I had an opportunity this past weekend to have a very basic, spur of the moment version of this effect recorded.

Since a lot of people during past discussions on here seemed to think this was "just the same old thing nothing new" effect, I ask you to take a look and notice:

That this was not even a well lit room.

The performer and camera see the cards as I see them, and yet I am able to locate the card anyway.

The big mirror in the back had nothing to do with it.

The brand new deck proved to be a bit slippery (you'll notice as I'm going through the cards) this had nothing to do with the presentation and I can usually get the card much faster than that and play it up later.

I placed no crimps, bends, or visible marks (naturally if I had, the spectator and camera would be able to see them as well).

I understand some of you will still think this is no good, but I have, and continue to drive magicians and mentalists crazy every time I perform it. To each his own I guess.

Don't feel the need to criticize my presentation. I wasn't really performing. I just wanted to show you the potential of this effect by displaying a very basic, casual, simple, direct presentation of it. I don't usually perform the effect in that fashion.

And I would also prefer if some of you guys didn't speculate and try to guess how I did it on here. I'm sure there are a bunch of you who will say that there are a million ways to do what I did. Move on.

Watch the video, think for yourself and realize the value of this fresh principle that has proven to be the most effective routine I perform for magicians and mentalists.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOTh1ZO1FtY

Here Alexandre goes again, being a tease!

Tony

You look totally different without your hood than I imagined

with hood -> http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/931/alexhood2nh9.jpg

without hood -> http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/5620/exnro3.jpg

Actually I don't look like either of those pictures and much more like my Magic Café avatar. That was very funny though.

You do indeed look much different than your older avatar, (even the current one).That second link is more like what I saw on the clip. (Much younger and well fed) It was good to get this glimpse of who you are other than on a message board. The video came out well.

Alexandre, I have enhoyed you hear on the Café MANY times, but that has got to be the longest time I waited to see some one reveal a card.

1. I have no idea how its done. BUT, by the end, I didn't care....

You need to tighten that presentation a bit.

Hey Alexandre,

I thought that was pretty cool for a "spur of the moment" performance - Ex Nihilo looks great, and for me, would be well suited to the Tarot or Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling deck - just to move it out of "card trick" territory.

I enjoyed watching it - thanks for posting it up!

Liam.

I really enjoyed this also - silver bullet would do it.

Forget the presentation guys. You can do this shorter or longer. Whatever you wish. The point is how fair the whole thing is.

Whatever you might think of Ex Nihilo or the video, Alex made it abundantly clear that he didn't want to get into method mongering or anything of the kind: "And I would also prefer if some of you guys didn't speculate and try to guess how I did it on here. I'm sure there are a bunch of you who will say that there are a million ways to do what I did. Move on"

To those of you who respected Alex's request, well done.

Good Thoughts,

Bill

Good,

How about, "Thanks for going to the trouble to post a video so we can see if this is something we are interested in or not?"

Way to much to ask Bill. After seeing many threads like this I don't think I will ever release any of my own effects. It has got to be frustrating.

It is fine if you don't like something and you state your opinion, but there is a line I don't think people should cross. I think a lot of people run right past that line.

Good luck with EX NIHILO and keep creating...
I have a few of your ebooks and I really like your methodology and also way of thinking and writing.Can you also tell us more about the name of the effect?Where does it come from?

EX NIHILO is a Latin term meaning "out of nothing". It's usually used in conjunction with the term creation, as in creation ex nihilo, meaning "creation out of nothing".

When I started looking to give this thing a name, I wanted something interesting and this came up.

I thought it would apply here.

Alex:

I really enjoyed the performance. It had the feel of being an impromptu, personal demonstration with a group of friends. You turned what many would define and confine as a small piece into a very large piece. It appeared to go over as very stong as well.

Tony

Thanks Tony. It went over strong with them, but it wasn't my preferred performance. I was with a friend (the cameraman) and he was going to their house to turn in a video/photography job. He knew them, I did not. We asked if I could perform and record something real quick and they were nice enough to let me. I did tell them it was going on Youtube.

I have a couple of other things I want to record for Youtube: me performing mentalism for the camera, should be fun. I'll let you guys know when they're up. I might even do another performance of EX NIHILO with a new group. We'll see.

I viewed the presentation on Youtube with no problem, and very much enjoyed the 'effect'. Lots of possibilites here. Great work Alexandre, and thanks for sharing this.

BEST~~~smitty

Here's the new video. No EX NIHILO though. Have at me. Fun stuff ... for me anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sN-RpiZNyI

Don't give up Alexandre. I have enjoyed your stuff. I am sure many others have as well.