Do you want to know the secret of the Super Hole by Mickael Chatelain transformation magic trick?
How the black disc magically changes into a real hole on top of the playing card box.
A magic enthusiast myself, I love to explore and share my findings with folks who are into the art of conjuring magic tricks.
This is another post from the Info Ruckus Magic Trick Secrets Revealed series.
Anyway, let’s take a shot in the dark, and hopefully to find the way out of the secret of this self-working magic trick.
Effect:
Show an empty deck case, then get a small black disk about the size of a 2 euro coin.
Place the black disk onto the deck case.
Mysteriously, the solid black disk apparently transforms into a black hole.
To prove it is now an actual hole on the deck case, you insert your index finger right into it.
And what’s more, you borrow a coin from your spectator and you drop it into the black hole.
Then you shake the case or box and there is a rattling sound inside it.
You open the box and pour out the coin onto your spectator’s palm.
To end the act, you magically change the black hole in the deck case back to the solid flat black disk.
Watch French magician Mickael Chatelain himself demonstrates his own creation the Super Hole:
Mickael Chatelain’s Super Hole Feedbacks
When this transformation trick Super Hole by Mickael Chatelain was released back in 2018, it received quite amount of flak from his customers in Penguin Magic site.
One vitriolic comment reads:
Terrible this gimmick is…it is visually stunning for sure watching the trailer and that’s it….the only way the switch works is if I close my eyes and cant see it and the switch is done…if I put ear plugs in there is no noise… can’t perform on a video or in front of someone…I wasted my $$ on this and since I wasted my $$ I actually threw it in the garbage…my review is harsh but it is what it is ..JUNK
Basically most of them complaint the noise issue and the switch from the black disk to the actual hole is too visible.
In addition, the visibility of the crease line on the box.
If my guess how the Super Hole by Mickael Chatelain trick is done is correct, then I agree there should be noise problem made by the gimmick.
I will explain it below.
Super Hole By Mickael Chatelain Secret
By viewing the Mickael Chatelain’s demo video, I suspected there is a concealed flap and a real hole in the playing card box.
Super Hole Flap Gimmick
I believe there is a hidden flap on the box, by the way Mickael Chatelain’s thumb gripping tightly onto the box at the beginning of the video.
The flap is hinged at the middle of the box, and attached with elastic threads, as illustrated below.
He has to discreetly release the flap by lifting up his thumb, thus revealing the real hole in the box.
The black disk is now hidden behind the flipped up flap on top of the box.
In Mickael Chatelain’s demo video, you would not be able to see the swift flipping action, in three occasions.
The first time he hides it under the guise of showing the coin to the viewers at 0:19.
The second time is at 0:58, when he uses his right hand movement to distract your attention when the flap flips up.
Anyway, focus your attention at the ball of his left thumb, you can see it momentarily lifts up from the edge of the box, and that’s when he releases the flap.
You also notice the red color of the box changes to a lighter shade when he waves his hand over it, as pictured below.
It is because there is a quick movement of the upturned flap.
The third one is at 1:20, which you cannot see it completely, because the camera pans out from the playing card box.
Super Hole Secret Flap Revealed
But I managed to caught glimpse of the flap from Ludovic Vlln Magie video clip, at 0:24 and 0:28.
The problem with the loud noise, which buyers are grumbling about (no pun intended) is because of the snapping sound made by the elastic thread-attached flap.
It is loud because it is an empty box, and furthermore it has a hole in it.
Black Art In Magic Tricks
To create the black hole in the deck case or box, the inner wall facing it, is either colored or pasted it with a black card.
It uses the popular Black Art principle in magic tricks.
Black Art is a principle where anything painted black cannot be seen when placed against a black background.
It is a black-on-black method of disguise.
No doubt Super Hole has its shortcomings, but I would say this is another one Mickael Chatelain’s ingenious ideas.
It uses simple principles, but the magical effect is visually impressive.
This is what i think how the Super Hole by Mickael Chatelain transformation effect is done.
UPDATED: After I have published this post, I came across this Super Hole video clip in YouTube, which probably is from his merchandise.