talkmagic.co.uk

I think everyone of you has once heard this question. Especially kids are asking this kind of things, but sometimes adults are also tended to do this.
How do you react on this? Imagine that you have got a card deck that the spectator may not see (like the svengali deck or something) and someone asks you, may i see it? How do you react to this difficult situation? I always have problems with it.

If you're using a gaff deck it's always best to have a normal identical one handy. Just pop the svengali (for example) in your pocket immediately upon finishing the trick and if they ask to see it pull out the normal one. Most tricks enable you to finish clean or to ditch the gimmick on the off beat as the spec gasps in amazement.

One of things to do is establish yourself as fair before you use a gaffed deck or any gimmick. Also - the secret to using a gimmick is to have it add to the overall effect, not to be the overall effect - cos then you're in trouble.

Think like a spectator when you choose your effects. If you saw what you're doing - would you want to examine the prop? If so - change the way you do your effect - or change your effect.

An example - a friend showed me the perfect bend (I think that's what it's called) - basically a gimmicked spoon that creates an impressive bend. The gimmick is very clever and the bend is impressive. Problem was - my first reaction was "Let me see that..". It's human curiosuty - now when you can hand it to them and it's bent and what they saw is what happened - that's powerful. If you can't - then the effect is dead. One reason why I'll never use that.

I am guilty of this, I want to see everything. It's not really suspicion, it's natural 'how did you do that' curiousity.

Personally I don't examine things *that* closely, so if the deck isn't overtly gaffed then I probably won't notice. For example, it took me a long time to understand what was going on with my boyfriends pen through stuff thing, and only then figured it out because he left it laying around (nosey!)

I think bronz's suggestion was very good, switching the gaffed deck for an examineable one. I wouldn't question that myself.

Ok... when I'm out and about with the intention to perform magic, I normally carry 2 gaff decks with me. One is a one way forcing deck, and one is "Astral Projection"

What I fnd the best thing to do is, do a load of ungimmicked stuff with a normal deck (people have tried to "inspect" my normal deck before. Wtf? ) however, I then let them inspect it and they are satisfied.

Then, as I'm drawing to a close I'll say "Right thats about me done..." and put my deck away in one of my inside jacket pockets, or one of my combat trousers pockets. Then, as an afterthought, 'll say "Oh hang on... there is one other thing I could show you... I think you'll like it" and take out the gaffed deck. because spectators on the whole don't know what a gaffed deck is, (obviously they'd guess if they saw it...) and they assume the deck you take out of your pocket is the one you just put there... you can easily get away with it. they've already inspected it, and are unlikely to ask to see it again

Bizzarely... I did a few sleight of hand tricks on the bus using a red deck, and then pulled out my Astral Projection deck (which, D'oh! was a blue deck!!). Never mind thinks I, and carries on. One spectator swore and said "No way! That's impossble!" and another said "Man he's good... I even checked that deck out earlier!". Ah don't you love it when speccies do all the hard work for you?

UMM, How about...

"I just showed you it, wernt you watching"

or

"You just did see it. Why would you want to see it again"

or even have a piece of paper in your pocket that says "THAT" on it.

MagicTom wrote:or even have a piece of paper in your pocket that says "THAT" on it.

Actually, how about having that in one pocket, say back pocket, and then as you pat through all your pockets just do a casual switch of the deck.

Kati

LOL
Yea...


Have a card that has THAT printed on it. Keep it on top of ur gaff deck!

fake a heart attack people are less likely to ask you if your unconsious

monsieur incredible wrote:fake a heart attack people are less likely to ask you if your unconsious

But seriously, learn to switch decks..... I did, and it serves me well

leighton wrote:

monsieur incredible wrote:fake a heart attack people are less likely to ask you if your unconsious

But seriously, learn to switch decks..... I did, and it serves me well

I can't see how you could switch a deck without putting one in your pocket and taking out a different one

Two words "Deck Shell" and missdirection

leighton wrote:Two words "Deck Shell" and missdirection

Ah ok

leighton wrote:Two words "Deck Shell" and missdirection

surely that's 3.

Ohhh sorry Larry