* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #226 Date: Sunday 4th January 2004 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com www.alan-watson.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor’s Message 2. The Queen's New Years Honours List - John Styles 3. "Dove" From Handkerchief Gag - Embelished! 4. Are You Interested In Mentalism? 5. Have You Seen The S.A.M. Website Lately? 6. In Rely To Tim Quinlan Message 7. Decision To Expose The Houdini Metamorphosis 8. New Years Thoughts -- Let's Focus on Brotherhood 9. Psycometric Polaroid - Tony Binarelli 10. Wanting To Purchase Run Rabbit Run 11. Stan Kramien’s 17th annual Magic Jamboree 12. Brendan Montana's January Tour Schedule 13. Jamie-G's Most Dangerous Card Trick In The World 14. The Amazing Orchante Saga 15. e-zine Archives 16. Subscription Management ------------------ 1. Editor's Message ------------------- Message from Alan Watson - The Magic One Latest news Roy Horn. Go to: http://people.aol.com/people/news/now/0,10958,569324,00.html ----------------------------- Magicians Wish Exhibit Would Vanish By GARY SHAPIRO Staff Reporter of the Sun. Go to: http://daily.nysun.com/Repository/ml.asp?Issue=NYS/2003/12/24&ID=Ar00102&Mode=HTML ---------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com ----------------- 2. The Queen's New Years Honours List - John Styles ----------------- Message from David Beckley (UK) John Styles, who is a Gold Star Member of the Inner Magic Circle, has been awarded an MBE in The Queen's New Years Honours List. John was awarded this prestigious honour for his contribution to the 'Arts' particularly in the field of 'Punch and Judy' ----------------- 3. "Dove" From Handkerchief Gag - Embelished! ----------------- Message from David Hira In Magic New Zealand Issue #225, Jamie-G published his funny "Dove Soap" from a devil's handkerchief. It's a great gag! (Thanks Jamie-G!) When I was a teenager, I performed a similar production ... but with a kicker surprise. I'm not certain that this is original with me, or if I had read it somewhere, but allow me to share this with you. The magician shows a foulard front and back. Using typical "dove production moves" (with harness), the head of a white dove emerges from the cloth. (-pause-) The magician continues the production only to produce a BOTTLE of liquid Dove dish washing liquid that has a rubber dove head attached. There is a laugh and some applause. * BUT WAIT!!! * As the magician hold the bottle up and displays it with a grin and takes a small bow, his attention turns to the hand with the foulard. With a quick flip, a live dove emerges from the cloth to the audiences surprise and enjoyment. WOW! This is well routined for this reason: The audience expects a dove, and gets one (his head). They then see the bottle, and are surprised and yet hoodwinked. (Laughter, but disappointment). Then the live dove is actually produced, expectation fulfilled! "Up, down, UP!!!!" That's strong... The secret is easy (aren't the best tricks usually that way?). The opaque dove bottle has the bottom cut out and air holes punched throughout the back of the bottle. The dove is placed in the bottle with a cloth fastener at the bottom to keep the dove in place. Once the bottle is produced, the fastener is released prior to pulling the bottle completely free of the cloth. The dove bottle is pulled free of the foulard, depositing the live dove easily into the folds of the cloth ... gripped, and cloth and dove is naturally dropped to your side while you hold up the dove bottle with your other hand. After a pause and bow, look to the cloth, hold it up, and "flip" the cloth to reveal the dove. WOW! Hope you enjoy this! Hope to see my fellow Texan magicians and those in Louisiana during my lecture tour of magic and showmanship in January. 1/16 New Orleans, LA, 1/18 Baton Rouge, LA, 1/20 Tyler, TX, 1/21 Austin, TX, 1/22 Houston, TX and 1/26 in McAllen, TX. www.davidhira.com ----------------- 4. Are You Interested In Mentalism? ----------------- Message from Danny Archer (US) Yes! We Knew You Were Going To Say That! Mentalism is a subject that appeals to practically anyone who is interested in magic. Mental magic effects have been a part of almost every top magicians act because well done mentalism appeals to modern audiences. Many performers make their living working exclusively as mentalists and perform for the elite Fortune 500 companies. Most of us are interested in learning more about this specialized field and established mentalists are always on the lookout for newer and stronger methods and effects. So it is with great pleasure, that the producers of the Las Vegas Magic Invitational (LVMI) Robert Allen and Danny Archer announce that they are organizing a convention geared towards mental magic and mentalism. After starting and running the highly acclaimed LVMI close-up convention for three years, they are turning their minds to producing a world-class mentalism convention. The first ever MINDvention will take place on November 14th -16th in Las Vegas at the San Remo Hotel and Casino (the site of the LVMI convention). Registration will be $175 and attendance will be limited. The three jam packed days will be composed with lectures, workshops, dealers, shows, panel discussions, and more dedicated events. Attendees will have a chance to perform in several shows covering a variety of topics. A number of well-respected individuals from the mentalism community will be conducting the lectures and workshops and performing in the shows as well. We are putting together a panel of pros that will be second to none. Some of the experts who are planning to take part are; Bob Cassidy, Alain Nu, Mark Strivings, Brad Henderson, Chuck Hickok, Bruce Bernstein, John Riggs and Terry Nosek (scheduled artists subject to change). As they have done with close-up magic and the LVMI, Robert and Danny are planning on doing the same with mentalism and the MINDvention convention. This will be one of the most talked about events of 2004 for the magic/mentalism community. Imagine spending three fun-filled instructive days, with some of the most talented performers in the world, in the most magical city on Earth. Learning secrets that can take your performances to the next level and opening up a whole new area to market yourself. If you have any interest at all in mental magic and mentalism you will not want to miss the first ever MINDvention. For more details and registration form, please visit our web site at www.LVMI.net Danny Archer Magic / Magicians Lecture Network 1911 Yosemite St. Denver, CO 80220-2254 303.321.6267 fax 303.355-2013 Danny Archer Magic - e-mail : lecturenet@aol.com ----------------- 5. Have You Seen The S.A.M. Website Lately? ----------------- Message from Maria Ibanez - S.A.M. Regional Vice President SA States www.magicsam.com On the home page there is, under "Latest News" a brief paragraph about the upcoming visit by Most Illustrious Jay Gorham, PNP - SYM Director Jann Goddsell, and SAMtalk Moderator-SYMBOL Editor Bruce Kalver to Florida. National President Jay Gorham To Tour Florida Accompanied by RVP Maria Ibanez, SAM President Jay Gorham will visit and offer "SAM IS MAGIC" presentation to Assemblies in Florida. SYM director Jann Goodsell will join the tour, along with SAMTalk moderator and Lecturer Bruce Kalver. * January 5 -- Sam Schwartz Assembly 274 - Boca Raton SAM is Magic presentation by Jay Gorham Lecture by Bruce Kalver A special 50 year presentation by Maria Ibanez * January 6 -- Luncheon - Ft. Lauderdale Visit by Jay Gorham, Bruce Kalver, Maria Ibanez Details and reservations - Harold Greenbaum 954-749-1175 * January 7 -- SAM Assembly 76 - North Miami SAM is Magic presentation by Jay Gorham SYM Youth Magic presentation by Jann Goodsell Short presentations by Bruce Kalver & Maria Ibanez * January 10 - SAM Assembly 150 - Ft Myers - Banquet SAM is Magic presentation by Jay Gorham SYM Youth Magic presentation by Jann Goodsell Short presentations by Bruce Kalver and Maria Ibanez * January 12 - Clearwater Banquet; Short presentation by Jay Gorham, Jann Goodsell, Bruce Kalver and Maria Ibanez * January 13 - Clearwater Meeting Short Presentation by Jay Gorham and Jann Goodsell Lecture by Bruce Kalver * January 14 - Magic City Conjurers, SAM Assembly 280 - Miami SAM is Magic presentation by Jay Gorham SYM Youth Magic by Jann Goodsell Lecture by Bruce Kalver * January 17 - SAM Assembly 280 - Magic City Conjurers Banquet Performances by Jay Gorham, Jann Goodsell, Bruce Kalver, Warren Kap and a special appearance by The Magic of Andy. January 19 - Radio interview with Bruce Kalver, live from Ft. Lauderdale. ----------------- 6. In Rely To Tim Quinlan Message ----------------- Message from Walter Zaney Blaney To Tim Quinlan Inside Magic Dear Tim: I enjoyed your message on today's NZ Magic Ezine regards the Outagamie County Historical Museum in Appleton, WI, and their plans to expose Houdini's Metamorphosis Illusion. I was a bit confused ...was there someone name Joe who wrote to you, and then you, as Tim Quinlan, answered him back? Or perhaps you used "poetic license" and wrote it all? No matter, as either way it was all well done. I very much liked your anology of the Coca Cola Co. keeping their formula a trade secret. I hate it that a few magicians wrote a scurrilous letter to Ms. Bergen. But I'm not sure that even occurred. However, things didn't start out that way. WAM's president Abb Dickson and I each wrote pleasant letters explaining the magician's point of view, and in a simple and cordial tone. No reply or acknowledgement was forthcoming from her, not then and not today, to any of the hundreds who have written her. Businessman/magic collector Tom Boldt in Appleton contacted Ms. Bergen and ran into a brick wall. I was then able to get (as you said in your message) both Mark Wilson and David Copperfield to call and speak with her over an hour each. Like Tom Boldt said, both agreed it was like talking to a brick wall. If there were anyone who could have best explained the magician's point of view to Ms. Bergen, it would be these two famous magicians. We learned Ms. Bergen was not letting anyone know of the countless letters and phone calls she was receiving from many well known magicians and top officers of the major magic societies. Instead, she explained to her board and staff that she had received only a few complaints from a "minority of inconsequential magicians". It was then that the group who was working on the problem realized we must go around her and contact the museum board and the businesss groups in Appleton if we were to have any chance of making them consider changing their plans. Bob Bohm offered to Ms. Bergen a splendid idea for a "hands on, educational display, but without exposure", as did David Charvet and another half dozen top magicians/thinkers. These offers of help did not get past Ms. Bergen. When she learned we finally went around her to the citizens who funded her museum, she became enraged, and hated magicians once she learned she could no longer "contain them". Ms. Bergen said she could offer the names of many prominent magicians who were on her side. We asked for the names, but none were received. We asked for just one name, and still no reply. There have been a dozen or more magicians in the Houdini Club of Appleton and elsewhere who have worked their hearts out on this problem. I say all this because you suggested we try a cordial, reasoned approach to get the "powers that be" at the museum to ask them to give up the idea of exposing Houdini's secrets. All I can say is, it has already been tried, over and over again. If you or anyone can open the "brick wall", we hope you do. We so far have not been able to "Walk Through a Brick Wall", as Houdini did. ----------------- 7. Decision To Expose The Houdini Metamorphosis ----------------- Message from Bev Bergeron (US) Ms. Terry Bergen's decision to expose the Houdini Metamorphosis (or as we know it today: Sub) Trunk at the Houdini Museum is intolerable; however, there maybe a lesson in her message to us. I'm one of those rare people who have had the opportunity to have seen some of the old time greats and the "new" breed" perform the Sub Trunk, plus having performed several versions of it myself. I am also one of only a few magicians who does not like standing on top of a trunk before the transformation takes place. To me it is like "telegramming the blow" - that is a very old boxing expression. I've questioned many people as to how they thought the trick was accomplished: All have said with a trap door. OK, then whom are we fooling? Now then the question arises: what do we do to disprove this believe? Showmanship would help! Going back to having the box examined - I've never liked the routine without a committee to checkout the trunk. Start performing the Percy Abbott version, his Canvas Covered Box. I joined forces with Mark and Nani Wilson in 1957 and worked off and on with them for over fifteen years. I've watched them perform the Canvas Covered Box as many as five times a day while we were working the State Fair of Texas date (that one lasted over ten years) and right up to the last time in 1996 at the Playhouse in Cincinnati. I've watch these two perform this illusion under conditions where the temperature inside that box had to have been over 100 degrees F. It is not an easy effect to perform or troupe, but they kept it in the act when other illusions were dumped. We always finished with the Canvas Covered Box. The Canvas Covered Box is a fooler - but it is slow in presentation. When we were preparing a routine for it on our "Magic Land of Allakazam" TV show at CBS in 1960 we were fighting a seven-minute limit of any effect. Mark and Nani had always taken about ten minutes to present the mystery. Cutting the rope that laced the canvas cover instead of unthreading it solved some of the problem. How good was the mystery of the canvas box? On several occasions we had the box dismantled by the stagehands after everyone had gone home. They found nothing. The last time I worked with Mark and Nani in the Playhouse revue show I first appeared with my Multiplying Bottle/Water Fountain act in the first half of the revue and hurriedly made-up as Rebo the Clown to appear with our old gang for the finish. Each night I watched the audience and the stage crew stand in awe as these two - not so young any more, perform the Canvas Covered Box. The stage crew was the same: How do they do it? Most of the magic illusions on the show were self explanatory to them as they helped to set them up, but a box that has been covered with a canvas bag was a mind blower - what good would a trap door in a box do? Now here is something to ponder. The covering of a box with canvas for escaping was developed by John Nevil Maskelyne in the 1800s and later taken and "improved" by Herbert Brooks in his "Brook's Trunk." I had the opportunity to work the Brook's Trunk one time and chickened out - that is a small trunk. Now the question asked: Why did the magic world give up the canvas cover? When