Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Discuss your favorite close-up tricks and methods.
Jason Ladanye
Posts: 60
Joined: February 10th, 2018, 10:50 pm
Favorite Magician: Erdnase

Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Jason Ladanye » October 17th, 2018, 4:27 pm

Hey everybody! Here's one of the strongest effects in my act: https://youtu.be/fezEJY9sceg

I've been closing my act with this effect for about 5 years now. And, it's finally available in my new book Game Changer! By the way, the release of the new book is MUCH closer than you think. (The champagne is chilling in my fridge. That's how close we are.)

Leave a comment and let me know what you think of The Art of War!

Brad Henderson
Posts: 4546
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: austin, tx

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Brad Henderson » October 17th, 2018, 5:24 pm

you claim you couldn’t flip a coin 20 times in a row and it land heads each time.

it could.

you say you ‘don’t know what’s happening’ which is likely what the audience thinks, not because they are deceived, but because you neither do nor say anything to indicate how this ‘effect’ is occurring. As the spectator never shuffled the cards. and each of your shuffles is incredibly studied, one is left with the obvious conclusion that it’s a stacked deck.

Of course magicians are easily tipped to this by virtue of you saying you won’t take the time to divide the deck into exactly 26 before locking in your eyes and grip to do just that.

The effect is an inferior version of out of this world if you think about it - but without any real meaningful input of the audience member to dictate or control the randomness of the process.

instead what we have is something closer to a sam the bell hop where the story told is ‘hey you lost - again - and again - and again. - and again’

and your suggestion that you might be a world clas card cheat (or whatever it was you said) is belied by almost everything you do. I’m all for lying to an audience, but at least try to be believable

JustinM
Posts: 122
Joined: March 7th, 2014, 9:17 pm
Favorite Magician: Mike and 40.... The rest are dead!

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby JustinM » October 18th, 2018, 1:47 pm

What blew me away about this effect, is how you're able to transform into Darwin Ortiz...

Bob Farmer
Posts: 3308
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Short card above selection.

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Bob Farmer » October 18th, 2018, 3:19 pm

This is one of those unfortunate you're-an-idiot-I'm-not gambling effects. The impression can be changed and the effect would be much better if the spectator won every time--then it becomes a magical effect since somehow the spectator has acquired some sort of supernatural luck. Otherwise, it's not a magic effect since it's not impossible (which is the problem with most gambling routines--they are explainable as skill or luck).

Bob Farmer
Posts: 3308
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Short card above selection.

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Bob Farmer » October 18th, 2018, 5:07 pm

However, I like the effect of cut high card where the spectator always wins and the magician doesn't--I just don't care for Jason's method. As a thought experiment, I imagined a deck of 26 low cards and 26 high cards interleaved with long and short cards so when the spectator cuts it's always a high card--the magician takes the next card and it's low. Or there could be long, short and narrow cards so cutting on the end yields a low card and cutting on the side yields a high card.

Al Schneider
Posts: 230
Joined: July 8th, 2010, 8:55 pm

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Al Schneider » October 19th, 2018, 3:52 pm

Sorry, couldn't watch the whole clip. To much jibber jabber.
And, if this is your best, I certainly won't bother to watch your other material.
And, if you are doing so well as a professional magician, why are to talking to so many amateur magicians?
The single absolute truth is that we don't know.

Chris Aguilar
Posts: 2012
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Sacramento
Contact:

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Chris Aguilar » October 19th, 2018, 5:00 pm

I've enjoyed many of Jason's clips online (e.g his very nice take on Jennings Open Travelers) and own his first book). However, this particular presentation leaves me cold.

The presentation doesn't seem very compelling (at least not spread out over nearly 6 minutes) and the method seems a bit cozy (i.e. spectator never has any chance to ostensibly fully mix the cards, magician, though seated, insists on doing several very precise faro shuffles, etc.) The four of a kind ending makes no sense in terms of the through-line here (i.e. my card will always be higher than yours). It's seems like just a kicker for kickers sake.

