talkmagic.co.uk

Hi! I guess my question is two-prong regarding an idea I have for a card trick. My first would be is it ethical and then how can I do it. Bear with me as this may be long. Here's my idea...

I force a card upon someone and then explain to them that while they are holding the deck I will magically turn their card over so when they spread the deck open their card will be the only one faceup. When this doesn't happen I act puzzled and then exclaim that it didn't work b/c I should have used a brand new deck that hasn't been opened. I apologize and have them pick out an "un-opened" deck and have them spread the cards out to "make sure they are all there and in order." When they do they find that their card is reversed in the pack.

First, is it crossing the line too much to tell the audience that this is an "un-opened brand new pack" when it obviously isn't and secondly,

if it is ethical, is there a way somehow I can wrap up a deck or otherwise make it appear at though it is a brand new un-opened deck.

Thank you all very much. I look forward to your replies.

Lash

This kind of effect was the subject of a competition over at Online Visions.

http://www.online-visions.com/challenge ... hdeck.html

The effect mentioned is very similar to the idea you had.

It's hardly "crossing the line" when you can do a few things to make it look like the deck is actually brand new. For one - you can buy deck seals from most magic shops to make it look new.

If you hunt around on the web, I know there is a kit for sale that can allow you to put a new plastic seal around the deck as well. There are other ways to make the plastic wrapping look unopened as well. I'm pretty sure if you hunt around here, there was a thread that mentioned this very thing, somewhere.

As for ethics, I'm not really sure I understand the problem. What is unethical about re-wrapping a deck in plastic?

Not sure about the ethics of this, maybe some one else will comment on this for you. As for making a deck look new you can buy deck seals if you use bike cards. See link below.

http://www.themagicgadget.co.uk/Bicycle ... -c-68.html

Hope this helps.

Alex

If you feel uncomfortable about what you're saying then specs will notice. In fact you don't need to say anything at all, if you take a deck out of your pocket or wherever, whilst chattering on about whatever you need to be saying, remove the cellophane wrapping and open what seems to be a brand new unused, very clean and shiny deck then the implicit assumption will be that it's new, unused and perfectly normal. No need to state what ought to be obvious. A lot of new performers fall into the trap of saying something like, "I take this perfectly ordinary handkerchief…" Why? If you took your handkerchief out to blow your nose, would you announce to the word that it's ordinary? No, they would assume it to be so and you don’t say anything to make them think otherwise. that way, you're not lying and your conscience can sleep easy. Anyway, magic is full of wrong illusions and part of the job is to mislead spectators to their full enjoyment.

I'm assuming you're using the special deck which allows such a result and that you can fit new cellophane after each performance ?

Thank you all for your replies so far. I will look for that kit to re-wrap the deck in plastic (and if anyone knows where I can find such a kit please let me know ).

As for clarification on the ethics issue, I remember reading in one of the past "Linking Ring" magazines under their ethics discussion about this topic. As magicians, we often say things to the effect of "as you can see the cards are in no particular order", etc. and that would be acceptable. But the article discussed some instances about crossing the line and going too far to make the audience believe something that is blatantly not true. I'm sorry I can't provide a better example than this and the specifics of that article alludes me. But I greatly appreciate your posts and tips. Thank you.

Lash

P.S. Mandrake, your point is well taken about stating the obvious. I must admit that I fall into that trap sometimes myself.

Lash wrote:I fall into that trap sometimes myself.

We all do at some point so no worries there!

It's mainly about not actually saying things but doing enough so your audience draws their 'own' conclusions. As I mentioned elsewhere a while back, the scenery in a radio play is perfect because it all takes place in your mind. Once the same show gets to TV you're seeing what the designer/director thinks the scenery should look like and it's never as good as the mental version.

PS cellophane is available from Florist's shops - they use it to wrap bouquets and they might be willing to sell you a few sheets if you ask nicely and show them a few effects !

Lash wrote:First, is it crossing the line too much to tell the audience that this is an "un-opened brand new pack" when it obviously isn't and secondly,

It's part of an entertaining trick, and it's got a good reason behind it, after all: you're making people happy. I really wouldn't get hung up on it unless you were conning people out of something.

You lie to people everytime you do a trick, in fact the better and more magical you make it the bigger the lie. If you're that worried just buy an ID and actually open it for the first time when you do the trick, as David Blaine once did.