Video clips (download) in Magic & Conjuring: page 17

This is a straightforward version of the classic Lie Detector routine that can be performed with any deck (even a borrowed one) and with no advance setup.

A deck is shuffled by a spectator to put the cards into a genuinely random order, and the performer then extracts one card which he leaves sight unseen in view on the table. The magician then asks a spectator three questions about the tabled card, and the helper is invited to make up his answers (since he doesn't know at this stage what the tabled card actually is). Whatever answers the participant gives, the performer spells the word...

Two for the price of one here as with Credit Transfer you get a mental effect and a piece of magic together. A borrowed credit card is slipped into a small envelope. Two paperback books are shown and the pages are riffled of one of the books until a spectator calls 'stop'. The credit card in the envelope is dropped into the book to mark the place. The second book is now opened to reveal an envelope is already inside it, and the page it rests on turns out to match the page just selected in the first book. Then the credit card vanishes from the envelope in the first book and arrives inside the...

Predict a matched pair from a spectator shuffled deck. The deck can be freely shuffled and cut as often as the spectator wishes.

The methodology is somewhat involved because you need a billet index, a gimmicked envelope, and a marked deck. You could do without the gimmicked envelope but the rest you will need. Nevertheless, the effect is strong.

Recorded live at the Convention at the Capital 1999.

runtime: 17min 40s

A spectator is asked to take out a $1 Bill. The performer divines the city the bill was printed in and the serial number.

runtime: 15min 31s

Featuring Infinity

Martin is demonstrating the difference between coincidence, or luck, and sleight-of-hand. This is a lovely routine where a spectator selects a card that is lost in the deck. The four aces are shown and one ace with the same suit as the spectators card magically turns face down while the aces are held by the spectator. Perhaps a coincidence. Then another card in the remaining deck turns face down. Luck?! The final climax when the two face-down cards are turned face-up is the transposition of an ace and the chosen card because the ace is found in the deck and the chosen card...

A wonderful routine only requiring a false count. Martin Lewis uses the Buckle count but several other false counts can be substituted.

The premise is a game of cards with a card sharper. You deal cards and the sharper counts his cards. He has 6 cards. Since you can't play poker with six he removes one card and counts them again still leaving him with six cards. This is repeated two more times always leaving him with six cards. Only the last time he is left with 4 cards. Since you can't play poker with 4 cards he adds a card but still is left with only 4 cards. This continues until in the...

A very commercial routine where all is in the delivery and the script. Martin starts with a lovely Ping Pong ball gag. The main effect is the classic push a white handkerchief into your fist and pull out a red one. The method should be clear to everybody even though Martin will explain the basic mechanism and move. What you learn here are the lines and little bits of business that make this a commercial routine.

runtime: 6min 16s

One can, two different drinks.

Hospitality in a can: You pour the complete contents of a can into a glass; the can is now empty. You then place a straw inside the can, and take a sip, just to make sure. In fact, the can is not empty, it now contains a completely different liquid! Pour this 'new' liquid into a glass to amaze spectators.

BONUS EFFECT

Cocktail: You turn a cocktail shaker upside down to show that it is empty. Place the lid on the shaker and start to shake it as you would if you were mixing a cocktail. You then take the cap off and start pouring two glasses of cocktail....

You will get both a PDF and a video (download from your digital shelf).

PDF
3 Disk Monte is a variation of the street hustle often played with cards. Three black face down disks, one with a white dot, are mixed. The spectator tries to guess which disk is the one with the white dot. The disks have increasingly gained popularity due to their visibility and handling. This PDF illustrates and describes the various sleights that can be used while performing this effect. Topics include the basics plus some of the more advanced moves that can be used.

• The Disks
• The Mat
• Working Height
• The...

This is Michael Close's version of the famous 'card warp' theme where a card turns inside out while being pushed through a bill.

This effect is also taught on Michael Close Signature Effects.

Borrow a finger ring and magically thread it onto a shoelace while both ends are held by two spectators. Just as magical as you have put the ring on the shoelace you take it off.

This effect is also taught on Michael Close Signature Effects.

A wonderful card routine with a musically themed presentation. You first produce the four Aces. The Aces capture the four Kings, and after an interlude where the Aces and Kings change place, all eight cards change to eight Jokers.