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27054
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 19th, 2018, 9:20 pm

Bob Farmer wrote:However, I like the effect of cut high card where the spectator always wins and the magician doesn't--I just don't care for Jason's method. As a thought experiment, I imagined a deck of 26 low cards and 26 high cards interleaved with long and short cards so when the spectator cuts it's always a high card--the magician takes the next card and it's low. Or there could be long, short and narrow cards so cutting on the end yields a low card and cutting on the side yields a high card.


This type of high-cutting deck has been on the market since at least the early 1920s (which is the earliest one I have from SS Adams).
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

User avatar
Christopher1979
Posts: 571
Joined: January 23rd, 2017, 10:46 am
Favorite Magician: Ricky Jay, Dai Vernon, Darwin Ortiz, Ed Marlo
Location: Phoenix AZ
Contact:

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Christopher1979 » October 19th, 2018, 9:54 pm

I agree with Bob Farmer regarding the plot. Personally, i think there was far to many in-the-hand faro's. I am sure that the same effect could be achieved with less faro's and when a faro is preformed a table faro would be better especially seeing Jason was seated.
Auctions & Consignment for Historic Memorabilia and Collectibles
https://www.britannicauctions.com/magic-collectibles/

Bob Farmer
Posts: 3308
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Short card above selection.

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Bob Farmer » October 20th, 2018, 11:06 am

Stripper deck.

25 high cards and 27 low cards stripped and sections reversed. Any card from the high beats any card form the low (e.g., high is all royal flush cards plus four 9s to make 25 high cards.

Several spectators shuffle the deck. Magician shuffles and cuts a few times stripping out all low cards to the bottom then cuts the deck into two parts, high and low.

Using Equivoque, spectator gets low section. They each shuffle their sections.

No matter what card spectator cuts to, magician can cut to a higher card.

Call this "Stripped Down High Card."

Jackpot
Posts: 236
Joined: June 8th, 2016, 12:38 am
Location: Santa Rosa, CA

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Jackpot » October 20th, 2018, 11:58 am

Bob Farmer wrote:Call this "Stripped Down High Card."


Once again Mr. Farmer's free material disproves that old saw "You get what you pay for."
Not the one who created the Potter Index.

Jason Ladanye
Posts: 60
Joined: February 10th, 2018, 10:50 pm
Favorite Magician: Erdnase

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Jason Ladanye » October 20th, 2018, 12:14 pm

Bob Farmer wrote:Stripper deck.

25 high cards and 27 low cards stripped and sections reversed. Any card from the high beats any card form the low (e.g., high is all royal flush cards plus four 9s to make 25 high cards.

Several spectators shuffle the deck. Magician shuffles and cuts a few times stripping out all low cards to the bottom then cuts the deck into two parts, high and low.

Using Equivoque, spectator gets low section. They each shuffle their sections.

No matter what card spectator cuts to, magician can cut to a higher card.

Call this "Stripped Down High Card."


Hi Bob,

I had that idea as well at the beginning of this year after hanging out with my friend Ryan Plunkett. He had quite a bit of really nice stripper material to show me. I made the connection then to use strippers then but I realized there would still be a problem with the effect. There’s no progression. You just win every hand and there’s no strong ending. The idea of exchanging hands at the end and still winning with four Twos gives the effect a strong finish.

Bob Farmer
Posts: 3308
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Short card above selection.

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Bob Farmer » October 20th, 2018, 12:32 pm

Yes, the trick definitely needs a finale.

Here's an idea: after a cutting series where, say, the spectator always wins (my preference for reasons stated above--you've granted him luck with a magic word), the deck is assembled, shuffled and two poker hands are dealt out. The spectator gets a royal flush--and the expectation is that this is just one more win--but the magician shows his hand and it's a royal flush.

Method: regular deck. Top half is the high cards but stacked so that if two poker hands are dealt each hand will be a royal flush.

False Shuffle and Cut. Divide deck as above. Do the cutting sequence.

Reassemble the deck, with the stack on top. False Shuffle and Cut. Deal two poker hands. Hands are not revealed. Magician offers spectator a switch of hands. Spectator gets royal flush and apparently wins--magician shows his hand--it's a tie.

