You may remember some time ago we posted that Shawn Farquhar and Jon Ornoy embarked on a journey to create a documentary. Their project, Lost in the Shuffle, is "a multi-faceted look at this remarkable 400-year relationship that’s seen these simple playthings provide an endless source of miraculous inspiration for magicians throughout time."
"At the same time we want to uncover a 500 year old cold case murder mystery."
The project team, which also includes Alexandra Duvivier, Juan Tamariz, Richard Turner, and Michael Vincent, spent the last few weeks filming around the world.
Earlier this week we caught up with Shawn, who kindly answered our questions and gave us an update on the project.
Why is now the right time to share the story?
April 7th marked the 525th anniversary of the death of Charles VIII and we filmed on location where he died. The idea that the history we know might not be the true history, is an intriguing thing, in a time when so many people are screaming fake news. At the same time the fascination with magic continues to grow and now a whole new audience is emerging with the popularity of cardistry. It’s an ideal time to explore the world of cards and try to unravel the mystery at the same time.
Who is the target audience for this project?
Our goal is to make a documentary that is appealing to everyone. To show the world the passion that we magicians have for something as simple as a deck of cards. At the same time we want to uncover a 500 year old cold case murder mystery. In doing so we hope to make people more aware of the common everyday object we take for granted and maybe then we will all see things in a different way.
How far along are you in this project?
As of Easter Monday we have completed principal filming. We are in the process of the animation sequences and there is a lot more to be done. We need the movie score, the editing, and tons of of things to make the final feature.
To
be honest we are also in need of more funding. We had some major
hiccups with strikes, plane cancellations, timing issues, etc. So while
we continue to work on the film we are also actively looking to find a
couple more major investors who would like to be Executive Producers of
the film. For as little as $10,000 Canadian they can become equity
investors in the project. We have had some wonderful friends help us and
with the help of just a couple more we should reach our goal.
[emphasis added]
What surprised you most during your recent filming?
I think the biggest surprise I found on my recent travels was just how open people on the street were to seeing magic. We all know magic has a universal appeal, but I couldn’t believe how easy it was to break out a deck of cards in front of Buckingham Place and draw a crowd! I was also pleasantly surprised to discover many people knew me from TV and YouTube. I had no idea my reach was so big.
Were there any touring mis-adventures that led to a serendipitous beneficial circumstance?
There were a tremendous amount of mis-adventures on the trip, but none lead to good things… okay driving for fourteen hours straight to keep our schedule was a great way to get to know each other much better I guess.
Is there anything else about Lost in the Shuffle that you'd like to share with the readers of Canada's Magic?
I
have so much to tell you and the readers of Canada's Magic, but I am
told I have to save it for the movie. For now I’d ask you to follow us
on all social media platforms and to check out our official website
www.lostintheshuffle.film
Thank you Shawn, for making time in your busy schedule to give us this update! We look forward to learning more about this project as it progresses.
To invest in Lost in the Shuffle please email Jon Ornoy at
"jon @ animalmotherfilms dot com"
To learn more about Lost in the Shuffle visit their website LostInTheShuffle.film and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
