August 31, 2017
The September Podcast covers the following topics:
- I ponder on whether it is good for magic when celebrities are shown doing magic on TV
- should children's entertainers be displaying their magic props to make an impression on the kids and on the booker?
- one of my favourite parlour or large close up table tricks is reintroduced
- things that you can do to help older people in your audience to fully appreciate what you do
- the market for good magic books is not redundant, despite what some may say
- do hecklers still exist and would you know one if you met one?
- I discuss whether people still practise magic in the way magicians used to
July 31, 2017
The topics in the August podcast are:
- Fee negotiation - do you allow your rates to be a subject of discussion with a potential booker?
- TV magicians such as Troy and Dynamo are attracting a young crowd to magic
- the magic business card is still one of the best and most used publicity tools
- a new Premier E-Routine is released this month and is a fun effect for children's entertainers
- when you present different types of shows, you need to be able to adapt your performance skills to suit each of them
- does performing tricks repeatedly lead to a reduction in the quality of your technique, especially in bright lighting conditions?
- we all have a performance mode which we need to be able to turn on or off at will
June 30, 2017
Here are the podcast topics to get you through the lazy days of summer
- The power that Derren Brown brings to his performances bucks the accepted modern trend of how we should entertain lay people
- I offer a theory about when you should hand write a prediction and when it is OK to have it pre-printed
- nobody knows everything in magic, so surrounding yourself with knowledgeable people can be a huge help
- most performers spend more time on the show than they do on the business of promoting that show
- Mark Leveridge Magic does not sell fish, despite what UPS may think!
- coming second on BGT could be a good thing for Issy Simpson
- not getting a booking may be nothing to do with the fee
May 31, 2017
The early summer Podcast offers you the following topics:
- Summer seems to have arrived, yet I for one am not that thrilled!
- what constitutes a good trick? I look at some options
- there are three different types of show enquiry that you may be getting and I explain how you might categorise them and what they each mean
- lectures have changed in nature but my latest offering is more like they used to be
- how music can be a real asset for a close up performer
- your credibility as a magician is important for potential bookers, so here's a way to ensure you get some
April 30, 2017
For May we have a Podcast Special:
I like to ring the changes once a year with the Podcast content and so this edition features three Audio Files extracted from Mark's Monthly Message video presentations which were originally given to E-Club Pro members. Here you can listen to audio tracks which cover topics on how to approach a table, ways to get great reactions from spectators at those tables, and finally, how to judge the right length to stay at any given table.
March 31, 2017
The April Podcast covers the following topics:
- Putting yourself in the shoes of your close up spectators can be revealing
- the Magic Circle ups the ante with its Dealers Day
- protecting your website from the 'bad guys' is an ongoing problem
- lay people often have misconceptions about the magic world
- MLM has now officially become a digital magic hub
- what does it mean if you claim to be a 'professional' magician?
- long experience can be a double edged sword
- the unique attribute that magic has
February 28, 2017
The March miscellany of musings from Mark include...
- Does cramped dealer space reduce sales?
- tracking where show enquiries come from and whether they turn into bookings is vital
- what do you do when a trick goes wrong? - why this is really an unimportant question
- no, not retiring, just a change of the way MLM products are delivered
- a reflection on the 'explosion' of lecturers doing the rounds on the UK magic club circuit
- why Bark are causing show fees to be pushed down
- early influences can shape our magic future
January 31, 2017
This month I discuss the following topics:
- Reflections on the January 2017 Session Convention in London
- Jamie Raven scores well with some radio magic and gives us all something to learn from the way he did it
- how ill do you have to be before you will consider backing out of a show booking?
- teaching total beginners magic skills in the MLM Academy makes me realise how basic the initial information may need to be
- a magic conundrum for commercial close uppers at dinners is revealed
- when is the right time to put up your show fees?
December 31, 2016
Start the new year with the following podcast topics:
- Being a performer means we work when others aren't and prevents us from enjoying our own social lives
- having the confidence to change your performing environment can be important to the success of your show
- I reflect on the number of magical podcasts that are now available
- where will the hand crafted wooden magic props come from in the future?
- sometimes we can be unaware of how loud our music or voice amp needs to be
- audio books provide an interesting way to learn
- are the days of the general theatrical agent numbered as the internet provides bookers with all the info they need?
November 30, 2016
The festive Podcast features discussion on the following topics:
- I reflect that this completes exactly 4 years of the Podcast
- December's shows put a strain on us and our props in a way that virtually no other month usually does
- having used PR earlier this year, I consider whether it is a good way to handle self promotion
- Deciding How Long To Perform For - listen for free to this marketed Mark's Monthly Message Audio File
- I ponder on how it can take a long time often to become an 'overnight' success
- what's the ideal time to arrive at a gig?
