talkmagic.co.uk

MENTAL EPOCH BY STEVE FEARSON

Effect: In an impossibly fair piece of mentalism, the performer impossibly predicts four very random choiced made by the spectator, and everything is as fair as fair can be. There are no switches, there is no nail writing. It's an impromptu Mental Epic taken to the next level.

Cost: $19.99 for a video download.

Difficulty: 2. This is mentalism requiring no sleight of hand, but you must have some experience in the field to pull this effect off effectively.

Review: Being a huge fan of mentalism (I dabble), I was very excited about Mental Epoch. Steve promised a borderline revolutionary use for one of mentalism's most popular principles, and that's exactly what I got. Mental Epoch is a seriously good piece.

What Steve has done with Mental Epoch is extremely clever. He has taken a brilliant principle and modified it in a practical and EVEN MORE deceptive manner. Even people familiar with this principle may be fooled by this effect... those who aren't familiar with it have absolutely no chance. The principle allows you to make four impossibly accurate predictions about four different free choices made by a spectator... each of the four predictions is written in its own divided section of a single piece of paper, and only one sheet is ever used... nothing is added, taken away, or switched. Steve's modifications on the principle in question not only make this effect very practical and workable, but also very fair in appearance with a VERY clever subtlety employed for maximum effectiveness.

When you download Mental Epoch, you get a detailed instructional video with everything you need to know. Steve covers all you'll need to get started performing this effect. Picture and sound quality, video-wise, are crystal clear (not that it particularly matters). If you've ever received a video download from Fearson before, you know what you'll be getting with this download. There is really nothing to complain about at all here.

How does the effect play for live audiences? Spectacularly. Mental Epoch has fooled laypeople and magicians alike... I was personally surprised that magicians were fooled by it, but they were. One magician was convinced that I had used a nail writer in performance. This isn't the first time one of Steve Fearson's effects has had magicians scratching their heads either, he's got some very good stuff out there. Anyways, the effect is straightforward enough to register with any spectator right away to achieve full impact. Really, how can you expect an impossible prediction effect to garnish good reaction? Like most of Steve's stuff, this is a very adaptable piece. Although it is intended for intimate performance, it could play just as well in a formal show or even stage show. It's mentalism that really has no limits.


Overall: I really think you'll love the principle at work here. It's too clever, and in the right hands will leave spectators in disbelief... not to mention the limitless possibilities there are. Mental Epoch gets a score of 8/10 from me. If you're looking for some good impromptu mentalism for intimate work, this might be just what you're looking for.

Mental Epoch by Steve Fearson can be ordered at http://emagicsupply.com/112-mentalepoch-60-custom.html

Michael Kras

young master kras sir, i know you have an effect for sale on emagicsupplies - and that you have a link to it in your signature over at "the green place" - hand on heart, do you really consider this effect to be as good as your (cut 'n pasted) review?

I'm about to download it, and if its what i think it is, I'm going to hunt you down and pinch you! And i will give you plaudits if it genuinely is good too...

oooh the excitement!

Hand to heart, I genuinely think it's good... I do not write dishonest reviews. If I genuinely dislike something, I will say so. The fact that I have a product at that website has no effect. Promise.

Nice review, thanks.

I loved the effect, but I was a little intimidated by your statement "you must have some experience in the field to pull this effect off effectively."

Is there some way you can expand on what you mean by "some experience"? For example, if it requires experience in cold reading then it's not for me.

terry - i would have thought he meant that you just need to be able to "sell" the effect...thats all...no CR needed...

well, im a little dissapointed in this - it does have two good points though:

a) it's a nice twist on an old thing
b) it's nice to do 4 predictions on the one sheet of paper

however, i would also say, with current exchange rates, its a bit steep for what you get....it does work, and all that - but, its nothing that is amazing enough to warrant spending £13 or whatever it works out as..(can't remember)

this is mental epic folks, but with an interesting variant...nothing psychological, just a quite clever handling...6/10

Well everyone I hope this doesn't annoy any you who have already bought this, but on emagic supply you can buy in GBP! If you go to the top of the page and change currency this is about £10.50, so they're offerering a better price than if you buy it in dollars and have that converted!

I'm good...

a one-ahead effect, sold for a tenner?

okkaaayyy.......

I'll sell everyone how to do a DL, for a fiver!

IAIN wrote:terry - i would have thought he meant that you just need to be able to "sell" the effect...thats all...no CR needed...

Hmmm, I watched the video (Beetlejuicecis provided the link) and to be blunt I found the presentation dull and uninspired. I had the impression that there were elements of cold reading here--but I've seen 10-year kids on YouTube with better presentation skills.

I agree with BlapsingBeard about it probably uses the one-head principle. If so, it's a nice use of it. Most times (which is why I tend to avoid it) the performer "checks" after each item/selection/whatever is selected by the spectator. It looks as if he substituted a force to avoid the usual contrived selection process.

Nevertheless, I would not have rated this more than 4/10. I may have given it a better score, but I kept falling asleep through the presentation

Agreed TerryC!

Pardon me, but what does the presentation in a demo video have anything to do with the effect you'd be purchasing? You're not buying his presentational skills, you're buying a method to an impromptu mentalism effect, quite simply. Plus, method-wise, there's more going on here than you think.

Michael Kras wrote:Pardon me, but what does the presentation in a demo video have anything to do with the effect you'd be purchasing? You're not buying his presentational skills

no ...But the presentation skills are the thing that sells any trick on line, or at a dealer stand.

why do you think that over the years, people enthuse about the same dealers over, and over again?
Its because they have really good presentation skills that sell both the effect, and the person.

Michael Kras wrote:Pardon me, but what does the presentation in a demo video have anything to do with the effect you'd be purchasing? You're not buying his presentational skills, you're buying a method to an impromptu mentalism effect, quite simply. Plus, method-wise, there's more going on here than you think.

In the review Michael said "you have to have some experience in this field". I thought that meant experience in CR, but I understand this is not the case. So, watching the presentation to see "what experience might be needed" is valid. Unfortunately, nothing in the video suggested any special performance skills; indeed quite the opposite.

I would take you to task on your defence of the presentation -- we live in a world today where butcher's use infra-red to enhance the appearance of the meat. Advertising people even call the pictures of those hamburgers, etc "beauty shots", etc. I think that presentation is very important.

If you are not convinced, then spend 15 minutes watching YouTube magicians. Watching the kids perform is educational, unfortunately much of it displays what not to do!

I can't believe that any magicians would be fooled by this.
Anyone who has the basics in mentalism would spot the method immediately.
I only watched it to the end just to see what the final F**** was.

wow that is fairly * poor, also, you can't really hand it out afterwards, that'll just destroy the illusion for them!!!