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		<title>Ramsay’s Review: T2P Shawn Farquhar</title>
		<link>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/12/ramsay%e2%80%99s-review-t2p-shawn-farquhar/</link>
		<comments>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/12/ramsay%e2%80%99s-review-t2p-shawn-farquhar/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 18 Dec 2010 00:27:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cameron</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Card Magic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Close Up]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DVD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Restaurant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Standup/Stage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Street Magic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Visual]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Worker Material]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itricks.com/reviews/?p=1095</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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 [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[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&#8217;s Description
Heres  the killer effect Shawn has kept secret for over a decade.  Its 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! Thats right their signature  is  on the odd almost restored photo.
Camerons Description
Okay  its not often you see an effect that is a killer on television and  that&#8217;s also usable for a walk- around performer. Shawns 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 &#8211; up arsenal.  No, not the soccer team.
Camerons 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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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Ramsay&#8217;s Review- Above The Fold</title>
		<link>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/12/ramsays-review-above-the-fold/</link>
		<comments>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/12/ramsays-review-above-the-fold/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 18 Dec 2010 00:22:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cameron</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Booklet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Card Magic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Comedy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Worker Material]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itricks.com/reviews/?p=1178</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Magic Reviews by Cameron Ramsay Above the Fold Rich Aviles Vanishing Inc Plublishing Manufacturers Description Published by Vanishing Inc. Magic, Above the Fold is the debut collection from one of magics most exciting new talents: Rich Aviles. In this intelligent, praiseworthy collection of card and close-up material, Aviles details thirteen effects and seven moves, each [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Magic Reviews by Cameron Ramsay
Above the Fold
Rich Aviles
Vanishing Inc Plublishing
Manufacturers Description
Published  by Vanishing Inc. Magic, Above the Fold is the debut collection from  one of magics most exciting new talents: Rich Aviles. In this  intelligent, praiseworthy collection of card and close-up material,  Aviles details thirteen effects and seven moves, each one explained with  equal parts clarity and wit.
Camerons Description?
Yes,Yes,Yes,  people are still writing books. Andy Gladwin and Joshua Jay are  bringing sexy (books) back and I am certainly loving it. This debut  collection from Rich Aviles has a lot of great material in it.  Highlights for me were Pocket Protector-a clever prediction using an Alex Elmsly move. Asher Twich-  Richs take on the now classic ace routine by Lee Asher. Now Im not a  guy that thinks any one should be boring their audience with 37  different color changes but I really like 2 Legit as a double color change.
Camerons Favorite Part
Again  this is a book, whats even better is that it is a book I can take on  the subway (I dont go on subways ever since Spiderman) and easily  travel with anywhere with it. Its not big and thats what the guys at  Vanishing Inc Magic are trying for. They are calling it their Small But  Potent, just the best material from that one creator.
Now  I didnt want to write about this but there is a secret gem in the book  that I am sure a lot of card guys wont use. Its the only non card  trick/gag in the book. I have been able to put this gem in my comedy  club set. To sum it up this is a great card book from a really funny guy  that everyone will enjoy.
I really look forward to more books and products coming out of the Vanishing Inc Publishing company.
Cameron 
MrCameronRamsay@Gmail.com
@Cameron401 on twitter
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
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		<title>UTLTIMATE OIL &amp; WATER by Anthony Owen</title>
		<link>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/06/utltimate-oil-water-by-anthony-owen/</link>
		<comments>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/06/utltimate-oil-water-by-anthony-owen/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:28:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jamie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/06/utltimate-oil-water-by-anthony-owen/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What The Audience Sees: Okay, so I&#8217;m still in mass mental meltdown after that trick Jamie showed us on Friday. I mean, he didn&#8217;t do any funny moves or gestures, or any abracadabray kind of stuff, or anything! He simply showed us six cards, 3 red &#38; 3 black. And he laid them down, alternating [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[What The Audience Sees:
Okay, so I&#8217;m still in mass mental meltdown after that trick Jamie showed us on Friday. I mean, he didn&#8217;t do any funny moves or gestures, or any abracadabray kind of stuff, or anything! He simply showed us six cards, 3 red &amp; 3 black. And he laid them down, alternating the colour. Red, black, red, black, red, black. Then &#8220;poof&#8221; they were separated! Red, red, red, black, black, black! It was just so&#8230;magical! I don&#8217;t know what else to say! It was real, true magic. And he did it three times! and the last time he did it? Get this! He did it face up!!!I&#8217;m speechless&#8230;&#8221;
How It Went:
If you were right beside me, at this moment, watching me type, you&#8217;d see the huge smile on my face. I love this trick. Love it! As many of you know, I don&#8217;t review bad magic (I can&#8217;t really go around showing bad magic, can I?) but there&#8217;s some that I review, that I like more than others. And Anthony Owen&#8217;s &#8220;Ultimate Oil &amp; Water&#8221; is now at the top of my list. When it comes to magic that I keep with me, in my wallet, this is probably the first thing I&#8217;ll be pulling out in the future.