Jason Ladanye
Posts: 60
Joined: February 10th, 2018, 10:50 pm
Favorite Magician: Erdnase

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Jason Ladanye » October 20th, 2018, 1:30 pm

Correction: The idea of exchanging hands at the end and still winning when the spectator* has four Twos gives the effect a strong finish.

I responded before my morning coffee. My fault.

Bob Farmer
Posts: 3308
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Short card above selection.

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Bob Farmer » October 21st, 2018, 9:49 am

Here's another finale with the same theme, the spectator has been given a rabbit's foot and is now lucky beyond belief. After several cutting sequences where the spectator always wins, the deck is reassembled, shuffled and cut by the magician and then the magician deals two poker hands--but the spectator picks the cards--once again, the spectator wins.

On top of the high card packet you have ten cards: K, 10, 10, 10, Q, Q, Q, J,J,J. These are the cards for the Ten Card Deal.

After the cutting sequence, you suggest trying something more sophisticated, like poker. Reassemble the deck with the stack on top. False shuffle and cut. Deal the first card, the King, to yourself--that's the Jonah. Now let the spectator decide who gets the next card, etc.

skmayhew
Posts: 99
Joined: October 6th, 2008, 3:58 pm

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby skmayhew » October 22nd, 2018, 2:02 pm

There is a head to head high card cutting routine in my book. It uses a regular deck and can begin with a legitimate spectator shuffle.

Jason Ladanye
Posts: 60
Joined: February 10th, 2018, 10:50 pm
Favorite Magician: Erdnase

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Jason Ladanye » October 22nd, 2018, 2:18 pm

But does it have a poker deal?

performer
Posts: 3508
Joined: August 7th, 2015, 10:35 pm

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby performer » October 22nd, 2018, 3:20 pm

Al Schneider wrote:Sorry, couldn't watch the whole clip. To much jibber jabber.
And, if this is your best, I certainly won't bother to watch your other material.
And, if you are doing so well as a professional magician, why are to talking to so many amateur magicians?


I shall look at the clip later and render my verdict on the matter and naturally my superior opinion should be taken as gospel. In the meantime however I am delighted that Al has adopted my use of the phrase "jibber jabber". Since Al does not think that entertainment is essential in magic I really must advise Jason to be as boring as possible. I do know there are plenty of role models he can emulate.

performer
Posts: 3508
Joined: August 7th, 2015, 10:35 pm

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby performer » October 22nd, 2018, 3:24 pm

I just watched one minute and 26 seconds. Too much jibber jabber.

performer
Posts: 3508
Joined: August 7th, 2015, 10:35 pm

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby performer » October 22nd, 2018, 10:16 pm

I watched three minutes of it. I tried to like it but couldn't manage it. i wanted badly to disagree with Al Schneider but alas I couldn't. It is too long and too convoluted for my short attention span. I wanted to watch more than three minutes of it but to be frank I got bored with the whole thing. I would have gone insane with the tedium of it all if I had to watch the entire 6 minutes. In fact I am not 100% sure what the effect is although I suppose I do have a good idea. However, I am not a layman so their reaction might be different. I bet it isn't though. I am quite frankly puzzled that Jason uses this as a closer. Closers are usually the strongest trick so either he is getting fantastic reaction from it or more likely he has the "laughing ears" syndrome. That is because if someone smiles politely or if someone gives a little gasp the magician overestimates how well he is going over. Alas I don't really see anyone in the audience doing backwards somersaults over the trick. Just some polite laughter and applause.

Unlike Al Schneider though I would indeed like to see some other material of Jason's. Something shorter and more direct. And he really needs to cut the yap down. Old Murray the escapologist once told me that he thought "American magicians are too long winded" and indeed I have noticed that to be true. I have always believed that you should never talk unless there is action going on.

skmayhew
Posts: 99
Joined: October 6th, 2008, 3:58 pm

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby skmayhew » October 23rd, 2018, 1:46 pm

Jason Ladanye wrote:But does it have a poker deal?


Well, no, but my linking rings routine does.

Bob Farmer
Posts: 3308
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Short card above selection.

