Back in Black…
July 17, 2008
Black… is the new black.
How would you like $7, right now? How would you like it if I could reach out of the screen and put seven crisp dollar bills in your hand?
How about the next best thing instead…
We know you love the decks, we know you use the decks - or you might want to see what all the fuss is about. Either way, if you pick up the Back in Black sample pack (that gives me an idea for a song…), we’ll give you $7 back.
Check it out here - before they go!
First Peek - Danny Garcia BentTouchSlink
July 15, 2008
BentTouchSlink is the brand new DVD coming from Ellusionist in August.
BentTouchSlink: 1 Disc, 3 Tricks, 1 Daniel Garcia - What more could you want?
Filmed by Ellusionist at our studios in Sausalito, California; DG goes into every little detail you could want on these three pieces of classic Garcia.
More details to follow… Watch this space…
Half Off Blue Vintage Deck!
June 29, 2008
BOOM BOOM BOOM.
Is that fireworks - or the thunderous applause from your audience as you finish up a killer effect?
Now you have two things to celebrate this 4th of July. For just 24 hours on July 1st - starting 12pm Noon Pacific - you can get the gorgeous blue Bicycle Vintage Deck for half price.
These cards are absolutely some of the most beautiful, unique cards the USPC and Ellusionist have ever put out. Whether you want to take your audience back to Independence Day, 1776 - or just grab a great deal, don’t miss out!
Greatness in Magic
June 21, 2008
Greatness is defined (amongst other things) as:
- Remarkable or outstanding in magnitude, degree, or extent
- Of outstanding significance or importance
- Superior in quality or character
- Powerful; influential
- Very skilful
- Enthusiastic
- Very good; first-rate
How does this help us in our magic though? How can we assume these characteristics and combine them into our presentations?
One school of thought is that we should always strive to be different, and in being different, staying true to yourself and your own ideals you will become the best you can be.
I personally feel that this is just like every other rule in magic – there to be adhered to where possible, but broken when necessary.
How do we start to become different though? How does being different lead to greatness?
Every single person reading this blog is unique, the product of different experiences, different cultures and upbringings, different social circumstances – so why should we all perform the same routines?
I’ve been guilty of the following before, but as soon as I reached the aforementioned conclusions, I’ve strived to retain some of my individuality into my presentations, to attempt to remain apart from my peers.
Think back to your entire repertoire – everything you currently perform. How much of it follows the exact same script that came with the instructions or on the DVD? How many of your effects have you re-scripted or added your own touches to?
Take the 2CM effect for instance, do you use the same cards that were shown on the DVD you learned from? Why do you do this?
Why not change the initial cards into two cards that two separate spectators think they’ve been holding all along?
What about the ACR? How many of you can honestly say that you’ve put together your very own take on it? Have you considered the strongest finale you can possibly put together for it?
Whilst doing this though, please don’t fall into the “too perfect” trap – heaven knows, I’ve been there before, and for every minute we spend attempting to prove that we’re not using duplicates, we’re not using gaffed decks or crimps, we’re possibly forgetting that many spectators would not even consider these things.
Often, the more perfect an effect is, the more a spectator will dismiss it as “He just did something when I wasn’t looking.” – If a spectator even considers that you made some secret move, you’ve lost the battle.
I’ve just returned from a two week vacation, and as you can imagine, I took a couple of decks and some reading material with me – I spent some of the time reading, a little time performing, but most of my time considering this article and how I was going to use my experience to hopefully help guide you to dizzier heights than I could ever reach.
One of the friends that I was vacationing with is a manager at a bar that I’ve worked at before, and he’s seen me perform on countless occasions, so he’s used to seeing what I’m capable of – yet he’ll always ask me to perform, constantly trying to “catch me out”
He’s a good friend, but he also knows that there’s no such thing as magic, which as you can guess, makes my job so much more difficult.
There *is* one thing in my favour though, he’s completely enamoured with Out Of This World – it’s an effect that he’s seen me perform on numerous occasions, and has burned my hands every single time – always waiting for me to make some secret move that would separate the cards out into the right piles.
Some of you may balk at performing for someone like Ant, maybe you’d call him a tough cookie – but to me it’s the ultimate challenge. If I can pull something on Ant, I won’t have a problem with spectators who I’m in full control of.
To cut a long story short, I performed Stigmata for him whilst we were away, having very carefully structured his mind to knowing that I was unprepared to perform.
We were walking down a road, past some shops (one of which I knew sold playing cards), and I steered the conversation towards magic, gently ribbing him for not believing that I *am* capable of real things.
