The Magicanada Project

Ben Train · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 268

It's not Mark, I know that for sure.

But, honestly, it doesn't matter WHO it is- lets respect his privacy! I understand the way he feels, as I used have a "Secret" identity on another forum, which allowed me to speak my mind without fear of repercussions.

Teddy, I'll look over your contributions.

Here's some things to keep in mind.

First, you should have a HOOK. A line that gets them interested. Assume they are in a hurry to catch a bus- what would you say to make them stop?

PREMISE- the routine, or premise for the routine, should follow LOGICALLY from the hook. It should be interesting, and make sense in the context of what is happening in the effect.

STRUCTURE- The actual magic (What happens) should make sense in relation to the patter, and should have INTERNAL logic. It should also build. So, the last revelation should be the strongest of the three (and two should be, ideally, stronger then three).

Lastly, you should keep in mind your OBJECTIVE- what you want to accomplish with the effect and why you've chosen to do this effect. This will help you develop both the presentation and the structure.

Looking forward to some thoughts!
Ben

teddy · Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 166

Thanks, Ben and Mike.

Michael, I liked yours; it was very charismatic. However, I don't think it followed the rules for the contest exactly.

Ben Train · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 268

Hey Teddy,

There is a lot of things I like about your routine. But, there are some things I don't.

Your routine allows for no by-play with the audience. You talk TO them, not with them.

For something like this, involving "mind reading" you need to break the 4th wall.

You may disagree. If so, why?

Also, your routine has no synergy- it's disjointed. It's not a routine, it's three separate revelations.

Is this a bad thing? Doesn't have to be!

Ben

BrianMillerMagic · Joined: 14 Aug 2007 Posts: 543 Location: New York State

I keep looking at this topic, and I keep hitting the same roadblock. I create presentations/methods first, then find some method for accomplishing it later. My problem here is that we've been essentially given a method for controlling three selections. I would love to come up with a presentation to fit this method, but the creative processes in my brain work the other way. Sorry guys! I'm enjoying the discussion though.

My only thought would be to play it up as a feat of psychological self-awareness - whereby the spectators are able to discover their own cards, but I don't know if Ben's method allows for such a presentation. It would be a similar presentation to the way I perform ACAAN, but done with three people instead of one.
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Ben Train · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 268

For clarification, the process is this-

1. Deck shuffled.
2. Three packets are cut off, the face cards looked at, then reassembled.
3. Pack reshuffled (if desired).

Now, one one looks through the pack you will be able to identify the selections. The spectators can be looking at the cards as the deck is spread as well.

So, one could control the selections as 4 aces are removed, and then go into a collectors routine.

Or, you could have the spectators find their own cards.

Or, you could do a "skill find", like cutting to the four aces.

Or, you could read some minds.

Or, you could read their tells and find the cards.

Or, you could find each card in progressively more impressive, and magical, ways.

Or, the cards could come together.

Or, you remove three cards but get them all wrong... then have them change into the selections.

Or... well, you get the idea.

Ben

BrianMillerMagic · Joined: 14 Aug 2007 Posts: 543 Location: New York State

In that case I say present it as a psychological feat by which the spectators discover their own cards. Wrap the presentation around the theme of believing in yourself even when things seem unlikely and the odds are against you. Life lesson and magic wrapped into one. As Garrett Thomas has noted so many times, if there is ever a chance to insert a small life lesson or positive message into an effect, then do it. Magic is such a unique art form in that, as I've said many times before, it is a catalyst for personal connections with perfect strangers in a way that very few if any other art forms can achieve.

I don't feel like fleshing out a word for word script, but you get the idea. That's what I would do. Smile

So there - I've contributed. I found some time recently to start posting on the Cafe again, so I'll be doing the same here hopefully.
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Michael Kras · Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:31 pm Post subject:

So when will the winner be announced Ben?
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Ben Train · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 268

Well...

I guess I was kinda hoping for more then 2.5 entries...

So far, no one has blown my socks off. I'm not looking for full patter- just a PREMISE.

WHY are we doing this? What are we showing? You're answer shouldn't be more then 1-3 sentences.

Submit as many as you can!

The prize?- a good one.

Ben

Michael Kras · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 3:51 pm Post subject:

The magician is testing his own psychic abilities. He claims to have felt weird feelings in the past and also feels as though in numerous cases he has mentally predicted the not-too-distant future and he wants to test and prove it once and for all. He asks a willing spectator to help him and if he cannot successfully read her mind 3 times in a row, she gets a little cash to make it all worth her while. Guess what happens?

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