Reviewed bv Sam Fitton.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cCt8bOPUVM
29 Nov 2011
24 Nov 2011
Splice, Shin Lim
Next for review is the latest release from Vanishing Inc & a creator who I'm sure your all familiar with by now, Shin Lim!
Shin's 'Splice' is a cheeky utility move with applications such as a control, colour change, vanish and production.
The method will require you to have an intermediate foundation in card magic and a patience for practice - although quite simple in theory, a little knacky in concert.
Concerning practicality 'Splice' is fairly angle sensitive, but don't worry, Shin discusses angles in enough detail so that your prepared to avoid flashing - just to clarify, this isn't 'youtube magic'.
Production wise the download is strong and the teaching is informative but could be less rushed in parts - splitting hairs but just so's you know!
The price of £6.26 seems a little steep as there is nothing totally original here, but none the less a fun idea for move monkeys. Recommended.
Available at http://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic-downloads/card-magic-downloads/splice/
26 Oct 2011
Sense-Sational, Ryan Schlutz
And the award for most aptly named trick of 2011 goes to.. American magician Ryan Schlutz!
In brief, three cards are haphazardly selected in an incredibly fair manner, the selections are then revealed with equal fairness alongside a 'senses' presentation, this is strong! The method/s used combine a mixed array of old, underground techniques & choreographs them beautifully with a loose handling & off hands approach to make all of these ploys almost invisible (even when in the know!) & magician fooling!
As the margin for any suspicious actions is near non-existent, the presentation lends itself perfectly to really mystify the spectators & convince them that your demonstrating a true feat of sensory perception. In the performance clip (probably due to time constraints) each card is found reasonably quickly but there is huge opportunity to really slow each revelation down & create a memorable finale.
So above are the pros, how about cons.. well for such a great trick it feels mean to fine comb & point out what are only minor points, but as a rounded review it's only fair that you know (without exposing) exactly what your money gets you. Depending on your skill level & performance intention these points might be irrelevant. Firstly the amount of table space needed isn't regularly available in a table hoppers environment. Secondly the trick isn't 100% impromptu as you'll need a set-up, however it's really quite minimal & easily achievable for experienced card guys to attain on the fly.
Overall a first class effect, I'm looking forward to using this one, thanks Ryan! Highly recommended.
24 Oct 2011
The Rose Project, Adam Rose
Reviewed by Tom Denton.
"The Rose Project" is the debut release from the eponymous Adam Rose, and is another project from the guys at Bedeceived. If you read my review of their product "Gone", then you'll be aware that I concluded that maybe they were a bit hasty in getting material released before it was fully developed.
There is no such issue with "The Rose Project", however. From the performances, and the detailed explanations, I can well believe that Adam has worked the four effects in the real world.
The first effect, “Roses Wild”, is a simple, direct card effect in which a joker changes successively to two previously selections. Yes, I know, it's not the most original premise in the world, and most magicians will have been able to reverse-engineer it from the performances. What I like about it, however, is Adam's explanation of the reasons to perform an effect of this type as an opener, in terms of creating visual impact, and drawing spectators in.
Next up is “Gummy Corner”. This is basically a transposition of a piece of chewing gum with a torn-off corner of a card. Again, nothing magician-fooling, and, to be honest, having chewing gum in your mouth isn't a good fit for a lot of performing environments. So, this isn't for everyone. It's a simple piece of direct magic, however, which could work well in apparently impromptu settings.
Then, we have “Soft Spot”, a penetration of a balloon with a piece of chewing gum. As with the last trick, the inclusion of chewing gum isn't going to work for more formal performance spaces, but, as with the other effects the method is simple, direct, and gets the job done without any complicated sleights.
The final trick is “Debit”. This is a transposition of a driver's licence with a debit card. Of course, it doesn't have to be those specifically, but basically any kind of card which you might have in your wallet. There's some preparation which may not be practical for some performers, but, with a bit of ingenuity, I'm sure most people will be able to find a way.
Overall, Adam has created a set of simple, easy tricks which anyone can perform without too much work. Would anyone want to though? I have to stress these are very, very simple and basic effects, and I wouldn't recommend this DVD to anyone except beginners. I would suggest that for a young magician, still at school, these tricks are perfect, though. Adam goes into enough detail in the explanations that it should start inspiring your own creations, and his elimination of any complicated sleights is definitely a plus.
Available at http://bedeceived.com/launched/shop/effects/the-rose-project/
"The Rose Project" is the debut release from the eponymous Adam Rose, and is another project from the guys at Bedeceived. If you read my review of their product "Gone", then you'll be aware that I concluded that maybe they were a bit hasty in getting material released before it was fully developed.
There is no such issue with "The Rose Project", however. From the performances, and the detailed explanations, I can well believe that Adam has worked the four effects in the real world.
The first effect, “Roses Wild”, is a simple, direct card effect in which a joker changes successively to two previously selections. Yes, I know, it's not the most original premise in the world, and most magicians will have been able to reverse-engineer it from the performances. What I like about it, however, is Adam's explanation of the reasons to perform an effect of this type as an opener, in terms of creating visual impact, and drawing spectators in.
Next up is “Gummy Corner”. This is basically a transposition of a piece of chewing gum with a torn-off corner of a card. Again, nothing magician-fooling, and, to be honest, having chewing gum in your mouth isn't a good fit for a lot of performing environments. So, this isn't for everyone. It's a simple piece of direct magic, however, which could work well in apparently impromptu settings.
