The
Flicking Fingers present:
The Book or Don’t Forget To Point
by Thomas Fraps, Helge Thun, Jörg Willich
The Book or Don’t Forget To Point
Unfortunately, the signatures are facsimiles as we did not have the time to sign the whole edition of the book. However, we are happy to check the appropriate box to make our signature "original� the next time we see you.
The
Flicking Fingers present:
The Book or Don’t Forget To Point
This is an unabridged translation of “Das Buch”, originally published in Germany by the “Fertige Finger Ferlag” (Thomas Fraps, Helge Thun, Jörg Willich) in 1997. Translation: Thomas Fraps and Dr. Pat Haug Edited by: Richard Kaufman and Matthew Field Illustrations: Joachim “Jogo” Mezger Photographs for drawings: Michelle Spillner Layout and Design: Jörg Willich with the support of Nicole Keller and Christine Hartig This eBook sold exclusively by Conjuring Arts Research Center, New York.
This Edition Created in 2014 By The Conjuring Arts Research Center
Find more great PDFs at our Conjuring Arts store If any errors are found please let us know at support@conjuringarts.org
© Copyright 1998-2014 by Thomas Fraps, Helge Thun, Jörg Willich, and The Flicking Fingers. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, now known or to be invented, without permission in writing.
We dedicate The Book to our parents. Without them life would be pointless.
CO N T E N T S
Contents
6
Don’t Forget To Point
9
Introduction (Max Maven)
10
Introduction (Piet Forton)
13
1. Close-Up The Tweezers (Thomas Fraps) Snap-Shot (Rainer Pfeiffer) Change (Rainer Pfeiffer) Gummi-Bear Penetration (Jörg Willich) Scrooge McDuck (Thomas Fraps) Painting the Town Red (Pit Hartling) The Fruit Cups (Manuel Muerte, Rainer Pfeiffer, Helge Thun)
16 20 22 26 30 33 35
2. Cards Instant Camera Card (Thomas Fraps, Helge Thun) Party Animal (Pit Hartling) Providence '93 (Helge Thun) Bombshell (Helge Thun) Loading Methods - In the Jacket - Impromptu - It Can’t Get Better It’s Shoe-Time! (Manuel Muerte) Double-Bind (Helge Thun) The Chameleon (Pit Hartling) Cupid (Pit Hartling) If Worse Comes to Worse (Thomas Fraps, Helge Thun) The Sympathetic Ten (Jörg Alexander)
48 52 56 62 64 64 65 66 69 73 79 84 88 92
3. Ideas
Hammer Their Socks Off (Jörg Willich) The ...-Idea (Pit Hartling) Flip Flap Flourish (Helge Thun) Action Fan Palm (Helge Thun)
100 102 104 108
Bold and Nut (Nicolai Friedrich) Mismade-Warp (Rainer Pfeiffer) Unfinished (Jörg Willich) Chaos-Cut (Pit Hartling) Out-of-Order Shuffle (Pit Hartling) Thumb-Tips (Stephan Kirschbaum) A Rose is a Rose is a Rose ... (Stephan Kirschbaum) Insider (Thomas Fraps) Dribbled (Thomas Fraps) Sticking to the Gypsy Thread (Jörg Alexander) Stretching “Stretched ” (Peter Gunn)
110 112 114 115 116 118 120 122 124 125 126
4. Theory
Being Creative with Magic (Jörg Willich) Brainstorming – Brainwarming ... (Jörg Willich) The Ice-Cube-Effect (Jörg Willich) The Blind Spot (Thomas Fraps) Acting Wrong (Gaston) Status and Improvisation (Helge Thun)