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Bob Farmer » October 23rd, 2018, 3:44 pm

I try to add a Ten Card Deal phase to everything I do even the balloon animal routine where I end with an endangered species then the balloon bursts and I tell the kids that means that all the penguins are now dead. Through their tears I pull out the cards and end strong by beating the birthday child ("beating" as in "winning"--I don't actually physically harm the child). I learned this from Performer.

performer
Posts: 3508
Joined: August 7th, 2015, 10:35 pm

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby performer » October 23rd, 2018, 6:56 pm

I have indeed done a lot of children's shows in my time and have tried my best to make them cry. Alas the more I growl and snarl at them (and I do) the more they laugh. Kids are very odd I must say.

Jackpot
Posts: 236
Joined: June 8th, 2016, 12:38 am
Location: Santa Rosa, CA

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Jackpot » October 23rd, 2018, 10:45 pm

Bob Farmer's "Stripped Down High Card" gave me an idea. I used it as a way to separate the deck in half for a quick game of War at the elementary school where I teach. Students got the high cards and I got the low cards. I only played a few cards with one student and then had another student take over from the one who was winning. The next student won and so did the third student. The students enjoyed beating the teacher, but I didn't keep at it for long as it would become boring. It's better to leave them wanting more.

While the reactions were good there is no real climax. I did a few other tricks with the deck before putting it away at the end of recess. We had gathered a pretty good crowd with everyone wanting a chance to play War against the teacher.

Thanks Bob.
Not the one who created the Potter Index.

performer
Posts: 3508
Joined: August 7th, 2015, 10:35 pm

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby performer » October 24th, 2018, 12:07 am

While I am in a nitpicking mood I am afraid the premise of the trick is psychologically wrong. As has been pointed out already YOU are winning all the time. How is that supposed to make the spectator feel? You are liable to encourage hecklers if you do too much of that. Especially when you use that awful phrase "I want you to" which I have seen you use frequently on other videos. Who the hell cares what YOU want? Occasionally it might be a good idea to soften that patter. Say something like "I would like you to" or "Perhaps you could"

Incidentally if you watch Harry Lorayne work I notice he also says "I would like you to" and rarely says "I want you to". And this is what I try to do too. It cuts down on the subconscious antagonism that laymen sometimes feel when a magician is trying to fool them.

I have been watching other videos of you working. Something has been nagging at me but until 5 minutes ago I couldn't figure out what was bugging me. Nothing to do with the tricks. I rarely watch tricks as they bore the crap out of me. It is your manner. I may be wrong but you are TOO confident! TOO pleased with yourself! Particularly in one video where you remarked to a female spectator how handsome you were.
I don't know if the guy with her was her boyfriend or even husband but in any case this is an inadvisable procedure.

I may be wrong of course. However, one way to evaluate what I say is to ask yourself if you get much heckling when you perform impromptu. In formal performances such as the one in your video this is less likely although you may well get lukewarm responses. However, informally is when the difficult spectators appear. And one trigger for these kind of spectators is a magician who seems far too pleased with himself.

You are young. There is plenty of time to review your procedure. And I advise you to do it.

Check this thread out. If you sift through this particular page and sort the wheat from the chaff you will learn how to do it.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30085&p=208324&hilit=defensive+resentment#p208324

Brad Henderson
Posts: 4546
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: austin, tx

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Brad Henderson » October 24th, 2018, 11:06 am

magicians are afraid of power and so they comment on their tricks instead of being in the moment and making them happen.

i want you to

i’d like you to

in a moment you will

all of these things distance you from the present.

make statements.

please shuffle the deck.

take the cards and deal them into a pile.

say stop

you are performing magic so perform magic. Don’t talk about performing magic, DO IT.

drama occurs in the present tense.

use it.

Jonathan Townsend
Posts: 8704
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Westchester, NY
Contact:

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Jonathan Townsend » October 24th, 2018, 1:52 pm

Brad Henderson wrote:magicians are afraid of power and so they ...

try to avoid the discussion about beliefs.
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

Jason Ladanye
Posts: 60
Joined: February 10th, 2018, 10:50 pm
Favorite Magician: Erdnase

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Jason Ladanye » October 24th, 2018, 2:00 pm


Steve Mills
Posts: 374
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Saint Charles, IL

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Steve Mills » October 24th, 2018, 2:14 pm

What am I missing here?