Then, we have “Soft Spot”, a penetration of a balloon with a piece of chewing gum. As with the last trick, the inclusion of chewing gum isn't going to work for more formal performance spaces, but, as with the other effects the method is simple, direct, and gets the job done without any complicated sleights.
The final trick is “Debit”. This is a transposition of a driver's licence with a debit card. Of course, it doesn't have to be those specifically, but basically any kind of card which you might have in your wallet. There's some preparation which may not be practical for some performers, but, with a bit of ingenuity, I'm sure most people will be able to find a way.
Overall, Adam has created a set of simple, easy tricks which anyone can perform without too much work. Would anyone want to though? I have to stress these are very, very simple and basic effects, and I wouldn't recommend this DVD to anyone except beginners. I would suggest that for a young magician, still at school, these tricks are perfect, though. Adam goes into enough detail in the explanations that it should start inspiring your own creations, and his elimination of any complicated sleights is definitely a plus.
Available at http://bedeceived.com/launched/shop/effects/the-rose-project/
16 Oct 2011
Noted, Gary Jones (Video Review)
Reviewed by Sam Fitton.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym5IgPr04Uc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym5IgPr04Uc
The Light, Chris Congreave (Video Review)
Reviewed by Sam Fitton.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym5IgPr04Uc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym5IgPr04Uc
7 Oct 2011
Creation Change, Justin Miller
Latest release to land in the MRB mail box is Justin Miller's Creation Change. I almost always enjoy what I see from Justin & this is no exception!
The appearance of this change is very clean, open & magical & can be used for one or two cards - which always succeeds to fry!
In theory the mechanics are simple but I'd say this will require a fair bit of practice to get JM smooth. There are however several types of handling taught so you'll be able to find the one which suits you best.
The teaching is clear, to the point & Justin covers a lot of different questions you might have in mind. So all in all a great download for an awesome change. Recommended.
6 Oct 2011
Corner & Exposure, Cameron Francis
Yet again I've had the pleasure of watching material from the CRAZY mind of Cameron Francis!
This is Cameron's debut release with masters of cinematic gloss & swish production Paper Crane Magic! So together you can only imagine the type of explosion this dynamite must create - except you don't, because I've seen it on behalf of your eyes & here is the review!
'Corner' is a wonderfully shocking effect that's so strong it has to be magic.. well at least in the spectators mind. In short, a card is selected & placed in the card box, the magi pretends to feel vibrations & read your mind naming aloud the card, seems impressive until you show that you've actually cut out a corner of the tuck case allowing you to sneak a peek at the card, jokes aside you then lose the card back into the pack & visually cause it to appear in the empty case - facilitated by the cut out corner so your audience can see the exact moment it arrives.
This is such a brilliant commercial effect - visual, entertaining, strong sense of magic & spec can keep their signed card! The method is no turn off either, a little bit of 'paper crane' prep involved with the box but all very straight forward & expertly taught.
Next up 'Exposure', I'm sure you've seen the trailer but just to recap (in brief) an indifferent card is folded & stapled - note, you can fairly see the face of the indifferent card! This folded/stapled card is trapped in the spec's hands & with a bit of byplay you reveal that inside their own hands the card (still folded/stapled) has changed into their signed card!
This is obviously a strong commercial effect & the presentational ploy of using a stapler really enhances the strength of the impact - as shown in live performances. The method is simply fantastic! So clever! I don't even need to say anymore, you won't be disappointed.
As well as the tricks, Cameron's animated, comedic style makes the whole download fun to watch as well as enjoyable to learn from.
I'm not usually a fan of effects which require you to sacrifice a card but every so often something comes along which is too good to miss, these are two of them! Highly recommended.
Available at http://www.papercranemagic.com/cornerexposure.htm
5 Oct 2011
Out Of Hand, Kyle MacNeil
I recently received this charming little ebook from one of the UK's younger creators Kyle MacNeil.
Up for grabs is an inventive set, seven to precise of (almost all) self-working effects that are designed to give the spectator all the adulation.
There are a few tricks which use double facers, dupes etc which don't suit my impromptu style, but like the non-gaffed effects they're all workable routines with some neat ideas to inspire your own creativity.
To note a few of my highlights,'Spec does the sandwich' is a cool hands off effect which contains so many nice elements plus a kicker, I've already started using this one!
'Bi-predicto' exploits the design of the Bicycle card box, a prop which we naturally carry around so these types of tricks are always welcomed, clever thinking creates an entertaining premise.
'Godly transposition' is a brilliant transpo thats staged in the specs hand & happens face up! Sounds impossible, but is actually very simple, worth checking out.
So there we have it, a short review for a short set of notes, but as we all know it's not the size that matters! Recommended.
Available at http://www.lybrary.com/out-of-hand-p-116528.html
21 Sept 2011
Gone, Cody Nottingham
Reviewed by Tom Denton.
As you'll have seen from the trailer, this effect is a visual deck vanish from inside the card case, leaving only a selected card.
Now, I have to be honest, my abiding impression from this release is that it could have done with some more time researching, developing and working it for live audiences. This takes nothing away from the effect itself, which looks great, and definitely achieves a very convincing vanish of the deck.
