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Hello Everyone

Below is a video of a quick little effect I created. Your thoughts are appreciated.

Empty Thoughts- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3SmpHrl-Zo

Thank you!

Michael Kras

By The Way, the video is old and I apologize for my annoying hig-pitched voice!

Here is my first magic video. Reviews are appreciated! What do you think? Thank you!

Hardcore Packet- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-DxPAAl5HI

Michael Kras

The trick itself is good, but the video quality is a bit naff. Blurry and dark. You'll get much better responses with a decently filmed clip.

Hey man its good to see you perform!

Very nice effects you got there! Videos were a little dark so quite hard to see but I got what they looked like

Empty thoughts - Nice and simple, effective and I'm sure people would be impressed. Maybe if at the end you shook the cards a little softer and a tad slowly it would add a lot onto it.

Hardcore Packet/Twisting the Kings - Not too bad either! I'm sure people would find it a great watch! When counting the kings out don't say "no more, no less" as I think it would actually make people suspicous that there are more cards.

Keep the "thick card" packet moving in a circular motion so people can see that there is only "one" card. Hope that makes sense

And also, when displaying the kings at the start try to make that a little faster and smoother, other than that they both are looking good!

Well done

Thank you for your compliments. I agree about the video quailty.. Make videos brighter in the future for sure. Great advice on Hardcore Packet as well!

Thank you!

Michael Kras

Pretty nice, pretty well done, although it's hard to critique when you can't really see what's going on - but a question: WHY do you make the Ace pips disappear? This could be expanded further, you could breathe meaning into it.

Eugene Burger wrote:First, let me say something to the magicians in the magic class. One of the challenges of performing magic is coming up with a way to present it so the sub text isn't about how cool you are.

Further, most magic is presented by magicians as exposition. By that I mean the performer is simply telling the people what he or she is doing, "I am going to do this, I'm going to do that, now I'm going to do this, now I'm going to do that." My view is that this is okay for one trick in the show, but a whole show of exposition is just tedious beyond words.

The full Burger article (a great read) is available here.

Secondly WHY the second card? What's the motivation for it being there? If you don't give something a reason for it's presence, your audience is going to wonder why it is there. At a guess it seems to demonstrate what a blank card looks like - but seeing as this isn't too hard to imagine and seeing as you're about to show them anyway, it's irrelevant.

Your audience understands that this is not a particularly difficult piece of reasoning and so assumes why you, as a performer, a magician, would make the choice of introducing an unnecessary element when it dilutes the effect. The only real reason must be that it's necessary for the working of the effect.

In short: give it a reason for being there (which will force you down the 'expanded patter' route) or ditch it and rework it, finding a better and more direct method.

My thoughts on the Sanders effect have already been mentioned, but it seems that you yourself know you can do better:

Michael Kras on Youtube wrote:Yes, I know. I apologize for that. This video is at least 2 years old.

So why not always be putting your best foot forward?

The comment you posted six months ago however was quite unprofessional. Remember, enchantment in attitude too - not just the material you perform. Some of your favourite videos surprise me as well.

Absolutely right! But where are your comments on Hardcore Packet? You mention that you put them there but they are not.

I will definitely take your advice and post more current videos in the future, so my current skill level will be present.

And the Favourite Videos: weren't watched and are now deleted.

Honestly though, they were never watched. Heck, I singed a petition against them! I don't even know why I added them! Guess it's becuase I like Sankey so much.

The second card in Empty thpughts is there purely for demonstration, but the post you wrote got me thinking and i think I now have a new and possibly better method without the second card! I will try to make a video of it in a while, once I work with it and develop it.

Once again,

Thank you!

Michael Kras

Michael Kras wrote:Absolutely right! But where are your comments on Hardcore Packet? You mention that you put them there but they are not

I meant by other posters.

And the Favourite Videos: weren't watched and are now deleted.

Honestly though, they were never watched. Heck, I singed a petition against them! I don't even know why I added them! Guess it's becuase I like Sankey so much.

Good to hear! I thought it seemed a bit unusual.

The second effect was good, you did flash the 'stack' of cards when you were showing the 4 cards.

Also you need to improve on the ditch because the method you use is only good for cameras. The mercury ending, which is shaking the cards and flipping them over to real an ace, then put the stack on top of the deck and spread the cards revealing the 4 aces, and for added effect you could put 4 extra kings face up in the middle of the deck, or pass half the deck whilst keeping the top 4 cards in place.

The first effect was good. My comments are aligned with Cardza, so I won't go into detail as he's already said it all.

Hardcore Packet -

Good effect, and you are almost there. Handling the "thickness" isn't your biggest problem though. Your ascanio spread flashed dramatically nearly every time. Even casual observers will see you flashing multiple cards where you don't want to be flashing them. The early tip on keeping the cards moving is sound advice, but don't take that to mean you should shake the cards like crazy. Also be aware that the other cards are there to aid in the deception. Use them to your advantage. The ascanio spread is one of the most beautiful displays going. Give it the time and practice it deserves and it will serve you well.

Another thing which I feel needs to be touched on, is routining. First and foremost, the way you begin the effect is entirely counterproductive. Why are you displaying the kings on the table, only to pick them up and put them on top of the deck before you begin? We all know why you're doing that - and at the end of the effect, so will your audience. You have to factor every single movement into your effect. For the sake of this video, the problem can be forgiven. However, bear these kinds of things in mind when performing for a live audience.

Speaking of which - I can almost guarantee your finish wouldn't fly in a live setting. At least not the way you presented it here. Moving your dirty work just out of frame is not really covering. Again, it works here - but your thoughts should be on how to make it work in the real world, not just on camera.

Nice work. Keep it up.

Thank you very much. Unfortunately my other effect didn't test so well. Oh well... back to the drawing board I guess (Restricted Acces)