My effect

Liam · My effect

me and some friends came up with an effect recently
a card is selected
the preformer then asks what coin the spectator likes best , quarter,dime,nickle or penny.
after answering the magician pulls out the four coins
the coin they chose has the card they chose written out on it
none of the other coins have any writting on them
100% examinable

not that great, but it gives a good mind reading effect

BrianMillerMagic

It sounds like you're trying to think and create for yourself, which is great! I'll offer a few points though:

Is there any theme holding the effect together? What is the purpose of selecting a card, and what is the connection with then asking for a favorite coin?

This sounds like it is a combination of several ideas that could have their own separate effect instead of being forced into one together. Just some thoughts.

Michael Kras

It sounds like a neat idea... workon a presentation and maybe evolve the routine into something bigger to really make it work.

Liam

BrianMillerMagic

You say that neither a card force nor a coin force is spectacular on their own, but I disagree. It's all in the presentation. If you just force a card and then turn over a prediction, sure, it won't be very spectacular.

But for the sake of argument let's say that you lead into the effect by suggesting that psychology has shown us that a person's subconscious works in ways that we are only beginning to understand as a society of intellectuals. You go through the deck and place a card face down on the table that you have shown to nobody (let us assume it is the 8 of Hearts). From there you proceed to have a small dialogue with the spectator about his interests and yours, to get to know one another. After, you tell him that you think the two of you have enough of a connection in order for his subconscious to function properly. He then chooses a random card from the deck, which turns out to be the 8 of Diamonds. You ask, "Does this card mean anything to you?" He says that it does not. You then reply, "Ah, but it does mean something to you subconsciously," as you slowly but deliberately turn over the 8 of Hearts on the table for all to see.

That scenario was likely a four minute pseudo-psychological/mentalist prediction miracle - accomplished solely by a card force. Thus my point - something as simple as a card force or a coin force can indeed be spectacular in its own right.

Liam

that would be fairly spectacular, asuming no one in the audience had ever heard of a card force. When ever i try tricks like that people just say things like "it not hard for him to make you choose what he wants you to choose"
the only way i can avoid this is with classic force, but if that fails, my card and there card are compleatly different and the effect is ruined

BrianMillerMagic

There are many forces that are above suspicion, the classic force being one of them. The key to selling any force is to take the focus off of the process of selecting a card. In the presentation I described, the actual selection of the card is the least important point of focus. When using any card force, the point of the effect should not be the chosen card, but in fact what happens as a result of that card being chosen. It's your job to focus on that aspect, rather than the force. Give it a try and I think you'll be pleased with the results after several attempts.

Liam

well you make a valid point
but i'm still having trouble finding a way to connect my card force and coin force. I think my effect could be pretty good, if i could link them. My sister and mom liked it how it was, but some people might not like the random selections in it.

I think the actual effect is pretty strong
a card is chosen, a coin is chosen, and somehow i knew what they picked before they picked either of them.
But i'll admit i need some help with the presentation

by the way, do you guys know how i do it?
and i dont use the coin force called "magicians choice" were you just say either "okay, we wont use that one" if its one you dont want

BrianMillerMagic

If you don't use equivoque, then I would just assume you have four sets of coins in your pockets. Personally I don't guess at methods, mostly because I just don't care! That sounds rude, but what I mean is that, there is always a method to accomplish whatever effect you want. What I am most interested in is the presentation. Any method that works is valid, so it's really the least important aspect to me.

Liam

you make a valid point

BrianMillerMagic

Jay Sankey has a great point about starting with the effect, rather than the method, in his book Beyond Secrets. I don't have the book with me right now, so I can't quote it exactly, but it's basically this:

No effect is impossible. You don't actually have to do what you're claiming to do. The elephant doesn't have to disappear; it just has to look like it disappeared.