Tricks – Page 127 – MagicShow.Tips

Make It Yourself…

One of the things that I try to do in my show is not to use props that other people use. It could be the same prop, but mine looks different. Usually the reason mine looks different is because I made it myself (or had it made for me). I read a long time ago in an SH Sharpe book on magic theory that when you make the prop the pride your have from making it will show in your performance and that’s something that’s stuck in my head.

Recently I searched for a set of large walnuts to make my own set for the three shell game. I finally found some in the Ukraine had them shipped to me. I altered one of them a little bit and made a mold of it, and then cast my own set of shell game shells in resin.

These shells are larger than most shells, but not too large. I’ve used them in a couple of gigs and they’re working out great. The next step is to learn to reduce the tiny air bubbles in them.

A Mentalism Idea…

Today I was thinking of the Seven Keys To Baldplate routine. It’s the trick where you have seven keys, and only one opens a lock, and somehow that’s the key selected (or only one not selected). There are tons of methods to this trick, but I think Stewart Judah’s is the best. In that method … Continue reading “A Mentalism Idea…”

Today I was thinking of the Seven Keys To Baldplate routine. It’s the trick where you have seven keys, and only one opens a lock, and somehow that’s the key selected (or only one not selected). There are tons of methods to this trick, but I think Stewart Judah’s is the best. In that method any key will work or won’t work in the lock.

Typically people lock things like a finger ring or money to the lock. The idea I had for the trick was to lock someone’s belt loop to a chain. The other end of that chain could be attached to me, a chair, or whatever. You could even have multiple locks with multiple people that are locked together. Every finds the key that opens their lock.

The idea of chaining someone to something is an interesting visual and I think would lend itself to some interesting situational comedy. I think having people on the end of the lock instead of a ring will make it play bigger. The next challenge would be coming up with a routine.

Finishing a Book…

After starting to read the book Principia by Harapn Ong about a year ago, I finally finished it. It’s a book that I’d read a bit of it, then put it down and pick it back up a month later. It’s a great book, and there are a couple things in it that I’ve used … Continue reading “Finishing a Book…”

After starting to read the book Principia by Harapn Ong about a year ago, I finally finished it. It’s a book that I’d read a bit of it, then put it down and pick it back up a month later. It’s a great book, and there are a couple things in it that I’ve used throughout the year.

Near the end of the book there are a couple of essay’s on the Trick That Cannot Be Explained. These are fantastic! There’s some great theory in them, not just on the card trick, but on tricks using multiple outs.

Also near the end, there’s a trick where the cards get mixed face up and face down. You find their selected card, and no the cards don’t all magically fix themselves. The cards not fixing themselves is what I think makes this trick great, and something that I think is going to go into my impromptu card magic toolbox.

If you do card magic, check out this book!

Play Around…

The other day I was hanging out with a magician friend, we were working on something not magic trick related. At some point we always end up goofing around with magic. and that’s when the good ideas come out. Unfortunately this day it was just goofing around. One of the things we were playing with … Continue reading “Play Around…”

The other day I was hanging out with a magician friend, we were working on something not magic trick related. At some point we always end up goofing around with magic. and that’s when the good ideas come out. Unfortunately this day it was just goofing around.

One of the things we were playing with was a bottle cap. Here’s one of the things that we did:

It’s not a great trick, or even that original, however it’s a good example of part of the creative process. It’s just playing with an item and seeing what comes up.

First Attempt…

Yesterday I finished my first attempt at making a clear coin for the Silver Extraction magic trick. I made the mold in silicone and cast it in a clear resin. The clear coin ended up having a lot more air bubbles in it than I would like it to have. At the end of the … Continue reading “First Attempt…”

Yesterday I finished my first attempt at making a clear coin for the Silver Extraction magic trick. I made the mold in silicone and cast it in a clear resin. The clear coin ended up having a lot more air bubbles in it than I would like it to have. At the end of the day, it’s a clear coin and would work for the trick.

After doing some research on the causes of the air bubbles, what it will take to remove them from future castings is something I’m not really set up right now to handle. I learned a lot from making this, mostly that clear castings are going to be a pain in the butt!!

Making Magic

One thing I like to do when I’m learning to new things is to do them whenever I can for projects that I won’t necessarily use, but someone will. Right now I’m learning more about making silicone molds and casting things in resin. My current project is making some coins that will be clear. This … Continue reading “Making Magic”

One thing I like to do when I’m learning to new things is to do them whenever I can for projects that I won’t necessarily use, but someone will. Right now I’m learning more about making silicone molds and casting things in resin.

