Xtreme Beginnerz DVD by Ellusionist

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Xtreme Beginnerz DVD by Ellusionist

Postby Rushie » Nov 9th, '05, 11:40



I am thinking of buying this DVD after going on Ellusionist website, There is a disclaimer saying that it will not play on cheap DVD players in the US or Playstation 2. Does this mean that a UK Playstation won't play the disc either? Apologies if this is a stupid question that I have just answered mysel, but does anyone have a copy who uses a Playstation to run it?

Also if it is compatible and I order it does anyone know what the postage and packing would cost to send a copy to the UK?

Thanks

Rushie

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Postby flunkie_uk » Nov 9th, '05, 12:27

i have the dvd. i ordered it from ellusionist in the US. I paid $27 for the express shipping and, having ordered it on the monday, I received it on the thursday. The total came to about £38 or thereabouts. I will stick it in the ps2 for you tonight and see if it works. Am guessing it won't though, from what they say. Could be that the dvd is duel layer. If that is the case then older PS2's won't play it. I discovered recently, having purchased God of War on the PS2, that you can't play that on older PS2's either for the same reason.

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Postby Rushie » Nov 9th, '05, 12:40

Thanks Flunkie, I appreciate that.

All the best

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Postby TheMightyNubbin » Nov 9th, '05, 13:17

From what I've read of others experiences, I don't think it will work.

Get yourself a new DVD player - last I heard they were free inside everybox of Shredded Wheat!

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Postby Craig Browning » Nov 9th, '05, 14:03

Anyone know whose material ELUSIONIST "borrowed" and put in on this disc?

Why everyone insists on patronising them & penguin and still have the gaul to argue ethics and professionalism is beyond me. :roll:

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Postby TheMightyNubbin » Nov 9th, '05, 14:32

I don't quite follow you Craig - this DVD is only sold and distributed via Ellusionist, they didn't produce it.

It was produced and devised by De'Vo.

Which bits are you referring to as 'borrowed'?

Craig Browning wrote:Why everyone insists on patronising them & penguin and still have the gaul to argue ethics and professionalism is beyond me.


Nobody here has expressed any opinion either way on 'ethics and professionalism' - sounds like you're spoiling for an argument :wink:

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Postby nickj » Nov 9th, '05, 15:08

Actually, the ethics of Ellusiontist were discussed quite extensively a while back (though probably not recently enough for many members to remember) and it was concluded that most members disapproved. It is possible that newer members are not aware that Ellusionist and it's contibutors have a history of bad press for "borrowing", apparently without permission, other people's work and publishing it as their own.

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic600.php

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Postby TheMightyNubbin » Nov 9th, '05, 16:10

That thread is marked 'special access' and I'm not special enough to access it!

And Ellusionist are not alone, the same could be alledged at Penguin and *wince* Magic Makers.

As I said in the case of XB, Ellusionist are only selling the DVD - it's not an Ellusionist production so I wanted to know which bits Craig was referring to.

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Postby Craig Browning » Nov 9th, '05, 16:25

TheMightyNubbin wrote:That thread is marked 'special access' and I'm not special enough to access it!

And Ellusionist are not alone, the same could be alledged at Penguin and *wince* Magic Makers.

As I said in the case of XB, Ellusionist are only selling the DVD - it's not an Ellusionist production so I wanted to know which bits Craig was referring to.


Never heard of Magic Makers but yes, Penguin is on the list along with Doug Tilford and a handful of others.

We hear many people complain about how this is so unethical and yet, a day don't go by I don't see a half-dozen or more posts of people admitting that they patronize these theives... if we don't patronize them in any way, they will no longer exist and cannot hurt magic as they are doing. It's rather simple.

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Postby Rushie » Nov 9th, '05, 17:28

I have just E mailed Dominic Reyes at Magic Shop to ask if there is any chance of him stocking XB (as he also sells Cradle 2 Grave by Devo) He replied that he hopes to be selling these in the next couple of weeks :wink:

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Postby TheMightyNubbin » Nov 9th, '05, 17:49

To be fair to Ellusionist they've improved no end in properly crediting people now, some of the early DVD's they released skipped some credits but Brad Christian isn't stupid and knows he can't AFFORD to get a bad reputation for this.

You could alledge lots of other things at Ellusionist but regarding ethics around crediting they have changed their stance and way less worse historically than Penguin and Magic Makers (who just rip stuff off blatantly).

So it's not quite as black and white in Ellusionist's case.

Good to hear we may get a UK supplier - it's a great product.

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Postby stevebo » Nov 9th, '05, 17:54

Be careful when ordering from Ellusionist. I got charged an extra £8 for tax.

Hope you're not one of the unlucky few.

StEvEbO!

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Postby ace of kev » Nov 9th, '05, 18:02

Craig Browning wrote:We hear many people complain about how this is so unethical and yet, a day don't go by I don't see a half-dozen or more posts of people admitting that they patronize these theives... if we don't patronize them in any way, they will no longer exist and cannot hurt magic as they are doing. It's rather simple.


Ok. I can get where everyone is coming from, but if these people did not do that, then we would not know the tricks that they sell!!!!!

If they are thieves, then aren't we all if we all do effects to people? Do the people we show know who invented it? So to them we are passing effects off as our own are we not?

I can see the point about Magic Makers. They really do rip other peoples stuff.

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Postby nickj » Nov 9th, '05, 18:31

ace of kev wrote:Ok. I can get where everyone is coming from, but if these people did not do that, then we would not know the tricks that they sell!!!!!


We would though, as we would get it from the originators, those who deserve the credit and royalties, that's the whole point.

Craig Browning wrote:a day don't go by I don't see a half-dozen or more posts of people admitting that they patronize these theives


I would guess that the majority of those who buy from Ellusionist are those (mostly) younger magicians who were caught up in the street magic craze and have very little knowledge of the history of the art. As such, I doubt that Ellusionist would be severely hurt if those who were aware of their reputation stopped using them. I will admit that I bought one video from there, when it had no credits to the originators of moves I already knew and I heard other reports about other products I stopped using them.

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Postby TheMightyNubbin » Nov 9th, '05, 18:45

nickj wrote:As such, I doubt that Ellusionist would be severely hurt if those who were aware of their reputation stopped using them.


I respectfully disagree! Sure the kiddies typing 'street magic' into google won't know or care - BUT your repeat customers, those that keep any business going, these are people who frequent magic forums and will change their purchasing decisions based on what they read.

A concrete example of this, Magic Bunny which is the most popular magic forum in the UK (no offense Talk Magic!) has over 4000 users. Penguin magic has a terrible reputation on Magic Bunny for various different reasons - loads of members stated publically that for these reasons they wouldn't shop there again - and that was those that felt compelled to post, of course many more wouldn't post their feelings but just vote with their feet.

Now clearly Penguin aren't going to go bust as a result of this - but magic forums ARE very influential in peoples buying decision making - hence why people constantly ask for reviews and buying decisions.

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