Make Believe to Reality

Last week Jenna and I watched a documentary called "Make Believe" a 2011 film from executive producers Ed Cunningham and Seth Gordon. "Make Believe" follows the growth of six teenagers who study tricks to become magicians. 

I copied the following quotes from this website.  When asked about studying magic, Collider received the following answers.

From Derek McKee: It’s hard for people to understand magicians because you can’t show them what you’ve been working on. They can’t relate to it. Most kids pick up magic for maybe two or three days and realize that it’s a lot of work, so they can’t really relate to working five hours a day on one trick

and Bill KOCH (who now uses his professional name Bill Cook):  Unless you’re into magic, you don’t understand it. The people that are into it for two weeks because they got a book from the library and bought a magic set, don’t realize that there’s theater involved, there’s scripting and there’s choreography. Standing on stage in front of people, if you pace or sway, you’ll make the audience dizzy. There is so much involved with just going out there and doing a stage illusion or a close-up trick. There’s choreography to walking around tables, so that the effect can manifest properly.

And while Jenna and I were impressed with each story on Krystyn Lambert, Bill Koch Siphiwe Fangase, Nkumbozo Nkonyana and Derek McKee, but the one that impressed us most was Hiroki Hara from a small village in Japan - where there is no cell phone or Internet service.  But Hiroki's family did have a VCR.  He had a recording of a magic show that he would watch over and over and study in slow motion and had taught himself how to do magic and would read books and magazine articles. 

All of the other five had some kind of mentor, but not Hiroki - he basically was alone with his studies and his decisions.  I believe he financed himself to come to the states to participate at the Magic Castle in California.

 

While we appreciated the talent of each of the performers and were intrigued by each of their journeys, we were most in awe of Hiroki - who I think is another great example of thinking positive and pursuing one's dreams.  I think they ought to have his story in Chicken Soup - and maybe they do.  I just haven't read it yet.

 

Positive Thinking.  Turning dreams into reality.  Entertaining is not an easy profession.  Nor is the time that is put into performing necessarily appreciated by those who are entertained.

I remember one time when my brother, Corey, was performing on stage, someone had asked him if he had a real job.  Well, yes.  Those who perform well put several hours into their performance.  Possibly more hours than attorneys may spend on any given case.  Performing IS definitely a real job - but most people can't relate to it being a real job.  But it is.

Thank you to all those who choose to entertain and devote so much of their time that we may appreciate the performance