What I performed tonight...

[Ocelotl]

Few tricks in magic or mentalism score the rank of "perfect trick." Something that packs small and plays big... something that is angle proof. Something that can be done with a borrowed prop, and if it is a deck of cards as it is in my case, it doesn't even have to be a full deck!

Tonight I performed one of my favorite effects of all time, the revised version of "Out of This World," which can be done with a shuffled deck. Another thing that makes this trick so great is that it can be performed as magic or as mentalism, depending on your preference. I present it as a way of exploring the idea of free will. What are your "perfect tricks?" What criteria constitutes "perfect" for you?

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

For me a "perfect" routine or trick would need to ...

1) Be able to be repeated without giving it away.

2) Require little to no props or set up.

3) Create a unique and amazing experience for the audience/subjects/volunteers.

4) Be able to be performed in different situations, while still giving the same overall experience to everyone who sees it.

That last one is a bit odd so I'll explain my thinking - While I prefer parlor performances, I don't currently have the luxury of turning down the occasional strolling gig, and due to how I perform people expect me to be able to do what I do any time, any place. Therefore, if I do a routine that's really memorable on a stage, and someone bumps into me at a party, there's a good chance they'll want to share that experience again. So I want to be sure they will walk away feeling like they've seen another demonstration of the same routine. Even if I'm using different methods entirely.

To that end - I think my most "perfect" routine currently is my Touches routine. Or really, the skill set I have developed in order to deliver the experience of Energetic/PK Touches in any environment.

 

[Ocelotl]

Corinda makes note of a couple one these elusive "perfect tricks", for him being the center tear and three little questions (the latter of which is taught in detail on the Billets DVD in Osterlind's 13 steps series).
While I am certainly in agreement with Corinda about the center tear, I tend to think of CT as a method and not a trick. What I have found over the years is that paradoxically the effect becomes stronger when you limit your subject's choices. I used to have them pick any word, and now I have them think of a country, the name of someone they know etc. It seems to be even more impressive for some reason.

 

[Lord Magic]

A perfect trick for me would be:-

1) Using borrowed objects.

2) Looks impromptu.

3) Suiting and complementing the surrounding environment.

4) Relatable to the spectators.

5) Relatively angle proof.

6) Does not take TOO long.

Unfortunately for some reason most of my great tricks are card tricks, which don't give off the sense of impromptu (but I still love them). One of my really hard hitting tricks is a mental magic thing which I feel is the best in my repertoire. But my absolute perfect trick would be making a coin appear...which suits me,'cuz my method looks pretty clean...
Anyways, there's nothing more exciting for a spectator than seeing money appear out of no where.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Corinda makes note of a couple one these elusive "perfect tricks", for him being the center tear and three little questions (the latter of which is taught in detail on the Billets DVD in Osterlind's 13 steps series).
While I am certainly in agreement with Corinda about the center tear, I tend to think of CT as a method and not a trick. What I have found over the years is that paradoxically the effect becomes stronger when you limit your subject's choices. I used to have them pick any word, and now I have them think of a country, the name of someone they know etc. It seems to be even more impressive for some reason.

The thing about mind reading is that the information itself, and the method used to obtain it, aren't terribly important.

The information has to be something they are comfortable having revealed, and it must matter to some degree to them. The method must be convincing and make sense.

Beyond that, they are not reacting to the information really. They're reacting to the intimate connection that is created by good mind reading.

 

[cgstorz]

For me I've always started from the question, "What would this look like if I could do real magic?" and try to get as close to that model as possible. Other than that I just have a list of things I try to stay away from. These include:

1. Visible rearrangement of a deck of cards after a selection has been returned. We have always passed this off as, "Making sure the card is "lost". Point the first. You are holding 52 cards, the selection is by definition lost, assuming you have given the spectator the impression that they freely returned the card. Point the second. If a spectator is suspicious enough to come to the idea that you can keep track of a cards position then they can come to the idea that you can keep track of/manipulate the location of their card. So to sum up, I don't do any outward shuffling/cutting of the deck. If I want it to be done to enhance the impossibility of the effect I let the spectator do it.

2. Don't reach deep into a pocket to "ditch an item" for the purpose of effecting a switch. People don't stick their whole hand into a pocket to put something in it.

3. Boring face. If they are staring at my hands when I don't want them too it is because I am not making my face interesting enough and I need to improve my presentation. Also sits down to re-re-read The Five Points of Magic.