How to transition between tricks

Discuss your favorite close-up tricks and methods.
Guest

How to transition between tricks

Postby Guest » September 4th, 2001, 10:58 pm

You guys have been a GIANT help on my torn and restored problem... I am working on it as we speak, I will let you know how it turns out. Anyway, I am now very capable of several good effects, but i have trouble going from one to the other. Once again any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Even a book or video that covers this topic would help. I feel as if I have 5 packet tricks and I get one out do an effect - put it away get another one out...and so on you get the idea ( I am really not that bad I just want to become the best that I can)!

Guest

Re: How to transition between tricks

Postby Guest » September 5th, 2001, 7:12 am

Kaufman and Company relased a book by Darwin Ortiz called "Strong Magic". I think the book will help you alot. It can help strengthen the routines you are currently using and it may also give you an idea of what you want to accomplish as a magician and what you need to do get there.

This is one of my favorite books ever written for the magician.

Bill Duncan
Posts: 1639
Joined: March 13th, 2008, 11:33 pm

Re: How to transition between tricks

Postby Bill Duncan » September 5th, 2001, 4:29 pm

Originally posted by steiner1000:
...I am now very capable of several good effects, but i have trouble going from one to the other.
...I feel as if I have 5 packet tricks and I get one out do an effect - put it away get another one out...
...help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

One thing you might find helpful is to put away the packet tricks and concentrate on effects that use a deck. If you purchase books you'll find a much higher ratio of magic to dollar and it's much easier to routine effects when you don't have to keep switching props. :) Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear.

You might find that you can put the packet tricks into the deck and build your routine from there. Begin with a deck and work down to a packet or two. Or do the reverse: I always thought I'd like to build a routine that consisted of packet tricks removed from a deck and ending with Paul Harris's Solid Deception where the entire (in this case remaining) deck turns into a solid block. Perhaps you can do that and let me know what you've come up with? ;)

Most of us learn best from examples so here's an example routine that is themed to the presentation of one effect that I used to do all the time: "Too Many Cards". I found the effect in the Complete Works of Derek Dingle . You don't need to learn this effect to understand the concept.

Start by having a card selected (you gotta... Union Rules) and perform a location that is perplexing enough to cause them to scratch their heads. This should be a cerebral type of effect rather than a flashy one because you'll play off of the puzzling nature of the effect in a moment. You could even do Haunted pack, Rising card or anything that doesn't look like masterful slight of hand. The theme is that card tricks are mysterious not that you're a clever manipulator. Pick any such effect you like as long as it doesn't require counting and dealing...

After the first location "loose" the card by shuffling it back into the deck and produce it a second way (spelling is good because you know it's name now...) If you cut it into the deck, overhand shuffle one card for each letter of it's name on top of it and false cut and you'll be set.

After the spelling say "Perhaps this is too confusing because of all the cards." and perform Dingle's "Too Many Cards". Basically, you remove five cards (ace through five of clubs for example) and do an Ambitious sequence removing one card at a time because you have "too many cards" until at the end you have only one card which transforms into the selected card from the previous tricks.

Three is a nice number to use for routines because you have a clearly defined beginning, middle and end. Choose a strong trick to open, a longer but perhaps more intellectually stimulating effect for the middle and a kicker of some sort for the end. The kicker can be a funny climax that you're sure will get a big laugh, a devastating fooler that leaves them gasping, or as in the example above you can bring the entire routine to a logical close by returning to the beginning and the originally selected card. For this reason, in this routine, you don't want to have two people select cards. It is thematically important that only one selected card exist so that when it reappears the ending isn't muddled by thoughts of which person selected the card. The interaction is between you and the person who selected the card originally. That person represents the audience. If you have multiple cards selected it lessens the impact of the reappearance.

If you find a trick you like and have a good script for (like the Dingle effect above) you can look for other material to frame and support it. You may find that this method causes you to create your own tricks to enhance the effect you're presenting and that will add to your enjoyment in the performance.

Or...
When working with small packets you can often find effects using the same set or cards or some cards in common:
  • Four ace production (spectator cuts the aces)
  • Dr. Daley's last trick (red and black aces change places)
  • Vernon's Twisting The Aces (aces turn face up one at a time)
  • Produce the four jacks, which leaves you with the cards for...
  • Paul Harris' Reset
  • and on and on and...
Better to find a presentational theme you like and find tricks to fit it.

Hope this helps,
bill

[ September 05, 2001: Message edited by: Bill Duncan ]

Tom Dobrowolski
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Re: How to transition between tricks

Postby Tom Dobrowolski » September 5th, 2001, 5:17 pm

No one performer can tell another what specific effects or sequence of effects will work for another.

The Don Alan video from Stevens and the Tom Mullica performance tape from the Tom Foolery are invaluable tools for you. You get to see 2 successful performers actually performing an act. Also WATCH other performers live and on TV good bad or indifferent at every opportunity. Observe what they do and see if you can learn what seems to work , what doesn't and why. Then get out there and perform.
No matter how much you prepare and study you need to get out there and actually see what works for YOU. Once you begin you can make adjustments accordingly (you'll find in most cases you'll be making a lot of changes!!) and before you know it you'll be putting together an act. Good luck with it and HAVE FUN!!!

Ed Oschmann
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Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Lake Worth Florida

Re: How to transition between tricks

Postby Ed Oschmann » September 5th, 2001, 8:02 pm

I'll second Tom's suggestion. Great advice!

Guest

Re: How to transition between tricks

Postby Guest » September 5th, 2001, 10:27 pm

Thanks... you guys are great :)
I wish I had found this forum earlier, I just got out of college and have my first interview with Friday's (the steak house) as a strolling walk around magician, then I have to perform a routine for the manager in 3 weeks... you guys have made it a lot easier, best wishes to all.

Chad Stein

Jeff Haas
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Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: San Mateo, CA

Re: How to transition between tricks

Postby Jeff Haas » September 7th, 2001, 3:33 am

Don't forget Doc Eason's tapes, shot live at the bar. They show three different sets with real spectators, as well as how Doc picks a set of material that builds.


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