Advice from Our I.B.M. Pros

If you’re looking for a boost in your magical journey, you’re in the right place. Our website’s “Advice from Our I.B.M. Pros” section is here to share insights and tips from some of the best magicians in the business, all of whom are part of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.) family. These aren’t just any magicians. They’re seasoned pros with years of experience performing on stages big and small, around the world and in their local communities. They’ve faced

The best advice I can give is this: find your  different . Lean into the things you love performing that no one else is doing. Pay attention to what people say makes you stand out—and use it. Do things your way. Choose material that fills you with joy, and present it in a way that leaves you genuinely fulfilled. The more you do that, the more authentic you become, and the more you—and your audiences—will love every moment you create together. - Colin McLeod

Contrary to advice, using playing cards in mentalism can be beneficial because people trust them more than ESP cards, especially...

When performing, one of the most important things you can do is make sure people remember your name. Too many magicians put on incredible...

I am honored to share a few thoughts with you—ideas that apply not only to magic, but to life itself.   Let me borrow a statement from...

Make the most of every performance opportunity—whether it’s for a family member, a group of friends, a small theater, a packed...

I’ve been doing magic as my full-time job since I got out of college in 1981. Since then, I’ve done over 20,000 shows for millions of...

One of the questions I get all the time from new magicians is: ·      “How do I come up with tricks?” ·      “How do I invent new tricks...

Magic thrives on creativity, secrecy, and respect for originality. While magicians often draw from shared techniques like levitations,...

Award-winning Magician Shawn Farquhar, Past International President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, and recipient of the...

When asked how I choose a method to use for an effect, I always try to choose a method that is beautiful or joyful. If thinking about it...

Tips from a pro never ends up quite as sexy as it sounds. It reeks of excitement and glamour (I mean, that’s why we all want to be...

I’m known as a comedy magician. But people who know my work, fellow performers, repeat audience members, even crew, often walk away talking about my improvisation. I get asked all the time, “How much of that was made up?” The honest answer is: a lot. But what makes the improv effective isn’t just being quick on my feet. It’s that the improvisation comes from my character, and it’s completely interwoven with the structure of the show. The biggest compliment I get, and the resu

This is the question that I have been thinking about for over sixty years. Ever since I discovered magic and magicians at the age of...

Every mistake is a learning opportunity. You can’t jump into stand-up comedy without bombing, and the same goes for magic. You can’t...

© McBride Magic & Mystery School 1. STUDY DEEPLY—AND READ WIDELY Don’t just study magic—study art, life, and people . Learn what truly...

To all those future magicians—it’s okay to do it as a hobby. Performing Magic professionally is something that must burn within. You must...