Hacking Magic with Open Source

TLDR; - Our goal is to bring the spirit, creativity, and accessibility of the Open Source Hardware and Software movements to the Magic community, and to offer a Free, Open Source learning course in basic electronics aimed at teaching magicians how to create their own unique effects. We aim to do this with a combination of video lessons that teach basic electronics, soldering, etc. as well as several projects that we will teach, including Bob Possible’s own Bone Conductor utility device.

What we NEED: In order to be able to produce high-quality videos, we need some basic equipment. Cameras, lighting, microphones - all of the usual suspects. We also want to be able to bring our best to the project - and that means being able to pay our bills while we put this together. Rather than charging students for access to this information, we instead are Kickstarting the project. Think of it a bit like paying into a scholarship program: By supporting us now, you are helping ensure access to this information for everyone, for free.

Wizards of Old In centuries past, Magicians were at the forefront of, and constantly embraced, bleeding edge technology. From clockwork Automaton, to mechanical and electrical contrivances to produce miracles, magicians have sought to push the boundaries of possibility to stretch reality itself. The rise of commercial magic, and the ever-accelerating pace of technological innovation, however, has shifted the focus for most magicians from builder and experimenter to performer and consumer. We seek to change this.

Makers The modern day maker seeks to democratize the knowledge and skills necessary to build, craft, design, and imagine just about anything. From leathercraft to electronics - the interests and hobbies are as varied as the people who hold them.

Makers of Miracles While crafting your own props is still a widely loved and appreciated art within the magic community, we have been dismayed to find that knowledge of basic electronics, microcontrollers, and the simple programming employed with them is largely unknown amongst our peers. Being self-taught in these areas ourselves, we understand why.

Forgotten Lore There are, in fact, a plethora of learning resources for introducing curious minds to the world of electronics - both paid and free. On YouTube alone, there are countless videos that will teach you about Arduinos, programming, soldering, electronics, circuit design, SMD devices and so much, much more. However, piecing this knowledge together from different sources is time consuming and often confusing. Worse, while it can be easy to follow along and make a project at home, linking that project or skill to a useful magical effect is often beyond the beginner. It’s hard to see the wider applications when you are trying to wrap your head around the basics.

Our Solution Inspired by dusty old magic books that teach you to build your own apparatus, our own experiences learning and exploring electronics and computers, and the spirit of community and sharing that is the world of Open Source hardware and software, our goal is to create a series of videos where we guide the beginner through basic and intermediate electronics knowledge. Teaching you about components, tools, techniques, and skills - we will also, from the start, encourage you to think about not just WHAT or HOW you are doing, but WHY it is useful and how you can begin to apply your new knowledge to the world of magic. Along the way, we will show you several projects that we have created, and walk you through, step-by-step, how to source the parts and tools you need to build them, how to assemble, test, and improve upon your project, and even walk you through the process of taking a raw idea and developing it into a working prototype.