Jon I know you have won the IBM, so I was wondering if you ever do any consulting for magicians who have competed or are going to compete to help them be better prepared? I did the IBM close-up this past year and did all original material. I started out with my own marketed trick Ace Ilusion, then went into a immposissable find and revel of a signed card that the spectator never looked at only signed, and finished wiht a signed card to sealed CD. I think I did well. I was happy to have the experience to do it and would do it again in a heart beat. If you want to know about Ace Illusion ask Dan Harlan he has one. Dan has been a great help to me as well. Thanks for you time. I hope you will come to Cincinnati to do a lecture some time and we could meet.

Tom

Hi Tom,

I haven't had people ask me to hel[p them but I would be more than glad to do so if asked. I did help my good friend, Nicholas Einhorn, with his FISM act and enjoyed the brainstorming that went with it.

I can't say exactly would will and won't win a competition but I do remember one thing that stood out for the judges at IBM. The act came full circle at the end. Rather than being a series of tricks with no links and a finish that just popped up, it had a definite thread running through it and a finale that completed something from the beginning.

That's something I try and do in competition and also 'real world' sets. If you can bring a set full circle, I feel it shows a real sense of professionalism. It also signals to the audeince when the end of the act is coming so they can steel themselves for the, hopefully, standing ovation!

Jon I would love to send you DVD copy of my IBM act and tell me what you think. I would love to have you help me with it so that when I compete at Magifest I might have a better chance at winning. To just competing is winning already. I think you have to have some balls to do your think for magicians. I love magic, and I will do it for anyone magician or laymen it does not matter. Get back with me.

Tom

So no pressure on me then! lol.

I'd be happy to check out your act. Am I on commission? ;-)