“What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate.â€
— The Captain, a prison warden, in Cool Hand Luke
Dear Friends:
Our guest writer this week is Jordan Wright, a.k.a. “Mr. Right†– an amazing magical performance artist and film-maker. Jordan has created most of the current pieces in our on-line video archive in the Virtual Magic School, as well as promotional videos for Jeff McBride and many other magicians. Today he shares some insights about the choices every artist must make. I give you Jordan Wright:
As performers, one essential element to our success is how our audiences and clients perceive us. Are we someone they want to watch, and hopefully hire? Are we someone they find interesting enough to want to learn more about? The way that we present ourselves both on stage and off should be consistent with the image we want to convey. From the aesthetic elements in our show to the way we dress, speak, and interact with people, to our website, business cards, and our promotional videos and photos. The style we choose for each of these elements will communicate a certain image or feeling, giving people a sense of who we are.
Whether we are looking at props, music, costumes, or marketing materials, it is important to evaluate the positive or negative impact they have on our image. It is important that each piece be consistent with what we want to project. Consistency builds your brand. When your look and style is consistent, people will get a better understanding of you and, ultimately, remember you.