My problem with it is the little details around the edges. There's a gimmick involved, which, of course, isn't a bad thing in itself, but I think that Cody could have been clearer on his technique for introducing it into play, and cleaning up after. It seems as though he thought a lot about the actual method for the vanish to occur (with a lovely added subtlety from B Smith), and rushed to get the effect out, without spending as much time on the real world performance of it.
What this means, however, is that the purchaser of this effect has a clean sheet to develop the basic idea in whatever direction their creativity dictates. The principle of the vanish is great, and not one that I've seen elsewhere, and one which could have other applications.
So, to Cody Nottingham and Bedeceived, I'd recommend sitting on effects a bit longer before releasing them, and to their customers, to buy this effect and create your own routines for it.
As you'll have seen from the trailer, this effect is a visual deck vanish from inside the card case, leaving only a selected card.
Now, I have to be honest, my abiding impression from this release is that it could have done with some more time researching, developing and working it for live audiences. This takes nothing away from the effect itself, which looks great, and definitely achieves a very convincing vanish of the deck.
My problem with it is the little details around the edges. There's a gimmick involved, which, of course, isn't a bad thing in itself, but I think that Cody could have been clearer on his technique for introducing it into play, and cleaning up after. It seems as though he thought a lot about the actual method for the vanish to occur (with a lovely added subtlety from B Smith), and rushed to get the effect out, without spending as much time on the real world performance of it.
What this means, however, is that the purchaser of this effect has a clean sheet to develop the basic idea in whatever direction their creativity dictates. The principle of the vanish is great, and not one that I've seen elsewhere, and one which could have other applications.
So, to Cody Nottingham and Bedeceived, I'd recommend sitting on effects a bit longer before releasing them, and to their customers, to buy this effect and create your own routines for it.
18 Sept 2011
Headroom, Cameron Francis
Once again I've had the pleasure of reading through an e-book from the ever creative & good friend Cameron Francis.
Headroom is a collection of eight self-working card based tricks & as always there's a lot of neat ideas here.
I tend to perform FASDIU, with that in mind, here are my highlights.
'Sublime Royale', a neat surprise predicition effect which takes advantage of the free advertising cards that come in Bikes. Not the best effect you'll ever come across but it's the presentation which is so strong, memorable & logical. I'll defintely be using this as an intro in my professional repertoire. Killer!
'On the table' is a nice, impromptu effect which includes two spectators & gives them the credit. I won't go into the effect, but you'll be sure to use this snappy startler!
'Coat' is a cool packet trick which you could easily make on the fly with your business cards to create an intersting five minute performance piece. Essentially the images of some drawings when placed together deviously spell out the name of a thought of object. I've seen something similar before with hieroglyphics but Cameron's presentation is much more justified, can't wait to start using this one!
'Super easy caan' - what it says on the tin! Again, some fresh thinking from Cameron has created a show piece which anyone could learn!
Also included are one of the best diary effects to date, a cool double predicition effect & first class presentations. These notes are well worth picking up. Recommeded.
Available from http://www.cameron-francis.com/Headroom.php
Headroom is a collection of eight self-working card based tricks & as always there's a lot of neat ideas here.
I tend to perform FASDIU, with that in mind, here are my highlights.
'Sublime Royale', a neat surprise predicition effect which takes advantage of the free advertising cards that come in Bikes. Not the best effect you'll ever come across but it's the presentation which is so strong, memorable & logical. I'll defintely be using this as an intro in my professional repertoire. Killer!
'On the table' is a nice, impromptu effect which includes two spectators & gives them the credit. I won't go into the effect, but you'll be sure to use this snappy startler!
'Coat' is a cool packet trick which you could easily make on the fly with your business cards to create an intersting five minute performance piece. Essentially the images of some drawings when placed together deviously spell out the name of a thought of object. I've seen something similar before with hieroglyphics but Cameron's presentation is much more justified, can't wait to start using this one!
'Super easy caan' - what it says on the tin! Again, some fresh thinking from Cameron has created a show piece which anyone could learn!
Also included are one of the best diary effects to date, a cool double predicition effect & first class presentations. These notes are well worth picking up. Recommeded.
Available from http://www.cameron-francis.com/Headroom.php
5 Sept 2011
26!, Caleb Wiles
Rematch is the latest top notch offering from cream of the crop providers Vanishing Inc. The creator Caleb Wiles is one of my favorite names in modern card magic, if your unfamiliar with Calebs's material, you should go search! NOW!
Rematch comprises of three different effects. The effect which this review explores is '26!'.
'26!' takes on the matching plot, famously tackled by such greats as Tamariz, Hartling & Ackerman to name a few. The plot involves selected cards matching mates in a corresponding packet & usually ends with a complete deck match, i.e. every pair of mates are in a matching position. For those who don't know the plot, the deck is believed to be undoubtedly mixed throughout - which is obviously where the magic element arises.
Unlike some of the previous versions (which use full deck stack), Caleb's relies on a small set-up which can be done on the fly (method taught) . The effect is split into three phases, each combining devious & apparently unintentional, nonchalent actions to cause each moment of magic to really come as a surprise and hit hard, of course making this not only fooling for magicians but totally bewildering for laymen!
In keeping with the ultimate finale, Caleb's version includes an entire deck match which is not only a wonderful act of magic, but a devilishly crafty piece of psychology too.
