Angel filming SEASON  FIVE of “Mindfreak”

Criss Angel is filming magic tricks, illusions, stunts and more for season five of the A&E series Mindfreak, according to an update last week (really? Last week? I’m slackin’) from Vegas reporter Robin Leach. In the midst of a six-week schedule of 18-hour days, Angel told Leach that the season will “push the envelope” again:

“The things we are working on will be the best we’ve done in all four previous seasons, really the best to date. I can assure you each show will close with one truly incredible illusion that people will talk about all week long.”

He has already filmed a segment with Carrot Top (who has been featured in past episodes). One of the stunts, probably the season closer, involves him being chained and anchored to concrete blocks, then chucked into Lake Mead. Leach said that stunt will break a promise Angel made to his mother. Mind your mother, Mindfreak.

Also, Angel fans: iTricks’ Justin Robert Young has discovered Criss Angel’s real Twitter account. A few months back, a sophomoric squatter had some immature fun with the domain. Criss has it now, and he’s dishing during the filming.

Simple as this little trick seems it is very deceptive. Attached to the lower button of his vest the performer has a hair or, if at some distance from his audience, a piece of fine black sewing silk. At the other end of this hair or thread is a little pellet of wax, which is stuck to another button of his vest. Asking for a small coin, a dime or a cent, the performer secretly gets hold of the wax and sticks it on the coin. Then he takes a tumbler or goblet in his left hand and drops the coin into it. Shaking the glass and at the same time extending his arm, he causes the coin gradually to creep higher and higher in the glass until it reaches the fingers of the right hand held out for it. The wax is quietly removed and the coin is returned to its owner. By taking care to shake the glass continually, the modus operandi of the trick will be completely concealed.

Having borrowed a handkerchief, great amusement is caused when the performer observes that the article is not long enough, and expresses his intention of stretching it. This is done by taking the handkerchief by one corner in each hand, and, whilst twisting it up, gathering an inch or two in each palm. Stretch the arms wide apart, so that the handkerchief lies across the chest, without allowing any of the gathered-up portions of it to escape. Now give the handkerchief a turn or two in the air, and again stretch it across the chest, this time allowing about half an inch to escape out of the hands. Twist again and stretch, allowing a little more to escape, and repeat the operation until the extreme ends are reached. Imply by manner, as much as possible, that a deal of stretching is taking place, and the audience will be led to believe that the handkerchief has been extended at least six inches beyond its original length.

Open Sesame

Deal out 3 piles of seven cards face down. Ask a spectator to choose a pile. You then pick up the pile that the spectator selected and display the cards in a fan facing the audience. (It is not necessary for you to see the front of the cards.) Then ask the spectator to look at the cards and choose one, instructing them not to tell you which card they choose.

1) Put the cards that the spectator chose face down in between the other two piles to make one pile of 21 cards.

2) Deal out the cards one at a time into 3 piles of seven moving left to right.

3) Pick up each pile individually and then display the cards to the volunteer asking them to indicate which of the piles contains the chosen card. (They must not name their selected card).

Repeat steps 1 to 3 one more time.

After the steps are completed say the magic words “OPEN SESAME“. You then pick up the pile of 21 cards and spell O-P-E-N-S-E-S-A-M-E by placing one card face down on the table per each letter spelled. Turn up the next card after spelling OPEN SESAME to reveal their selected card.

Light A Used Match

Effect :

You take out a box of matches and go to light your cigarette or candle but when you open them they are all used.

You then say I hate that when people put used matches back in the box, oh sorry it was me I hate it when I do that. You then proceed to take out the used match and strike it and it lights. You can have them already stashed in the dirty ashtray and take one out and then light your cigarette or candle.

