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Gianni Special user WILMINGTON, DE 993 Posts |
Very cool. Happily, you walked behind the bottle after picking up the fourth bag. There was a black art thing going on and when you picked up the fourth bag you could not see the broken bottle on the youtube video. When I first saw this I gulped thinking the fourth bag was empty! But a great job.
Gianni |
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magicman812 Regular user 121 Posts |
Thanks for the video Michael and nice job. I also thought the bottle vanished due to the black art.
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MichaelKent Special user 560 Posts |
Not black art, simply a black back curtain. The video is obviously not the highest quality, but the audience was able to see the bottle.
Thanks for the comments, guys! MK |
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EvanMagic Elite user Manitoba 471 Posts |
I am just wondering for the sake of extra time, could 5 blocks be used?
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Mac_Stone Inner circle Miami, FL 1419 Posts |
Yes.
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MichaelKent Special user 560 Posts |
It could - but this routine can really have the potential to drag as it is. I've been performing it on the road now for the last few months and I've found that you've got to find a good balance between building suspense and keeping the routine going. That said, most of the "slow" time on this trick is in the set up and the beginning. once you're crushing bags, the audience is with you. I like it with 4 bags/blocks. Plus, the 4 blocks slide to fit perfectly on the hammer for traveling and 5 wouldn't!
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Magic Arty Elite user metro Atlanta 443 Posts |
Michael, that was very entertaining! I like how the interest just builds and builds. excellent.
Arthur |
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MichaelKent Special user 560 Posts |
Thanks Arthur. Most of the credit here goes to Mr. Alexander for a great piece of material to work with.
Another note on this routine - I'd like to see if the others that do this agree, but it seems like the response I'm hearing from the audience comes more from women than men. That said, I'm playing an all-women's college this week, so I'll let you know how it goes! MK |
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silverking Inner circle 4574 Posts |
One thing I noticed with Michael and with Dan was that their routines played a lot stronger (IMHO) than video of the routine with a blindfold on.
My theory as to why that happens is this, without the blindfold on there is a lot more eye contact (obviously) and therefore opportunities for byplay with the specs. They can see fear in your eyes, and you can sell the danger more when eye contact is made. Fitzkee said that there's nothing people find as interesting as other people, and eye contact is a big part of that. So for me, the "no blindfold" version plays MUCH stronger......and because the specs are picking which bag to hit, what is the blindfold actually doing? (For the record, I think Scott is brilliant and do a bunch of stuff off both of his DVD's...this is certainly not to question Scott's take on his own trick, just to say that I think it plays better without a blindfold on) |
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RickThibau Loyal user Brazil 255 Posts |
Congratulations MichaelKent, I really liked you video.
I also have Shattered now but haven't used it yet because of the conditions I need for my presentation. I developed another way of mixing the bottles and I hope I can share a video with you soon. I will also do it without a blindfold as you are not the one that choose where to smash. Scott Alexander desirves all the best for this great application, the bags, the breaking of the bottle, everything, this is very strong and I'm very happy to finnaly have it. |
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Scott Alexander V.I.P. 1471 Posts |
Thanks,
I am delighted that this is playing so well for so many. ...and I see no problems in adding more bags and blocks to get more time out of the effect. It just depends on your presentation. All the best, S |
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Nick Wait Inner circle Lichfield, UK 1042 Posts |
How do people present this? I'm torn, becuase I love the reactions that come woth this. But I question to myself what exactly am I doing, currently I'm presenting it like so many others where neither party knows the location of the bottles, however I have come to question this approach. While it makes for fantastic enertainment, what exactly am I doing. Although I make no claims, I believe it apears to the audience that there is a genuine risk, it does occasionally go wrong and I am not infalliable. So what exactly am I ding, am I just playing a fake game of russian roulette. I am not using "magical powers" to avoid the powers, the mosto ovious route would be for this to be presented as a mental magic trick. I am a magician, what am I doing performing thsi trick. I guess the question is, where is the magic exactly. I continue to perform this, but was just questioning my presentation. It is undoubtedly stronger in my opinion when presented as russian rouleete a geuine game of chance, but why does a magician/mentalist perform this effect. Just something that got me thinking.
Cheers Nick |
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parsimagic New user 97 Posts |
In reference to a mentalist's point of view. At the beginning of the effect the mentalist can talk about some people having an uncanny ability of being able to avoid dangerous situations at a subconscious level, thus being able to tell the magician which bag to smash during the performance.
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gdw Inner circle 4884 Posts |
I am of the same mind as Penn Jillette with regards to presenting an effect.
