Scripting Magic - Volume 1
Book and download by Pete McCabe
Scripting Magic - Volume 1
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When Scripting Magic was first released in 2007, it was an immediate, surprise sensation. Magicians around the world, hungry for ways to improve their magic, were thrilled to have a volume dedicated to the vital question: what you say when you perform? Written by Pete McCabe and including contributions from 26 of magic’s best thinkers and most experienced performers, Scripting Magic zipped through three printings and has been unavailable for years.
Vanishing Inc. Magic is proud to publish the definitive edition of Scripting Magic. This new version, expanded with illustrations, contains fantastic magic from luminaries like John Lovick, Jon Armstrong, Max Maven, and David Regal, and covers the process for creating memorable presentations. You'll learn how to write, edit, and perform compelling magic in this one-of-a-kind exploration into the presentation of magic.
- 462 Pages
- 43 Scripts
- 30 Tricks
- Fully illustrated
Contributors: Michael Ammar, Jon Armstrong, Bruce Barnett, Rafael Benatar, Eugene Burger, Michael Close, Bob Farmer, Paul Green, Eric Henning, Guy Hollingworth, Larry Jennings, Mark Joerger, Kenton Knepper, Jonathan Levit, John Lovick, Max Maven, Eric Mead, Séan O’Néill, Gary Ouellet, David Regal, Jim Steinmeyer, Vic Sussman, Jamy Ian Swiss, Teller, Joe M. Turner, and Larry White.
472 pages in a beautiful illustrated hardback, with elastic ribbon
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Customer reviews for Scripting Magic - Volume 1
Masterclassmember
Michael
This is a must read for those of you who aren't already writing out your scripts and even then, it has some excellent tips and reminders for those of you who do.
I purchased both volumes 1 & 2. Each has over 400 pages of material which has been very well thought out.
I have been headlining my own show here in Las Vegas for over 7 years. I improvise heavily in my show and anybody that sees my act would swear I don't work off a script. The only way I am able to improvise so much is because I have a script to fall back on, which this book also addresses. You cannot improvise every moment of every show and there are those shows where the audience isn't their best, what then? The script must take over. This book is an excellent tool to help you properly get on track with your script and shows numerous examples with contributions by some of the greats such as Michael Ammar, Eugene Burger, David Regal, Michael Close and the list goes on.
Pete McCabe knows this topic very well and it was designed by Andi Gladwin. I hadn’t realize the input for John Lovick until after I purchase the book and I would read anything that has John’s name on it.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. If we were going by just the appearance of the book alone and the illustrations it would get a 5 star rating, but my recommendation is not based on aesthetics.
I purchased both volumes 1 & 2. Each has over 400 pages of material which has been very well thought out.
I have been headlining my own show here in Las Vegas for over 7 years. I improvise heavily in my show and anybody that sees my act would swear I don't work off a script. The only way I am able to improvise so much is because I have a script to fall back on, which this book also addresses. You cannot improvise every moment of every show and there are those shows where the audience isn't their best, what then? The script must take over. This book is an excellent tool to help you properly get on track with your script and shows numerous examples with contributions by some of the greats such as Michael Ammar, Eugene Burger, David Regal, Michael Close and the list goes on.
Pete McCabe knows this topic very well and it was designed by Andi Gladwin. I hadn’t realize the input for John Lovick until after I purchase the book and I would read anything that has John’s name on it.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. If we were going by just the appearance of the book alone and the illustrations it would get a 5 star rating, but my recommendation is not based on aesthetics.
JAIME TREJO C/O
Wow, wow, wow. This made me change my thinking about scripting magic. I cannot recommend this enough. This will make you a better magician just by reading it, but if you put the effort on following the recommendations made by Pete, you will become much much better. Any of the volumes of Scripting Magic is worth the money, but it’s better if you have both of them. If you have the original Scripting Magic, let me tell you that this has some updates and they added illustrations.
Can I review it with 50 stars instead of 5?
Can I review it with 50 stars instead of 5?
Zacharias
I love this book. It might be the most entertaing and interesting magic book I've read. They way this book is structured and put together makes so entertaining to read.
John
Wow! Fantastic. Just flipping through this book at random may make you a better magician. Okay, all production needs work but this is a fantastic roadmap. Highly recommended regardless of skill level.
Steve
I also have both volumes and they have been a tremendous resource. It doesn't matter if you are a seasoned pro or just starting out, there will definitely be information here that will help you to improve the impact that of your performances. Anyone serious about their presentations and our art really should invest the time to read and put into practice the ideas in Pete's books. Pete's approach is both in depth and spot on. By reading both books you get a very intense and comprehensive approach to taking your performances to the next level and beyond. A couple of great companion books would be Maximum Entertainment by Ken Weber and Show doctor by Jeff McBride
Matt
I've reached a point in learning routines/tricks for the standard routine's performance has become mundane and does not speak from who I am or who I want to portray myself to be while performing to an audience.
This book and its sequel have helped me to start to really turn a standard 3 page trick out of Royal Road into a stunner that speaks from my ideas and heart.
