Voting Open - popchris3 V.S. DaveyG - Two Original Color Changes

[James Smith]

http://media.theory11.com/battles/battle.php?id=1237

I did two color changes, one very clean, but not that visual, and the other extremely visual, but not quite as clean. The second one is based off of Daniel Madison's controversial color change, "CHANGE." I played music in the background (from a stereo) to prove that there were no camera cuts. I don't know why the video quality is so bad. I dropped my camera yesterday, so that could have something to do with it.

I would love to hear advice and criticisms, and I'm sure popchris3 would too. Please tell us who you voted for and why.

 

[Andy.Boss.Glass]

popchris is that a magic wand in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

 

[joshrobarts]

http://media.theory11.com/battles/battle.php?id=1237

I did two color changes, one very clean, but not that visual, and the other extremely visual, but not quite as clean. The second one is based off of Daniel Madison's controversial color change, "CHANGE." I played music in the background (from a stereo) to prove that there were no camera cuts. I don't know why the video quality is so bad. I dropped my camera yesterday, so that could have something to do with it.

I would love to hear advice and criticisms, and I'm sure popchris3 would too. Please tell us who you voted for and why.

your quality is that bad because of your angle. Never shoot with your light source behind you. It throws of the ISO

 

[Orb]

DaveyG:
Your camera quality is horrid, and was a small setback for you. I think your first colorchange was very cool, I can't comment on originality since I am not a card magician. Your second colorchange was pretty cool as well but not as effective.
The first colorchange flowed well, it was not visual, but magic does not need to be visual to be effective, those who say so underestimate the power of mystery. The second was neither visual nor mysterious, which kept it to weird position. I don't know if it was the camera quality, or the fact that it just didn't look smooth enough while performed, but it wasn't as good as the first one. I think if you had just performed it with the same hand movements, but the change faster, it would have looked far better, and maybe even extremely visual, since it seem to have potential for it.

Popchris:
Your first colorchange was cool, it was visual but felt slightly suspicious, maybe because the move felt somewhat unnatural? Can't fully put my finger on it. The second one also visual and cool, but you did do a flash there. I am not sure if I'm supposed to judge merely the colorchanges or the whole performance in itself, because your performance was extremely cluttered with far too much talking and info that threw the attention off quickly. "Mistakes" are great for building suspension, and remembering the audience that there's always a risk for failure, but when overused it can kill everything, especially if the mistake seems faked. What I wish to remind you is that what makes magic effective and powerful is clarity and simplicity. Audiences doesn't want to think, it's work! The more they have to think the bigger of a turnoff it is. That's why for example one coin routines are so famous, only one coin to keep an eye on! Or ACR, just one card to look for!
I was confused alot when I watched this, even when I watched it multiple times, so I definitely think your presentation needs polishing even if your colorchanges were cool.

I am impressed by both of you and I don't feel like there's an obvious winner here at all, but DaveyG got my vote.

 

[James Smith]

DaveyG:
Your camera quality is horrid, and was a small setback for you.

your quality is that bad because of your angle. Never shoot with your light source behind you. It throws of the ISO

Alright thanks, I thought it might have something to do with my lighting. Usually I turn on a lamp behind the camera, but I forgot this time.

 

[popchris3]

popchris is that a magic wand in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

Well, as happy as I am to see you, no. It is my iPod Touch...

 

[popchris3]

BTW: Thanks for the feedback, guys. I am glad to take it and use it to make my changes and performances better.

And in reality, I really DID get the fortune cookie, not kidding.

 

[Chris W]

I wasn't a huge fan of either, to tell you the truth. My vote would go to Davey G.

Both of you didn't have the smoothness needed for color changes. I'm sure that you can work on these more and they will look better. I hate to say it but I just didnt' find them all that interesting. I'm glad though that you were working on original stuff, so congrats on that. Other than that, keep working on your smoothness.

 

[3AQ7]

I wasn't a huge fan of either, to tell you the truth. My vote would go to Davey G.

Both of you didn't have the smoothness needed for color changes. I'm sure that you can work on these more and they will look better. I hate to say it but I just didnt' find them all that interesting. I'm glad though that you were working on original stuff, so congrats on that. Other than that, keep working on your smoothness.