132 140 141 142 156 162
5. Finally ...
Epilogue (Mike Caveney) Picture Bibliography Acknowledgements
175 176 177
DO N ’ T F O R G ET TO POINT
The History of Pointing The history of pointing begins with Mark Wilson, who is credited for pointing out the importance of this gesture to the magic fraternity in his popular Mark Wilson Course in Magic. Another school of thought popularized by that classic master of magic, Dai Vernon, emphasizes that you must “be natural” (a notion Vernon learned from Dr. Elliott). The following anecdote exemplifies the collision of these two theories: One day Mark Wilson asks Dai Vernon to give his son a private lesson on the principles of close-up magic. Vernon agrees and they hold the lesson at the Close-Up Gallery of the Magic Castle. There, Vernon asks his new pupil to do a French Drop. Afterward, Vernon gives advice on how to do the move more naturally: “First of all, you have to motivate the awkward position of the coin in your hand, so show the date on the coin to some spectators. Second, you have to have a reason for transferring the coin from one hand to the other, so push an ashtray away, or remove some dust from the table, whatever action suits you. Oh — and please, don’t point. Pointing is a ridiculous gesture in the context of close-up magic, so please don’t point.” They continue the lesson and, after an hour, the elder Wilson enters the room to ask how things are going. His son responds: “Dad, look what I learned today,” and demonstrates a technically perfect and natural French Drop. Mark Wilson is impressed and says: “Not bad son, but you forgot to point.” Dai Vernon announces: “The lesson is over.” Inspired by this story we have done some research concerning the evolution of this special gesture and the interesting findings are presented throughout the book as an “illustrated history of pointing.”
9
I N T RODUC TION
by Max Maven
The question is, why am I writing an introduction to this book? The primary answer, of course, is that they asked me to. But why me? The first notion that might spring to mind is that I could add some sort of “name value” to this tome, thereby increasing sales. That is, however, a flawed hypothesis — as amply proven by the sales figures for my own books. I suppose part of the reason has to do with my relationship to the authors. One of the more pleasing aspects of my work is that it allows for a great deal of travel. Almost a decade ago, at assorted European conventions, I began meeting several young German magicians whose creative abilities and performance skills were notably precocious. Although located in diverse parts of the country, they all seemed to know each other. Indeed, it was clear that an informal network was in the process of evolving, thereby enabling and stimulating the active exchange of ideas and information. It was nice to see that this emerging coalition was based on mutual support and encouragement. (Well, at least insofar as it appeared to this foreign observer. For all I know, some of these guys may actually be rapaciously self-serving duplicitous rat bastards. But I digress.) By the mid-1990s, the loose-knit aggregation had developed into a formal entity, dubbed Die Fertigen Finger, which translates to “The Flicking Fingers.” I encountered this now-defined ten-man group in June, 1996 at the German national convention. Their presence was pervasive: Solo members and variegated subsets entered in sundry contest categories, winning eight awards; as an ensemble they presented a delightful close-up gala, and delivered a remarkably clever joint lecture. Writing in the August, 1996 issue of Genii, I hailed their work as having been the highlight of the convention, and detailed the achievements of each Stammesangehöriger, hence introducing the group to a widespread international readership. Since then, they’ve gone on to earn extensive praise from many other sources, particularly after their acclaimed work at the 1997 FISM congress in Dresden. Beyond my public endorsements, individual members of the group have asked for my advice on various matters both artistic and commercial. It would seem that at least in some instances, my opinions proved useful. As a result, my relationship to Die Fertigen Finger has developed to the point that now they apparently view me as sort of a combination Public Relations Flack and High School Guidance Counselor. So, perhaps that explains why I was asked to pen this introduction, but that still leaves the question of why this book requires an introduction