'Automated ACAAN' by Mystery Mark (Cards+Video Download, 2012)

[Mark]

Originally Posted by mrtrickzstar

Mark, what do you consider as "impromptu"? I have seen before that this is kind of different according to each magician. For example, you said in one of your videos that one should always carry around a different coloured card, so therefore it is impromptu.

There are three definitions of impromptu really, the literal way as mentioned in the dictionary, the term as used in 'impromptu magic', and the term as a marketing term. The first is the most flexible, the last is the most solid, for obvious reasons.

Literally
"Made, done, or formed on or as if on the spur of the moment." So if someone tells you to show them a trick and you perform any, even if it requires a special prop you just happen to have on you at that moment, this would be considered impromptu. If you take a coin, put this in your fist and ask people what they want to see happen, and they will say "Make it vanish", you making the coin disappear would be impromptu too.

Impromptu magic
This is magic that can be done anywhere at anytime, with the props available at the situation. If you perform at a party where there happen to be balloons, and you decide to perform what is known as 'Pressure' nowadays, that is considered to be impromptu magic. Same with a coin through glass effect done with borrowed items.

Marketing term
This is the most solid definition for that people have to understand its definition when buying anything. As posted by Admin, it is any effect that can be performed anywhere at anytime and which is instantly repeatable.

A good example of this is the 'Invisible Deck', which by all means is considered to be impromptu (just not clean). Any set-up deck trick in which the setup is not ruined is considered to be impromptu as well. A gimmicked or gaffed card that you carry along in your deck at all times is too. And so is the 'Automated ACAAN'.

As you can see, there is not all that much to it and all of the meanings have huge overlaps. Any company that twists the definition to use it merely to make their tricks look more attractive than they really are, and who says the definition is actually something personal, is terribly wrong. It is for that, that theory11 had to remove the statement of that 'GPS' by Chris Kenner is impromptu.

Then again, the latter way is merely required for marketing anything. You can use the term as loosely as in the literal meaning of the word, but almost every effect could be performed in an impromptu manner and thus be called as such. For that, it would be irresponsible for companies to use it that way.