Doug Henning performed the sub trunk he used an Abbott box, but discarded the canvas cover. Likewise too many magicians who have performed a sub trunk routine have not only discarded the cover, but also the examining of the trunk, tying up the trunk with ropes/chains, use of a bag, fastening the performers with chains, ropes or cuffs. We are getting sloppy in our performances. Let's go back to the build up and building believe in what we are doing. ----------------- 8. New Years Thoughts -- Let's Focus on Brotherhood ----------------- Message from Tim Quinlan www.insidemagic.com Around this time of year, we're supposed to do two things: look back on the year that was and make resolutions for the year that will be. The look back is kind of trite and the resolutions for the New Year are usually broken almost immediately. Maybe we should think about the way things have been and what we have learned to help us in the coming year. There's no sense chronicling the things that happened. Some of them are so sad that there is nothing pithy or profound to be offered. There is no humor or lesson to be learned in the tiger attack that robbed Siegfried and Roy of a final show on their own terms. Would the lesson be that Roy shouldn't have worked with tigers and lions? PETA thought so but that is to be expected. What was not expected, however, was that some magicians took the same position and voiced their condemning observation of hindsight at the same moment Roy was fighting for his life. These are brothers in Magic (I used the term "brother" generically). The brethren made these statements about Roy after the tragic accident but are not on record anywhere before October 3, 2003. They did not complain when Siegfried and Roy made Magic mainstream and the top type of act in Vegas. Kirby VanBurch's comments to ABC News were typical of this ignorant second-guessing. He described how - even though he was not present during the last show - he knew what the tiger was thinking and how Roy lost control of the animal. To be brutally honest, I think that those magicians that jumped on t he anti-Siegfried and Roy bandwagon and made comments as uninformed as Mr. Van Burch, were looking to enhance their own fame as fleeting and as diminutive as it will be. We need to remember these brothers and tell them that we are disappointed in their actions. Maybe that's the positive we can take with us into the New Year. One last thought on the Siegfried and Roy story before we move on. Who cares what their relationship is? Why should you or I care? Tim, are you condoning homosexuality? Isn't that a sin? First, no one knows what they did or what their preferences are. Second, assuming that their relationship - that has lasted more than 40 years - is something you would consider improper, have you committed no sin? Their private life is exactly that, private. More importantly, have you shown the love and compassion towards your husband or wife or best friend similar to that shown by Siegfried for Roy? If you want a reason to hate or marginalize someone, don't look to the Vegas home of Siegfried and Roy. If you want to see how important dedication and loyalty is in this short run we call life, that's a different story. What other lessons have we learned from the past year? For me, at least, I've learned to hold as tightly as I can to my friends and make my acquaintances more like friends. The world of Magic, someone wrote, is a small world. Not many of us are David Copperfield, David Blaine, Criss Angel, Mark Wilson, Lance Burton or Siegfried and Roy. Most of us are guys and gals that work hard at some job that gives us the spare cash to buy tricks that we hope won't end up in a drawer somewhere. We do our shows - often for not much more than free - and try to make it better each time. We all have effects or routines of which we are rightfully proud. But we don't have the time, resources or number of well-polished routines to make it in Vegas or to tour the United States lecturing other magicians. And that is fine and right. But we shouldn't, I don't think, tear down those who do. So many of the magic forums are filled with the backbiting and accusations we normally associate with school children. Perhaps it is the anonymous nature of the forums that allows us to drop to the lowest level of communication but given that there is so much to be gained by meeting and talking with a fellow magician, it seems counter-productive. Do you hate Magician X? But you love Magician Y? How about propping up Magician Y and keep secret your loathing of Magician X? No one is edified by tearing down a brother magician. But we are all helped by you brining to our attention that a magician you've seen has great potential. Remember that this column is not preaching to you - it really is preaching to me. I am guilty too. We who are still working our way through the Tarbell Course should be the least likely to throw stones. We need to look at our own acts. As bad as the professionals are reported to be, we who perform