Electro Fun Update 18 – Supplement 3

 

Ideas for Instant Zap Printer – By Ian Adair

The Instant Zap Printer looks like a piece of equipment for experimenting with.  It could also be called a Magical X-Ray unit.

1) Vanishing Elephant
For years famous magicians have been vanishing elephants.  You can now with the aid of the Zap Printer.
Display a picture of an elephant against a background of trees, shrubs and bushes.
Strike the Zapper and the elephant vanishes!  You need two pictures, both with identical backgrounds but only one with the image of an elephant.  Arrange these so that one is within each clear pocket.  Simply strike the Zap printer for the vanish to take place.

2) Human X-Ray
A facsimile of a human, lying landscape position, is seen inside the X-Ray machine.
Snap the Zap printer and suddenly everyone see bones.. a full skeleton.

3) Naughty Strip-Tease
A pretty girl, with clothes on, lying on a couch magically stripteases when the printer is struck.  Two pictures, one clothed, one not are required here.

4) Extra Spade
Have a card chosen ie:  Six of Spades and state that your prediction is inside your Zap Printer.  When it is revealed it’s the Five of Spades.  There’s one Spade missing … so strike the zap printer so that the picture of a gardening Spade comes into view, the performer quipping “There’s the extra Spade .. five and one make six.. the Six of Spades, your chosen card”.
Two cards required, one being the Five of Spades from a pack, the other a picture of a Spade.  Force the Six of Spades from your pack.

5) Blue Spot – Yellow Background ????????
This is a quickie.  Show a picture of a large blue spot against a bright yellow background.
Strike the zap printer and suddenly the images reverse themselves …. It’s now a yellow spot against a blue background !!!! Obviously two different pictures of the spots are required.

6) Optical Illusion
From one of those Optical Illusion books dealing with visual optics, use a Circle which is distorted but in fact isn’t when looked at closer.  It’s only the broken lines which makes it look that way!  You will also need a Square on another picture.  This means that when you first show the circle optical illusion and ask people to agree that it looks distorted, strike the zap printer so it suddenly and visually changes to a square. !!

7) Code Bar Conjuring
In predicting a total amount of money for a product, the performer displays a Bar Code within the printer, quipping “Well, this bar code reveals this amount !”  Strike the zap printer so the bar code instantly changes into the proper amount in digits.

8) Typefaces!
Every print shop should have different print typefaces or styles.  Yours will if you first show a picture containing different letters, in different styles, all sizes and haphazard.
Strike the Zap Printer and the letters mysteriously form into any message of your choice … even “Printed In India.”

 

Instant Coins Across – Paul Ingram

Effect:The classic four coins across effect with a difference: The first coin travels across from one fist to the other, the other three then travel together at the same time.

Requirements:Four matching coins, I use dollars for all of my coin work but any four coins will suffice.

Routine:Begin by displaying the coins in the palm up left hand, the rear most coin ready to be classic palmed. The other three coins are stepped outwards toward the finger tips. Place the right hand index finger onto the outer most coin, the top one of the group and slide it backwards across the other coins until it lies on top of the rear coin which, is lying in an open classic palm. The coin should be positioned slightly stepped to the right of the coin which lies beneath it. The reason for sliding this coin backwards into this position is so that it can be classic palmed along with the coin beneath it. This is a Roger Clause technique I believe.
The coins are now apparently tossed into the right hand however, the rear two coins are retained in a classic palm. Only the upper two coins are tossed into the right hand. Jingle the coins a little inside the right fist and then position one of them so that it is protruding from the fist underneath and being held in place by the fingertips. This coin is now going to be stolen back by the left hand first and second fingers. This action is normally achieved by bringing the left hand over to the right in a pointing gesture. I have never been happy with this approach because it seems unnatural. If you were going to point at the other hand you would do just that. You would not have to bring the hands together to make a pointing action.
To achieve the steal of the coin from the right hand, the left hand moves below the right elbow in order to pull back the sleeve a little. After this it moves directly down beneath the right forearm to the right fist. The protruding coin is stolen by nipping it in between the left hand first and second fingers. The left hand is then moved away and held in a fist opposite the right hand. The stolen coin is actually being held outside the left fist between the first and second fingers.
The position now is that the spectators believe all four coins to be inside the right hand however, you are already three ahead. The left hand has two coins classic palmed and one coin held between its first two fingers. You now state that the coins are going to pass from the right hand, one at a time to the left hand. Give both fists a slight shake to focus the effect and then open the left hand retaining the two classic palmed coins but letting the other coin fall to the table.
It appears as if the left hand is empty, having just released one coin which,  apparently passed over form the right hand. As this is happening, the right hand moves the single coin within its fist to a position where it is protruding from the fist being held in place be the fingertips. This position is identical to that of the previous coin before it was stolen.
The left hand picks up the single coin from the table and closes its fist, placing the coin directly into a classic palm to join the other two. This is the most difficult part of the routine, palming the coin with the other two but doing it silently! In most restaurant situations this is not a problem due to the background noise but be aware! You now appear to drop this coin again from the left hand to re-emphasise its passage from the tight fist. However, you perform a Hang Ping Chen with the coin from the right fist.
The left hand opens and makes a tossing motion towards the right, at that moment the right hand releases its coin. It appears as if the single coin has been tossed from the left hand.
Pick up the coin with the left hand and make a fist being careful not to let it or any of the other coins talk. As far as the spectators are aware only one coin has travelled across and is being held inside the left fist.
Actually, you are home and dry! Because the left hand is holding all four coins ready for the climax.
You ask if anyone actually saw the first coin travel. Regardless of the response you tell the spectators not to blink otherwise they will miss the other three. As you say the word ‘three’ you let the three classic palmed coins drop onto the single coin with a loud clink. Open the left hand to display all for coins to end the routine.
Comments:
I usually perform this routine immediately following a standard four coins across handling. I offer to repeat the effect and then sting the spectators by performing the Instant Coins Across.
The steal of the fist coin from the right hand under the cover of pulling up the sleeve must be done without hesitation. If done properly it will appear as if the hands never come near one another. This is a quick fire routine designed to catch the spectators off guard.

