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"But that's not mentalism (said the newbie)." P.S. #1 - the correct term is a Psychological Force not a Mental Force P.S. #2 - Cards and mentalism? P.S. #3 - Will the spectator 's memory of the effect be different if you just forced a card from a deck?

I think your essay is thoughtful and well written. It gives a good sense of the journey you've taken. The only criticism I have is that it seems a bit overstated - that is, your words make you seem better than you are. I attribute that to your writing style and your pride in how far you've...

Josh: 1. The guy posting French Kiss video views magic as knowing a bunch of secrets. As Alex said, he thinks he is special because he knows a secret. Once he reveals it, he will no longer be special. Repeat until he gets tired of it. As Jim Steinmeyer said, in this instance, we are guarding...

Learn the Elias Multiple Shift. It is in Card College Volume 3. If you are at the point that you want to learn this move, you are at the point you should start learning fron books You don't need a video. If you want to learn others, Click Here

Craig: Thank you for the offer. This project is on the back burner for a while as I'm working on the routines for what will become my "standard" kids show. Each of those routines is going to be my version of a classic - cups & balls, linking rings, billiard balls, Miser's Dream, Benson Bowl...

To get back on track.... Here are some of what I think are "sins" ~Thinking that the magic is about us rather than the audience. ~Performing magic as a puzzle or challenge. ~Performing without rehearsing.

Last summer, I saw an illusion show that did 10 large illusions in 10 minutes. I asked the people I was with to remember the illusions he did... They couldn't (except the one with the "fake looking" helicopter). Ask this question: what will the spectator remember?

Interesting post. I think your idea is a good one. However, there is an alternative point to be made. It was said eloquently by John Bannon in his forward to John Gustaferro's One Degree: "As I have learned more, and developed and refined my own thoughts, fewer new things meet my standards...

Jim Steinmeyer.

After seeing The Adventures of Tin Tin, I've been playing with developing a kids / all ages show based on an adventure that jumps from continent to continent. I've fallen in love with an Animatronic Parrot from Axtel Magic and think he could play a staring role in the show.

There is a great article in this month's Genii by David Kaye (AKA Silly Billy). The point is that it used to be that anyone could go to a magic shop, buy some colorful props and be a (hack) children's magician. David points out that nowadays, anyone can go to the internet, order a couple of...

You should meet and talk to the birthday kid before the show. When you do that, you should be able to gage how the will be as a volunteer. Absent the kid being disrespectful or obnoxious you should be able to win them over by asking them if they want to help you perform (note, the asking part...

Yes, but nonetheless make sure that how you say things is understandable for their age. A lot of words magicians use, kids don't understand. "Your going to make the card leva what?" "Levitate... how about float?" "Why didn't you say that?" You need to know that kids don't come in one size --...

Wow. For just slightly more than two controls at that price. I could get Arthur Buckley's book entitled Card Control. For only $8.68, it has more controls, multiple card controls, lifts, shifts, palms and deals that you could ever want. Don't believe me, look HERE.

I think the issue is with the picking a card and having it appear on your arm. The picking a card is magic and the having it appear on your arm is bizarre / geek magic. What you are talking about is closer to mentalism. Mental magic is a magic trick with a mental presentation. Having a...

Interesting post. It seems that you are viewing "visual" magic as a remedy for the "too perfect" problem. The "too perfect" problem is the part of the "too perfect" theory whic postulates that if a trick is too perfect, the spectator will guess the method. The originally proposed solution was to...

Get the book Royal Road to Card Magic. Practice the heck out of every move in the book.

Guys: Let's give Pete some credit. Stop reading his literal words and try to understand what he is saying. First, he did say it was his opinion that it was the greatest trick. He liked the reactions and thought that this would be something that would be, for him, a reputation maker. OK...

Rocky: I dont think it is the effects, but your presentation. A mere color change isn't an effect - it is a sleight. That is like expecting Fido to be impressed at a double lift. Your performances need to have a well developed plot that draws the audience in. The ultimate question you have to...

For a starting point, we can agree that Erdnase or Milton or Wilbur or whatever his name was DIDN'T invent that color change. If you read EACT closely, you can discern that the color change is one of the sleights that Erdanse doesn't take credit for. One additional fact to add to your...