Seriously, it can really help you make a trick that would hardly get your grandma to watch you perform it INTO a trick that even the most starchy of executives of a corporate office would want to sit down in confusion at what they just saw. It hits on points of simplicity, making strong and specific stories and/or explanations without turning your spectators in to mush before you want them to be.
This book and its sequel have helped me to start to really turn a standard 3 page trick out of Royal Road into a stunner that speaks from my ideas and heart.
Seriously, it can really help you make a trick that would hardly get your grandma to watch you perform it INTO a trick that even the most starchy of executives of a corporate office would want to sit down in confusion at what they just saw. It hits on points of simplicity, making strong and specific stories and/or explanations without turning your spectators in to mush before you want them to be.
Greg
I've just started reading this book and can already say I'm very impressed. As advertised, it is a beautiful book. Of course the contents is what makes a book really useful and valuable and this one doesn't disappoint. I've been performing magic for years and when first starting out didn't know anything about scripting or why it's important. This book doesn't assume the reader has any background in theater or performing arts and jumps right in to what scripting is all about. And it's a who's who, in the magic world, of contributors. I agree with Josh and Andi that these two volumes will help any magician become more entertaining.
Patrick
Beautiful books, with so much good material. These really are a must !
The quality of the drawings and effects are excellent but the theory is the most important part of these. They look fantastic on the shelf, and a a joy for any collection. The list of contributors reads like a who’s who of magic.
This book is like Darwin Ortiz Strong Magic or Ken Webber’s maximum entertainment... simply a must.!! If you want your magic to be considered and hard hitting then buy this. Many times I thought that the effect I’m doing is strong why bother with a script, but your studying of this book makes you realise it’s not about just reading a script off by heart, it’s really thinking about what the spectator is witnessing and how can you achieve this. Pete McCabe has a lovely writing style, not patronising at all, and I firmly believe that if you actually want to improve then this is the book for you!
The quality of the drawings and effects are excellent but the theory is the most important part of these. They look fantastic on the shelf, and a a joy for any collection. The list of contributors reads like a who’s who of magic.
This book is like Darwin Ortiz Strong Magic or Ken Webber’s maximum entertainment... simply a must.!! If you want your magic to be considered and hard hitting then buy this. Many times I thought that the effect I’m doing is strong why bother with a script, but your studying of this book makes you realise it’s not about just reading a script off by heart, it’s really thinking about what the spectator is witnessing and how can you achieve this. Pete McCabe has a lovely writing style, not patronising at all, and I firmly believe that if you actually want to improve then this is the book for you!
Matt
These two books - I ordered both at the same time - are brilliant.
I've really only just dipped into them lightly so far but the content is very useful, thought-provoking and practical. Just look at the list of contributors!
They are big books, but both are very accessible. You don't have to read everything at once before you can get started. I would recommend reading the beginning of both books and then following the exercises, whilst enjoying the discussions and routines across both volumes.
I've skipped through and read fascinating discussions with Michael Weber and Teller, but there are some really interesting routines in here from Peter's repertoire that you can learn and study (and hopefully adapt).
Peter has done a great service to the magic community. If you really want to become better at performing the magic you already know, get these books and don't be afraid of the word 'scripts'. Whilst the book is about scripting magic, you'd be surprised how much that encompasses. If you have to choose between the two, I would opt for volume 2 because it has worksheets and a slightly different approach to teaching you how to script (and this doesn't mean writing a cute story to go with your ambitious card routine that you can memorise).
Thank you Peter
I've really only just dipped into them lightly so far but the content is very useful, thought-provoking and practical. Just look at the list of contributors!
They are big books, but both are very accessible. You don't have to read everything at once before you can get started. I would recommend reading the beginning of both books and then following the exercises, whilst enjoying the discussions and routines across both volumes.
I've skipped through and read fascinating discussions with Michael Weber and Teller, but there are some really interesting routines in here from Peter's repertoire that you can learn and study (and hopefully adapt).
Peter has done a great service to the magic community. If you really want to become better at performing the magic you already know, get these books and don't be afraid of the word 'scripts'. Whilst the book is about scripting magic, you'd be surprised how much that encompasses. If you have to choose between the two, I would opt for volume 2 because it has worksheets and a slightly different approach to teaching you how to script (and this doesn't mean writing a cute story to go with your ambitious card routine that you can memorise).
Thank you Peter
Christopher
I have both volumes and they have helped me start to rethink and write scripts for me shows, I highly recommend these books to all magicians!
Rowen
Great book if you want to elevate your magic to the next level. Clear explanations. Great information on all the tricks and extra tips on the scripts or how to adjust them to your style. It is great that it is not just one magician giving and writing the scripts, because then you can really see how multiple magicians do something like this. I would recommend this book to anyone!
Sean
Ohhhh my goodness. If you struggle with finding hooks, or creating a show, routining etc, you NEED this book. I finished this book last week and the impact it's had on my attitude towards magic. I couldn't recommend this book more. Pete McCabe has layed this book out in a great and easy to understand format. It is not book to teach you magic tricks (though it does have some in there) it is a book to teach you how to script, how to present your magic in a way to make the audience care! Trust me, you need this book.
