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MAGIC OF MICHAEL SKINNER – Paul Lelekis

MAGIC OF MICHAEL SKINNER – Paul Lelekis

MAGIC OF MICHAEL SKINNER – Paul Lelekis

‘Magic of Michael Skinner’ MAY be my favorite of all Image result for michael skinner magicianthe many ebooks by Paul Lelekis. I’m not ready to make the final call.. yet… but I’m certainly leaning that way. Why? Because I have a profound respect for the magic of Michael Skinner, and an equally profound respect for the writing of Paul Lelekis. If you have a love of card magic, you’re familiar with Mr. Skinner and his unique style and presentation. He was a magician’s magician. Like Dai Vernon, someone who other magicians both respected and admired. I think a small portion of the magic communities respect stemmed from the fact Michael was forever fighting inner conflict.. and yet still managed to perform at the highest level. The fact Michael was a very unique individual probably contributed to his thinking processes, and resulted in his constantly looking at both magic and the world through different glasses. Paul did a very good job of leading into the effects with an extensive treatise on Michael’s life. If you purchase this ebook, please take time to read it. It’s both informative and real. John Carney, a long time friend of Michael’s, contributed the very fitting foreword..

There are nine effects.. and each is very different in method and culmination.

‘Business Card Prediction’, ‘Thought Projection Pack’, and ‘James’s Miracle’ are all distinctly mental magic with cards. ‘Business Card Prediction’ is not only a great way to give out your card, but it allows you to perform a seemingly impossible bit of mental magic. ‘Thought Projection Pack’ was Michael’s way of reading the mind of TWO spectators.. Although this effect is probably the most simple of all the effects, I think it might be my second personal favorite, right behind ‘James’s Miracle’. This is based on a mathematical principle first published by Stewart James, but it doesn’t seem to be mathematical.. it seems to be pure ESP. There’s nothing to ‘figure’.. just perform it and amaze your spectators.

‘Altman’s ‘7’ Location’, ‘Mona Lisa Card Trick’, and ‘Invasion of The Body Snatchers’ are all Skinner’s handling of card effects that are both original and clever.. in a Michael Skinner way.
‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ is a sort of tour de force with an impossible conclusion. If there is one effect that stands out as both original and genius.. this is it. It’s NOT a knuckle buster, thank goodness, and Paul provides two videos to guide you. Both ‘Mona Lisa Card Trick’ and Altman’s ‘7’ Location’ were two of Mr. Skinner’s personal favorites. They have a degree of sophistication you’d expect from Michael, but explained in an easy-to-grasp manner by Paul.

In addition, ‘Torn & Restored Paper’, ‘Giant Coin Production’, and ‘Fechter’s Hanky Force’ are all very interesting effects and a force in and of themselves. Each uses props you have on-hand. Each can also be performed in a brief performance and are ideal for walk around or table hopping. I particularly liked the ‘Giant Coin Production’, since I’m always searching for a coin effect I can actually perform. I’m not Bobo.. more like Booboo.. and I appreciate an effect I can DO.. ‘Torn & Restored Paper’ is another very performable effect that’s performed in the hand. Like the coin production, it too is a real fooler.

The ONLY thing keeping me from officially declaring this my favorite of Paul’s ebooks is that I don’t want my enthusiasm to taint my judgement. Right now, I’m going to let THE MAGIC OF MICHAEL SKINNER rest right there at the top while I try to master all the sleights and effects, and then in a month or so I’ll show these effects to an audience.. and to fellow magicians.. and I’ll know for sure. That said, I can read an effect and KNOW INSTANTLY whether it will work for me.. and ALL these effects work. Rightly so. Nothing is utterly simple.. aside from the force, and nothing is overly complicated. Just wonderful magic theater from someone considered highly unique and gifted. 34 pages and still $10.00

https://www.lybrary.com/the-magic-of-michael-skinner-p-922211.html
Review by Rick Carruth

ESP BY THE NUMBERS – A Review

ESP BY THE NUMBERS – A Review

ESP BY THE NUMBERS –  John Bannon & Big Blind Media  

ESP BY THE NUMBERS is a new self working prediction effect by John Bannon. John is currently on of the more popular purveyors of magic effects around, well known for his card magic and congenial style.