on weekends are often so bad that we don't just fail to entertain, we actually expose secrets. That's pretty bad. Why not resolve to show only what we've really practiced, save the criticism for ourselves and offer constructive advice and encouragement to our fellow club members. This insistence on a minimum level of competency will not only keep our secrets secret but encourage others to learn about our fine Art. This memory and resolution is for me in particular. I have to remember that there are magicians that exist outside the borders of the United States. Not just magicians with accents, but really great magicians. I think we (maybe just me) make the assumption that if you are not from the U.S. or from a country where English is the native language, you are still in the Magic Dark Ages. We assume that while we're doing the Faro Shuffle to perfection to keep a Si Stebbins Stack, the rest of the world is doing variations on the Ball and Vase or the Drawer Box. Our brother and sister magicians all over the world - including places where they dress differently, eat different kinds of food and talk in a language we didn't even hear about in high school - really know their stuff. When I first saw Gaetan Bloom, I figured he must be good or they wouldn't have paid for him to appear at the Abbott's Get-Together. But still, he was not a U.S. Magician. (Ironically, I consider Jay Sankey an American Magician even though he's from Canada). He blew me away. How about that? Someone from another country can do great magic, imaginative magic, and significant magic. Maybe I should let go of my prejudices and jingoism and enjoy and learn. I will. I've learned the error of my ways. This year also saw the disbanding of the World Alliance of Magicians. There are those in our small world that found great joy in tearing down the efforts of Walter Blaney, Abb Dickson and others. They saw WAM as a band-aid on a gunshot wound of a patient that had already died. They're wrong. WAM was not only correct but the leaders that took on the project for five grueling years should be thanked and not ridiculed in the magic media. I've asked Mr. Blaney if he would object to Inside Magic taking on the mission of WAM and establishing a new website to promote knowledge and seek a dogma we can all agree to enforce. Mr. Blaney was kind enough to say that he would be happy to let me do it. I have no illusions that this will be an easy project or that it will be inexpensive. I know from the work of WAM that the efforts are costly and that resources from the Magic community have not been forthcoming. So other than no money and the labor-intensive nature of the project, it should be a snap. Please look for further information about this transition later in January. I'll be looking for magicians who can dedicate some of their time or some of their money or some of both to help keep the spirit of WAM alive. I am very excited about this development and I hope you'll join in. What about the good things, Timbo? What have we experienced that can allow for positive resolutions? Okay, here we go. Don't hate me for this. I hated coin work. I hated gimmicked coins and I am too inept to do coin tricks without gimmicks. I can do a matrix if I use six coins but two of them have to be magnetic. This year I met someone who took me back to basics - we're talking pre-Bobo basics - and taught me the palming methods I need to do coin work. It turns out that coins aren't evil. Coin tricks can be entertaining. Coin magic can be fun to do. I work on my muscle pass every chance I get and have a half dollar leaping millimeters from my palm. It's coming, just a little slowly. The good thing is that because I swallowed my pride and went to the basics, I learned the good habits that make the tricks possible. I'm a very prideful guy so this was an enormous leap for me. So the resolution is? The resolution is that I will foreclose no area of Magic. I will consider that all kinds of magic can be learned and performed with joy if I swallow my pride and get the correct training and patient teacher. I will seek out the people that can teach me. I'm a difficult case but perhaps the difficulty is made even worse because I am so prideful. I assume I know it all and it would be ridiculous to seek the teaching of someone in my Magic club. After all, I go to the great lecturers. What can Joe Invisible Coin Purse teach me? The answer is: plenty. 