The thing that I loved about Friday was that it is such a clear effect to explain and describe. Six cards alternating colour magically separate into three and three of each. Period. Visually, it is just as clear. It&#8217;s like the audience was watching the magic happening at that moment. When I showed that the colours were grouped together, people got the feeling that it was happening right at that moment.
Combine that with the fact that I can do it three times, with each time escalating in proof and impossibility, and you have a sure-fire winner. I had such great reactions all day that it was an absolute pleasure to have to work, lol. There wasn&#8217;t a single &#8220;meh&#8221; reaction from all the times I performed it, either. Gasps and shock were the orders of the day.
The Difficulty:
This isn&#8217;t a hard trick at all but you will need to practise it a bit. It&#8217;s important to put the time into this if you want the confidence needed to not worry. 3/5.
Best Lines:
Where are we?! Are we still in Vancouver?!
~This is an awesome line, lol.
Amazing, amazing, amazing.&#8221;
~What more can you ask for?.
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TTs exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he cant figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
Angry Bob is having a hard time these days. I might have to bust out a TT trick next week to give him a break. I seriously thought he was going to have a heart attack right in front of me. Needless to say- no clue.
&#8220;$#%# it. I don&#8217;t even want to know.&#8221; 4.5/5.
My Rating:
Magic Friday Approved!
A new packet trick- hurrah! I know I&#8217;ve been going on and on about my summer project of only doing magic with borrowed decks but I stil allow myself one packet trick to be on me at all times. Ultimate Oil &amp; Water is now that trick!
The JDG Tip:
Watch it here! 
The iTricks Idea:
The last phase is by far the most shocking so really give it a pause before the reveal. I try to create as much tension an this moment and wait for the incoming explosion&#8230;
Closing Thoughts:
Thanks for reading and watching everyone! If you are reading this in the summer of 2010, I highly suggest you go over to www.Professional-Magician.com and check out the &#8220;Send Wonder&#8221; campaign. If it&#8217;s years later and you&#8217;re reading this, I simply hope you enjoy the review.
Have a Great Week Everyone!
Jamie D. Grant
www.cardsinabottle.com
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
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		<title>BOX CLEVER from James Brown&#8217;s DVD &#8220;The Opportunist&#8221; (Vol.01)</title>
		<link>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/06/box-clever-from-james-browns-dvd-the-opportunist-vol-01/</link>
		<comments>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/06/box-clever-from-james-browns-dvd-the-opportunist-vol-01/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jun 2010 23:55:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jamie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/06/box-clever-from-james-browns-dvd-the-opportunist-vol-01/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What The Audience Sees: This Jamie dude can make stuff, like, teleport, man! He made this card I pick fly across the table and land under a box, and I didnt see a thing! Check it, I pick a card. He puts it into the deck. BAM! Its under the card box. He takes it [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[What The Audience Sees:
This Jamie dude can make stuff, like, teleport, man! He made this card I pick fly across the table and land under a box, and I didnt see a thing! Check it, I pick a card. He puts it into the deck. BAM! Its under the card box. He takes it again. He puts in into the deck. BAM! Its back under the cardbox. He says hell do it one more time. It doesnt work. Why? BAMALAM! Because the whole deck, except my single card, is under the cardbox! AMAZING!
