Hello there,

Firstly, I have to thank Osterlind for his great resources, he has given me so many ideas from which I can develop many of the existing effects I use, and I most certainly will be adapting at least two of the effects from the DVD series for myself.

On DVD 2, the effect where he guesses which cards are in the pockets, is fantastic. I thought about how I could do the same effect with ONLY the spectator handling the deck. And I got all excited about what popped into my head.

So, what do I do with the idea?

Do I keep it for my own performance, hoping to keep a 'new' take on something? Or do I just share it, in the same way many of you have been so kind with your advice? Do I try and make money out of it!?

How do I know that the secret that makes it possible has not been thought of before? (Without giving too much away).

It also opens up the question: When a magician 'invents' a new effect, what makes them decide to market it? When they don't use it anymore? Are they, then, always 'one step ahead'? Or is it just about money?

Osterlind, if you read this, many thanks for the inspiration, I cannot explain how my head is buzzing right now. I have already 'sampled' a few effects straight from the DVDs, to the amazement of my family. And the BCS is just about the most useful things I have learnt in all of the last 24 years.

Best regards to you all,

Carlo

I doubt you would be able to make money out of it, as it utilises the BCS which is owned by Osterlind.
I would suggest first contacting him, but I would also say share it with us here, it isn't essential but it would be nice. I could probably come up with a similar presentation, but remember that's all it is so really the idea is yours.
If you create a stack that is unique to yourself then you can market that but as for presentaions, not really.
Although I can think of exceptions, like with Killer Konceptions or the booklet that was released after the Reality Twister came out. Although the idea was unique to the original authors the books were filled with many different presentational twists, Osterlind might just include your idea in a book (40th anniversary of BCS, lol) but for now I would stick it in the inner toughts or maybe offer it on a PM basis.
hope I helped.
M.X!a

Carlo, your best bet would be publishing the idea (assuming you wish to share) in a magazine or a forum like the Magic Café (just a few more posts, and you'll be able to do just this in the "Inner Thoughts" section of the Banquet Room!).

Keep in mind that, unless the effect in your mind involves a specific combination of specific cards (like requiring that the King of Clubs MUST come right after the Queen of Hearts), you can probably write it up as a general trick with any memorized deck. You simply write in, "Set-up: The deck is in a memorized order, or any stack system that allows you to determine the 'relevant information'. I myself use Osterlind's Breakthrough Card System . . . "

Also, before you decide to publish it, you should probably look through memorized deck literature and make sure similar effects don't already exist. If you've recreated an existing effect when you publish on a forum, you'll find out immediately by the responding posts. If you submit an existing effect for publication, they'll simply not publish it.

The thing is it isn't a new routine, only a hands off approach to Osterlinds Cards in Pocket. (correct me if I am wrong Carlo).

Carlo I am also in a similar situation. My pet fav effect from osterlinds collection is the WATCH routine. Now I have adapted so it's not a watch routine anymore but I use the business card peek for a multitude of amazments.

Although when playing around with osterlinds idea with the card I found it to not satisfy my own style. So using HIS concept, which is a common concept and falls under, GLIMPSES, PEEKs, CENTER tears all that. I developed a much more efficient way to achieve the same result in a more convincing and SAFE manner.

However as it is just a new way to achieve such a common result with millions of other methods. I shall keep it as my little secret and share it with people whom share somthing with me. But original credit is always DUE from your inspiration.

Another thought, When you do invent or devise a method or effect, I'm certain that makerting possibilities are NOT the first thing to pop into my head.

Mozerian,

I don’t want to be polemic, but as far as I now the peek that Osterlind uses in the watch routine is not “his invention”. It’s Millard Longman’s “Acidus Novus”, as Richard himself has pointed many times in this forum.

So, maybe I misunderstood your post, but that peek is the “weapon of choice” of thousands of mentalists. Osterlind is a proof of that.

Besides that, It’s interesting how many threads about “I got an idea, could I sell it” have popped here at the Café lately. What is funny to me is that you seems to overlook the fact that all performers desing their own approaches to the available methods, twisting and changing them to make it fit his performance and persona. That doesn’t mean they run out to sell their twists. They are just customizing the effects. that's it.

One thing is create a a principle or a routine, and other one just give another performer’s routine a personal twist.

I use a M***ed deck with the BSC so, I don’t need to touch the deck. But that doesn’t means I discovered anything, I just put toghether two available methods in a bold and basic way.

Probably carlomagic idea is far smarter that that one, but still, why don’t just perform your routine for a while and then start thinking on make a profit?

Hello there,

The idea is a gimmick that would allow the performer to view 'what he needs' without handling the cards at all. It would work for any trick were it would be useful to note a certain card that has been hidden from view, Osterlinds BCS was the stack that gave me the idea. When I saw 'two cards in pocket'I thought 'That is sooo cool.' Obviously, as the effect stands, it is fine just the way it is.

It is hard to explain without specifics.

Regards,

Carlo

By the way,

I am not just trying to sell an idea.