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I have spent the past few months fine tuning an orginal coin routine in which a coin is bent and destoryed. As far as i am aware (and i am fairly well read on the subject) the handling is unique, and contains some fresh sleights which i created specifically for the effect.

i have tested the trick, getting strong reactions all round, and i am now thinking about possibly relasing the effect into the magic community. I would be grateful for some advice from anyone with experience in this area. Do i need to contact the Magic Circle to verify its originality? and what are the best ways to get an effect out there and onto the market?

i was considering sending a video to Ellusionist, but i am concerned with having the secret stolen and copied. Another idea i had was to make my own website to promote the effect, and try to go about doing things independantly.

Fellow Magi, i need your help and guidance

sincerely Atomo

Atomo wrote:Ii was considering sending a video to Ellusionist, but i am concerned with having the secret stolen and copied.

I am not sure about the international laws - or if it is any different for magic effects - but in my other line of work where I have looked into a similar situation, I was given legal advice as follows:

Get a non-disclosure agreement made up, and have anyone you wish to pitch the product/effect to sign it. It would basically summarize that they have seen the material, and are bound to laws that would prevent them from copying the product and/or intellectual rights that go along with it. It is the business worlds version of a "pinky promise" so to speak.

Once you have one in place, they can't turn around and say no to you, and then produce the same or similar effect without your permission, for an extended period of time....

You won't be surprised to hear that this aspect has been mentioned before on TM but you'd need to search around for the thread. In general, if you contact one of the magic suppliers referred to on TM and/or those who advertise here you'd know you were dealing with a reputable firm who wouldn’t steal your ideas. Various suggetions were mentioned about proving ownership such as posting yourself a letter detailing the effect and working which you leave unopened on arrival. That way the post mark will confirm the date if anyone markets the idea at a later date. Solicitors can be expensive but a local one might be willing to view your document, date and time it for you and keep a copy in their records. Whether this actually helps in the event of someone copying your idea after you market it is debatable and you’d need to have cash to spend to sue thieves like that.

Many firms will prefer to buy the rights to your effect completely but you won’t get a lot for it other than the kudos of knowing your effect was on sale, perhaps with your name mentioned in the credits with a few quid and several freebie samples of it for the rights. If you can market it yourself bear in mind Income Tax and other aspects which must be taken into account. Finally, best of luck with it, a genuinely new and innovative item is always worth the effort!

Is it a new effect or just a new cause?