|
|
Go to page 1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8 [Next] | ||||||||||
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
There are lots of handlings for this classic action-plot where some coins in one hand travel invisibly to arrive in another hand. Lets consider what motivates the action.
There will always be room for a 'because I can' type presentation... and I believe we can do more. Were they going to something? Or away from something? Do they migrate randomly? Are the coins markers for something else that travels? What are your thoughts?
...to all the coins I've dropped here
|
|||||||||
FCpreacher Elite user PA 439 Posts |
I am developing a plot with Irish Hen Pennies and several bad chicken jokes about them crossing the road.
FC |
|||||||||
Dan Watkins Inner circle PA 3028 Posts |
...for the same reason as the Chicken, to get to the other side...
|
|||||||||
Larry Barnowsky Inner circle Cooperstown, NY where bats are made from 4770 Posts |
The 4 coins are simply fundamental particles or their composites (quarks perhaps). This is a demonstration of Quantum Tunnelling with the space between the hands the potential energy gap between the particles. Since statistics governs their flight, predictably they fly over one at a time. I've actually used that patter when showing a coins across to spectators who I judge can understand the concepts.
|
|||||||||
Dan Watkins Inner circle PA 3028 Posts |
Even though my little response was in jest, it got me thinking, it could lead to a plausible story (out) to use
"I have often been asked why these coins travel from left to right. Pondering this question one day, I considered the ancient question, 'Why did the Chicken cross the road?' Figuring of course, if I could answer that question, it may given me a clue as to why the coins cross the void. The answer given has always been simply, 'To get to the other side.' I never got a satisfactory answer to that question, nor have I for the coins. Therefore I have resigned myself to sitting back and enjoying the magic, the fact that they do for some strange reason indeed invisibly fly from left to right - just like this..." "What you have witnessed is magic. Magic that has no logical explanation. It is funny how magic works these ways - often there is no way to explain or understand, it just "happens". Now I have given up on question, I will work on the ever pressing question - 'What came first the chicken or the egg?" |
|||||||||
Mike Wild Inner circle NY, PA, TX, MA, FL, NC 1290 Posts |
This is a great thread... Very appropriate timing I would say (and I just did!).
I find both Larry's and Dan's take on this to be fascinating. The elemental tranference / Quantum therory makes the routine interesting, while the, "it's magic... it just happens..." premise serves to keep things on a mysterious level, avoiding a scientific explanation of the proceedings. When I do my version of "coins across lite", as a part of larger routine, my explanation for the coins vanishing from here, and appearing over there goes something like, "... and as I mentioned before, these coins are magical all by themselves. In other words they don't need me in order to do strange and wonderful things. Sometimes I just sit back, relax, and watch them go.... jsut like that! Did you see that?...". My style closely resembles Dan's, "it happens because it does" concept. However, I'm looking to broaden my scopes a bit, so a cursory reread of "The Universe in a Nutshell" may be in order. Best, Mike |
|||||||||
phread Elite user md 486 Posts |
I use Irish 2p coins to represent 4 lads at pub who are hauled in for sedition charges-left hand- only to escape-right hand...using an Irish accent (such as it is!).
Deckless Wonder
|
|||||||||
dogwood86 Regular user Vancouver 124 Posts |
Thanks for the posts guys,
Actually Dan, since you mentioned it, I actually perform a silk to egg on the premise of a silk to end, however I have yet to find a good tag line ending. I perform mainly as Mike and Dan do, though I enjoy performing tongue in cheek pseudo explanations as well. Nathan |
|||||||||
Close.Up.Dave Inner circle Behind you! 2956 Posts |
I like Scott Guinn's patter where he talks about sending money with Western Union that has a great ending.
|
|||||||||
Randy Sager Elite user 409 Posts |
I know a lot are going to disagree with me here but oh well!!!!!!
Not everything has to have a reason. The spectators don't have to have a reason to be able understand what is going on. Some of the reasons (story) magicians give to some effects are more then terrible. Some make something that would have been fine to just do it and not add anything more then a description of what is going to happen,into something boring long drawn out and no one cares what the outcome of the effect is before when it is over with. Some say it gives meaning to the effect. Not always as I said most of the time some of these stories sound so stupid a two year old would not even like it. There are effects that do need something extra and others that don't. Coins across can be a very stunning effect with out much talk at all. It just happens and the spectators are stunned. Do you really need more than that? |
|||||||||
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Re:
Quote:
Some of the reasons (story) magicians give to some effects are more then terrible. We probably agree that some of us are better at sleights than storytelling. And that some ideas for presentations will need more work and refinement than others. On a related note, what do you see as operating that allows the audience to be stunned? I.E. why are they watching and what keeps their interest in the performance? The story idea is one method of engaging the imagination of the audience. What do you have in mind?
...to all the coins I've dropped here
|
|||||||||
Randy Sager Elite user 409 Posts |
OK I just came back to edit some of my post but it is too late and can't do that now.
