It's a non issue.

Thank, Professor!! That was very helpful, and I will reapply the lacquer as you suggest.

And yes, this is already done on all sets. Prof BC was simply giving some tips in case anyone wanted to redo it for personal reasons, like myself and maybe one other person who posted.

O.K. My choice would be to have the backs without any scuffs & clean-looking... to erase the idea that they are marked & able to be read in any way. Since.. that is not how it works. Leaving unique mars & scuffs on each piece gives the Spec an out as to how to rationalize the effect. Just my 2 pennies...

Do you have the effect? Since the spec does all the work....the backs are irrelevant to the routine. I mentioned the markings on the back as a possible way to keep track of the spec from making a mistake, and adjusting if they did. They also offer alternative handleings, BUT TO BE CLEAR, the backs are completely irrelevant to the basic routine.

As with every magic trick, if the story is so dull that the spec is looking at the method, perhaps an acting class or story telling class is in order.? Performing for family or close friends is helpful but of course they already know it's a trick.....so as the saying goes....running when not being chased wastes a lot of energy.

The good Prof BC offers an out for those that wish to change the random production markings.

Hope to see you at ECSSIII reese....lets talk AL Mann.

Best regards,

Craig

I'm with RCP for his reasons and also cause uniform aging would be weird. I mean at the very least my set looks like a thing that got old, none of them have backs that are extremely different though. If I'd mess with anything it would be the bag, age it a little bit. I've not done this effect a lot but I can't imagine doing in such a way that my participant would have a lot of time to study the backs intently.

Yes I own the effect. I'm just expressing my own opinion. I live on the left coast. Flying east doesn't work for me at this time. Man... I'd love to riff some Al Mann with you though!

So, how good is this effect ?

Like most bizarre magic, it's ultimately as good as the person performing it.

That being said, any rehearsed performer can expect a pretty decent reaction to the effect. Moreover, I think anyone who purchases the effect has the potential to perform it expertly right out of the gates. This is in no small part due to Prof BC's performance manuals, which are exhaustive explaining variation, routine, storyline and development.

As someone who generally prefers subtle over sensational, I appreciate the "slow-burn" creepiness one can achieve as the performance progresses. Contrary to one of the fundamental rules of magic, in this instance, repeating the trick for your specs actually enhances the strength of the effect as opposed to diminishing it.

Okay !

I've been busy so I haven't had the chance to make my back plates uniform yet.

I have to disagree with RCP that it's a non-issue. Story telling is key but inherently no matter how much we want to fool others, we are fooling ourselves if we believe that someone at some point isn't going to be analyzing the effect. Especially since it occurs over and over. There is absolutely no reason to leave any doors open in my opinion for the broadest range of spectators. Nothing is worse than someone thinking they know how it's done but they actually don't.

I love the effect, I'm happy to have it, everyone should have it! I've shared my experiences only to improve it for all. I was so into the story myself that I didn't even think about the plates being recognizable until my daughter caught it and a second spec did too..

Guess which plate is the devil in the attached pic!

Attached Pic, I guess attachments don't show in the forum. http://scaryhorrornews.com/plates.jpeg

I suppose there is no real response to this other than to say that you are right.

When I developed this effect--eighteen months of steady work and experimentation--I showed it (as the 'original' handling suggests) with the faces up. Everyone knew which token was which throughout the presentation. The magic came when they discovered that they could not (no matter how hard they tried) preselect a number of shuffles and shuffle them this many times in any way they wished without ending up on the losing side of the game. Rather like a wheel of fortune that always comes up against the spec.

It was only through many presentations that I discovered that the effect was best 'paid off' when the tokens were turned face down. This 'new' handling provided a more dramatic revelation of the 'loss'. It is not necessary to the 'trick' nor even the 'effect' but only a final bit of revelatory drama. Important, to be sure, or I would not have added the new handling as the primary handling, and to have backs that a spec can 'read' does indeed return the effect to its 'original' mode.

For your set to be so 'marked' I can only apologize. Most of the sets went out without these markings on the backs, and you are right to object that the 'new' handling is not available to you with such markings.

I suspect your intention was not to publicly shame or humiliate me by posting these pictures, and I do appreciate your earlier comment that you love the effect and would encourage others to own it, but the truth is (and I am sorry to say it) this feels like public humiliation, no matter how unintentional, and the effect of this is to embarrass and demoralize the creator of the effect, which brings me to my point:

Rather as an open letter to everyone on this forum, and not to diminish one jot of MM2714330's understandable issue: I do believe that I speak for all the creators when I say that, if you have a problem with a purchase, please begin by taking it privately to the creator (or store) where you bought it. Most of us are eager to help, to replace or even remake your piece and make you happy. I went so far as to post my 'recipe' on this forum when asked how to DIY the piece. Anything to be of help and service, a creator will likely do. Please, please remember that we are not factories with staffs of workers; rather we are individuals who work all by ourselves many many hours every day to invent, design, develop, craft, and produce these effects. Most of them require an enormous up-front cost in materials (and personal labour!) with absolutely no guarantee that even the first one will sell. Add to this the huge number of effects that simply never pan out (and we creators all have perhaps a half dozen failed prototypes for every effect released--prototypes that cost just as much as the products that reach the market).

