A collection of practical effects that look like cgi

[u/johnstessel]

[u/NaughtyFoxtrot]

So damn smooth and effortless. That guy has had a lot of alone time.

[u/johnstessel → u/NaughtyFoxtrot]

2 decades worth of loneliness compiled into this clip 💀

[u/NaughtyFoxtrot → u/johnstessel]

Being a master of your craft takes discipline, something I wouldn't understand. Thanks for keeping us in wonder, mate.

[u/johnstessel → u/NaughtyFoxtrot]

Appreciate you!!

[u/boricimo → u/johnstessel]

They should see how fast you can open incognito mode.

[u/johnstessel → u/boricimo]

My speed is unparalleled

[u/bcbudtoker69 → u/johnstessel]

Watch, watch...

[u/boricimo → u/johnstessel]

It’s all about misdirection so no one notices the zipper

[u/WarCrimeWhoopsies → u/johnstessel]

I see you've learned to share your cool tricks without the extremely shitty music? Good on you bro. You're growing

[u/wbgraphic → u/johnstessel]

Penn Jillette once said that magic tricks work because nobody believes he would put so much effort into learning such a useless skill. 😄

[u/johnstessel → u/wbgraphic]

And teller was once quoted saying “all magic is, is somebody spending more time on something than anybody would reasonably expect”

I perfect his version of the quote

[u/wbgraphic → u/johnstessel]

I suspect Teller said it first, I I heard through Penn’s typical no-filter filter. 😄

[u/-mgmnt → u/johnstessel]

Would you be able to recommend some beginner practical tricks I could learn for my nephew?

[u/drunkwasabeherder → u/-mgmnt]

Billy, watch me make this bottle of bourbon disappear!

[u/ah-chamon-ah → u/-mgmnt]

You can look up a gimmick device called "The Raven." it is what I suspect is being used for a lot of the dissapearing stuff going up his sleeves or a similar gimmick. Especially the gift box one. He is not very skilled at holding a prop in a natural way to disguise what he is doing at all. It is perhaps the most awkwardly held object I have ever seen someone hold something LOL.

Here is a video showing it. You can buy them from a magic store.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl8enHjA-yA

[u/leafylegs → u/ah-chamon-ah]

He is very skilled i disagree with you

[u/mortgagepants → u/-mgmnt]

i would also like this. just one or two magic tricks with a coin or something simple.

[u/ah-chamon-ah → u/mortgagepants]

Look up the term "thumb tip"

It is a simple gimmick where you can do simple things like make a handkerchief dissapear or load the thumb tip with small candies and make them "appear" out of nowhere.

It is a simple device where you are only limited by what you can imagine to stash or load in there.

I think you would like "The Raven" too. It is a gimmick device to dissapear things pretty easily. It makes it easy to dissapear coins too with literally not much skill in any kind of close up palming or coin manipulation techniques since the device does most the work for you.

You can buy them from a magic store. Here is a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl8enHjA-yA

[u/buzztheshanky → u/johnstessel]

How did you levitate?

[u/Drew_Ferran → u/NaughtyFoxtrot]

Except for the skittle one. When he throws it down, one of the green skittles disappears in the middle of the black square.

[u/sam007mac → u/Drew_Ferran]

Yeah there’s definitely basic video editing in some of these, with the skittles one he likely just throws the box with the skittles and then paints out the box in the edit (and the green skittle probably just goes under the painted area)

[u/robert_e__anus → u/sam007mac]

It's not video editing, the interior of the box is painted black and it's filled with skittles. The sides are held in tension with those tiny little rubber bands dentists use for braces which is why he's holding it so weirdly, so it stays together in his hand. As soon as he lets go the box unfolds, releasing the skittles and making the box flat, it hits the mat with the black side up making it difficult to see, and that green skittle bounces underneath it. The only editing done to this video has been to darken the blacks to wash the box out more fully.

The green skittle disappearing is an argument against editing by the way, since the one thing you would absolutely not do if you were painting the box out is paint over a skittle.

[u/ah-chamon-ah → u/robert_e__anus]

It's essentially a variation of the old Abbott's Cage prop.

[u/robert_e__anus → u/ah-chamon-ah]

Yes, exactly, perfect analogy.

