This is something I try to think about when putting together a routine. The reason. With TV magic as popular as it is, everyone want unbelievable magic right in front of them. When you are getting props for a routine, or planning a move for a routine the reason can make or break your trick. For example, reaching in your pocket needs a reason. Woofle dust can only work but for so long. Reaching in your pocket or covering your hand causes suspicion, and if they are suspicious when they shouldn’t be the magic is lost. Whether they’re right or not.
Give a valid reason for props, moves, and misdirection. I’m not saying every routine has to make sense. The egg bag has no rhyme or reason, but I do it anyway. It’s good fun magic. It could have a story involving a golf ball or a pool ball, but it doesn’t. It’s just presented as magic entertainment.
One example of the why in a trick. For those of you who do or have seen 3 fly, there is a steal in that effect where a coin needs to transfer from one hand to the other. I have seen performers click the coins they have in their hands and transfer the coin then. This is the way I learned to perform it but never performed it publicly because it was unnatural for me to hit coins together in my hand for no reason. So 2 years later, a friend of mine presented a story presentation for the routine, which I asked to steal (borrow) that presented me with a reason and method to get the coin. I explain after the first coin travels that the coin must have “rolled around and came out of the sleeve”, as I say this I illustrate and take the coin as I show my right sleeve. If you don’t know the routine this might not make sense, but the idea is I now have a reason to touch my other hand and steal the coin away. If the move is unnatural and feels unnatural, it will look unnatural and the impact of your magic will be lost. One good way to fix this is to make the routine your own. By making it your own routine it will help you to lose some of the moves that may not be natural for you to do. Like using woofle dust for example….
Today was the release of the premium version of 52 on 1. This is a new twist one an old classic, giving you a full 52 on 1 card right on your phone. A simple shake reveals the force card, and a simple press of the back key and you are reset to repeat it. Unlike the free version, in the premium version you can repeat this trick with different results every time. You set the increment and the card changes each time you reset. You can get this effect now on google play, or you can get the free version here.