Some might sneer at this and mention some underlying profit motive at issue, and indeed there is a little money to be made--and it is just enough to plough into the next few projects of which maybe one will reach the light of day. Our main reward (and again I believe I speak for most who create and sell in this community) is the delight and appreciation we receive when we get one right.

That is just about our only encouragement to pick up and make a start on a new effect.

If our work returns us embarrassment and humiliation (no matter how unintended) the result is demoralization and a loss of the will to continue.

This is my first salvo on this particular issue, but one need only read this forum to see how many times other creators have expressed in their own words this sentiment. Some creators have actually quit, and others very seriously have considered (or are considering) quitting entirely, only because (rightly or wrongly) the occasional public shaming does actually outweigh the many congratulations, emotionally speaking. We are performers, after all, and driven by our passions. Public embarrassment is a drenching with ice water on one's passion.

So, as an open letter to all, please try to communicate privately with the creator first if you have an issue with a defect in your effect. If you ultimately get no joy down that avenue, then you certainly have every right to go public and expose someone who is not backing up sales with service. Such warnings are both helpful and appreciated, but that is absolutely not the case in this instance. I am most eager to see that MM2714330 is made entirely happy with his effect (as eager as I am that all of my friends enjoy their associations with me and my work).

Sincerely,
BC

I compared the markings on your set with mine and find them both similar. You imply I could know which was your Devil by the markings but when I made a similar choice with my set it was the Angel. You are correct that if one chooses to do this routine over and over in front of someone they will eventually figure out the method. Just like any other trick or puzzle.

With the greatest of respect I think you may be missing the point of this effect.

Craig

I didn't really expect you to know, not until I showed you the other side three or four times.

I have to fully agree with Prof BC on this one.

Given all the Prof has done for our community, why are these pics etc. being posted on here when clearly this matter could be handled directly and privately with him? We know that he will deal with any matter like this professionally and right any wrong.

Just seems silly to demoralize one of the best creators in our genre when other kinder options are clearly available.

Sean

I think you missed a couple things in my post. This a working forum to discuss this product. I brought up what I believe to be useful info to others here and to Prof BC. I'm not sure why you take this fair concern as demoralizing? If people don't openly discuss their opinions and more importantly technical issues then this forum is just an advertisement.
We're all adults here and I'm sure Prof BC's ego is well in tact and as an artist and business owner understands that discussions like this only improve the end result.
His post on this topic is instructions to make the backs uniform. So if you agree with that then I guess you might see how this post has helped those who own it and maybe some adjustments on future kits.

I've take great care to be careful on what I've posted out of respect for Brian's contributions and efforts.
I've made clear that I like this effect and recommend it to others.
That being said I hope you can see this from a different perspective than one of malice as I understand your post.

I'll PM you with what I choose to keep off the public forum.

MM,

Haven't read your PM yet but I should say that I certainly don't think your postings came off as having any malicious intent. That's not what I meant to suggest. However, I think a direct PM to the creator would have been a more sensible FIRST step rather than deciding to post these pics here on a public forum. Essentially, give the creator a chance first to rectify the problem.

Just a suggestion......

As far as the term "demoralizing", I was quoting directly from Prof BC's response.

I'm glad you and others are enjoying the effect. I again repeat that I saw no malice in your postings......I just believe this creator specifically deserves a chance to find a resolution for you before these postings occur.

Best,

Sean

I greatly regret bringing the backs into play in my off handed remarks, ONCE AGAIN and TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR... THE BACKS are COMPLETELY.....IRRELEVANT to this effect. BC has given you the method to alter them if you must. PAINT them B*** S*** Y***** if you think it will deter detection, but they will remain TOTALLY IRRELEVANT to the presentation. The presentation is not knowing what is where. Turning them over shows that.
There is nothing to hide. The presentation is try as they might they can't beat the Devil...changing the backs has NOOOOOOOOOOOO! effect.

Just ordered this. I love Prof BC's works.

But I have to say, for being such a small item I can't believe the shipping was 34.95 US! That's approx $50 CDN. That's just ludicrous. I've had items that were larger than this shipped from the UK to Canada for much less. Not trying to be a jerk, but when the price of the item is $80 US and the shipping is $34.95 US, that's almost half the price ...

I guess that means it will be here tomorrow then?

Shipping charges are hardly Prof BS's fault. Go talk the USPS.