Industrial Revelation

[AKong]

Hey guys, Just received my Industrial Revelation by Jamie Grant. It's a killer effect, and beautifully made as well. But the thing is, whenever I present it, the audience always seems to perceive it as more of a puzzle rather than magic. I've tried using David Penn's convincer with the card with the slit in it, but that doesn't seem to work to well either. Do you guys have any presentational tips or patter to make this seem more like magic, and not like a puzzle the audience needs to figure out? Thanks!

-Alex

 

[Jacob L]

First off how do you present it? If we have that information we can go from there, otherwise we can't make adjustments if we don't know what you're doing already.

 

[AKong]

I make a joke about how I've been "working out", and how I can push a quarter through a solid deck of cards. Push it through, then say, I know what you're thinking, th box is empty. then get them to cup their hands, and produce the steel block and dump it in their hands.

 

[Jacob L]

Hmmm, I would say let them push something through as well, like a knife or something. Also, don't jump the gun on saying "I know what you're thinking." Say something like "Isn't that amazing!" and they'll just be like "uhhh, isn't the box empty/all the cards have slits?" Then you reveal the block of steel. Maybe do a snap also, since snapping is the universal sign for something magical taking place.

The way I would open up would be to say "Ok, the funniest thing happened at my parent's party the other night. I was doing magic and I asked some guy (who had a little to much to drink) cut the cards. So check this out (take out box) he took a knife and actually CUT all the cards! It was so funny I had to keep the box, here you try. Isn't that awesome? Simply impossible, right?" Then do the reveal.

Also, just keep on performing it and performing it, try different approaches, and the more to you present it the more you'll see what works and what doesn't. Wayne Houchin said it took him about 2 years of performing Sinful to finally realize that some things just weren't working out. Just give it time. Performing it is the best way to find out what works.

Best of luck! Hope I helped out in some way.

 

[RickEverhart]

I do not own the effect but Jacob is correct. Try many different approaches and avenues with your patter and eventually after about 50 performances or so you'll start to tweak it to where you like it and you'll see what gets the best interaction with the spectators.

I've had effects sit in my dresser for a year or more until I came up with some good patter and really started seeing what played well.

 

[Jacob L]

I don't have it either Rick, but I've seen it enough times to know how I want to perform it haha.

I have the same problem: so much material just lays around until I find a good presentation for it. But then I still buy more stuff, I have a problem haha

 

[AKong]

Thanks Jacob. I'll definitely try that out.

 

[Jacob L]

Awesome, best of luck and let me know how it goes!