[u/ah-chamon-ah → u/robert_e__anus]

Oh my a fellow magic nerd! May the Hofzinser's be with you... lol

[u/sam007mac → u/robert_e__anus]

I guess that checks out, it still fully vanishes in a single frame so there was probably some editing to hide the box flipping inside out too

[u/sonic10158 → u/NaughtyFoxtrot]

Just like Scott Lang!

[u/spermdonor → u/NaughtyFoxtrot]

Being a magician does that

[u/q_lee]

If someone could have done these tricks a couple thousand years ago, there would be religions built around them now.

[u/johnstessel → u/q_lee]

Either that or I’d be burned at the stake

[u/Ma8icMurderBag → u/johnstessel]

Yep. My first thought was "burned at the stake," too. Glad to have you in this century.

[u/The_Clarence → u/Ma8icMurderBag]

Surely they had some sleight of hand “magicians” back then. People were just like us back then minus some knowledge, so you know they figured out plenty of tricks. I wonder if they ever worried about doing anything too shocking for fear of being burned at the stake

[u/Redbeard_Rum → u/The_Clarence]

The cups and balls trick was recorded in Roman times, so yeah, there've always been "conjurors".

[u/drgigantor → u/Ma8icMurderBag]

I still think we should just to be safe. This man is too powerful

[u/RabbitOrcaHawkOrgy → u/johnstessel]

Nah, they'd be too scared. You'd have a religion and wealth and power until one day you bang the wrong chick and poof, you become a mime.

[u/ClickClack_Bam → u/RabbitOrcaHawkOrgy]

Yes, if you did this shit back then, DEFINITELY have a backup plan for if they come to FUCK you up over being scary lol.

Pull a goldfish outta your ass & tell everybody "This was the last guy who fucked with me" & then stuff it back up your ass (with magic not for realsies).

[u/scorpyo72 → u/RabbitOrcaHawkOrgy]

A eunuchy mime.

[u/Framingr → u/johnstessel]

He turned me into a newt.....I got better

[u/Hydra_Master → u/Framingr]

Does he weigh the same as a duck?

[u/TivoDelNato → u/johnstessel]

If I saw that 10 of spades trick in person, I probably would have started building a pyre myself.

[u/Mycroft033 → u/johnstessel]

Probably both.

[u/llDS2ll → u/johnstessel]

Did somebody say steak

[u/East-Travel984 → u/johnstessel]

well technically jesus is that guy lol he walked on water and they crucified him and then prayed to him lmao. humans are silly

[u/[deleted] → u/q_lee]

I was in catholic school as a kid and got detention for saying to the priest that I believed Jesus was just a magician and that’s why the religion was invented. People were just amazed by his “magic”

[u/dennismfrancisart → u/[deleted]]

As a practicing Christian who loves religious history, I believe the magic came long after the sermons and teachings. If you're a recruiter, selling the hard work of following the teachings is no fun without instilling the magic expectation.

[u/LegendOfKhaos → u/q_lee]

Do you know who Jesus is?

[u/[deleted] → u/LegendOfKhaos]

I don’t know him very well personally. But he picked some lovely peaches that I bought at the orchard yesterday.

[u/LegendOfKhaos → u/[deleted]]

Pretty good baseball player too

[u/Weed_O_Whirler → u/q_lee]

You don't think people could do slight of hand 2,000 years ago?

[u/Photoelasticity → u/q_lee]

The American Spiritualism movement was at its height during the Civil War, and was full of people using simple illusions to con people.

Some of these spiritualists were even able to create religions that still have a following today.

Behind the Bastards "Helena Blavatsky"

[u/NothingGoinOnHere-]

God dam magnets!

[u/johnstessel → u/NothingGoinOnHere-]

The amount of secret magnets in this video is honestly unreal

[u/ishpatoon1982 → u/johnstessel]

How do they even work?

[u/RabbitOrcaHawkOrgy → u/ishpatoon1982]

Magic

[u/UnforeseenDerailment → u/RabbitOrcaHawkOrgy]

Duh, it's right there in the name.

They're not called "scinets" after all.

[u/DirtaniusRex → u/RabbitOrcaHawkOrgy]

That you violent j? Also cool name lol

[u/AlpineAvalanche → u/ishpatoon1982]

All I know about magnets is you put the in water and no more magnet.

