Midnight Shift- Draun

Discuss your favorite close-up tricks and methods.
magicfish
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Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby magicfish » November 2nd, 2016, 11:04 pm

https://youtu.be/9SUkeAMDn6g

I learned this from Secrets Draun From Underground.
I'm very much open to critique from the author or from my fellows of the craft here.

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby Richard Kaufman » November 2nd, 2016, 11:11 pm

It looks very good. You might try holding the deck more loosely so it makes less noise.
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performer
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby performer » November 3rd, 2016, 5:27 am

Indeed. The noise jumped out at me too. And I don't even know what a midnight shift is and neither do I care. The turn of the hand may or may not be suspicious and unnatural but I am not sure since I have no idea what the sleight is supposed to do.

magicfish
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby magicfish » November 3rd, 2016, 12:31 pm

performer wrote:Indeed. The noise jumped out at me too. And I don't even know what a midnight shift is and neither do I care. The turn of the hand may or may not be suspicious and unnatural but I am not sure since I have no idea what the sleight is supposed to do.


Are you familiar with Steve Draun's work at all?

Bill Mullins
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby Bill Mullins » November 3rd, 2016, 1:01 pm

Mark never lets ignorance of a subject stop him from having an opinion about it. (I have tendencies myself that way).

magicfish
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby magicfish » November 3rd, 2016, 1:46 pm

Oh I see, Thankyou Bill.

performer
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby performer » November 3rd, 2016, 3:32 pm

Mullins old chap, I know possibly a thousand times more about magic than you ever will. Naturally as a result of that encyclopediac knowledge I am the expert on these matters and you aren't.

As for Steve Draun I have never heard of him. No doubt he was born after 1954. But then I don't have to have heard of him. I know perfectly well that a great card magician only requires about 5 moves at the very most and the Midnight Shift is not one of them. I have no idea why people shift at midnight anyway.

I have now figured out what the sleight is supposed to do. The word "shift" has given me a clue although it seems a bit limited if you can only do it at midnight. Still, impractical sleights and tricks seem to be the norm nowadays and I would not want to disturb anyone's little hobby. Since I assume the move is some kind of pass I have revised my opinion of what seemed to be an unnatural move when the wrist turns. However, I will not revise my opinion about the noise which is indeed bloody awful. I do the normal pass and you can't hear a thing. I have no idea why you have to do some kind of midnight thing anyway when the regular pass is perfectly adequate. As are the myriad other easier ways of controlling a card of which I know several thousand. I can do them at any time of day though and I don't have to wait until midnight.

magicfish
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby magicfish » November 4th, 2016, 9:19 pm

A couple of things, not to be rude, but to enlighten.
1.Steve Draun was born in 1941. He has been delighting people with sleight of hand magic for a very long time. Im not surprised you don't know him, unfortunately you are not alone. Many of the younger guys aren't. Again, no offense, but I strongly advise a study of the true masters.

2. Sleight of hand magic is far from his "little hobby" . Steve Draun is a master closeup magician and I can assure you he thinks very deeply about it and is passionate about it. I won't go into his biography here, suffice it to say he has learned from some legends.

3. His sleights are far from impractical. His work is some of the most practical you'll find.

4. His magic is available to us from a wonderful book by Richard Kaufman called Secrets Draun From Underground. I consider Mr. Kaufman to be one of magics greatest authors and contributors to the art of magic and I dont think he would endevour to publish the work of someone with an impractical little hobby.

Just my thoughts.
I didnt expect this type of hostility and condescension but Im going to have faith and assume this isnt representative of Genii as a whole. I have a great respect for the history of Genii from its legendary links to the Castle, its Illustrious list of affiliates and contributors.
I didn't know Bill Larsen Sr. but I like to think he would've encouraged the fellowship his son helped pioneer and that Richard Kaufman continues to nurture.
Sorry for bothering you with my clip.
Last edited by magicfish on November 4th, 2016, 9:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.

magicfish
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby magicfish » November 4th, 2016, 9:30 pm

To Richard, thankyou for your advice. In performance there would be no smartphone microphone and the ambient noise would be above dead silent, but I "hear" your point and am working to soften my grip. Thankyou sir.
(also the hands stay within frame which I believe you taught they shouldn't...man I hate video lol)
Thanks again Richard.

performer
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby performer » November 4th, 2016, 10:58 pm

magicfish wrote:A couple of things, not to be rude, but to enlighten.
1.Steve Draun was born in 1941. He has been delighting people with sleight of hand magic for a very long time. Im not surprised you don't know him, unfortunately you are not alone. Many of the younger guys aren't. Again, no offense, but I strongly advise a study of the true masters.

BUT I DO STUDY THE TRUE MASTERS. I WATCH MYSELF ON VIDEO CONSTANTLY AND LOOK IN THE MIRROR EVERY DAY WITH GREAT ADMIRATION.

2. Sleight of hand magic is far from his "little hobby" . Steve Draun is a master closeup magician and I can assure you he thinks very deeply about it and is passionate about it. I won't go into his biography here, suffice it to say he has learned from some legends.

JOLLY GOOD. I AM PLEASED FOR THE CHAP AND IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT I HAVE NOT PASSED JUDGEMENT ON HIM OR UTTERED ANY CRITICAL REMARKS. ALL I SAID WAS THAT I HAD NOT HEARD OF HIM. HOWEVER I CANNOT SAY I AM IMPRESSED WHEN YOU SAY HE HAS LEARNED FROM LEGENDS SINCE I DO NOT RECALL EVER MEETING HIM OR TEACHING HIM ANYTHING. BESIDES I HAVE OFTEN COME ACROSS PEOPLE WHO ARE ALLEGED TO BE LEGENDS WHO ARE MEDIOCRE. IN FACT I FIND THIS THE RULE RATHER THAN THE EXCEPTION.

