talkmagic.co.uk

Doesn't have a name or anything, just made it up while I was laying in bed, heh.

My first video, and I've never shown my tricks to other magicians, so please yell at me as much as possible! Er, give me advice that is.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nsyp5P7rnFA

Very good. I don't think i've ever seen a four ace trick like this before. I think i might start using it. Good Job.

Thanks! Any pro's have any tiny details that would make it better?

well I'm nothing like a pro gman but try not to flash the bottom of the deck.

Hmmmm...

For some reason, it doesn't really do much for me. It's a nice presentation, although the method was immediately apparent upon the first ace being put on the pile... which I guess ruined the effect slightly for me, as it was then just a matter of time before the ending—which was also pretty obvious.

It's a great idea, but it wasn't really that magical.

And yes—flashing the bottom card near the end would also give the game away!

You could quite easily have turned this into a magician fooler by not using the same steal-deal four times. That would have been VERY refreshing!

Yea, this fools every layman I showed, but to somebody who knows the steal I'm sure it's killer to sit through

So I should think about what a magician would think and make it above that?

And about the flash, I saw that after I uploaded it ><

No way, don't change it for laypeople at all.

As I said, it's really nice, but not really that magical.

Now, if you did this with signed cards, for instance, spectators would scream.

Or, perhaps as the ending to an ambitious card routine?

You asked for criticism, so I gave it

But, now you're asking for advice, I am sure the answers will be a LOT different.

Bear in mind, people on this forum will be OVERLY CRITICAL (like I was) because we're conditioned to try and analyse magic.

Spectators/laypeople will be far less critical

Nick,

You asked for advice .....

1. Perform your magic for lay people, don't try to do magic to fool magicians. Its not necessary.

2. Use a mirror while practicing your tricks. You wouldn't have flashed the bottom card 2 or 3 times if you'd used a mirror before you recorded the video.

3. Create a story to each trick to make it interesting and entertaining. Not just, I'm putting 4 Aces into the deck, oh look, they're on the top of these 4 piles.

Its a nice effect, but too angle restrictive for close up magic for it to be any good for me.

However, don't let that put you off, and keep working on your magic.

I agree with seige, I liked it, but saw the ending coing a mile off...mind you (also agreeing with seige again) I naturally find myself always being VERY critical of any trick I see - a 'muggle' (yes...I did just quote harry Potter - not my fault,my girlfriend has just finished the book) would be amazingly impressed, especially with signed aces - nice trick though

Dan

The premise was very nice, though there were a few technical points that have mostly been covered already.

One thing I'd point out is when you deal the ace on the pile, transfering the deck to your right hand and then moving the packet with your left looks very unnatural to me. One idea might be to deal the cards in the pile to your right hand side (or slightly off-center to the right), and when you deal the ace on it you now have a logical reason to transfer the deck to your right hand since you need your left hand to take the dealed pile and move it to your left. (I know at least Dai Vernon, probably others as well, pointed out it's bad theater to reach over with your right hand to the left and vice versa). Though that does open up some angle considerations with the secret move.

Thanks for all the tips! I will try to elaborate this "routine" into something even better.

As for story telling with tricks, what do you mean? I was never comfortable with "People ask me if I can cheat at poker...so I show them it's possible to sneak the Aces anywhere I want. My friend took the cards and dealt them down and then had me put an Ace in, etc"

Storytelling sometimes really helps.

I think the reason that your effect wasn't too 'magical' for me was it just seemed to happen.

As nice as it was to watch, I am not sure that the layperson would fully follow what went on... sometimes, a story helps keep track.

A story doesn't always have to be based on fictitious stuff either, you can think of your favourite song, your favourite childhood legend, etc. and adapt it slightly to fit with the magic, perhaps.

Whoa that rick was great do a couple of other tricks with the aces and you'll be well on your way.

my advice, take heed of what the more experienced people above have said.

and get a new deck of bikes, that deck looks far too worn to still be using other than for practice of torn card effects and the like.

As a complete amateur I really can't give any advice, they pros said everything already.
But do practise a lot in front of a mirror (or camera and study afterwards).
I was amazed to see how many times I was flashing the bottom on a similar trick when all the time I thought I was presenting it quite good