Over the last few years BBM have put out some consistently strong volumes of self-working magic so we had been looking forward to the chance to do this Out of Sleight review. And the DVD begins with a classic Cameron Francis spoof intro! After that you are spoilt for choice with a list of 10 pretty much self-working magic effects with playing cards and business cards. Let’s go into some detail on the tricks.
Out of this packet
This is a small packet OOTW with an extra kicker finish. All the hard work is eliminated by the clever construction of the routine – all sorts of subtleties are built in. This avoids one of the well known challenges of the original routine, speeds it up (since you’re only working with a small number of cards) has an extra prediction kicker, and can be done any time with any pack of cards. Love it!
Either/Or
A double prediction effect where the spectator does all the work. They cut part of the deck several times and use the cards they arrive at to come to a number. Dealing down to this number in the remainder of the deck they come to a card which perfectly matches your prediction set aside at the start. As a double kicker the number they freely arrived at is written on the back. There’s a bit of set up for this one but the pay off is that the performance is very straightforward. This is a strong trick, but runs the risk of being a bit complicated to follow. Cameron’s done some nice subtle convincing work on the clever force involved.
COAT
This is a really novel effect using business cards – which is immediately a plus in my mind since it gives you the opportunity to leave one with your spectator! Five business cards with simple pictures on them are mixed and the spectator goes through a random process to turn them all face down but one. This one turns out to be the one you predicted in advance and has a really clever kicker ending. Based on an idea by the ingenious Max Maven – this is a corker – easy to do and very fooling. And of course it fits in your wallet so you can have it with you any time.
Sleightless Sightless
A nice little triple mind-reading effect – based on an Annemann classic. THe spectator cuts to three random cards. You read their mind to reveal the first, reveal the second without anyone having looked at it, and show that the third was pre-predicted in advance. I love the sneaky way your prediction sets you up for the force. There is a small set-up, but it is so easy that you could really easily set it up while playing with a borrowed deck putting it, for me, in the almost impromptu category.
Creation
The spectator ‘creates a card’ by cutting randomly in a shuffled deck and using a pair of cards to determine suit and value. They then deal through the rest of the pack and the magician stops them at a particular point which, of course, matches the card they have created. This uses a full deck stack but is worth it for a really fooling effect.
Find the Kings (with John Guastaferro)
A poker/gambling themed trick where the spectator does all the work and makes all the choices but still locates the four kings. Another small set up required, but incredibly economical set up for a very clever routine. Nice.
Humming Words
Another business card effect, this one using letters. After an involved mixing procedure the spectator makes a word out of the letters they have chosen. Not only can you reveal the word, you also show you have predicted the left over letter in advance. This utilises a principle I have seen used with playing cards but I think it works really well to do it with a smaller packet of cards. There are a number of different subtleties going on here which make for a really strong effect. Disclaimer – I’m a Scrabble addict – so this particularly appeals to me!
Gemini Annihilator
The clue’s in the title – another variation on the classic gemini trick. I’ve lost track of the number of variations I have seen on this effect (and I still perform the original often in an impromptu setting). The principle has been used slightly differently here to produce a prediction of a single card rather than a pair. This uses a normal deck with a couple of extra cards. Easy to do. A nice twist on a classic.
Coupling
Two spectators manage to choose the only red cards in a black packet in the fairest possible way. A nice theme of friendship/relationship carries this one along. It relies on a clever force by Terry Lagerould – which really makes me think I need to know more of his work because this is the second time I’ve come across something by him I have liked. Well worth a look – with a strong presentation this could be a killer.
Date Fate
The spectator freely mixes the cards in an elaborate way which is connected to a special date known only to them. In spite of the fairness of the procedure they have located four of a kind. Loosely based on a Bannon effect (and therefore of excellent heritage!) this is very fooling and produces a strong reaction. Can be set up on the fly and so completely impromptu. This is heading into my impromptu set…
As you will probably have gathered as you go through, I really like this material. There are some strong effects here, many of which require little or no preparation – which makes them exactly the kind of thing I like to have up my sleeve when someone asks me to show them something quick.
I don’t know why you wouldn’t just rush off and buy this straight away! It’s a cracker.
Available direct from MoM (with thanks to Big Blind Media who kindly provided a review copy) price £19.99 (at time of writing).
And yes, they will continue to use attractive ladies as their ‘spectators’…
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