I thought I would share one of my card acts. This was posted in the video thread however I don't find that many card guys visit.

If you enjoy it, it was me. If you hate it, it was Criss Angel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5zKqs8Sdb4

This is nice Chris!

Andrew

Nice, smooth act. I find the finding/losing/finding/losing and re-finding the aces a bit repetitive but despite that, it is smooth. That's nice that the opening and closing brings it full circle (finding the aces back), but I would try something "more different" in the middle (rather than the fancy cuts, but that's just my taste speaking).
Good work here!

Chris -- this was really an outstanding performance!!!! GL in your future...

That is a really great act! I liked it a lot myself, but I judge mostly by listening to the audience, and you killed!

Your pacing, timing, and showmanship make that a terrific act. I like the little touches, such as the "wait there's more" gesture with your forefinger at the end as the audience is peaking on what they had imagined was the final effect, and the they you make them wait a moment or two so so their suspense builds until you hit them with the real final and stunning effect.

I'm curious, is that something you thought about a lot or do you just do it that way because of experience, or both?

Hi guys thanks so much!

The first few runs at this for an audience had something else in place of the cutting sequence. The problem I found was it ended up putting way too many climaxes into one routine. This killed the reaction at the end. To fix it, I threw in the fancy cuts as a sort of a bridge as though it were the guitar solo in the middle of the song. Once I threw it in front of an audience, the reactions changed dramatically at the end so it stayed in.

I do try to think about the shape of routines and which gestures and actions to put where. Sometimes however, it just happens that way. The "wait there's more" gesture is actually out of necessity. The first couple nights the audience just wouldn't' stop clapping as they thought it was the end! I threw this gesture in as a way to say, "Shut up, I want to spread the cards before the song ends!" It seems to fit nicely and lets the reaction for the spread hit home.

I will of course keep on playing with this and it will evolve as it goes!

Thanks again guys!