Animated Miracles - Yigal Mesika

Animated Miracles

By

Yigal Mesika

Written

Yigal Mesika

First Translation / Layout by

Anthony

Brahams

Additional Writing / Translation / Presentation by

Ori Ashkenazy

IIlustrations by

Menny Lindenfield

Published by

<QCopyright, Yigal Mesika 2004 First Printing 1998 Second Printing 1999 Third Printing 2000 Fourth Printing 2003 Fifth Printing 2004

All Rights Reserved.

No part ofthis book may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical or be used in lectures, without written permission

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Contents

. P re fa ce . . . ... . . .. . . . .. . . .. . 4

. Introduction

5

. Loop Basics

6

. The Animated Fork

8

. Phenomenon Fork

9

. Fa 1/i ng . . . .. . . . ... . . .. . 10

. The Floating Card

11

. Jumping Fork from G/ass

12

. Mystery G/asses. ...

... 13

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. Self Reveling,Card

14

. Matchical Magnetism

16

. A Touching Trick

17

. The Floating Ring

..

18

Preface

Wouldn't it be great ifyou could...

.. .animate a selected card out of a borrowed deck. ..

.. .control objects seemingly with the power ofyour mind...

...animate a fork to find out what someone wants to eat. ..

. ..make someone feel the electricity ramming between your hands. . .

.. .borrow a finger ring and immediately makefloat in mid air. ..

.. .make objects mysteriously leap from someone else's' hand to yours...

.. .ifyou could do all this while in the... sau~a???

AII that and much more is quite possible with the power of the Loop.

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Very few girnmicks are as versatile and powerful as the Loop. It is quite easy to use, not well known, has an incredible effect, is always ready, requires no special hook-ups; good for close-up, mentalism and stage. What more can you ask?

Yigal Mesika is an incredibly talented young magician from Israel. He has created many powerful new ~ffects with the Loop. He also found it necessary to improve the quality ofthe loop and so, for the past seven years Yigal has searched until he found a better way to manu-facture the loop. The product you find here can be stretchéd up to 400% of it's original size, and is perfectIy suited, in strength and invisibility, for the routines found in this book. Most of these effects were created by Yigal Mesika. The rest of the effects, as indicated, were compiled from the repertoires of working magicians, Yigal's friends. All the presentations described here were by myself.

Loop effects require lots of practice to do well, but they are rewarding. Invest whatever time is necessary to make all the "work" seem natural and effortless. Once you start performing loop effects you will see the power that it has on people.

Be careful, don't overuse the Loop.

Think of it as a deadly weapon, you need not shoot the audience more than once or twice to kill.

"Have a wonderful journey around the Loop."

Introduction

This book is dedicated to the art of magic. Inside you will find the knowledge that has given me success and helped me entertain and amaze audiences in an unforgettable way."".

There are many techniques available for threadwork and 1have tried most. 1have found the Loop (invisible elastic band) to work best for me. Some of the many things that make the Loop so attractive are it's practicality, versatility, and ease ofuse. Remember, the secret is in simplicity.

1 have also noticed that virtually every magician who works with Loops finds new routines and presentations that click with their personal style, and suits their individual persona best. Many magicians think that the audience knows and suspects threads when they see a magi-cian floating objects. My experience shows that not only is this wrong, but the audiences appreciate and are inspired by these effects, and wish that they could do it to. The audience will only suspect the use of threads when the misdirection is off.

Study your own natural behavior and leam to use misdirection.

Within these pages you will find reallife, direct, powerful and unforgettable/MlRA CLES.

Here's what one customer had to say:

HAtfirst you will think loops are okay, and then you will find that they can break easily and get rost. You may become very disappointed at first, but if you stick with Loops long enough, you will have the greatest piece of magic there is"

Acknowledgements: I

1 must give full credit to and thank the brilliant magician Finn Jon who invented the loop and many wonderful routines utilizing it. AlLthose who work with Loops owe this genius a great de al of gratitude for originating this phenomenal girnmick.

Many thanks also to George Proust, owner of the patent and main distributor of the Loop, who sold me full rights for production and distribution of the Loop.

Throughout the text credit has been given to all those people who contributed their ideas. So once again - thank you, your creations are wonderful!

