Hello my Magic Soul Brothers, (and Sisters)

I just got Puncture. I really like this trick. But I thought it needed a little surprise.

http://www.rostamimagic.com/oopsvanish/oopsvanish.html

Critics are welcome . . .

Greg Rostami

P.S. Could you please post how long it took for the video to start on your computer?
Thank you

Looks good -- and the video came up quickly.

Thanks bugjack . . .

Very good! I have this, and you did a good job. I like the presentation a lot. The video came up within seconds.

Hi Guys,

Here is another link to a new demo I just shot:

http://www.rostamimagic.com/oops/oops.html

As always Critique away . . . . .

Greg Rostami

Good Job Greg. What about starting with edge grip instead ?. Might be easier to set up and your left hand might look more natural when you grab the pen.

What do you think ?

Joaquin

Again, nice. A question, though, as I've been considering this one. Are you performing it a lot? What kind of reactions is it getting?

Hi Pachin,
I AM using an edge grip on my right hand, when I start the trick. Are you talking about using edge grip at the end of the trick?

bugjack,

I haven't really been performing this a lot. I will not perform it until I can do it as well as Alex does it (his is PERFECT).

I did show it to my mother in law and she was impressed. She was looking for the other coin though . . . even though I had already ditched it.

It is a very powerful effect; it's the closest thing to REAL MAGIC! It only suffers from the fact that the audience KNOWS there must be another coin involved somewhere, even though they may not know where it is.

If you compare Puncture to Cig through quarter, the VISUAL aspect of cig through quarter is very visual. No one can imagine the gimmick of cig through quarter. If done well cig through quarter is VERY powerful. When you pull the cigarette out of the quarter, and there is NO HOLE, the trick is already over . . .

Puncture is cleaner at the end, but the audience can deduce a switch, even though they might not know how the switch was done. It makes a great fast trick.

Take care,
Greg

Hi Greg,
Your presentation on both videos were entertaining. Great job man!
Brian

Thanks, Greg -- your comments were kind of what I thought.

I've had Cigarette through Quarter since I was a kid, but I never liked how much heat was on the quarter after the effect; I never really had a good enough switch to get out of it well. But I haven't practiced it in years so maybe I'd do it better now.

Hey Greg, Glad to hear you liked Puncture. I found both of you videos VERY entertaining...

It really seems you are getting the handling down. Thank you for giving it the practice it deserves, that all magic deserves.


Now for a little theory on the performance of Puncture. (Puncture was picked up by David Blaine two months before the special, and because of the fast production, not much theory was included in the instructions… and I‘m glad the subject was brought up)

I will admit that I rarely perform Puncture effect nowadays, since It no longer applies to the type of magic that I perform (I'm a kind of "Magical Mentalist". I deal with "perception" instead of the laws of science), and also because of the fact that David Blaine performed it. Still, this coin with a pen through it is still very dear to my heart, since it was one of my first “discoveries”. The ideas that follow mostly come from back when it was a staple in my repertoire…

Puncture is the kind of effect that applies differently to different performers, and different situation.

Sometimes, taking a coin and stabbing it will be enough presentation (see David Blaine). For me, this type of presentation works best when I am asked to do something "off the cuff", when I'm not really "performing", just “doing something weird“. I rarely do magic this way, since I believe magic moments should be created through a process that requires an effort from both the performer and his audience. Nevertheless, this latter type of presentation, although ideal, is also not appealing to every situation. Sometimes less is more.
Because Puncture is not in my regular performing repertoire, I use Puncture in this "off the cuff" manner when I bring it with me.

Now, if you have decided to use this in your professional repertoire… Thank you for thinking so highly of my effect!….

You can have fun testing different presentation that may apply to you, from accidental (Greg’s) to scientific to metaphoric (not sleight of hand please… I worked hard to make not look like S.o.H!)

I agree with Greg on the fact that a little surprise might aid the illusion. The presentation I used to use created a small moment of surprise since the routine was not just about the coin…

After mentioning my obsession with trying to break the laws of science, I’d speak about how some laws of science are believed to be bendable with the use of other science principles. Then I would introduce one of those small laser pointers that I mostly find being sold at gas stations (the idea of using a laser in a coin penetration effect is Marco Tempest’s).
I would place the coin in an spectator’s hands and ask the spectator whose coin I borrowed to point at the coin with the laser pointer. With the use of suggestion, I would get the person holding the coin to feel it getting warmer, and I would take it “before it got too warm”…. I would bring out the pen without calling much attention to it, have them point the laser at the coin as I held it (positioning the coin so that the laser hits it also helped me check my angles and position myself) and perform Puncture.
Then I’d hand out the coin for examination to its owner: “ The Laws of Nature might be unbendable, but together we may have done just that. Thank you”

The use of the laser pointer also made the effect less “perfect”, thus lessening the chance of anyone thinking a switch was involved. Other subtleties can also be used, like miscalling (almost to yourself) the state on the borrowed coin for the one in the Punched coin, “California, I haven’t seen one of these in a while”

…Whatever presentation you choose to use, make sure it fits your character and you idea of magic.


……………………………….....................................................................................................................


So there is a lot of writing that probably makes this my longest post in café history. Hopefully it won’t be deleted for some mysterious reason

Thank everyone again for being interested in, purchasing, and performing Puncture. It is my first offering to the magic community and hopefully it won’t be the last time I give something back to my art.

With Peace,

Alex Linian

It Looks Great. Great Job.

Thank you

Among two version in the instructional video, which one you like ? Thanks

I still mostly perform the original version. The second version looks more like a stab, which some people like... but I like the fact that in the first version, the pen seems to just melt thru the coin.

This really is just a personal preference, I believe. Half of the well know magicians I've shown this to like the original handling, while the other half like the stabbing action in the second one (Cheng Lin's).

Alex

Hi Alex,

On the video you perform the original version like real magic. But sometimes I perform the original version I get caught. May be a angle problem. But the second version I never fail.

Joyce

To be honest I don't like the loading on action. Why not do a switch and by holding the final coin at the right angle just push the pen thru?

It a very nice trick, however, I'm left thinking two things:
1> Where is the "normal" coin
2> ...so it's obviously a faked coin.
Sorry that I'm being negative here, but I just cannot get my head around "tricks" performed with e.g. that coin, or a cig through coin, and e.g. a S&S, or Sun and Moon **routine**
Rgds - Bruce

Very nice performance.
It takes guts to put up a video and ask for feedback.

One thing you may want to consider. Just prior to the ditch, your fingers of the left hand are held in one position (somewhat closed but natural). Just after the ditch suddenly your fingers are stretched out wide in an obvious display. Maybe you could add a little time misdirection by maintaining the same position for some time after the ditch. Perhaps giving that "perceptive" spectator a chance to say "open that hand". Then you can genuinely show it empty.

Alex, thanks for your comments. Great effect. However, there are a couple of sleights that I have to add to make this effect more clean for me. The finger palm and the final ditching were a problem for me. The first time I performed I can see spectators looking at my dirty hand.

I solve this problem using an edge grip at the end with the pen and then with a handling used in "Revolution" from Kevin parker to finsh clean.

With this ADD ON I can show my hands clean and empty at all times and finish with their quarter (if borrowed) in my hand.

If you are interested or someone else is interested in more details please PM me.

Joaquin