talkmagic.co.uk

The Effect

Someone draws a picture of (any) playing card and that actual card is found to be inside an envelope which has been in plain sight the entire time.

The freely thought of card is actually in the envelope and there is absolutely
NO SWITCH:

• They can think of any card from a deck of 52, including the Joker. There is NO FORCE.
• They can change their mind, right up to the point where they sign the picture.
• The “prediction” envelope is in plain sight BEFORE the effect begins.
• The handling is super clean. There are no suspicious moves.
• The card is seen inside the envelope right before it is POURED DIRECTLY INTO THEIR HAND



Cost

£203.00 (yes, you read that right) Although one magic shop has it currently reduced to £163.00 (yes, you read that right too).


Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

I give this effect a three.



Review

I'm a bit of a luddite so I don't know whether this link will will work. If it does, I invite you, no, I beg you to watch the demo so that you know what £163.00 can get you.

http://youtu.be/xKobOqhLjIE

http://youtu.be/jN7UmLP_WQ8

I've posted two videos of this. The first demo is clearly not the greatest advert for the effect (IMHO). Although the second demo isn't that great either.

Assuming you've watched the demo you may well have the same facial expression that I had after I watched it. I'm not going to insult anyone by tipping a method that in my view, is unbelievably transparant, but If you haven't worked it out, watch it again. If you still haven't worked it out, go back to the first book on mentalism you ever bought and read it again. However, the method involved isn't my real issue with this effect, since simplicity often makes for the best effect. No, it's the cost of it that makes my blood boil.

This effect as a standalone piece, with good presentation, could no doubt provide a performer with a successful demonstration in mentalism. But I also know that I could go down to my local stationers and buy this effect for less than £10.00, and that includes the price of the cards. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe this effect actually makes use of a gimmick that is so diabolical that it has escaped my attention. If you're thinking this, please, just watch the demo again.


Overall

Had this been a £10.00 PDF of instructions on how to make your own 'Revelation' effect then I'd be singing it's praises from the rooftops. I may even give it a seven out of ten, maybe. But the price is so outrageous, so astronomical, so completely out of kilter with what you get for your money, that I have to give this one out of ten. If I had paid nearly £200.00 for this I would not be a happy bunny.

Never been a fan.

Out of curiosity...how much did you pay for it?

I didn't and I don't actually own it. I do realise that giving a review on something I don't physically own may be regarded as unethical, and a bit out of the ordinary. However, when I first started my journey into mentalism I actually considered buying this effect. Foolishly as a neophyte, I thought that it may contain some great mentalism elixir. As I became more knowledgeable I began to feel a kind of retrospective anger, as if I had actually bought it. We've all had that feeling of disappointment when we've purchased something only to find that we've been conned. I've actually made my own 'revelation' effect and it took about half an hour and cost under £10.00. So I understand if someone would take issue with a review on a product that the reviewer doesn't own. Maybe it is unethical. But it's not half as unethical as trying to sell a folder for 200 quid!

Wow!! £200. Seriously I could purchase a few items for my stock with this amount of money.. Nothing against people who pay big bucks for a quality item, but I have my limits in life.. Regards Garry.

I would stress that I don't own this effect. However, I do have a 'revelation' effect of my own and it can be presented in exactly the same way as in the demo, with exactly the same 'moves' and exactly the same result. It looks EXACTLY the same as the demo. It cost under a tenner. I think that people who are perhaps new to mentalism need to be warned that just because something is expensive, doesn't necessarily mean that it's worthwhile.

I used to regularly read a magic forum that will remain nameless. It took me a long time to realise that it consisted of magicians who were simply promoting each others effects. I regularly saw things described as 'must have' and 'amazing/groundbreaking' which I owned and knew to be total cxxp. I have read the comments on there about this effect and they all claim it to have God-like status in it's creativity. "Dear me," I say, watch the demo! I think in the initial stages people buy dealer items as a shortcut to knowledge/practice. If you spend a few pounds on some decent magical texts, you'll work this one out very quickly indeed. Or at least, you'll work out your own very simple method for achieving the same result, for a fraction of the price. What's more, you'll feel that enormous sense of satisfaction of having created it yourself.

You'll probably notice that we're constantly banging on about buying books, or possibly DVDs, as (EXPOSURE ALERT) that's where just about all the information and 'secrets' can be found.

