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Here is a video of a brand new effect I created. It is an impossible singed card to pocket effect where the hand is seen clearly empty before retrieving the signed card from the pocket! AND the hand goes nowhere near the pocket before then. Check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvgTjs02uqg


Please give me your thoughts on this.


Thank you

Michael Kras

I don't want to sound harsh, but this is not at all new. It's actually a pretty standard card to pocket routine - and your description here is misleading. You said the hand goes nowhere near the pocket before the reveal - when it clearly does. Yes, you openly and cleanly show your hand when you pull it out of the pocket, but can you explain why you're not so openly and suspiciously moving your hand "near" your pocket before you produce it?

Also, your work needs refinement and more practice. It is very clear, even to an untrained eye, that you're doing something with the deck. Your action should be quick and very nonchalant. You needed to go back to the deck a few times in order to accomplish your sleight - which delays the progression of the effect, as well as diminishes any reaction to it once you get there.

It's nice thinking here, but you're not exactly breaking ground here. You're a big fan of Sankey. Try looking into his card to pocket routine on his best of dvd set. The logic behind the moves, and your cover and misdirection are expertly addressed in his version of card to pocket. Compare his handling to yours, and see if there's a way to adapt it to what you're trying to achieve.

Fish-hooking your thumb when you p the card is very unnatural and a pretty big tell in my opinion.

I agree with Demitri that all the waving and hovering of your hand over your pocket is very suspicious and saying "the hand goes nowhere near the pocket before then" is obviously wrong so why include it in the description?

Michael Kras wrote:AND the hand goes nowhere near the pocket before then.

apart from the twice your hand went to your pocket and the 15 or so seconds you spent rubbing your trousers.
if you made your sleights look more natural and didn't spend so long rubbing yourself it could be a lot nicer.
the whole rubbing your trousers thing gives the impression that you're magically rubbing something away, or through your trousers, which only really serves to suggest you have something in that hand, which is clearly not what you were going for. with the right bit of misdirection and none of that rubbing malarchy i can see it working quite well, but then it probably wouldn't work so well on video.
you'd probably be best off just sticking with the more standard card to pocket tricks (I'm still loving James Browns' one), the simple ones are often the best ones

May i just add that the video was so dark i could hardly see anything.

As with majortom i couldn't really see anything. So as much as i'd love to comment on it i can't.

Would the effect be stronger if I showed my pocket empty and immediately sealed it shut with duct tape? Would it be less obvious?

Michael Kras wrote:Would the effect be stronger if I showed my pocket empty and immediately sealed it shut with duct tape? Would it be less obvious?

Yes....

gave up as the video quality was poor, start there I would

Get mum to video and be a spec

I don't to sound mean, but why do you insist on posting videos with cruddy lighting? Every video I've seen that you've posted has had some fault with it lighting-wise. You obviously have seen the videos before you post them on the Internet, so then why do decide to post them? The video was so dark I had no idea what was going on and i couldn't see the signed face of the card once. My advice would be not to post any more videos until you get a good place to record.

Why not just p*** the card and pull it out of your pocket? Sealing it with duct tape is about as natural as rubbing the front of your pants (and we don't need that kind of show, thanks).

Still Fancy a Pot of Jam has a beautiful card to pocket. Tudor's "The Heckler" does as well. I'd look into one or both of them and consider the misdirection (physical and psychological) within the effects that makes them so strong.

Ciao,
Rob

As a side note, is the name of this effect a hint at something for this forum by any chance?

majortom wrote:May i just add that the video was so dark i could hardly see anything.

Same for me .
I'd like to know how the people that have commented on this vid, managed to see what was going on, 'cos I could hardly see anything at all .

Agreed.

It would have probably been clearer filmed in night vision.

And twice as entertaining.

in all honesty

i feel card to pockets are OLD

they are good, i will say that

but to try and create a brand new card to pocket, it is quite ludicras. any intermediate magician could do it and there are PLENTY of them out there.

Dude, watch back your videos and the ones where you can't see whats going on half the time because its so dark, think about not up-loading them.

I'm sure it a very well executed and entertaining effect, just try uploading a brighter re-take, do the effect outside if necessary.

Anyway mate, its good to see your keen on sharing your talent with us and i think looking for suggestions on how to improve.

Later buddy.