Cleanliness vs. Impact

nic

Jan 2, 2010
9
0
In a routine I am working on, I can go two completely different routes based on the same principal. One is pretty good, and you end completely clean, but the routine gets long winded and I think the effect is convoluted. The other is a much more streamlined and direct presentation of the same method, but it's really hard to get clean at the end. The effect is presented in such a way that there is no reason for the audience to suspect anything, but if someone asks for the deck right after the trick, the effect is completely blown.

There are many situations like this where you are forced to choose between believability and impact, and I think that there are some situations where each is appropriate. I'd be interested in hearing other people's experiences with this problem, and how they dealt with it.
 
Dec 20, 2009
343
0
Mumbai, India
I think it depends on the person/group your performing to if he/they are one of those people who likes "figuring stuff out" then go with the method where you finish clean

And if you cant judge then the other methods fine and as long as you present it well enough so they wont suspect anything



Hope I helped

- Jenai
 
Sep 3, 2007
1,231
0
A little more info would be helpful. Is this a card effect? Is it one that someone might know or original to you? It's hard to give advice unless we have some details on what exactly the effect is?
 
Nov 19, 2008
107
0
If an effect is particularly strong, clean-up becomes particularly easy, and unnecessary. The more impact an effect has, the less people will focus on any objects no longer in play, hopefully you have your routine structured in a way that leaves the "dirty" deck as an object no longer in use at the greatest climax. Also, I haven't found that ending clean every time has helped my magic in a big way. I'm kind of a recovering impromptu junkie. I've just recently started using duplicates, double backers, threads, etc. Generally I don't let people handle my cards even if I don't have any gimmicks in it, so it's not something where people suspect me of using anything special, they just know that I like to keep my cards to myself. In addition, ending clean won't give you any kind of reputation, being powerful will. What I mean to say is that when people talk about a trick to their friends later in that day, it's assumed that everything is normal, whoever is hearing the story won't be impressed if it is said that "everything was regular", whoever is hearing the story will be impressed if it is said that "everything was awesome". Just a few thoughts.
 

nic

Jan 2, 2010
9
0
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem ending dirty. I'm not looking so much for advice, this is supposed to be a thread to share and discuss situations where there is a tradeoff between impact and cleanliness or believability and to discuss where and when you would go either route.
 
I really think it's a pretty fair and common trade off. The performer of course needs to choose for themself which to use, but I think it's a fairly common thing. In the end, go with what ever method suits the act the best while still providing an entertaining piece of magic to those watching.
 
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