Paul Smith: Hi Geoffrey

One of the things I enjoy doing is writing. A lot of the time I just write just to get my thoughts down on paper, but over the past few years, I have written a book on magic and some of the theory behind it coupled with some effects that I have created.

Now I am at a stage where I have finished the book but now don't know what to do. I really have no idea where to go from here as all my work is in the TV side of things, I know all about that, but no nothing about books and getting things published.

Have you any advice about how I could go about getting my work into print?

And I suppose as a second question, have you ever had any of your own work published, as I must confess, I know very little about your career except for "The Great Soprendo"

Geoffrey Durham: Hi Paul

My only publication has been a fairly substantial set of lecture notes called Geoffrey Durham's Little Miracles. They were produced for a lecture at Blackpool about five years ago and I quickly sold out, but I think that Donald Wallace at Magic Books by Post still has some left.

I would publish a magic book privately if I had one to sell. I don't think there's much of a profit to be made in handing it over to a magical publisher.

But having said that, Richard Kaufman's record in discovering and publishing new magical talent seems to me to be second to none. Maybe he's worth a try.

Geoffrey

Andy C: Hi there.

First of all let me say a big Thank You for visiting our site. I have long been an admirer of yours, seeing your one man show a few times around the country, Most recently at Spalding a few months ago.

If someone asked me who to watch and learn from, yours would be one of the first names mentioned, due to your flawless technique, and the way you communicate with an audience. So a two-phase question, Firstly who would you tell a beginner to watch, (NOT copy) and secondly who, apart from Ken Brook who you've mentioned elsewhere, were your influences.

Andy

Ps Speaking of Ken Brooks, loved your classic handling of his Egg bag Routine at Spalding, No Gimmickry, just a classic routine excellently done.

Geoffrey Durham: Hi Andy

Thank you for your kind response to my show in Spalding, It was my first performance of the new show (not counting the previews), so your warm reaction is especially welcome!

I have been influenced by a lot of people, I think. Others have mentioned David Nixon, and I would definitely go along with that. And there was a magician, now forgotten I suspect, called Bertie Otto. He did a superb pick-pocketing act in a Chinese outfit. He called himself Ming Chow, and I've often thought in retrospect that I probably stole half my Great Soprendo act from him!

I am a huge admirer of the work of Roy Benson, a truly consummate magician. I watch him on video all the time, and I think he has been an enormous influence. And Robert Harbin, too. The greatest British magician I ever saw -even though I know he was originally from South Africa!

Roy Johnson has been a big influence in my work during the last ten years. We collaborate a lot on material, and the Sterling Egg Bag and the Cash Stab routine from my current show owe everything to Roy.

Jim Hooper was an inventor (known professionally as Nemo) who worked with Ken Brooke. He chose to spend his last years working with me on new material and building props with me. He died about six years ago and I miss him still.

And I mustn't forget Charles Reynolds. He worked with me on two series of The Best of Magic, the only magic adviser I've ever had, and it was quite simply the most energised and productive period of my magical life. And it was all down to Charles.

As for people whom others might watch... Well, I would say get hold of videos of Fred Kaps - the greatest all-rounder magic has ever produced. And watch how David Blaine is able to choose material that aligns perfectly with his personality - you don't have to like him to understand that. Try looking at Roy Benson and Robert Harbin, too.

Here are a couple of other ideas. Watch the good television cooks. The similarity between the work of a TV magician and TV cook is very striking. So I would say look at Jamie Oliver and Ainsley Harriott and, yes, Delia Smith.

Look at film actors, too. I never cease to be awe-struck at the ability of Michael Caine to speak utterly naturally with a camera three inches from his face and a microphone up his nose. Look at John Malkovich. Look at Madonna...

Geoffrey

Graham: Mr Durham,

When selecting effects for TV work what is your criteria? Sometimes it appears to be a tug of war between the performer, who is trying to keep the effect near to their face for recognition, and the cameraperson trying to zoom-in on the hands and never mind about the performer!

My heart goes out to those who guest spot only to be told "OK, so show us what you've got in the seven seconds we have remaining!". Those that make it in the business really earn their wings.

kind regards,

Graham

Geoffrey Durham: Hi Graham

The first rule of television (assuming you don't have a magic advisor sitting in the box) is to tell both the director and the camera operator how the trick is done. They become your collaborators for the session, and they help you keep your secrets.

The second rule of television (which you've hit on) is to hold the props up so that your face is in shot at the same time. Nobody is interested in your props, but they are very interested in you: so make sure they see you.

If you are able to get yourself a camera rehearsal, then that's great. Use it. You can do more or less anything, then. You can vanish a silk over here, for example, and then find it in an apple, which a spectator is holding over there on the other side of the studio. The camera will follow you, and, if you've had a camera rehearsal, the vanish and the appearance will both be clear and in shot.

But if you don't have a camera rehearsal, don't even think of doing a trick in two parts, or which happens in two locations, or in which something needs to be seen close up. I often perform one of a little list of half a dozen tricks in these circumstances, and I don't mind if people have seen them before - they will at least look OK, and I can be fairly sure that nobody is going to remember anyway!

Torn and restored in its various forms has always been useful to me. The Hydrostatic Glass is another useful one. Bending Glass a third. Tricks in which the chosen card has the spectator's name written on the back (in the style of Fred) are always very handy in these circumstances.

Don't think that because something is your best trick, it will look like your best when it's televised. It probably won't. Think about whether it could look as if stooges are used - if it could, ditch it. Think about whether you could be accused of camera trickery - if you could, ditch it. And so on. You get the idea.

You need to be versatile on TV, and you need to learn from your mistakes. Above all, if the show is live, don't take risks!

Geoffrey

Daleshrimpton: Geoffrey.

Can you offer any suggestions as to books the performer should read that are not magic books?

And also, any tips as to non-magical skills the up and coming magician should have within his, or indeed her arsenal.

Also, tips on how to handle the press.

Something very useful to know, should someone make it in this business we call show.

Dale

Geoffrey Durham: Hi Dale

Let's look at these in reverse order.

I'm not sure I have any golden tips about handling the British press. So far, there hasn't ever been a true story printed about me, and I bet they're not intending to start now! So my policy has always been to smile sweetly at them and say nothing. However, I'm not necessarily sure that this is very good advice!

I don't think I'm going to be very helpful about your other two questions either. I'm not sure it's really my place to tell up and coming magicians what to read or do with their lives - however much I might wish to!

Nonetheless, I guess it might be worth pointing out one or two books that might help us realise that it's very rare to achieve show business success quickly. One such book which I really enjoyed reading was Enter Talking by Joan Rivers. I appreciated learning about the catalogue of disasters, which accompanied her early career, and the ways in which she overcame her setbacks. There are a few (not many) showbiz autobiographies, which tell the truth in this way, and they are always a treat to read.

The Job of Acting by Clive Swift is another book, which analyses the life of the performer in a way which magicians might find useful, I think. It is always worth remembering that a professional magician has a job!

Actually any book which helps us to round our personalities helps us as magicians. Many of us come into magic because we are basically shy, or real klutzes (let's be honest!) so any work we can do to help ourselves to be confident in ways which don't just make us look good is work well done.

In conclusion, I'd say that if there is a skill we can all benefit from acquiring, it's the skill of getting on with complete strangers. And we do that by understanding that we are no better than they are just because we've learned a few tricks!

Geoffrey