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I do think that it's a bad idea having a premade ACR. Sure, you should have the moves ready and you should try out various combinations to see how they work, but I think it's a bit limiting to have the moves already set down in stone. I much prefer to be able to repeat a phase if it goes down well, or to be able to remove a double if I think that the victims are going to get grabby...etc etc.

Kati

Yeah, that makes sense. Improvising improves the ACR .
But if you wanna improvise, you should always be well aware of each sleight you can use, when you can use it and what enablers do you have.
(For instance, Marlo Tilt is a DL enabler - when the card is on top, it becomes the second).

I can certainly see merit in having a free-flowing "go-with-the-moment" type of Ambitious Card routine and in future it's something I may work towards. But at the moment my initial few phases have been constructed in such a way that they flow between one another in both performance and in the method. After the initial few phases I have the space to guage my audience and see what other phases I might carry on to, such as in the pocket, etc.

Same as above, but here's mine.
- Card goes to middle of deck, snap, comes on top.
- Card goes in middle again and it comes on top again
- Card is insterted in "middle" of the deck (not, lol), random card is chosen from fanned deck, put on top, and Shapeshifter time, card from fanned deck shifts to the shape of the chosen card.
- Spectator lifts half od deck, "their" card goes in middle, and the rest go on top, snap, card jumps on top.
- Card is inserted in middle of deck jogged an inch maybe, to show that it is their card, card is pushed in, snap, card jumps on top.
- Card is bent, put in middle, snap, bent card jumps on top,
again.

And this is my ACR, and as i said before, this always varies.

It is a bit repetitive, though the sleights used differ ... They don't know that you use such things, so you must make them visually different (and don't forget the patter).

mydas wrote:It is a bit repetitive, though the sleights used differ ... They don't know that you use such things, so you must make them visually different (and don't forget the patter).

I agree with you on that. The first three revelations appear to be doing the same thing but progressively eliminate all possible trickery on my part.

Personally I would stick to around 5 phases. Just because you can go on for longer doesn't mean you should. You want the audience to be amazed and amused rather than bored and confused. Magicians will realise that you are using many different sleights and appreciate it however laymen do not. As long as you are not using DL each and every time it doesn't greatly matter.

I stick to a formulated routine as after performing it 20+ times a night whenever I am table-hopping, I have my own routine fine-tuned to my personality.

By all means improvise in training and practising, my mates see all sorts of improvised routines, however do not improvise when doing a performance.

Just my 2p's worth.

Heres my routine:
1. Spectator selects card and I use LePaul's Bluff Pass.
2. Braue bent card revelation
3. Put card card in face up into the middle and pass it to the top face up.
4. Jack Merlin Tip-Over change to Card In Mouth
If Im at a party or if im chilling with my friends I usually end with a card to fly.

Occasionaly I throw in a Jerry Sadowitz side-jog if Im into it.

I personally think of the Braue Pop-up move more as a finisher. How's bending/unbending the card in the middle of the trick working ?

The Braue Pop Up move is great as a penultimate move and set up to "Paperclipped" as an ending for the ACR.

It works great. When I insert the card into the middle face up i push down on it to unbend the card. It flows fine.

A bit offtopic, but I'm am usualy using 100% plastic cards. Did anyone manage to "unbend" a plastic card on the spot (as for a Braue Popup move) ?

ACR is a thing a lot of magicians sometimes over do or the opposite, that's why its good to know about 3-5 stages and a finale (my finale is usually palming the card and make it appear from inside my jacket or pocket, or if the spectator is wearing a loose jacket than I slip it in it while he shuffles the deck) it's important to know a variety of stages so can adjust the routine to the spectator.

I think "born to perform" really have a good routine, but it's best that you will have the stages in your head but be able to improvise, sometimes 2-3 stages and a finale are enough, but if you see that the spectator haven't reached the "climax" of amazement throw in another one, and try to make them look as different as possible yet continuing one another like:
1) Control to top - show card
2) DL slip into middle- show card
3) DL bend and slip into middle- show card
4)...

when I perform it I make the stages go in a way of "I will make it easier for you to follow" which only makes the magic more impressive to lay people because they see you do it slower and with less card movement so for them it must mean it's easier to catch you, which is really not the case.


My favorite stages are the band jump, card fly (when you make the card fly from the deck and catch it), and any stage that involves some sort of color change (because that can really freak lay people out).

I have improved my ACR a bit (I think). Born to Perform is really helping me, the Card to Mouth effect is just hilarious.
So now it goes something like this :

*Their card goes into middle, I casually cut the deck, I turn over the top card - it's not theirs - Erdnase change.

*I tell them the card has jumped from the middle of the deck, replacing the first card; and I also tell them that it can happen again. Their card goes to middle, remaining outjogged; first card is not their card; their card is pushed into the deck, and after a card spring it's shown to be the only one in my hand.

*Marlo Tilt

*Jumping Card (I give them to hold half of the deck, their card is in my half outjogged, I push it in, reveal first card - it's not it - it's their first card)

*Card to Mouth

*Card Vanish, found in pocket (signed card)

Is it too long ?
Is an Erdnase change too strong for the very first part of the trick, hindering the build-up of the effect ?

Also, offtopic : what does the term 'laymen' come from ?

Mydas wrote:Also, offtopic : what does the term 'laymen' come from ?

Oxford Dictionary wrote:Layman noun (plural laymen) person who does not have specialized knowledge or training (e.g. as a doctor or lawyer) or who is not ordained as a member of the clergy

Does that help?

Also, I don't think it's too long. Sounds about right to me. If anything you should go from card in pocket to "paperclipped" to give it that killer finish. Sankey does this on his Very Best Of tapes but not as the end of amibtious card, as a follow on for Card In Pocket. (It's not called "paperclipped" on the Very Best Of video though, it's called "@ X ~ !")