Listen, watch, improve
Despite my job in front of an audience, I used to be very shy and I hate seeing myself on video or in photos. It’s a shame, because video is an extraordinary tool for improving.
Most magicians don’t film themselves. Most of those who do film themselves never watch their videos afterward. And most of those who do watch themselves on video don’t do it in a constructive way.
The good news is that Teller (the silent half of Penn & Teller) gave an excellent piece of advice for improving using video. (I don’t remember where I read it, contact me if you know the original source please.)
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Step 1:
Film yourself.
In 2026, we (almost) all have a smartphone. For a recording that will later help us improve our presentation, the quality is more than enough. (And honestly, smartphone 4K is often even usable for our video promotion on social media or elsewhere.)
As for tripods, there are plenty of inexpensive models available online.
Step 2:
Do not watch the video right away!
Teller recommends letting enough time pass to forget what we did. The required time depends on the person.
As a side note, author Stephen King writes following the same logic: he writes a short story or a novel, then puts it in a drawer for several months to “forget” it, which allows him to come back to it later with as detached a perspective as possible, in order to make the necessary corrections and rewrites.
Step 3:
LISTEN to the video.
This is where Teller’s method becomes surprising but brilliant. He recommends playing the video in audio only, or hiding the image. This forces us to focus on the sound and notice:
* our verbal tics (filler words, poor pronunciation, bad breathing, mouth noises, etc.)
* our script mistakes (repetitions, length issues, confusion)
* our pacing
* audience reactions (laughter, applause, surprise, silence, distractions)
* music (if used; volume level relative to our voice, quality, etc.)
* microphone (if there is one): do we know how to speak into a microphone? Can we clearly hear the participant, etc.
(I also wrote another article about microphones, here.)
Take notes during this listening session to correct the most annoying issues, and also note the lines that work. It will never be perfect, but it can always be improved.
Then take another break of several days to “forget”.
Step 4:
WATCH the video, without sound!
This time, we are forced to focus on the visual aspect and notice:
* staging (bad angles, visible methods, positioning of props)
* visual design (colors, clothing, stage set, lighting)
* movement (ours: back to the audience, unnecessary movements, etc.; but also the audience’s: are they slow, awkward, too many, confusing, etc.)
Take notes during this viewing to correct the most problematic points and also note the strengths. It will never be perfect, but it can always be improved.
Then take another break of several days to “forget”.
Step 5:
Watch and listen.
The two aspects interact with each other. Some issues only become obvious when we analyze them together. For example, maybe our script is not well synchronized with our movements or with the reveal or the music.
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Obviously, this approach proposed by Teller takes more time, but it provides a structured way of working. It makes the analysis easier and more relevant.
Final step:
Don’t just read this article 😉 Go film yourself!