How It Went:
I think I may have mentioned this before but I often feel like Im an old miner in the Klondike searching for gold. While sorting through DVDs. Books, tricks, etc, looking for effects for Magic Friday, I get hungry, cold, scared, and worried. Sometimes I cry. And then, while knee deep in the proverbial rivers, Ill look into my goldpan and find the biggest nugget you could imagine. And it all suddenly becomes worth it.
Box clever is one of those pieces of gold. You can use a borrowed deck. Theres no moves. Brilliantly routined.  Everything I look for. Why James Brown didnt just call me and tell me to look at this is beyond me, lol.
When I performed this all day, it kept getting better and better. I ended it with the deck going to under the box and people couldnt believe it. Its just such a shocker. I think they thought that twice was impossible enough, so when you can keep going, it just fries their minds. And the great thing is, that everything can be examined. People would immediately grab the deck and I could just sit back and relax. Fantastic.
The Difficulty:
This isnt a hard routine in the slightest. You just need to focus and control your surroundings a bit. 2/5.
Best Lines:
NO ITS NOT!!!!
~When I told them the deck had traveled, lol. And yes it had.
UNGH!
~This person actually let out a noise like they had been punched in the calf.
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TTs exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he cant figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
Ha! Theres nothing more enjoyable than leading Angry Bob down the garden path only to watch him fall into a deep hole at the end. After the first phase he was so smug and demanded to see it again. When I did, he was floored. And when the entire deck went, he was silent, lol. A true testament. 4.5/5.
My Rating:
Magic Friday Approved!
A great find. This is going into my Top 10 tricks that I do with a borrowed deck, for sure.
The JDG Tip:
Watch it here!
The iTricks Idea:
Every time something is examinable, let it be examined if asked. Or, beat them to the punch and simply ask them to shuffle. Often, that can be enough.
Closing Thoughts:
Im up for future Magic Friday suggestions so, if you have any or if you have anything to say at all, please leave a comment~ I read them all!
Have a Great Week Everyone!
Jamie D. Grant
www.cardsinabottle.com
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<title>SNEAK PREVIEW by Danny Archer</title>
		<link>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/05/sneak-preview-by-danny-archer/</link>
		<comments>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/05/sneak-preview-by-danny-archer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 May 2010 04:38:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jamie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/05/sneak-preview-by-danny-archer/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What The Audience Sees: Can someone please explain to us how Jamie has managed to sneak into every movie Ive ever seen, since I was a kid, and remember them all?! Because thats the only way he could have known! Listen, he had these cool business cards printed, right, because he collects autographs or something. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[What The Audience Sees:
Can someone please explain to us how Jamie has managed to sneak into every movie Ive ever seen, since I was a kid, and remember them all?! Because thats the only way he could have known! Listen, he had these cool business cards printed, right, because he collects autographs or something. I mean, theyre blank except for a picture of a movie screen. Anyways, I write down a movie that only I know Ive seen, onto the card and place it FACE DOWN into his hand. He cannot see it! To prove the point, he even slides it back into the middle of the stack of business cards. And thenBLAM!He names my movie! HOW? Thank goodness he gave me his card- Im calling him for my next party!
How It Went:
You know, Ive been meaning to write this one up for some time but Ive been unintentionally delayed. I really wanted to see how it would play at an actual paid gig and, even though Ive done a few hundred since Ive gotten this effect, Ive always forgotten to take it with me. Doh! Double Doh! This trick is great! It takes up the exact same amount of pocket space that I normally designate for business cards, but I now have a great closing effect for my set. I sincerely wish I had it for all those other times.
I think I made up for it on Friday, though as I used it dozens of times to great effect. What I like about it is that its super clean. I mean, youre basically looking at a stack of business cards and an elastic band. Thats it. No wallet, clipboard, helmet transmitters, etc. Just a small stack of cards. No folding required! Hurrah! Not that Im lazy, but at gigs, I really want to not have to worry. And Sneak Preview is worry free.
The reactions were right on point as well. I can always tell if somethings gone exceedingly well when the spectators start addressing each other. They wanted to know if we were in on it and all the pressure is on the spec defending himself that we werent in cahoots, lol. Awesome.
The Difficulty:
Man, like, what, 1/5? Do your eyes move? Sweet, then you can do this.
Best Lines:
Peter! PETER! Do you guys know each other?!?!! ANSWER ME!
