Ways to maximize the effect of the Invisible Deck

Vastago · Oct 10, 2007

Well...

i havent performed the invisible deckeffect in a while...

the point is.. i dont like the usual plots for it (the dream... or the "i swear this deck is normal" ones)

So i was thinking, why not reveal the "secret" ... telling to the people "theres something weird everytime i do a trick with this deck..." and then showing the ID, then returning the deck to the box.. and proceed with the effect as you would normally do...and then obviously.. switch decks...

Do you think this will enhance the effect? do you have another idea for it?

conjure_pitch · Oct 10, 2007

I like it, but I typically use a mentalism approach. Tell them that I knew what card they picked before they even picked it. Turned it upsidedown before I started the trick.

MoonlightKnight · Oct 10, 2007

Mentalism is alwyas a great approach for the ID. Also I would like to remind you, to emphasize the fact that it is a FREE CHOICE! You don't always get that chance, but in this case, it really is a free choice. So... Take this opportunity.

-Ty · Oct 10, 2007

The book "The Secret" has the 'revolutionary' idea of visualising what you want. It's extremely popular, and the plot is perfect for the ID.

Hey, I think I just tipped one of my fav. presentations. Well, the first one is always free. You cand send me the cheque later.

Ty

Shodan · Oct 10, 2007

Bill Malone has a presentation for the invisible deck which is supposed to be awesome. It's on his "on the loose" DVD's. I don't have that particular volume, but anything Bill puts out there is pure gold.

joshua barrett · Oct 10, 2007

there was a nice trick using the ultra mental deck in magic mag this month.

Heath Bar · Oct 10, 2007

Good mentalism effect

This is one of my favorite effects with the ID. Tell the person you're doing it for that you can sometimes predict the future, but you can only predict what will happen about one minute from now. To demonstrate, take the ID and put it behind your back. Tell the spectator that you're going to turn one of the cards upside down as a prediction. Then, bring it around front and replace the ID back in the case. Then, give the spectator a regular deck of cards and have them shuffle it to their heart's content. Then, after they shuffle it, have them spread the cards face down (or face up, it doesn't particularly matter, face down just seems to up the effect a little) on the table and mix them up so that they've got a big jumbled mess on the table. There's no way anyone could possibly keep track of a card. Then, give them a coin and have them toss the coin onto a pile and turn over the card that the coin lands on. Once they do that, you of course pull out the ID and show that you predicted that card a minute or two ago. This absolutely floors people!

Jack The Magician · Oct 10, 2007

Shodan said:
Bill Malone has a presentation for the invisible deck which is supposed to be awesome. It's on his "on the loose" DVD's. I don't have that particular volume, but anything Bill puts out there is pure gold.

Bill Malone's invisible deck presentation is hilarious. It's a comedic routine, and so it's may not be the best for those performing mentalism, but it's great to perform for friends.

Although, I would not recommend making your performance a carbon-copy of that of Bill Malone. You can use it to get an idea, or a foundation; however, it would be a much better performance if you integrate yourself and personality into it, as with any performance.

A mentalism-eque performance for the invisible deck would not work for me, but it would work great for others.

Cheers,
JTM

Blackjack · Oct 10, 2007

Vastago said:
Well...

i havent performed the invisible deckeffect in a while...

the point is.. i dont like the usual plots for it (the dream... or the "i swear this deck is normal" ones)

So i was thinking, why not reveal the "secret" ... telling to the people "theres something weird everytime i do a trick with this deck..." and then showing the ID, then returning the deck to the box.. and proceed with the effect as you would normally do...and then obviously.. switch decks...

Do you think this will enhance the effect? do you have another idea for it?

wow i actually have done this, it's weird to see someone think of the same thing, well similar. I told them that someone gave me this deck and that there's always something ghostly about them (works well as i use the ghost invisible deck too, fits the story) then i go on into showing them why. it seems to really freak people out, especially as i pretend to be confused too.

Another one i do that works really well is that i tell them that these deck of cards can read their minds

Vastago · Oct 10, 2007

Great minds think similar things

well thats great... i was also thinking on building up the effect with previous demonstrations of the deck (or another deck) being wild...

but thats another idea...

scottbaird · Oct 10, 2007

My idea is to do it over the phone by having someone use thier own cell phone and to call a friend. Kills em ........Great entertainment possiblities while they are calling as well, unless you can fill the time by talking to your audience.

greeney · Oct 10, 2007

I prefer not to directly mention a card being "revealed" in any way.
I ask the spectator to name any card, completely free choice. I then take the deck out of the box, spread it out, and ask them to remove their card. Blah blah blah, and they see their card face-down. I feel this adds to the reactions as they are really not expecting anything.

OwnerM · Oct 11, 2007

I do it the "Mentalism" way too, but with a little twist:

I tell them that I can read their body language before they come up with a thought.

(Short version):
I ask them three questions: "Picture yourself at a mall, which store are you in?" sort of questions. Irrelavent but sounding psychological. Doesn't really matter what the questions or answers are. I tend to make them up on the spot.

All the while, though, I tell the spectator that I don't care about the answer but HOW they answer it. This makes them very aware of themselves. (Self-conscicousness is a wonderful misdirection).

So once I finish with the three questions, I make my prediction with the ID.

Works like a charm.

...although.... I do love the cell phone idea above....

silent · Oct 14, 2007

A lot of people are using other peoples ideas here, the thing I love about performing ID for people is that there are countless ways of presenting it, I can think of 20 different ways I've performed it already one of the most probably wasteful but gathers a lot of attention is telling all the spectators that you flipped over a card in a deck, taking a regular deck of cards and springing them all into the air one of the spectators steps on a card they step off and thats the card you flipped over before the effect started in the deck.

