From 1pm PST Today, any purchase of 2 DVDs over $24.95 will qualify for a Free LTD Deck from a reserve of 1000 that we’ve been sitting on since their original release during our Annual Holiday Giveaway.
Not only did Peter McKinnon shoot, edit, star in and direct the above trailer for LTD, he also helped design the deck itself – and may have even incorporated his initials somewhere in there as well… It seems today may even unofficially be ‘Peter McKinnon’ day – as his collaboration with Bobby Motta releases today on DVD exclusive to Ellusionist.
The effect, called ‘Blackmail’ has already been called the Ultimate Mentalism Utility Gimmick – it does away with the standard Mentalism prediction gimmicks, and allows you to predict absolutely anything – from inside a sealed envelope, in full view at all times – no nail writer, no pen, no notepad. Just you and your prediction.
Also releasing today – Rob Greenlee’s newest effect. Rob’s first release with Ellusionist, ‘Ziplocked’ became an instant bestseller, and with Lockdown it looks like he’ll be doing it again. A signed coin vanishes with the pass of a pack of gum and reappears inside… with the packet STILL SEALED. The trailer is unbelievable – but it really does look that good. Coincidentally, Peter McKinnon also consulted on this effect allowing for a much smoother, cleaner disappearance.
So pick up these two new releases – or any other 2 DVDs over $24.95, and your Free LTD Deck will automatically be added to your cart. Want more DVDs? We’ll add more decks! A maximum of 3 decks per order.
These decks won’t last long – we’ll be amazed if we even get to 72 hours, so hurry to get yours while stocks last.
Cracked.com’s website is a merry source of information. However apparently the worlds first hacker wasn’t a teenager playing chess with a mono-chromatic opponent bent on world domination. Read on for more.
From WarGames to The Matrix and, um, Hackers? We guess? 3L337x0rz hackers have been sticking it to The Man ever since the Web was invented.
But Previously, in the Real World …
One afternoon in June of 1903, John Ambrose Fleming and his boss, Italian radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi, were about to demonstrate Marconi’s new high-tech wireless telegraph system to a crowded theater in London. But right before Fleming was scheduled to receive a wireless message from Marconi, the equipment started tapping out the word “rats” over and over, followed by the Edwardian era equivalent of a rap battle diss:
“There was a young fellow of Italy
Who fiddled the public quite prettily”
And all the ladies swooned while the gentlemen got their flummox on, loudly exclaiming things like “I say!” and “Why I never!” Fleming and Marconi were understandably furious that someone would so lewdly interrupt their demonstration — Marconi actually went on record describing it as “scientific hooliganism” (dibs on the Tumblr name!). But who could have possessed the resources and know-how to hack into wireless technology that had barely even been invented yet?
The answer came four days later when Nevil Maskelyne, a fabulously mustachioed magician whose grandson you may have heard of, confessed to the prank in a letter to The Times. When Marconi arrogantly started bragging about not only the efficacy but also the impenetrable security of his new wireless system, Maskelyne, being a proud member of his multigenerational anachronistic scientist/battle-magician bloodline, did the only reasonable thing: He promptly whipped up his own homemade radio tower and proceeded to hack into Marconi’s “secure” signal.
Maskelyne justified his actions by stating that he simply wanted to expose the security risks of the new wireless technology to the public — which is basically word for word what modern hackers say when you ask them why they replaced every uppercase “I” on the CIA website with a crude cartoon dick. Funny, though: It seems so much more plausible coming from the smirking space directly beneath an old-timey magician’s mustache than from the Twitter account of an acne-pocked teenager in Denmark.
Everywhere you go in magic circles at some point or another you’ll hear magicians utter the word ‘Jam‘ or ‘Session‘. What exactly is a ‘Jam‘ and why do we ‘Session‘?