~Poor Peter was in for a rough night I think.
Were you there?!&#8221;
~At Ben Hur?! Um, no.
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TTs exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he cant figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
Lets just all be thankful that Angry Bob doesnt show up at any of these functions. Could you imagine?! With regards to this, however, Id say pretty high. Theres a flash of the stack that is really nice and takes people away from the cards. Maybe 4/5? I&#8217;m not worried.
My Rating:
Magic Friday Approved!
I owe myself an apology for not taking this out sooner. Its gone into my Suit Jacket- the ultimate rating!
The JDG Tip:
Watch it here!
The iTricks Idea:
The only thing you need to brainstorm is why you had the cards printed. Try and find a plausible reason for you and stick with it. Conviction!
Closing Thoughts:
Someone e-mailed me and mentioned that they couldnt watch my video reviews because they live in a mountain cabin, so it looks like were back to the old format-written and video. I hope you like it!
Have a Great Week Everyone!
Jamie D. Grant
www.cardsinabottle.com
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>SANITIZED by Kelvin Ng</title>
		<link>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/05/sanitized-by-kelvin-ng/</link>
		<comments>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/05/sanitized-by-kelvin-ng/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 May 2010 19:36:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jamie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/05/sanitized-by-kelvin-ng/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Video Review (PASSWORD: The name of this trick. The &#8220;S&#8221; needs to be capitalized.) Watch it here! Best Lines From The Day: &#8220;Are you kidding me?!!&#8221; ~He was convinced that he was seeing things! &#8220;Give me that!!&#8221; ~And it wasn&#8217;t so he could clean his hands again, lol. Angry Bob Rating: I have a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The Video Review (PASSWORD: The name of this trick. The &#8220;S&#8221; needs to be capitalized.)
Watch it here!
Best Lines From The Day:
&#8220;Are you kidding me?!!&#8221;
~He was convinced that he was seeing things!
&#8220;Give me that!!&#8221;
~And it wasn&#8217;t so he could clean his hands again, lol.
Angry Bob Rating:
I have a co-worker (Bob) whose uncle was a magician and thereby has a good working knowledge of how magic works. He&#8217;s pretty grumpy but likes Magic Friday&#8217;s because he can tell me how he figured out how the effect is done&#8230;
The card reveal isn&#8217;t a magician fooler. And Angry Bob, although not a magician per se, wasn&#8217;t fooled at all&#8230;except on how he was made to pick the Nine Of Clubs. So you can imagine that this works quite well- which it did- when you do it on someone who has no idea what a force is to begin with. 1/5.
The JDG Tip:
If you can find it- get the Aloe Purell- it&#8217;s green and will help your colour effect!
The iTricks Idea:
I wouldn&#8217;t perform all 3 effects that come with Sanitized at the same time- that&#8217;s just me. But I would do the colour effect plus one of the others maybe. Just don&#8217;t do the colour reveal until the very end.
Closing Thoughts:
I didn&#8217;t review the other 2 effects that come with Sanitized but should mention that they&#8217;re quite good. Will Tsai has an idea on the Free Will effect which is absolutely awesome and is an idea that you can use in many other applications.
Thanks for watching!
All my best,
Jamie D. Grant
www.Professional-Magician.com
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>FOOTLOOSE by Dan Hauss from his DVD set &#8220;Restless&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/04/footloose-by-dan-hauss-from-his-dvd-set-restless/</link>
		<comments>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/04/footloose-by-dan-hauss-from-his-dvd-set-restless/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:28:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jamie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/04/footloose-by-dan-hauss-from-his-dvd-set-restless/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hiya Gang! I&#8217;m going to be experimenting with different Magic Friday formats, now that I&#8217;m doing video every time~ so please bear with me while I decide on what&#8217;s best. And I&#8217;d love to hear your opinions! (You can&#8217;t write here, but you can leave a comment over at the blog). Without further ado: FOOTLOOSE [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Hiya Gang!
I&#8217;m going to be experimenting with different Magic Friday formats, now that I&#8217;m doing video every time~ so please bear with me while I decide on what&#8217;s best. And I&#8217;d love to hear your opinions! (You can&#8217;t write here, but you can leave a comment over at the blog).
