talkmagic.co.uk

As far as I know, this is an original version of the Paul Harris effect Strange Exchange. Please share your thoughts and any possible history! I'd love to hear what you have to say about, well, anything!

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

Michael Kras

As usual, you were technically excellent and as per not AS usual, but no offense meant, your presentation was also excellent!

Thank you for such kind words. I'm very happy you enjoyed it!

I really enjoyed that Mike- verrrry small criticism on the presentation is that it seemed a tad manic at the beginning, but I'm only nit-picking .

Manic presentation is my specialty glad you enjoyed it!

Technically it was alright, but the whole thing was mentally fast. And I don't mean "faster than the eye", I mean so fast I could barely keep up with what was supposed to be happening, and even when I could you moved so fast as to make the whole thing seem trivial.

If you're deliberately aiming for that manic, vegas-y persona then the best of luck to you, I personally consider it alienating and irritating, and am fairly sure YOUR OWN personality would be a lot more engaging. I know you're not actually performing for anyone in this video, but that doesn't mean you have to talk continuously.

But that's a personal choice thing. My major gripe with this video is how little you make of the effect. Seriously, you pull that card 'out of the box' so fast it's like you've got somewhere to be, and then that's it, you're done. If you were really performing this for an audience, they'd still be going "Why is it being put in the card box?" whilst you're half way through your next effect.

Slow. Down. Think about what you've just told these people. You are going to make the card and the coin swap places, despite the card being in the box. That is an impossible feat - don't act like it's nothing. When you say "3" and the coin is in your hand and the card has vanished, pause. That in itself is a nice effect, you've just turned a card into a coin. Also, if you've taken your time to engage your audience a little and made sure they're following, they *know* the card is in the box. They won't believe it, but they know it's coming - milk that, that's where the drama is in this effect.

It can be easy to get so caught up with sleights and props and gags and patter that we forget that we are doing MAGIC. There's more to presentation than just "Pick a card... whoa just one!".

Thank you for such a thoughtful response. Yes, that is my persona, my spectators seem to like it and I like it. Admittedly, this is much faster than I would normally go, having been a bit hyper that day because I'd just finished writing a large exam. It's normally much slower but pretty much what you see in the video.

For anyone with knowledge of the final "card from box" move, it must be done relatively quickly, especially in intimate situations, to avoid discovery. Plus, I don't think removing the card from the box is the main moment that should be milked. The transformation DEFINITELY should, and I admit I didn't play it to its full potential in the video. Also, I agree, the moment directly after the transformation would increase impact.

My "pick a card"-type line is what I usually use. I never directly say "pick a card", rather my usual line is "Just grab something, anything, just don't go below the belt"... this line, I obviously only use in a high school environment (in which I perform a lot, besides gigs and such), but it's effective, funny to spectators, and I like it. In talking about us "doing magic", you make it sound as though we should all drop the goofy, or fun personas and become Gandalf... correct me if I'm unclear.

Again, thank you for your response, I will work on "milking" the moment in this effect to increase impact as well as, of course SLOWING DOWN.

I very much liked that Mike...one of your better performances that I have watched.

I must confess towards the beginning you were c*** (not the best)...but in recent months you have certainbly come on a hell of a long way!

With relation to the "card to box" move...I love this move. I perform it all the time. You dont have to do it quick!

Classic palm in your right hand as you pick up the deck, and drop as you turn over.....as you did. Put when it is face down hold the case and card with the tips of your fingers on the long end, and I always very slowly flick open the lid, and *then* take it out. It doesn;t have to be done speedily.

But very nice job...I am impressed with your growth not only in skill but in person as well! Regardless of what people think...it is nicer to see more of you, rather than Mike "Sankey" Kras!

I've never had a teacher, you couldn't blame me. I used to do magic with little practice and little presentational skills. Then I learned it all in 2 years an made up for lost time.

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.

Michael Kras wrote:In talking about us "doing magic", you make it sound as though we should all drop the goofy, or fun personas and become Gandalf... correct me if I'm unclear.

This is always a matter of personal opinion, I'm not about to tell anyone that their presentational style is wrong. However, my feelings on the matter are as follows:

Every time I hear someone use the word goofy, wacky, zany, *random*, kooky or mad to describe their performances style it makes me want to perform smash and stab with my face, and deliberately get it wrong.

Perhaps this is a British thing, but I hate the ridiculous broad smiles, the horrendous one liners and the awful, cheesy looks and clownish faces pulled by so many frightfully mediocre magicians who are more interested in making people laugh than doing anything particularly magical. (By the way Mike, I'm not saying you're like that, just that you have some of the same "gaggy" tendencies).

For me, magic is all about belief. For a short while, even if only for a few seconds, I want my audience to believe they've seen something magical happen. That is the first thing they should say when my name is mentioned - they should be telling everyone they know that I did something completely impossible, that blew their mind. I hope that, if questioned, they will also say that I was engaging, and funny, and incredibly handsome (I'm still working on the last one), but all of those things come second to the fact that I should be magical.

Because I'm a magician.

If I talk to someone who has recently seen a magician and all they say is how funny he/she was, then what they saw was a comedian, but possibly one that used tricks to fill the time.

Magic has the power to really affect people. You can make people laugh, but you can also make them cry, or you can scare them, or you can put them in touch with a sense of wonder they thought they had lost.

The comedy pianist Tim Minchin, who I highly recommend listening to, always says that when he writes a song he tries to make it the best song he can. The lyrics may well be very funny, as may the delivery, but the music itself is never the joke. Musically, they are always excellent. Watch some videos of Penn and Teller, or Derren Brown (especially if you can find footage of him on stage). They are very funny performers, with hugely entertaining shows, but they never use gags, or hokey one liners, and the magic is always presented as magic. The humor comes totally from their personalities, they say funny things but never tell jokes - and it all feels genuine. It doesn't feel scripted or rehearsed, even if it is. And most importantly, when it comes to the magic, it is still treated as being important and being magical.

Sorry, I've rambled a little. I hope I've got across a little of what I wanted to.

You can "remove" the card from the box as slowly as you like if you do it with the box flap towards the audience. With your persona I'd still do it fast though, just maybe not that fast. The speed you yank it out it's like you're trying to hide a sleight rather than genuinely remove a card from a box.