Cathal: Hi Tora I was thinking about this question and thought I should get some professional advice. ;) Anyway, to get to the point my question is, ''What makes a magician?'' You might say being able to perform some tricks but 9 out of 10 lay people know a trick of their own but yet there not magicians. Whats your opinion?

Tora: Cathal, you are a very intelligent young man and your questions are really hard for a youngster at your age. Let me try to answer it very briefly: the tricks itself does not make anything apart from making someone a magician. The tricks , themselves only the tools of our trade just like a car of a driver or a needle of the tailor. It is not the trick which makes you a magician-as you told- it is the part you add them in presentation of the tricks. Presentation is the part you add to the trick which gives it a soul. It is your touch, your magic touch...

Cathal:

O shucks…Thanks for your reply!

Cathal: Now here's a question I have been thinking about for a long time. What is the future of magic? Will sleight of hand dissapear and new methods which utilise technology replace them. Will we be performing on the moon? :lol: This might be a hard question but your personal opinion will do.

Tora: My friend, I am the past and present but you are the present and future.... Naturally technology will affect magic on a large scale. Nevertheless, most of the tricks will be modernized versions of the classical ones. They will be revised using the latest technology. BUT, BUT,BUT, sleight of hand will always be tops. Because it will always take time to master it, it will always need skill to achieve it. sleight of hand will survive at the top forever. Only my opinion that is all...

Cathal: Yeah I pretty much agree with you and I think sleight of hand will always be top.

Tora: Then needless to say, I recommend everybody to add some sleights in you magic repertoire.

Cathal: In your answer to my last question '' what makes a magician?'' you mentioned presentation so you've got me going again buzzing with questions. My question is quite simply how do you come up with good presentations? Do you base your effect on a theme? Or do you sort of have a direct presentation like Blaine. And a more difficult question, ''how do you practice presentation?''

Tora: First of all I had mentioned my idea about Blaine and let me remark that we have nothing in common. He is a nice guy over there making shows and we do not know each other personally. I sometimes find a theme and put my tricks in an appropriate order to play it in a flowing style. Generally I try to make routines one after the other with something related to it. For example-just for example: you make an airborne glass and using that glass of water you make a snowstorm in china and again using that fan, you make the flying butterflies etc. I practice at the beginning in front of a mirror and afterwards I record my rehearsals with a camera. I examine them in minute details. Am I not smiling ? Is any of my movement is awkward? Does any of the tricks do not suit my style ? etc. I think I have given most of my inner secrets away !!!

Cathal: Which do you prefer to learn from...books or videos? I personally prefer books as it allows you to perform the effects your own way not like in a video where you basically copy the teacher on the video.

Tora: I personally prefer real people to learn. If it is not possible books or videos do not matter. I learn the effect but always do in my own way. I have my own style, I do not have to copy anybody. In fact I can not copy, it is his style and it will not fit me.

Cathal: What in your opinion is the most important element in magic? Now I know to perform great magic, you need to be a good entertainer and be able to misdirect etc. But if you could only choose one what would it be?

Tora: Cathal I really beg your pardon but this question did not fit your standards. I would choose NONE of them. I would not do magic then. I have been thought that either you do something well or don't do it.

Mike: Oftentimes, a magician is a magician while on stage - he/she plays the part for that time while in front of an audience. Do you maintain your persona while in public or do you reserve your persona for the stage alone?

Tora: I have my magic personality on stage only. When I take off my costume the magician's personality is left there. I am just a magic enthusiast off the stage. Other wise -for me - it would be inevitable that you have your personality to suffer from the other one. Something like schizophrenia- not exactly but in a very, very light form. In my opinion we should draw a line between the magician and the original personality. Magician should be a magician on stage and the ordinary will not play the part of the magician at the street.

Magic Chief Thomas: All right Tora, how are you doing? Fine I hope. Do you think David Copperfield is the best illusionist of our time? Some of the tricks and illusions he does are unbelievable. Best and Kind Regards Take care mate.

Tora: Hi there !!! I am not sure who is the best illusionist of our time. But without any doubt Copperfield is the most famous of all. On the other hand. do you think that Siegfried & Roy, Franz Harrary, Lance Burton, Luis Damatos and many alike are less better than him. NO...I can not compare one artist with the other. Everybody has his sense and his own way. You may say whom you admire -I have given the answer in another thread- , that's all. Never say Who is the best. There are tricks which is done by somebody very smoothly. For example have you seen anybody who does the famous metamorphosis better than Pendragons ??? Please just leave aside "who is best?" just ask about" which magicians you like best ?"