Without further ado:
FOOTLOOSE by Dan Hauss:
The Video Review: (PASSWORD: The name of the DVD set this trick comes from)
The Magic Friday Show~ Episode 10 from Jamie D. Grant on Vimeo.
Best Lines From The Day:
&#8220;Whawhatwhat?! Hey! HEY! COME LOOK AT THIS!!!&#8221;
~This guy was yelling so loud, I thought the cops were going to come by for a visit!
&#8220;Nope. That didn&#8217;t happen. Nopey dopey.&#8221;
~&#8221;Nopey dopey? Lol, just pure disbelief (in a good way).
Angry Bob Rating:
I have a co-worker (Bob) whose uncle was a magician and thereby has a good working knowledge of how magic works. He&#8217;s pretty grumpy but likes Magic Friday&#8217;s because he can tell me how he figured out how the effect is done&#8230;
Well, he stared in disbelief, and then almost kicked me in the face, lol. He then started inspecting his own shoelace as he thought I had done something to his shoe. Lol, I&#8217;m going to say 4.5/5.
The JDG Tip:
I&#8217;ve actually got a few good tips that are only going to make sense to people that own this. So to these people, I&#8217;ll just tell you to use a chopstick or a piece from a coathanger&#8230;
The iTricks Idea:
Okay, so my other tip is that certain things come in different sizes and different construction. If you&#8217;re having trouble because of something you found inside- make a small cut in the end lengthwise.
Closing Thoughts:
Thanks for watching, reading, and commenting everyone! I do my absolute best to never steer you wrong, as I know we all want to make great purchases. I don&#8217;t think you&#8217;ll be disappointed with this one as the set has something for everyone!
All my best,
Jamie D. Grant
www.Professional-Magician.com
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		<title>Wayne Houchin &#8211; SINFUL: A Graphic Novel</title>
		<link>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/04/wayne-houchin-sinful-a-graphic-novel/</link>
		<comments>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/04/wayne-houchin-sinful-a-graphic-novel/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Apr 2010 14:11:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Corey Martin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Close Up]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Impromptu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Street Magic]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itricks.com/reviews/?p=1063</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Corey Martin is a regular contributor to iTricks Raves. Most of us remember when we first saw Sinful. For me, it was on an episode of Criss Angel&#8217;s &#8220;Mindfreak&#8221;. A signed coin visually penetrates a sealed soda can. Magic at one of it&#8217;s purest moments. Since that episode it has been hailed as one of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
Corey Martin is a regular contributor to iTricks Raves.
Most of us remember when we first saw Sinful. For me, it was on an episode of Criss Angel&#8217;s &#8220;Mindfreak&#8221;. A signed coin visually penetrates a sealed soda can.  Magic at one of it&#8217;s purest moments. Since that episode it has been hailed as one of the greatest impromptu effects of all time. With all of the classic movies getting a &#8220;facelift&#8221; these days it is nice to see that some of the great magic effects are getting similar treatment. If you liked the &#8220;original&#8221; version of Sinful, then you are going to love the new style, tips and handling of the new version. Inside this book not only shows you how to perform an incredible piece of magic, but it also lets you in on just how intense of a process goes into creating something so special. Welcome to Sinful: A Graphic Novel.

The book itself is split into three parts: Performance, Explanation and Extras. Each section has it&#8217;s own unique style to it that makes everything about the book and the effect a joy to read. The Performance section of the book reads just like many of the graphic novels we see today. It takes you out for a night with Wayne Houchin as he performs Sinful for a late night bar crowd. The artistic style of artist Josh Funk is incredible and even the way the dialog is written almost makes you feel like you are there watching the events unfold. All of the visuals make it a very engaging piece of art. The Explination section is my personal favorite part of the book. It has the look and feel of a personal journal which makes the reader feel as if he or she is looking directly into Houchin&#8217;s personal notebook. Here is where we find part of what makes this version of Sinful different. There are several stories throughout the book on how the creative process for this effect has changed over the years, and when you look at the new handling you see the differences right away. While many may think that these small changes are not needed, once you start implementing them during a performance, you will see just how useful they are. Then there is the Extras section which has even more ideas and tips on how to improve the effect as a whole. It gives you presentation ideas as well as neat little things like film negative and special artistic appearance by Dana Hocking. As a special bonus you also recive a DVD with performance footage as well as an awesome interview with Houchin and Paul Harris.
