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Rosemary Loyal user 245 Posts |
Hello !
This is a silly question, I know.. But you all know the trick where the audience has to do as you do... Palms turned to the outside, thumbs down... Then you turn your thumbs up and the audience can't do as you do. Obviously you have to let go at a point. But lately I saw a magician do this without the obvious letting go. He must have used some great misdirection. Until now I always let go obviously to demonstrate something, that's not what he did. Can somebody help me to find this more "professional" method of misdirecting ? Thanks, Rose |
sunnydolan Veteran user Opelika, Alabama 342 Posts |
Are you talking about Shinkoh’s Twisting Arm Illusion?? If so, misdirection is the key, that and practice.
An amatuer practices untill he gets it right, a professinal practices untill he can't get it wrong.
Don't wait for oppurtunity to knock, throw open the door, grab it by the throat and drag it inside kicking and screaming. Magically yours |
Dave V Inner circle Las Vegas, NV 4824 Posts |
This is a stand up version featured in David Copperfield's shows. The misdirection happens right in front of the entire audience. If you have a video clip, just watch it again and you'll see it as he gestures to an audience member.
It's also published in "Magic for Dummies." If you didn't see it, then his misdirection worked!
No trees were killed in the making of this message, but a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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BRodgers Special user 543 Posts |
I do this one all the time. Its the perfect "do a trick" trick. As stated earlier, misdirection is the key.
Brian
Creator of The Phantom Band 360
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ryoma4148 New user 92 Posts |
It's not possible to do it without a strong misdirection, you'll have to work a lot on it
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Scott Compton Special user Hampton, VA 747 Posts |
This is a great icebreaker/intro for an MC. Certainly not overused, and it always goes over well.
Scott
Magic is an art. I am merely a tour guide.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Scott-Compton-Magician/160270640674735 "You are the magic" Jay Ose to Albert Goshman |
Josh the Superfluous Inner circle The man of 1881 Posts |
I saw Ron Jaxon do this effect, it blew me away. You might want to PM him. His user name is Jaxon.
What do you want in a site? "Honesty, integrity and decency." -Mike Doogan
"I hate it, I hate my ironic lovechild. I didn't even have anything to do with it" Josh #2 |
Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
Thanks Josh.
You don't need any misdirection at all to do this bit. I call it a "bit" or "puzzle" but it really does get a lot of laughter. As others have already stated, it's a great ice breaker but not just on stage. I do it all the time in close up. It helps bring the audience (No matter what size) together as they all try to do the same thing you're doing. They laugh at each other and themselves. The funny thing to me is after I leave a group and glance back at them a little while later. I usually see a couple of them trying to do it. Like I said though. You don't need misdirection. It's the kind of thing that even after you teach it to someone they have a hard time doing it. Just do it once to them and let them giggle at themselves. Then offer to do it again but slower and point out that you've not going to do anything sneaky. "Do exactly as I do". Then stick your arms out and pause. You'll find that quite often some of them will watch very closely and adjust there arms to match yours (if they're left arm is above there right and yours is reversed they'll change to match you). Then do it again very, very slowly. Don't try to hide anything. They usually still won't get it. If you happen to spot someone who did do it right (It happens). Don't hide it. Point to them and give that person a high five or a pat on the back. Now you and them are in on it and they'll appreciate that you noticed them do it. This also puts them on your side so they won't just start showing everyone how. Even if they do. Who cares. It's all in fun. I teach this in my E-book BAR TAB. Here's an image from that E-book. Study it and you'll get it. Here's a great line to use after words while everyone is trying to figure it out. "I bet some of you will be laying in bed tonight with your arms sticking to the ceiling and go (Mime the action) How the heck did he do that?!!!" Ron Jaxon |
Josh the Superfluous Inner circle The man of 1881 Posts |
Thanks Ron!
What do you want in a site? "Honesty, integrity and decency." -Mike Doogan
"I hate it, I hate my ironic lovechild. I didn't even have anything to do with it" Josh #2 |
Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
I had a couple of people PM me asking about this. Here's an easy way to remember the method. Cross your arms so your right hand goes under your left. Now both of your thumbs are sticking up toward the ceiling.Now turn both of your thumbs clockwise. What usually messing people up is they turn there hands in opposite direction. But what you do is turn them in the same direction (To the right from your point of view).
I hope that helps. Ron Jaxon |
Josh the Superfluous Inner circle The man of 1881 Posts |
I purchased Ron's eBook, and presented it exactly as he described it. It works. I consider myself very observant, but like I said above, his presentation fooled me. In a bar I stood by and giggled as he showed me and about 7 people, in slow motion. None of us got it. I showed my wife at dinner tonight. She's super observant and couldn't do it. No misdirection necessary.
What do you want in a site? "Honesty, integrity and decency." -Mike Doogan
"I hate it, I hate my ironic lovechild. I didn't even have anything to do with it" Josh #2 |
Rosemary Loyal user 245 Posts |
YES !
Ron, you're awesome ! This is what I was looking for !!! Thanks, kiss, Rose |
Rkull New user 53 Posts |
A small advice: don't overuse the "You can't do as I do" tricks... If you want spectators to like your show, you have to make them like you... and who like a guy who want to look superior... Or try to find a way to do it so it doesn't seem that you challenge them.
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Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
I completely agree. Especially with the last line in your post, "Or try to find a way to do it so it doesn't seem that you challenge them."
One of my magic students. I guess you can call them that. They're just friends who are into magic to some degree and I share tips and advice and help them out when they ask. Anyway one of them asked me something about this. He said something along the lines of, "Why shouldn't we do things that show that we can do them and they can't? Isn't that part of magic?" When I thought about how to explain it to him this is basically what I said. I said, "Yea, that's part of it. But it's all about your attitude when you present it. Let's say you take your car to a garage to get fixed. You would expect the mechanic to know more about how to fix the car then you because that's their profession. But it wouldn't be right for the mechanic to make you feel dumb because you don't know how to do it yourself". With this arm puzzle you should present it in good fun. Many people like puzzles. I've had a few people approach me and go, "Hey look" and they do it. This tells me that many people try to figure it out and eventually succeed. It may be 5 minutes or five years before they figure it out. But many people go back to it from time to time and eventually they'll get it. I sometimes tell them, "Keep trying. Eventually you'll figure it out. When you do you'll probably do it then try to figure out how you did it." Michael Finney has a great way to deal with this. In his rope routine he get's quite a bit of humor at the volunteers expense. But after words when the volunteer is back in their seat he says something like, " This is just a piece of rope from a hardware store. What makes this so fun is the person I bring on stage. So this next round of applaud is just for you". It's another way of saying, "Thank you for being such a good sport and without you we wouldn't have had such a fun time with it". It's all about the attitude it's presented with. Ron Jaxon |
Greg V New user B.C. Canada 43 Posts |
Thanks Ron for bringing this trick to my attention! I used to do this "puzzle", but then over time I stopped, and had forgotten it. I remebered the basic, but forgot about the misdirection aspect and the easier clockwise turn of the thumbs. The pictures really helped.
This is just was I was trying to find for a "no props needed trick" Thanks again -Greg
Formerly, when religion was strong and science weak, men mistook magic for medicine; now, when science is strong and religion weak, men mistake medicine for magic.
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Traveler Special user 549 Posts |
I like this... I'll try it soon. Thanks...(now all we need is a great presentation. This has potential...)
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