anybody do double cross by mark southworth?

Dec 23, 2015
15
0
i will word it in a way so as not to give away the secret but the spectator right after i do the trick usually knows how the x got to their hand :( you can pm me to give me tips on how to get away with this? :)
 

CaseyRudd

Director of Operations
Team member
Jun 5, 2009
3,393
3,801
Charleston, SC
www.instagram.com
My best guess is that you're rushing the "process" when it doesn't need to be, or you might be a bit too aggressive with the "process" altogether. Without detailing the method, I will say that you also don't need to touch too hard as just a simple tap will get the job done and this is disguised in a nonchalant action. It's supposed to be on the offbeat, so try not to pay too much attention to it as if you focus on something hard enough, they'll pick up on it. This requires a decent bit of practice to be able to do it naturally. Also as Maaz said, in the scripting, do not make the part of the effect that requires the move a big part of it. It's supposed to be done in 5-10 seconds max from when you ask them to question to when they have the X on their hand.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions and I'll be happy to assist!
 
I haven't been busted once while performing Double Cross and I get crazy reactions out of it. What I would recommend doing is practicing your performance before you go out and actually do it. Make sure you fully grasp the concepts of misdirection, equivoque, scripting, and the arc of performance (watch the Prestige). I think what you are missing out on is making the audience forget the "dirty" stuff. To accomplish this I look at them in the eyes as I do the move that way they are focused on my eyes and nothing else. It should be a thoughtless action. The next part, should be done as freely and relaxed as possible to make them forget everything else that just occurred. When you uncap the sharpie, that is when you want to take as much time with your performance as possible. You need to build up the drama. The more you build it up, the more likely the spectator and audience will forget the "dirty" stuff. Good luck!
 
Dec 23, 2015
15
0
I haven't been busted once while performing Double Cross and I get crazy reactions out of it. What I would recommend doing is practicing your performance before you go out and actually do it. Make sure you fully grasp the concepts of misdirection, equivoque, scripting, and the arc of performance (watch the Prestige). I think what you are missing out on is making the audience forget the "dirty" stuff. To accomplish this I look at them in the eyes as I do the move that way they are focused on my eyes and nothing else. It should be a thoughtless action. The next part, should be done as freely and relaxed as possible to make them forget everything else that just occurred. When you uncap the sharpie, that is when you want to take as much time with your performance as possible. You need to build up the drama. The more you build it up, the more likely the spectator and audience will forget the "dirty" stuff. Good luck!
thankyou but any tips on what story line and patter that would help with that? because all that happens really in between is uncapping the pen drawing the x and then making that disappear :)
 
thankyou but any tips on what story line and patter that would help with that? because all that happens really in between is uncapping the pen drawing the x and then making that disappear :)
This is how I use to perform it:

Now I use the story from the prestige. "Magic consists of three parts. The first part is called the pledge. The magician shows you something ordinary....like a sharpie (draw an x on your hand). The second act is called the turn. The magician takes the ordinary and makes it do something extraordinary (make the x disappear). Now you're looking for the secret but of course you won't find it. Because of course you're not really looking, you don't really want to know. You want to be fooled. But don't clap yet because making something disappear isn't enough. You have to bring it back, that is why every magic act has a third part. The hardest part, the part we called the prestige." (snap fingers to reveal the x on their hand that was a closed fist)

If you do a dramatic presentation like that, they will forget all the dirty work.
 
Dec 23, 2015
15
0
This is how I use to perform it:

Now I use the story from the prestige. "Magic consists of three parts. The first part is called the pledge. The magician shows you something ordinary....like a sharpie (draw an x on your hand). The second act is called the turn. The magician takes the ordinary and makes it do something extraordinary (make the x disappear). Now you're looking for the secret but of course you won't find it. Because of course you're not really looking, you don't really want to know. You want to be fooled. But don't clap yet because making something disappear isn't enough. You have to bring it back, that is why every magic act has a third part. The hardest part, the part we called the prestige." (snap fingers to reveal the x on their hand that was a closed fist)

If you do a dramatic presentation like that, they will forget all the dirty work.
thanks :)
 
Dec 23, 2015
15
0
This is almost definitely in your scripting. Just put some time and a story in between "the move" and the reveal. And stay a bit away from them while you do this. Make it at least a few minutes long.
thankyou actually i thought of this and have thought of it for awhile i know you cant tell me what will and will not work in my performance but could you tell me what story you would use? because i have thought hard about it for awhile but still not sure
 
Jan 26, 2017
2,173
1,338
23
Virginia
thankyou actually i thought of this and have thought of it for awhile i know you cant tell me what will and will not work in my performance but could you tell me what story you would use? because i have thought hard about it for awhile but still not sure
Well I would just make up the story, but I can help you with the timing.

Your gonna do the "move" asap. Then you are going to tell uour story. Then bring out the pen, do the writing on yourself. Then do a little bit more patter and put the pen away. Make the x vanish off your hand and then tell more patter. Then you can have the reveal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: magictet
Dec 23, 2015
15
0
Well I would just make up the story, but I can help you with the timing.

Your gonna do the "move" asap. Then you are going to tell uour story. Then bring out the pen, do the writing on yourself. Then do a little bit more patter and put the pen away. Make the x vanish off your hand and then tell more patter. Then you can have the reveal.
thanks :)
 

ProAma

Elite Member
Jun 13, 2013
214
103
Too many use the trick Double Cross and most do not perform it well. Always look at presentation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: magictet
Jan 2, 2017
27
14
I was at a Party doing this trick and made up this long story about the The Ghosts Texas Oil and Gas Bust, then by luck, I had to Rip One, so I said everyone KNOWS about the Oil and Gas Bust of Texas, but the MAIN thing is NOT to get Busted when you have an Overabundance of GAS. Then I took a LONG Dramatic Pause, Looked Skyward, and Belted Out a Real Beauty................ Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrvvrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Then Proceeded to do the trick, and when the "Smoke/Gas" cleared, nobody was the Wiser.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MatthewV4
Searching...
{[{ searchResultsCount }]} Results