OK, performers and dealers have to make a living and selling stuff is how they do so - that doesn't excuse selling stuff which is either overpriced or just plain second rate. We suggest potential purchasers always do their own research, check independently of any Reviews on any forum, ask around and garner their own opinion before parting with their hard earned cash. What suits one won't suit another so there will be variety in such decisions and, therefore, Reviews and opinions expressed in writing.

I watched both of those vids and, quite frankly, they left me totally unmoved and certainly not in a buying mood - regardless of the method. £200 is a lot of money which could be invested in several worthy books covering just about the whole spectrum of magic and mentalism.

Mandrake, I couldn't have put it better myself. I just worry, knowing how vast and disparate magical/mentalism techniques can appear to a beginner, that there is a huge temptation to try and buy success. The theory of mentalism is just as important as the practice. For the price of this effect you could buy, 13 steps, PMM, RRTCM, 202 methods of forcing, encyclopaedia of card magic, lots of pens, card stock, envelopes and still have £150.00 left over. I think my advice for all magic would be:

'Caveat Emptor'!!!!!!!!

kevmundo wrote:I don't actually own it. I do realise that giving a review on something I don't physically own may be regarded as unethical, and a bit out of the ordinary.

Hmmm.

Without being confrontational, I think posting a scathing "review" of something you don't own is just a bit weird to be honest. Reading your posts in this thread, I think you recognised that yourself, but inexplicably went ahead anyway. I'm not sure how you feel conjecture qualifies as a "review"? Sure, you can say that you think this product is overpriced. You can even say that you've come up with your own method after watching a video on the internet. But IMHO neither of those things is a "review". You even gave a difficulty rating, when you openly admit not to knowing the method. That makes no sense at all.

I'm not saying that you've not nailed the method. I'm sure you have. But, as you clearly understand, you simply can't "review" something you do not own and that makes the whole thread null and void. I do agree that there are some overpriced products in magic and buyers need to think carefully before parting with their hard-earned. Some would probably argue that it's a strategy to keep the good stuff out of the hands of the merely curious. Others would say that it's systematic rip-offery of the highest order. Some might point out that working pros would get back the cost of a £200 effect in a single show. Actually, perhaps that debate would have made for a more interesting thread?

It's not a review, it's a review of a trailer.

I don't disagree with any of your comments. I guess it isn't a proper review, but maybe a review of the trailer. If you actually search reviews for this product then they you'll find that they are all gushing with excitement. Maybe there should be a thread entitled, 'review trailers of products that are transparent and clearly overpriced.' I think post it there. I don't think it totally null and void though. I'd hate to think of done youngster saving up all their cash to buy something like this. But I do take you points. It is weird, but it felt immensely satisfying!

kevmundo wrote:It is weird, but it felt immensely satisfying!

Well, I'm glad it made you feel good. Thing is, the review section of a magic-related internet forum is probably not the best place to be pleasuring yourself TBH. There are plenty of sites better suited to that.

See the thing is, i think we should have somewhere on the forum like this, because i always read the review section and although it isn't a review i have been warned off of a very overpriced effect (IMO)

If i can keep reading 13 steps over and over and somehow discover my own method of doing something like this and save my money, surely that's a good thing for a newbie who has a small interest in mentalism/mental magic.

Maybe it could be considered for TM to have a warning overpriced rubbish section? haha

Much love

Aza

Aza wrote:If i can keep reading 13 steps over and over and somehow discover my own method of doing something like this and save my money, surely that's a good thing for a newbie who has a small interest in mentalism/mental magic.

I'm in a similar place to you - my main interest is card magic, not mentalism. I do, however, own 13 steps and I do like the look of this, so if someone could point me to the right places in the book, it would be much appreciated

moonbeam wrote:

Aza wrote:If i can keep reading 13 steps over and over and somehow discover my own method of doing something like this and save my money, surely that's a good thing for a newbie who has a small interest in mentalism/mental magic.

I'm in a similar place to you - my main interest is card magic, not mentalism. I do, however, own 13 steps and I do like the look of this, so if someone could point me to the right places in the book, it would be much appreciated

I personally think it's something along the lines of page 90 of 13 Steps....then onto just loading the envelope....that would be the way i would do it, much less than £200!!! and i really don't like the envelope thing, if it's that clean a prediction/effect, why don't they just have the card in full view all the time? or even better, the spectator holds the card?! surely that would be ..... actually given myself an idea for an effect now!!

Much love

Aza