The method is practically free from sleights, a couple of back to basics moves, but nothing hardcore or illogical. All in all this a very well constructed effect, super clever, super commercial, super impact.. superb!
This one gets a highly recommended badge from me, sweet work Caleb, keep'em comin!
Available at http://www.vanishingincmagic.com/
Rematch comprises of three different effects. The effect which this review explores is '26!'.
'26!' takes on the matching plot, famously tackled by such greats as Tamariz, Hartling & Ackerman to name a few. The plot involves selected cards matching mates in a corresponding packet & usually ends with a complete deck match, i.e. every pair of mates are in a matching position. For those who don't know the plot, the deck is believed to be undoubtedly mixed throughout - which is obviously where the magic element arises.
Unlike some of the previous versions (which use full deck stack), Caleb's relies on a small set-up which can be done on the fly (method taught) . The effect is split into three phases, each combining devious & apparently unintentional, nonchalent actions to cause each moment of magic to really come as a surprise and hit hard, of course making this not only fooling for magicians but totally bewildering for laymen!
In keeping with the ultimate finale, Caleb's version includes an entire deck match which is not only a wonderful act of magic, but a devilishly crafty piece of psychology too.
The method is practically free from sleights, a couple of back to basics moves, but nothing hardcore or illogical. All in all this a very well constructed effect, super clever, super commercial, super impact.. superb!
This one gets a highly recommended badge from me, sweet work Caleb, keep'em comin!
Available at http://www.vanishingincmagic.com/
27 Aug 2011
17 Aug 2011
14 Aug 2011
2 Aug 2011
21 Jul 2011
12 Jul 2011
7 Jul 2011
Void, Kevin Schaller (Video & Text Review)
Reviewed by Sam Fitton.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mugQWWd0d1k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mugQWWd0d1k
What Kevin has done with Void is present the reader with the opportunity to explore his methods to develop their own effects and to expand beyond his own. I like that thought.
This ebook is simplistic in design yet covers all that is necessary for one to understand and learn the material. There are 3 ‘effects’ in this PDF and I say that with inverted comma’s as the first, called ‘Streak,’ is more of a gimmick that can be used in numerous ways. You have to do a bit of cut and sticking and dig out some other bits and pieces from the back of the cupboard but after that you have a pretty neat gimmick to play around with. Some effects possible include colour changing cards/card, prediction effects and transpositions. This gimmick is limited only by your own creativity and I relish the challenge to have fun with it. Once more Kevin has discovered a solution, or at least a silver lining, to that poor and overcast new back design from bicycle.
The second effect in this ebook is ‘MobileCoin’ a transposition of signed coin and mobile phone battery. I thought this was quite creative and certainly something I had never seen before. It did remind me a little of Rene Jensen’s FISM act at Blackpool this year where a signed card and battery (in a computer mouse) change places but never the less Kevin’s idea has brought this into the realm of close up magic. Once again the effect offered the opportunity for the reader to develop it further however if you want to perform Kevin’s routine then the pictures and explanation are clear and easy to follow so you could be routining this in no time at all.
The last effect is ‘Credit2Card’ which is certainly, in my opinion, the weaker of the three offerings. However it is a respectable effect and Kevin explains how to customise your credit card holder so that it can appear as though you have given your credit card to the spectator to hold. The downside also being is that I don’t use credit card holders and I’m not aware of anyone that does so perhaps this could arouse suspicion in some cases. In your part of the county/world these cases might be more wide spread in which case this does not apply.
Down to business: Is this worth the money? Yes. Will I use this material? I am certainly going to road test ‘Streak’ and a version of ‘MobileCoin’ as I feel these two effects are the strongest. Well done Kevin. Nice, easy to read, straightforward magic PDF which gives the reader something to think about.
5 Jul 2011
16 Jun 2011
Top Card Cover Pass, Jason England
Reviewed by Sam Fitton
Jason’s teaching of the ‘Top Card Cover Pass’ was near perfect and within a short while I had the pleasure of performing such a beautiful card sleight.
My love affair with ‘The Pass’ is no stranger to my friends and I am always keen to show off what I thought was a pretty good example. After watching Jason I now realise how wrong I was. The pass Jason teaches is like liquid metal that flows under complete cover, allowing the performer to control the desired card to second, third, even to the fourth or fifth position in the deck.
The mechanics of this pass of course rely on, as Jason puts it, ‘basic familiarity of the classic pass.’ I’d argue that the better your classic the pass, the better your TCCP and I imagine whoever picks up this product is already an intermediate card worker. However, it was nice to see that Jason goes over the basics of the classic pass as well as a few other variations of the TCCP before explaining his own method. But I know what you’re thinking. Why would I want yet another variation of my perfectly good pass? The answer is simple. Because this one is better than the pass you already do. To execute this variation you don’t have to spin the cards, half pass or wrap the deck in 30 meters of bungee cable. You simply do what you already do, except ‘invisibly.’
Personally, I can see myself putting this straight into my repertoire without any second thoughts and for the performer that prides themselves on their card work I’d imagine they’d do the same. With regards to the video itself the camera work is what we have come to expect from the conscientious developer and up to the excellent Theory 11 standards. There are multiple angles and both standing and sitting performances explained in a 30 minute, very high quality instant download.
Down to business: Simply put, this is a must for any intermediate card worker looking to improve both their skills and performance. Jason’s subtle but significant alterations to the mechanics of the TCCP make this well worth the investment and the practice.
