talkmagic.co.uk

Hi all,

I felt like not-studying a few days ago* and tried playing with the structure of a coin production until it "felt right". I know that someone recently made a thread bemoaning the fact that youtube magic videos lack presentation, but honestly, when I do magic live I don't do it while mute and decapitated. So try to hold back comments on my lack of presentation; I'm looking for feedback on technique and structure. Thanks.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WeSq9so2cc

*which will probably result in me getting put in honors academic probation

I can't comment so much on the basic structure, but I did think your left hand (right side of the screen) looked a little stiff around the 0:09 mark.

I'm sure my hands look awful most of the time at the moment, but maybe worth a mention anyway.


All that follows is afterthought posting and I seriously hope it doesn't come across as being needlessly picky. I'm certainly not saying I could do better...

I just looked again, and what I assume was moving out of Ramsay position around the 0:02 mark could probably be better done at your side. I'm making a huge assumption here, and if I'm wrong and you only have your hand up to keep it in frame for the purpose of feedback you can completely ignore this bit.

The display at 0:08 looks kinda unnatural. Does it need to be in that position?

Finally, maybe pausing a beat between the move at 0:12 and the bit that immediately follows it would separate them a bit.

It feels a bit cheeky making this post when I'm so new to coin work myself, but I hope you can forgive that.


More than anything, though, I'm quite impressed I was able to follow along... I'm still new enough to get completely baffled by most things at the moment. Maybe it's because I learned something similar just last week.

Perhaps its just my monitor, but i could hardly see anything, it looked awfly dark

jim

A combination of both, I think.
It is a dark video but still possible to see what's going on.

Hi Sleightlycrazy.

There are certain hand movements that can be seen that shouldnt be. This could be partly remedied with smoother handling although it looks more a timing and framing issue. A golden rule on the timing of sleights that i learned from Michael Ammar is that attention drops sleightly just after a magical effect or surprise has taken place, this is the best time to do a 'move'.

If you watch the clip im sure you'll agree that just before the second coins appearance there is some movement visible in the right hand which could tip the audience. After the first coin appears audience attention drops for a few seconds, then it rises again when they realise something else is going to happen. Because of the somewhat lenghty display of the first coin in the right hand (while audience attention has dropped), by the time the coin is taken by the left hand attention has risen again, which is why the right hand 'get ready' is visible.

Also think about framing or focus of attention. When that first coin appears imagine a picture frame about 7in wide with the coin at its centre. This 'frame' is where, at that moment, the spectators attention is focused. When you place the coin in the left hand (frame still round it), because of where your right hand is its still within this frame, so any movement will be seen.

Try this - When the first coin appears only hold it for a second, then look at the spectators as you pass it to the left hand (this will also give you added cover for the secret transfer). A split second after the coin has been taken in the left your attention should be back on the coin. Raise the left hand slightly as if displaying the coin as the right hand moves away (and out of frame) and continue. Not only will the right hand get ready be more invisible, it will actually give you more time to do it.

All in all though, i liked it Thanks for posting

jim

When I watch vids of those who want feedback, I only watch the vid once and try to do so with the eyes of a layman.

The first production was relatively smooth.

The second I saw a mile away and wasn't comfortable with as it didn't seem to flow as if you magically melted one coin to two nor was it choppy as if you were struggling to magically pull a coin from within another coin. It was just somewhere kinda in between as if this was just a step between coins one and three.

You totally got me with the third. I followed the misdirection of your left hand motioning and snapping all the way.

I didn't see any flashes/glimpses. Good job.

As far as further where to go next, you are left in a pretty powerful spot after the third production. You are mechanically set up nicely for a flourish. You are also mechanically set up for a wide variety of vanishes and switches. But most powerful of all, you now have the psychology set up of having the spec conditioned. Perfect time to go into "one behind" effects.

Thanks, guys, for your feedback. I changed the second coin a bit and added a couple more moments of Ramsay subtlety.

Bigshot: I'm actually fairly new to coin magic as well. I just recalled some things I saw Shoot Ogawa and Apollo Robbins do in Cultural Exchange and tried to make a production that suited me better.