Transit by Calen Morelli

[Michael Kras]

Class is boring sometimes. When it's boring, I whip out the laptop and film magic videos. Here's a video of me messing around with Transit by Calen Morelli in the middle of class... I refuse to call it a performance, so let's just refer to it as a demonstration. Regardless, enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IusUuDAM29g

 

[MalibuARMY]

Nice however it needs work. I know it was not a performance but it was a bit borderline on revealing. Many want to know the secret and if they look close enough at this one part they might just get it. Just be sure to look at something and go over it before you post it online.

 

[Michael Kras]

Thank you for the feedback... unsure of which point you mean though. I did watch it over and didn't see anything that could constitute a flash.

 

[Toby]

It was good demonstration. Maybe MalibyARMY is refering the part when rubberband goes from middle finger to ring finger.

 

[formula]

The way the "band" looks on your index finger...a rubber band would never stay diagonal like that, it looks abnormal. You also need to work a lot on the transition from the middle to third finger, your hand goes crazy at that point. Finally I think pulling the band off your finger as a finale like you did makes the gimmick a bit obvious.

 

[Michael Kras]

Thank you for the feedback, I appreciate it... this isn't effect I use nor will I ever use it, as I'm a purist and I am almost strictly a card student... I was just messing around in some down time from a vocal rehearsal. Still, that's no excuse for any mistakes I may have made. I never noticed the diagonal of the band nor will anybody else, I feel that's nitpicking a tad. I understand the penetration off my ring finger though... then again, someone who doesn't know the method would have to judge that aspect.

 

[JNGmagic]

i like ur attitude towards school , nice performance

 

[MalibuARMY]

It was good demonstration. Maybe MalibyARMY is refering the part when rubberband goes from middle finger to ring finger.

Yeah, it isn't clean and the main point I was referring to was when you show it on your first finger front and back. It just isn't clean and as respect to the creator Calen please do not post anything or perform anything on the internet when it isn't ready.

 

[RickEverhart]

Thanks for sharing Michael. Believe it or not, I do not own Transit so I do not know how it works but it looked fairly good from my perspective. A bit awkward on one jump and the band being diagonal on your finger as others mentioned does seem weird because the band "truthfully" would not wrap and stay like that. Just food for thought but I like to see progress.

 

[Michael Kras]

Thank you reverhart.... I appreciate your thoughts!

Malibu, telling me to hold off on performances of effects like this is quite frankly insulting. I'm not a youtube magician... when I film myself I perform effects as though I do in real life. And effects do not consistently look perfect in live performance... in fact, most of the time there's a flaw, big or small. But these flaws fly live... on camera, things must be tighter, but I feel filming an effect 20 times until it looks perfect is dishonest. The first finger move is generally sort of unnatural looking... in my video, maybe more than others, but it happens. I never refilm myself unless I've made a large mistake or exposure. With this video, I haven't. I posted my maybe not perfect but perfectly apt performance.

Nevertheless, to appease the armchair critics, I have removed my disgraceful video out of respect to the creator and the magic population as a whole. I hope you remember the service I've just done our art. I'll stick to my cards from now on. God speed.

 

[MalibuARMY]

Thank you reverhart.... I appreciate your thoughts!

Malibu, telling me to hold off on performances of effects like this is quite frankly insulting. I'm not a youtube magician... when I film myself I perform effects as though I do in real life. And effects do not consistently look perfect in live performance... in fact, most of the time there's a flaw, big or small. But these flaws fly live... on camera, things must be tighter, but I feel filming an effect 20 times until it looks perfect is dishonest. The first finger move is generally sort of unnatural looking... in my video, maybe more than others, but it happens. I never refilm myself unless I've made a large mistake or exposure. With this video, I haven't. I posted my maybe not perfect but perfectly apt performance.

Nevertheless, to appease the armchair critics, I have removed my disgraceful video out of respect to the creator and the magic population as a whole. I hope you remember the service I've just done our art. I'll stick to my cards from now on. God speed.