After posting it and thinking about it I realized the first part came out very snotty. I am sorry about that. I hope I did not offend too many out there. Of course just offending one is too many. As I said I feel that you do not "need" a reason for everything. But if you do, just be careful that you don't make it sound too unnatural and something that could not really be no matter how you look at it. A very good example of a magician who at times used no more then the most descriptive script at times was Michael Skinner. Sure he did effects like Twins that had a story but, even the ones where he just basically said watch this etc. He had the strongest effect possible just with that. OK I am going to go now before I get myself into more trouble then I am sure I already have. I must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. |
|||||||||
Mike Wild Inner circle NY, PA, TX, MA, FL, NC 1290 Posts |
I think some magic stands on it's own, and could be performed silently, and the spectators would still gasp at "all the right times". But the greater majority of routines and effects need something to keep the audience attention and focus. They can't follow you down the trail if they can't find the trail, or if they lose it half-way through.
Most importantly, an effect needs to make sense. If it doesn't, neither great stories nor great technique will not prevent it from bombing. If you simply describe what is happening as it happens, something that is presumably obvious to anyone who is watching, you can easily fall into the trap of doing magic for magic's sake. You have no idea if the effect makes sense or not, because you become a news reporter, not judging it's quality, but merely observing and reporting back what you see. Mike |
|||||||||
Randy Sager Elite user 409 Posts |
True, some things do need something more. but again if you watch the Michael Skinner performance videos put out by Houdini's you will see what I am talking about.
Mike knew there did not have to be a reason for everything. Another was Slydini. True his presentaion with something like coins thru table was more of a challenge approach. "You know why you don't see? Because you don't watch etc.." But again a very simple direct approach no fluff chest beating etc.... |
|||||||||
Mike Wild Inner circle NY, PA, TX, MA, FL, NC 1290 Posts |
I was just watching my Slydini tapes yesterday, and I'm convinced that his challenges of "You don't watch... you have to watch... If you don't see this time, that is bad... Don't tell me, I see it in your eyes... You see, nothing happened...", combined with his broken use of the English language, his absolute mastery of sleight of hand and of his audience, and his overwhelming personality were the "trail" that he wanted the spectators to follow. No one questioned him, and everyone knew something unbelievable was about to happen, something that needed little, if any explanation. His personality was truly unique and impossible to recreate... you have to be Slydini to pull off a personality like Slydini's.
My point here, aside from expressing my deep respect and admiration for Tony Slidini, is that, in my opinion, he didn't just sit there and perform silently, neither did he sit there and report on the obvious, he created a vacuum where only the spectator and he existed, and that WAS his "story". Best, Mike |
|||||||||
Randy Sager Elite user 409 Posts |
Exactly right.
Both Slydini and Skinner did things like that. This just shows that there is no reason to have a story (reason whatever) to every effect. Just doing it at times is the story. No need to say any more or any less at times. Okay, we have gotten way off topic so I guess this should stop. |
|||||||||
Mike Wild Inner circle NY, PA, TX, MA, FL, NC 1290 Posts |
Yeah, but not too far off topic
It just goes to show that it really is all in the presentation, whatever that may consist of. Best, Mike |
|||||||||
Randy Sager Elite user 409 Posts |
For those of you who maybe interested I know in the Ron Bauer series of booklets he has a routine for the Gadabout coins which some of you may find interesting.
I liked it but the story doesn't really fit me. yes I do use stories at times as well. But not too often. |
|||||||||
harris Inner circle Harris Deutsch 8812 Posts |
Most of my work/stories have to do with decisions/choices and actions.
Depending on the routine they could be based on... Negative outcomes of choices and the coins/person ends up in 1. Jails 2. Mental Health Institutions 3. Dead/Cemetery. I have a picture in my power point presentation of a billboard. The caption is Drive Safely. We have two cemeteries, no hospitals. Positive outcomes 1.Choosing/Going to a different peer group 2.Finding new places, hobbies and "playgrounds". I have played around with an idea gotten from this forum. The coins don't disappear and go to the other hand/table/hat... They are "taken" by another magician in another country, time period, dimension and used in his/her routine and then brought back. The book "A Wrinkle in Time" has a great premise called Terasacting(sic?) In simple terms instead of going from one edge of a paper to the other, terasacting allows you to fold the paper and bring the edges close together allowing for quick travel. When Matrix the Movie first came out, I used a small telephone magnet as a magic "wand/sound". I have also used a Mega Mouth Sound Generator as the magic sound. One of the sounds is Boing Boing, like a spring. I use it to motivate the travel either across/or through the table. Visually it is used with the Buckley Muscle Pass. Thanks for the food for thought. Happy Masticating. (That is chewing by the way) Harris Deutsch Laughologist
Harris Deutsch aka dr laugh
drlaugh4u@gmail.com music, magic and marvelous toys http://magician.org/member/drlaugh4u |
|||||||||
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Options are what we are looking for here. Could it make sense to do a kind of travelers effect where each of the coins takes a different path to seek its own destination?
...to all the coins I've dropped here
|
|||||||||
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Nothing up my sleeve... » » Why did the coins go across? (29 Likes) | ||||||||||
Go to page 1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8 [Next] |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.03 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |