Burn
by Daniel Madison

Cards will burn...

Burn explores ideas of the performer physically affecting playing cards in many different ways through the medium of heat/fire/voodoo...for example, the magician causes an image of a spectators chosen card to appear burnt onto another playing card at his will and command...

The ebook is packed with 22 different concepts that will guide you through the methods for creating your own unique tools and gaffs and teach you step-by-step the techniques and mechanics for achieving the impossible voodooesque card magic that has become Burn.

• IN THE SMOKE 1: A card is selected and lost in the deck. The performer takes a random card from the deck - not the selection - and holds it over an open flame. Slowly, burns appear on the face of the card taking the shape of the spectators selected card (a variation of this is performed in the trailer below)
• IN THE SMOKE 2: A card is selected and lost in the deck. The performer takes a random card from the deck – not the selection and holds it over an open flame. As the card begins to sear, the spectator is asked to hold onto it. The performer blows out the flame and the burns are revealed to have taken the shape of a playing card...the spectators selected card.
• SNAP AND BURN: A card is selected and lost in the deck. The performer takes a random card from the deck – not the selection and waves it over an open flame. A final wave extinguishes the flame and burns in the shape of the spectators selected card instantly appear on the back of the held card.
• BURNING LINK: A card is selected - The Queen of Hearts - and lost in the deck. The performer applies pressure to the deck claiming that he can affect certain focused cards. The performer claims to have focused on the wrong card...the 7 of Diamonds. The performer searches the deck to reveal a card with the 7 of Diamonds burnt onto the back of it. The burnt card is then revealed to be the spectators’ initial selection... The Queen of Hearts.
• BURNING HAND: A card is selected - The 7 of Diamonds - and lost in the deck. The performer takes the Queen of Hearts and places it face up in the spectators open palm. The spectator is asked to focus on their card. The Queen in their hand heats up. Their card is revealed in the shape of burn marks on the back of the Queen.
• REMAINS: A card is selected and lost in the deck and two Aces are produced. The Aces are waved over the deck where the selected card instantly appears between them. The performer then shakes the aces, with the selected card sandwiched between them over an open flame. The selected card is seen to vanish from between the aces leaving nothing but a burnt shadow on one of the Aces of where the selected card was. The vanished card is then revealed anywhere the performer desires covered in burns.
• SPREAD VANISH: A card is selected and lost in the deck. The performer claims that he can transfer the pain from burning his hand into the deck. The performer holds his hand over an open flame allowing it to burn. When the performer can bare no more pain, he pulls his hand away and holds it above the deck. He then slowly spreads the cards to show that the selected card is nothing more than a burnt shadow of where it once was in the deck. (Optional extra) The selected card is then found anywhere the performer desires covered in burns.
• CORNER SHADOW: An index corner is torn from a freely selected card and placed on the deck. The performer waves his hand over the corner causing it to vanish from the deck leaving behind a burnt shadow of where the corner was. The vanished corner is then found anywhere the performer desires.
• BOX SHADOW: A card is selected and the deck is placed back into the card box. An index corner is torn from the selected card, the card is handed to the spectator. The corner is then pressed against the face of the box where it is seen to vanish leaving behind a burnt shadow. The vanished corner is then found anywhere the performer desires.
• INDEX TRANSFER: A card is selected and lost in the deck. The performer takes a random card from the deck and squeezes the index between his finger and thumb and pinches the flame from a lit lighter or candle with his other hand. The burns are transferred from the burnt fingers to the card causing the index to burn into the shape of the spectators selected card.
• INDEX ASH: A card is selected and by the spectator. The performer takes the card and pinches one of the corners. He pulls his hand away in pain to reveal that he was able to burn the corner of the card with his bare hands.
• NO SMOKE: The participant selects any playing card; the rest of the deck is put aside. The participant is asked to inspect the playing card. The card is then placed in the participants’ palm. The participant begins to feel a burning in their hand as if the card is on fire. The card is turned over to reveal burn marks on it.
• WRATH TWO: A card is selected, and lost in the deck, the deck is returned to the box. The box is shown clean and unmarked on both sides. The deck is then squeezed between the spectators’ hands. The spectator begins to feel the deck heating up, at which point they remove their hands to find their card burnt onto the box. The performer then claims that there was never a 7D in the deck, the deck is then searched for the selected card which is not in the deck.
• BURN THRU 1: The participant selects any playing card; the rest of the deck is put aside. The participant is asked to inspect the playing card which is then placed in the participants’ palm. The performer holds his hand over the card (not touching it.) The participant begins to feel a burning in their hand as if the card is on fire. The performer moves his hand away to reveal a hole burnt through the playing card.
• BURN THRU 2: The participant selects any playing card and shuffles it back into the deck. The participant squeezes the deck whilst thinking about their playing card. The participant begins to feel a burning in their hand...The participant searches through the deck to find a hole burnt through their selected playing card.
• BURN THRU 3: The participant selects any playing card. A pair of Kings are used to hold the selected card in a sandwich manor. The performer holds the three cards between his forefinger and thumb slowly rubbing them together to create a friction. The cards are thrown to the surface as the performer pulls away holding his burnt finger and thumb. The selected card is shown to have a hole burnt clean through it.
• BURN THRU 4:The performer removes a card from the deck and holds it between his closed palms. After a few moments of concentration, the performer throws the card down holding his burnt hands in pain. The card is seen to have a hole burnt through it.
• BURN THRU 5: A card is freely selected and handed to the performer. The performer pinches the card between his finger and thumb and adds pressure; he then quickly pulls his hand away to show his finger and thumb blistered and burnt. The card is then shown to have a small hole burnt through it where the card was held.
• VANISHING BURNS: The performer causes burns to transfer from a random card onto a selected card.
• BURN: The performer is able to clearly hold his finger in an open flame for a long time without it burning.
• BURN 2: The performer is able to burn the participants’ finger without it burning.

  1st edition 2008; 44 pages.
  word count: 14105 which is equivalent to 56 standard pages of text