Life's a little funny and always tends to throw a curve ball when you least expect it. Last night was the annual I.B.M. Ring 193 Magic competition, and truthfully I wasn't originally going to compete, but was convinced by a friend of mine to enter the competition.
The original routine I was going to do was a card prediction using youtube, but 4 days before last night, my magic consultant and I was unable to get it working properly, and there was not enough time to fine tune the effect. So I had to revert to Plan B, I scoured the internet looking for an effect that would be suitable as a plan be performance, I cam across an awesome card effect called Perfect Open Prediction, I purchased it and it arrived 2 days before the competition, I worked hard and practiced the routine every chance I got, I got to the point where I could do the routine virtually with my eyes closed.
As I was gathering my things to head up to the competition, I looked and my magic case and decided I had better take a couple of other effects just in case I need a plan C or Plan D, with not knowing what the other magicians were performing I did not want to do a repeat performance.
As I arrived I felt confident on how I perform but not real confident on me even remotely placing in the competition, but I figured it is better to try than always have the nagging question of "what if" in the back of my head. The ring had us draw number on the position on which we were to perform, I was lucky and drew spot number 10, I don't like going first.
There are 14 competitors, 10 is a good spot to be in, but not so good when you really have no idea what you are going to perform, I had my card prediction, a few forks for metal bending and a coin through metal routine in my pockets, I was pretty sure I would stick with the cards until 8 out of the 10 performer prior to me were all doing card effects...Now don't get me wrong, card effects are awesome and they are a staple in any magic performers arsenal, but when that many are doing card trick after card trick, it kind of get long and drawn out. my name is called and I still have no idea which effect I will be performing, we get 7 minutes and when you are timed, 7 minutes can either feel like a long time or a few seconds. I introduced myself the clock begins to tick, I do a quick hair tie ice breaker trick, and then....I reach into my pocket and pull out my forks for the metal bending.
The judges seemed impressed, with the comments and the gasps I was hearing, but I sat down still feeling like I had no chance of placing in the competition, after all there was some pretty great competitors. The final 4 perform, and I still didn't feel like I was going to place.
It came time to announce the winners. 3rd place Eric Wanner (he performed a killer version of Card-O-Graph), then 2nd place Javier Montelongo (performing a very funny Psychic Surgery routine) at this point I had given up hope for placing I felt there were others that did better than me, so I was talking to a couple of fellow magicians about the winners. Now remember when I said that Life's a little funny and tends to throw those curve balls? Well the judges then say "And for 1st place Grand Champion" I was still talking to the other magicians......."Craig Campbell".....I was so convinced that I wasn't going to win or even place it took my brain a good 5 or 6 seconds to register that they had said my name....1st place, Craig Campbell Grand Champion....I was completely shocked.
So I guess the moral of my rambling is this. If you never try you will never know what success' lay in store for you. You will always have that nagging thought of "what if?" running through your head. If I had not accepted the challenge placed before me, I would have always wondered if I was good enough.
I am still completely shocked by winning the competition last night, but, whether I won or had not even placed at all, at least I can say I tried.....
The original routine I was going to do was a card prediction using youtube, but 4 days before last night, my magic consultant and I was unable to get it working properly, and there was not enough time to fine tune the effect. So I had to revert to Plan B, I scoured the internet looking for an effect that would be suitable as a plan be performance, I cam across an awesome card effect called Perfect Open Prediction, I purchased it and it arrived 2 days before the competition, I worked hard and practiced the routine every chance I got, I got to the point where I could do the routine virtually with my eyes closed.
As I was gathering my things to head up to the competition, I looked and my magic case and decided I had better take a couple of other effects just in case I need a plan C or Plan D, with not knowing what the other magicians were performing I did not want to do a repeat performance.
As I arrived I felt confident on how I perform but not real confident on me even remotely placing in the competition, but I figured it is better to try than always have the nagging question of "what if" in the back of my head. The ring had us draw number on the position on which we were to perform, I was lucky and drew spot number 10, I don't like going first.
There are 14 competitors, 10 is a good spot to be in, but not so good when you really have no idea what you are going to perform, I had my card prediction, a few forks for metal bending and a coin through metal routine in my pockets, I was pretty sure I would stick with the cards until 8 out of the 10 performer prior to me were all doing card effects...Now don't get me wrong, card effects are awesome and they are a staple in any magic performers arsenal, but when that many are doing card trick after card trick, it kind of get long and drawn out. my name is called and I still have no idea which effect I will be performing, we get 7 minutes and when you are timed, 7 minutes can either feel like a long time or a few seconds. I introduced myself the clock begins to tick, I do a quick hair tie ice breaker trick, and then....I reach into my pocket and pull out my forks for the metal bending.
The judges seemed impressed, with the comments and the gasps I was hearing, but I sat down still feeling like I had no chance of placing in the competition, after all there was some pretty great competitors. The final 4 perform, and I still didn't feel like I was going to place.
It came time to announce the winners. 3rd place Eric Wanner (he performed a killer version of Card-O-Graph), then 2nd place Javier Montelongo (performing a very funny Psychic Surgery routine) at this point I had given up hope for placing I felt there were others that did better than me, so I was talking to a couple of fellow magicians about the winners. Now remember when I said that Life's a little funny and tends to throw those curve balls? Well the judges then say "And for 1st place Grand Champion" I was still talking to the other magicians......."Craig Campbell".....I was so convinced that I wasn't going to win or even place it took my brain a good 5 or 6 seconds to register that they had said my name....1st place, Craig Campbell Grand Champion....I was completely shocked.
So I guess the moral of my rambling is this. If you never try you will never know what success' lay in store for you. You will always have that nagging thought of "what if?" running through your head. If I had not accepted the challenge placed before me, I would have always wondered if I was good enough.
I am still completely shocked by winning the competition last night, but, whether I won or had not even placed at all, at least I can say I tried.....