I'm just an old, nobody hobbyist, but I rarely see this kind of vitriol directed at a trick that I see here. Even on The Genii Forum.

This trick was whizzed on within nanoseconds of the original post. Yeah, I get a little tired of the OP always hawking something any time I see his name, but I don't believe that's the issue.

Am I seeing something that doesn't exist?

performer
Posts: 3508
Joined: August 7th, 2015, 10:35 pm

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby performer » October 24th, 2018, 2:24 pm

Jason Ladanye wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXtHd25RyV4


Now I like THAT video! There is a lot to be learned from it. Simple plot and over with quickly. Very attention getting and dramatic. You are now on the right track. Just adapt it to your own work.

performer
Posts: 3508
Joined: August 7th, 2015, 10:35 pm

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby performer » October 24th, 2018, 2:32 pm

Steve Mills wrote:What am I missing here?

I'm just an old, nobody hobbyist, but I rarely see this kind of vitriol directed at a trick that I see here. Even on The Genii Forum.

This trick was whizzed on within nanoseconds of the original post. Yeah, I get a little tired of the OP always hawking something any time I see his name, but I don't believe that's the issue.

Am I seeing something that doesn't exist?


I wondered about that. I wondered myself if there was some other agenda going on. Some history I am not aware of. Still, my opinion is my own and not influenced by anyone. I meant what I said and I would say it about anyone who worked in a similar manner. But you are correct. I did find the unanimous negativity a bit puzzling as normally magicians seem to like all that hot shot card stuff. You may well be right.

Bob Farmer
Posts: 3308
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Short card above selection.

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Bob Farmer » October 24th, 2018, 5:14 pm

The criticism was just that and nothing more and I saw it as constructive not negative. When a trick is touted as a game changer it invites a close analysis to see if it lives up to the hype. It didn't.

performer
Posts: 3508
Joined: August 7th, 2015, 10:35 pm

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby performer » October 24th, 2018, 6:20 pm

I suspect this might be his best trick. Perhaps you might like it more. I won't comment on it except to say again there is too much jibber jabber especially at the beginning. And again this is a long, long trick. Hopefully he will get a positive comment or two to make him feel better. He does have a ton of good comments under the video. However, I suspect the horrible bunch here won't be quite so encouraging

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjcVwB5UnLA

Bob Farmer
Posts: 3308
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Short card above selection.

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Bob Farmer » October 24th, 2018, 6:38 pm

I don't see this routine as magic--it's just a demonstration of skill and those, whether it's with cards or some other objects (stacking cups, etc.) don't involve the spectators, who act only as flesh and blood props along with the pasteboard ones. I'll admit I find most gambling tricks (with some exceptions) just boring since nothing magical or impossible happens. True, great skill can be involved, but to what end if there is no magic, no glimpse of the impossible, no emotional involvement of the spectators. I'll take an Elmsley Count over a riffle-shuffle runup any day because the magic is built in.

performer
Posts: 3508
Joined: August 7th, 2015, 10:35 pm

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby performer » October 24th, 2018, 7:10 pm

It seems that my vision of negativity over this new video is beginning to come true. Perhaps there will be even more of it.

I suppose I had better explain my aversion to his jibber jabber since I have a lot of jibber jabber myself and some may think I am exhibiting a double standard. I got a clue looking at his blog where he discusses "scripting" (if I have to use that pretentious horrible word when the correct word for over a hundred years has been "patter")

Here is what he has to say about it:

https://www.cardmagicbyjason.com/scripting-your-magic/

I see things a bit differently. I often wonder why the people who advocate "scripting" come up with such awful "scripts". I remember my eyes glazing over when I read the "scripts" in Pete McCabes book on the subject. Very uninspiring indeed I must say. Magicians have all the time in the world to write out and think of interesting things to say and more importantly think of things not to say. And yet they still end up with long winded chatter which they have learned off by heart which sounds artificial and lacks spontaneity even though they delude themselves that they are full of spontaneity when I think they are merely full of it.