Secret:

All you have to do to make it look like it is a used match is dip the match in black ink, and then wait for it to dry. Then dip it in ash and it will look like a used match but when you strike it the match will light like any normal match

Coffee To Coins David Blaine

Style Trick

David Blaine changed a cup full of coffee to a cup full of coins on his TV show

Set up: Get one of those coffee machine dispensed cups made of waxed paper and preferably with a pattern on the outside. Remove the bottom of the cup about an inch up from the bottom with a modelling knife or scissors and then place the cup back together by gently sliding the top half of the cup into the base using a slight twisting action if needed. Stack the cup three quarters full with coins.

Pack the coins in tightly and then pour in a little cold coffee, enough to cover the coins completely.

Coffee works best because it’s so dark and will hide the coins. The cup should now look like a normal cup of coffee and is now ready to present to an audience.

Performance: Comment on how the patterns on the side of the cup are magic symbols.

Holding the top half of the cup with one hand, gently push up the bottom half of the cup with a slight screwing action with your other hand, then shake the cup.

As the coins “unsettle” the coffee will spill between the cracks and the coins appear.

This trick can be done with any cup of the waxed paper type that are usually found in vending machines. Be careful not to use hot coffee. Take care when using the modelling knife as it is sharp, even better, if your a kid, get an adult to cut it for you.

All sleight of hand card tricks use a few base moves and methods. One is the mechanic’s grip. The mechanic’s grip is the basic way you hold the deck of cards for almost all tricks. It is a simple method on how you position your fingers on and around the deck.

 To perform the Mechanic’s Grip, first hold the deck in your hand with your palm facing up. Take your index finger and move it to the end facing away from you. Take your middle finger, ring finger and pinkie finger and position them on the side of the deck. Finally your thumb holds the deck together on the opposite side from the other fingers. This grip gives more coverage of the deck by your hand, making it harder for the spectators to see what you are doing. The Mechanic’s Grip helps in doing sleights like the double lift, peeking, etc.

This grip is very important in performing card tricks, and should be practiced daily if you want to become proficient at performing card tricks. Walk around and use your hands while holding a deck with the mechanics grip, thereby training your hands to act normal while holding the deck. It should become second nature to you. Practice on your family before performing for others.  Remember you don’t want to give away the secrets, so get it down pat, before performing from others.

Effect:

The magician has three rows of cards. An audience volunteer picks a card in his/her head and tells the magician what row it’s in. The magician does that three times and on the third time tells the volunteer what their card was. (or have the magic puppet whisper to you what the card was and then you tell the audience what the puppet said.)

Supplies:

21 cards, all different.

Secret:

First lay out the cards, 3 across and 7 down.

Have someone think of a card and tell you what row its in.

Pick up all the rows, row by row, making sure to pick up the row that the card is in 2nd.

Then lay out the cards again (the exact same way, 3 across & 7 down).

Put down one card per row.

• Then ask the volunteer which row the card is in now. Pick up the rows again, like before — still making sure that you pick up the row that the card is in 2nd.
• Lay them out again, the same way. Then ask the volunteer which row the card is in now. (You can get dramatic and tell them to think really hard about it… pretend to be reading their mind)Then count four cards down in that row. (It appears more magical if you count to yourself… people won’t realize you’re counting four cards down).The fourth card is their card!!

VOILA!  You have performed an easy to do magic trick.  ENJOY and have a MAGICAL DAY

Since 1992 I have been practicing and performing magic.  I remembered how tough it was for me to get started, so I thought I would provide a website for new magicians to get a chance to get started by asking questions, getting suggestions, and being able to make their purchases with some personalized help from me. I also have products for veteran magicians to make purchases as well.  When I first was trying to get started in magic, it was very difficult to find people or even stores where I could purchase and learn how to do magic. Living in Minneapolis, we were fortunate enough to have the Mall of America open, and there came just what I had always waited for, a suburban location magic store.  I could not only purchase items there, but became well known by the salespeople with my frequent visits and purchases.   They went out of their way to help me learn how to do magic and help suggest what was probably the best items for me to purchase and become good at performing in a short amount of time. Having the items available and someone to help me understand what I needed to do, made it so enjoyable for me to begin my practice and performing of magic.

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