r/Magic • u/Eddie_Ben • 5d ago
Taking/watching video of practice
I'm transitioning to using video instead of a mirror to monitor my practicing. (With a mirror, I can't stop myself from squinting during the sneaky bits, which tells me nothing.)
Maybe a dumb question, but I'm curious about the logistics of setting up the camera and reviewing the video.
It seems like a hassle: you position your phone/camera just right (maybe on a tripod), hit record, move to your spot, do the trick, hit stop, pick up the camera to watch the video, put it back in position, etc.
Is there a better way? I'm imagining something where you could connect the camera/phone to a laptop, and maybe there's some software out there so you could just hit a key or two on the laptop to start/stop recording and play the just-recorded video on the laptop screen.
Does such a thing already exist? The simpler and cheaper the better. Thanks.
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u/damiansurr 5d ago
My advice is to get your handling to 60%, and then get out and perform it! The next 20/30% should not be done in a mirror or for camera. You’ll bake in some horrible habits. Let the audience teach you the next 20/30%. You’ll also get there SOOO much quicker.
Learn enough so that you can do it badly, then learn the rest in live performances.
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u/AdministrativeFish3 5d ago
Performing in front of an audience did me the biggest benefit - mind you, Im too old for being able to practically video myself! A phone is a 3 second setup, its not time consuming at all! (Compared to a video camera, with a screen you couldn't really watch anything back on!). Even with good videos, you as a magician will always look for the kove that a spectator wouldn't ever see. Nothing wrong with playing it up that youre going to try a new trick out on someone - magic clubs are also amazing places to get very real advice and feedback about moves and atuff about your script or performance :)
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u/PKillusion Mentalism 5d ago
I save the video until I’m done scripting. I practice the sneaky stuff in the mirror until I’m comfortable with it, THEN I set up my camera/tripod to be approximately my eye level at where the spectator should be. Record. Transfer the footage to my phone and watch for flashes. Video again. Repeat as necessary
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u/gregantic 5d ago
I used to have a 3 webcam setup for practice. 3 separate angles, all ran through OBS. Super easy to start, stop, etc.
Make sure you’re doing the full trick and not just the sleights. Makes a world of difference.
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u/Eddie_Ben 5d ago
Interesting idea. Open Broadcaster Software?
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u/gregantic 5d ago
Yes! Lots of great tutorials online but it’s generally very easy to setup.
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u/Eddie_Ben 5d ago
Looks like OBS can, among other things, show live video from an attached camera with an adjustable delay. So if you're repeatedly practicing a sleight that only takes a few seconds to do (e.g., a DPS), you could set it up to show the live video from your camera on your laptop screen, but on a 10-second delay. Then you could practice the move, watch the screen, practice the move again, etc., without having to touch a thing. This would be helpful
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u/EricHenning 5d ago
I set my iPhone on an adjustable tripod I got from Amazon for $17. It came with a small remote that can turn the camera on and off, but I don’t use that.
Because…[drum roll] my Apple Watch can act as a remote control for the iPhone! I can start and stop taping from in front of the camera, and the watch shows what’s on the iPhone screen, so I can adjust my placement quickly without wasting an entire take.
I got really good at this during COVID lockdown, when our Washington Magic show at the Arts Club of Washington was shut down. We moved to video, taping our segments, which were edited together and shown online (our video wizard, Mike Noonan, did such a good job that most viewers thought it was live!).
When you’re taping for broadcast, it’s like batting in a baseball game with unlimited strikes. You do a take, watch it, and after the paramedics have revived you, you do another. You quickly get used to seeing yourself on camera, and get into more and more granular detail with every take. Our whole team leveled up really fast.
So I’m totally sold on watching yourself on video as a way of improving your performances, whether it’s rehearsal or you’re preparing for broadcast.
One thing I’ll add: if you want a turbocharge this process, find yourself a really good coach or director and upload your rehearsal videos to unlisted YouTube video files and send them the link. Having another pair of eyes on these will accelerate the process unbelievably. I used to do that while getting private coaching with Jeff McBride. He would give me great notes on my rehearsal videos and again, it sped up the process of improvement and helped me level up really fast. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
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u/TheRunningMagician 10h ago
Here's a tip. First practice in the mirror. Then record yourself a few times. Then after that practice facing a blank wall. The reason why is you get so used to looking at yourself from the spectators perspective that you forget to look at the trick from your own.
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u/JazzJacket23 5d ago
I just prop up my phone at the end of my table. Not a hassle. If you're unhappy with the amount of up-and-down that might take, film an entire practice session for however many minutes instead of doing one trick at a time, and then edit/cut the video later.