What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

All beginners in magic should address their questions here.
Guest

What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

Postby Guest » May 23rd, 2007, 6:49 am

Suppose, early into a card trick, you realize (the spectator does not), that your force or control just didn't work out at all. What is a good out? Just mumble something and start some other card effect? I would love to have some outs for this because it would really help me to get off the ground on doing card work if I had some outs for this likely type of situation.

Guest

Re: What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

Postby Guest » May 23rd, 2007, 7:25 am

What I do is this, if I lose a controlled card:

Say, "You did sign it, didn't you? No!? In that case, take it out the deck and sign it. Thanks!" You now have a second chance to control it.

No pen? Say, "You did show your friends the card, didn't you? In that case, take it out the deck and show 'em. Thanks!" As before, you now have a second chance to control it...

Paul Gordon

Guest

Re: What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

Postby Guest » May 23rd, 2007, 7:37 am

Or:

Say, "You are not concentrating enough on the card, are you? In that case, take it out the deck and stare at it for 3 seconds. Thanks!" As before, you now have a second chance to control it...

Paul Gordon

Guest

Re: What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

Postby Guest » May 23rd, 2007, 8:02 am

Depending on your personality and performing character you could use comedy to cover this. If you have lost a card you could use two extra jokers or any other cards like two red aces and openly do the gag about having their card appear between. I usually will keep the jokers with my deck between the wrapper and the card box as they come in handy sometimes. What you do is put one card on top and one on bottom trapping not only their card, but the whole deck! A groan of comedy. Now there are some tricks, like Waltons Smiling Mule, which use this to neat effect if you want to learn that, but may not be the best way to recover in this instance. You could then just laugh it off and ask for their card, then go into something else with it that uses a single card as a start. You could also just say you were kidding and that now youll show them something extra mysterious and perform a totally new effect. If you go to use the aces and they had happened to pick one of those aces then maybe have a line about not being too bad, you narrowed it to two cards. Then come back with a killer effect that really wows them.

There are lots of controls and forces that may be easier in the beginning while you gain experience and comfort. Card College has some good ones to learn. One of the volumes also has a section on outs if Im remembering correctly but I cant look it up at this time.

Guest

Re: What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

Postby Guest » May 23rd, 2007, 8:13 am

Steven Youell handles this problem and discusses it at length in his Weapons of Mass Destruction lecture notes. If you can find them, its worth it.

What he basically does is always glimpse the selected card. That way, he will always have an out if he loses control of the card.

Once you know the identity of the selection, its simple enough to come up with presentations of your own to conclude the trick.

I guess you could also always force a card.

...or, finish by using an invisible deck. I read this idea in genii somewhere.

I think these ideas should keep you covered.

Guest

Re: What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

Postby Guest » May 23rd, 2007, 8:27 am

The Youell notes are in stock at H & R. Here's a link: Weapons of Mass Destruction by Steven Youell

Guest

Re: What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

Postby Guest » May 23rd, 2007, 9:12 am

I think it was Giobbi who suggested you can launch into Vernon's Emotional Reaction if you lose control of a card.

Youell's notes, by the way, are among the most interesting and useful information I've read about card magic.

Guest

Re: What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

Postby Guest » May 23rd, 2007, 9:31 am

The invisible deck idea Rage1 mentions above is always a great out. Spectators will be amazed and will never be the wiser that it was an "out". Easy to always carry with you as well.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

Postby Gerald Deutsch » May 23rd, 2007, 10:05 am

Pull out any card with the face to yourself and ask for the name of the selected card. When the spectator tells you say, "Correct". Put the card back in the deck without showing it and shuffle the deck.

Then say, "I'm not kidding. Look." Go through the deck and find the named selected card and show it.

Guest

Re: What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

Postby Guest » June 23rd, 2007, 3:37 pm

There was a fellow at the Magic Castle a long time ago, who used that out. He missed it a couple of times, though. He's the same guy who ran the line for his ring flight across the front of his shirt. The ring disappeared, travelled across his shirt (visibly) and landed in his key case.

If you miss a card, try Sepukku. I think it's in one of Max's books.

Guest

Re: What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

Postby Guest » June 23rd, 2007, 5:15 pm

Incredibly, Rage1 and Mr. Gastreich BOTH predicted what I was going to say: Years ago Jason Randal taught us to always carry an Invisible Deck ""in your back-pocket" for emergencies.

In another recent thread, someone wise mentioned what a quick, impactful opener is the "I.D.", and I agree--but personally, I have almost always kept it in reserve for use as an out.
It is comforting to me knowing I have a such a powerful safety-net. It has proven to be seriously-handy at times over the years! --though I NEVER mess up tricks!! :D

Guest

Re: What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

Postby Guest » June 23rd, 2007, 9:09 pm

Even easier than an ID is an Heirloom wallet. You got to have a wallet, right? Just makes one less thing to carry around.

///ark

Andrew Martin Portala
Posts: 324
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Toledo,Ohio
Contact:

Re: What is the best out if you know you have messed things up?

Postby Andrew Martin Portala » June 24th, 2007, 5:33 am

52 on 1 gag card.
Or
have a himber wallet and inside is a card with "your card" written on it. Show the wallet empty and then produce the card.


Return to “General”