SHADE

someday…

happy valentine’s day…

WWW.SHADEMAGIC.COM

PART.3 - 2012/2013

Since it’s the beginning of 2013, I decided to start the year by reviewing the last few months of 2012.  In September, Ellusionist decided to continue the Artifice playing card series and released the Purple Artifice version.  For the promotional trailer they wanted to pay tribute to what professional card men consider the “Holy Bible” of sleight-of-hand, The Expert At The Card Table.  The theme was to give you a glimpse into the life of a card hustler.  How he would study, practice, prepare, and work in his own world.  A real underground feel.  We filmed in my room and the narration was done to sound like a veteran hustler was explaining the hustling lifestyle to you.  Gangster. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7BMk9rEO9s)

In October I flew down to Las Vegas to meet with a few magicians in the magic industry.  We got together and stayed at the MGM Grand Hotel for a week.  During our stay I met with David Copperfield who is the resident magician at the casino.  For those of you who don’t know, he is a legend in the magic game.  His name is synonymous with the word “magic” just like Houdini. 

David Copperfield…

• Made the Statue of Liberty disappear. 
• Walked through The Great Wall of China. 
• Levitated over The Grand Canyon.
• Has 11 Guinness World Records.
• Starred in over 20 of his TV magic specials
• Won 21 Emmy awards. 
• Performs over 500 shows a year.
• Sold more than 40 million tickets grossing over 30 billion. 
• Owns a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 
• Owns 11 private islands in the Bahamas.  

He’s considered the highest paid and greatest magician of all time earning him the title “King of Magic”.  Meeting him was one of the proudest moments and highlights of my entire magic life.  He was very generous and sincere.  He gave me front row seats to see his live stage show and I got to hangout with him backstage after the performance.  Truly a living legend and inspiration.

I love Las Vegas because it’s considered to be the entertainment capital of the world.  Frequently referred to as The City of Sin, Las Vegas does have its deceiving and devious sides.  What I love about Las Vegas the most is the gambling world.  Back in the day when the mob used to run Las Vegas, casinos would hire card cheats as casino dealers to swindle innocent players out of their money making the “house” win.  This was a time where there were few rules and regulations.  These hustlers could live lavishly in luxury and royalty wherever they went.  They were well respected with power, beautiful women, and suitcases full of money.  To me these were the real mobsters and gangsters that defined Las Vegas.

During our stay we walked down the Las Vegas strip and I noticed a hustler on the street corner demonstrating a con game to some tourists.  It’s a version of 3 card monte except with 3 bottle caps and a pea representing the 3 shell game.  It’s a simple game where the hustler would hide the pea under 1 of the 3 bottle caps and move them around.  You would have to guess where the pea is hiding and place your money in front of the cap where you thought it was under.  If you guessed correctly you would double your money, if you guessed incorrectly the hustler would take your money.  It sounds very simple but the hustler would use misdirection, distractions, and sleight of hand to confuse you.  Not to mention his undercover team of hustlers called shills disguised as tourists who blend in the crowd persuading you to gamble your hard earned money.  

While I was watching the game being played, I immediately could spot who was in on the con and who was an innocent tourist about to get scammed.  I followed the game and followed the sleight of hand the hustler was using.  He was alright.  Surveying the area, I noticed his spotters on far sides of the street corners waiting to signal the hustler incase the police were nearby.  It was a very beautiful experience to witness the scam being operated live.  The tourists lost about a few hundred dollars by the time the team cleaned up and dispersed.  

Near the end of my trip, I decided to get a tattoo that I have always wanted but was waiting for the right moment.  My time in Las Vegas was well spent having dinner with the Theory 11 crew, sessioning with Criss Angel’s crew, and meeting David Copperfield and his crew.  I got “SHADE” tattooed down my arm since Las Vegas was the perfect place to get it.  I felt like I’ve earned it graduating and receiving a permanent badge after all the ups and downs I’ve been through.

In November scientists from a healthcare facility discovered my card cheating videos on YouTube.  They were so impressed that they flew me down to Chicago so I could demonstrate these gambling techniques live while they study my hands.  There were about 30 scientists and I was able to deceive them all.  Following my demonstration I was bombarded with hundreds of questions since they were so analytical and intrigued.  Who would have ever thought that I’d be doing this in my life all coming from a deck of cards.  It was probably one of the most special memories I’ll ever have in my career. 

2012 was a great year for me and my career overall.  I have about 5 projects already in the works for 2013, so I hope to top 2012 and bring you more stories, videos, and live performances of me expressing & performing my craft.  I am always thinking of new ways to creatively express myself whether it’s through performance art or through a new video.  I still practice and study every day/night constantly learning, growing, and trying new things.  I am more focused and sharp than I’ve ever been persistently on point to reach the next level.  Thank you for following me along side my journey….