Agreed. I would say DaveyG was smoother but not smooth in general. Popchris.... You have some homework to do. I watch some of your videos and some suggestions would be: practice. Not just practice. But practice the basics, most magicians (majority young) never practice the basics! Basics are not only key, they are a necessity in magic. And more practical every day talk is better patter than something that makes you sound old. You guys look like your 12. Use practical patter, simple patter doesn't make it bad patter.

The younger you see them the more you see them trying to do 687.5 tricks at the same time. Well guys... get a double lift down. Please, get your double undercut and breaks down so you can do them with ease and not stare at the deck when you do it.

Have the deck in view at all times.

Practice.

Another thing that can maybe make you look better as a cardist in general, is what you wear and where you are. Maybe use a REAL camera, in a CLEAN room with NICE clothes on.


P.S. - ugly hat.

 

[James Smith]

I appreciate that you took the time to write the post.

Agreed. I would say DaveyG was smoother but not smooth in general.

Thank you, there was on part where I was quite choppy.

You guys look like your 12.

I am fourteen years of age.

Use practical patter, simple patter doesn't make it bad patter.

What was impractical about my patter?

The younger you see them the more you see them trying to do 687.5 tricks at the same time.

I learn very few new effects, maybe one ever four or five months.

Well guys... get a double lift down. Please, get your double undercut and breaks down so you can do them with ease and not stare at the deck when you do it.

I love to hear criticism, because I want to better myself as a magician. However I was quite irritated by this section of your post.

Have you ever seen me do a double lift? Sort of, I used a center double in this video.

Have you ever seen me use a double undercut? No, never.

Have you ever seen me hold a break? No, never.

You're essentially assuming that I'm not good because of my age. I take offense in that because I have spent much of the day during this summer practicing.

Have the deck in view at all times.

Apologies for that.

Practice.

I practice constantly, however these changes have been something I've been working on for about a month. I wanted to get a video up to see how they look and get opinions. I saw a thread about color changes and thought a battle would be a good way to do that.

Another thing that can maybe make you look better as a cardist in general,

I am not a cardist

is what you wear and where you are. Maybe use a REAL camera,

I used a JVC Mini-DV. The quality was a result of the camera going out of focus and bad lighting.

in a CLEAN room

I am re-decorating my room.

with NICE clothes on.

Nice clothes are subjective. What's wrong with T-Shirt and Jeans, it is my style, I want to express myself.

The truth is, I hate making solo magic videos. I much prefer to make videos of me performing for actual spectators. You might want to take a look at my other videos (click the "out" in my signature) not all of them are the best, as I am still working on my presentation.

P.S. - ugly hat.

That's subjective buddy.


Once again, I would like to thank you for taking the time to write the post. However, I was quite annoyed with the way that you judged me. To me, this is what your post sounded like:

Davey's was smoother, but it still sucked. You guys need to use better patter, cause you're just tweens. I've never seen you do a double lift, double undercut, or hold a break, but I know you suck at them. Your clothes are ugly, and you need to clean your room.

I understand that you did not mean it that way at all, but I was very annoyed with the way you judged me. One last time, thanks for taking the time to give us feedback.

 

[RDChopper]

I understand that you did not mean it that way at all, but I was very annoyed with the way you judged me. One last time, thanks for taking the time to give us feedback.

I think he actually used that as an example of "basics" not about your sleights buddy, besides I think he was also talking about pop, wich may have some videos of himself doing sloopy doubles or undercuts. He may shuck at giving criticism, but hey, dont take words to seriously from a guy like that Davey.

 

[3AQ7]

RD is right, plus, you shuck at being a wanna-be-mod but I don't complain openly about it?


And DaveyG, most things you said were, in fact, towards Pop. The criticism wasn't all directed towards you, less than half was. Some parts were random rants towards the webcam tweens that do in fact suck hardcore. Not you. Sorry for not making that clear. Thanks for your time in replying to my post as well.

 

[RDChopper]

RD is right, plus, you shuck at being a wanna-be-mod but I don't complain openly about it?

Wanna be mod? WTF? seriously man, if you have a problem with me tell me in a PM, because it looks like you do.

 

[popchris3]

Agreed. I would say DaveyG was smoother but not smooth in general. Popchris.... You have some homework to do. I watch some of your videos and some suggestions would be: practice. Not just practice. But practice the basics, most magicians (majority young) never practice the basics!