This is an extremely easy-to-perform effect that comes with everything you need to perform it … after a short while watching the instructional video. The video link is provided with the effect and is actually a password protected location on Vimeo. Although the instructions imply downloading the video, you can watch the video online.

ESP BY THE NUMBERS comes complete with the necessary Zener cards, and not the inexpensive cards one often receives with ESP effects. Rather than try to explain the working, I encourage you to go to the link at the end of the review and watch the performance video on Murphy’s Magic website. To quote the creators ad copy:

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You display your ESP ability testing deck to your spectator, explaining that the symbols and random numbers featured on the cards are used to gauge the extrasensory abilities of members of the public.
For the initial test the spectator freely selects five cards from the pack. Despite the hands off, uber clean selection process you clearly demonstrate that you predicted not only which five cards they would select… but in which order too!

So far, so incredible, however that is just phase one. The true moment of astonishment is about to land!!!  You draw attention back to the random numbers printed on each ESP card and ask the spectator to look at the five cards they selected and add their numbers together. The spectator has now created a totally random number. Indeed you clearly show the remaining ESP cards and highlight the fact that had they picked ANY other card, the total would have been different.

ESP By The Numbers is totally self-working. No sleight of hand. No gimmicks. No sticky stuff. Just a brain frying piece of magic that you’ll want to perform again and again and again!
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I appreciate that everything needed is included. No DIY stuff here. The effect itself is so simple you’ll have a thorough understanding of its working in a matter of minutes. The learning curve is very small.. and very quick.

Actually, it’s based on a mathematical principle familiar to many magicians. Some magicians will recognize the ‘method’ during the performance. I did.. but I don’t consider that a negative..  unless you’re buying ESP to perform solely for fellow magicians.

This is a two phase routine, and the second phase is perhaps the kicker.. as it should be. I have to admit, I recognized the mathematical principle in the second phase as well, but I’m a big fan of Martin Gardner and I’d be more surprised if I didn’t recognize it. I will say I’ve never seen the first phase and the second combined in this manner. The public will NOT grasp ESP. That’s the one disadvantage of being a magician.. we sometimes fail to experience new effects like our audience.

The video teaches a second effect.. MATRIX RELOADED, that uses a regular deck of cards. You furnish the cards and Bannon furnishes the magic. I liked this.. and I’ll use it.. as it plays well for several spectators, much like you’d encounter table hopping and during walk-around. It’s a prediction effect where a card pre-selected by you matches up with a card freely selected by the spectators.. after a very fair series of cuts and eliminations.

The only negative I’ve heard is that the ESP cards don’t come with a case.. but they DO come with a solid cardboard box that keeps everything contained and secure.

Reset? It will take a minute or two. All the cards are in a particular order, and rearranging the cards to that order will take a brief time. There’s nothing to remember about the order, as each cards markings will tell you where it goes.

One quick suggestion.. the second phase involves a prediction of sorts. The predicted number comes on a pre-printed card. Perhaps you’ll agree after receiving your set the predicted number would be more effective if you write the prediction on a slip of paper and have one of the spectators hold it until reveal time. Just a thought.

ESP BY THE NUMBERS will work for you. It’s simple, easy to set up, easy to remember, and very easy to perform. The overall success WILL depend on your patter and selling ability. You can leave your audience shrugging their shoulders.. or scratching their heads in awe.
I recommend the second…  And I recommend ESP BY THE NUMBERS…
Run time 28 minutes..  $25.00

Available through dealers who carry the Murphy’s Magic line of quality magic….

http://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=59208 

Reviewed by Rick Carruth