Magic Reviews by Cameron Ramsay

Hello readers! Welcome to my new review section. If you are looking for a column where a guy rips into bad magic products than tries to trash the creator than this is not the column for you. My whole idea and goal for the review column is to just highlight good effects and recommend creators that put out great products. Yes the format of the column might change but hang on there guys, this should be a cool trip

T2P

Torn to Pieces

Shawn Farquhar

Manufacturer’s Description

Here’s the killer effect Shawn has kept secret for over a decade. It’s the effect Shawn does when he wants to get a client to book him again and again! A real photograph, signed by the spectator, is torn into four pieces. The photo is really torn. Then in an instant all four pieces join together but in the wrong order leaving the spectator with a mismatched photo with their signature! That’s right their signature is on the odd “almost restored” photo.

Cameron’s Description

Okay it’s not often you see an effect that is a killer on television and that’s also usable for a walk- around performer. Shawn’s effect does all of that and it leaves you with the chance to add your own personality.

Shawn does give many ideas of what photos to use (he also supplies digital images to get started with) and also presents ideas for many age groups. I am not the best with kids so when I saw Shawn explain the version with Humpty Dumpty I knew it would be going into my close – up arsenal. No, not the soccer team.

Cameron’s Favorite Part

This is a personal effect; it can be used to tell your audience exactly who you are. My favorite aspect is that this can be carried in your wallet and it actually makes sense to have it. Bravo Shawn, Bravo!

Thanks for reading my first column, many more reviews to come. If you have any comments, concerns or submissions please email me or contact via this new thing called the World Wide Web.

Cam
MrCameronRamsay@gmail.com
@Cameron401 on Twitter

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If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com

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If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com

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Reading? Overrated! Download the review for later or listen to it below! If you have a product you want to talk about, tell us about it. Here’s how.

 Millionaire Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [2:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Highlights from the Podcast Review:
- Peter Eggink’s Millionaire is a visual bill transformation that happens in the spectator’s hands.
- You are supplied with gimmicks and several fake bills for practicing the effect
- Instruction on the DVD covers the main points and gets you on your way to productive practice sessions
- I haven’t seen a bill change like Millionaire before. The effect manages to set itself away from other bill changes, not by the fact that the change happens in their hand, but that the change that takes place in their hands is a visual one.

If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com

Close Up, Effect, Money, Restaurant, Street Magic, Uncategorized, Visual | View Comments

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 Mind Scanner Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [2:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Highlights from the Podcast Review:
- Comes with forcing deck and clever Mindscanner device
- Mindscanner device can display up to three different revelations (which is great if you want/need to repeat w/out programming the device).
- Programming the Mindscanner sucks, but once you’ve got your messages in, you’re good to go.
- This effect is great for magicians that like customizing effects to suit them. You can reveal what you want and have all the flexibility you could want for choreographing the routine.
- Packs small and can play big!

If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com

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 Smart Ass - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [2:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Highlights from the Podcast Reviews:
- Great effect for workers
- Packs flat and plays big: cards are eliminted by throwing them in the air. Bill Abbott covers ways to minimize the mess for the people that would be an issue for.
- Includes required jumbo card and specially made forcing deck
- Clear instructions
- Can’t wait to perform it myself

If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com.

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 Got A Light Reviewed - by Derek Merdinyan [2:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Matt Wayne’s ‘Got a Light’ is the easiest and most customizable three-shell-type routine I’ve ever seen. No moves, no slights, no bull.

Included with the DVD are four LED lights and a magic wand, er… battery. Only three LEDs are required for the routines, you have the option to incorporate the fourth LED or save it as a spare in case you loose one.

Matt kicks off the DVD with several performance segments and then dives into the explanation of his routine. Following the basic explanation, you are shown several extra tips, ideas, and concepts for the included LEDs and batteries.

Matt uses three shot glasses in his routine to represent the ‘shells’ in the theme of his routine. On one hand, they give the effect a different feel, but carrying around three shot glasses in your jacket pocket may not be practical for everyone – using them is just an option.

Trust me, this effect is drop dead easy to perform (so nail your presentation!), totally angle proof, and allows for remarkable levels of flexibility to create a truly unique routine; just be careful transporting the little LEDs!

If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com.

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 Heartbreaker - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [1:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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I’m a Paul Gertner fan. I like his thinking and I enjoy watching his magic and his ‘Heartbreaker’ effect didn’t disappoint.

Included in the packaging, you receive both text and video instructions along with a nice quantity of specially printed ‘Heartbreaker’ cards to get you practicing the effect right away. You will, however, need to pick up some refills from Paul every few dozen performances (he includes a special number you can call for refills which you can get a discount on).

Heart Breaker creates an emotional connection between the performer and the participant. Paul’s honed the presentation to the point where you can see the moment when you ‘magically heal a broken heart from long ago.’ The effect comes together in a sequence of beautiful and emotionally charged magical moments. Visually, you pluck a set of initials off of a card and they appear on the card held by the spectator (which they can keep!)

The effect is relatively simple to perform and has many years of real-world performances behind it. It’s got the potential to become your next ‘workhorse’ effect.

