A total beginners guide to creating a TikTok style video to promote your magic, using completley free software. Even if you have no experience editing videos, you can do this!

In this episode of The Alternative Angle, I share a lesson that no magic book ever taught me: what happens when a professional magician suddenly can't work. I also take a look at two recent purchases that have genuinely impressed me: Bankable by Trick Trick Boom & Eric Stevens The Void from The Fourth Floor / Lloyd Barnes But the real topic of this video isn't tricks. It's community, preparation, and the reality of earning a living through magic when life throws something une

The Vanish: A Forgotten Move From the Vault Years ago, I released this as part of a 3-move download with Penguin Magic — C.C.V (Colour, Control and Vanish). It’s been delisted for over 8 years… but it’s something I’ve continued to use in the real world ever since. This week, you’re getting The Vanish. A selected card goes back on the deck… you wave your hand… and it’s gone. No gimmicks. No cover. Just timing, handling, and a move that looks like nothing… until it’s too late.

This Week's Sunday Session... This isn’t a polished video. No studio. No script. No tricks. Just me, on the sofa, after a pretty rough week. I broke my foot. Properly broke it. Surgery next week, months off my feet, cancelled gigs, loss of work… it’s been a lot to process. But something unexpected came with it. Messages from magicians all over the world. Phone calls from people I haven’t spoken to in years. Kindness, support… even people offering to cover my gigs so I’m not c

The One Change: A Visual Colour Change (Completely Free) A few years ago, I released a colour change with Big Blind Media called The One Change. It’s something I’ve used in real-world performance ever since, and one of those moves that quietly does a lot of work. No gimmicks. No camera tricks. No cover. Just a clean, visual change that happens in full view. It’s been sitting out there for a while, but I know a lot of you won’t have come across it… so while I’m off my feet for

Bridging the Gap: Low-Tech Mentalism Meets Modern Tech This week on the Wednesday Workshop, we’re bridging the gap between classic low-tech mentalism and modern technology. 🎯 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 🔥 The “Now Showing” Peek Envelope: A simple, low-budget DIY method using basic envelopes and a plastic insert, allowing you to get a clean peek at a spectator’s secret… before destroying the evidence. 🎭 The “Fear” Presentation: A powerful piece of theatre where you revea

If You’re About to Perform… This Is for You. Not after the gig. Not later. Right now. Add this to your pre-gig ritual. Every magician knows that feeling before you step out — the nerves, the doubt, the voice in your head trying to pull you back. But that feeling? It doesn’t mean you’re not ready. It means this matters. In this video, I wanted to share something real. No tricks, no theory… just a reminder of what actually matters when you step in front of people. Because your

Most Magicians Don’t Lose Their Way All at Once. It happens slowly. You stop chasing astonishment… and start chasing approval. Not from your audience… but from other magicians. In this Sunday Session, we look at how ego quietly creeps into your magic, why complexity can become a trap, and what actually makes an effect land with real people. Because audiences don’t see method. They feel meaning. And when your focus shifts inward… even the best technique can fall flat. So maybe

Cracking Open My Gig Case: What I Carry to Every Event No long intros today—we are jumping straight into the action! In this video, I am cracking open my gig case to show you exactly what I carry to every single close-up and table-hopping event. I’m not just listing off magic props; I'm breaking down exactly why these specific items make the cut and sharing real-world examples of how and where to use them to get the best reactions. I’ve even included a full to-camera performa

Today’s a Slightly Different One… I couldn’t talk (toothache), but I still wanted to show up. So instead of skipping the upload, I’ve gone into the vault and pulled out two simple things you can learn and actually use: 🃏 From the Vault 00:58 - The Snap Change: My handling of it. This was released through Penguin Magic as an advancement on the move, but I wanted to share it here for you to learn and use. 11:00 - Roto: A cardistry flourish I created and filmed over 10 years ag

Why Do Some Magic Tricks Leave Audiences Speechless… While Others Just Get a Polite “That’s Clever”? It usually has nothing to do with your sleight of hand. In this Wednesday Workshop, we’re looking at one simple shift that can completely change how your magic lands. Because when your audience understands why something is happening… that’s when it starts to feel impossible. We’ll explore the trap of “running commentary” — and how giving your actions a clear, logical reason tr