Price: $9.95 (£6.10)
Format: Instant download (.mov)
Window Pain, Blake Vogt & Dan Hauss
Reviewed by Sam Fitton
Presenting a different twist on the classic T&R routine Window Pain adds voodoo patter, audience participation and a make shift window frame.
The idea is nice and very appealing to the modern card magician. A selected card is signed and then ripped into four pieces. These are placed in the spectator’s hand and then one piece at a time they ‘jump’ on top of the deck until ¾ of the card is restored. For the last piece you have the spectator open their hand to find they are holding just one piece of card and it is the matching piece to their signed, restored card.
There are a couple of bits and pieces going on here which you have pre-set on the deck before you begin. The construction of the gimmick, it’s mechanics during performance and the set up are explained well however the gimmicks operation is limited by your proximity to the spectator. The only other concern I had when performing this was that to create the best illusion for the appearance / restoration of the signed card you have to hand out a slightly dirty signed card at the end. This isn’t a big deal but for sharp minded spectators this may set some alarm bells ringing.
Blake’s teaching style is efficient and he covers every aspect of the routine, including making a variation of the gimmick for those who may not have the desired materials to hand. The video itself is well filmed in a very swanky apartment overlooking a cool cityscape (which kept distracting me from Blake’s explanation) with good use of angles to demonstrate how the gimmick works.
Down to business: I can imagine this becoming a nice addition to the street performers or hobbyists repertoire however for professional table hopping magicians it might not feature as highly. Blake’s teaching is good and the effect definitely has appeal but for visual impact check out Blake’s ‘REF4M.’
Price: $9.95 (£6.10)
Available from: http://www.papercranemagic.com/wave.htm (Description at the bottom)
Format: Instant download (.wmv)
14 Jun 2011
Double Feature, Patrick Redford
Reviewed by Sam Fitton
These two effects have the potential to become classics in the modern mind readers repertoire.
‘Voice Prophecy’ strikes a bewildering prediction effect straight into the stomach of your audience whilst ‘CellularOracle’ follows a gentle and all together more traditional ‘Mind Reading’ plot. Both effects utilise mobile phones or ‘cell phones’ and these act, as Patrick explains in the method, as the gimmick you always have on you. So bearing this in mind you need not have a swami gimmick or fancy sharpie marker. Nor do you need a special wallet or ‘out to lunch’ in your back pocket. You are ready, ‘any time, any place’ to perform these well constructed pieces of mentalism.
‘Cellular Oracle’ is the first effect to be explained and I must say I thought this method was rather cheeky. It
requires a little preshow work and some knowledge of mobile devices but this is explained thoroughly using
multiple devices as examples. The effect (in a nut shell) enables the performer to physically describe the last
person that called your spectator. You then name that person. Finally you have your spectator ring that person and ask them to name any number between 0-9. The performer then rings his/her own friend (on speaker phone) and the same question is posed. The performer’s friend names the same number.
The method albeit cheeky is very clever and I was really impressed with Patricks ability to explain not only the effect but alternative ideas, notions and psychological subtleties. As mentioned previously some pre-show work has to be done to get the most out of this effect and prior knowledge of multiple ‘cell phone’ devices is advantageous if not essential. Taking this into account it is not by any means a ‘self working’ miracle that you can whip out at a moments notice however with much practice and rehearsal I imagine it could become much easier to perform.
'Cellular Oracle' makes the link between magic and technology, blending the idea that we are some
how ‘all connected.’ I like this thought and it is a great premise to construct an effect around. The patter for the
effect follows this idea and I’d say it’s a nice routine for those that are looking to combine a number of basic
principles of ‘mind reading.’ However I can’t help but think this effect will take 2nd place to…
‘Voice Prophecy’ is wonderful. From the minute I saw the demo I wanted to have a go and the method doesn’t
disappoint. The effect is simple: You have your spectator name any 3 digit number or playing card and you then
navigate to the memo recorder on your ‘cell phone’ and show the spectator a file dated 2 days ago. You ask them
to hit play and the recording is heard out loud, “It’s early in the morning, I will meet someone called (it then names your spectator) and I will make (it names your spectator again) think of the number X.” And every time you are 100% correct.
Again Patrick’s explanation of the method is excellent and he provides a number of tips and alternative scripts that you can use. I was pleased to see that after the main body of explanation Patrick provides solutions to a number of concerns that some people may have regarding the method. I for one had a couple of questions which were answered conclusively in this section. If anything this shows how much thought Patrick has put into this release. The method itself is devilish and yet surprisingly straight forward. It’s the type of method where you have to hold back a big grin whilst you’re performing. Unlike Cellular Oracle the only demand is knowing how to use your own memo recorder. The best way to sum up this effect is by using Patricks own words, ‘Bold but effective.’
Down to Business, if you are not afraid (please excuse the expression) to put your balls on the line for the chance of creating an exceptional piece of mind reading then Cellular Oracle is for you. However, if like me you prefer solid outcomes then Voice Prophecy is more likely to be your thing. Both are well taught and certainly worth the price tag for skilled mentalists.