This is a fantastic reinvention of an incredible piece of magic, if you perform Sinful and would like some new ideas, this is the book for you. If you are new to the Sinful concept, you will no doubt enjoy this book and all that it has to offer.
Until next time,
Corey Martin
twitter.com/coreymmartin
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		<title>FOUR QUARTERS by Magick Balay</title>
		<link>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/02/four-quarters-by-magick-balay/</link>
		<comments>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/02/four-quarters-by-magick-balay/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:43:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jamie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/02/four-quarters-by-magick-balay/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What The Audience Sees: &#8220;Okay, so Friday was really strange- I think we were all hypnotized! Jamie shows us an American one-dollar bill, right? Nothing crazy. But then, all of a sudden, it changed! It morphed itself inside out or something! Jamie told us that he had temporarily hypnotized all of us and that the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[What The Audience Sees:
&#8220;Okay, so Friday was really strange- I think we were all hypnotized! Jamie shows us an American one-dollar bill, right? Nothing crazy. But then, all of a sudden, it changed! It morphed itself inside out or something! Jamie told us that he had temporarily hypnotized all of us and that the bill should look different, and did it ever! It was like all reversed, backwardsy, split into quarters, kind of magical weirdnessness! None of us could believe our eyes! And man, did we ever have a great weekend because of it!
How It Went:
You know, Ive never really given the Mis-Made Bill premise a go before and I have to say, Ive been missing out. I only wish I had been able to do it with borrowed money, which all you guys and gals in The States will be able to do. A Mis-Made Loonie just wouldnt be the same, lol (a Loonie is a Canadian one-dollar coin). On that note, those of you in the US do have a real advantage. Up here, the smallest bill is a Five, but people are never really carrying them around because the smallest bill that most ATMs give out are Twenties. So, if youre in the US, take advantage of it. However, I digress
Even though I was using my own bill, and a foreign one at that, it still rocked the house. I was a bit surprised myself, actually. People were giving each other looks like, Are you seeing what Im seeing? The magic really played with their minds on Friday. Ive been thinking about it all weekend and Im still trying to dissect why it went so well, and I think its because, unlike normal paper, people know how impossible it is to make a bill. And a bill has a feel to it that cant be faked (well, not legally, lol) so I think as soon as people touched it, they simply fully believed. There is also something more believable about it being the same denomination, I think.
And I have to say, I love Magick Balays handling of the switch! It has a more natural sort of feel to me than previous switches Ive used and it went by everyone on Friday. There is something about the turning in Magicks method that I really like and it seemed to help both me and my audience. Ill talk about it more in the video portion but I just found it a more believable way of folding something. I found people werent burning my hands as much as when Ive done switches before- perhaps it comes across as more casual.
The Difficulty:
This took me a while to get down and, as youll see, I still have to force myself to not look at my hands (when performing for real people, I find that an easier task because you have conversation going on, but it still took a while to get confident). However, this should be well within the capabilities of a solid magician. 3/5.
Best Lines:
&#8220;OMG, its backwardsno, its sideways, OMG! How did you do that?!
~Its always better to have someone ask, How did you do that? as opposed to, Where did the other one go?
&#8220;Holy %$^$! This is the same dollar, too!!!
~Im not sure what convinced them of that, but hey, Ill take it!
Angry Bob Rating:
For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TTs exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he cant figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.
&#8220;You %$^$%#n switched it. Thats pretty cool, though.
3/5. Im giving this a higher mark than youd think after Angry Bobs reaction, but thats because he still has no idea how I did it. Ive used a bill switch for a few Magic Fridays in the past, so Im pretty sure Angry Bob has looked into how it works but I know he cant do it himself. If you were to do this to someone with no magic knowledge, youd fry them.
My Rating:
Magic Friday Approved!
Well, Ive decided to switch (Ha, Ha, get it? I saidnever mind) in Magicks new handling as the one Im going to be using in the future. When you watch the DVD and you see how fast he is with it, you can see how it will get light years better than how Im currently performing with it. And, when it gets to Magicks level (hopefully), I think it will be perfect. The turning combined with the kickup of the bill is just enough to make me put my old switch back on the shelf.
