First, I'm new to the forum and new to studying magic, so apologies if this has been done or is in the wrong place. I did a search but couldn't find quite what I was looking for.

Here is my question: is it okay to approach a pro after a show and ask for a reference for an effect? I recently saw a great performance at a fundraiser and was particulary taken by a book test that I haven't seen before. I did some searching and haven't been able to find the effect anywhere, but I'd really like to study it. My next idea is to reach out the magician directly by email, but before I do, I wanted to ask this group about the etiquette. To be clear, I am not intending to ask for the secret, only the reference I'd need to go out and purchase it / research it for myself.

So, is it okay to reach out and ask, and if so, any tips or suggestions for how to do this "the right way?" It would be great to get off on the right foot with this performer. He's really talented and lives in my neck of the woods.

Thanks in advance for your answers and thoughts. I really appreciate this forum and your contributions

Go ahead and ask, nothing wrong with asking for guidance from a professional.

As for that particular effect, you may want to describe the effect here on the Café, most likely
someone will know it right off if it isn't proprietary to that specific guy.

Telling audience members things like the source of tricks is somewhat unprofessional, but
if an aspiring magician asks if they can contact me later to discuss things, I have yet to say no.

There are many facets to consider when making a pitch such as this. It’s not as easy as saying “Hey, I liked the book test you did, where can I buy it.” Which yes, I have over simplified to make a distinction.

Here are the things to consider before even getting into your head that you may be entitled to have access to this book test.

1. Is this the pro’s territory, his market, his yard? If so, it can come off as very tacky to be asking to have access to his repertoire. Be prepared to be turned down and accept that respectfully. If they are any good, the pro has probably put years into honing that routine into a working piece of their act.

2. Why do you even want to know how this book test is done? Are you going to just do it for a few friends and family? Are you just curious. (A lot of magicians are just curious for secrets. They may even give it a try or two and think they “know that one”.) In the grand scheme, a book test is a book test is a book test. They all do pretty much the same thing when looked at through the eyes of the audience. We may become enamored with this nuance or that ploy, but those things are generally absent from the audience’s experience. Will knowing the method this pro used make any difference in your world?

3. Chances are there are facets of routining and performing which the pro used, and which could be far more beneficial to learning how to effectively deliver a book test. And those might be things they would more freely share being as you recognized both their work and the part which is important in performing at a higher level.

4. Do you have a plan to present yourself as more than just a hobbiest who wants to know how something is done. Chances are, if you display a meaningful knowledge of book tests, and you respect the performer’s right to refuse, you will be far more likely to be welcomed behind the curtain.

Here are some exemplary anecdotes from my faux pas and adventures in magic land.

Way, way, waaaaay back before David Blaine was on the scene, I attended a convention on the West Coast. David Roth was one of the guests there, and he did a concise presentation about how he enhanced a minor surprise into a miracle. (He was teaching the real work, and I was about to make that rookie mistake of asking about the less impressive aspect, the method.). I approached him away from the crowds for a quick quiet conversation. At one point I mentioned that I had been searching for this self levitation which he was making into a miracle, and asked where I could find it. He simply said to me, “Keep looking, it’s in print.”

Now that might come off as being dismissive, but he did two very important things there. One, he pointed out that his exact application was not the point of his lecturing about it. It was about how others might take the concept and adapt it to their work. Two, he said specifically “print”. Which at that time meant one of three places; a book, a magazine, or a periodical. Since I was most lacking in one of those three, I dove head first there… and found it about six months later. And just a few months before Blaine came along and did it on TV. That, obviously, led to the method being exposed and very shortly there after a glut of people teaching the method on video.

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I was working a six hour strolling gig with another magician whom I knew but had never met. At the time, the highlight of my strolling set was Mike Close’s Pot Hole trick. After the party was over the other magician (much longer a pro than I was at the time) and wanted me to show him how it worked. I told him it wasn’t mine to teach and he could find it in Mike Close’s Worker Series. He wasn’t having it and kept pushing me to show him. I never did, and I lost a bit of respect for him. Funny thing, he had worked with my father in a completely non magic aspect; and my dad said he wasn’t surprised, the guy always had some angle he was working all the time.