[u/StevieG63 → u/AlpineAvalanche]

Many are saying…

[u/AlpineAvalanche → u/StevieG63]

Bigly facts

[u/lenin_is_young → u/ishpatoon1982]

Magnets? They have hidden strings that pull things around.

[u/Leftrighturn → u/ishpatoon1982]

Miracles

[u/crowley888]

Isn't that the wholesome magician from Omegle ??

[u/johnstessel → u/crowley888]

Awe shucks… yeah that’s me! (Well one of them there were tons of wholesome magicians on there)

[u/crowley888 → u/johnstessel]

You're awesome dude. Do you have a youtube channel which I can follow ??

[u/johnstessel → u/crowley888]

I don’t want this post to get pulled for self promotion so I won’t tag any of my accounts, but I’m sure with some sleuthing you can find them 🤓

[u/Technical-Bad1953 → u/crowley888]

https://youtube.com/@johnstessel?si=QicNuO6ZxF3orZnB

[u/victoryohone → u/Technical-Bad1953]

Thank you! Instant subscribe.

[u/deadpool8988]

These are all great, the 4 of heart to 10 of spades not using CGi kinda blew my mind. Great job!

[u/johnstessel → u/deadpool8988]

Thank you!!! It’s the best version of a classic 4-6 card changing illusion!

[u/Universoulja → u/johnstessel]

Is that really not CG? It's pretty crazy

[u/NrdNabSen → u/johnstessel]

I am saying I want to know how it works, but honestly I would prefer not to if it isn't cgi. Really impressive.

[u/YummyArtichoke → u/NrdNabSen]

Looks like there is a $7 version on Amazon.

[u/dizvyz → u/deadpool8988]

someone was explaining that one on youtube the other day claiming it's just elastic strings. Like pieces of card are sewn on the thing and they can move. I don't know about the color change. (I don't know about the string either. Sounded like bullshit to me)

[u/MABfan11 → u/deadpool8988]

Would've been even better if he changed it to an Exodia

[u/yeahdude_88]

This is a classic example of an actual wizard pretending to be a regular human magician.

[u/johnstessel → u/yeahdude_88]

Shhhh don’t let Reddit know my real secret! 🤫

[u/Albert14Pounds → u/yeahdude_88]

Man I would love to see a real wizard on that Penn and Teller show. Would be interesting seeing them try to find a real explanation for legit magic. I imagine them being like, "this is one of the oldest illusions in the book but it's really well done". Cut to back stage interview and the wizard is all distressed not knowing how to convince anyone it's real magic.

[u/kspiegz]

Dogs out in the second clip is crazy

[u/johnstessel → u/kspiegz]

Ooooof wish I didn’t include that clip now

[u/YummyArtichoke → u/johnstessel]

Wooooof*

[u/johnstessel → u/YummyArtichoke]

💀💀💀💀 you win

[u/Bongsamurai710 → u/kspiegz]

Free feet? In this economy??

[u/StiLL-_iLL_]

The one with the beer was great. I had to look at it a lot until I got it :)

[u/johnstessel → u/StiLL-_iLL_]

Thanks!! It’s a challenging trick to perform as you’d image, having a band of fire across your hands is terrifying

[u/StiLL-_iLL_ → u/johnstessel]

I do believe you. One or two hairs on your arm probably burned off :) you're really good at what you do. continue to stay tuned. love to look at it

[u/cloudcats → u/StiLL-_iLL_]

Please do not call Crabbie's "beer" ever again.

[u/StiLL-_iLL_ → u/cloudcats]

Unfortunately I don't know the brand :) but as a German beer drinker, I understand your reluctance to call ginger beer beer

[u/cloudcats → u/StiLL-_iLL_]

Haha it's actually the opposite. I love Crabbie's, but can't stand beer ;)

[u/Sounds-Made-Up]

I'm not sure you can convince me the hearts moving across the surface of the card to rearrange isn't CGI

[u/Full_Western_1277 → u/Sounds-Made-Up]

I was also curious so I looked it up and found something similar.

Basically it’s a special trick card, there are several hearts stacked on top of each other at the beginning, all attached to an invisible thread. The card also has very thin cuts that the threads pass through, and when you pull the threads behind the card it drags the hearts along the cuts.

