DVD: “Brainstorm” by John Guastaferro

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DVD: “Brainstorm” by John Guastaferro

Postby Soren Riis » Dec 11th, '06, 00:29



Review of the DVD “Brainstorm, the creative card magic” by John Guastaferro (Volume 1+2)


Like many (hobbyist) magicians I have a huge collection of magic books and DVDs. In some sense the more amateurish one is the more useless stuff one tends to buy! And believe me I have a lot of useless stuff especially from my days as beginner. Luckily I also have got a lot of excellent magic books and DVDs that contains a lot of first class material. Brain storm volume 1 and 2 certainly belongs to this category and contains some great ideas in card magic.

The DVDs are not for beginners in card magic, but within the reach of most magicians. The level of difficulty is probably 3-4 but none of the slight are really difficult though some effect might be hard to master to perfection.

Many of effects can be done strolling without a table. I would especially like to highlight a few effects that I think are especially powerful and commercial. One is Bizarre prequel (vol 2). This is an outstanding piece of card magic. Guastaferro’s contribution is a prequel to the “Bizarre twist” that already is an excellent effect by Paul Harris. However, Guastaferro take this effect to an even higher level. I will not explain the effect in detail, but essentially the spectator signs a card. The magician then is doing a packet type of effect with a few cards (involving the signed card). The signed card turns over like in many standard packet tricks. However, this effect is much more clever and contains a long sequence of separate powerful magical moments. The final kicker that the back of spectators signed card has changed its colour to blue. This is very powerful since the idea that the signed card has a red back has been “anchored” in the spectators mind through out the routine while they have been looking at the signed card from all angles while burning the magicians hands!

From Volume 1 I think Lost and Found is in a special class. It is a very commercial effect (though it need some modification to be done without a table). Basically a signed card vanishes from inside a clear plastic wallet, and then makes an impossible flight back inside.

My guess is that most professional card magicians will be happy to include Bizarre prequel and Lost and Found on their repertoire. Maybe, not for all occasions, but just to have something new packed with magic for special situations. I think Bizarre prequel and Lost and Found could become classics! Like all classics they might spark off variations, but the basic plot is very strong.

And there is more!!!

Gimini prediction (vol 2) I also a true killer effect packed with magic. It features an impossible prediction of four randomly selected cards and contains again a big “colour changing surprise”.

Palm reader (vol 1) is an excellent effect where four aces make a startling revelation, and then change while in the spectator’s hand.

Many of by John Guastaferro’s effects have in my view a very high density of magical moments. One might ask what the point is to cram so much magic into one effect. In my view this is where commercial magic is moving! We live in times with high tempo where people want you to get to the point. In stroll around magic you need to get to the point and catch people attention fast. In my view many of Guastaferro’s effects have this property.

In general the DVDs are excellent. Some effects like “Party animal” (vol 2) is essentially a triumph routine with a kicker. Usually a triumph routine contains two separate pieces of magic:
1) The cards are all organised face down
2) The spectator’s card has been turned over.

Guastaferro present in party animal a method so yet another effect can be added:
3) The spectators “freely” chosen (read f*r*ed) has changed back!
In my view this idea can (with some cleverness) be used in other – and maybe stronger - versions of triumph. Personally, I do not like his patter for this effect, but there are many choices depending on the situation.

It is not discussed on the DVDs but an added bonus (in my view) is that many of the effects tend to disturb only a limited part of the deck and can thus be used in conjunction with other killer effects you might already have on your repertoire. Another, bonus not discussed on the DVDs is that a number of the effects (e.g. Lost and Found) also have the added benefit that they allows you to call cards and prepare for future effects.

I recommend this DVD to all serious card magicians who are looking for a few extra card effects to spice up their card magic. I would give it 9 out of 10. The missing mark because even though we are provided with quite a lot of historical background, it is not as convincing as that of for example top magician scholars like the mentalist Max Maven. Maybe some of the ideas are not quite as new as they appears? I might be wrong, but some of the ideas might to some extend be reinventions. Nevertheless the DVDs are excelent.


Here is the description of the content as it appears on the DVDs themselves:


VOLUME ONE

Ballet Cut - Learn the real work behind John's versatile in-the-hands false cut that's simply beautiful to watch. Once you learn it, you1ll never want to do without it.

Fairy Tale Frogs - In this charming packet trick, four frog-imprinted cards hop over one at a time, then change into princes after the spectator blows a kiss. Just wait for the final surprise!

Troubleshooter - Quick, someone call "deck" support! Your cards have crashed, leaving nothing but backs on both sides. Here's a fun, all-backs routine with a surprising twist.

Lost & Found - A signed card vanishes from inside a clear plastic wallet, then makes an impossible flight back inside. It uses an extremely clever method that will make you say, "Why didn't I think of that?!"