2004 starts with our caution alert at Magenta or some color that means it could get bad. Some of the people we all know right now, could be gone if the terrorists have their way. Heck, the exposure of Magic secrets could be the least of our worries if our borders are breached or if our friends in foreign countries are victimized. But we have hope. Why? Because we know that deep down, right will prevail. It doesn't matter if it is "the right" as taught by Christianity, Judaism or Muslim thought, it will prevail. But right doesn't prevail by itself: just like evil, it works through the actions of human beings. Someone has to drive the suicide truck or pilot the hijacked plane just as someone has to defend against those attacks or to provide aid to someone who is injured or starving. But we have little control over the direction of hatred or evil. We can only do the things that bring us together with those people we meet and those with whom we are associated. We are first and foremost a brotherhood of Magicians. We're in this Art because we enjoy it and we enjoy the effect it has on others when we present our Magic. To keep the associations strong only helps to beat back the evil in the world. It provides accountability and removes the anonymous nature of "others." This year we will lose people we've met at conventions or seen in lectures or shows. They'll be gone forever and we'll never see them again on this mortal coil. This year we lost Del Ray. I can remember seeing the finest close-up act ever performed by Del Ray and I never considered that there would be a time when he would no longer be available to watch. But he is gone from us. Someone in my club, your club, our extended family will no longer be with us at the same time next year. Let's resolve to be fully engaged with our brothers and sisters in this Art. Let's make the brotherhood of Magic one that others envy because of how we care for our own and support our own. In my real world life as a lawyer, I knew a secretary who was going through very difficult marital problems. One night, as I was rushing to get a brief out, she asked if she could "just talk with me for a while." I promised I would talk to her as soon as I could. She eventually left before I finished my brief and I didn't have the chance. The next morning, she started her Ford Mustang in the garage and left it running as she allowed the carbon monoxide to take her life. Her husband was devastated and her friends wondered how or why someone so "happy" or who had it all together would take her life at 22. I won't be able to take back my failure to talk with her that night. I can't say how the conversation would have gone but perhaps I would have inquired how she was doing emotionally and perhaps there could have been something in the conversation that would have convinced her to reject suicide. She made the decision to kill herself on apparently short notice and left no note of explanation. I won't embrace people because I fear they may take their lives but because it is our primary responsibility as part of this society. Our brotherhood means more than just attending meetings and showing tricks. We need to be available for each other. There are people we meet every day that can be changed for the positive by our input and, when we need it, we can be helped by them as well. We can do it because as Magicians, we can do anything. The "how" of what we do is a secret. C Copyright 2003 by insidemagic.com ----------------- 9. Psycometric Polaroid - Tony Binarelli ----------------- Message from Tony Binarelli In 1966 Prof. GIANPAOLO ZELLI ( Artist name ZELPY), one of the most cultivated artist in the actual magical scene, invented the “POLAROID EFFECT”, published on the Italian magic magazine MAGIA MODERNA of CMI in Bologna. I introduced it for the first time at FISM Congress in Baden Baden (1967), where I got my first world award of card magic and where he was appreciated from the technical audience. In 1974 I make him know to the wide TV audience through the TV show “Canzonissima” the most importanto TV-SHOW in Italy. From that moment it was become part of many good magicians like FREDDI FAH, SILVAN, ALEXANDER. Some years after TANNEN MAGIC HOUSE, in New York, sold a box containing Polaroid films; this was already prepared photograph subsequently three spectators and their correspondent cards. The effect stayed the same during the years and he continues to receive approval from the audience, apart from whom executing it. Anyway we considered it good to render its look more actual. Zelli’s routine, created in 1966, and used an old Polaroid wich is actually no more for sale. Today you can use one at the recent models, for example the one called “Image System” through which it’s possible to realize a super –overprint called “multiple exposures” – according to the photographic jargon used by the house. The method to do it is clearly illustrated in the instructions for use. Some purist could think that, once you know the method, this magic effect has been overcome by that time. Do not worry about it, in fact only few people rear the instruction for using any apparatus, such as the wash-machine or the camera, and anyway the mystery remains, as none can understand how that object, apparently freely chosen from the spectator, could appear on the photo (that’s why the force must be perfect). Besides in my new version, the apparition of the card into the photo is not the primary effect, but only a secondary one. To reassure you, I want to underline that some time ago I executed the effect during a Polaroid convention and it was a success ! EFFECT: The mentalist gives five envelopes to five spectators asking one of them to choose a card from a deck. Then he takes a Polaroid photo to each of them and asks them to put the photos inside their own envelopes, before the photos develop. A 6° spectator (or the partner) collect and shuffle the envelopes and give them to mentalist. He takes one envelope at time and describes the subject photographed inside it. He goes near a spectator and gives him the envelope; by opening it he realizes he is the photographed subject; the effect goes on like this for the other 4 spectators as well. Concerning the last spectator, the artist will divine the minded card too (or object, ESP symbol etc..), which will be also impressed in his picture. REQUISITE A) A Polaroid Image System camera; in the instruction inside you’ll find how realize the over impression. B) A Jumbo deck of cards or ESP symbol, or object from which you take the overprint. C) With the same deck you force, with yours best method the same card (I use my personal force deck “The Sting” in my Las Vegas Lecture. D) A black velvet napkin (cm 60x90) smooth and dull. PREPARATION: *) Take the photo of the card in over impression. *) Mark the 5 envelope (1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5) with yours preferred method. EXECUTION: 1) Give the envelope to five different spectators, mind them by the number of the envelopes from 1 to 5. 2) Force the prepared card to one of them, and take him immediately a photo. Give it to him and ask him to put the photo inside the envelope. 3) Then take quickly a photo to the other four, give them their own photos and let them put the photos inside the envelopes. 4) Let someone collect and shuffle thee envelopes and let him give to you. 5) It is obvious that, thanks to your marks, you can easily recognize the owner and describe him; if you have experience in cold reading, you can even broaden your description and at the end, you can give him the envelope containing his own photo. 6) The spectator who chose the card is the last one; divine the card and open the envelope to show with triumph your last supernatural effect. ----------------- 10. Wanting To Purchase Run Rabbit Run ----------------- Message from Robin Lucas (NZ) I have lost my run rabbit run which was made by the late Harold Chandler! If any New Zealand magician has one for sale, please contact me at: mr.lucky@xtra.co.nz ----------------- 11. Stan Kramien’s 17th annual Magic Jamboree ----------------- Message from Stan Kramien The dates are final for the 17th annual Magic Jamboree. April 23 and 24 at the BIG TOP RANCH in Newberg Oregon (near Portland). The amazing thing about this annual event is that everything is included in one price ticket. Both big all star shows. 20 dealers, 5 lectures, auction, contests, and ALL FOOD and DRINK. All held at one location, built for the Jamboree - everything under one roof, a first class facility. For registration forms contact Stan Kramien at: stankramien@yahoo.com ----------------- 12. Brendan Montana's January Tour Schedule ----------------- Message from Brendan Montana (Aust) Narooma Golf Club 9th Jan Batemans Bay Bowling Club 10th Shell Harbour Workers 11th Jupiter’s Casino Townsville 14th 15th 16th Twin Towns Gold Coast 23 24th Jan ----------------- 13. Jamie-G's Most Dangerous Card Trick In The World ----------------- Message from Jamie-G EFFECT: The magician spreads the cards to show the person that the cards are in no set order. The spectator takes a card looks at it and puts back in the deck. The magician then puts the cards back in the box. The magician asks the spectator what was your card the spectator tells the magician the card is the five of clubs. The magician pulls out a cap gun(toy gun)and shoots the deck of cards. The magician than takes the deck of cards out and spreads them, there is one card with holes in it, when the card is turned it is the five of clubs. PROPS: A cap gun, a deck of cards and a duplicate card that you are going to force. The duplicate card needs holes in it to show it looks like bullets went threw the card. You also need a pair of safety glasses. DECK SET-UP: The cards have to be set-up in a special manner. Your card with the bullet holes in it has to be the second card from the top. The matching one is second from the bottom. METHOD: You can fan the cards without showing either the bullet card or the real card. You have to lose the bottom card. I do this just by droping the card on the ground. When I pick up the card I place it on the top of the deck. You can do this in any way that you see fit. Just as long as your lets say five of clubs is on the very bottom. The card that we are going to force is on the bottom. The duplicate card is now third from the top. We Hindu shuffle the deck until the spectator tell me to stop, show them the forced card and put the deck back together. Now the chosen card with the holes in it is now in the middle of the deck. Put the cards back into the deck and place the deck on the table standing