This effect is also taught on Michael Close Signature Effects.

A spectator signed business card ends up folded in a matchbox that has been resting on the table for the entire time. The presentation of this effect evolves around a cheap magic club. Signing the business card makes the spectator a member who then goes on to perform his first magic trick.

This effect is also taught on Michael Close Signature Effects.

A cursed card the Jack of Diamonds is folded into an origami frog. Spectator chooses a card from the deck, say the Seven of Clubs. The frog finds the Seven of Clubs in the deck. The climax is the transposition of the two cards. The Seven of Clubs turns into the Jack of Diamonds, and when the origami frog is unfolded it is the Seven of Clubs.

This effect is also taught on Michael Close Signature Effects.

This trick was developed by Allan and Debbie Ackerman. Debbie is Allan's daughter.

A spectator chooses a card and the value of the card decides how many hands are dealt in this game. Let's say the spectator chooses the 3 of Hearts. A random number of cards is taken from the deck and then dealt into 3 hands. Then the performer announces that the spectator should pick one pile. If that pile does not have a 3 on its top the spectator wins, otherwise the magician wins. Of course, the odds are vastly in favor of the spectator. Nevertheless, the top cards on all three piles turn out to be 3s and as...

One spectator receives a prediction for safe keeping. Another spectator receives a portion of the deck, shuffles it thoroughly, deals cards one at a time on the table, and stops whenever he likes. He may stop at the first card, the last card, or anywhere in between. The value of the randomly chosen card is used to count to a card in the remaining portion of the deck. And that card matches the prediction.

runtime: 4min 34s

This effect was created by Dai Vernon and was published in Rufus Steele's book The Last Word on Cards.

The deck is shuffled by a spectator. The magician removes a prediction card from the deck and places it face down on the table. The spectator creates two piles. The top card of one is turned face up. The value of that card is used to count to a card in the other pile. The card counted to is the mate of the prediction.

runtime 4min 29s

A video catalog of 18 of Michael's top-selling magic effects. Demonstrations only. The effects presented are:

• Animated Origami Bill
• Beach Memories
• Big Coins
• Candle Rewind
• Cane Fire
• Chinese Appearing Sword
• Chinese Fans
• Chinese Lucky Envelope
• Cool Coil and Silver Coil
• Fanfire
• Firefall
• Fire Flower Rose Coil
• Fire to Silk
• Hot Coil
• Spitfire
• Sponge Poker
• 20-oz Production

video 8:32

The ace through 10 of Diamonds are inserted into the pack, each card at a different location. The deck is shuffled and then Michael produces each card one by one in different ways using pop out moves, cuts, and other flourishes.

This is an improvement of an effect popularized by Eddie Fechter. However Eddie produced each card the same way using the gymnastic ace production from the Paul LePaul book.

runtime: 14min 46s

This is a wonderful classic cut and restored rope routine performed to a lovely script. The rope is cut and restored twice and in the end the rope vanishes only leaving a short piece behind in the spectator's hand.

runtime: 10min 22s

Michael Skinner tells stories from his early years in magic such as meeting Eddie Fechter and Ed Marlo. This short interview was hosted by Roger Klause.

Both of these larger than life legends - Michael Skinner and Roger Klaus - have unfortunately passed away. Videos like these are time capsules allowing us to get closer to these legends, learn from their life, and understand them a little bit better.

length: 3min 13s

The Torn and Restored Cigarette Paper is a classic sleight-of-hand close-up effect. Skinner's main contribution here is the performance which is humorous and fits his personality. The technique is Nate Leipzig's technique which can also be found in Stars of Magic or Dai Vernon's Tribute to Nate Leipzig.

runtimet 6min 44s

The master of the Spanish coinmagic presents one of the best routines of the symposium. Pure sleight of hand, pure magic and total enjoyment. A coins thru glass routine with seldom seen technique. A perfect lead in to a matrix or a four coin routine. Routine work at the table. Intermediate level.

length 10min

Mike finally releases one of his true pet routines. Imagine linking and unlinking two borrowed and unprepared coat hangers. You can have the coat hangers examined both before and after the routine.

The gimmick is easy to make, invisible, and straight forward to deploy and clean up.

Recorded live at the Convention at the Capital 2000.

runtime: 10min 12s