Should all magic demos include an unedited performance?

Josh Burch

Elite Member
Aug 11, 2011
2,966
1,101
Utah
I was pretty sure that this was common knowledge but some magic doesn't work on video. Right? Is this something we all agree on?

It goes without saying, there's plenty of magic out there we cannot experience through video. There are lots of tactile illusions, taste illusions, or audio illusions that don't translate well.

Then there are those magic effects that use a specific process, that if followed along with, will reveal the trick. I believe this is why Woody Aragon's Love Ritual has been so badly ripped off. A few magicians have seen Justin Flom, Tony Clark, or Penn and Teller do it on TV, they have watched it a few times till they figure out the process and then they call it their own. This is why effects like ID7 by Rick LAX don't show an unedited video. If you saw the video, you'd have the method.

Do you think that it's okay that he doesn't post an unedited version of such an effect publicly?

Also, I think one thing that people misunderstand is that they feel that a video is somehow less misleading than a written description. Kolassal Killer for instance, it is accurate to describe it as an innovative index, and multiple out system that fits into a normal wallet. In my opinion that gives you more information than a video would. A video performance of this effect can only show you one version of the multiple out. Publishing a video like this can actually be more deceptive than just a written description because a large chunk of the endings are not shown.

It would be ridiculous to show all 52 versions of the trick, and even 3 or 4 would probably reveal too much. What do you think about unedited magic performances?
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
I think the key is what is edited out of the video. Does it conceal the method or does it conceal a trade off that would need to be considered in buying the effect. That is, it is fine if someone complains that they feel ripped off because if they could have seen the entire video multiple times they could have reversed engineered it. It isn't fine if they feel they were ripped off because the video concealed a major trade off that makes the effect performed significantly different than the effect shown.
 

RickEverhart

forum moderator / t11
Elite Member
Sep 14, 2008
3,637
471
46
Louisville, OH
I completely agree with Reality One on this particular stance. If certain moments have been cut from the trailer to make the effect "appear" easier and hide a tradeoff that would hurt sales, then I believe it is a gray area that ticks people off who are spending their hard earned money. They feel cheated or deceived. As we all know the saying, "Once the trick has been sold, the secret has been told." I for one enjoy seeing a cool trailer, but I also like seeing what the effect looks like from beginning to end with not cutaways so I can see how it plays out realistically.
 
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