The Ambitious Card Routine

Sep 30, 2008
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35
Pittsburgh
So I was sitting down today thinking about different things I plan on doing when I take my trip to New York over the weekend. The ACR came up. You know what I realized? The routine I usually do for people is no more than sub par. And I realized I talk up the ACR a lot, but I don't really use it as much as I'd like to.

I would like to see the structure of other magician's ACR. And also talk about the best moves to put into the routine.

For me, these moves seem like a must when you structure out your ACR:

Marlo Tilt
Pop Up move
Face up riffle pass
One control to the top with a color change

Other than these, it seems as if there are just a thousand other random moves that could be put in there.

I would like to hear some other people's opinions on the best moves to put into it and opinions on the structure of it.

-Kevin
 
May 31, 2008
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Marlo Tilt
Another move I don't know the name of it's a very common move though.
ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll
Bluff Pass
Elevator Card
Bluff Pass
Card in mouth
Humbug (kind of like Riot by Dan Hauss, only better)
 
C

CaseyC

Guest
I think using some sort of elevator card (S.W Elevator/Shifty) is definetly a must towards the end of the routine. Using a card to mouth would follow well.
You could also try working with a card fold and try to incorporate it into a reveal at the very end. Maybe a folded card to box type ending.

You should begin your routine using moves that do not 'move' the card much distance like a basic tilt or pop-up move. Then progress into an elevator card, then to card to mouth, card to pocket/box finale.
This way, the card seems to be traveling in increasing distances from the deck and the overall effect will be much more impressive. At the end, the audience won't know what to expect and you can hit them with the folded card/finale.

This is how I currently structure my ACR routines. I'd love to hear other's thoughts.
If you haven't seen Tommy Wonder's masterpiece check it out NOW.
 
Sep 26, 2007
591
5
Tokyo, Japan
here is the thing about the ACR... just asking people for which sleights to use will not make your ACR go from subpar to par or to great.

the impact you get from your ACR depends completely on your experience and your audience. You can perform the EXACT same ACR using the same sleights and patter and timing, and you can get completely different responses from different crowds.

I have several different ACR routines ready to go, but I often adapt to the situation and add or even remove some stages depending on the reactions of the spectators. My patter also changes to make sure I am playing to the personalities of the majority of the spectators.

You will find that some people really enjoy the hard hitting fast paced, mulitple phase ACR, whereas others really enjoy a slower, more intimate, maybe 3 phase ACR with great patter and explanation.

This will also depend on the level of your technique... if you can do a flawless cascade control, DMB control, TCcover pass, cherry control, side steal, etc... these sleights are 100xs better than a double undercut, classic pass, bluff pass, etc... because they are extremely smooth, every action is justified, and can really add a lot of extra WOW to a slow ACR.

You need to play around with your own routine, see what works best for your presentation style. It is ok to ask for advice on maybe what phase flows into what other phase naturally, but don't expect that just making the changes will improve your ARC, because you still gotta put in the work.
 
Sep 1, 2007
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Honestly, my sleights are pretty standard. I end with a card-in-envelope that I adapted from a Paul Green routine. Four phases, very straightforward, but I'm very meticulous about the timing and I use the power of names and specifically the True Name as the framework.
 
Nov 20, 2007
4,410
6
Sydney, Australia
Whatever happened to short and sweet? You guys can't mean to say you're trying to bore the **** outta everyone by putting in 12 phases?

I use a James/Ellis Displacement Move, Shigeo Futagawa's Elevator, a double lift, and a Marlo Tilt to finish.
 
Sep 3, 2007
308
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Sep 30, 2008
310
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35
Pittsburgh
here is the thing about the ACR... just asking people for which sleights to use will not make your ACR go from subpar to par or to great.

the impact you get from your ACR depends completely on your experience and your audience. You can perform the EXACT same ACR using the same sleights and patter and timing, and you can get completely different responses from different crowds.

I have several different ACR routines ready to go, but I often adapt to the situation and add or even remove some stages depending on the reactions of the spectators. My patter also changes to make sure I am playing to the personalities of the majority of the spectators.

You will find that some people really enjoy the hard hitting fast paced, mulitple phase ACR, whereas others really enjoy a slower, more intimate, maybe 3 phase ACR with great patter and explanation.

This will also depend on the level of your technique... if you can do a flawless cascade control, DMB control, TCcover pass, cherry control, side steal, etc... these sleights are 100xs better than a double undercut, classic pass, bluff pass, etc... because they are extremely smooth, every action is justified, and can really add a lot of extra WOW to a slow ACR.