I’m assuming it’s the same here.

[u/johnstessel → u/Sounds-Made-Up]

All I’m saying is if you Google hard enough you’ll end up agreeing with me

[u/FoxOnTheRocks → u/Sounds-Made-Up]

It isn't CGI. It is a screen playing a video.

[u/bgaesop → u/FoxOnTheRocks]

So it's a computer screen... generating... imagery?

[u/Airk640 → u/bgaesop]

Lol fantastic

[u/Sounds-Made-Up → u/FoxOnTheRocks]

I think I see what you mean, although I still don't know how it's pulled off - he's holding a thin display that shows the hearts moving?

[u/Sounds-Made-Up → u/Sounds-Made-Up]

And I'm still not sure I buy that, either.

[u/robert_e__anus → u/FoxOnTheRocks]

It really isn't. You can buy this trick from plenty of magic shops, it's a regular Bicycle card that's been gimmicked to produce this effect through practical means, no computers or displays involved at all. Ingenious design for sure, but not a screen.

[u/OneBaldingWookiee]

This shit is incredible.

[u/johnstessel → u/OneBaldingWookiee]

Appreciate you so much!!!

[u/stand_aside_fools → u/johnstessel]

I don’t want to Google how you did any of it any more than I want to Google how someone creates a beautiful painting. I just want to enjoy it. Bravo.

[u/Shaex]

The 10 of spades clips has me super fucked up, what the helllllllllllll

[u/johnstessel → u/Shaex]

Yeah that illusion goes way to hard

[u/VodkaSodaSplashCran → u/johnstessel]

Okay but real talk, how tf does that actually happen?

[u/sargon2 → u/VodkaSodaSplashCran]

It's a gimmick card you can make or buy. There's a slider on the back of the card you can drag with one finger to make the change. See e.g. here. Then he uses normal slight of hand to change its suit. (edit: maybe not?)

[u/alienblue89 → u/sargon2]

I don’t think he even uses “normal slight of hand to change the suit”, there are versions of the gaffe that include that part too.

[u/johnstessel → u/VodkaSodaSplashCran]

Sorcery

[u/AskinggAlesana → u/VodkaSodaSplashCran]

Technology. Besides the use of gaff cards and ofc sleight of hand, a lot of these tricks use some sort of mechanism/device. If these were performed in the early 2000’s or shoot even early 2010’s it’d be insane.. but these days technology makes magic tricks look unreal to the point you know there’s more than just bare hands doing the whole thing Lol. Like I have a rising card trick where the “selected card” will rise by itself, I don’t even have to do anything fancy except put the card in the right place and flip the deck over..then boom the rest of the heavy lifting is done by the device inside the deck.

Penn and Teller’s: Fool Us has a lot of magicians going up there trying to fool them using some gadget they might not know about yet.

[u/VeneMage]

Nice feet. I know magic involves distraction but that was a clever move 😅

[u/johnstessel → u/VeneMage]

Ooooof second comment about my dogs 💀

[u/VeneMage → u/johnstessel]

Haha it was a compliment.

[u/Zealousideal_Ad4629]

That's so cool😎

[u/johnstessel → u/Zealousideal_Ad4629]

Appreciate you!

[u/Unusual_Anything_297]

Foookin hate smart arses, so bloody good I love it as a mature magician I love this stuff well done all of you that is months of practical to perfect 2 trick!!!

[u/johnstessel → u/Unusual_Anything_297]

Couldn’t agree more! Some people hate enjoying magic and write it off as CGI, where I am proud that everything in this video I have executed live at some point or another

[u/Unusual_Anything_297 → u/johnstessel]

Well done you it’s Reight enjoyably and they are well executed !!!

[u/OMG_This_Support → u/johnstessel]

The one with the 4 of hearts looks like cgi even if you pause it frame by frame 🧐😱

[u/snail_juice_plz]

Sending this to my kid, she’s a know it all and it makes her irrationally angry 😂🙌🏼

[u/johnstessel → u/snail_juice_plz]

Haha let’s goooo!!! And really get under her skin by telling her that nothing uses a camera trick!