Color Blind - Demonstrate your expert card handling in this simple, yet powerful Ace-cutting demonstration, which leads into a strong transposition.

Palm Reader - The four Aces make a startling revelation, then change while in the spectator's hand.

Club Sandwich - This is a quick and clever sandwich routine where two selected cards magically change places! Tune in and see for yourself how well it plays.

Double Monte - A three-card monte exhibition ends with an absolutely impossible-looking transposition. This is a perfect follow-up to Club Sandwich.

No Jokers Allowed - Jokers keep popping up, getting in the way of your award-winning card trick. Prove that jokers really are wild in this impromptu, magic-packed routine.

Detour - Take your audience on a whimsical road trip as a card "drives" here and there, finally parking in your wallet. This is a fun, logical card to wallet routine you will use.

Tidal Wave Aces - After expertly cutting to the four Aces in a topsy-turvy shuffled deck, you visibly make the entire deck change color!

VOLUME TWO

Party Animal - Your spectator is the guest of honor at an exclusive party the cards are throwing. Show your audience to a fun time in this thoroughly entertaining in-the-hands Triumph routine.

Clairvoyance - Completely floor your audience with this elegant (and quite eerie) revelation of a thought-of card. Just like real mind reading.

Intuition - In this small-packet Hofsinzer-inspired miracle, the four Queens use their women's intuition to reveal a spectator's card.

Out of the Blue - Absolutely stunning! The four Aces and four Queens not only change places, but change back designs as well. "It is one of the strongest small packet transpositions I have ever seen," says Gordon Bean.

Snowball Aces - In this mesmerizing routine, the ink simply melts away from both sides of the deck, then magically returns. It's so visual and deceptive, you'll swear it uses rough and smooth cards. (It doesn't).

Tailspin - Using a four-of-a-kind of the spectator's choosing, you cause each of the cards to turn face-down, then transform...twice!

Synergy - The cards work as a team in this flashy four-card revelation, where each card helps find the next.

Bizarre Prequel - Just discovered the two-phase prequel to Paul Harris' Bizarre Twist, featuring a clean and clever approach to the Point of Departure plot.

Jazz Fusion - A modern twist to the classic Jazz Aces plot. Here, the four Jacks vanish into a black hole, leaving behind a startling surprise.

Gemini Prediction - This is a true showstopper, featuring an impossible prediction of four randomly-selected cards and an astonishing finale that no one could have predicted!


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Soren Riis
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Postby Demitri » Dec 11th, '06, 04:31

Excellent review. I did a review of this set a while back, as well - but it's always nice to see different views and opinions.

I thought John was rather thorough in his historical referencing throughout the set. Yes, it's not nearly as extensive as Mr. Maven's - but it's a lot more than most.

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Postby Soren Riis » Dec 11th, '06, 09:13

Thans for letting me know. I lookend in the list of past reviews and strolled back a few mounths but did not find your review.

My review of Vol 2 is however new!

Interesting that you rate the ballet cut to have difficulty one! My understanding is that both 1 and 2 are defined as ratings for effects that require NO slights. You seem to percieve the material as somewhat easier than I do. In general I think difficulty ratings are quite hard to asses as it is some times quite easy to perform an effect reasonably well, but VERY hard to perform it in a smooth and magical correct way that flows with the patter and the interaction with the spectators in a real life performing situation. Anyway overall we agreed on the mark 9/10

Here is a link to your review:

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic8032.php

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Soren Riis
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Postby Demitri » Dec 11th, '06, 22:33

First of all - that review wasn't mine. My review of volume 1 is here:

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic6396.php&highlight=brainstorm

I reviewed volume 2 in a separate thread

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic6577.php&highlight=brainstorm

My review was 10's for both volumes. As far as rating difficulty - I tend to stick to the agreed upon template - 1 is easy to do - which the ballet cut is. It requires no skill with sleight of hand - just some practice to get it done smoothly. As well, I regard difficulty only on technical merit - and I expand upon that in detail throughout. I agree - technical proficiency is not the same as presentational proficiency - and for the most part, I try to convey that in my reviews.

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Postby Soren Riis » Dec 12th, '06, 00:46

All in all it seems we all agree that the Brainstorm DVDs by John Guastaferro's are outstanding. Your review is very thorough and a nice read. Good I did not go over all effect in detains since you already did this.

I did try to look at last reviews and missed your reviews form Jul 2005 and aug 2005 and FlipBack's review from Dec 2005.

Of course in principle there is nothing wrong with on item getting more than one review. However, since it to some extend is waiste of efford for my next review I will use the search facility rather than just look at the outdated review list.

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Postby Demitri » Dec 12th, '06, 05:57

I, for one, am more than happy to see multiple reviews on effects. It only serves to help others get as much information as possible.

I'm not at all surprised you didn't see my reviews - I'd forgotten how long ago I wrote them.

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