You need to play around with your own routine, see what works best for your presentation style. It is ok to ask for advice on maybe what phase flows into what other phase naturally, but don't expect that just making the changes will improve your ARC, because you still gotta put in the work.

I never denied that experience was the only way to make your routine better. Nor did I assume that this would single handedly make my routine great. It is something however I wanted to discuss and help me and other people with structuring the routine.

-Kevin
 
Nov 20, 2007
4,410
6
Sydney, Australia
Hm. I'd like to hear what you'd have to say about my ACR here.

Hand to Mouth

ACR:

2 Standard Rises
Color Change Rise
Pop Up Move

Card to Pocket
twice

Deck Vanish except for their card

Hand out their card.


Please comment. Too much?

Or check here?

http://forums.theory11.com/showthread.php?p=216556#post216556

Unless you justify everything VERY well, I think so. The only long routine along similar lines I've ever seen work is Derren Brown's 3 Card Routine, and, well, that's Derren Brown. The fact that you're wondering if it's too long for a 15 minute show surely suggests that it's long as well. I haven't seen it so I can't give a definitive judgment, but unless the routine is set out VERY logically, and there's actually a reason it's that long AND it's presented well, I'd say it's too long, and it does the same thing too many times.
 
Sep 3, 2007
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Praetorievong: I know my routine looks long on paper but it's really not. Watch Bill Malone's ACR:

Before watching this performance, my routine by coincidence paralleled the phases in his. My sleights are different but there are similarities. It's 2 minutes of non stop magic with little dead time.

I'm not sure.

Just trying to frame my routine, I don't think I'll perform it at the same clip as Bill Malone.
 
May 31, 2008
43
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prepare to scream

watch this performance
prepare to react very loudly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrApPgoWZqE


Tommy Wonder's timing is perfect. If you want to echo his routine, you could always use jay sankey's paperclipped as a finale. (unless you want to carry around a ringbox). I love how he presents it as a fun challenge, and how he is able to build suspense.
My ACR, is from the Born to Perform dvd.
My routine includes an erdnase color change, jumping to the top of their packet, card to mouth and pop up move.
Card to mouth is so strong, I often HAVE to end there. Its just that insane. Additionally I recommend you look into jay sankey's flip toss move. The pack is rubber banded and tossed from one hand to the other. The card visibly jumps to the top. Its insane. Additionally true astonishments has a great effect called chen's riser. The card visually comes up to the top ala riot. (no gimmicks.)
 
Sep 3, 2007
1,231
0
Praetorievong: I know my routine looks long on paper but it's really not. Watch Bill Malone's ACR:

Before watching this performance, my routine by coincidence paralleled the phases in his. My sleights are different but there are similarities. It's 2 minutes of non stop magic with little dead time.

I'm not sure.

Just trying to frame my routine, I don't think I'll perform it at the same clip as Bill Malone.

Unfortunately, contrary to popular belief the ACR routine is the one where the card keeps coming to the top. Card to mouth, to shoe, to wherever is not a classical rendition of this simple routine. The more it is jazzed up the more it deviates from an actual ACR routine.
 
Sep 30, 2008
310
0
35
Pittsburgh
Unfortunately, contrary to popular belief the ACR routine is the one where the card keeps coming to the top. Card to mouth, to shoe, to wherever is not a classical rendition of this simple routine. The more it is jazzed up the more it deviates from an actual ACR routine.

I was just about to say something along those lines.

If you want to do a sandwich routine, do that. Or a card to pocket, do that. Or make a routine with all of them. But doing that makes it more of a "traveling card" routine instead of an ambitious card routine

I do agree with the idea of as you go along, what's happening becomes more and more impossible.

I would like to focus more on the ambitious card part of it rather than the card to mouth, pocket, etc.

In response to the Bill Malone ACR, in my opinion, it all happens too fast. instead of a big magical moment for each phase. But that's Bill Malone's style and he does his whole show that way so it makes sense.

-Kevin
 
Sep 3, 2007
308
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Fkace63: Nice I like this video.

Sir Fansalot: You're right.

So it's more like the routine that I built around the ACR. I call it a Card Flurry, but I think that's just me.

What do you think of the routine though?

Kevin Owens:

I was just trying to show that my routine CAN be done in away that it doesn't take too much time. I'd probably shoot for 3.5-4 mins for the trick. I do pause after each climax because it helps build the reaction.

Thanks guys, anything else?
 
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