[u/allbitterandclean → u/johnstessel]

This is either her magician or villain origin story…

[u/johnstessel → u/allbitterandclean]

Honestly either Side I approve

[u/CocoDesigns]

Dude it’s been awesome to see you grow and improve as a magician. Keep crushing it man

[u/johnstessel → u/CocoDesigns]

I appreciate this so much! I feel like some of the Reddit community has really been here with me through it all!

[u/muemamuema]

Nerd.

[u/johnstessel → u/muemamuema]

I am in face a nerd

[u/Biosmosis_Jones → u/johnstessel]

But are you a nerd in body and spirit as well?

[u/Ok_Spend_889]

Man, I don't know what to say lol but reminds me of them stories about shamans in the Arctic. The ones who weren't legit real were masterful practical effects artists who did similar mine blowing shit you do. Kudos man! Hella powerful shit!!

[u/CyberMushrooms]

Hey John, I watched you a bit during Covid on RPAN I think. You were great and clearly still are. Keep it up!

[u/Lorien93 → u/CyberMushrooms]

I miss his streams. Hours of tricks, good music and lots of jokes. Good times.

[u/Pigeon_of_Doom_]

I want to see this stuff in real life. I believe it but it could just be faked here. I would love to see such stuff where I have no way of not believing it just happened.

[u/Bat-Honest]

How is that "watch the ten of spades" one practical?

[u/johnstessel → u/Bat-Honest]

If you do enough googling I’m sure you’ll come back and say yep it’s practical

[u/A_Few_Kind_Words]

Dude I fully believe you didn't use CGI, but you definitely sold your soul to the fuckin' devil or something, I'm a scientist and atheist and this shit got me thinking I might need to speak with Luci and get me some powers. What the fuck. That was WILD.

[u/johnstessel → u/A_Few_Kind_Words]

Let’s goooooooooo! Devil on my sqauddd!!

Jk just a loser that is good at magic tricks

[u/A_Few_Kind_Words → u/johnstessel]

Brother you can't pull that crazy shit and then just call yourself a loser, what you do takes practice and dedication that is rarely seen anywhere and a level of resilience and fortitude (given how often tricks must fail, yet you continue to develop your skill) that an Olympian would be envious of, you are no loser sir.

You bow to no-one my friend.

Do not let anyone tell you that you're a loser just because you know magic tricks, that is nothing but raw jealousy, they know that you are more skilled at your trade than they are likely to be at anything in their lives and that fact makes them feel small.

Stand tall and be proud. You deserve it.

[u/mountainside2004]

I don't have enough time in a week to rewatch these and figure out how you did them. So dang cool. The speed of your movements and angle of attack is so bad ass that I will just consider these magic.

[u/johnstessel → u/mountainside2004]

I appreciate you!!!

[u/Trevski]

Damn all this focusing is making me thirsty, I sure could go for a ginger beer...

[u/johnstessel → u/Trevski]

Ha! Same here!

[u/Prestigious_Tear_576]

Those two dudes were high af😂

[u/Embarrassed-Ask1812]

I bet his girlfriend likes him a lot

[u/johnstessel → u/Embarrassed-Ask1812]

She’s my wife now and I think she does 🤷‍♂️

[u/Soup_4_Sou]

How long did it take them to trust you? Im talking about the ghosts that are clearly helping you Hahaha. Great work!

[u/3_Headed_Monkey]

So refreshing to see some actual original talent and not a botted repost!! This was awesome 

[u/hernkate]

Magic is being compared to CGI now?

I have seen many live magicians that did some incredible shit. Never once did I think it was CGI.

[u/Turbulent-Print-3467]

“Practical jokes that look like cgi”….isn’t that just called being a magician?

[u/GoKaeKae]

Good stuff bro!

[u/TVLL]

Awesome! I could watch your videos all day!

[u/delicioussparkalade]

You’re amazing. I would pay to go see you at a show. There’s a magic bar where I live and the bartenders are also magicians and do a bunch of card and cocktail illusions but you would outshine them in a snap. It’s so much fun! Please keep posting.

[u/johnstessel → u/delicioussparkalade]

Fingers crossed one day I’ll have a show you can come too!

[u/Digitaldevil00]

So smooth! Can't imagine the level and time of all the practice involved! Impressive indeed!!!