Price: $24.95 (approx £15)
Available from: http://www.papercranemagic.com/doublefeature.htm
Format: Instant Download (.wmv)
16 May 2011
Aw Snap, JP Hilario
'Aw Snap' is the latest release from jedi's of production, Paper Crane. Created by Filipino JP Hilario, 'Aw Snap' is a very commercial, practical effect which only requires a rubber band - a card is chosen and lost, a rubber band is wrapped around the deck, half the pack melts through the band and the new card at the face is of course their signed selection. You can guarantee they'll be trying to pull cards through rubber bands for days after.
The effect is presented/explained by the ever creative Dan Hauss, he also adds some useful insight on presentation plus a handling for doing the effect surrounded. The method is extremely simple and workable, you'll literally be able to start rocking this within minutes!
There's a lot of reasons why I like this effect, here's a quick breakdown why: simplicity to execute, strong impact on 'real' people, memorable, direct, organic, fractal, examinable - in other words, I will be using this!
Overall, 'Aw Snap' is a very well priced hard hitting item which deserves a place in every workers repertoire. Recommended.
Available at http://www.papercranemagic.com/awsnap.htm
10 May 2011
The Card Solutions Of Solomon, David Solomon
I had to wait a long time to get my hands on this three disc set, but it was worth every minute!
When you clock your eyes on this, the first thing to impress you is the casing - a lot of thought has gone into making this look awesomely pro from every angle! The second thing you notice is how nice a guy David Solomon is, you'll end up wanting to give him a hug!
So what happens when you press play? Well as this release is a monster, I'll just go through my highlights.
When a magician states he's going to make three rows of seven, we all know the dullness that follows, but now and again a neat twist on the plot comes along and Solomon's '21 card trick' is one of those. This three phase routine is both brilliant in method and performance, Thumbs up!
'A234 Elevator' is a twist on the devils elevator plot with a surprising kicker. As in the classic version, one by one the cards rise through 4 indifferent cards (in this case kings) in an instant the four kings change into the 5,6,7 and 8. As with all of Solomon's creations, the effect is presented with an enjoyable story which neatly serves to make the effect clear and logical in the spectators mind.
'Solmar Aces' is a very fair ace assembly with a jump back kicker, a deceptive and streamlined handling make this one of the better, more enjoyable assembly effects.
'Jokers are wild' is an anniversary waltz type effect which has been devised so cleverly your mind will be boggled - so you can imagine how a laymen would react!
'Card in the case' is one of my favourite effects from this set for so many reasons. Essentially a card is caused to vanish in a baffling manner and appear in the card case. I don't want to reveal the presentation used as I think it's worth the price of the set alone, but this is genius and ridiculously easy!
'Blank thought' is a strong commercial sandwiching routine that contains a nice mix of moments, thumbs up!
'Double triumph', the title speaks for it's self - but what it doesn't tell you is how awesome this is! Shall definitely be adding this one to the 'to learn' list.
'S-V-S Shuffle' is more of a trick to show magicians but it's a decent one which displays slick card control in three progressive magical phases.
Also on the DVD set is an interview/discussion between Solomon who's joined by John Bannon. I found these talks really worthwhile viewing, great additional content.
Overall there is a lot of decent workable material on these discs, if I had the time I would love to have gone into more depth as I don't feel I've quite shown just how good these are, but trust me when I say you won't be disappointed. Highly Recommended.
Available at http://www.bigblindmedia.com/
3 May 2011
REF4M, Blake Vogt
This torn and restored card effect has got me extremely excited! If you think your being mislead by a cleverly edited trailer or a sneaky description, don't be - this is an outstanding example of ingenious thinking! All you need is a single, regular playing card, that's all, seriously THAT IS ALL!
The production and teaching on this download is exceptional! I'm struggling to find one bad thing to say about the detailed explanations, clarification, crediting, referencing, this is quite possibly the finest download I've ever seen - I told you I was excited!
So on to the work involved, there is a great detail of actions to remember, perfect and understand - all of which you need to get down comfortably before you can attempt an entertaining performance (should you be willing to perform this with the respect it deserves - and I hope you do!), otherwise you'll find yourself ignoring the audience as you try to remember the method. To sum up, this will set you back with a hefty amount of practice but I can't stress enough just how rewarding I feel this is. Ultimately this is the trick your audience will remember and tell their friends about - I'm starting to feel like I'm writing a persuasive advert rather than a review but it's just that strong!
Overall, an incredible download which I can't wait to start using. Highly recommended.
30 Apr 2011
Cannibal, Kevin Reylek
Feeling peckish? Get your teeth into this!
Kevin has created a fantastic effect inspired from the classic cannibal card plot. To quickly sum up, a corner of a selected/signed card mysteriously vanishes, the magician explains that a cannibal card has taken a bite out of it and to prove this claim the cannibal is torn in half where inside the centre (the cannibals stomach) the missing corner is found! I really like this effect, the ending takes the spectators by complete surprise, thumbs up!
The effect requires some prep including a home-made gaff which is clearly instructed, however you may take some time to become sufficient with the technique involved, the good news is though - once you've mastered the gaff, the effect is easy! No knuckle busting sleights or anything which you won't have already come across.
Included on the DVD are many live performances, extra handlings, nifty presentational ideas as well as anything else you might need to know - this makes for top notch release!
Overall this a very strong, practical and entertaining effect, there's a huge amount of single effect releases out there but this truly is one of the decent ones. Recommended.