I have used this in my school cafeteria, people come running over to see whats going on.

MaxDeVill · Oct 16, 2007

Typically if I'm in a group of people I use the ID to pull others into watching the show. I'll stop someone walking down the street and say something like, "Excuse me, but in order to keep this completely random, can you please choose one of these people for me?" After they do, I ask for a card and bam, I've just aquired another spectator or two.

ZeroPhun31 · Oct 17, 2007

When i used to do the ID and whatnot, think outside the box- all the random stuff you can do with that deck alone, or utilizing 2 decks and other objects. Try to stray away from the David Blaine routine style stuff.

I had a trick with the ID and another deck, 1 involved a pool table, other was pure mentalism and whatnot. Both would get fantastic reactions.

Houston Curtis · Jun 5, 2016

Vastago said:
Well...

i havent performed the invisible deckeffect in a while...

the point is.. i dont like the usual plots for it (the dream... or the "i swear this deck is normal" ones)

So i was thinking, why not reveal the "secret" ... telling to the people "theres something weird everytime i do a trick with this deck..." and then showing the ID, then returning the deck to the box.. and proceed with the effect as you would normally do...and then obviously.. switch decks...

Do you think this will enhance the effect? do you have another idea for it?

conjure_pitch said:
I like it, but I typically use a mentalism approach. Tell them that I knew what card they picked before they even picked it. Turned it upsidedown before I started the trick.

Vastago said:
Well...

i havent performed the invisible deckeffect in a while...

the point is.. i dont like the usual plots for it (the dream... or the "i swear this deck is normal" ones)

So i was thinking, why not reveal the "secret" ... telling to the people "theres something weird everytime i do a trick with this deck..." and then showing the ID, then returning the deck to the box.. and proceed with the effect as you would normally do...and then obviously.. switch decks...

Do you think this will enhance the effect? do you have another idea for it?

MoonlightKnight said:
Mentalism is alwyas a great approach for the ID. Also I would like to remind you, to emphasize the fact that it is a FREE CHOICE! You don't always get that chance, but in this case, it really is a free choice. So... Take this opportunity.

-Ty said:
The book "The Secret" has the 'revolutionary' idea of visualising what you want. It's extremely popular, and the plot is perfect for the ID.

Hey, I think I just tipped one of my fav. presentations. Well, the first one is always free. You cand send me the cheque later.

Ty

Shodan said:
Bill Malone has a presentation for the invisible deck which is supposed to be awesome. It's on his "on the loose" DVD's. I don't have that particular volume, but anything Bill puts out there is pure gold.

Vastago said:
Well...

i havent performed the invisible deckeffect in a while...

the point is.. i dont like the usual plots for it (the dream... or the "i swear this deck is normal" ones)

So i was thinking, why not reveal the "secret" ... telling to the people "theres something weird everytime i do a trick with this deck..." and then showing the ID, then returning the deck to the box.. and proceed with the effect as you would normally do...and then obviously.. switch decks...

Do you think this will enhance the effect? do you have another idea for it?

I came up with a great alternative for the invisible deck that has worked very well. In fact...its so good that Im sure I cant be the one who originally came up with it...but if I am...COOL. If someone knows who came up with the method im about to share, please tell me so I can credit them. Here goes...

I pick three spectators from the audience, or the street. I go into a bit about how they are so easy to read...and then tell them I will prove it. I ask one spectator to name a number between 1 and 10. I ask another spectator to select a color either red or black, and then I ask the third spectator to select a suit based on the color selected by the sdcond spectator. So...lets say spectator 1 selected 7, spectator two selected red, and spectator 3 selected Diamonds...I then give them all one chance to change their mind on their selections...etc. Then I pull the deck out of my pocket completely sealed open the deck and BAM. They are blown away every time. Its an incredible reveal because it invovled not one, but 3 free choices from three random spectators. Let me know what you guys think.

RealityOne · Jun 6, 2016

Houston:

Welcome to the forums.

The presentation is not original. I do something similar with a beach ball and music in a large group - the person holding the beach ball when the music stops makes a decision. I've seen or talked to a lot of magicians who use similar presentatations.

I would suggest not asking a spectator if they want to change their mind. It doesn't increase the impossibility of the effect and it confuses the spectator (did I pick wrong?) and the audience (why is he asking?). Rather, say something that conveys part of your presentation - "The red cards - good choice" "Hearts - I could have guess that one" "A ten, interesting." By repeating the choice, the rest of the audience hears it and the spectator confirms it (typically by not saying anything).

Also, rather than having a deck in your pocket - have it in view or have a spectator hold it. Don't make a big deal of it, just have it there. That way, they have no idea why they are selecting a card.

DominusDolorum · Jun 7, 2016

RealityOne said:
I would suggest not asking a spectator if they want to change their mind. It doesn't increase the impossibility of the effect and it confuses the spectator (did I pick wrong?) and the audience (why is he asking?).

This is a great tip.

obrienmagic · Jun 7, 2016

Lately I have been performing this as a "Do as I do" effect. Basically you have 2 regular decks and the invisible deck hidden. Allow the spectators to shuffle the cards and choose a deck. You take the other one. Ask them to follow your lead and hold the deck behind their back. Mix the cards once more and then when they are happy to stop. Turn the top card over and cut the deck. (while all of this is happening you switch in for the invisible deck.) ask them to bring the deck out front and spread to the chosen card. Now all you have to do is bring the ID forward and spread to the same card. It is a fun little way to have the deck "inspected" at the beginning if you so choose. I perform this method most when using an ID, however it has its pros and cons.