Give em The Business (PDF) by Cameron Francis $12.00
6 pages
Available at: http://www.cameronfrancismagic.com/Give ... siness.php
Cameron Franciss latest offering features five business card effects. The PDF contains links to performance and instructional videos of the material. You can watch the mp4 videos online or download them to your computer.
These home-made videos were recorded with a single, static camera trained on Mr. Franciss hands. His performances are adequate and he does a good job of teaching the material. He dutifully provides appropriate credits.
During one performance, while executing a secret technique, Mr. Francis moves his hands out of the frame. Out of the room. Out of the county. Could this unfortunate moment reflect Mr. Franciss low confidence about skillfully executing the technique? Hmm?
Following the links is Liam Montiers text description of his version of one of the effects. Mr. Montier writes well and does a good job of teaching his rendition.
Another Merger: The performer displays the blank backs of four of his business cards. He writes his initials on the inner, short end of the top card. He slides back the top card and the participant writes her initials on the exposed short end of the second card from the top.
The performer removes the bottom two cards and places them on top of the initialed cards, leaving the initialed portions out-jogged and in-jogged.
Using a paper punch, he punches a hole in the corner of his card and a hole in the corner of the participants card. He pushes their cards flush with the other cards.
The performer displays the cards and the participant sees three blank back cards and one card bearing both initials and both holes. The performer gives her the card.
To view a performance video of this effect, click on the link above and scroll down the page until you find it.
Apart from needing to replace the card you give away with another normal business card, the effect automatically resets itself.
While not as visual as some of these types of effects, there is something appealing about causing the initials and holes to merge under cover of darkness.
I like it.
Between: The performer writes predictions on the backs of two of his business cards and tables them face-up. A participant selects a card, say the Five of Hearts, and signs its face. The performer loses it in the deck and holds the deck face-up.
The participant turns over one of the cards and sees that the performer wrote 6H on its back. She says that isnt her card, but she states that she chose a Heart of lower value than a Six. The performer places the 6H card onto the face of the deck.
The participant turns over the other card and it has 4H written on its back. The performer takes the 6H card into his hand and tables the deck. The participant states that her card is higher than a Four.
The performer places one card on top of the other and holds them slightly spread. He wiggles the cards and a folded playing card pops out from between them. The participant unfolds the card and it is her signed selection.
I dig the effect but not the method. After the performer loses the participants card in the deck, he has no presentational motivation for holding the deck in his hand. Then he places the business card onto the deck for no reason whatsoever.
It requires little imagination to tweak the authors handling and eliminate the dreaded deck dodge. But I must review the effect as written.
I dont like it.
This One!: The performer holds a stack of business cards in his hand. He counts down, Ten, nine, eight as he deals one card for each number into a pile. The participant stops him on say, five. The performer deals four more cards onto the tabled pile and deals the fifth card off to the side. He places the cards in his hand on top of the pile and picks up the pile.
The performer repeats the countdown procedure, asking the participant to stop him on a different number. She stops him at seven. He drops his in-hand cards onto the pile and picks up the pile. He deals six cards into a pile and deals the seventh card off to the side. He drops the remaining cards onto the pile and picks up the pile.
The performer turns over each of his cards to show that they all have blank backs. He turns over one of the selected cards. On its back is written, This one. He turns over the other selected card. On its back is written, And this one. She can keep the cards.
Mr. Francis employs Terry LaGeroulds Countdown technique. I like this selection procedure on an intellectual level, but I would never consider using it in an actual performance. Its a contrived and circuitous method, the likes of which lay folk have never seen.
I dont like it.
Coin In I.D.: The performer holds a penny, a nickel and a quarter in his hand. He removes his laminated business card from his pocket and displays it. He places the coins on the back of the card.
A participant eliminates two coins, leaving the quarter sitting on the card. The performer rubs the quarter and reveals that it is now sealed inside the lamination. The performer gives her the card.
This is a visually startling effect.
I like it.
Visto Printo: The performer displays the blank backs of four business cards. A participant signs the back of one of the cards. The performer inserts the face-up card into the face-up packet.
He shakes the packet and turns the top card face-down onto the packet. The participants card has risen to the top of the packet. He turns her card face-up onto the packet.
He removes the top card and uses it to turn the second card from the top face-down, revealing the participants card at that position. He turns the card face-up onto the packet.
The performer removes the top two cards and uses them to turn the third card from the top face-down, revealing the participants card at that position. He turns the card face-up onto the packet.
He removes the top three cards and uses them to turn the bottom card of the packet face-down, revealing the participants card. He flips the card face-up and squares the packet.
The performer turns the top card face-down and displays the participants card. He turns it face-up onto the packet. He removes the card and taps its short edge on the table. He displays the cards back and all of the ink from the participants signature has settled to the bottom of the card in a squiggly puddle. He tables the card face-down.
The performer turns the top card of the packet face-down, displaying the participants card. He turns it face-up onto the packet. He removes the card and twirls it between his finger and thumb. He displays the cards back and the ink has transformed into a spiral. He tables the card face-down.
The performer turns the top card of the packet face-down, displaying the participants card. He turns the two cards over, displaying the participants card on the bottom as well. He shakes the cards and shows spattered ink on the backs of both cards. He tables one of the cards face-down.
The performer holds the final card with its back toward him. He uses his fingers to manipulate the spattered ink. He turns the card around to reveal the participants original signature. If she insists, the participant can keep all of the cards.
This is an amusing, magic-packed effect.
I like it.
Visto Printo (Liam Montier): Mr. Montiers version uses five cards. The participant signs a card, which is replaced in the packet. The performer reveals that each card now bears the participants signature. He tables the cards in a face-up row.
The performer turns over four of the cards one at a time, displaying the participants signature, the ink puddle, the spiral and the spattered card.
He holds the final card with its back toward him. He uses his fingers to manipulate the ink. He turns the card around to reveal his signature.
I like it.
Give em The Business contains effects that will put a bewildered smile on lay folks faces and your business card in their hands. Give Cameron Francis your business.
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