Available at http://www.thebluecrown.com/store/tricks/cannibal-by-kevin-reylek.html
Available at http://www.thebluecrown.com/store/tricks/cannibal-by-kevin-reylek.html
29 Apr 2011
Card Trail, Cameron Francis
Cameron is a creating machine! I'm a big fan of his effects, which usually combine a light amount of work with a heavy dose of impact!
This e-book isn't amongst my favourites of his releases - but that's mainly due to reading almost of all them, plus the fact that Cameron sets the bar incredibly high in his 'Moments Notice' series, worth checking out!
Still, there are some solid routines here that you will use, so lets get into it.
'Improbable Vs. Impossible' is the first trick taught and a fantastic trick too! Three packets of three are laid out on the table, 3 random cards are selected and each is placed in front of a tabled packet. The random selections once added to their chosen packets cause the other three cards to turn into their mates before ending with an surprising kicker ace production. This is brilliant! Maybe not the most practical effect for walk around as there is a little prep, but the effect is clean, progressive and entertaining.
'Out Of Pocket' is a bill and card transposition. I like the effect but for me, I found the handling used to change the card into the bill a bit weak - this might just be down to my laymen brain being mushed over the years, impairing my vision to see it from a 'real persons' perspective, but either way there's plenty of ways you could alter the handling to create a more striking change. I've also spoken to Dave Forrest about this change as he's seen Cameron do it in person and apparently it completely caught him, so I'll leave you to decide!
'Saving Ace' is an ace production/triumph plot, I thought this was OK but probably my least preferred item.
'Providence' for my mark, brings the e-book back on track, a neat transpo, sandwiching, vanishing, colour changing bundle of madness which is difficult to backtrack and of course effective, Thumbs up!
'Alien Nation' is a cool colour changing back routine with an unsuspecting finish that sees the whole deck change colour. I wasn't a massive fan of the presentation but horses for courses - or however the phrase goes...
'The Just Enough Cut' is an in the hands false cut that retains entire deck order. Easy to do, flashy to a laymen and does exactly what it says on the tin, job done!
The explanations are all very well written, clear and well credited. Cameron has also made the effort to film each effect so that you can get a feel for each trick and see the notes come alive!
Overall this is a great a set of notes which is growing on me, if you haven't been introduced to Cameron's work before now, here's your chance! Thumbs up.
Available at http://www.cameron-francis.com/Card-Trail.php
28 Apr 2011
Falling Elevator, Bizau Vasile Cristian
Ever seen Ray Kosby's raise-rise, well it's like that only in reverse and performed slow-mo, it looks awesome!
The handling is fairly easy and quick to pick up - and is really quite addictive too! A negative is that the production isn't on par with most Paper Crane releases, resulting with some angle and description aids to be non-existant, therefore there are a few blanks which rely on those at an intermediate level to fill in.
Bizau also offers an additional presentation utilising the 'Choke Sleight' which enables you to execute the kicker in a greater magical manner. The added sleight will require some extra work, but in my opinion this creates a much more pleasing finish and gives you more bang for your buck!
Overall this is a beautiful move which unlike raise rise is far easier! The production lets it down somewhat but on the whole I would recommend this, thumbs up!
Available at http://www.papercranemagic.com/fallingelevator.htm
23 Apr 2011
Shootout, Adam Dadswell
Shootout is a visual one handed pop-out move performed on the table.
The pdf is quite detailed, all explanations are adjoined with pics and Adam points out intricate points to address. On the whole the pdf is well written, possibly a bit lengthy at times but I spose it's better to be sure than sorry!
On to the move, how does it look? I've seen Adam use this, he handles the deck loosely and naturally which results with a sudden production as there's no apparent dodginess preceding the pop-out, so to sum up - it does look magical!
Next up the handling. Again there's not a huge amount going on here - which is why the production takes you by surprise. Securing position for the pop-out is quite variable, there's many methods you can use depending on skill level and preference. The pop-out it's self is a gentle move but quite knacky, you'll probably have to explore with different pressures to find the right actions for you but this is definitely learnable in a relatively short space of time.
How practical is it? This definitely has it's limitations but once your in the right setting, the move is fairly angle proof and eye catching, never the less I can't imagine this getting huge reactions without an involving presentation.
Adam also goes into some routines with some guest ideas from Nathan Hickey. Some OK thoughts here, but for me the move works best as single card production rather than a utility move within a routine.
Overall this is a cool move which you'll have fun toying with, regarding it's value to a worker I don't feel this is of huge worth but fun move for the monkey! Thumbs up.
Available at http://www.adamdadswellmagic.com/magicians-only.html
Available at http://www.adamdadswellmagic.com/magicians-only.html
19 Apr 2011
As Brass, Alan Rorrison
I see Alan as Scotland's answer to Calen Morelli, a young creative chap who probably does churn out an idea for every day of the year.
Here we have a wee bundle of go-to tricks, taken from Alan's 'on person at all time' repertoire, suffice to say these only consume a wee bit of pocket space - sorry, I shall stop trying to sound Scottish! Alan is a thorough teacher and a dab-hand with the camcorder - this isn't a 1080 HD production with flashy title menus and funky music, but it's coherent and gets the job done! Music would have been nice though.. I'm joking!
Prepare to be armed with lethal weapons - which you can carry on your person legally!
'Bodies in Flight' is a nifty borrowed ring to necklace routine, crazy cool concept, easy peasy handling, thumbs up!