If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com.

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 Cell - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [3:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Forgive me if I come off as a little bitter in this review: I love this effect – but I just can’t perform it with my phone. *insert aggression* David Stone’s “Cell” is the Kennedy Box of the techno age.

The included gimmick is fun to play with and works great for performing this routine. Upon initial inspection, you may be disappointed with how the gimmick looks close up, but when used in performance, it flies right by. Unfortunately the gimmick won’t work with my iPhone because there isn’t an openable battery compartment – the only ‘technical’ requirement to see if you can use your cell phone with this effect is the ability to open the battery compartment with a finger or two. If you need two hands to open it, you may still be able to perform this effect, but the effect looks much cleaner when you can perform it with the one-handed open. I tested the gimmick with an old RAZR phone to great success.

Installing the gimmick in your phone takes less than a minute and requires no extra tools or supplies.

Aside from the Mercury Card Fold, the workings of this effect are very simple and even fun to perform.

Bottom Line:
If I could perform this effect with my phone, I would; I’d have this worker set up all the time, ready to astonish => just like you will.

If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com.

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 Lottery Card - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [3:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Peter Eggink’s Lottery Card is a pretty quick trick; it’s nearly a self contained and one level above an entertaining throw-away effect. That is to say, the effect is just so quick and has very little deck involvement that the effect shares some of the characteristics of a throw-away effect: a very brief moment of magic. This is not a bad thing by any means, but the effect could only benefit with a little independent creative thinking.

Included with the instructions are two of the specially printed ‘Lottery Cards’, each having a different card revelation on it. The cards are specially available in either Red or Blue Bicycle backs upon request, depending on your dealer.

The instructions are brief and to the point. The basic effect is learned and leaves room for you to play around with these specially printed cards. That said, the routine that is taught in the instructions which ends in a visual restoration of the card does not leave you completely reset, nor does it cover how to clean up after the change. Doing so is very easy, but for magicians not familiar with basic moves to deal with this little situation will have to put the deck away and perform something else unless they can clean up the deck with slight of hand. An alternate ending is included which is even easier than the visual change finale and does leave the deck back in the order it started, ready to perform again if desired.

Bottom Line:
Despite a minor detail lacking from the instructions, Lottery Card is a fun little revelation to play with and has real-world potential.

If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com.

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When I first heard about InKa, Robert Haas, And even Magic Enhancer, I didn’t believe it. I saw the add and said ‘Wow. This is really cool. I wonder if it looks as good.” So I went on to www.magicenhancer.com and looked at the video. I instantly knew… I didn’t want it. So a few months later, I was at the “Magic Fun Day” convention in New Jersey. And guess who was there. Yup. Robert Haas. Him and his booth. I walked up and asked to see this trick performed live. I was completelly wrong about it. It is one thing that you cannot take from the video. when you see it live, It’s an entirelly different thing. you get to see it performed 10 inches away from your face and it looks so darn visual.
There have been lots of insanely visual effects, but none just as visual as this. I saw it and was ready to pull my wallet out. There is not one effect I use just as much as InKa. A few things you can do with it, are make signiatures vanish, Appear, business cards switch places in crazy fair conditions, go David Copperfield style and even… tear the signature right off the back of the card, Which is taught in great detail inside the book provided. If you thought WOW was visual, you have no Idea what visual is. InKa redifines visual.
InKa is a new idea never before been done. It is a crazy unique tool that can be applied to anything. You can apply this to almost any trick you want. You can be in a restaurant setting, do a few things with a signed card, then make it visually vanish off the card.
When you order InKa, you receive the tool required to make any miracle happen 5 inches from their face, A very detailed, Professionally made 32 page book with over 15 unique tricks and tips for you to use and incorporate into any trick using this tool including a mini lecture on creativity in your magic. All tightly squeezed into a baggy. In fact, the book supplied is so big that when it is laying down on the table, It is almost entirely opened because how big it is. Just something to throw out there.
On Robert’s website, This is up for sale for the measly price of $25 dollars. If you have 25 dollars this year to spend on one thing, This is it. It is without a doubt the best item I have ever bought from anywhere, And I would happily buy it again just to support him for creating such a unique and original prop for the magic world. I’m sure there will be other items to use in conjunction to this trick. Just because how good it is.

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 http://itricks.com/reviews/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/itricks-reviews-celebrity-autographs.mp3 [3:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Card to wallet effects come in many shapes and sizes; many are very similar to the one next to it on the shelf (or in your drawer), but some of them stand out: Celebrity Autographs is one such example.

Terry LaGerould’s Celebrity Autographs stands out in my mind because the routine is framed differently than anything I have ever seen in a CTW effect. Earlier in a performance, the magician asks for an autograph from a member of the audience, explaining that s/he enjoys collecting celebrity autographs, and then immediately proceeds with a completely unrelated effect, be it a card trick, coin trick, rope routine, or that cutting edge hippopotamus-backpalm routine you’ve been working on. Later in the evening you remove your autograph wallet and explain that you collect celebrity autographs: Morgan Freeman, Paris Hilton, Justin Robert Young, and somehow, the signed card you asked for earlier has appeared inside one of the pouches of the autograph wallet.