I went so far as to tell him that he could purchase any deck of cards he wanted to, at any time, and I’d do something that he’d never seen before, and would never believe possible.
Then I went into the store to get a drink.
He’d fallen for the bait, and followed me in. My carefully worked route through the store led me past a pack of playing cards, and he couldn’t resist challenging me – with an air of “Let’s see you prove it then Mr Fancy Pants Magician!” he bought them.
We got back to the hotel, with him holding the deck all the way, and into the bar, and handed him the deck to shuffle.
To cut a long story short, about 40 seconds later he was speechless – completely speechless and had *no* frame of reference with which to compare the event to.
Through careful planning and structuring of the moment, I’d create almost the perfect effect – and it only played for one person.
Sometimes I see Magicians balk at the amount of preparation they have to put in to perform an effect, for the payoff – I guess they’d never consider going to the trouble I went to, to perform that one effect and get that single moment of pure astonishment – and *that* is a shame.
Whether your pet effect or routine plays for one spectator or an audience, if you’re working towards creating that little bubble of altered reality – if even for a moment or two, then *nothing* should be too much hard work.
Magic is entertainment, and the ultimate goal of our art should be to entertain people – to take them away from their perception of reality, maybe even to make them forget their troubles for a few moments and be able to concentrate on something that can entertain, confuse and amuse them.
The more time you spend preparing for a performance – whether it’s even just showing your pet spectator (the first spectator you’d show a new effect to, whether it might be your mother, father, sibling or friend), or preparing yourself for a day on the streets – the more time you spend preparing for it, the greater the effect will be.
How can you achieve greatness in your magic? Put yourself to the trouble of being different, prepare thoroughly, and make sure that *no* effect requires “too much effort”
Double your decks - 24 hours only!
June 11, 2008
You already love the cards, but the one thing we’ve seen mentioned time after time that if Masters were cheaper… You’d be able to use them more.
Well, we’ve been listening and we took a look at our stock level… We’re over stocked - and you want them cheaper.
Doesn’t that sound like a match made in heaven?
For 24 hours, on 6/12/2008* - Blue Masters are half price.
That’s cheaper than our wholesalers can buy them.
Get ‘em whilst they’re going.
*Midnight to midnight, whilst stocks last.
FLOW NOW RELEASED!
May 13, 2008
FLOW is now released! Click the banner above to get straight to the store page…
** The first 50 orders placed online will be hand-signed by Paul Harris
** 24 hour Price Hack :When you add FLOW to your order, get 10% off of all other items
in your order (other than FLOW).
** The 10% discount will only last for 24 hours from the time of release .
(Discount ends Wednesday May 15th, 2008 at 10 AM Pacific / 1PM Eastern / 5PM GMT)
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Flow by Paul Harris - Ellusionist Exclusive Release
May 8, 2008
EDIT: Due to circumstances beyond our control, the release of FLOW has now been pushed back to: Wednesday May 14th, 2008 at 10AM Pacific / 1PM Eastern / 5PM GMT
Flow by Dan Hauss allows the performer to suspend water from an upside down water bottle, and can be performed in virtually any setting, making it an easy and perfect addition to every magician’s repertoire.
This isn’t the trick you learned in the first magic book you ever bought…
As part of the exclusive release, the first 50 copies of Flow that leave the Ellusionist warehouse will be signed by Paul Harris himself* and if the Ellusionist’s recent releases are anything to go by, set your watches extra early as the first 50 will be gone very quickly! Own a piece of autographed magic from one of magic’s *true* legendary thinkers.
Not only that though, if you order Flow in the first 24 hours after release, we’ll give you a 10% discount off all other items in your order! (except Flow**).
Be sure to check back here soon for more information about Flow including preview videos and product shots.
*Online orders only.
** Shipping costs not included in offer.
** Shipping costs not included in offer.
Second Edition Black Ghost Deck NOW RELEASED!
April 22, 2008
The second edition Black Ghost Playing Cards are going on release here in an hour and ten minutes
Don’t forget, the first 52 orders to make it through checkout WILL RECEIVE A KILLER FREE GIFT IN THEIR PARCEL
Good luck!
Collectability, or, Black Ghost Decks and Me.
April 21, 2008
With the release of the much heralded Second Edition Black Ghost Deck now less than 24 hours away, I’ve been thinking about collectability vs function, about just what it is that sets the Black Ghost Deck apart from it’s every rival.
Is it that untill very recently, they’ve never been officially offered for sale? Is it due to the extremely small quanitity ever produced? Or, is it maybe that the deck itself was just *right*?