The JDG Tip:
Watch it here!
The iTricks Idea:
Make sure you crumple your bill up a ton before going live. What I did, was I always kept it in my pocket with another bill. It seemed like the other bills age rubs off a bit on the new one.
Closing Thoughts:
Congrats to NYMP for making such a great DVD. It was nice to watch something that just showed me the performer going through the steps. Sometimes Magic DVDs get so complicated that I want to throw myself out the window and this was a refreshingly straightforward instructional video. Very well done.
Have a Great Week Everyone!
Jamie D. Grant
 www.whatizit.net
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Aaron Fisher ONE-HAND POPOVER</title>
		<link>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/02/aaron-fisher-one-hand-popover/</link>
		<comments>http://itricks.com/reviews/2010/02/aaron-fisher-one-hand-popover/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:04:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Corey Martin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Card Magic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Close Up]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DVD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flourishes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itricks.com/reviews/?p=1042</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Corey Martin is a regular contributor to iTricks Raves. There are countless DVD&#8217;s out on the market that focus on the art of card flourishing. Many are rich in visual &#8220;eye candy&#8221; but very difficult to master. Then there are the select few that look fantastic but are much simpler to master. Aaron Fisher&#8217;s One-Hand [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
Corey Martin is a regular contributor to iTricks Raves.
There are countless DVD&#8217;s out on the market that focus on the art of card flourishing. Many are rich in visual &#8220;eye candy&#8221; but very difficult to master. Then there are the select few that look fantastic but are much simpler to master. Aaron Fisher&#8217;s One-Hand Popover is a beautiful piece of slight of hand that can be used as a visual production, a slight or even just a flourish. It combines elements that many magicians use everyday combined with Aaron&#8217;s incredible insight and teaching to create a fantastic piece of magic.The DVD is broken down into sections to focus all the attention on the most important parts of the move. The Grip, The Popover itself, and then taking the actual move an applying it to effects and routines, both as a visual production and a slight.

The Grip, as discussed both on the DVD and in Aaron&#8217;s book &#8216;The Paper Engine&#8217;, is the most important part of making this move work. The grip is explained step-by-step so that you know exactly where to put your fingers in order for things to go smoothly. Aaron Fisher has always been an incredible teacher of magic and really wants those out there watching and learning this move to understand the importance of the little things such as finger position, not just in this effect, but in card magic as a whole. He talks about being able to be as natural as possible and to avoid any unneeded movements when getting into position to perform the move. His attention to detail, while at the same time stressing how important the proper grip is for this move, really makes the rest of the effect run much smoother then if you simply &#8220;thought the grip was good&#8221;.
The Popover itself is the actual &#8220;production&#8221; of the card. (Remember this move can be used as both a production and a slight. But we will get into that a little later&#8230;) If you follow the advice on the grip, executing the move will not be as difficult as you think. While we all may be a different skill levels when learning this move, over time, even for someone who is a seasoned pro, the mechanics and movements will become second nature. One thing that is stressed in this section of the DVD, is finger strength. Because the grip is sospecificto making this move work, it is important to build up enough strength in your hands to make it run as smooth as possible.
As a visual production the Popover, once perfected, is the easiest way tointegrateit into a routine. Aaron gives a very humor-filled presentation on a simple &#8220;finding a selected card&#8221; routine and just by adding the Popover is able to add a touch of grace to an age old effect. As a slight things get a little harder, but this is where those who are really serious about advancing themselves in their card magic can really shine. Each move is broken down as only Aaron can teach it, and it allows you to see just how many different applications there are for this move. If you want to use it as a production, the tools are there. If you want it as a slight, you have that ability as well. Do what works best for you, and I am sure you will find many more uses for the One Hand Popover.
Overall, what more is there to say about this DVD. Aaron Fisher is one of the greatest card performers in the world of magic. His attention to detail makes his teaching style unique and shows how much time and effort he puts into his work. I highly recommend this DVD to those who want to really get serious about their card magic, and if you like this, check out some of Aaron&#8217;s other work as well.
Until next time,
Corey Martin
www.twitter.com/coreymmartin
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