in the first place. Here’s my theory: It has to do with the German vocabulary. Consider a language in which you sharpen a pencil with a Bleistiftspitzer, tighten a bolt with a Schraubenschlüssel, and get audited by the Einkommensteuerveranlagungskommission. If you’re attending a Tischgesellschaft and happen to eat some tainted Blätterteig, you’d better hope there’s a Krankenschwester nearby; otherwise, before you can explain you’ve got Lebensmittelvergiftung you’ll probably be abgestorben. This leads me to believe that in its original language, with the same contents, this book was a lot longer. That, in turn, suggests the true reason for this introduction having been solicited: padding. Well, that’s fine with me. Because I’ve had the chance to read much of this material (albeit in its more zusammenschrumpfen English form), and I can tell you there is some excellent stuff in here. 10
The explanations for the effects and routines are not limited to mundane “how-to” technical data. Yes, that information is included; but as you work your way through this book, you’ll discover that a great deal of attention is also paid to psychological framing, dramaturgic subtext, spectator management, and other important elements; indeed, along with the tricks there are a number of stimulating analytical essays that explore many of the less tangible aspects of theatrical conjuring. Moreover, a concerted effort has been put into providing credit references. Quite obviously, these kids take their Geisteswissenschaften seriously. However, don’t let the preceding paragraph mislead you into thinking that this is a ponderous, burdensome book; far from it. If you’ve had the chance to see these guys in performance, you know that they are very funny. Their madcap humor careens through these pages, establishing Die Fertigen Finger as the rightful heirs to the beloved tradition of Teutonic comedy that dates back to Arthur Schopenhauer and has carried on though Richard Wagner, Friedrich Nietzche, Leni Riefenstahl and Wernher von Braun, to name but a few. Actually, in some ways the most interesting thing about this book is that although it was generated by a team from a single country, it is not a specifically “German” product. Of course, this volume has been both formed and informed by the details of their shared cultural and experiential backgrounds; yet this is a polyphyletic work, incorporating ideas from around the globe. Every art form benefits from intercultural exchange. The history of magic is rich with such cross-pollination, although in years gone by it could take a fair amount of time. For instance, a now-standard coin move from China showed up in a Japanese book in 1779, but did not make its way to the west until about 135 years later, when a Chinese vaudevillian explained it to a few magicians he met during a tour of North America. One of those was a Canadian, living in the United States, who studied and refined the technique. A few decades later, the Canadian taught it to an Italian who’d been raised in Argentina, who added his own enhancements and then.... Well, you get the picture. These days, information moves faster. And so in this book you might come upon a sleight with its roots in Vienna, developed in New York, published in London, embellished in Chicago, Los Angeles and Paris, filtered through a theory from Madrid, clarified in Basel, revised in Lisse, applied in Göteborg, and finally bounced around the brains of these guys from various parts of Germany who, in between creating and performing this material, are busy watching movies produced in Hong Kong and television shows shot in Vancouver, listening to music blending styles from Kingston and Havana and recorded in Sydney, using equipment devised in Tokyo and produced in Jakarta, while wearing fashions designed in Milan and manufactured in Bombay. And everyone drinks Coca-Cola. We’re nearing the turn of a century; in fact, the turn of a millennium. Welcome, then, to a book of modern magic by a group of bright lads who happily acknowledge the past, but whose frame of reference is decidedly current. They’re striving to push forward, and have chosen to share with us what they’ve learned thus far. I like these kids. They’re smart enough to know that they haven’t yet figured it all out. They’re aware enough to know that they might never figure it all out. And either way, they’re hip enough to enjoy the process. They’ve opted to dispense with Weltschmerz in favor of Wundersucht, and have done so without getting any on the carpet.
