Looking back at when I first started magic and it was such a great beginning to a great experience that has forever changed my life. However the road was certainly one that I wish I could change now looking back, it would be one that would save me much money.
I realize that many magicians will have already figured this out, but I would like to address the issue of wasting money on useless or unnecessary effects. There is now a long step I go through before I even consider purchasing an effect, and it is something I would like to share with everybody that hasn't already done this. I do hope many people read this so they can advance their performances and spend a bit less money.
Step 1
Is there enough out on this effect for me to purchase it?
This is one I would always pass on because of the effort factor. Now I do this all the time and try to find as much as possible without any reveals. If this is a new effect then chances are that there isn't much on it and unless you really have money to burn and you trust this artist then go ahead and purchase it, however if you can wait for one review then it will be worth the wait. Look up reviews for the effect and if it has mixed reactions then try to look at both points of view and decide which one you agree on more.
Ex. I was talking with a professional magician buddy of mine and started talking about Zap, he was a bit guarded that this was anything special or even worked properly. Then we started talking about hype for effects and one he remembered where light passes through your eye on your shadow. Lots of reviews from top magicians about how freaking awesome it was and was such a huge letdown with the method and how you could perform it. Then he went on to say that many of the magicians were paid for their comments when they never even saw the effect.
Step 2
Does this effect resemble what I like to perform?
I would see a super awesome effect like Hovercard and save up some money and purchase it the first chance I get. Only afterwards to realize that it would be used for a short time to be discarded for multiple reasons. When you find something you like try to picture yourself doing this effect everyday in multiple enviornments and having an even flow with your other effects.
Ex. If you do mainly card magic and you purchase something like a PK effect then how would you relate to this a routine when you go from Color change, biddle, to moving an object with your freaking "mind". It doesn't flow or have any substance behind it because of your other effects.
Step 3
Will I use this regularly?
This one has gotten me more times than I like to say. I bought Peter Loughrans Rainmaker which cost me a pretty penny and I have used this one time for a crowd of people that I probably barely impressed. It's for an outdoor scene that requires a good patter to really get into the effect. Find an effect that looks awesome and really think to yourself in all honesty, will I use this trick that much in my usual environment?
Ex. You buy a levitation effect and you perform mainly for a crowd gathered around you with little angle sensitivity. Most levitation effects are angle sensitive from some angle, none are completely 360 and you should take this into account when you try to purchase an effect.
Step 4
Is it pratical or does it look suspicious?
There are many effects that look very nice and have potential, however, you are looking for an effect that has lived up to the potential. When I bought Torn Too, it looked like a killer effect that was different than Torn but had great reactions still. Well..... definitely not something that I can perform often unless I get some dim light which isn't often at all. Many people were suspicious of this effect for some reason. Perhaps this was by chance but there are other examples others could use that for some reason "this" audience was suspicious etc.
Ex. You purchase Masudas Dramatic Envelope and you love doing mentalism and it is pratically angle proof. However you do a routine that consists of small index cards, a simple sharpie, cards, and then you bust out this huge envelope that conceals something a tenth of it's size. You go from easy and convenient to large and easily noticeable.
Final Step
Can I really perform this?
I'm sure there have been one or two tricks out there that you loved and it met all of the above criteria but couldn't perform correctly, or maybe your patter was just kind of lame. This is something that happens with mentalism more so than magic itself, except maybe for Dan and Dave tricks. If you see a video of an effect (recommended) or read about it and can't really find a good patter for it that would suit you then don't go for it immediately. Perhaps this is quite difficult and you believe that you will put forth the effort but deep down you know you will give up on the effect and only put a half hearted effort on it.
Ex. You do a simple riffle force prediction and mind read but you don't really put forth the effort it deserves and thus leaves you with a simple "It's a red card........ the five of diamonds." This won't cut it one bit and will make it seem gimmicky and have little effect on the spectators. However don't over perform an effect and bull$#!& your way talking about complete nonsense like your spectators are little kids.
I hope you read all of it and take this into consideration or maybe you have something already and decided to add a part of this. If you would maybe like to see a Step added then you can PM if you'd like with details. Links of effects listed below to give you an idea if you don't know the effect.
Dramatic Envelope---http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQuMFp5AFbM
Torn Too---http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df5PorJPboM
Levitator---http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVvdT7CpN7U
Hovercard---http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7IT-cG8qvE
Rainmaker---http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxmUjA69FPU
This http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZCHpacxl4c and this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iri7Ai2YjDM do not go together. Even though both are quite awesome.
