talkmagic.co.uk

I'll not claim this a "review" as of yet in that I've not been able to get through the entire set of 4 DVDs that make up the Allen Zinng MASTER BILLET COURSE (available through http://www.jheff.com/Master_Billet_Course.html for those interested in the gory details) I will say that this is a well pulled together production, just in what I found in Disc 1 was very eye-opening even for an old dog like myself e.g. on that alone I'd have to say this collection is worth every penny.

I just got the set in today so give me a week and I'll get back to you on the rest or, visit JHEFF's site and get the poop from him.

Are these available in the UK ??

I'm not certain if or who is stocking them there. It is being distributed by Murphy's Magic here in the U.S.

My suggestion is to just touch base with Jheff and go from there.

Ok... I've gotten to watch all 5 DVDs to the 4-volume set and here's my go round on things...

As far as "quality of the production"... well, could have been scripted & staged much better than it was (especially in that Kenton is standing right there with Tank all through the program... c'mon!) I hate to say it, but on that level alone I kind of felt sorry for Allen in that he seemed a bit flustered and lost from time to time. An actual script and even rehearsals with all participating in the shoot, probably would have improved on the over-all "feel" of the product. That's not saying that it's "bad" or horrid... it's not your typical "I shot this in my garage" video but it's not quite on par with L&L either.

The Information Shared -- is quite solid... not as enveloping as I was personally hoping it would be, but very solid and for the most part "practical" insights all the way through. Even Allen's "tribute" to Docc Hilford's DANCE OF SHIVA technique opened my eyes on a few things I'd not thought of in the past (this isn't one of my favorite peeks though I have used a version of it that was featured in one of the back issues of MAGICK many years ago.) Docc's approach is different, adds certain advantages etc. but, Allen takes the foundation much further delivering a couple of handlings that I'd even risk using (as much as I dispise the method).

For someone either new or nervous about doing effective billet work, this is one of the best resources you could ask for within the video format. If you want to learn how to do effective, powerful mentalism that can be done "on the spot" I'd have to say that this is where you want to make your next investment. Then again, any resource that can teach this old dog more than a few new tricks (which Allen does and does more than a few times) will obviously host significant value to those less studied than I.

THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON in this series will be found in Vol. IV when Allen discusses the Q&A. Catch is, you need to know what's on the first and second disc in order to follow along with this one. The thing is, Allen reveals a move on this disc that is worth the price of the entire set alone -- The R&U Switch -- it's is slow, deliberate and in your face! One of the most practical moves I've seen in billet work in years! A serious convincer that's worth its wieght in gold (in my humble opinion).

Even Allen will tell you that this is NOT a "complete" course on billet work but it is a program that will place you light-years ahead of most and will certainly augment anything you may study from Cassidy, Busch, Hilford or Longman on the topic of billets.

Craig,

Even Allen will tell you that this is NOT a "complete" course on billet work but it is a program that will place you light-years ahead of most and will certainly augment anything you may study from Cassidy, Busch, Hilford or Longman on the topic of billets.

that being said, and given the title of the DVD set "Master"... would this be a good purchase for anyone "New" to billet work?

Thanks.
Joe[/quote]

It is a most excellent source regardless your skill or experience level (though it assumes you've at least read and experimented with most of what's in Corinda)

I give Allen serious kudos in that he gives credit where it is due when it comes to others that have contributed in recent years to this particular area of study. All I can say is that I agree with most of what he's shared and think this is the kind of study resource anyone new to mentalism (with less than 3 years experience) really needs to spend some time with.

Fantastic.

Thank you for the information and review.

this is now available via alakazam.co.uk folks...

but i'd say work out the import tax and currency conversions...might still be cheaper to order direct from the USA....

Would this be concidered one level up from 13 steps? Because that is exactly what I am looking for right now.

This is several levels up from 13 steps...

Corinda & Annemann give you the foundation material so you can find your way around the craft, so to speak. There have been a lot of wonderful contributions made in the 40 years since those books hit the shelf along with some hard work in creating compilations of this kind.

I think I mentioned it elsewhere but this is one of those "Must Have" courses for anyone that's serious about learning how to do solid mentalism. The only other material I'd add to this (when it comes to billet work) is the Richard Busch Peek trilogy and the Millard Longman CDs on ACIDUS NOVUS and ACIDUS GLOBUS. Though I've not seen it as of yet I have reviewed some outlines of material going into Eliott Bresler's new Billet Book which should be out in around the Holidays I think he said... it looks very good as does most of Bob Cassidy's material on this particular topic.

I don't want to be confrontational but I can't see the value in spending $126 on billet instruction. Once you've learnt the basics of the tear and the switch all you need is practice and it's invisible. As you play with the moves, all the other marketed moves - jagged edge (very good), acidus novus (not so good) become obvious.

Believe what you will... I've done this stuff for more than a little while and I'm still learning. For those interested in improving upon their skills and course of direction this course is great, for someone like yourself who is satisfied with being where you are at... well, there's nothing that's going to change your mind.

But then, how much do you invest into learning new card tricks and related handling, or coin work, etc?

It's all the difference between being a novice at something and advancing towards adept. Fortunately most magicians have the same attitude you have, which is why the pros and serious minded can make the kinds of advances those who are content with the basics will never know.

Craig you've missed my point. I was talking about practice and experimentation. Anyone who takes their billet work seriously enough to put in the work needed to achieve competency in the basic tears, peeks and switches ought to have discovered the techniques advertised on these DVDs for themselves. Nothing in billet work is tremendously difficult. I just takes practice and experimentation.

Personaly, the only thing in magic I do that requires any real manual dexterity is billet work. Consequently, I don't spend any money on card or coin magic.

There is little value in having an encyclopedic knowledge of peeks, tears and switches. All that is required is to be able to get enough techinques down and to be able to do them perfectly.

There is little value in having an encyclopedic knowledge of peeks, tears and switches. All that is required is to be able to get enough techinques down and to be able to do them perfectly.

I agree with this. You only need to be proficient in a handful of techniques. Time is better spent practicing that watching DVDs - although you can do both! Money (unless you have a vast supply) is better spent elsewhere. In my opinion.

Fact of the matter is, if what you are saying were so then we would have had such techniques "known" of a lot longer than they have been... the first peek was ACIDUS NOVUS and it was introduced via Al Mann less than 30 years ago. Though many have come about since that time, most all have been based on the original AN technique.

Secondly, I can sit you down right now and take your vast knowledge on this stuff and prove you wrong... I hate the Center Tear with a passion and see it as the most ignorant concept ever introduced to the craft and yet, have have ways of handling it that completely throw the learned fellows of magic off my trail.

Your contention about Billets being limited ought to be applied to playing cards and the masturbative obsession folks have with them or in mastering coins, billiard balls, etc.

If you want to be a magician that does tricks having a more in-depth look at how to work with billets should not interest you in the least and as you have intimated here, it would be a waste of time. On the other hand, if you want to be an accomplished and flexible performer of solid mentalism then you will be seeking out this information. In fact, I know of folks that have paid hundred of dollars just to learn one single move involving this stuff so I'd have to say that your assumptions are way off the beaten trail.