The routine is very easy to perform, doesn’t require any palming or slit loads. You’re angle proof for 99.98% of the routine (100% if there are no elvish critters standing under your hands). And yes, the effect is completely reset at the end, ready to go again for the next table. If I were going to perform a card to wallet-type effect, this is probably the one I would go with. The wallet isn’t a ‘real’ wallet that you would use to store your credit cards and cash in (something I normally require before even thinking about performing with a new wallet) but because you are up front and say that the wallet is for collecting and carrying around your celebrity autographs, I think it levels things out.

Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for a card to wallet-type effect that makes sense, is affordable, and designed with the worker in mind, Celebrity Autographs will work for you.

If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com.

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 Grab That Pinhead - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [2:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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I was literally smiling when I finished watching this DVD. The two routines on this DVD are simple for audiences to follow, easy to perform, well taught, and are the epitome of workhorse routines.

Taught in a candid conversational style between famed magicians Bob Sheets and Dan Garrett, the linking pins are explained on a level that even the most novice of magicians could pick up; heck it’s even borderline entertaining. Things kick off with a look at how to set up your pins which, I should mention, there are two large pins included with the DVD for you to start practicing with immediately and even use when performing for your paid audiences. From there, viewers get all the real world secrets that only true workers would know.

I feel I should say more to make this review longer, but it’s really all straightforward from what I’ve already said. (Update: I thought of something else: the DVD is only $25 which is a very fair price in my opinion).

Bottom Line:
Whether you’re looking to learn this routine or beef up your professional repertoire, this is most certainly a resource you’re going to want to check out.

If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com.

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 Enlightenment - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [4:04m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Ben Harris’ Enlightenment is most certainly a paradigm shift in the art of levitation, but is it something magicians would use? Let’s take a look:

Included in the fancy packaging is the instructional booklet, several informational inserts, and the Enlightenment Engine: a clever elevator-like device that is caused to expand (and lift objects on top of it) when in close proximity to a magnet.

Do yourself a favor and read the book before you start playing around with the Enlightenment Engine. Harris teaches his ‘quick start’ deck for those of you who want to start levitating cards immediately. If you can make it to the end of the book, Ben also teaches you his professional setup that makes the gimmick hidden in the deck even more deceptive; it takes a little longer to build, but it’s definitely worth it.

A bill levitation is also taught, but for the most part, you’re left to create your own effects with the engine until the next companion book of ideas comes out. You can also check out the Enlightenment Blog (www.wowbound.com/blog.html) for more ideas (including one from your’s truly).

There are some definite advantages and disadvantages of using this levitation over other methods such as ‘IT’.

Advantages:
Fully self contained
Cards can be freely selected
No lighting issues.
No threads to break!
The spectator can hold the deck while the card levitates off of it.
The card levitation effect is very clean and the spectator does most of the work.

Disadvantages:
Your spectator cannot look under the object that is levitating.
Levitations get a max height of just under one inch, depending upon how close you get the drive magnet (not included, and no a PK ring isn’t strong enough).

Bottom Line:
This product package teaches a very clever, straightforward card levitation effect. If that’s what sells you, then all signs point to GO! People expecting a cure all miracle gimmick should keep up the search (despite the fact that this gimmick has some new thinking behind it doesn’t mean it has real magical power within it).

If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com.

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 Moby Deck - Reviewed by Derek Merdinyan [3:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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This thing has potential.

For people performing Paul Harris’ Solid Deception (or routines with solid deck finales, for that matter) pay attention! We all know how killer a solid deck finale is, now multiply the astonishment factor by the difference in weight between a glued together deck of cards and a solid 1.3 pound block of brass made to look like a solid deck. I remember someone performing an effect at a convention for me that used the Moby Deck finale and let the deck fall into my hands after asking me to shuffle the deck; I nearly crapped myself.

The solid feel of the deck is indisputable and even upon close inspection, the deck looks legitimate. As far as maintenance is concerned, over time I noticed the paint on the grooved sides of the deck was beginning to come off, nothing a little touchup couldn’t fix. Also, the top and bottom cards of the Moby Deck are glued on and occasionally will require you tear them off and replace them with newer cards due to normal ware and tear. The plus side to this is if you receive a Blue Moby Deck when you purchase it, you could rip the face cards off of the brass block and replace them with a red-backed Bicycle card (or any white-boardered playing card for that matter. *Insert imagination here*).

Included with the deck is a brief set of instructions which I feel are really lacking; it was a lost opportunity to really show people the power and creative applications of this climax. For the most part, you’re going to have to use your own imagination to integrate this into one of your routines (and you will, because you know you want to end an effect with this climax…)

Bottom Line:
If you have the creative capacity to integrate this finale into one of your routines and are comfortable lugging this nearly pound-and-a-half brass block around with you, I say, go for it.

If you are a magic dealer and are interested in carrying this product, you can contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies at 916 853 9292 or visit them on the web at www.murphysmagicsupplies.com.

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