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Mark_Chandaue Inner circle Essex UK 4187 Posts |
Decided to get creative last night as it has been a long time since I came up with any effects. How does this sound?
Deck of cards is handed to a spectator who shuffles then runs through and selects any card they want. The card is signed and lost in the deck which is boxed and pocketed. A coin is then signed by both the magi and the spectator and then very cleanly placed on the table in full view. The spectator is then asked for any number between 1 and 52. The cards are then removed from the box and the magi starts to deal to the selected number. He pauses and says "this won't work, your coin is still on the table". He tables the deck, picks up the coin and makes a throwing motion towards the deck and the coin vanishes. The magi then directs the spectator to continue the count where it was left off. The spectator deals down to the selected number and there embedded into the deck is the signed coin. This is tipped into the spectators hand. The magi then puts his finger into the hole left by the coin and pushes the card under the hole forward. It is the signed selection. I've just finished making the gaff and once I've had the chance to put in the required practice I will see if I can get a video up. Mark |
SmileAndNod Veteran user 316 Posts |
There is a similar trick that I've read somewhere...maybe Mark Wilson's? Can't check 'cause I'm at work right now.
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Mark_Chandaue Inner circle Essex UK 4187 Posts |
Would love details of that when you get the chance to check.
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Akal Singh New user 87 Posts |
You've committed the classic sin of thinking like a magician. I wonder if you could state the effect in a simple sentence. That's important to laypeople and to the impact of your magic (see Vernon Revelations DVD volume 1, towards the end).
I recommend "Strong Magic" by Ortiz, if you haven't read it. Your effect is not really clear. You're combining (1) an impossibility (that a coin has disappeared and reappeared on a chosen card card) which should be a minor miracle with a statistical improbability (that this has occurred at a chosen location) which is arguably not all that impressive to laypeople anyways. Darwin makes some good points about how combining effects, just because you can, often diminishes the clarity and impact of an effect. I'm intrigued to hear the mechanics as it sounds like there's something salvageable here. And I admire your creativity, but my guess is that the parts are greater than the whole. |
Mark_Chandaue Inner circle Essex UK 4187 Posts |
Well I would have to respectfully disagree to some extent because I tried this out on laymen tonight and the reactions were very strong. Having 40 years experience at this lark and many years experience as a working pro I know from experience what works with laymen and what doesn't.
Now to qualify I said I disagree to some extent because I could very easily dispense with the card selection and simply perform the coin at any number as the strongest part of the effect is that the coin is visible right up to the last minute. Laymen certainly do understand the plot because after the coin revelation when I pushed the card forward the layman said "if that's my card I'm going home because that's not even possible. Book theory is all well and good but it is no substitute for real world experience. As far as meeting vernons requirements of being able to describe the trick in a single sentence. Signed coin appears with signed coin at number chosen by a spectator. Often it is far more complex to describe a routine than it is to perform it, Harry Lorraine's Out of this universe sounds immensly convoluted, destroys laymen. A lot comes down to performance. |
Akal Singh New user 87 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-01-08 17:11, Mark_Chandaue wrote: Glad to hear it went over well! Yes, performance is magic's ultimate Court of Appeals! Sounds like you're getting favorable judgments! To reiterate, I would be interested to learn the mechanics as I have a coin-locates-card plot trick that is somewhat original. Maybe we could switch to PM and trade ideas. Not that you asked, but here's a thread I started when researching this plot: http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......orum=3&9 |
Mark_Chandaue Inner circle Essex UK 4187 Posts |
Just to give a bit more detail about the presentation I used tonight I asked if people would rather see a card trick or a coin trick, as per the law of averages I got votes for both. Just to prove men really can multi task I will show you a card trick whilst simultaneously showing you a coin trick (the two "you"s were different people. This worked well and gives great motivation for the point where I stop dealing to vanish the coin.
Incidentally I could place the cards on the table, vanish the coin and then deal down to the selected number but I like the fact that the coin is in full view right up to the last moment and the break to vanish the coin allows me to have the spectator deal the cards from that point and so the moment of magic happens in their hands. Mark |
Mule Henderson Regular user 168 Posts |
I think the two effects work together. It's almost like the climax appears in the same spot, at the same time. I would just try to strengthen the motivation of even having the coin in play. But, I like how you described in your recent performance by using the question, "would you like to see a coin trick, or a card trick?". This at least gives an excuse to do both. Otherwise, it does seem to maybe conflict.
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Mark_Chandaue Inner circle Essex UK 4187 Posts |
Spot on Mule, you have to have some justification for having both in play. Presentation is the key. My line for the signatures on the coin is "I'll sign the coin so you don't do anything funny, here now you sign it so I don't do anything funny ... although if you've seen my act you won't need to sign it .
Your statement about having the climax appear at the same time leads me to a different handling where the last card dealt is the selection and the coin is embedded into the next card. This will need some thinking on the handling as the coin would need to be loaded before the card but at the climax the spectator would be holding the selection in one hand and the deck with coin embedded in the other. Will need some thinking as there is a deck switch involved and the coin trick gives perfect motivation to pocket (and switch) the deck. I can think of a handling that dispenses with the deck switch but the coin would need to be borrowed before the deck is introduced. Hmm for this handling I could use the line "this trick is so good that I'm going to need a small deposit from you, but don't worry it comes with a money back guarantee". Now at the point where I vanish the coin instead of vanishing it I will stop dealing and say "it's just struck me how impossible this trick is, you know I'm going to be really cheeky and take your deposit so that when you realise this can't be done its not a complete bust". At this point I pocket the coin, hand them the deck and say "Here you complete the count, I may need to run". Once they take the final card and get the double revelation I can use the line "A miracle and your money back". Mark |
SmileAndNod Veteran user 316 Posts |
Found what I was thinking of. It's "Sleeved Coin Cut" found in Richard Kaufman's Coin Magic.
Plot - A coin and a deck of card are taken out. The coin is given to the spectator to hold. The spectator picks a card and it is replaced in the middle. The coin is placed on top of the deck and, with a magic wave over the deck, the coin vanishes from the top of the deck and reappears in the middle of the deck, just above the chosen card. |
Mark_Chandaue Inner circle Essex UK 4187 Posts |
Yes I am familiar with that effect and it's quite different from the routine here.
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