Satisfactory Methods

Josh Burch · Apr 4, 2017

Hi everyone!

I am of the opinion that most of the time methods are the least important part of a piece of magic. If it gets the job done and tells the story that you would like, then there isn't much more to it. The rest of you energy can turn to the presentation.

That said, there are some times that the method is incredibly exciting. I have had the experience a few times where the effect is neat but the method is amazing.

Without revealing anything, when was the last time that you purchased an effect and was blown away by the method?

I purchased Repair by Michael Kent a little while ago and the method was outstanding. Every little bit of it blew me away! I felt like James Bond performing it.

Another piece that was great was the Losing Control by Lee Asher. I fooled myself a few times with this. It was extremely satisfying.

The last one I'll mention here is the Mirror Force by Patrick Kun. After learning this move the applications came flowing in.

Has there ever been a method that excited you as much or more than the effect?

obrienmagic · Apr 4, 2017

I am currently playing with an effect that has yet to go to market, but the reactions are incredible. it is PURE magic and cannot wait to share it once it is published!

RealityOne · Apr 5, 2017

Sankey's Carbon Paper
Bannon's Play it Straight Triumph
Henry Christ's The 203rd Force
Blackstone's Flip Over Force (not sure if that is the correct attribution)
My own vanish in my egg bag routine (sorry, I'm not publishing that one on the Marketplace)
My own side steal palm from spread (again, not for sale)
B. Smith's Frequency (and my three phase version, not for sale either)
U.F. Grant's / Eugene Burger's Version of Out of this World
Eric Ross's Election
Hollingsworth's Vodoo Card
Bannon's Watching the Detectives
The Card from Hell - Jinx 46, p. 311. Features the Force that Can't Be Done (which surprisingly can be done) and a neat way of reversing an odd backed card.
Hugard's Intuition with Cards
Kirk Charles's You Pick My Card
Scarne's Drunken Poker Deal
Scarne's Upside Down Deck
Scarne's New Deal Poker Trick (poker deal from new deck order)
Steinmeyer's Pasteboards Under Glass (not the force but the switch)
Steinmeyer's Fan Mail (not the vanish but the reveal)
Steinmeyer's Needles
Steinmeyer's Khardova Deck

WitchDocIsIn · Apr 5, 2017

Hypnosis/suggestion. Just because it takes a particular understanding of how the mind works to use it properly.

I mean, anyone could learn how to do a "comedy hypnosis" show and be just like every other comedy hypnosis show out there, but it takes real understanding to be able to do anything remotely original.

RealityOne · Apr 5, 2017

Josh Burch said:
I am of the opinion that most of the time methods are the least important part of a piece of magic. If it gets the job done and tells the story that you would like, then there isn't much more to it. The rest of you energy can turn to the presentation.

So, I've been thinking about this all day and I have to disagree... a little. I'm big on the design of an effect. You develop the plot and then design the method to accomplish the plot. Within the design there are a variety of possible methods. For example, you may have to force a card. There are endless methods all with advantages and disadvantage. Some of the methods may be more confusing (the 10 to 20 force), some may not be surefire (classic force), some seem more restrictive than others (riffle force), some are done in the spectator's hand (Christ's 203rd Force) others are done in the magician's hands (classic force). In the context of the effect, some methods are better than others. Most effects that I perform use a variation of a method or a different method than used in the original effect. Sometimes the methods are more complicated but result in a cleaner effect. Sometimes the methods are more simple.

Now, I don't select effects to perform based on the methods but more so based on the plot and presentation. That being said, the method is a consideration.

Josh Burch · Apr 6, 2017

RealityOne said:
So, I've been thinking about this all day and I have to disagree... a little. I'm big on the design of an effect. You develop the plot and then design the method to accomplish the plot. Within the design there are a variety of possible methods. For example, you may have to force a card. There are endless methods all with advantages and disadvantage. Some of the methods may be more confusing (the 10 to 20 force), some may not be surefire (classic force), some seem more restrictive than others (riffle force), some are done in the spectator's hand (Christ's 203rd Force) others are done in the magician's hands (classic force). In the context of the effect, some methods are better than others. Most effects that I perform use a variation of a method or a different method than used in the original effect. Sometimes the methods are more complicated but result in a cleaner effect. Sometimes the methods are more simple.

Now, I don't select effects to perform based on the methods but more so based on the plot and presentation. That being said, the method is a consideration.

Right, I think I agree with this completely. I do think that the method we use is important. I was trying to quell any concerns that I was thinking like a magician and thinking that the method was some how the only thing that was important.

If a method doesn't fool then you have not accomplished a magic effect.

If the method does not support the effect and presentation then you have a problem. An incorrect method can distract from the effect.

I think of iKnow by Jason Palter and Fate by Gerraint Clark. These both have nearly identical presentations, similar effects but the method is where the big difference comes. The method in Jason Palter's piece requires a ton of prep and it is crazy hard to update. The method in Fate allows you to customize the effect to every spectator you get. It is different for almost every performance.

TylerScottIllusionist · Apr 7, 2017

Dream Act by Shin Lim
Needles by Scott Alexander
Nailed It by Scott Alexander

Justin.Morris · Apr 7, 2017

One recent one that I have been loving is View to a Skill by John Bannon. So fun to perform, and the method is so devious that I want to tell people so bad!

RealityOne · Apr 7, 2017

Justin.Morris said:
One recent one that I have been loving is View to a Skill by John Bannon. So fun to perform, and the method is so devious that I want to tell people so bad!

I love how deceptive and simple that method is.

Timewise64 · Apr 7, 2017

As a beginner I have spent many hour working on things like 'sponge balls' and did get real frustrated for a while. Then I got a DVD on sponge balls, Intro to Sponge Balls by Michael Dardant, and that changed everything for me. In that DVD Michael showed a real amazing method that I now use. And my sponge ball handling is much improved....

For newbees Methods Matter!

Ziad Khayat · Apr 7, 2017

First and foremost is an awesome switch I came up with, however I don't intend to share it so that's all I'll say.
Next is a reworking of a classic trick I also came up with, this I might try to release. I'm really proud about taking an old, bad, trick and making something good out of it.
More of my favorites include a short Howard Hamburg routine featuring the Veser concept, a Juan Tamariz oil and water, Asi Wind's double exposure, and last, but not least, Helder Guimaeras' nomad
Then there's card manipulation, specifically fan productions and the continuous front and back palm. Moving on to gimmicks; The Cooler, Tarantula, and The Exchange.

Josh Burch · Apr 10, 2017

Buying new magic is a gamble. Sometimes it is a real surprise that something is practical and well within your skill level.