A ‘Jam Session‘ when talking about magic, is usually when a group of magicians get together to share ideas or work on new routines. Mostly just to hang out and be around the thing that they love, magic. I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by amazing magicians my entire career and the jam sessions I’ve been blessed to be in are nothing short of amazing. It’s almost like being at a convention when ever I hang out. I know that this type of thing doesn’t happen for everyone. But that doesn’t mean that ‘Jam Sessions’ aren’t worth the time.
When I do go to these sessions topics of all types are brought up. Anything from sleights to theory of why you should place an object somewhere.
The sessions go much deeper than just tricks. It’s about improvement all around. I’ve even had discussions as to why a suit jacket should be buttoned or unbuttoned while performing, and even how to comb your hair.
Early in my magic career I thought topics like this were ridiculous and not needed. I believed that attention to such ‘trivial’ detail was nothing more than ‘old’ guys listening to themselves talk. Nothing can be farther from the truth.
As I quickly learned, everyone has something to learn and you can learn something from everyone if you know how to listen. ‘Jam Sessions‘ are a wonderful way for magicians to meet, connect, share ideas and invent new ones. Some of which we use today because the people who we know as ‘Legends‘ did just that. Don’t be afraid to go out and go to magic shops, meet other magicians, and most importantly don’t put others down. Don’t discourage anyone and be open to ideas. You may create the next amazing thing by just listening and working out ‘kinks‘.
The bottom line is for me that I’ve noticed a trend in the magic world lately of hiding ‘secrets‘ from other magicians. There seems to be less ‘comradery‘ in our gild of the magi. Let’s get back the days when we shared and helped each other grow. Start a jam session and help each other out. Share ideas, and most importantly grow together.
Because this is your opportunity to ask them anything you want. In the upcoming weeks I’m going to be interviewing these well known magicians and more. I know there are questions that I’ve always wanted to ask them and now you can too. Submit your questions below and have your chance to be answered by some of the great thinkers of our time. All questions must be submitted by April 27,2012 at noon EST. This is going to be EPIC!
For a long time, I’ve practiced many card moves in order to have an arsenal of techniques to help me out of many situations. That being said, some of the moves are not the most “practical” but are useful in certain situations. Some of the moves are very difficult but allow for minimal obvious movement and others require a good amount of misdirection. Regardless, it always seems that someone has a move that’s better, or a reason as to why the move I’m doing isn’t the best choice.
To be honest, I believe that every move has a purpose and also everyone has a move that they can do very well in almost any condition. There are so many tricks, moves, controls, steals etc. that it’s almost impossible to learn them all. But just because you have a move that you’re comfortable with does that mean that you shouldn’t learn any others? If the move is hard, does that mean that it’s useless because there is an easier way? Should we always look for shortcuts?
I’ve found that sometimes the best way to reach my goal in a close up effect is to use moves that can be considered “difficult” or moves that “can be achieved with a double lift.”
This is usually spot on, the end result is the same but sometimes using a difficult move can create moments where seemingly nothing has happened and I can do things “away from the heat”. This is why I practice those moves, especially with cards. When doing card effects I try to make the effect as streamlined and “hands off” as possible. My goal is to make my audience think that I never touched the deck.
Too often most people say that moves are too difficult or are not needed don’t take the time to really study the move and its possibilities–by saying that something is “too hard” you’re putting up blocks in your learning and in your performance.
I’ve been luck enough to be surrounded by some of the most amazing slight of hand professionals of our time and I’ve never heard them say that something is “too hard“, instead they say “I’m gonna have to practice this for a while” or “let me play with this and see if I can use it“.
Test your limits and try something you’ve never done before. Practice hard and develop a solid practice routine and before you know it people will be telling you “that move is way too hard.” It’s actually a really good feeling because usually that person can’t or won’t take the time that you have and will not get as far as you will go.
Tell me what you think of “hard moves”. And tell me what are your thoughts as well.
I believe this internet site has some really great information for everyone . “Heat cannot be separated from fire, or beauty from The Eternal.” by Alighieri Dante.
. “Heat cannot be separated from fire, or beauty from The Eternal.” by Alighieri Dante.