up. Ask the spectator what his card was. You walk over and put your safety glasses on, make sure that your gun has amo in it, point it at the deck and not the spectator’s ears. Next you shoot the deck five or six times. Open the deck back up and spread the cards across the table face down. The card with the bullet holes will stand out. You take this card and show your spectator and ask him if this was his card. TIP: Before the trick your force card on the bottom of the deck put a piece of double stick tape on the middle of the card. Sence the face of this card doesn’t touch any card until after you show them it when you place the cards back together. The tape on the face of the will stick to the other card so now you can spread the deck face up and they will only see the one with the holes in it. ----------------- 14. The Amazing Orchante Saga ----------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Page 27 - The Australian Years - DATE-LINE January – Thursday 1st – 2004 ‘HAPPY NEW YEAR’! WHOOSH! Another year has shot past at what seems to me, the speed of light! In a few days time the Christmas ornaments, lights etc will come down from the tree - to be carefully packed away and forgotten for another eleven months. The trouble is, those eleven months are whizzing past so quickly these last few years, that I am threatening to leave everything in situ’! It takes at least two hours to pack it all up, and around three hours to get all the stuff down from the loft to set it up - again. Apart from that, it looks fabulous so, why not make every day feel like its Christmas! Sounds sensible to me; we do have a lovely garden that is quite beautiful in the summer, and a hell of a lot of house plants – the tree and decorations would just be an extension of that. Various family members and friends in New Zealand, and Australia, have been doing there damnedest to make us feel bad, by crowing about the great weather they are having, knowing full well that here in the U.K. it is winter time. Sally and Derek Metzger were complaining about how hot it is in Sydney; I do remember the scorching, sweltering temperatures, 90 degrees plus, in the shade, and 100% humidity – it sure does drain your energy. I can recall cutting the lawn at our home in North Ryde, a suburb of Sydney – 10 minutes outside with the lawnmower and twenty minutes inside under the shower trying to cool off, then back out again… it was murder! Burns Scandrett from Christchurch (on the South Island of N.Z.), a most accomplished kiwi magician, who is very well known Internationally (we are in regular contact via email), tells me that the temperature is around 80 - HOT! Last night I saw the first flakes of snow. Actually, last year was the hottest summer on record here in England and the winter has been very slow coming – until two weeks back, when it hit with a vengeance – minus six degrees C; bloody freezing! Oh well, it is winter but, it’s warm as toast inside, so who cares! The worst thing was that I caught a rotten virus that really laid me low for three weeks, then Veronica got it – it broke on Christmas Eve, so Christmas day was a washout, she didn’t feel like eating so Xmas dinner stayed in the freezer. I had toasted cheese and onion sandwiches. New Years Eve was supposed to be party night with some friends, that was cancelled, which wasn’t too much of a disappointment in the end, as the weather turned really nasty, snow storms, gales etc not the ideal conditions for driving. Many big fireworks displays and outdoor concerts were cancelled at the last minute - Edinburgh for example - probably the biggest New Years Eve ‘Party’ in the world, where thousands of people from all over the globe travel to Scotland just – ‘TO BE THERE’! Boxing day, my nephew Glenn (my sisters son), and his mate arrived to stay a couple of nights. They are both butchers and are in the U.K. working for a high-class shop near Oxford. Apparently, the owner hires his butchers from New Zealand and Australia because they are better than those in the U.K. and, the English won’t work the hours. Us kiwis are world renowned as hard workers, no matter what our particular field of expertise, and that includes New Zealand entertainers! This past year has been one of many sorrows, with the passing of several friends, who are now performing on that Big Stage in the sky – as my old friend David Baylis (he was Peter Newberry’s {Crunchy the Clown} original partner) put it - ‘… There’s a helluva a show goin’ on up there’! Take care everyone; may this year bring happiness and prosperity to you all, and if anybody can find my ventriloquist doll, you will make my year for me, and I too, will be a very happy man! - VERONICA AND I WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR - ------------------ 14. Magic New Zealand e-zine Archives ------------------ Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: magic Password: kiwi When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. 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