When I was asked to be the guest blogger for this post, I realised that the timing was perfect for my sphere of knowledge, you see, I’m a collector. I’ve been collecting various things for most of my life (from Autographs to Star Wars Figures, from Trading Cards to Movie Props), and I’m now almost able to tell whether something’s going to take off in a big way, or be resigned to the broken toy shop in the sky.
Or at least, I thought I did.
That all changed with the release of the original Black Ghost Deck Giveaway, back some 3 Christmases ago.
I remember now, reading the forum post that laid out the rules. “If you spend $350 or more, we’ll give you a brand new, extremely limited edition Steel Case Enclosed Black Ghost Deck” was the essence of the post, and I don’t mind admitting that I was a little dubious at the time.
I’d not ordered anything for a while though, and at the time, seeing that I was using the regular Ghost Deck, and wanted to replenish a few other items, by the time I’d finished adding everything up - I wasn’t too far off the target.
Now, the other thing about me is, that if you tell me something’s free - but I have to spend another $50 to get it, I most likely will do. I know it sounds strange, but I’ve got to have it, whether I need it or not.
Order placed, I waited for my parcel to arrive.
Between Christmas and the New Year, it finally did, and I unpacked everything excitedly, unable to contain my joy at managing to get all the giveaway prizes that year.
Any and every concern I had regarding the point of the Black Ghost Deck vanished when I saw it sat nestled in it’s steel frame. It almost sat there winking with a certain gleeful malevolence, just daring me to open it up and take a look.
Honestly, it didn’t take me long to do just that - despite having promised myself that I wouldn’t. After all, there was only ever 5000 of these decks made, surely it had to be worth something one day!
(I wasn’t too far wrong with that, as the decks have sold on ebay for… well, take a look)
I removed the deck from it’s box and sat there agog as I spread through the cards. These were literally only the reverse of the cards I was currently using, but that’s like saying that a Ferrari is only a couple of buckets of parts.
There was just something about the deck that captured me, some part of it’s essence embedded itself within my psyche.
I reluctantly replaced the deck back in the box, replaced the box in the steel frame, and sat the frame on top of my book case in my office. In fact, it’s there now - just 8 feet behind me and to my left. (Please, don’t believe for a second that it remains untouched since then, although I may be able to count on my fingers the times I’ve unboxed it, there’s some certain amount of joy that spreading through that deck brings me - almost like a cocoa on a winter’s day)
Fast forward to near the end of last year, and news surfaces that there *may* be a Second Edition Black Ghost Deck on the horizon.
I didn’t know how to feel.
All in one, I felt elated - that I’d be able to get hold of more of these cards, and I felt upset - that now just *anyone* could own them.
Fast forward a little bit more, to a few mere weeks ago, and I managed to catch a glimpse of the gallery for the Second Edition.
I don’t mind telling you, I’m as excited now, as I was the first time I held the Black Ghosts in my hands three years ago.
For the very first time (in my personal opinion), the Jokers are just *perfect* to the vibe of the deck.
Why though? Simple. They show the Black Ghost himself - the dark phantom who’s power seems to purvade the very fibers of the cards, the apparition who maybe even called the cards into being, and the all powerful mage who’s able to project the name of a spectator’s card into his hands*
The same quality artwork, the same love and care that goes into every deck, and the same awesome quality card stock and finish that goes into every Ellusionist deck is gracing these Second Edition decks too, meaning that I’m even closer to the edge of my seat waiting for tomorrow.
I don’t know how you feel about the new alternative coloured and styled playing cards that seem to hit the markets with an alarming frequency these days, but there’s one thing *I* know.
If it doesn’t say Ellusionist on the box, it doesn’t go in my cart.
Brendon Selley.
*Take a look at the jokers, you’ll see what I mean…
All views in this blog entry are the opinion of the author, and may not necessarily represent the views of Ellusionist or any of it’s employees or subsidiaries.
UltrGaff RE-LAUNCH: WEDNESDAY APRIL 16th at 1PM Pacific / 4PM Eastern
April 15, 2008
Due to an overwhelming response and sheer volume of orders, the Ultragaff launch only lasted for 15 frantic and order packed minutes.
We wholeheartedly apologize for this, and ask our faithful customers to bare with us for a short while whilst we put things right.
All orders placed in the 15 minute window that included the three dvds *will* include the FREE Ultragaff Deck, whether it was shown on the order screen or not.
All orders placed within the first 15 minutes *will* also be entered into the prize drawing for the 50 signed Ultragaff Decks and 5 signed Ultragaff Uncut Sheets, as will all orders from the first 45 minutes of the re-launch.
The re-launch will be: WEDNESDAY APRIL 16th at 1PM Pacific / 4PM Eastern
For more news on this, please check HERE