I realize that many magicians will have already figured this out, but I would like to address the issue of wasting money on useless or unnecessary effects. There is now a long step I go through before I even consider purchasing an effect, and it is something I would like to share with everybody that hasn't already done this. I do hope many people read this so they can advance their performances and spend a bit less money.
Step 1
Is there enough out on this effect for me to purchase it?
This is one I would always pass on because of the effort factor. Now I do this all the time and try to find as much as possible without any reveals. If this is a new effect then chances are that there isn't much on it and unless you really have money to burn and you trust this artist then go ahead and purchase it, however if you can wait for one review then it will be worth the wait. Look up reviews for the effect and if it has mixed reactions then try to look at both points of view and decide which one you agree on more.
Ex. I was talking with a professional magician buddy of mine and started talking about Zap, he was a bit guarded that this was anything special or even worked properly. Then we started talking about hype for effects and one he remembered where light passes through your eye on your shadow. Lots of reviews from top magicians about how freaking awesome it was and was such a huge letdown with the method and how you could perform it. Then he went on to say that many of the magicians were paid for their comments when they never even saw the effect.
Step 2
Does this effect resemble what I like to perform?
I would see a super awesome effect like Hovercard and save up some money and purchase it the first chance I get. Only afterwards to realize that it would be used for a short time to be discarded for multiple reasons. When you find something you like try to picture yourself doing this effect everyday in multiple enviornments and having an even flow with your other effects.
Ex. If you do mainly card magic and you purchase something like a PK effect then how would you relate to this a routine when you go from Color change, biddle, to moving an object with your freaking "mind". It doesn't flow or have any substance behind it because of your other effects.
Step 3
Will I use this regularly?
This one has gotten me more times than I like to say. I bought Peter Loughrans Rainmaker which cost me a pretty penny and I have used this one time for a crowd of people that I probably barely impressed. It's for an outdoor scene that requires a good patter to really get into the effect. Find an effect that looks awesome and really think to yourself in all honesty, will I use this trick that much in my usual environment?
Ex. You buy a levitation effect and you perform mainly for a crowd gathered around you with little angle sensitivity. Most levitation effects are angle sensitive from some angle, none are completely 360 and you should take this into account when you try to purchase an effect.
Step 4
Is it pratical or does it look suspicious?
There are many effects that look very nice and have potential, however, you are looking for an effect that has lived up to the potential. When I bought Torn Too, it looked like a killer effect that was different than Torn but had great reactions still. Well..... definitely not something that I can perform often unless I get some dim light which isn't often at all. Many people were suspicious of this effect for some reason. Perhaps this was by chance but there are other examples others could use that for some reason "this" audience was suspicious etc.
Ex. You purchase Masudas Dramatic Envelope and you love doing mentalism and it is pratically angle proof. However you do a routine that consists of small index cards, a simple sharpie, cards, and then you bust out this huge envelope that conceals something a tenth of it's size. You go from easy and convenient to large and easily noticeable.
Final Step
Can I really perform this?
I'm sure there have been one or two tricks out there that you loved and it met all of the above criteria but couldn't perform correctly, or maybe your patter was just kind of lame. This is something that happens with mentalism more so than magic itself, except maybe for Dan and Dave tricks. If you see a video of an effect (recommended) or read about it and can't really find a good patter for it that would suit you then don't go for it immediately. Perhaps this is quite difficult and you believe that you will put forth the effort but deep down you know you will give up on the effect and only put a half hearted effort on it.
Ex. You do a simple riffle force prediction and mind read but you don't really put forth the effort it deserves and thus leaves you with a simple "It's a red card........ the five of diamonds." This won't cut it one bit and will make it seem gimmicky and have little effect on the spectators. However don't over perform an effect and bull$#!& your way talking about complete nonsense like your spectators are little kids.
I hope you read all of it and take this into consideration or maybe you have something already and decided to add a part of this. If you would maybe like to see a Step added then you can PM if you'd like with details. Links of effects listed below to give you an idea if you don't know the effect.
Dramatic Envelope---http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQuMFp5AFbM
Torn Too---http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df5PorJPboM
Levitator---http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVvdT7CpN7U
Hovercard---http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7IT-cG8qvE
Rainmaker---http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxmUjA69FPU
This http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZCHpacxl4c and this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iri7Ai2YjDM do not go together. Even though both are quite awesome.
