Out of the Box Documentary
year(s): 2023, 2024Content ProductionOOTB is a documentary film showcasing the fascinating world of “cardistry”. The focus is on this niche art form of card manipulation and skilled card shuffling.
scroll to read more ↓Last Updated 09/2026[ Objective ]To create an accessible introduction to cardistry that could educate people who know little about the art form, while giving those already within the community a deeper look into its history, people and evolution.
[ Context ]More Than Paper
Playing cards are probably one of the most familiar objects around. Most of us have held a deck, played a game with it, or even used it to learn something new. But for a small community around the world, those same cards became the foundation for something much bigger.
They became a reason to travel, meet people, build friendships across countries, create new businesses and dedicate years to mastering an art form that most people never knew existed.
That’s what makes cardistry so fascinating. What looks like a simple deck of cards can create an entire world around it. Because in the end, it’s more than paper.
[ Concept ]A World Built on Cards
The film explores the significant impact of two individuals on the world of cardistry: Dan and Dave Buck, who are widely considered pioneers of the art form.
They developed a passion for cards at a young age and continued to hone their skills over the years. In the early 2000s, they helped popularize the term “cardistry”, which has since grown into a recognized and celebrated art form. From integrating cardistry into commercials and films such as Now You See Me to organizing global events like Cardistry Con, their influence has extended far beyond the cards themselves.
Their story is told through their longtime friend Brad Fulton, an internationally recognized playing card designer who became involved in the world of cards alongside Dan and Dave when they first began introducing cardistry to a wider audience.
Dan Buck (left) and Dave Buck (right)
Brad Fulton
Entrance Cardistry Con 2023 in London
Jesse Eisenberg performing “Worm” by Dan & Dave
As cardistry grew throughout the early 2000s, more and more people around the world began picking up the art form. Today, a global community of artists practice, develop and push cardistry in completely different directions.
While the community remains small compared to more established skill-based hobbies such as skateboarding, kendama or yo-yo, it has developed its own culture, creative language and international network.
The film brings together people who have played, and continue to play, a significant role in the innovation and expansion of cardistry, alongside members of the wider community who practice it simply because they love it.
Produced in English, the documentary combines interviews and perspectives from around the world, captured both online and in person. The different people, backgrounds and locations create a diverse perspective on where cardistry came from, what it has become, and where it might go next.
[ Longform ]Approach ↘OOTB was a year-long documentary project that I planned, directed, shot and edited from the ground up.
The production took me across London, Los Angeles, St. Louis and Austin, while also connecting with interviewees and members of the community from more than 10 countries. Working with a small and flexible production setup allowed me to move between locations, adapt to different environments and capture the community in a more intimate way.
The film combines interviews, cinematic footage, archival material, event coverage and detailed shots of cardistry itself. The edit brings these different perspectives together into one narrative, balancing the history of the art form with the personal stories and experiences of the people continuing to shape it.
14.5K views ✧ Oct. 2024
Cardistry's Story of Skilled Card Shuffling | Documentary
Snapshots ↘
Live Screenings ↘
📍 Cardistry Con | Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵 ✧ 2024
📍 Movie Mania | Aachen, Germany 🇩🇪 ✧ 2024
📍 Veyer Conf | Moscow, Russia 🇷🇺 ✧ 2025
[ Photography ]Approach ↘The imagery was shot alongside the documentary and designed to capture the same sense of detail and personality. Close-up portraits, expressive moments and carefully composed card photography create a visual archive of the people and culture behind OOTB, extending the story beyond the film itself.
[ KEY INSIGHT ]
Royal Flush
The challenge was making a niche art form feel interesting even to someone who had never heard of cardistry before.
The visual language of cardistry is already incredibly captivating, so the film could use the cards themselves as a storytelling device. Close-up performances, intricate hand movements and carefully composed shots make the skill immediately understandable, while interviews and personal stories give the viewer a reason to care about the people behind it.
The result is a documentary that uses the visual spectacle of cardistry as the entry point, but ultimately tells a much bigger story about creativity, friendship and community.
[ Squad ]Concept / Direction / Edit
Max Jung
Made Possible by
Max Jung
Zeno Stolze
Julio Ribera
Camera
Anna Deguzman
Oliver Sogard
Sean Oulashin
Silas Busk
Sergio Roca
Lewis Caldwell
Michael Stern
Brendan Conner
Biz
Eliot Slevin
Jack Paton
Bruno Storm
Brad Fulton
Noel Heath
Kevin Ho
Mattis Witte
Linus Schmidt
Julian Stiber
Nick Faber
Interviewees
Jay Shekelton
Prof. Matthias Knezy Bohm
The Cardistry Community
Maria Zegullaj
Düsseldorfer Zauberwelten
Brad Fulton
Dan & Dave Buck
Special Thanks