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Emerge – G & SM Productionz
Effect: From the creator of Imagine and V2F, two of the most talked about effect back in 2010 and 2011, G.'s finally back with yet another killer effect: Emerge. What if you can visually vanish any spectators' own written name and have it reappear underneath their own hands! It's like the ultimate Ambitious Card routine BUT BETTER! It's amazement in its purest form. You have to see it to believe it! Simple. Direct. Killer Magic at your fingertips! No Pre-show No Secret Writing Spectator can write/draw ANYTHING! (No Force)Can be performed completely impromptu (No secret writing, no set-up, NO GIMMICKS!) Everything is examinable BEFORE and AFTER New Concept.
Cost: £23.33 (£28.00 inc VAT)

What you get: DVD and prop pack

Difficulty: (1-5) 1. There are some really simple sleights involved and a little misdirection in some of the routines. And may involve a little practice dependant on skill level.

Preparation: (1-5) 1. There is a very small amount of preparation involved for the routines.

Review: Ok so I’ve had time to have a good play with this effect and it is quite clever. I had an idea of how this effect was possibly done and when I received the DVD I was quite surprised. I wasn’t entirely right although, some of what I’d thought was correct. It isn’t really a single effect, it’s more of a prop utility with numerous effects possibly that are only limited by your imagination. The DVD is brilliant it includes around 10 fantastic routines that G has evolved through the course of playing around with the original concept. I love how this guys mind works. Also included are live performances, studio performances and well described explanations for each routine included. The DVD has been produced very well and is a pleasure to watch with no questions really left un-answered.
I’m not sure if I would work all of the routines included as some have a stronger impact than others but I’m sure with a little thought I could come up with some good routines of my own. The vanish of the spectators signature is really visual and done directly in front of them with no cover what so ever and gets really superb reactions.
I particularly like the prediction routine taught on the DVD. A folded plain business card with a prediction wrote on to it is placed in the middle of the table in full view of the spectator, a blank piece of card is offered to the spectator and they are asked to think of any word that they want and write the word onto the blank piece of card, The spectators card with their word wrote on it is then ripped up in front of them, the piece of card containing the prediction that was put on the table in full view at the beginning of the routine and has not been touched since is opened to reveal the word that the spectator had written down. Classic. At the point of watching the studio performance of this routine, although I already knew the concept of the method at this point it still fooled me bad! I had to watch twice before I watched the explanation, and I was quite impressed.

Negatives: Ok so I have to have a little whinge about this as it is now becoming the norm for most releases these days. The method is as good as it sounds and looks on the demo but, there is an item you don’t see once in the demo that you have to use with some of the routines. This is an everyday item that I reckon most people will have or if they don’t can be purchased from almost any corner shop. There is also a mention that the spectators signature can appear underneath any object on the table after it vanishes off the card, although this isn’t taught on the DVD you can use your imagination to figure out how this is done once you know the method although the challenge would be to make it look clean and natural.
The routine on the demo doesn’t show the small amount of sleight of hand that is involved (as obviously this product is being sold to magicians etc and if the full routine had been shown we would have noticed all of the little subtleties involved) and this may have swayed the decision to buy....possibly. So that can be quite annoying at times.

Positives: There is an impromptu version included on the DVD that would be nice for walk around, there is also a ‘no table’ version included which is kind of nice if you don’t have a table handy to perform.
The concept and method is very clever and I really like the thinking behind it. DVD is a joy to watch and has very clear instructions.

Verdict: (1-10) 7.5 - I like this effect and would use some of the routines included. I got this as it was kind of different, as I usually mainly focus on card effects, I will use this effect and I don’t think it will be locked away never to be used again, It’s just that after seeing the demo and watching the DVD some of the shine has been taken off for me! But don’t let this put you off as the effect is still very clever and does produce some really good reactions. I’m still glad that I purchased this effect.

Ooooh Dammit, I promised I wasn't going to buy any more magic for awhile. I already resisted buying 'combustion' so now I've also got to resist this.
I have a few questions about the product, the most important one is, in the real world, does the writing fade from the card like in the Demo?

How long or complex is the set up / reset?

Can any type of pen (especially sharpie) be used?

Is there any requirements on what type of paper can be used? Can playing cards be used? Does it have to be on paper at all?

If refills are needed how easy is it to get in England?

Jean wrote:I have a few questions about the product, the most important one is, in the real world, does the writing fade from the card like in the Demo?

Hi Jean, The writing fades exactly as you see it in the demo video......honestly! Although the extra item that I mentioned in my review that isnt shown in the demo video needs to used to perform the vanish as you see it. This is probably my favourite part of the effect as it gets the first great reactions from the specs.

How long or complex is the set up / reset?

Set-up takes about 10 seconds and isn't complex at all. Reset would be instant if you were prepared

Can any type of pen (especially sharpie) be used?

A certain type of pen needs to be used to do the effect but it is by no means a 'magic' pen anyone can purchase these easily from a local stationary shop. A sharpie would not work.

Is there any requirements on what type of paper can be used? Can playing cards be used? Does it have to be on paper at all?

It is just blank business cards that are used. The material is card. You could experiment with different types of finish on the cards and use what suits you best. You do get blank cards when you purchase the effect. But could be easily replaced also probably at a local stationary shop. I don't think it would work with playing cards.

If refills are needed how easy is it to get in England?

Everything is easily purchased and I don't see no problems there. Hope this helps

Oh, Lordy - now I'm starting with CUPS over this...and I've been so good for the past year

Rob wrote:Oh, Lordy - now I'm starting with CUPS over this...and I've been so good for the past year

Tell me about it. Just hold strong, remember what you have now is good enough, wait a few months then ask yourself 'Do I really need this?' If the answer is yes then by all means go for it, it's only £23.

Always remember C.U.P.s stands for 'unnecessary purchase syndrome'

I for one, have added this to my ever growing list of 'things I will one day buy'. But I can't justify getting this when I still don't have Switchcraft.

Jean wrote: Always remember C.U.P.s stands for 'unnecessary purchase syndrome'

Sadly it doesn't! Nothing in magic is unnecessary, in our case CUPS stands for Compulsive Uncontrollable Purchasing Syndrome - effectively it means we just can't help buying stuff so it's not our fault. Or at least that's what I tell Mrs M when the credit card bills arrive.....

You have your definition I have mine (although yes sorry, it should have been 'Compulsive Unnecessary Purchase Syndrome')

My definition keeps me strong. You'll notice I've never had to explain my purchases to your missus.

Jean wrote:You'll notice I've never had to explain my purchases to your missus.

Not a process I would suggest you try under any circumstances - except possibly by phone from a totally different continent with no extradition treaty arrangements.....

Your wives don't know how lucky they've got it. They need to try having a cyclist husband with CUPS, his wheels cost more than my car did.

Lady of Mystery wrote:Your wives don't know how lucky they've got it. They need to try having a cyclist husband with CUPS, his wheels cost more than my car did.

I have my cycling CUPS under control, I only have three bicycles and assorted bits and bobs.
I do need another bicycle of course but then the optimum number of bicycles is n+1 where n is the number of bicycles you currently own.