I do not like saying or doing anything that would leave the audience with a false impression of HOW I did it. A false impression of what happened, yes, but not false impression of how, that is, not a false impression that I provided, unless I make it clear that it is purely presentation, and a facade. Other wise, how is it different that the lying that Sylvia Brown does? Less harm of course, but the lying is the same. If they leave with an idea of how I did something I want it to be either one they made up, or one I gave them, and if it's one I gave them, I want it to be the truth. Not that I advocate exposure, just that if I am going to use a presentation that mentions a method, I would want it to be the real method, or make it apparent that I am lying. For example, muscle reading, as many do, I would present as what it is, reading "signals" I am getting from them. No need to specify what the signals are, but no reason not to. What I see there being no reason to do is to lie about what those signals are, like saying they are signals you get telepathically. Very simply put, I don't ever hid that what I am doing is a trick, and if I tell you "how" I am doing it, in the form of a presentation, I make it known that I am lying, or I give them a taste of the truth, and leave it at that. What ever I do, I do not leave them in a position where they will have a false explanation, provided by myself.
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
I won't forget you Robert. |
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Dark Knight Loyal user My troops are stationed at 272 Posts |
I apologize if any of the following has been mentioned previously--I have not read through this long thread.
I've used my own version of this plot for several years. Since Craig's MD has come out, I now use six containers. Each Spec secretly rolls the die or selects a number freely from the die. (The die is hidden.) Somehow, I am able to slam my hand down on the container the Spec has mentally chosen with the die. Fortunately, my hand is not damaged. After five Specs (or one Spec five times) have/has selected numbers, the final container is lifted and the dangerous object is revealed. Somehow, the Specs have chosen the safe containers for me to smash! Although I have not described the dangerous object and containers I use, you can adapt my version to "Shattered." I've also used a variation in which one (or more) Specs roll the die (under a cup) and other Specs look under the die, see the numbers and try to project them to me. Thus, you can use more or fewer Specs, depending on your preferences. I have several variations of this basic plot and can adapt the plot to just about any "dangerous Monte" method. "Shattered" is an excellent version, however. DK |
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Dark Knight Loyal user My troops are stationed at 272 Posts |
Another version I use (combining Craig's MD Die with Scorpion) is to have the Spec who hides the Makibishi number the cups. Then she is the one who selects the numbers on the MD Die. (You could also use colored cups and the Color Cube or even the ESP Die with ESP symbols on the cups!) Of course, she is to select numbers on the SAFE cups only and then other spectators attempt to send you the "safe" info for you to slam your hand down on the cups.
Please don't make the mistake of attempting the above without a way to actually know where the dangerous object is! If you do, you will be depending on the Spec not to make any mistakes--a very poor idea! The Scorpion method is pretty safe (I wear both a PK Ring and a CP II watch). I think "Shattered" or Jon's "The Pain Game" are extremely good methods because they are 99.999% safe. I don't believe ANYTHING is 100% safe. (According to my mother, I could poke my eye out with my magic wand!) Effects like these are better left to experienced performers. Even then, familiarity can breed contempt and mistakes can be made with tragic results. And anyone who would actually allow a spectator's hand to slam down on a bag or cup, no matter how "safe," is an idiot (with due respect)! DK |
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magicusb Inner circle 1135 Posts |
Quote:
The Scorpion method is pretty safe (I wear both a PK Ring and a CP II watch). Way to go! Quote:
Effects like these are better left to experienced performers. Even then, familiarity can breed contempt and mistakes can be made with tragic results. I have a bit of experience and still blank out here and there. Experience can mean you have done it so many times you can go into remote, and then your thoughts slip a way for a moment. Never put the spec at risk, let alone yourself. Dick Brooks
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Miraclemakers Special user INA 685 Posts |
This is the most safety Russian roulette....
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Mindsleuth New user Telford, PA, USA 4 Posts |
Even after all these years, this is still a great effect. Got my set slighty used (but in brand new condition) for around $100 on eBay. It's a crowdpleaser and a great prelude to your finish--although I generally use something a bit more "spectacular" for my finish.
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donrodrigo Special user U.S.A. and Europe 635 Posts |
Magicusb,
Is what your saying is like choking up it happens. Mistakes will accur,being a pro however one should know how to cover up. Nail in hand spike ect. What Scott Grocki has done is safe using a glass bottle idea and a Nielsen,for circa 40 bucks a nice effect,and like always friends it counts on presentation. I remember Scott as a young man and teen sold him magic. |
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