1would especially like to thank my two good friends Menny Lindenfield and Hiam Golden-berg for all ofthe time and effort that they have put into this project.

Keep in mind that the only way to truly convince your audience that you have

"supernatural

powers" is to create magic in the aire

-

Yigal Mesika

Loop

Basics

Treatment and Care

If you have no experience with this product we would suggest that you practice the routines with a rubber band or tie a circle üf thread before attempting to use the loop. The thread can break iftoo much tension is applied so do not stretch the loop more than 25 centime-terso

Loops are very delicate and they do gather dirt around them. No matter how thin the thread is - if it's dirty it will be seen. Keep it clean and safe by putting it back in it's packing after use.

Also, if it does get dirty, use your fingers to gather the dirt to one area, where the knot is, color it with a black permanent marker and keep that part of the band always behind your hand.

If you have loose fibers on your clothing,the loop could get caught on them and might break, avoid it by keeping the loop away from clothing and remove it from your wrist when changing clothes.

Lighting

As in all thread work, the real danger is not that the audience will see the thread itself but the light it reflects. Before you perform always check that the lighting conditions are suitable.

Do not work with the thread in direct light unless you can shade it in some way. You can even use the spectators themselves for shad-ing, saying that these forces only work in the dark. Try to use confusing patterns for background surfaces;

Avoid working on shiny backgrounds, especially black, because they can and will reflect the bando Also, do not have the thread stretched for a longer time than is necessary.

Never work under direct sunlight.

Putting

the Loop on your hand

Hold the card of loops with your left hand, the left thumb holds all the loops down except the one you want to use. Bend the center of the card away from you.(Fig. l)

Place your right thumb under the loop that is furthest to the right and slide your hand into it. (Fig .2)

Stretch the loop carefully upwards to release it from the top of the card.(Fig.3) 1 2 3

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Free the loop cornpletely frarn the card by giving the card a quarter tum counter-clockwise. (Fig. 4).

Now use your left fingers to help you place the loop on your right wrist. (Fig. 5)

With the loop on your wrist it wÚl be available when you need it, but, being elastic, will not get in the way.

Placement

The position of the loop, inactive, resting on your wrist will be referred to as Rest Positioll. (Fig. 5)

When perforrning rnost of the effects presented here, you rnust get into the Palm POSitiOll,(Fig. 6) - ~cross the palrn of the right hand. With the loop in Rest Position pinch the loop with your left thurnb and forefinger and pull it slightly up. Hook the loop with your left second finger, pull it over the right thurnb and let go.

In sorne of the effects the loop does not have to go all the way around the thurnb but should rest on the thurnb, behind the knuckle. We call this the Thumb POSitiOll.(Fig. 7)

The pracess ofbringing the loop frorn Rest to Palrn Position has no natural rnisdirectional cover, so it rnust be done while focus is else-where or when your hands are out of sight, as when tuming your back-to let the spectator show his card to the rest of the crowd. After the routine is ended, to clean up, insert your left second or third finger as a hook, pull the loop up over the right thurnb and on to the wrist.

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And now, for the real Magic.

The Animated

Fork

Effect

A fork is placed on a table and mysteriously moves.

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Method

Rave the loop in Palm Position. With the left hand pick up the fork by the middle of the handle and hold it upright, the bend of the prongs away from you. The right hand gestures to your forehead, and then comes down to rub the back of the fork. As the right hand descends hook the loop on one ofthe prongs.(Fig. 1)Do not look at the fork during that action. '-Place the fork on the table, pointing away from you. Position your hands roughly 10 cm above it and 30 cm aparto(Fig. 2)

Slowly begin to move your hands apart, keeping their height. The fork will move, following your hand, tuming like a dial to the right. (Fig. 3)

The fork will move until the loop will release itself and spring back to your hand. With practice you will be able to control the motion of the fork.

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Fork Finds Food

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Routine

The magician places a gift box on the table and says "it's a little something to give you ataste of my magic, It can be any of the foods named here". Re shows 20-30 cards with different food names and asks the spectator to choose one ofthem (let's assume'he chooses Cake). The cards are spread face down in a semicircle in front of the spectator. The magician asks the spectator to hold a Psychic Fork near his mouth and imagine the taste of his chosen food. The fork is then placed near the cards, where it slowly moves,

until it stops, pointing to one of the face down cards. The card is tumed over to show that it names the selected food. The performer invites the spectator to pick up the fork, open the gift box (in which he finds a piece of cake) and take a bite.