There’s a Moment Right Before You Perform… …where everything goes quiet. And in that silence… a voice creeps in. This video is about that voice. Not nerves. Not stage fright. Real performance anxiety — the kind that sits on your chest and makes you question whether you should even be there. Because even after 20 years of performing… it doesn’t go away. In this Sunday Session, I break down: What performance anxiety actually feels like. Why it never really disappears (and why t

If you are a magician looking to take your first steps into mentalism, or if you just want to challenge yourself to create deeper connections with your audience instead of just saying "pick a card," this video is for you. I've road-tested all of these items in the real world, and some of them have permanently changed how I perform. Products Reviewed In This Video: 👉 Circuit Deck (Cipher Deck): https://the1914.com/collections/main/products/circuit 👉 The Shadow Walle

They have a collection of tricks. And there’s a big difference. In this video, I break down the exact structure I use to build a real working close-up set — not just something that fools people, but something they actually remember. Because every trick in your set should have a job. Not just what it does… But what it makes people feel. 🎯 In This Video: The 4-part structure every strong set needs. Why most magicians skip the most important moment. How to stop performing trick

There’s a moment for most magicians where things start to shift… where it stops being about the moves, and starts becoming something else entirely. This is my take on that moment — and how it changed the way I see magic. In this Sunday Session, I explore what magic really means in 2026 — and why the method might be the least important part of what we do. Because maybe… 👉 Magic was never about fooling people. 👉 Maybe it’s about creating something they’ll never forget. 🗣️ Jo

Not because they’re bad—but because they don’t fit my style as a working magician. In this video, I open my magic junk drawer to break down 3 powerful effects and explain: Why two of them don’t work in real-world gigs. The hidden problems with wearable gimmicks. And how one overlooked trick became an everyday worker. If you’re a close-up or working magician, this is about something deeper than methods: 👉 finding what actually fits you. ♠️ This is The Alternative Angle. --- �

Have you ever noticed that 90% of magicians perform the exact same effects, basically cloning themselves instead of separating from the pack? To truly stand out in close-up magic and mentalism, your magic needs to be an extension of who you are. You have to find your unique "Superpower." In today’s Wednesday Workshop, we are stepping away from the newest gimmicks and diving deep into the psychology of performance to help you discover exactly what that power is. In this video,

The Eclipse Gaff Deck (Pre-release) by @The1914 and @AlakazamMagicUK just landed on my doorstep, and we are cracking the seal together on camera. No heavy edits, no marketing fluff—just a working professional's raw, unfiltered first look at this highly anticipated magic release. I’m taking you through the tuck box, the stock, and the gaffs inside! 👇 Let's Talk Shop in the Comments What is your all-time favorite gaffed deck to use at a real gig, and why? What routine would yo

Have You Ever Felt Like a Complete Fraud Before a Magic Gig? Welcome to our first Sunday Session. Today, we aren't doing card tricks or product reviews. We are tackling the biggest secret in the magic community: Magician Imposter Syndrome and performance anxiety. Years ago, I was standing on the set of a major Hollywood movie, surrounded by the best magicians and consultants in the world. And despite putting in the work and being hired to be there, I had one overwhelming thou

Welcome to the first Friday Review of Season 2! Today we are looking at a trick that has taken the magic community by storm: Sketch Artist by Rich Eddins at Down and Out Magic. This effect was a massive hit at Blackpool and completely sold out, but they are now officially back in stock. I managed to snatch one of the last copies, and I am giving it away to one of you. Is it worth the hype, or is it just another piece of junk for the magic drawer? I’ll give you the honest, wor

To celebrate opening the doors, I’m giving away a brand-new copy of 'Sketch Artist' by Rich Eddins at Down and Out Magic to one lucky subscriber, shipped anywhere in the world! (where laws allow) In Today’s Wednesday Workshop: We are looking under the hood of close-up mechanics to fix the biggest trap amateur magicians fall into: unnecessary patter. After 20 years of professional performance, I’m breaking down why silence is your most powerful misdirection tool, why you need