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Sympathetink by Mathieu Bich

PostPosted: Jun 19th, '07, 02:12
by Michael Kras


This is a fabulous effect created by French magician Mathieu Bich, and I think is it great! The effect described below:

The magician has a card selected, and his business card is revealed to have an ink scribble from a pen of the back. A lighter is the waved under the business card, and the ink scribble visually MORPHS into an image of the selected card! Insanely visual!




This effect involves no switches of the card. The magic happens right in front of the spectator's faces. With this effect you get a special pen, whose ink permanently vanishes almost instantly when exposed to heat. I recommend you pick up a few of these gimmicks, as the possibilities are endless for it, and the ink does not last forever. The gimmick is quite hard to find currently, as it is a product that is being kept fairly quiet. I do suggest you look it up, because the entertainment factor is fantastic and the reactions are priceless.


PROS:

Never fails to amaze.

Little set-up time

Takes up very little space

Effect possibilities are endless!


CONS:

Gimmick does not last forever


I give this effect a rating of 8/10. A great effect that has many possibilities and entertainment possibilities. Recommended!

Michael Kras


PostPosted: Jun 19th, '07, 12:07
by crozboz
Any rough idea of the price? Sounds good.


PostPosted: Jun 19th, '07, 12:31
by I.D
http://www.magicbox.uk.com/shop.php/sho ... p_513.html

£14.99.. its by David Stone!!

looks good but I wouldnt want to pay £14.99 for refills or extra pens.. could be quite expensive.

Mike, how long does the ink last?


PostPosted: Jun 19th, '07, 12:51
by Flash
Personally I find this pack badly produced and a bit of a rip off. That's not to say the idea isn't good but £14.99 for a book that's a 3rd/4th generation photocopy and a pen that is readily available (at least in the UK) for £1.99 is a bit steep... On the plus side some of the presentations are quite nice.


PostPosted: Jun 19th, '07, 15:30
by Michael Kras
Here in Canada, the pen is $20 and the ink lasts as long as any pen's ink lasts.


PostPosted: Jun 19th, '07, 16:38
by Farlsborough
Surely the pen is only that price if you buy a "special replacement" from a magic store?!

At risk of repeating myself, this "effect" is not really created by anyone, or rather, it is created by the scientists at the pen laboratory. In my humble opinion Mathieu Bich struck lucky by being the first person business minded enough to bother finding out whether anyone else had marketed an effect with this pen, which is known about by many magicians and mentalists. Jot a few quick ideas down, make the rest of the product as cheap to produce as possible, et voila, "Sympathetink by Mathieu Bich".

I can't begrudge him it too much - many other magicians have got products out there that rely on revealing a magic property of something. And hey, I'm not proud - I'll gladly admit that given the same opportunity, I'd have done the same. But it does feel a bit like hawking a product to make some cash on the basis that elastic bands are stretchy, or whisky is flammable. Shh, don't tell anyone.


PostPosted: Jun 19th, '07, 22:26
by MarcLavelle
te he he, i like this one, i DID originally buy it for the full price, at magicbox... after a bit of hunting (well passing a stationary shop), and negotiation, iv managed to get a dealer to sell me these at £5 for ten pens! woo! happy days.


failing that, if your after refills, look in WHSmiths


PostPosted: Jun 20th, '07, 00:56
by Flash
I must say I would have been alot happier if Mr Bich had disguised the pen in some way (maybe Groucho Marx glasses or goofy teeth), instead of leaving it looking highly conspicious. :wink:


PostPosted: Jun 20th, '07, 02:10
by Michael Kras
Well, Bich has some great handlings and effects with the pen as well. It was a complete sell-out at the magic convention I just attended. I bought it as soon as I saw it performed by the dealer. Check out the demo at Penguin Magic to get some ideas.'

Michael Kras


PostPosted: Jun 20th, '07, 09:53
by MarcLavelle
i find it best not to use the actual pen during the routine, i have picked out copies for each colour (i have 12 different colours of this pen) and i setup befor the routine, and just use my copt 'ordinary' pen during the performance. that way, it can he handed out, and even tested by the spec.