talkmagic.co.uk

Some people really want to know how they are done, everyoen does. As soon as you tell them, immediately they become disinterested. Why? You gotta keep suspence, keep them thinking.

When I did sponge balls, and peope thought I had some elaborate device (really only well praticed slight of hand), I sold them some,t hen showed them how to do it. They couldn't do it, and even gave them back to me.

Thast the magicians code, never reaveal how, for this very reason.


I used to have my own magic shop, London Bridge magic (I live int he USA, and its in lake havasu), but we couldn't afford a shop and only sold at a swap meet. Consequently, it failed.

I'm very good at slight of hand (I'd say intermediate, I'm very good at close up magic and have praticed for many, many hours since I was 9w ith sponge slight of hand), so perhaps I can to go termilly ill people or elderly people and make them happy with my magic tricks.

well when you reveal a magic trick then magic is completly taken away isnt it like you tell one person how to do a trick and they realise that everything else youve done is similer ( a big con ) or as we call it slieght of hand lol.

anyway as soon as you tell people how summet is done no matter how easy you get the reaction "is that it" or "i coulve done that" and theyre not intrested any more

one way to wade them off if u want! decades ago if you asked a magician how he did a trick wot would happen he'd jump down on you like a ton of bricks! because it was classed as rude to ask them so you act really offended if you do get asked

If they ask, don't show

Well ive just started doing some card magic lately (you can call me beginner =P). Im so bad at it and whenever i do the double lifting in front of my friends, they can guess straight away that i lifted two cards. Then i ask them if it looked like one but they say yeah.. so.. i think i need more practice on it and i guess once i master the card lifting i can perform the two card monte and shock them =P

See my signature...get Born To Perform.

Kati

ippy903 wrote:Well ive just started doing some card magic lately (you can call me beginner =P). Im so bad at it and whenever i do the double lifting in front of my friends, they can guess straight away that i lifted two cards. Then i ask them if it looked like one but they say yeah.. so.. i think i need more practice on it and i guess once i master the card lifting i can perform the two card monte and shock them =P

I think the trouble you might have with them now is that they know one magic secret (the DL), so when you show them other card stuff, they'll assume it's done the same way.

Ages ago, a TT fell out of my pocket, and my brother found it. I stupidly explained to him what it was, as I think he thought it was some kind of bizarre sex toy or something Now every time I mention anything about magic to him, he goes on about fake fingers and stuff - It really puts me off showing him anything, as I worry I'll screw it up.

Might be best to show them some other magic and get them used to you doing other wierd and wonderful things before you go back to doing things involving double lifts. Maybe make them forget about it. Plus it gives you time to get the DL absolutely perfected

Shrug. I dunno.

- a couple of weeks ago I went to my fencing class with a TT still in my pocket, and they fell out. Someone asked me what they were and I just said that is was a spare finger in case one of mine fell off. Then I did a couple of effects with it, and they didn't suspect a thing. Great fun!

Kati

LOL if you don't explain why you have a TT to people, i wonder what they will thing of you =P

When I first started dating my fiancee many moons ago, I stopped over at her place (ooooo errrrr) and did my usual 'empty all my pockets whilst getting undressed' routine. Unfortunately, one item was my TT... which laid hidden beneath my wallet until morning.

A small weird 'gasp' when she saw it in the morning, but even after that, she NEVER suspected it was a magic prop. Even to this day, she still gets fooled by TT effects

seige wrote:A small weird 'gasp' when she saw it in the morning, but even after that, she NEVER suspected it was a magic prop. Even to this day, she still gets fooled by TT effects

The mind boggles about what she thought it was.

"Uh yeah, don't worry babe, it's just my nose warmer" Maybe it could be explained as a helmet for actionman or something.

ippy903 wrote:

Im so bad at it and whenever i do the double lifting in front of my friends, they can guess straight away that i lifted two cards.

and then

Steverino wrote:

I think the trouble you might have with them now is that they know one magic secret (the DL), so when you show them other card stuff, they'll assume it's done the same way.

In all honesty I don't agree with Steverino's comment there. I too became a victim of my regular test audience (i.e. my friends at work usually) becoming wise to the DL. I could be wrong as it may be situationally different for Ippy but people who are wise to your past attempts at the DL will spot your technique for getting a break a mile away. It is situations like this where you need to learn a new DL technique and get it down PERFECT (something which I have yet to do unfortunatley, but I'm getting there). My personal recommendation would be to learn a DL that doesn't need a break. For example the "push off DL" (My only reference for this is "Crash Course 2" from ellusionist) or the "Instantaneous DL" (I think is somewhere on Daryl's Encyclopedia Of Card Sleights, but don't quote me on it) are two good examples. The latter being the focus of my attention at the moment.

If you are going to start showing someone a few tricks let them find a few things on their own first. Even if it is the same card tricks everyone's uncle does. At least it shows an initial interest to continue learning even after being exposed to the secret. Especially if you've just got into magic yourself people like this will help you immensely as you teach each other things you've just learnt, try things out on each other, give each other constructive criticisms, and bounce new ideas of each other.

Evan, I think what Steve meant was, once they know of the DL, they think other tricks are done with a DL as well. They won't always be RIGHT - but that's what they'll think.

I think he meant - once you spoil a method, it has potential to spoil the spectator (ie - the Wizard wasn't so "wonderful" when Toto pulled back the curtain)

By the way, IMHHHO the cleanest and best way to get a DL without a break is the strike double - no funny turns and flips, no weird actions, it's just turning the card over.

Kati

Demitri wrote:Evan, I think what Steve meant was, once they know of the DL, they think other tricks are done with a DL as well. They won't always be RIGHT - but that's what they'll think.

I think he meant - once you spoil a method, it has potential to spoil the spectator (ie - the Wizard wasn't so "wonderful" when Toto pulled back the curtain)

Um, yeah, that much better put that what I wrote.

what I mean is that maybe doing a few tricks for them that obviously aren't done using that method (ie. non card tricks, or different types of effects) might get them away from that kind of thinking - after which you could start using your new improved DL. I'm sure it also depends on your mates, and your performance style too. Some people will be very pleased and amused to catch out a magician, and want to keep doing it - some less so.

Shrug. Maybe misguided - but it makes sense to me. That's what I'll probably try with my brother.

I know from experience that when someone thinks they know the method to a trick I've done, and they're wrong, I feel annoyed, and want to show them the trick again to show that it's not how it's done - unfortunately risking giving away the real secret. Ideally of course, I'd have several ways of doing each effect.

Another idea - for practice, you could try using DL in tricks for other people, when it's not necessary (ie. it doesn't matter what card they get). this way there's no pressure, as if they spot it, you can just let them choose a new card. "damn these cards sometimes stick together"

Possibly a good way of seeing how invisible your move is (?)

Demitri wrote:

Evan, I think what Steve meant was, once they know of the DL, they think other tricks are done with a DL as well. They won't always be RIGHT - but that's what they'll think.

I think he meant - once you spoil a method, it has potential to spoil the spectator (ie - the Wizard wasn't so "wonderful" when Toto pulled back the curtain)

Steverino wrote:

what I mean is that maybe doing a few tricks for them that obviously aren't done using that method (ie. non card tricks, or different types of effects) might get them away from that kind of thinking - after which you could start using your new improved DL.

I understood Steverino's point in his original post, but I don't agree with it. Steve even goes on to make my exact point afterwards when he mentions doing "different types of effects" that "aren't done using that method". My point was that if people see your DL and can spot every instance of it from that point on then they're going to suspect you did a DL only when they see you do one. If you don't do a DL then they won't suspect a DL.