I'm going to pay for and give away a video download to a "random" busker.

Random means I will make a list of all those that signed up, calculate a random number on my 'puter, using a random number generator,
and will select the individual at that location on the list.

I've used this trick several times over the years and I absolutely love it.
In fact the props are always in my case. And I crave the opportunity to use it.
For Busking, I consider this a "build" trick. Not an opener nor a closer but an attention grabbing and very memorable trick,
hard to walk past.

It has several key elements:
1. Packs extremely small.
2. Plays BIG! In fact, it plays as big as you want to go.
3. Comedy is inherent in the trick. The better you are the better it will be but right out of the box it's funny.
4. It definitely has a bit of the "OMG" factor.
5. Easy to perform. Sleight of hand is minimal but is required.
6. It's a fooler.

I did the trick a few weeks ago and when I got feedback via email from my client, she told me it was the most talked-about trick I performed.

Since this is a download I will picking from those signed up to receive downloads from my site.
I will choose the winner next week about this same time.

So you have a fair chance, you can click here if you're not already an ambitiouscard download dude --> http://www.theambitiouscard.com/contact.cfm

For your trouble, you will receive 2 free downloads automatically to test out the system.

Good luck and I cannot wait until next week, to hear your feedback on the trick and your opinions on it for busking.

Thanks, Frank!!
very generous of you
Patrick

Thanks Frank! I am dying of curiosity to know what it is! Well, maybe not "dying" exactly, but severely injured with curiosity to be sure!

OK, now I'm an ambitiouscard download dude. Thanks!

Radical! Just signed up. Was out using my parlor plus bag this weekend, loving it!

Chucked my name in.

Cheers fella

Franks products are great. I've been using a Cellini Pouch I bought from him around nine years ago, and after a ton of hard miles, it is only now starting to show some wear and tear. Quality and durability!

> wear and tear

Wear and TEAR??? If there really is "tear", send it back and we will repair or replace!!!

Thanks for joining the club, gentlemen. Can't wait to give away a great effect.
Obviously, a side-effect of this give-away is to introduce people to the world of download media.
I've always hated DVDs for various reasons and this is a wonderful replacement.

The effect is performed by a great performer in what I consider an "OK" way. Nothing supurb, but I like that better for several reasons.
I think most of you will do better and see the extreme potential of this trick in a busking environemnt (unavailable to the performer at the time).

<spoiler alert>
The interesting think about this trick is that the prop is so small that it could fit ... well.. inside just about any small container you could think of.
Yet, the trick can play to a very large audience, if you have one.
</spoiler alert>

What a wonderful idea Frank...."Appearing/Disappearing Wand/Flip Stick?
Best of luck everyone...Starsini's Products rock!

Thanks Devious and Nope, that's not it.
The trick I'm thinking of can play for several minutes and has far more potential than a wand/stick routine.
You'll see why.

Perhaps the butterfly trick?

I don't know the butterfly trick. What is that?

Obviously I'm running the risk that very few people will agree with me, but I really do not think that is the case here.

Since this give-away is a download / online material, is that something everyone is already familiar with? Are magicians purchasing downloads regularly ?

I signed up...keeping fingers crossed.

I buy downloads all the time...just bought a DVD download last week. Took about 5 minutes to download, so had it right away, and saved $6 on shipping.

Great stuff, Frank. However I got an error message when I tried to sign up for the newsletter. Sign up for downloads went fine.
Mark

Thank you Mark. I'm trying to fix little bugs as I go. I completely re-wrote my website recently to allow for a smoother look/feel for mobile users as well as adding downloads.

I'll check out that newsletter error right now. I thought I already fixed it.

I'm going to try to find some time to pick a random winner and give away the prize.

Sorry for the delay...

We have a winner. The random number generator picked # 57 and #57 on my list was Hal Barlow.
He's been given the download added to his download library and sent an email.
I'm not sure he's a busker but he did sign up for downloads.

Here are some of my thoughts on the trick and performance:
This trick was performed seated which really dulls down its potential.
It was performed rather quickly without any build-up.

Like I said before, IMO, the potential for this trick is very high.
I'll write more about how to get the most out of it after some feedback.

So here is the trick. Let us know what you think. You can watch the video clip of the performance.

http://theambitiouscard.com/details.cfm?product_key=46212

Hi Frank!

I haven't seen Tom in over 10 years. I was in Sacramento,and he was making a video. We "go back" almost 40 years!

The bean bit, as Tom did it, was great. As you've noted, with just a little build up, it would be GREAT!

As a teenager, breaking in the biz, in a carny side show in the '40s, I saw a lot of "strange, odd, and unusual" tricks. The late Dan Mannix', in his book, "Step Right Up", talks about this type of trick.

If my ancient brain remembers correctly, this is from either India or China. I think that Eddie Joseph wrote it up eons ago.

So! Thanks for passing it along. I wish I was still working! It would be fun to give this a a "try"!

Thanks for the 411 Dick. I just found and bought the book "Step Right Up" on Amazon.

There are many reasons for using something like this, in my opinion:
1. This is the kind of trick that adds texture to an act. Texture keeps things interesting.

2. It's bold. This is not a trick for sissy-boys that are worried about offending people. As long as it's done with some build-up and timing, confidence and self-awareness, you'll be fine.

3. The build up. . . The last time I did this, I introduced the idea of the "grossest trick in the world" and refused to do it because the audience couldn't handle it. Between tricks I'd ask if they wanted to see "the grossest trick in the world" and YES THEY DID. Still, I'd decide otherwise. By the time I did it, they were asking me to do it, instead of me asking them. So there was interest without even doing trick.

4. That brings up timing... when to do a trick like this. I think it's easy to see why this is a "middler" and obviously one that can help build an audience. But there's more to it than that. Jay Sankey mentioned something that I think applies here about timing and when to do a particular trick. His words were basically, after doing some great tricks already... "By this time they already know that you are Jesus Christ" so you can pull this off as a miracle and not just a "bit".

I had a spare copy and gave it to Jay Marshall, when he kvetched me into joining the SHOWMEN'S LEAGUE.

The next morning, we were having breakfast and he said, "You @#%%&~! I opened that book, read the first paragraph, and was hooked! You owe me a night's sleep!!!

So! I recommend that you don't read that first paragraph unless you have a few hours! That first paragraph IS a GRABBER!

The book was originally titled: "Memoirs of a Sword Swallower"

O