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foolsnobody Special user Buffalo, NY 843 Posts |
Terrific assignment. The first thing I notice is how difficult it is. I had a friend who used to talk about "the difference that makes a difference," which is what I think John is getting at in his work. Not just doing something different just to be different. A small change that makes the effect a quantum level better.
So, I have to say: I haven't thought of one yet! A minor thing, long before the one degree idea was put into words, and this is a very small presentational idea, was to take the effect "The Fingerprint Card Trick" and incorporate a true story about how I used to travel on business and one day I had a day off to explore Washington. Congress was not in session, so I went to the Aeronatics and Space Museum (the true part) and to the FBI headquarters (not true)...which segues into discussion of fingerprinting, how at the time DNA testing was practically unknown, etc. So I use my personal experience as part of the background for the trick. Does this improve it? Who knows? I've never performed it for anyone! Also I made the story too long, so I have to edit it down, which makes two degrees (at least!). Long before this I purchased one of the jumping gems tricks, with the two different sticks in the two different compartments of a black "velvet" pouch? Since I had been in and around the jewelry business for years, I wanted to tie that into the presentation somehow, but I never could figure out a way to do it that I liked. So there's the whole category of "One degree discards" or "one degree up a dead end street." |
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Hybrid Hunter Regular user Sydney, Australia 140 Posts |
This is a one degree change that I'm working on, which came to me not long after I saw Michael Vincent's “The Many Faces of a Woman” routine.
My one degree was taking the Henry Christ Four Ace trick and instead of the usual show four aces, lose four aces then find four aces I made the four Aces brothers with names and personalities, and changed the presentation so the way we find each brother reflects their personality. So this change in presentation means the Aces are no longer just cards, but personalities and because each card represents a different kind of personality, my hope is that spectators can identify with one of them, meaning they'll be more invested in the routine and not see it as just a card trick. Additionally I'll be changing the handling a little bit (by one degree hehe) to suit the presentation but I'm having a lot of fun just coming up with the presentation itself and refining it. I think as my card knowledge continues to grow I'll be coming back and adding changes here and there, so how many degrees it'll go, who knows! |
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Michael J Veteran user UK 334 Posts |
Hi,
I have two 'one degree' changes one already in practice and one about to be performed tomorrow for a lay audience. 1. I do a 4 ace brainwave type effect. You show 4 aces face up and tell the spectator that one of the aces has a different colour back. They name any ace and all the aces are turn face down and the back of the named ace is shown to have a different colour back from the other three. Not a mind blowing effect but OK. I changed it by using two spectators, usually a couple and the first spectator (male) changes the colour of his ace. I then repeat the effect but the second spectator, (female), not only names the correct ace but also changes the colours of the backs. This plays very strong for the couple. 2. I perform Silent Running with the Dissolving Card and the dénouement of the effect is that the spectator counts the cards and discovers that one card is missing, she then goes through the deck and doesn't find her card: it has dissolved. A strong effect but by mistake I discovered that if the spectator looks for her card first, then looks for the mates of the card and still cannot find her card, she is told "if you cannot find your card then you must have 'dissolved' it and therefore there can only be 51 cards in the deck. She counts them and the reaction will be much stronger IMO. I hope that I have grasped in a small way the idea of the 'one degree' Michael J |
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motown Inner circle Atlanta by way of Detroit 6136 Posts |
Here's a One Degree I'm planning to make.
I've been doing Vernon's "Tale of A Treasury Worm" and "Gypsy Thread" for a while, but never together. In Tale of A Treasury Worm the performer talks about how currency bills are made up of silk fibers and proceeds to pull a green silk out of a cone shaped bill. Rather than a silk, I've always used a long piece of thin yarn. It occurred to me that "Tale of A Treasury Worm" and "Gypsy Thread" could be woven together (no pun intended) to make a stronger more entertaining routine. The story can be spun one of two ways after the thread is produced. The breaking and restoring of the thread can represent the element that makes are bills so durable or maybe even better represent the strength and weakness of our money at different times in the world market. Craig
"If you ever write anything about me after I'm gone, I will come back and haunt you."
– Karl Germain |
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michaelvincent V.I.P. 567 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-08-14 12:36, motown wrote: Good idea Motown. I have opened one of my many acts with Vernon's Tale of The Treasury Worm for many years to good effect. The Silk Production is visual and showy so perhaps you might consider removing a strand of thread form the Silk it self and not lose any impact from the silk production. You have a logical segue into Gypsy Thread from there. Just a thought for what its worth. Mike Vincent
Magic for the 21st Century
"Why be mediocre, when you have excellence as an option" Mastering Magic Elegant Decpetions Learning Tools The All Cards Blog The Vincent Academy of Magic |
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motown Inner circle Atlanta by way of Detroit 6136 Posts |
Mike,
Thanks so much for your input. Your thoughts and ideas are much appreciated. I'll have to give it a try. Craig
"If you ever write anything about me after I'm gone, I will come back and haunt you."