 

 Tight fisted – Paul Ingram

This is comparatively easy coins across routine that uses four only coins and no shell. I only use this routine when I am challenged to perform a coin routine using four coins provided by a spectator. It is a very baffling routine which will hold its own in fast company. The coins across routine that I always perform in my professional work is David Roths’ routine ‘Easy Coins Across’ from his mammoth tome on coin magic written by Richard Kaufman. That routine is unsurpassed for being clean in appearance and totally baffling.

Routine: Begin by displaying four coins upon the palm up left hand, the rear most coin in position to be classic palmed. The coins are lying in a stepped forward condition toward the fingertips. The front most coin must now be moved into a position to be classic palmed along with the rear most coin. The technique to achieve this is explained in the ‘Instant Coins Across’ routine.
After apparently tossing the coins into the right hand the left hand has actually retained two of them in classic palm. The coins are palmed in a slightly staggered position to facilitate dropping them one at a time more easily.
Both hands are made into fists and are held out in front of you as you explain that the coins are going to travel form the right fist over to the left. Make a gesture to focus the moment and then release one coin from the left classic palm and place it onto the table. Apparently, only one coin has travelled and the spectators will perceive the other three to be held by the right hand. Pick up the coin from the table with the left hand and again make a fist being careful not to let the coins talk. Make another gesture and then open the left hand to display two coins. The second coin having apparently travelled across to join the first coin.
The right hand also opens to display that it has only two coins left and all appears as it should be. The right hand tosses its coins upon the table and then picks them up again. The coins are positioned so that they protrude from the rear of the fist ready to be dumped for the hang-ping-chen move. As this is happening the left hand has turned palm down and is apparently holding its coins at the fingertips. However, the coins have actually been re-palmed into a classic palm position.
The left hand now appears to toss its coins upon the table however, as the left hand opens and makes a tossing motion towards the table, it is the right hand coins which are secretly released. This is the hang-ping-chen move and it should appear as if the left hand coins are simply tossed to the table. The left hand retrieves the coins from the table and once again closes into a fist.
The audience believes each hand to be holding two coins however, all four coins are now being held inside the right fist. Make another gesture and release another coin form the left hand classic palm so that it strikes the two coins being held at the fingertips. Place all three coins onto the table to show that another coin has travelled. To end the routine, these coins can be picked up and given to the spectator to hold while secretly adding the forth coin. The spectator holds four coins but believes that he has three. Blow on the right fist and then open it to display it empty. Have the spectator open his fist to reveal four coins.

 
Comments:Special care and attention must be paid to positioning of the hands in this and any coins across routine. The hands should occupy the same space throughout the routine. They should be positioned at waist level and at shoulder width apart. Do not hold the hands too close together. The hands should be held as still and as motionless as possible. Be careful with the timing as each travels across. Don’t open the hands too quickly, pause a few beats before revealing the passage of each coin. If the hands look too busy, much of the effect will be lost. The handling should appear slow, deliberate and precise.

 

Reversed Card Prediction – Soumya Deb.

Requirements: One pack of double face cards, same on both sides.  One Double back card and one ordinary deck, with a matching back.
Set up : Place double back card in the middle of the ordinary deck.  Place it on the table, face up.
Presentation: Fan the double face deck in front of a spectator.  Ask him to select any card and name it.
As he names his selection, you remove the card from the fanned deck. Place the card on the table.  Close the deck and place it in your pocket.  Now push the selected (double face card) in the middle of the ordinary face up deck.  Then spread the deck on the table, and show there is one card which you had previously placed face down in the deck (the double back).  What is that card?
Close the deck.  Reverse it and again spread it on the table.  Show the reversed card matches the spectator’s choice. ( Actually the spectator sees the other side of his chosen card).
Note: It may be difficult to get a full deck of Double Face Cards, same on both sides.  In that case, you can easily perform the effect, using a smaller number of cards (even 6 or 8).