Completely impromptu, angleproof, no gimmicks, duplicates, just sleigh of hand. Let me know what you think,(yes, my references are cited):
My effect, Phantom Frog
- Thread starter PopNFresh HDZ
- Start date
OK, so I almost stopped watching after a minute in because all you were doing was shuffling the cards. Unless the deck somehow ends up in new deck order, is there really any reason to shuffle that much? The move you do at :58 looks suspicious. The return of the packet to the deck at 1:38 also looks suspicious. By 2:19, I'm really getting bored. As you note, the second phase is like Dan and Dave's Tivo. At 3:16, I feel like I'm watching paint dry. At the end, I'm wondering how the third phase is different from the first from a spectator's perspective. The middle phase just seems out of place. After the first phase, you have to answer the question, "Why should I care to continue watching?"
At the very outset of the trick, I have no idea what you are trying to do or even what the trick is, which is not good. Yes, it's important in magic that the spectator doesn't know what's going to happen but this just plain confusing. And confusion is not magic. It becomes clear after the first phase but I am not captivated enough to want to see the second phase. I would suggest writing out a script and structure of your trick (and patter) and edit it until it makes perfect sense. This will also help you look at the tricks you make and see where the flaws are and understand what should be taken out so that what you are left with is a miracle. This is far from that goal though.
One minor note though, and I have found guilty of this in my life as well: Speak clearly. Enunciate your words. It is difficult to understand you sometimes and that it doesn't help understand the effect. In my experience, a script helps and constantly reciting it out loud and speaking with emotion and personality elevates the trick. This is just simple presentation advice that goes into any trick you do.
Also, why is there already a signed card in the deck? You should have had it signed in the video or have it set aside from the beginning to say this will be the selection we are dealing with. Spreading through the cards that have been shuffled to "see if it still there" and then "losing it further" while it is face-up is redundant and very suspicious. There are times where this would work to secure the selected card but this is not one of them. Again, go back to your script and structure and look for a better way to secure the selection.
Your handling of the cards is very "show-offy" as well with the deck flips and the constant spreading and shuffling that you do. A flourish should punctuate your skill in a subtle manner. All I see is a kid trying to show off his skills to make up for what is a relatively boring effect. I urge you to watch some of Michael Vincents videos in his Quest for Mastery series on YouTube for this topic.
The pop out move and the vanish was pretty good though so props for that.
One minor note though, and I have found guilty of this in my life as well: Speak clearly. Enunciate your words. It is difficult to understand you sometimes and that it doesn't help understand the effect. In my experience, a script helps and constantly reciting it out loud and speaking with emotion and personality elevates the trick. This is just simple presentation advice that goes into any trick you do.
Also, why is there already a signed card in the deck? You should have had it signed in the video or have it set aside from the beginning to say this will be the selection we are dealing with. Spreading through the cards that have been shuffled to "see if it still there" and then "losing it further" while it is face-up is redundant and very suspicious. There are times where this would work to secure the selected card but this is not one of them. Again, go back to your script and structure and look for a better way to secure the selection.
Your handling of the cards is very "show-offy" as well with the deck flips and the constant spreading and shuffling that you do. A flourish should punctuate your skill in a subtle manner. All I see is a kid trying to show off his skills to make up for what is a relatively boring effect. I urge you to watch some of Michael Vincents videos in his Quest for Mastery series on YouTube for this topic.
The pop out move and the vanish was pretty good though so props for that.