– Karl Germain |
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Donny Orbit Special user 944 Posts |
Hey John,
Awesome of you to stop by and share your thoughts on magic and your approach to it. I have read a lot of different things on creativity, philosophy and generally different ways to approach life in general.... I fall... Alot... I think that anyone in any walk of life can take a one degree change in approach and find themselves in a completely different place... 360 degrees is a complete turn around... you are where you started 180 degrees... you turn your back... try something new in a completely different direction 1 degree...you build off of what you know and where you are but add a small slant to it that takes you in a new direction... I was always fine with Brother Hamman's Signed card effect. I like the handling, liked the effect (as a ton of magicians do) and like the overall approach. I dig your work John, but haven't picked up your book yet. I have Brainstorm and I think you have an awesome approach to magic but I haven't really relished your philosophical side. Anyways...reading your approach, especially the one degree idea, made me reconsider some of my strongest magic... Back to Hamman's signed card. The signed card effect is impossible based on the impossibility of the card at the outset being the same card that was chosen initially. Different handlings, and obscurities, made it seem more impossible...but again none I had approached...until now. I am not that versed in magic lineage...and there is a good chance ( financially and laborally) that I will never be. But I had a Brainstorm...a boiling point of one degree difference that hit me.... What if... What if there was a different color back?!?!? Of the signed card? In the routine... And what if you had a reason as to why the card was placed aside earlier and why you can't show both signatures at the same time.... Your one degree approach led me down the path. Mathematically at a one degree angle you will be at a slant that will be so far off of the running line you will hit your starting line... That being said... The starting line was a contest for a winner. I don't expect to win but I do love the one degree concept. So much that... Anyone interested in my one degree approach to the signed card can email me at donny.orbit@gmail.com and I will email you my Junk Mail routine for free. I am not trying to hijack the thread, steal any credit or solicit anything from you. You can PM me as well for the routine. A one degree approach to magic sharing can make a superb magician/mentor or a frustratedly bad youtube poster.... Please enjoy my approach compliments of John G... DO |
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Matt Brown New user Northern California 11 Posts |
My young son has shown an interest in magic, so I was teaching him the effect of making a quarter pass through a smaller hole in a folded card. Although a simple trick, the application of the one degree principle really made an impact that I could share with my son.
Instead of having the coin just drop through on the second attempt, we found that with the use of thumbs the coin could shake down and appear to momentarily hang in the hole, as it had before, for a stronger impact. That one little change both supports the fact that the coin is in the card and stuck at the hole again, as well as makes the penetration stronger for the audience. The discovery of adding that little touch helped me reveal to my son that magic is not just the trick itself, but a thoughtful consideration of the audience’s experience. I’m not sure telling him that would have had the same impact. |
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michaelvincent V.I.P. 567 Posts |
John,
Your routine "Behind-The-Back Triumph" is a beautiful thing. I first learned "The Tipsy Trick" form The Royal Road to Card 30 years ago and it has been in my working repertoire ever since. I love the "Triumph" plot with all its variations and your involvement of the spectator has now transcended the experience of magic exponentially. Here's my One Degree enhancement; for one want of a better name let's call this, "Last Man Standing, One Degree in The Shade" I have used John Bannon's marvelous routine "Last Man Standing" to excellent effect. The Goodwin Display allows the audience to take a mental photograph of the deck,which greatly enhances the final impact. Here's the best part, it occurred to me that after The Goodwin Display, the deck is in the right position to continue with handing the deck to the spectator to proceed with your excellent extension of The Balducci Sequence. Combine all of this with a Memorized Deck and you have the perfect version of "Name-A-Card Triumph" you could wish for, this is a worker. Mike Vincent London
Magic for the 21st Century
"Why be mediocre, when you have excellence as an option" Mastering Magic Elegant Decpetions Learning Tools The All Cards Blog The Vincent Academy of Magic |
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JohnG V.I.P. 373 Posts |
Michael...yes...great observation!
You could hand the deck still slightly telescoped, and have the participant square before placing it behind their back. John G
John Guastaferro
Website: www.MagicJohnG.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/johnGmagic Portal page: www.liinks.co/johng YouTube: www.youtube.com/johngmagic Email: johnGmagic@mac.com |
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michaelvincent V.I.P. 567 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-08-15 04:13, JohnG wrote: Even better John That's the clincher. Cheers Mike
Magic for the 21st Century
"Why be mediocre, when you have excellence as an option" Mastering Magic Elegant Decpetions Learning Tools The All Cards Blog The Vincent Academy of Magic |
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Kabanning New user 58 Posts |
What new thing I would personally try with tricks in my repetoir is to see what I can do to make it more visually interesting on an artistic level. I've been experimenting with the idea of tableaus. Apparentally, it can be done but it can only be done with certain tricks and very carefully.
I always try to look for a new way of doing something all the time. I like being creative. |
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JohnG V.I.P. 373 Posts |
You are making this tough on me, guys.
So many wonderful ideas and thoughtful approaches. I may be forced to narrow down my top favorites and have my 2-year old daughter draw your name out of a hat before she goes to bed tonght. It'll probably be around 9pm PST tonight. John G
John Guastaferro
Website: www.MagicJohnG.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/johnGmagic Portal page: www.liinks.co/johng YouTube: www.youtube.com/johngmagic Email: johnGmagic@mac.com |
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JohnG V.I.P. 373 Posts |
Really touch decision guys, but after narrowing some favorites and having my daughter pull a name from her Barbie hat, the winner of this weeks contest is...
Michael VINCENT Thanks, Mike, for your insightful comments all week, both in this thread and others. I'll PM you with details. And thanks to Andi Gladwin and Joshua Jay from http://www.vanishingincmagic.com for their generosity in offering a great package of Vanishing Inc. downloads and products. You guys are giving magic a good name. John G
John Guastaferro
Website: www.MagicJohnG.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/johnGmagic Portal page: www.liinks.co/johng YouTube: www.youtube.com/johngmagic Email: johnGmagic@mac.com |
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