Thank you for the generalization, but it is definitly not nessisary. I do NOT agree with that statement, for I believe that everyone, not just begginers, should constantly be practicing the basics.

But that brings up the discussion of what exactly would be a "basic"? A double lift? A double undercut?

Basics are not only key, they are a necessity in magic. And more practical every day talk is better patter than something that makes you sound old.

I agree heavily with DaveyG, I don't see anything impractical with the patter that I used, nor I don't beleive that the discussion of the Chinese restaraunt or ANYTHING else in my videos constitutes for acting older than I actually am.

Please state an example, I would love to hear it. If you are right, I will take back what I said.

You guys look like your 12. Use practical patter, simple patter doesn't make it bad patter.

Uh, I am 15. In addition to which, as stated previously, I wasn't TOO keen on the patter, but in the fact of routining it all together, it worked out fine. I don't find anything impractical OR unsimplified about a Chinese restaraunt.

The younger you see them the more you see them trying to do 687.5 tricks at the same time. Well guys... get a double lift down. Please, get your double undercut and breaks down so you can do them with ease and not stare at the deck when you do it.

Ok, first off, I am 15, which albiet is not OLD by any means, means that I AM older than a LOT of the youtube magicians out there. In addition to which, we each did two tricks. That is all, if you call a color change a trick.

Secondly, while I may not be AMAZING at the strike double or the diving board, my picking up a brake when I need it has FLOWN past audiences for the 8 years I have been doing magic. I have not been caught on a double once. If you would like to book me for a show, I would be happy to show you sometime, but please do not make unjustfied statements about myself OR DaveyG without knowing what our routines consist of.

In addition, I have NEVER done a double undercut. I HATE that move. Please get your facts straight before making accusations that are unjustified because you like to give critisizm.

Have the deck in view at all times.

I did, or at least enough for you to KNOW that I was doing nothing suspicious.

Practice.

Another thing that can maybe make you look better as a cardist in general, is what you wear and where you are. Maybe use a REAL camera, in a CLEAN room with NICE clothes on.

Uh... This wasn't a cardistry video, and if you were bringing up some of my older videos, please keep in mind the time of which those were recorded. I am still satisfied with my last few videos, and I believe my clothes were fine.

In addition to which, I called attention to the fact my room was messy. I wanted feedback on my color changes, much like DaveyG. I wasn't focused on my room, nor was the video.

One last thing, if you want to, go ahead and send me a brand new camera. I would be happy to film with it. I haven't been able to afford a new camera for a LONG time. I was just thinking about selling a ton of my stuff to buy one, but once again, this is NOT about the camera, it is about the double lifts AS the topic suggests.

P.S. - ugly hat.

I thought Davey's hat was cool!

Please re-write your critisizm using FACTS and not just unjustified generalizations about how you THINK that teenage magicians SHOULD act on video.

P.S. - You grammar sucks, making your critizism harder to read than it already was (and it is REALLY hard to read from people who don't know what they are talking about).

 

[popchris3]

I think he actually used that as an example of "basics" not about your sleights buddy, besides I think he was also talking about pop, wich may have some videos of himself doing sloopy doubles or undercuts. He may shuck at giving criticism, but hey, dont take words to seriously from a guy like that Davey.

Dude, look at my videos. I may have some SLOPPY doubles, but I don't believe any are sloopy.

And I NEVER DO UNDERCUTS!!!

Have a nice day.

 

[RDChopper]

Dude, look at my videos. I may have some SLOPPY doubles, but I don't believe any are sloopy.

And I NEVER DO UNDERCUTS!!!

Have a nice day.

I mean, what I said was an explanation to what 3aq7 may have said, I havent seen your videos thats why I say "maybe" because, as I said, I havent seen your videos .

EDIT::// OOOps! I just realised that the comment was directed to 3aq7, my bad.

 

[3AQ7]

Please re-write your critisizm using FACTS and not just unjustified generalizations about how you THINK that teenage magicians SHOULD act on video.

P.S. - You grammar sucks, making your critizism harder to read than it already was (and it is REALLY hard to read from people who don't know what they are talking about).

You're just mad cause I didn't say anything good about your videos. At least Davey is mature about it. Really shows something good about a person when they do what DaveyG did. Props, kudos, etc.

Cheers.