My current project is making some coins that will be clear. This will be for the a trick similar to the Silver Extraction Coin trick.

Above is the mold for the coins. After making the mold, I think there are a few changes I would make to it. We’ll see if these turn out.

Keep Learning…

Yesterday I was at a class on making silicone molds and using them to cast things in resin. Personally, besides learning the skill, I’m always watching for ideas that I can use during my performance. I noticed a couple of things that confirm my current thoughts on audio and video during a show.

The first thing that while we were in a fairly small and quiet room and there were only 25 of us, it was hard to hear the presenter. They should have been mic’d up. This goes for pretty much anything that’s not a close up gig, you need to wear a mic!

The second thing was their use of video. They had a straight down show from directly above the table with the screen directly behind the presenter.

This is the way to do it. In all of the shows I’ve seen when the action is on a sidewall, your attention is torn between the screen and the presenter. With the action on the screen behind you, it really lets you watch both the same time as both are in your field of vision. This is the way to got for projection.

As a bonus to confirming my theories on audio and video during a show, I also learned to make molds and cast things in resin!

Economy of Motion…

Recently I added the Silk in Light Bulb trick to my show. Essentially a silk that has disappeared reappears inside a light bulb. To do this or similar “in light bulb” type of tricks I’ve always used glass light bulbs. I hollowed out real glass light bulbs and used those. These look great and work … Continue reading “Economy of Motion…”

Recently I added the Silk in Light Bulb trick to my show. Essentially a silk that has disappeared reappears inside a light bulb. To do this or similar “in light bulb” type of tricks I’ve always used glass light bulbs. I hollowed out real glass light bulbs and used those. These look great and work great, but travelling with them is a pain as they are fragile.

About a week ago I was talking to another magician and he mentioned he started using plastic light bulbs. These have the metal base that unscrews giving you access to the inside. I ordered some and they showed up a couple days later. They look great, and I’m glad I ordered them, it’s going to make travelling much easier.

One problem with this style light bulb is how long it takes to unscrew it. There’s too much threading on the base:

I took my Dremel and sanded off some of the threading:

Now it unscrews in less than one twist. That speeds up the moment from when the audience realizes it’s the silk in the light bulb to when you are displaying it.

Look at your show and figure out where there’s wasted procedural motion. Once you find that, try to figure out ways to eliminate it. That will tighten up your show.

Keep Tweaking…

It’s fun playing around with magic tricks. A couple days ago I wrote about tweaking the card trick A Case For Premonition by Roberto Giobbi. This is a card trick where someone names a card, it disappears and it’s in your pocket. I jammed the card trick with a buddy and showed him another way … Continue reading “Keep Tweaking…”

It’s fun playing around with magic tricks. A couple days ago I wrote about tweaking the card trick A Case For Premonition by Roberto Giobbi. This is a card trick where someone names a card, it disappears and it’s in your pocket. I jammed the card trick with a buddy and showed him another way of doing it that I had thought of, which I like a bit more.

In the original method you need to count out 51 cards, it’s boring and time consuming. What I’m doing instead is using a deck that’s marked and in a memorized order. They call out a card and you spread the deck to about where the card is, locate it and get a pinkie break under it. I do this as I say, “You could have named any card…” then I square up the deck. I then side jog the card, and ribbon spread the deck face up on the table. This will hide the selection. Be sure to not be selfish and ribbon spread the cards so that they indices aren’t upside down to the audience. I then run my finger across the cards looking for their card, and it’s gone! I finish by doing Bob Farmer’s Bammo Move as I pick up the deck, palm the card and produce it from my pocket.

It’s not a huge change, but I think it really streamlines the process of making the card disappear. It’s also technically a lot easier than Giobbi’s version that uses a Double Deal and a Cull Palm. If you used an edge marked deck, you’d eliminate the need for the estimation and spread, you could just look for the mark and get a break.

App Free…

In the past I’ve written about my dislike for magic apps, and my fascination with them. I think they are interesting, but the main problem is that the majority of them either rely on an internet connection or using your phone. In my opinion there’s no way around having to use the internet for apps that work that way, and that makes them not as reliable as I’d like. As for using your phone, well, you just need to justify it.

I just started playing with an idea that uses my phone to take a picture for a prediction. The idea of using a picture that you are taking in the moment makes more sense that a random pic in your gallery that’s been there for months.

Here’s what the rough idea looks like:

This is a trick that I don’t think really has a place in a formal show, but as an informal trick, I think it’s great. The nice thing about it is they can pick any of the items and they can pick up the phone to reveal the prediction. It’s pretty hands off once you take the pictures.