So we all know it happens and it is a very important part of what we do. After the show someone walks up and says so how did you get into magic? We stare blankly at them as if this is the first time someone has ask such a profound question and either a blow them off like they are in idiot or b come up with some lame story about the first trick we ever saw and ask them if they want to see it. Hell no they do not want to see it. They are interested in getting to know more about you not your stupid ass tricks. I mean when you ask an author how we got into writing do you expect him to hand you a book and say read this? If you ask a musician how he got into music do you expect him to whip out his piano and say listen to this?  

If liking us, is an important part of them liking what we do. We should think more about how we relate to people in social situations. I know that most of us got involved in magic to overcome some socially awkwardness that we were born with, that’s why we should strive that much harder to have intellectual, entertaining and sincere story to tell.

I personally believe that these small moments of after the show interaction are as important if not more important than our show. So write a script for what you will say next time someone ask hey how did you do that thing with the milk and the light bulb.

As saying stuff like, very well! or can you keep a secret cause so can I, only proves to people that you really did get into magic in an attempt to overcome your social ackwardness and inability to grow up.

Just my thoughts,

Brent Braun



 I cannot explain to you how excited I am about the new book on Torched and Restored I have seen a lot of people perform this effect since it was released 10 years ago and most people seem to not understand what makes it such a great effect. I feel like this may have been my fault as the original write up was ok at best and only contained the method for the effect. I left out all the thoughts and ideas that I had spent months thinking about assuming that no one would be interested. What I found is if you do not understand what is important about the effect then you cannot express the effect properly to your audience.

All of that is now a thing of the past Mathew Bennett and I sat down for hours while he interviewed me about the effect and the creation process. He then painstaking transcribed all of my disjointed thoughts into what has to be the best write-up of the effect possible. This leaves nothing for you to wonder or figure out. You will not only learn how to properly execute each phase you will understand why each phase is important and how to make this effect as powerful as possible.

Even if you already own Torched and Restored you will be interested in reading what Matt has written. 

Just my thoughts,

Brent Braun

I know it's suppose to make sense. I don’t still use a phone that is tethered to a wall. I retired my 8 track players years ago, and I cannot imagine that I used to actually get up off the couch to change the channel!

I mean, what the hell? - technology has changed my life for the better in so many ways. When I first put up this website I made promises of instant downloadable effects and e-books. The truth, is I lied. It was not my intent to lie or to deceive people. I just thought, hell it’s so much easier to make and email e-books than to actually sell a physical object.

Well, after reading all the work and thought that has gone into the first chapter of what will one day be an entire book. I snapped out of my greedy easy-way-out mentality and I realized that if it is worth reading, then it is worth printing.

If I do not believe that it has enough value to be printed why the hell should you think it has enough value to be read. I also realized that in the last year I have bought around 20 e-books and have never read any of them more than once. Compare that to the amount of times I have read all the books on my bookshelf. Some of the books aren’t even that good but on a rainy day I pick one up and read it again trying to understand what the author was really trying to tell me.

I now understand that there is something valuable about holding a book, and reading it, and rereading it.
Well I have to be getting on now. It is getting late, and my lamp is running low on oil.

Just my thoughts,

Brent Braun

www. fix my trick .com The most important magic review site in the world!

Rating:

Reviewed by Jeff Stone

This trick hits the mark (pun fully intended... in fact I thought long and hard about what to open this review with that would be relatively clever and sort of puny. But I digress, and I do digress quite well I might add). Anyhoo, you didn't have to read that last bit, after all, it was a parenthetical statement. So if you haven't hung up yet, you'll be glad you're still here. I know I'm rambling, and I haven't said anything about the trick yet, but in case you haven't noticed, I'm stalling hoping to get a bunch of people to stop reading out of boredom. See if people quit reading now, they'll never know how good this effect is, and they won't buy it, and I'll have it all to myself (insert your own "my precious" joke here). Alright, alright, I'll review it, otherwise Bryce will stop sending me stuff to review. So in a nutshell: Get this trick! Here's why: First, the illusion is P.E.R.F.E.C.T! It absolutely looks like you threw the dart at the fluttering cards and pinned the selection. You truly only need a deck of cards and a dart and something to stick the dart in (like maybe the detached Ricky Jay head prop from the X-Files set). Just for clarity, here's the effect: Spectator picks a card and signs it. The spectator shuffles the deck and hands it back to you. You spring the cards in the air and throw a dart through the fluttering cards. The dart pins the signed card to the dart board. No palming, no stooges, no switches. It really is the signed card on the dart board, and once the dart impales the card and is on the board, the spectator can remove it from the dart board. There are no duplicates and no switches. I know it sounds impossible, but it's not. Fork over the 30 bones and you'll see for yourself. As for the product quality itself, the lighting and sound are a little amateurish at times, but the navigation and the content covered are excellent. Brent covers every detail you can imagine for this effect. How to do it close up or on stage. How to do it with an assistant (not a stooge) or without. He tips a bunch of fun comedy bits you can throw (yes... I said "throw") into the routine, and so much more. I'm not a fan of one-trick DVDs usually, especially for $30.00 bucks. I'll make an exception if it's more that you're buying a prop that comes with an instructional DVD. However, just one trick (no props, etc) for $30.00 bucks seems to be a bit over priced. However, there is always the argument that if you use the effect, it's worth the expense, and this is the kind of effect that can be a reputation maker for sure. I'm seriously considering adding this to my stand up act. It makes a "simple card trick" play huge and fills the stage. Highly recommended... lost a .5 point for price...