You say "when I film myself I perform effects as though I do in real life. And effects do not consistently look perfect in live performance…" To be honest that is a bad excuse. If you perform something in real life or on a camera to be put out to the rest of the world they should be damn perfect. Otherwise it is an insult to the creator.

"I hope you remember my service I've just done our art." Taking a video down isn't a service. It shouldn't have been up in the first place. Magicians performing something to live people or putting something on youtube for millions of people to watch when the material that you perform isn't ready is what hurts our art.

Just think twice.

Also don't just stick to cards. It is great that you are working on stuff like transit which is far different than cards. We need a variety.

 

[Michael Kras]

I'm usually a perfectionist, at least when it comes to card technique, the unblinking eye of the video camera is just very limiting and, like it or not, effects DO look different from video then they do live. But what's done is done. Regardless, there are numerous god-awful videos of my marketed effects circulating YouTube and I do see from a creator's perspective why they are bothersome. It was just a video of me messing around and it's now down. Aside from some cramped fingers, there was NOTHING wrong with it, but I have too much of a guilty conscience.

I'm sure you'd like me to think the magic you perform is perfect, and I can say without even seeing any of it that it is not. Gereally speaking, perfection in magic is entirely unobtainable, and any attempt to argue this is a laughable one. Insinuating magic should be perfect in order to boost ego doesn't do anyone any favours.

And half of your criticisms in response to my previous post are criticizing things I said which were just flat-out sarcasm.

 

[MalibuARMY]

I'm sure you'd like me to think the magic you perform is perfect, and I can say without even seeing any of it that it is not. Gereally speaking, perfection in magic is entirely unobtainable, and any attempt to argue this is a laughable one. Insinuating magic should be perfect in order to boost ego doesn't do anyone any favours.

Excuse me. Wow, now you are criticizing my magic which you have not seen. I am sorry if I offended you I am just giving you my opinion. Why else would you put this video up as a thread on theory11 unless you wanted people to say good things to boost YOUR ego. Now you turn sour because someone gives you criticism and then you criticize their hard work WHICH YOU HAVE NOT SEEN. I don't say magic should be perfect to boost my ego. Magic should be perfect because if it is anything other than perfect it isn't good. It is borderline on exposing.

I'm done with this.

 

[formula]

I never noticed the diagonal of the band nor will anybody else, I feel that's nitpicking a tad.

Never underestimate your audience.

 

[Luis Vega]

Excuse me. Wow, now you are criticizing my magic which you have not seen. I am sorry if I offended you I am just giving you my opinion. Why else would you put this video up as a thread on theory11 unless you wanted people to say good things to boost YOUR ego. Now you turn sour because someone gives you criticism and then you criticize their hard work WHICH YOU HAVE NOT SEEN. I don't say magic should be perfect to boost my ego. Magic should be perfect because if it is anything other than perfect it isn't good. It is borderline on exposing.

I'm done with this.

I personally think there is certain level of perfection...I disagree that magic MUST be perfect, regardless of the reason...if you have done a routine that is perfect, I think I could easily find something that can be improved and changed...the reason why magic cannot be perfect is that one...it depends of who is looking at it...it could be perfect for you, but for other people can be horrible...also technically is impossible to do perfect magic...because you can never guess what a spectator is going to say or do...when I saw Michael Ammar in that talk show recently...he did a great performance, but the question of the host about if the scarff was gimmicked and Ammar response wasn`t perfect...

Just keep working hard and give your best

 

[MalibuARMY]

Edited due to fixed problem

 

[mehar]

Somebody report this guy. Check out the link at the end of "portal".

How did you notice that?!

 

[MalibuARMY]

How did you notice that?!

My pikachu noticed it. He's like Patrick Jane, he drinks all my tea and looks at things way too closely.

 

[CaseyRudd]

Guys, please remember to stay civil and respectful to each other. It may be hard at times, but when we are respectful we can continue discussion with a clear mind and keep on topic. Thanks.