3. His sleights are far from impractical. His work is some of the most practical you'll find.

IF YOU SAY SO OLD CHAP. HOWEVER I SHALL HAVE TO SEE FOR MYSELF. HOPEFULLY THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT IS ONLY AN ABERRATION OF SOME KIND. I HAVE NEVER QUITE FIGURED OUT WHY A MAGICIAN SHOULD DO A DIFFICULT SLEIGHT WHEN EASIER ONES ARE AVAILABLE BUT EACH TO HIS OWN.

4. His magic is available to us from a wonderful book by Richard Kaufman called Secrets Draun From Underground. I consider Mr. Kaufman to be one of magics greatest authors and contributors to the art of magic and I dont think he would endevour to publish the work of someone with an impractical little hobby.

INDEED. AS A PROFESSIONAL WRITER I BET HE KNOWS HOW TO SPELL "ENDEAVOR". AS A MATTER OF FACT I AM STUDYING HIS BERGLAS BOOK AT THE MOMENT. IT MAY WELL BE HIS GREATEST WORK. I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE QUITE YOUR THING THOUGH. SLEIGHT OF MIND RATHER THAN SLEIGHT OF HAND.

Just my thoughts.
I didnt expect this type of hostility and condescension but Im going to have faith and assume this isnt representative of Genii as a whole. I have a great respect for the history of Genii from its legendary links to the Castle, its Illustrious list of affiliates and contributors.
I didn't know Bill Larsen Sr. but I like to think he would've encouraged the fellowship his son helped pioneer and that Richard Kaufman continues to nurture.
Sorry for bothering you with my clip.


NO HOSTILITY FROM ME OLD CHAP. I MERELY AGREED WITH RICHARD ABOUT THE NOISE FACTOR AND I WONDERED ABOUT THE UNNATURAL TURN OF THE WRIST. HOWEVER IN THE FAIRNESS AND OBJECTIVITY FOR WHICH I AM NOTED I REAPPRAISED MY OPINION ABOUT THE WRIST TURN AND HEREWITH GIVE YOU MY PERMISSION TO CONTINUE USING IT. YOU REALLY MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE NOISE THOUGH. SINCE YOU ARE HOLDING A BREAK ANYWAY (OR AT LEAST I THINK YOU ARE) THEN WHY NOT CUT THE PACK AND DO A RIFFLE SHUFFLE WHERE YOU CUT AND BE DONE WITH IT? NO POINT EXERTING YOURSELF WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

AS FOR "FELLOWSHIP" AMONG MAGICIANS I MUST CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR SENSE OF HUMOUR. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO ON THE MAGIC CAFE EVERY DAY AND SEE THE LACK OF FELLOWSHIP THEREIN. ODDLY ENOUGH THE ONE I SEE PICKING FIGHTS MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE ON THERE IS A CHAP WITH THE SAME USER NAME AS YOU. NO DOUBT AN ODD COINCIDENCE.

OH AND AS FOR BILL LARSEN SENIOR, IN MY CAPACITY AS A PSYCHIC REVEREND I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH HIM IN THE SPIRIT WORLD AND HE INFORMS ME HE DOESN'T MIND A BIT SO YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT THERE ANYWAY.

performer
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby performer » November 4th, 2016, 11:12 pm

I have now had the opportunity of watching Steve Draun on video. He is not too bad. At least I can now say I have officially heard of him.

magicfish
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby magicfish » November 4th, 2016, 11:20 pm

1. caps lock
2. endeavor was a typo
3. the Berglas book has been around a long while. I purchased it and began studying it when it was first published.
4. Why wouldnt it be my thing? Ive been performing Mentalism/ Mental magic for over 30 years. I quite enjoyed the book.
5. Have you read his earlier book?

magicfish
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby magicfish » November 4th, 2016, 11:34 pm

performer wrote:I have now had the opportunity of watching Steve Draun on video. He is not too bad. At least I can now say I have officially heard of him.

Glad I could help in that regard, performer.

performer
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby performer » November 4th, 2016, 11:35 pm

I know Berglas personally. I must say he is very privileged.

S. Draun
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby S. Draun » November 18th, 2016, 3:01 am

I am a little late to this thread, but I'd thought I'd add my 2 cents.
In Vernon's Twisting the Aces he use a twisting move to put the aces in position for his version of the Elmsley Count. From the audience point of view the twisting move makes the magic happen.
I use the Midnight Shift the same way. For example: using a double lift I do an ambitious card sequence turning the deck 180 degrees just like the Midnight Shift but no actual shift is necessary. "Some people don't think that turning the deck couldn't possibly make that signed card jump to the top, but that's how it works, I'll prove it with the card face up". I then do the Midnight Shift with the card face up for a very effective sequence.
The point is the action must be motivated in some way. "If I do this that happens". Otherwise Performer is right the move makes no sense.
Magicfish you do the move fine. I recently did a lecture for Penguin where I demoed the shift, if you have never seen me do it. However you got it down from the book.
Steve Draun
sdraun@att.net

magicfish
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby magicfish » November 20th, 2016, 12:37 pm

Thankyou so much for taking the time to post in this thread Mr. Draun. Thankyou for explaining the motivation for the move.
I am very glad you approve of my execution of your excellent pass. I will continue to hone it and polish it to do it justice.

Jim Martin
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Re: Midnight Shift- Draun

Postby Jim Martin » November 20th, 2016, 12:53 pm

Thanks for those insights, Steve. It is a lovely move to have in one's repertoire.
Jim Martin
St. Louis MO


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