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The trick depends on a force. You may use any force you prefer. Rave the force card marked on the back in some secret way. After the card is chosen and replaced, as you spread the cards face down, have the chosen card third or fourth from the right. Animate the fork so that it stops moving when it points to the cardo

Phenomenon Fork

Effect

A fork is placed on a hard surface and begins to spin rapidly as the magician waves his hand abovéht. It stops and spins in the other direction. As soon as it stops it can be picked up for examination by the audience.

Method

The fork needed for the effect should be wide and flat at the bend so that if placed flat on a table with the prongs pointing down it will balance and spin uninterruptedly. If it doesn't then you can increase the bend of the fork until you can spin it freely. The weight of the fork is of no importance.

Have the loop in Palm Position. With the left hand pick up the fork by the middle of the handle and hold it upright, the prongs pointing away from you. The right hand gestures to your forehead and then comes down to take the fork. As the right hand descends, hook the loop on any ofthe prongs. Look at the spectators while this is being done. (Fig. 1)

The right hand places the fork on the table, (Fig. 2) with the prongs pointing down, then rises straight up about 15 cm until the loop is taut.

Keeping constant height, the right hand begins to make small antic1ockWisecirc1es. The fork will begin to spin. If you want to make it stop, raise your right hand a little. After it stops, reverse the direction ofthe movement and the fork will follow. (Fig. 3)_I

As it begins to spin, move your hand further to the right to re1ease the loop. It will snap back to starting position and the fork will keep rotating a1thoughyour hands are far away. (Fig. 4)

Presentation

idea

"Boy am I Hungry, luckily I always have my Gourmet Compass with me. It's going to show me where there is good food around here." Bring out a fork and spin it as already described, have it stop when pointing to a jacket wearing victim. Pet your belly, wiggle your tongue and go to him. Reach into his pocket, take out a sand-wich, unwrap it and take a bite.

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To work this trick you will need, in addition to a loop, a sandwich and a fork, either a stooge or sleight of hand. If you use a stooge you will only need to control the fork so it stops on him. In the more common case, where the magician can rely only on himself, pretend to take a sandwich out of the spectator'sjacket by using any ofthe methods described in Tarbell Course Volume 5 - Hat & Coat Productions. Try the one at p.224 - 'Production of a Bottle ofMilk or Liquor from a Gentleman's Hip Pocket.

Falling

. . .

Effect

An object is placed on the table in front ofthe performer (a match-box for the sake of illustration). Passing his hands around it, he makes it fall.

Method

Rave the loop at Palm Position across your right palmo While rubbing your hands together insert your left forefinger between the loop and your right palm - catching the strand on the first joint.

(Fig. 1) ,

Move your hands apart to both sides of the matchbox, stretching the loop carefully until it is tight. Let the loop touch the matchbox light1yon the side nearest you. (Fig. 2)

By slightly moving your hands the matchbox will fall down myste-riously. Bend slightly the left forefinger and the loop will snap back to the right hand. (Fig. 3)

Presentation Ideas

* Tell your audience about Telekinesis and how you once doubted it, until you witnessed what you believe to be the real thing. Give a brief demo by making the matchbox fall. "1 used to think of myself as a skeptic until I leamed all that, that's when I really became one!".

Although this is very simple to do, it can be made quite strong.

* Use it on any other light object. If you do Gospel or Biblical Magic then use it to tell the story of Jericho.

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The Floating

Card

Ori Ashkenazy

Effect

The magician, holding a deck of cards, takes one card with his right fingers and causes it to remain suspended from his thumb. Re slowly removes his hand away and the card remains floating in mid-air. The magician then blows on the card and it falls down to the floor.

Method

Move the loop from the wrist into Palm Position.

