, distilling down the lengthy academic texts into concise summaries that answer our most burning questions. He discusses important ideas like which card force is most effective, whether having items examined is better before or after an effect, whether an audience perceives a thought-of card or a selected card as stronger, and how well people remember details in a magic effect.
Offering a detailed look at the "moneyball" approach to magic pioneered by Joshua Jay, Magic by the Numbers is unlike any magic book or essay ever published. It is a must-read for any magician looking to improve their overall performance.
