I'm trying to customize a Bank Night effect to fit within my show. However, I don't want to create that win/lose situation with the audience. I'm familiar with Osterlind's effect but, are there any other good ones out there? Thanks.

Kent

Well, what's the theme of the show, Kent?

This is going to be a front of curtain piece in a larger illusion show. The show itself is called "Oriental Fusion". It blends Oriental culture with western-style magic and illusions. The envelopes I'll be using are the Chinese money envelopes that are handed out on special occasions. This flows nicely with the premise of having "good luck money" in the envelopes.

However, with that theme in mind, I don't want any of the participants being left with an empty/losing enevelope. I want them to walk away feeling like winners or potential winners. In fact, that was one of the things that appealed to me about Osterlind's effect.

I'm just wondering if there are any other effects on the market that lend themselves to this line of thinking. I hope that helps. Thanks.

Kent

Could it not just be as simple then as giving the four people envelopes with a lottery ticket and some coins that are used in fengh shui - and then you are left with some toy money and a half eaten chocolate coin?

then I guess its up to you what you may transform that toy money into, to segue into the next piece...

That has potential. I do like the idea of the toy money being used as a segue to the next effect, or perhaps leading into a kicker ending.

Kent

Nothing metaphorical you could make use of? fusing something very traditionally eastern with something western? I was going to suggest fusing an american dollar with a chinese bill, but that might be a bit too contentious...

I don't do any stage work and no idea about illusions - but good luck with it...

visually, I was seeing you offer the half eaten coin around, no takers - so you eat it (and as you said magic and illusion) I was then seeing you cough it back up but via a mouth-coil which then leads onto whatever else...they always remind me of how a child draws the oceans or a dragon's body, personally...

I was thinking of using the coin to seque into a miser's dream, while costuming a young child from the audience as an Emperor. I would then spin a story of how a young emperor was said to have brought prosperity to the people of China.

Later on in the show, I return to the story of the Emperor as we perform the deKolta Chair illusion, with the chair designed as the Emperor's throne.

Kent

HI Kent, check out my routine THE LUCKY ENVELOPES in my new DVD IN MY MIND 2 is based on a completely different approach and there is no "loose/win"situation with two final climax

Hey Kent

Being from Vancouver, my first encounter with "The Red Envelope" came when I was busking during Chinese New Year.
My guests were very enthusiastic and excited to tell me about the tradition... which I promptly incorporated into my show.

I'll PM you how I used it, and you're welcome to use it too.

dave

Ted Lesleys Teleport enveloppes can be used for many kind of BN presentations.


Instead of a winner/looser situation, you could have 4 empty enveloppes and one with a something that is not very nice like pay the magician $100.00, pr a letter that says "the one that get's this envelop is a fool!" or something like that...

Could you borrow money and make it about helping the person keep their money rather than trying to win it off you,

you help them win the game and win the money (their own money) with the lucky envelopes or something

Now that's a novel concept! Thanks.

Kent

My own version of the Bank Night theme ("Disjuncture", from Stimulacra) utilizes six envelopes, three of which are chosen by the participant(s). The fact that there are equal numbers of items (3) in both the chosen and non-chosen sets makes for an endless variety of presentation scenarios, as either of the two sets of three can be the "winning" or "losing" items. In a corporate situation, they can be product attributes that are ascribed to the company or its competitors. In a motivational presentation, they can be positive and negative attributes. In the more traditional usage, the chosen three can be blanks slips of paper (or, better, lottery tickets), while those left to the entertainer can contain (in order of opening) a fifty, a hundred, and a thousand-dollar bill. It's a very flexible foundation.

At some shows when I use Bank Night, I like the Osterlind method of the participants also win something. to keep it simple I didn't want to use lottery tickets etc which is fine. I put $10 notes in all envelopes & envelope 2 for example the last one opened has a $20 note in it.. and the magician envelope has the $100.. always plays very well and the spectators like getting something...