So I created an effect quite a while back, didn't have a story then, but I have gotten around to reworking it a bit and finding new ways to breathe life into it. I came up with a cheesy story line. But it's a bit long and drawn out and most effects now-a-days are 30 second, short visual effects. I guess people don't have the time anymore to watch routine magic.

So I'm on here to get some ideas on maybe a way to remove the waste and get right to the point. I was thinking of using a science theme for the effect instead. Thoughts??

https://youtu.be/7BefPJ1Feq0

I also wanted to include a link of the effect done with a different handling with no story or talking. Just music. Maybe a story isn't really needed in this instance. I would really appreciate the input.

https://youtu.be/Hruz8AbPpTQ

Thanks,

Brian.

Can you write out your story on a piece of paper? And then trim it, so that it is much shorter and what you say is more accurate.

As soon as you put it on paper, you will see how the situation changes and it is now much easier to work with the story.

I liked the story version better.
1. in the story version you had both sides of the card signed and not in the 2nd vid....keep that
2. maybe because I watched the story version 1st butn when the color change was presented I seemed to not expect that to happen because I was thinking about what is going to happen to the character ABER not what will happen with my card...
3. Trim off some of the pauses in the story.....do not over explain things
4. ABER the friendly neighbor sounds like it should be a funny story .... so make it a funny thing for him to get overheated....like he used a heated blanket and did not notice he had it set on HIGH

or the blanket had 3 three settings warm, warmer and O.F.C.(off the freakin' Chart) and he was so cold, guess what ABER set it to!

I have a few more story ideas also so let me know if any of this helps.

Ok Brian I am not trying to overstep here but I got and idea and had to write it down or else I would have forgotten the whole thing. I hope you take the time to read it and maybe it will fit into your magic. So here it is "ABER the friendly Neighbor"





"Has anyone ever told you the story of ABER the Friendly Neighbor? NO well,"
Please select a card…..
"This is ABER."
"Lets just say he was a blue man living in a blue world. "(gesturing to the card backs)
"OLD ABE went out of his way to stand out, AT great personal expense to his time and his old tired back he would labor for hours shoveling the snow from the walks in all the neighborhood. "
But still (gesturing again to the backs of the Cards) he never stood out.
What if he wore a name tag???? (sign the front of the CARD in BOLD ABER)
Now I can always see ABER when he is coming to shovel…..To me this is not good enough… lets also sign the BACK …. Now we can see him leaving also, so we can give him a pat on the back. Good job ABER(show the card front and back) There is no doubt this card is ABER so now what ever may happen to him along the way we will know who he is.
One particularly cold day ABER shoveled so much snow from so many walks he became so frost bitten he could not continue any longer….. he rushed home and buried himself deep into bed and threw on the old electric blanket. (place the card into the pack)(spread the cards showing the face of the cards clearly showing the written name of ABER)
Now you should know this was one of those old timey electric blankets, not connected to WIFI or any other SMART technologies; I can not be sure it had any safety features built into it. All I know is that ABE was so cold and tired he cranked the blanket to setting three which was only labeled H.T.H. which I think stands for hotter than….you know what.
ABER fell asleep.
He awoke to the smells of a fine meal….something was cooking …roasting you might say….He thought at first it must be Florna cooking up something again…….You know ol’ Florna…. She lived on the corna’
BUT it wasn’t a roast …. It wasn’t some fine food of any kind!!! It was in fact ABER (show the ABER card)
I would say he was well done….. wouldn’t you?
But a wonderful thing happened to ABER that day (flip the rest of the cards over)He finally stood out in a crowd…….
……………………………………………………………………………………………
So now I thought of a really good ending, but because I have no idea how you did the color change nor how it might be possible to do this but it would be great here to not just end the effect….. while they are busy looking at the cards gather all the blue backed cards up and they are looking at ABER you may be able to switch the entire deck out to a red back deck ….
Now continue on saying
“We should never do good deeds for the sole reason of just being noticed…. Because like ABER many that do for others are not fully recognized but there is one truly amazing thing about being a good neighbor……………………….
Good actions usually catch on and spread ….making other people into good neighbors also….
(NOW Reveal all the backs are changed to red cards.)

So I was thinking that what could do that is the “Flash Deck Switch by Shin Lim”