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I have mentored a few Magicians and other performers in my country until they actually became professionals with their own TV Shows. I'm in Malaysia btw...

Here's a tip, show that you are truly passionate about the Art and be humble in your request when approaching a professional. You will be surprised how open many professionals are towards honest, humble beginners. They might even decide to mentor you but you have to show you are worth their time.

I know it's bigger than your question but passion and humility goes a long way. At least that's my opinion on the matter. All the best and welcome to the forums.

I really want to thank you all for the great advice. Even though you aren't all exactly agreeing with each other, I think all of your considerations are right on and will be very helpful to me as I keep going in magic. To
Tom's really good point, the magician in question may consider this his territory. He's a full state over, but this is a pretty rural part of the country. Some good news, I did some more research on the performer, and he's way more well known than I realized, he's a creator, and he sells a lot of effects on the web. That makes a reach out a lot easier. I'll just tell him that I saw and admired his performance, noticed that he's selling a lot of effects on his site, and inquire about this one.

As for the book test itselt, I did post here first asking if anyone knew it, and so far, no one has. More evidence that this might be his creation.

In case anyone was curious, I did reach and heard back. The response was a slightly enigmatic "this trick hasn't been on the market for 5 years" with a thoughtful suggestion of another very strong book test on VI. All in all, an understandable and notdisappointing result. I'm really appreciative that he took the time to respond. Thanks again for all the advice!

My belief is if you don’t have an existing relationship with them then no it is simply not ok. There is a bright white line distinction between working professionals and non workers that the magic community is uncomfortable with. It has nothing to do with talent or ability or even in many ways professionals may act. But like it or not there is a huge difference that should be respected.

Once you have a relationship with that person then let that be your guide. But you have to ask yourself why anyone would think it is ok h to do so? Brotherhood? Naw that doesn’t fly.

I would not meet the definition of a "working professional" held by Danny and others above, and do not feel that "making a living from magic"
should be the only consideration here. A person creating and publishing a magic effect/prop/gimmick, etc. deserves respect and consideration.

Often this respect is in the form of money, but a request for information or "free" copies is possible within a 'relationship'. There is no harm in asking,
especially if you have a good story to tell, or something to offer in trade. For me, that relationship involves commitment and honesty.

In past decades I have gifted away many dozens of eBooks that could be sold for money at "no fee."
This is always done for the agreed "charge" of feedback to me about the material, clarity of explanation, need for photos AND
a report on audience response if performed. The intent is to improve my effect description and future eBooks, or revised old ones.

To date, the percentage of those providing the committed feedback is 28% - slightly higher for those outside of the USA.
So, where is the "professionalism" here? Some of the requesters for free stuff are noted 'pros' with personal items for sale. Very sad!

Thus, one might ask why any magician should respond favorably to a requests about an effect (the OP question). Why do you really want it?
Is there a different standard of etiquette for some magicians? or do most magicians have no integrity at all?

I would suggest that when asking anyone for assistance about an effect you must plan on meeting whatever commitment is agreed.

It is not a matter of who the magician is, but of who you are. I am ever ready to help magicians. Prove that you are worth the effort.

I should state for the record that EVERYONE at any level is deserving of respect. PERIOD. NOBODY needs to treat anyone as "lesser" or as somehow not worthy or any of that nonsense. People are people and that is how you treat people.

As for those being "gifted" things and not living up to their end of the agreement that is horrible behavior and I don't care who they are.

But the idea that you have read some books and somehow that entitles you to show up at a ticketed professional show ask for free tickets and somehow just expect to go backstage and "talk shop" is ridiculous. Ridiculous and far too common. Then if the guy with the show isn't as accommodating as is somehow expected they talk a lot of trash on the internet.

As I said I do not use the word "professional" to in any way indicate a quality of knowledge or even of performance. Just that they have taken what steps are necessary to be running a show for the public and have laid out some dough to do so in general. It is not insulting to make this distinction because all those other considerations are not involved.

FWIW, I would never ask another performer about their material, especially if I don't know them and they don't know me. It's called common courtesy. And respect.