Rold the deck face down in the left hand dealing position. Push the top card ofthe deck to the right with your left thumb. Take the card with the right fingers below and thumb above. While taking the card, your left second finger contacts the right palm and hooks the loop. (Fig. 1) Part your hands until the loop is taut, keeping the card above both strands. (Fig. 2)

Carefully balance the card on the two strands, push gently down with the right thumb and remove the right fingers. The card will appear to adhere your right thumb. (Fig. 3)

Slowly take your thumb away from the card being careful not to disturb the balance of the card on the loop. The card appears to be floating in mid-air. (Fig. 4)

Pause for a couple of seconds and then blow air on the card, simultane-ously releasing the loop from the left second finger's hook. The card will fall down to the floor and the loop will spring back to your right palmo

Presentation

Idea

and a ,Routine

y ou can perform the floating card a~,a c1imax to an Ambitious Card routine. After performing a few variations of the card rising to the top of the pack, perform the floating card, explaining that it keeps coming to the top because the card is "lighter than air"

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*A Strong Illusion

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Rave a card selected, remembered and replaced. Secretly bring it to the topoDouble lift to show an indifferent card and leave it face up on the

pack. Apparently moisten your right thumb to make the card adhere to it. Unsuccessful, tum the double card face down and push the top card (the selection) to the right with your left thumb. PreteJ;ld to wet your thumb again and bring it on top of the cardoThis time hook the loop and make thecard apparentIy stick to the thumb. "You might think that the card adheres to my thumb". The thumb is then removed and the card floats, "You might think it's actually floating in the air", let the card fall face down on the floor. Tum the card face up to show it has become the selection. "You might think it has become your card", top change and hand him the card face down. "But, this is all an illusion." Let the spectator tum the card over as you palm his card from the top of the deck and produce it from your pocket.

Jumping Fork from Glass

Gerard Senehi & Yigal Mesika

Effect

The magician performs a little concerto with a fork on the rim of a wineglass. The fork is then placed into the glass. The magician conducts the fork, waving his hands over the glass. The fork begins to slowly c1imbout of the glass and suddenly jumps out, dramati-cally falling down to the table.

Method

For this effect you need a very light fork, preferably one I?ade of

plastic or very light metal. '

Have the loop in Palm Position.

With the left hand pick up the fork by the middle of the handle and hold it upright, the bendof the prongs away from you. The right hand comes down to take the fork. Look at the audience while you hook the loop on one of the prongs. (Fig. 1)

Take the fork by the handle with the right hand and lift the wine-glass with the left. Announce: '1 would like to play some music.' Playa short rhythm with the fork on the rim of the glass. Look at the audience disappointed and say: '1 see that it didn't impress you so muchoLets have the fork play by itself.

Drop the fork in the glass, take the glass in the right hand and give it a quarter tum c1ockwise.(Fig. 2)

Set the glass down on the table. Raise both hands above the fork stretching the loop until it is tight and begin to perform the gestures of an orchestra conductor to make the fork c1imbup slowly and fall out ofthe glass. (Fig .3)

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The loop will automatically spring back to your hand as the fork jumps out and everything can be left there for the audience to grabo

Mystery

Glasses

Gerard Senehi

Effect

A pair of sunglasses is placed on a table. Mysteriously they stand up on their own and, in some cases, the frame-arms fold shut.

Method

Rave the loop at Thumb Position as described in Loop Basics. Borrowing any glasses take them with your left hand as if you were about to put them on. As you add the right hand, let the right frame-arm hook on the loop near the right palmo(Fig. 1)

Place the glasses on a flat surface, releasing the thumb. (Fig. 2) Lift your hands upwards until you feel the tension build, but don't let the glasses move just yet.

This is when the magic happens.

It should seem as if you don't move your hands at all, because very -little upward motion is needed. With just the slightest lift of your right hand, the glasses mysteriously stand with the frame arms pointing upwards. (Fig. 3) When they do, the loop will

automati-- callysnapbackto yourhand.

The glasses will either remain standing, fall over or close shut, depending on their design and balance.

When using your own glasses it is a good id~a to have their hinges loosened slightly.

"

Presentatíon Ideas

* Rold a book in your hand and tell the audience that you couldn't put it down all night because it was so spooky. When you finally did put the book and your glasses away, you had to face an even more

spooky reality. Do the animation with the glasses on the book. * If you want to appear as a miracle worker, plant a stooge with good eyesightin the audience with glasses. Ask him up and say that you will help him reduce the need for glasses. Tell him to take off his glasses and close his eyes. Place his glasses on the table and have them stand up and fold shut.