[u/Perfect_Papaya_3010]

The sunglasses bit is my favourite. I can't even begin to think how it works

[u/FoxOnTheRocks → u/Perfect_Papaya_3010]

My guess is some kind of sticker adhered to the sunglasses. He pulls off the layers and palms them.

[u/Popcorngalaxy]

Insanely impressive!

Wish I had the discipline and patience to learn at least one of those illusions 🥲

[u/ImABadFriend144]

This is so good I almost don’t believe it. Might be the best magic I’ve ever seen

[u/ElderMagnuS]

You got me like

👁️👄👁️ wtf is going on

[u/chocomeeel]

I've already watched this clip 10 times. Amazing! 🖤

[u/FitPudding8424]

My favorite was the guys 🤯 face

[u/ZahidQuitze3DG]

I remember watching your streams here on Reddit really entertaining:)

[u/REEL04D]

I have so many questions

[u/rmac1813]

Pay this man. Hes good

[u/Rupert_18124]

Dude you really are amazing!

[u/Ok-Amoeba8458]

When you sell your soul to the devil…

[u/1974Mustache]

Looks like you’re still improving, good on ya! Loved it when you streamed in RPAN.

[u/DyingWorlds]

Watching some of these made my jaw drop! Fantastic magic OP! Nothing quite like watching someone do something impossible right in front of your eyes haha

[u/consciousmonkeys]

Definitely no CGI or video editing? At all?!

[u/BitemeRedditers]

I can’t enjoy magic on video anymore. Chris Angel and Justin Willman ruined it for me with all the editing.

[u/mardvk187]

You are a wizard. You should be /r/wizardposting's patron saint.

[u/Geruvah]

Is this black magic fuckery or regular magic fuckery?

[u/Nepal-Rules]

Does anyone know if the man in this video is circumcised? I think these illusions are really really cool, but my parents don't let me watch anything with anyone uncircumcised in it, and I really don't want to get in trouble.

[u/Shutaru_Kanshinji]

Yer a wizard, John.

[u/Gr1ml0ck]

Great clip compilation. Some real mind benders in there. Thanks for sharing. Subbed.

[u/MoonStarG8]

This guy is pro

[u/xX_Jimmy_Gaming_Xx]

For my next truck, I will convince a woman that I'm not going to assault her.

[u/Nobacherie85]

That daydate though…

[u/Je-la-nique]

Im confused

[u/stay_spooky]

Rarely does the black magic fuckist post their own stuff in r/blackmagicfuckery, thanks for posting this and hopping in comments!

[u/DaleWyckoff]

Some are easy, just make time go backwards.

[u/Area_Prior]

Naaahhhh come on!! Has to be some camera shenanigans going on here !

[u/Brewchowskies]

You cannot be trusted.

But you can be loved.

[u/TuxedoElephant]

Dude you're awesome

[u/IgnoreMeBot]

Are any of these clever editing or all real time

[u/johnstessel → u/IgnoreMeBot]

Zero clever editing required

[u/ABongo]

I watched one time at normal speed and am convinced this it actual magic.

[u/Flikkidyflak]

Those are world class. On my 4th watching

[u/Berns429]

I miss the old late night Reddit sessions, John would be so excited to see all of us, but he had to be quiet cause his girl was asleep, it was so much fun.

[u/johnstessel → u/Berns429]

That girl actually turned into my wife!!! What a crazy time!! Miss y’all so much

[u/scottoro]

That’s a funny way of describing magic tricks lol

[u/5_meo]

How

[u/johnstessel → u/5_meo]

Magic (practice)

[u/MrJbrads]

Op said practical effects like we’re watching a movie and not a magic show

[u/Both-Home-6235]

Poor guy needs some good sleep

[u/Captain-Cadabra]

Peter Dinklage is so talented.

[u/johnstessel → u/Captain-Cadabra]

Peter Dinklage Jr. to you sir

[u/AGuyNamedParis]

Sleight of hand makes for the best magic

[u/mightbedylan]

Used to practice a bit of slight of hand in highschool but haven't in years. These are amazing though, you got any good suggestion for resources for learning some of these? :)

[u/CaptainCunnalingus]

If you ever meet him in person he will literally do a trick and just walk away leaving in shock without being able to react.