Marc DeSouza Snap Change

[JR Russell]

I was watching Daryl's Card Revelation DVD and saw him do a snap change and then he did a change that he credited to Marc DeSouza and it looked great. I have tried recreating it but I was curious if it was in print anywhere.

[Bill Mullins]

It was originally published in Steve Beam's "Trapdoor" magazine; don't know the
issue # offhand . . .

Bill Mullins

[Sean Piper]

I think you'll find it is called 'Shapeshifter'. (Although don't quote me on that!)

[Adam Brooks]

I'd like to make a note on DeSouza's change.

It is not DeSouza's change.

While I was at MagiFest, Oscar Muoz showed us his invention, the Pirouette change, basically, Shapeshifter done away from the deck and one-handed. Apparently, Oscar showed this to Mark, and Mark liked it so much that he moved it to the deck, and then published it in Trapdoor.

The move should be offically credited to Oscar Muoz, as moving the change onto the deck is not grounds for a "different" change.

My two pesos,

Adam

[Guest]

I think this post sheds an unfair light on Marc. In addition, the two-handed action of the change makes it quite different from a one-handed version.
More importantly, both changes appear in the same issue of trapdoor. So there is no way Marc could have been trying to claim anything other than the differences between the two moves, which were obviously thought to be different enough by Steve Beam to be included.

Aaron Shields

[JR Russell]

Which issue of Trapdoor should I look for and how can I get one!

[Guest]

JR if you want the change, you're better off getting it through Marc's lecture notes. The issue of the trapdoor, to the best of my knowledge, is out of print.

Aaron

[Brad Jeffers]

If you want to view a performance of DeSouza's "shapeshifter" click on here http://www-personal.umich.edu/~greglee/clips.htm While you are there, check out the clip titled Snap change by Brian Holmes. It looks like real magic! Very cool!

[fkaps1]

Hi All,

In response to Adam Brooks' posting, The Shapeshifter Change is indeed my change and The Pirouette Change is Oscar's. They are different moves. Mine would never have been created if not for Oscar's move, but they are different. Here's the story:

I met Oscar while I was doing a lecture tour in Texas a number of years ago. Oscar showed me his move and I was very enthusistic about it. I loved the concept, but discussed with him the problems inherent in it...getting into it, getting out of it, and drawing focus away from the actual method. Within a few weeks I worked out Shapeshifter. A few months later I showed it to Steve Beam who insisted it be on the cover of the next issue of Trapdoor. I agreed, provided he also print Oscar's version in the same issue, which he did. This was done with Oscar's enthusiastic permission.

I have always acknowledged Oscar's creation and talk about it whenever I teach Shapeshifter. They are different moves. If you see them side by side you will understand this. The only relationship is the 'motivating force' which causes the change to happen. In Oscar's version, it's a little tough getting in and out of it, but more importantly the attention is focused on an isolated card. This makes the method difficult to disguise.

In Shapeshifter, the position of the card helps disguise the true method. By having both hands in play and the card close to the deck, the overall effect is much more magical and the method less transparent.

By the way, the move appears in my new book, DeSouza's DeCeptions. It was written by David Acer and is being published by Camirand Academy of Magic. Should be out the end of February.

So, there's my two cents worth.

Marc DeSouza

[Adam Brooks]

"...and now I [you] know the rest of the story."

Thanks for clearing things up for me, Mark.

Adam

[Matthew Field]

I'm rally looking forward to Marc's book. He's a very clever magician, and a real nice guy as well.

Matt Field

[Steve Hook]

Just in case you're interested, you can contact Beam at:
sbeam@mindspring.com

His website: http://www.mindspring.com/~sbeam/home.html

He only sells a year's stock, not individual issues.

And by the way, check out the comments on Steve Pressley's book, ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES.

Steve H