I came up with an idea recently and have performed it a few times. It's getting really good reactions and I'm trying to figure out if anyone else before me has ever done this before/if it would be original enough for me to sell. Obviously it needs a lot more work and audience testing before I'm ready to sell it, but I wouldn't want to put forward that much effort if I'm just using it personally.
Here's how the effect plays (minus patter and presentation details that I would include if I were to sell this):
You have a spectator select a card, let's say 4 of clubs, and return it to the pack. You immediately square the pack on the table and show that you're not holding any breaks and your hands are empty. You begin to shuffle the cards and explain a few different types of shuffles - riffle with bridge, tabled riffle shuffle, overhand shuffle, etc... - as you perform them. You explain that the spectator can shuffle however they want and you hand the deck to them for shuffling. Once they're happy with the shuffle, they return the deck to you and you ask them to name any number, 1-52. Let's say 12. You explain that at ANY point, they can change their number as long as the new number is larger than the total number of cards you've already dealt. You begin counting cards off the top and ask them to count along with you. Let's say in this case, once you've gotten to number 8 they want to change to 18th instead of 12th. You ask if they mean 18th from the original top, or 18th from the current position. They say current position leaving the total at 30th. You continue counting until you get to the 29th and you have them take the 30th card off the top without peeking. Ask them to name their card (for suspense), dramatically pause or ask how amazing it would be if this was their chosen card. Then have them turn it over, it's the 4 of clubs. They s**t themselves and accuse you of witchcraft. Ideally, they don't stone you or burn you on a cross.
The reason I'm concerned about the originality of this effect is that it's entirely accomplished using very common sleights that as far as I know are public domain or generally well known in the magic industry. It's just about combining them in this specific way to achieve this effect. Probably 60% of you on here have already mastered every sleight necessary for this trick, and the ones you haven't practiced, you've already heard about or seen other's do.
What do you guys think? Are there any 'ACAANS' out there that sound like they use the same/similar method? Has this name, 'ALASCAAN', been used before? Would you be interested in this effect? etc...
Thanks <3
Here's how the effect plays (minus patter and presentation details that I would include if I were to sell this):
You have a spectator select a card, let's say 4 of clubs, and return it to the pack. You immediately square the pack on the table and show that you're not holding any breaks and your hands are empty. You begin to shuffle the cards and explain a few different types of shuffles - riffle with bridge, tabled riffle shuffle, overhand shuffle, etc... - as you perform them. You explain that the spectator can shuffle however they want and you hand the deck to them for shuffling. Once they're happy with the shuffle, they return the deck to you and you ask them to name any number, 1-52. Let's say 12. You explain that at ANY point, they can change their number as long as the new number is larger than the total number of cards you've already dealt. You begin counting cards off the top and ask them to count along with you. Let's say in this case, once you've gotten to number 8 they want to change to 18th instead of 12th. You ask if they mean 18th from the original top, or 18th from the current position. They say current position leaving the total at 30th. You continue counting until you get to the 29th and you have them take the 30th card off the top without peeking. Ask them to name their card (for suspense), dramatically pause or ask how amazing it would be if this was their chosen card. Then have them turn it over, it's the 4 of clubs. They s**t themselves and accuse you of witchcraft. Ideally, they don't stone you or burn you on a cross.
The reason I'm concerned about the originality of this effect is that it's entirely accomplished using very common sleights that as far as I know are public domain or generally well known in the magic industry. It's just about combining them in this specific way to achieve this effect. Probably 60% of you on here have already mastered every sleight necessary for this trick, and the ones you haven't practiced, you've already heard about or seen other's do.
What do you guys think? Are there any 'ACAANS' out there that sound like they use the same/similar method? Has this name, 'ALASCAAN', been used before? Would you be interested in this effect? etc...
Thanks <3
