FISM 2003: Friday 25th July

Close-Up Competition 3

The third and last portion of the Close-Up competition started on the Friday morning. Before I list the competitors it may help to point out a new FISM rule. The Judges were equipped with red buttons, and if they thought the act wasn’t up to FISM standard then they could press the button, if 70% or more of judges had used the button after three minutes, then the act had to leave the stage.

FISM 2003: Wednesday 23rd July

Close-Up Competition 1

Wednesday was the first morning of the close-up competition which would see around a total of fifty acts. I will try and give a brief description from my notes for each act, which might just consist of a list of tricks, and keep it short and to the point, also I will use the same format for each contestant, listing the name, category and country.

FISM 2003: Tuesday 22nd July

Turning Magic Into Gold

My Tuesday started off with George Parker’s Mini Congress on Turning Magic into Gold. George spent three hours discussing his fascinating system of how to get more from your Magic.

We saw him perform a few routines such as T&R sugar packet, Troy Hoosiers Charming Chinese Challenge and Three Coin Vanish and Production, followed by Ultimate 3 Fly and his version of Unequal Ropes.

FISM 2003: Sunday 20th – Monday 21st July

Photos

On the Sunday it didn’t take us long to make the thirty minute journey to Humberside airport, and then an hour later we landed in Schiphol airport. A train and tram journey later and we ended up in Schevening, were we stayed at the aptly named BadHotel (which it wasn’t!). About an hour after that we were sat on the beach in the glorious sunshine drinking beer, the week had begun!

FISM 2003: Return Post

Well I am back and very tired, but very happy and magically charged! The convention was awesome I saw a lot of magic every day, and sat through all the close-up competition, most of the lectures and the gala shows etc. The only things I didn’t see were the lectures on manipulation/doves and the stage competition, so if you want to read those reports, you will have to find them elsewhere…