'Misery Business' is a signed card to impossible location effect, nice theory but I'm not a fan of carrying additional props or sacrificing cards, this is a great method though with some useful self-serving presentational ploys.
'Full Metal Jacket' is a bottle cap bend, I think I need to see this to appreciate the audience impact - better still I'll try it out, shall let you know how it goes on the 'MRB' Facebook page. Again, a streamlined method and uses a conventional item so worth learning.
'Ace wave' is an ultimate prediction effect, spec names an ace which turns out to be the only face up card in a tabled packet, the ace is shown to also have a different back and if that wasn't enough for the already weak at the knees audience, you reveal that the other three cards are jokers - call 999! I love these type of tricks, your covered for all scenarios which for a laymen makes this impossible to backtrack. To avoid having to carry extra cards I'm going to use queens instead of jokers, I'll miss out on the back design phase but the remaining two are still so strong that you'll get away labelling yourself as the devils right hand man - and that folks is cool!
Finally were introduced to 'Chipped', a visual removed and restored credit card chip trick. If we learn one thing from this effect, it's don't give Alan your credit card! Seriously though this cool 'Dynamo' magic with a canny method, thumbs up!
Overall this is a decent set of notes at a wee price. Recommended.
Available at http://www.alanrorrison.com/asbrass.html
18 Apr 2011
Card Magic USA, Peter Duffie
Here we have a large collection of fantastic material from (as you may have guessed) American magicians!
There's a great deal of gold here, from sleights and routines to subtleties and ideas - you really will take a lot away from this e-book.
Because there's so many contributors, 49 to be precise and some BIG names might I add, you get a lot of different styles and approaches in the teaching of the effects, which helps to keep the explanations fresh and interesting - also very handy if your currently wondering how to write your own explanations, lots of tips to be learnt!
There really were a mass of things that I took from this, too many to talk about - but take my word for it, you will use a lot of these creations. The material ranges in skill level, plots, commerical value and practicalness - something for everyone!
Overall I really enjoyed reading this, worthwhile read for all students of magic, thumbs up! Recommended.
Available at http://www.peterduffie.com/
15 Apr 2011
TSC Sessions, Justin Miller
This a varied collection of moves and effects, all of which are sleight of hand based.
There's some pretty neat ideas here, lets start with the 'drop change', this is a visual colour change which appears to happen as the card falls from one packet to another, easy to do and looks magical, nice.
The 'sick control' is a slightly knackier move used to deceptively switch cards during an in-transit motion.
'Doppleganger control' is a one handed technique to display a card supposedly in the centre, might take some practice but I like this, convincing.
The 'silky change' is sweet! It looks incredible and there are so many ways of going about it, one of the best items on the download, thumbs up!
'Eclipse' is a nice card & coin transpo which I'm definitely going to start using.
'Abyss change' is a very open colour change which in JM's hands looks great, I'm still struggling with this one a bit but I think it's worth the time and effort, so shall keep going!
'Conviction' is an awesome colour changing torn card - a selection is lost in deck, the corner from an X card is ripped off, visually you change the X card into the selection and the torn off corner also changes (in specs hand!), the two pieces fit together and boom you've got yourself a screaming crowd! Strong stuff! I'd say this routine alone is worth the asking price, it's easy to set up, simple handling and extremely high impact, thumbs up!
So that's my highlights, there's some other effects, one of which is '4 on da floor' which I've already reviewed and the others I thought were OK.
The cons! The download appears to be shot on a mobile phone - this makes the quality fairly poor, you can still learn from it, but leads to some light and audio issues.
Overall I felt the production was poor, but magic-wise it does contain some decent material.
Smile, Justin Miller
JM is back!
I've already used this a few times and it kills! Easy to do, huge impact and a brilliant alternative to the classic signed card souvenir - no sacrifices!
The effect is simple and direct - a selection is lost in the deck, an indifferent card is held onto by the spec, you take a photo (on their phone) of them holding the wrong card, you visually change the card into their selection and show that the card in the photo has also changed, powerful!
The handling is super easy and the psychological aspects are quite interesting, they play a crucial role in the effect.
Overall this is a trick which you'll quickly get to grips with and stun! Thumbs up!
Available at http://www.justinmillermagic.com/apps/webstore/products/show/2282293
Available at http://www.justinmillermagic.com/apps/webstore/products/show/2282293
13 Apr 2011
Alchemy, Ben Seidman
If you've seen the trailer for this and wasn't amazed then I would seriously like to see the tricks which do!
Ben Seidman comes across very well and is enjoyable to learn from. He teaches the moves involved with extensive detail and also includes some entertaining history on the effect as well as tons of extra notes on angles, what to practice, what to be aware, further coin magic resources etc etc - matched with Theory11 production the result is exquisite, now there's a fancy word!
So on to the handling, this scared me a little. The method is badass! And as a result you will have to work at this a hefty amount before you can even consider road testing. But as I said before, the works are fully tipped so there's no reason why shouldn't be able to get this down.
Is it workable? Ben's been using it successfully for the past four years so yes it is, but you are required to be careful of your angles - this can't be done surrounded.
Overall I think the effect is awesome but will demand a lot of patience. So should you 'add to cart', well If your looking to add an open, visual, gimmickless and wonderfully seamless coin vanish to your rep, then go for it! Thumbs up!
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