(gentle music)
- [Chris] With magic becoming more accessible to people
as places like YouTube progress,
I've had the chance to see the direct effect of this
during a magic convention next weekend.
To my amazement, what I saw
wasn't kids who were trying to be famous
or showing off to their peers,
I saw passionate people whose love for magic
was as evident as my own.
I wanted to showcase these kids to the world,
a chance for people to see the direct result
of creating a magic community on YouTube.
Here are some of their stories.
- My name is Collin Otto.
- Andrew Graff.
- Joey Holi.
- Elias Arbuckle.
- Loachlan Brown.
- [Chris] And how old are you, Collin?
- I'm 16.
- I'm 12.
- [Chris] And how old are you, Joey?
- I am 16 years old.
- 11 years old.
- I'm 14.
- See, my dad was an entertainer,
and he worked in the circus.
He had am act, a variety act.
And I've always liked magic,
and I've always liked entertainment.
It was about sixish years ago
I started to take it more seriously,
and I read a couple books from
the library where I lived.
Actually, one of them was a Jasper Jay book.
I meant to bring it today,
but I forgot to go to the library,
for him to sign it.
Yeah, ever since then, I just kinda fell in love with it,
and fell in love with entertaining.
- [Chris] Andrew, when did you get started in magic?
- Nine months ago, somewhere around a year.
It's something that I really like doing.
It's like cool to be part of the community,
and it's a really awesome skill to have,
to just be able to amaze people
just by walking into a room
and picking up a deck of cards.
- Magic is inspiring to me.
I like seeing the reactions that people have to magic.
- [Chris] Has magic ever helped you in a situation?
- I mean, magic has gotten me a girl's phone number before,
if that's what you mean.
It's helped me get my mind off of pain and stuff.
- [Chris] What is magic to you?
- Well, I know you have a video on your YouTube channel
explaining all of that,
but I think it's all about just
trying to make people happy,
getting those moments of just, like, you know,
there's just fun moments, I think.
- Well, I got started about three years ago
and I've been doing it ever since.
I think magic's all about the story
and less about just showing off the moves,
so I really like doing tricks
with good, clear, defined stories.
Because it's interesting, I didn't have the same sort of
story as most magicians, because typically,
I was an extrovert.
I was never sort of sitting in my room
kinda not doing anything, not socializing.
I wouldn't say I was very popular,
I wouldn't say I'm not very popular,
that kinda thing, just that,
I don't know what it is,
but I've always loved to perform.
And I guess it helped me become a better public speaker,
and it helped me get a good feel
when I go into a room,
and I can stand out from the crowd,
'cause I'm short, and you know, small.
- It's something different.
I see it as entertainment, but entertainment that's
unique in it's own way, it's like it's own category.
And it's something that, if done right,
can make people feel, you know?
You can really connect with people.
- My homework is basically sitting in front of a computer
and learning magic.
- [Chris] Andrew, where do you see yourself in five years?
- I see myself being really good at magic
and trying to help other people
get really good at magic.
- Where do I see myself in five years?
Honestly, hopefully doing something magic-related.
If not just magic, just entertainment.
Like I said, I love just that whole vibe,
or the whole world that is.
But hopefully, magic, something magic-related.
- I hope a professional full-time magician.
- Hopefully still in magic.
Hopefully I'd be lecturing at Magi-Fest,
that'd be cool.
- [Chris] That would be cool, I can see it.
- Hopefully still working on
trying to master the pass and stuff,
things like that.
- [Chris] Can I see your pass?
- [Lochlan] Yeah, sure, it's not very good.
- [Chris] That's fine, neither is mine.
- Hopefully still doing what I love,
still doing magic, still just,
and I hope I'm at least,
I hope I'm getting better, you know,
hopefully doing more shows, learning new things.
So, probably just be a better magician, I guess.
- [Chris] Any doubt that I may have ever had
about using YouTube as a way to share magic
has been completely erased.
Seeing parents supporting their children's passion
through the long hours of the night as we jammed
and chatted about magic with cards
everywhere on the ground
was an incredible sight to behold.
I'm thankful for those parents,
thankful that they continue to foster their curiosity
and encourage their thirst for the craft that we love,
and I'm also very hopeful.
Hopeful for the future of magic, knowing
that we'll leave it in the hands of kids like these
who truly care about it.