James
My entire world opened up once I started writing scripts for my magic. Ever since I started in magic, this book has been recommended to me over and over again. I wish I hadn't waited so long to finally break down and give it a try. it is absolutely fantastic and I think everyone should read it.
Matthew
A go-to resource for anyone interested in that most interesting area of performance: scripting. Some people have said they turned to this once they'd worked on method and technique for years. But to me, scripting should be an integral part of developing any decent piece of magic to ensure it lands with maximum impact. Learn this stuff before you learn anything else. Developing an early sense of beats and where you want magic moments to land in your 'narrative' will improve your magic no end. This book will show you how. And not just in magic. The author teaches you script writing skills that could be applied to any area of drama. So you'll come away a much better writer and performer. Highly recommended.
Dirt
This book is amazing. It is probably one of the most influential books I have purchased on magic theory. I never thought about the importance of scripting but after reading this and writing my first script for a trick—I immediately saw the quality and improvement as I was performing. I am so glad I bought this.
Lucas
If you want your magic to be stronger, more engaging, and generally take it to the next level, you need Scripting Magic. With contributors like Guy Hollingworth, David Regal, Jim Steinmeyer and many more, you can expect this book to level up your magic and learning.
Gerard
Do not buy this book and certainly not volume 2 if you want to actually entertain an audience. There's a serious danger that your performance skills will increase exponentially even if all you do is read this book. If you follow any of the advice you better prepare yourself for the love you are going to receive from your audiences. And the magic routines and effects are really good too. If you don't like books still buy these two volumes. These belong alongside the books of wonder and showmanship for magicians. Other authors claim they give the low down on improving your magic and scripting. But they barely scratch the surface. Mike Close workers quality work. Pete Mc Cabe delivers, page after page. Buy these books while you still can!
Skye
This is one of magic's essential texts. If you want to make your magic meaningfully, dramaturgically consistent, and even more impactful, you need this book on your shelf. Scripting Magic is the kind of text that can turn a good magician into a great one through practical, accessible explorations of how to script your magic for optimum power and clarity.
Oleg
I've bought both volumes, and I've already read the first one and started reading the volume 2.
This is one of the best books about magic I've ever seen. And what's important, it's not purely theoretical, it contains a lot of brilliant, commercial tricks. I'm performing not in English, but most of the stuff can be easily adapted, if even it includes some cultural references, which are out of my context.
"Pete and Repeat", adapted and translated to my native language, is one of my favorite presentations for the 2 in the Hand, One in the Pocket.
Thanks Pete McCabe and Vanishing Inc for this book.
This is one of the best books about magic I've ever seen. And what's important, it's not purely theoretical, it contains a lot of brilliant, commercial tricks. I'm performing not in English, but most of the stuff can be easily adapted, if even it includes some cultural references, which are out of my context.
"Pete and Repeat", adapted and translated to my native language, is one of my favorite presentations for the 2 in the Hand, One in the Pocket.
Thanks Pete McCabe and Vanishing Inc for this book.
Justin
If you're not scripting your magic out, there's a guaranteed way to make your magic that much better: Read this book and write that script.
The insights in this book caused me to finally start writing out my routines and looking at them through a different mindset, and my performances have gotten so much better as a result. Slight changes to words and punctuation, cutting the fat from my routines, and focusing on the emotions of my spectators really upped the reactions I get.
This book, and its sequel, I highly recommend to anybody serious about increasing their Art.
The insights in this book caused me to finally start writing out my routines and looking at them through a different mindset, and my performances have gotten so much better as a result. Slight changes to words and punctuation, cutting the fat from my routines, and focusing on the emotions of my spectators really upped the reactions I get.
This book, and its sequel, I highly recommend to anybody serious about increasing their Art.
Brandon
I'm only halfway through. I purchased the second book as well and will be reviewing that later in the month. This book is an easy/ entertaining read that has already helped me improve upon the way I perform tricks. Definitely order!
Stefan
To be honest, I haven't finished the book yet, but I already believe it’s a must-have for every magician’s bookshelf. Whether you are scripting a small routine for friends and family or a large stage show, there are so many wise lessons to learn here. As expected from Vanishing Inc., the quality of the book itself is top-notch.
Community questions about Scripting Magic - Volume 1
Have a question about this product? It's possible others do too. Ask here and other Vanishing Inc. Magic customers will be able to respond with assistance! Alternatively, email us and we can help too.
Deryck asks: Vol.1 was originally released in 2007. Vol.2 was released with a revised re-release of Vol.1 just a few years ago. I see these are currently in your best seller list. Is this yet another 2024 re-release of both books, and if so, whats changed since the last release?
- 1. Vanishing Inc. Magic responds:It's a straight reprinting. No changes.
David asks: Does anyone know where to purchase “the dark card” as mentioned in Pete’s book. I cant find it anywhere.
Santiago asks: I would love to purchase these books in digital format. Are these two books available for purchase as eBooks?
- 1. Vanishing Inc. Magic responds:Unfortunately not, they are only available as physical books.
Mickael asks: Hi, I would like to know if i can find this book in French. Thanks
- 1. Sgkyduyen responds:I'm afraid we do not have the French version
4 questions
