talkmagic.co.uk

magicj wrote:
But that is The Trick?

Yes. It is the trick. And I don't like it for the reason I stated. The drama is not resolved.

magicj wrote:you could say with the invisble deck:
Beginning: Spec names a card
Middle: Card is reversed in the deck
Ending: Oh there is no ending?

Surely you can see that is wrong?

Beginning - An ID of cards is introduced, the spectator shuffles the 'cards', selects one, reverses it and pushes it into the ID

Middle - The cards and made visible

End - The chosen card is revealed to be reversed in the deck, thus proving it was the deck that was previously invisible.

Doesn't get more clear than that.

A good plot is one that is easy to describe.

"Yeah, this magician got a picture and ripped it up, and when he put it back together all the pieces were wrong."

"Then what happened? He fixed the mistake?"

"No, he just went into a sponge rabbits routine"

With this, the drama has no conclusion, and is set up to be resolved.

As AiaIAain said, if you do it in reverse you get a good plot. "I got these back from the cheap printers round the corner and they screwed it up, useless. But if I was a real magician, I would be able to..."

And lo, the magician has saved the day.

Hope that helps explain about the three stages of drama a good trick should have.

Interesting idea (starting with wrongly made photo) but the nature of the 'trick' makes this impossible. Those of you who have it will know what I mean. If anyone sees a way around this, then please pm me!

Waldorfcartoons wrote:Interesting idea (starting with wrongly made photo) but the nature of the 'trick' makes this impossible. Those of you who have it will know what I mean. If anyone sees a way around this, then please pm me!

I know a couple of magicians that tried this, but said it did not get the same reaction, and went back to the usual routine.

Good points there by Mr T. roll

hmmm not subtle

Whilst I agree that ordinarily for a trick to have the most impact a final resolution must be reached, I think at times you can get away with a cliffhanger ending that prevents the audience from getting closure from the effect and if done properly can leave a stronger lasting impression on them.

There are plenty of good books and films that end without complete resolution moving the responsibility of reaching a conclusion to the events in the audiences mind. Whilst some don't like this kind of ending, much prefering that all storylines are tied up in a neat little bow, a lot of people like being able to discuss different theories regarding how it all ends or what certain events mean with their friends. I don't see why on occasion a magic trick cannot be the same especially if it is used as a conclusion to a performance.

For example, with this very effect, you could explain that it's a long standing tradition that magicians demonstate how they can destroy things and then magically repair them i.e. smashing a spectators watch or tearing up a playing card and then revealing that said item has returned to it;s previous state. Now, many spectators assume that the orignal item was never damaged in the first place however in this particular demonstration you will prove that this photograph that they have signed with their own name is definitely torn into four pieces.

Then, as you near the climax, you explain that of course if it were possible to reassemble the card to how it originally was, it should also be possible to reassemble it in a different configuration too. You then reveal the jumble card, point at the signature, lay it down on the table and after thanking the specs, quietly walk away and leave them staring in disbelief at the miracle before them. No applause or cheers from them are necessary or even expected, they are just left with their conceptions of reality shattered and their tiny little minds well and truly blown.

With any luck, they'll never forget you and a jumbled up photo with torn edges is a much more interesting momento than a regular photo with their own name scrawled on it.

Whilst I agree with most routines needing 3 phases & a beginning, middle & end, there are exceptions which usually involve a souvenir. I'm thinking a linking rubber band or anniversary waltz type effect. Both leave the participants with a normal object left in a puzzling way for them to keep. I think this is one of those effects although the idea of starting mis-matched & ending 'normal' (albeit with torn edges) is a nice variation but I'm sticking with the original.

Re my earlier entry

Interesting idea (starting with wrongly made photo) but the nature of the 'trick' makes this impossible.

I'm a pillock (don't answer!). Of course it's possible (just done it); my brain wasn't working this morning. Not 100% convinced it's a good idea though, but I'll give it a try.

i've ordered myself a copy of this, am awaiting it's arrival

I'm currently waiting on the delivery of this but have heard on the grapevine that there has been troubles concerning using photoshop or gimp to create your own photos.
From what I can garner it seems if you havent got the right version of photoshop the template on the disc doesn't work? And that gimp doesnt work at all?

I found this on another forum (I dont usually play away from home honest)

"If anyone else is having problems with 'gimp', I e-chatted with a very nice guy on talkmagic who kindly passed on a fix, as the gimp available now is a newer version. He himself had e-mailed Shawn who in turn sent out anew template which I can assure you DOES work in gimp."

greedo - if you need photos done to any size/template, send them onto me...

IAIN wrote:greedo - if you need photos done to any size/template, send them onto me...

well......there are those ones you took where I had the WW1 flying hat and was nibbling on some nuts

and dont forget the scat-dog series we did...

greedoniz wrote:I'm currently waiting on the delivery of this but have heard on the grapevine that there has been troubles concerning using photoshop or gimp to create your own photos.
From what I can garner it seems if you havent got the right version of photoshop the template on the disc doesn't work? And that gimp doesnt work at all?

I found this on another forum (I dont usually play away from home honest)

"If anyone else is having problems with 'gimp', I e-chatted with a very nice guy on talkmagic who kindly passed on a fix, as the gimp available now is a newer version. He himself had e-mailed Shawn who in turn sent out anew template which I can assure you DOES work in gimp."

That's correct; I mentioned this in my original review. The automatic function that Shawn uses in his template was introduced in Photoshop CS3, I believe, so you can use any version from 3 or later. The newest version of Gimp has been altered, which created the problem I had. However, Shawn took time out to help me, and I passed the template onto the guy who asked me on this forum. So if anyone else has that issue, if you can prove that you have actually bought the effect, PM me and I'll help you out also.

My copy turned up on Saturday and I must say, Shaun, what a clever, clever boy you are! I'm really impressed with this.

Older versions of Photoshop will have trouble with the automatic template but I wouldn't worry too much about that, it's not going to take all that much thinking about or work to put together the photos without the template.

Lady of Mystery wrote:My copy turned up on Saturday and I must say, Shaun, what a clever, clever boy you are! I'm really impressed with this.

Older versions of Photoshop will have trouble with the automatic template but I wouldn't worry too much about that, it's not going to take all that much thinking about or work to put together the photos without the template.

Its awesome isn't it? I was doing this at a wedding last night. Very powerfull stuff in any setting. I was also doing a Halloween event at the weekend and was using a picture of a pumpkin. Makes a great souvenir.