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Berglass Effect

Well, we cannot discuss methods here (at least not very openly), but here is another performance of the Berglas Effect by Lu Chen in front of an audience of top magicians (including David Berglas himself!) at EMC 2011:

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjgzNzQ5NTgw.html

Pretty good, huh? :)

ETA: For the Marc Paul performance linked to in the OP, I'm thinking P.-S. work. Just a guess, though. ACAAN has many possible methods.
 
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Aagh. I am torn between reactions on the Berglas Effect, particularly Lu Chen's version which I have seen before, and descriptions of Berglas' original.

One, as a spectator I love to be fooled, and I think it's marvelous that such skill exists. I'd pay good money to see Lu Chen in person.

Two, as a student of magic and a curious fellow, I would love to know the methods.
Sadly, I have absolutely no clue, though I choose to rule out stooges of any sort (as well as ps).
 
AdMan said:
Well, we cannot discuss methods here (at least not very openly), but here is another performance of the Berglas Effect by Lu Chen in front of an audience of top magicians (including David Berglas himself!) at EMC 2011:

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjgzNzQ5NTgw.html

Pretty good, huh? :)

ETA: For the Marc Paul performance linked to in the OP, I'm thinking P.-S. work. Just a guess, though. ACAAN has many possible methods.
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Pre-show work?
 
Garrette said:
I don't know about Paul's version, but as I said, for Lu Chen, I discount it, though without real reason.
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I tend to as well, based on the fact he was performing for magicians and I have a feeling he wouldn't use such an obvious method.

But who knows? Maybe I'm wrong. I've got The Berglas Effects by Kaufman and Berglas, and I'm still clueless as to how Lu Chen did it.
 
Wow, now that's a fascinating trick. Even if it's ps it's impressive.

(if it is stooges let's just say I'd be disillusioned ;) )
 
Not knowing much about magic, could someone explain what "pre-show work" is?
 
Google doesn't work where you are?

To say more would be to discuss secrets, which is verboten.

A
 
Galteeth said:
Not knowing much about magic, could someone explain what "pre-show work" is?
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aofl said:
Google doesn't work where you are?

To say more would be to discuss secrets, which is verboten.

A
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If you do Google it and find out what you think it is, you may very well be technically correct, but as in most things regarding magical methods, you will likely understand very little about its effective use. There are many things that are mostly badly used by magicians; ps is one of them. In the hands of someone who understands it, though, it allows miracles.
 
Googling "pre-show work" does not turn up anything that resembles a definition. My assumption of what it literally sounds like would be anything that is done prior to the show. Obviously, with most magic tricks, there is work done before the show that goes into the tricks, like props or whatever. However, given the way the term was used in the post, it sounded like it had a specific connotation (slightly disparaging) that I am not familiar with.

I assumed the berglass effect was "safe" to discuss as I assume that nobody here, at least insofar as the version done in the video, actually knows for sure how it's accomplished.

Perhaps you could give me a hypothetical example that does not pertain to a specific "effect"?
 
Galteeth said:
Googling "pre-show work" does not turn up anything that resembles a definition. My assumption of what it literally sounds like would be anything that is done prior to the show. Obviously, with most magic tricks, there is work done before the show that goes into the tricks, like props or whatever. However, given the way the term was used in the post, it sounded like it had a specific connotation (slightly disparaging) that I am not familiar with.

I assumed the berglass effect was "safe" to discuss as I assume that nobody here, at least insofar as the version done in the video, actually knows for sure how it's accomplished.

Perhaps you could give me a hypothetical example that does not pertain to a specific "effect"?
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As has been mentioned, we can't discuss secrets here (even when we aren't sure if we're discussing the actual method used--we'd still be talking about magic/mentalism techniques).

But here you go: http://www.ronjo.com/magic/bkcrtrses.html

ETA: Oops, it looks like that book may be out of print. Here's another suggestion: http://www.paulbrook.co.uk/heknows/thegift.htm
 
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Garrette said:
If you do Google it and find out what you think it is, you may very well be technically correct, but as in most things regarding magical methods, you will likely understand very little about its effective use. There are many things that are mostly badly used by magicians; ps is one of them. In the hands of someone who understands it, though, it allows miracles.
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lol, I thought ps meant "positive suggestion" not "pre-show work". Thanks for clearing that up :blush:
 
Furcifer said:
lol, I thought ps meant "positive suggestion" not "pre-show work". Thanks for clearing that up :blush:
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Yeah, I do know that "suggestion" as a technique in mentalism is not really part of how things are done, because you can't leave stuff to chance.
 
Galteeth said:
Yeah, I do know that "suggestion" as a technique in mentalism is not really part of how things are done, because you can't leave stuff to chance.
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While this is true, I also think that it takes a really good magician who is 'quick on his wits' to take advantage of those precious and rare times when "chance" produces what seems to the audience to be a miracle.

:)
 
Galteeth said:
Yeah, I do know that "suggestion" as a technique in mentalism is not really part of how things are done, because you can't leave stuff to chance.
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That makes perfect sense. Of course ruling out ways to do this trick just makes it all the more impressive. If there's one downfall of being a skeptic it's that it makes tricks and illusions somewhat boring. This Berglas Effect has piqued my interests again. I'm totally clueless for now, going with mirrors ;)
 
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