Tora: No fellows I am not leaving you but my duty here... Only my session of questions and answers has been ended , you are always welcomed to contact me from my e-mail or pm me here. So to speak, I am not leaving you... Your friend in magic. TORA

Amin: Tora just wanted to say THANKS A LOT on behalf of everyone, your wise words have helped us all. thanks, Amin

Tora: Dear Magical friends, I am really thankful to all those people paying attention to my magic. Although none of you had seen me on stage, you have been so respectful to my art and personality. The questions were the ones usually I am used to think of on my own , and even some of them would never come to my mind. Surely there are many genious guys around. I am very hopeful about the future of the BUNNY. There will be great magicians among you and the others will be knowledgeable amateurs. So to speak, I am grateful to those who have chosen me as the FIRST guest of this forum. It was really a nice week that I have shared with you. Nevertheless, anytime you want to ask about anything, you have my e-mail address here and please feel free to contact me. With my best regards, I remain, very faithfully yours, TORA / Ozlen Tuncer

Mike: Tora, I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for not only taking your valuable time with us here but also for sharing your insights and wisdom. You are a valued member of the magic community and it has been my pleasure and my honor to meet and talk with you on these boards. Of all the magicians that are around today, you are, in my opinion, among the best of the best, which I've gleaned from your demeanor, your statements and the wisdom which you've so willingly shared with us over the last week. I really cannot thank you enough for this great gift you've given us, here at Magic Bunny. May all your days be filled with everything you could desire, may you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live. Thank you.

Sean: Tora, thanks a lot. It has been a real honour for us to have such a knowledgeable and intelligent professional in our midst. Your answers have been top notch and you have really provided me with a lot of insight and the rest of the people I hope. I would also like to thank the moderators and users for posting such great questions and being so nice and respectful toward Tora who is a great guy. I hope you'll pop back the odd time Tora and give us some more of your wisdom, but you'll go down in history as being the legendary first guest speaker of Magicbunny. Good luck in whatever else you do and thank you, it has been great!

Huw: Tora, this is the first time we have invited a guest magician to visit us here at Magic Bunny. I am so pleased that we asked you! Your wisdom and grace have shone through in your answers. I am sure I speak for everybody here when I say that it has been a pleasure and a privilege to have you as our guest. best wishes.

Rich: I can only repeat what the others have said. Thank you for spending your precious time with us and giving us an insight into your world of magic. Thank you again, you have given us a superb start to this project, it has been a privilege to have you :) Best Regards.

Tora: My wording will not be enough to express what I feel-in any language. It was such a big honour and I promise that I will visit this board more often than I did before . I repeat: any time you need my help I will be around. The only changing thing is that I will be in another forum or at your private messages. Wow I have not talked enough yet and you can not get rid of me so quick. LOL..

Nigel: Tora, I would like to offer you my sincere thanks for what has been an amazing insight to the professional world of a celebrity, such as yourself. It is no secret that this has been my favourite forum over the past week - it was this forum that I headed to first of all when I logged onto Magic Bunny and I can assure you that I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the thoughtful questions of our members and the excellent replies that you have given. I am sure that I speak for all of our members when I thank you for the input that you have provided. You have been the ideal first choice for this new Magic Bunny venture and you have done us so proud. I am going to miss reading the fresh and invigorating posts and replies of this forum. I have learnt so much and I am sure that all of our members have come away that much wiser. Thank you so much Tora - it has been a sheer delight browsing through this forum over the past week. Please accept the "Special Guest" descriptor as a permanent reminder of the advice and pleasure that you have given our membership. Very best wishes.

Wallace: It is a simple fact that many current Forums have 'guest Sessions' and I have folowed quite a few but I must say that Tora has gone far beyond all the Q&A sessions on ANY other Board! He has 'bared' his soul. Well done Tora and we will really enjoy that 'strong coffee' from now on!! Cheers.

Tora: Hey Wallace do I know you from the Cafe ?. You know about my Strong Turkish coffee offer, that you have another user name there I suppose. Anyhow, I will repeat again again again, I have really enjoyed the forum. Although the age profile of the members are quite young, the questions were even harder... Well done boys, good for you... I am sure there will be lots of famous magicians among you and it will be my pleasure having know them at the beginning of their career. I sincerely thanks EACH of you. Your friend in Magic TORA