Talking Tenyo | Submitting A Trick To Tenyo
By Angelo Carbone - Friday, October 18, 2019
I am often asked what's the process of submitting a magic idea to Tenyo, so I thought I would share with you my experience.
First, you have to have an original idea. Not just any idea. Can you really imagine it as a Tenyo product? If not, then neither will Tenyo. Be truly honest with yourself. Yes, Tenyo likes magic with clever principles and methods, but they also prefer effects with a beginning, a middle and an end (believe it or not). They told me this themselves when they rejected one of my ideas in the past.
If you think your idea is suitable and has not been done before, then the next step is to make your idea a reality. Make a physical prototype no matter how crude, as long as they can see the trick working. Cardboard, plastic, wood - whatever you can use easily.
Next film the effect only and upload it to a video hosting service such as YouTube or Vimeo and make sure you have the video unlisted and private. You don't want your followers and the public to see the video if the trick is not ready. Also you don’t want magicians seeing your video and perhaps stealing it.
Contact Tenyo at: e-info@tenyo.co.jp or via https://www.tenyo.co.jp/inquiry/index_en.html
Tell them you have created a trick and you have filmed a video of the effect and include the link to your private video. Don’t tell them the method just yet. They may even send you a pdf to fill out although this never happened to me. If they like your trick they will let you know and then you can show them the method (a separate unlisted video you uploaded). If they really like your trick they will ask you to ship your prototype to them (at their expense).
Once in their hands they will work on your idea and maybe make their own prototypes. They will present your idea at a product meeting which usually happens once a year. This is when they will decide if they use it or not. Be aware that even if they do, it could take a year or two for your trick to be released. You will get royalties based on the wholesale cost, about twice a year.
If they reject your idea, don’t be disheartened. Just keep trying. Even though I have had 3 effects released by Tenyo, they have said no many a time. At my first meeting with Tenyo I showed 12 prototypes. 5 were selected and 2 were subsequently released. I submitted a 3rd couple years later. After that I showed them just over half a dozen and they said no. A year or two back they asked me to send them prototypes of 2 of the videos they liked and I still haven’t heard from them. It’s just the way they work. No one really knows why they say no, as often they do not give a reason. So even for the experienced Tenyo submitters we can still be rejected.
So keep trying.
Fingers crossed and good luck!
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