I am not in favour of learning patter by rote. In other words memorising it off by heart. Bloody awful method altogether. But neither am I in favour of making it up as you go along. There is a far better way espoused by Wilfrid Jonson. I think his method is the best ever devised.

I will reproduce his advice on the matter when I get time. After all I realised a long, long time ago the patter is more important than the trick. If the patter is right you can make the most boring trick into an entertaining piece of art.

Jack Shalom
Posts: 1368
Joined: February 7th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Brooklyn NY

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Jack Shalom » October 24th, 2018, 8:31 pm

What's contentious for some is intention and character. Nothing to do with scripting or patter.

Jeffrey Cowan
Posts: 273
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Bob Kohler & Tim Conover
Location: Beverly Hills, CA
Contact:

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Jeffrey Cowan » October 24th, 2018, 8:36 pm

Bob Farmer wrote:I try to add a Ten Card Deal phase to everything I do even the balloon animal routine where I end with an endangered species then the balloon bursts and I tell the kids that means that all the penguins are now dead. Through their tears I pull out the cards and end strong by beating the birthday child ("beating" as in "winning"--I don't actually physically harm the child). I learned this from Performer.



Bob, I'm booking you for my niece's party next year. [My sons are now young teens and too distracted with sports to care about penguins.]
-- Jeffrey Cowan
www.cowan-law.com

performer
Posts: 3508
Joined: August 7th, 2015, 10:35 pm

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby performer » October 24th, 2018, 9:36 pm

Jack Shalom wrote:What's contentious for some is intention and character. Nothing to do with scripting or patter.


I am not sure what is meant by that. What is his intention? To sell stuff perhaps? And what is wrong with his character? Does he go out at night robbing liquor stores or mugging old ladies? If he does that is none of my business so I will stick to his jibber jabber. Here is what Wilfrid Jonson had to say about the matter. I am reproducing this from a very old post here but I think it is worth reading again and of course some of you will have missed it. I believe it is the soundest advice ever written on learning your patter.
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................

"When you set out to do a conjuring trick you must know precisely what you are going to do and there is no reason why you should not also know what you will say. We do not suggest that you should learn every word by heart, as earlier writers have insisted and many conjurers do, but we do suggest that you should know your "main headings" as public speakers do, that is to say, know the general drift of your talk. You will never then be entirely at a loss for words and you will find that, when you have done a trick a few dozen times, you will say much the same things every time you do it. You will then have "set patter" for your trick which will have GROWN to fit you and which you will be able to use with success"
.....................................................................................................................................................................................................

He gives similar advice in Mr Smith's Sleight of hand thus:

"This brings us to a debatable question. Should patter be learned by heart? The pundits in general repeat the advice Professor Hoffmann gave. that patter should be written down word for word and delivered from memory. This is, of course, the practice with actors, but the magician differs from the actor in being his own author, and is in another position.

The system adopted by many experienced performers is to memorise only a few "leading lines", a good phrase or two, a suitable joke, and any essential directions, and to fill in the rest as the spirit moves one. Gradually more and more leading lines are thought of until, eventually, the patter is completed and becomes the same at every performance. This system in my experience, produces better results than the laborious practice of sitting down and grinding out lines which are subsequently memorised, lines which often lack all inspiration"
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................

This is the system I have used all my life and I believe it is the best system. Any success I have ever had in entertaining people is because of this system. I thoroughly recommend it. It will a lot of tedious memorisation and give the magician the spontaneity he desires but at the same time it will protect him from the inefficiency of making things up as he goes along.

Jason Ladanye
Posts: 60
Joined: February 10th, 2018, 10:50 pm
Favorite Magician: Erdnase

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Jason Ladanye » December 8th, 2018, 11:55 am


User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27054
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Here's one of the strongest effects from GAME CHANGER!

Postby Richard Kaufman » December 8th, 2018, 12:31 pm

I place no stock in anonymous reviews.
Is there a writer mentioned?
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine


Return to “Close-Up Magic”