Hollywood, California December, 1997 11
12
For those naughty people who didn’t read Max’s introduction, here is another one:
I N T R O DU CT I ON
by Piet Forton
Wow! Who would have expected it? The Flicking Fingers have done it again. Before now a team like this has not existed in Germany, or perhaps in any other part in the world, either. For some time, and in different places, the members of the group have committed themselves to reconsider and revive the “how to” in magic. This may only be comparable to ideas of the Spanish School in which they invited critic-instructed audiences to their performances in the 1960s. Here in Germany, stemming from a common consensus, each member was given his own area of study. Thus everybody retains his own “uniqueness” while at the same time being a creative member of the group. One guy doesn’t want to work, another plays the role of a “know it all,” one is desperately trying to keep the group together, and another varies many forms of the Cups and Balls in splendid parodies. Every member plays along, each one has a defined role within the team, and the whole show is given a frame through overlapping jokes and motifs between the acts. Many ideas and forms of presentation, already tested under fire by single members, have been developed and improved within the group. Other ideas are purely a result of the combined group-effort, influencing the work of individual members outside the group. Each member not only functions within the group, but is also active in other smaller groups or as a solo-performer. Vernon’s “be yourself” is the inspiration for the basic concept: In mutual acknowledgment and esteem everybody respects the domain of his peers. Criticism is a form of collegial regard — they take each other seriously and weaknesses are pointed out. Concerning this book, whose content fully originated from this special and somehow enviable collaboration, the following may be emphasized: Even though one chapter is devoted to ideas and tips in their development phase, meaning they are still open for improvements, one also finds routines that are performed regularly by their creators. These are not pipe dreams, but excellent, fully-developed routines, tested and meant to be performed in the real world. Each contribution is new and, disregarding a few exceptions, haven’t been published elsewhere. A rich palette of magic is offered here, from the obligatory tricks with cards and coins to mental magic, from Cups and Balls and rubber bands to interesting theoretical essays. A lot of material has been examined and a strict process of selection applied. Only the best of the best was contributed by each member, and some combined efforts are included which have resulted from constructive and efficient teamwork over the last two and a half years. Dear Readers, you are invited to a magical feast, not an ordinary one, but a magical banquet including the best titbits by several young and talented cooks, prepared and served with their 100 flicking fingers: Well then, gourmets, enjoy your meal! Basel, Switzerland Spring 1997
13
“Oh, how the dear little children laugh when the drums roll and the lovely lady is sawn in half ...” W. H. Auden “The Sea and the Mirror”
1. Close-up “Abracadabra was originally a magic spell to figh hay-fever.”
Hanswilhelm Haefs “Handbook of Useless Knowledge”
“The greatest conjurer would be he, who could amaze himself in a way that his magicical feats would look like strange, arbitrary apparitions even to himself” Novalis
T H E T W E E Z E RS A routine by Thomas Fraps: As an answer to the ever popular request “to make money,” the performer presents an ordinary pair of tweezers. He uses them to pick up a few tiny particles of silverdust from the table. In his left hand these particles magically meld into a silver coin. A second coin is immediately split out of the first one, appearing at the very ends of the tweezers. For the climax, the performer instantly changes the tweezers into the third coin. Preparation: You need an ordinary pair of tweezers, five or six inches long, preferably with flat ends. This kind of tweezers is used by stamp-collectors and can be found in department stores and stamp shops. The flattened ends allow better control of the second coin when it’s produced. All in all you need three half dollars (silver coins are perfect) and a strong magnet which simplifies the clean-up at the end. Put the tweezers in your inner left jacket pocket and classic palm two of the coins in your right hand. The third coin is finger palmed in the right hand. Your right hand will not look very natural at this point but, if you hold the tweezers between first finger and thumb, the hand will have a much more relaxed look, fig.1. Performance: Armed with the palmed coins, wait for the inevitable question about whether you’re able to make money. Reach into your pocket and take out the tweezers while you say: “Actually, money is lying on the street — you just have to pick it up.” Explain that this is why you carry the tweezers with you all the time, so you’re able to pick up money-dust whenever you find it. (To ensure that most of the spectators don’t leave the room, say this with tongue firmly in cheek).
1
Suit actions to words and, using the tweezers, pretend to pick up some imaginary silver dust from the table, jacket, floor etc., and put it in your open left hand. On the second or third time, pick up some dust from the left side of the table — in order to do that you have to move your right hand over your left for a moment. This naturally positions the fingers of your left hand beneath the two classic palmed coins in the right hand. This is the perfect moment to let one of the palmed coins drop onto the left fingers, fig.2. The right hand moves backward a little and puts some invisible dust on the left palm. The left fingers now curl slightly upward to shield the coin in finger palm from the audience.
This is a variation of a coin production by Cardini. See “Touch of Midas” on p.90 in Modern Coin Magic, Bobo, 1952.
Put another “dust particle” in your left hand (get it from another place on the table, farther away, in order to distract attention from the loaded left hand and give the impression you never actually touched it) and finally close the left fingers around it. Clench your left fist, straining your muscles, and explain: “Similar to the way pressure and heat cause coal to turn into diamonds over millions of years, I will turn these dust particles into a silver coin.” 16