Thanks Jeff I am glad you like the effect.

I also wanted to take this time to point out the new lower retail price of Bullseye. Bullseye now retails for only $15!

I know its crazy and way to cheap and all that stuff but as I mentioned at the beginning of this post I am trying to make myself feel loved. What better way to do that, than to have more people performing this great effect. If you already have it email me and let me know what you think. If you do not have it yet. Now is the perfect time to head on over to the deals section so you can pick it up for only $15 Including free international shipping.

Just my thoughts,

Brent Braun

When Howie performed it there was still no cover he tried to rely on the speed to cover the move. I later Saw Richard turner perform the move he used his thumb to spin the deck instead on the fingers. This added cover but looked overly hidden. I then started to search for a way to cover the move but allow the packets to stay in view.

  I believe this shift is bestperfomed qiuckly as seen in clip 3. Performed this way it is invisble from almost all angles.

Using it with a cut card is just an idea and would need to be worked on long enough to make it smooth. With practice I also believe you could have the first packet placed square onto the cut card and in the process of completing the cut drag the deck backwards on the cut card this would eliminate the part of the cut card that flashes and also allow the spectator to do the initial cutting action.

The face up pass in the video is being performed by Matt Bennett. The interesting thing to note is that Matt was unfamiliar with this move and learned it 20 minutes before this was filmed. The great thing about this shift is once you understand the finger placement and a few rules the shift almost does its self.

Just my thoughts,

Brent Braun

Okay maybe I never really read that article. Hell maybe it does not even exist. I just got upset today after Google informed me that the most popular search result leading to this website is "Decks Lies and Videotape torrent". What the hell if anyone wants a free copy of my DVD just have the balls to ask. I am a pretty nice guy and I can always find other ways to feed my family.
I am know getting off his soap box and returning to my regular life.

Just my thoughts,

Brent Braun

Some people spend their whole lives lying , drinking, abusing drugs or trying to be something they are not, because "They cannot handle the truth".

Then I come along and shatter the illusion of what people really think about them. When confronted with this reality they have 2 choices either makes excuses and call me an asshole, or call me an asshole and then spend the next few hours thinking about what I am saying and understanding that I am only telling them what I think because I care.

So next time I tell you that you flashed, or that your costume looks like it was bought from a pizzeria that went out of business, or that you wasted your day making excuses, or that the joke you just added to your show is neither original nor funny, or that wearing a tie with cards on it will never advance your career, or that your mom only thinks you are the worlds greatest magician because she also thought you were a “cute baby”.

Please just smile, thank me and whisper “asshole” under your breath as you walk away, because you are afraid to tell me what you think.

Just my thoughts,

Brent Braun

Matt I have been talking about writing it up. I am just not sure if people will understand the true power of this device.

We are putting the final touches on Torched & Restored and hope to have it available soon.

Just my thoughts,

Brent Braun

The problem has been finding time to sit down and put my thoughts on paper.

Well I have been lucky enough to hire a great friend and excellent writer, Matthew Bennett. Matt is a professional writer and has been involved in magic for several years. I cannot express to you how excited I am about Matt joining this project. In the next few months there will be a lot of exciting things coming from us.

This will include -

An updated version of Torched and Restored

The 2 most effective card at number effects that you can perform in stand up situations

The “Dead easy Deck switch” which I have used to fool rooms full of magicians

A version of Out of Sight Out of Mind that plays big

The real work on the Ball Through Glass plot

We may even include an essay on the “speed bump joke” and what makes it such an effective marketing tool

In the mean time, please bear with Matt and I while we make this happen. Thanks for you patience.

Just my thoughts,

Brent Braun