Until PART.4…

PART.2 – Accomplishments at 26…

I’m now 26 and never thought I would’ve made it this far in magic since I first started.  Reflecting back, I’ve come a long way…and still have so far to go… 

Since my last post “PART.1” I’ve caught the eye of the infamous magic company Ellusionist, and was asked to be featured in 3 of their playing card videos.  This made history because the production team wanted to reinvent promotional playing card trailers, by implementing an epic theatrical storyline with style.  The first trailer we produced was called “Red Artifice”.  This meant a lot to me because it was my first video and official debut into the magic industry (before this I was considered an underground artist and magician).  We released the trailer showcasing the artifice playing cards with a unique concept and deceptive storyline.  Needless to say, we killed it.  It looked like a cinematic movie.  My style and character fit perfectly into the story because it reflected who I am in real life.  The playing cards sold out in a few days and they now run up to about $100+ on the market.  When we released the trailer, I had come to learn that it caught the eye of David Copperfield himself and he had nothing but good things to say about it. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxYIRX-Vwng)

The next video project we released through Ellusionist was called “Blue Artifice”.  Our fans loved the style and design of the original artifice playing cards so we decided to continue the series.  We shot and filmed downtown in an all-white studio in under 3 hours.  This was probably my most demanding piece yet because I had to perform 3 times as much more card flourishes and manipulation than the first video.  The concept was smooth, clean, and very playful.  The manipulation and flourishes in the video hit you from all directions. This video gained so much recognition and attention that Criss Angel himself watched the video in Las Vegas. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S44ULcpOuZg)

My latest video released through Ellusionist was called “Infinity”.  The production team decided to just kill it.  We wanted to use everything we had at our disposal, all the resources, all the skill, talent, and expertise in one video.  No budget, no boundaries, no limits, just kill it.  We filmed the video in 3 days and post-production was completed within a week.  This was probably my most difficult video to film with Ellusionist because we shot and filmed outside in the cold wet weather.  My hands gave up on me after 2 mins of filming and I had to keep them warm when I was off camera.  It was all worth it.  From the music, style, location, and special effects implemented into the video, one could tell this was a piece close to perfection.  The storyline is set up so you can watch the trailer over and over again countless times hence the name “Infinity”, a unique concept and style for the video.  This has been the best video I have ever done in my life. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71wlmteEXZQ)

I’ve been very blessed to be a part of the Ellusionist family.  They have been nothing but supportive of me and my magic.  In addition to the 3 Ellusionist videos I’ve done, I’ve also released solo projects on my own to build, maintain and secure my fan base.  These videos are my “birthday” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAkiggRfMMA) and “summer love” (http://vimeo.com/45010266) videos released on my youtube/vimeo channel.

With the release of my videos, I was able to catch the attention of Erik Mana, the first & famous magician of the Philippines.  He’s originally from Toronto but moved to the Philippines to produce and star in 3 of his very own television magic specials, the first to have ever done it.  He’s often considered to be the David Blaine of the Philippines, and he loved my work so much that he recruited me to be apart of his crew Legerdemain.  A secret group only open to Philippines’ finest magicians.

If you watched closely in the “Blue Artifice” trailer, you may have seen a glimpse of my new tattoo.  An ace of spades playing card tattooed on my left forearm, signifying the phrase “ace up my sleeve”.  Since David Blaine is my inspiration and idol, I had the spade tattooed after his official “db” logo also known as split spades, which are his initials designed into the spade itself.  I tweeted a picture to David, he tweeted back, and I couldn’t ask for more. 

Reflecting upon my accomplishments motivates me to work even harder on future ventures. I have so much more in the works that I can’t wait to share them with you.  Video production has opened up so many doors that I’ve never imagined possible of stepping on.  My fan base is rapidly building and I’m well respected among the magic industry for my accomplishments and contributions.  I’ve inspired many young and upcoming magicians and have been recognized by some of magic’s biggest juggernauts in the game.  The “SHADE” brand is healthy, strong and still growing with so much potential.  I’m young, the studio is fully equipped, and I practice every day.  I feel like I haven’t even reached my prime or peak yet being only 26 years young.  I don’t know what more to say.  I have so many projects in the works it’s almost unbelievable what to expect when I release them.  I can’t disclose much, but lets just say it’s something you’ll be proud of me for…       

Keep going shade.  Be proud of yourself.  Don’t let anyone bring you down.  You’ve done all of this on your own.  You’ve come a long way and the journey is far from over.  You haven’t reached your prime and the peak will be too much for one to withstand.  Keep going. Love yourself. Look at your accomplishments. Build momentum to reach success and happiness. Let those who’ve fucked you over and left you for dead envy what you have earned and created.  Those who’ve left you, used you, and hurt you will only fuel your vehicle to success through pain.  Learn from the past, let go of the past, don’t make the same mistakes and move on.  Forget those who never believed in you. Remember, you’re a real magician.  Anything’s possible..

Until PART.3….

…