* Borrow someone's glasses and, mentioning how sexy they look, place them on the table. Put a Viagra pill between the frame arms and watch the glasses stand up.

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Self

Revealing Card

This is what Gary Kurtz has to say about this trick:

"Yigal, your handling ofthe

'Haunted Pack' is by far

the best 1 have ever seen. Both this and the 'Spinning

Fork' are going directly into my show! Your effects are

beyond improving.

Effect

If you ever dreamed of doing the Raunted Pack with any deck, with no special hook-ups and no get-ready,

This is it!

A card is freely selected and retumed to the deck. The deck is squared and placed on any surface. The magician waves his hands some distance above the cards and the deck mysteriously separates. One card pops out of the deck. It is shown to be the selection, and all may be handed out to the audience for immediate examination.

Method

The method here is very direct andsimple, much more than it seems. Start by having the Loop at Thumb Position.

Fan the cards and let a spectator choose a cardoTransfer the deck to the right hand and hold it in Middle Position.

As he looks at the card or shows it to the rest of the crowd, with your left third finger, reach beneath the deck, hook the loop and bring it around the left long side of the deck. (Fig. 1 & 2)

Riffle the left outer comer of the deck with your left thumb asking the spectator to call stop. Time the riffle so that he stops you anywhere in the upper half. (Fig. 3)

Rold the separation with your right forefmger, take his card with your left hand and insert it at the left side of the deck. As the card is ins~ertedit will automatically engage the Loop. (Fig. 4)

Square the deck and place it on the table or on a glass. Rold your hands about 15 cm above the pack. Move the hands apart and the deck will begin to slowly cut itself. The upper part will slide to the righí. (Fig. 5)

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Once the deck split itself, move your right hand above of the pack, keep-ing the same height, and then slowly raise the hand up. The upper half will straighten itself and the selected card will spring out of the deck. (Fig. 6)

Pick the deck up with the right hand and ask the spectator to take out the protruding card and make sure that it is the selection. (Fig. 7)

While he does, take the deck with your left hand by the inner left comer and bring your right hand forward, to take the card from him, releasing the loop. (Fig. 8)

Prevent breakage of the thread by using a fair1ynew deck for this effect. Preferably use "Bee" blue back design to better camouflage the thread.

Clearly Haunted

- A Presentatían

Idea

After a card is chosen and retumed to the deck you suddenly 'feel' the presence of a spirit.

Usea drinking glass to capture the ghost and trap it with the deck on topo -Set theglass down on a table, on the floor or you can even let someone

hold it.

Wave your hands to perform the animation, as if conducting a séance and let the card come out as slowly as you can. Let the spectator draw the

card and showthat it is his. As he does,insertyour right thumbinto the

-loop.

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To c1eanup, pick the glass up with the right hand. With the left hand lift the deck off the glass, as if "to let the ghost flyaway"

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Try doing the trick with tarot cards!

Matchical

_Magnetism

Effect

A match held by a spectator visibly jumps to join another match in the magician's hand.

Method and Presentation.

Have a loop at Palm Position.

Give a matchbox to a spectator saying , "Here, Shuffle these matches we11,pick a match, any match, remember it, put it back into the box, shake it. This is it, right?".

Whatever the response is to the above gag, take the match in your left hand and engage it in the Loop, as you bring your right hand to take it. (Fig. 1)

Take it with the right second finger and thumb at the long ends with the forefinger hiding the thread. (Fig. 2 & 3) Figure 2 is an exposed

view.

Ask the spectator to take out and hand you any other match.

Look at the matches and say "What a perfect choice, see how they match. They are a very matchical pair. Here, hold him. 1'11hold her. 1 always get the girls".

Give him the right hand's match to hold between his thumb and first finger. Te11him not to move his hand.

Drop the other match into the palm up right hand and pu11it gently away from his hand until you feel the tension of the thread on the back ofyour hand. (Fig. 4)

Ask the spectator to let go. The match wi11jump into your waiting right hand as ifto join it's mate. Close your fist on both, look at the matches and say: "Hey, stop it, you're playing with fire here". The jumping match could also be utilized as a climax to a "Matches Across" routine, where matches travel invisibly from one of tñe magician's hands to the other.

The effect can be performed with toothpicks or straws. Paper matches won't get caught on the loop, wooden ones sometimesdo.

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