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ESP BY THE NUMBERS – A Review

ESP BY THE NUMBERS – A Review

ESP BY THE NUMBERS –  John Bannon & Big Blind Media  

ESP BY THE NUMBERS is a new self working prediction effect by John Bannon. John is currently on of the more popular purveyors of magic effects around, well known for his card magic and congenial style.

This is an extremely easy-to-perform effect that comes with everything you need to perform it … after a short while watching the instructional video. The video link is provided with the effect and is actually a password protected location on Vimeo. Although the instructions imply downloading the video, you can watch the video online.

ESP BY THE NUMBERS comes complete with the necessary Zener cards, and not the inexpensive cards one often receives with ESP effects. Rather than try to explain the working, I encourage you to go to the link at the end of the review and watch the performance video on Murphy’s Magic website. To quote the creators ad copy:

——
You display your ESP ability testing deck to your spectator, explaining that the symbols and random numbers featured on the cards are used to gauge the extrasensory abilities of members of the public.
For the initial test the spectator freely selects five cards from the pack. Despite the hands off, uber clean selection process you clearly demonstrate that you predicted not only which five cards they would select… but in which order too!

So far, so incredible, however that is just phase one. The true moment of astonishment is about to land!!!  You draw attention back to the random numbers printed on each ESP card and ask the spectator to look at the five cards they selected and add their numbers together. The spectator has now created a totally random number. Indeed you clearly show the remaining ESP cards and highlight the fact that had they picked ANY other card, the total would have been different.

ESP By The Numbers is totally self-working. No sleight of hand. No gimmicks. No sticky stuff. Just a brain frying piece of magic that you’ll want to perform again and again and again!
——-

I appreciate that everything needed is included. No DIY stuff here. The effect itself is so simple you’ll have a thorough understanding of its working in a matter of minutes. The learning curve is very small.. and very quick.

Actually, it’s based on a mathematical principle familiar to many magicians. Some magicians will recognize the ‘method’ during the performance. I did.. but I don’t consider that a negative..  unless you’re buying ESP to perform solely for fellow magicians.

This is a two phase routine, and the second phase is perhaps the kicker.. as it should be. I have to admit, I recognized the mathematical principle in the second phase as well, but I’m a big fan of Martin Gardner and I’d be more surprised if I didn’t recognize it. I will say I’ve never seen the first phase and the second combined in this manner. The public will NOT grasp ESP. That’s the one disadvantage of being a magician.. we sometimes fail to experience new effects like our audience.

The video teaches a second effect.. MATRIX RELOADED, that uses a regular deck of cards. You furnish the cards and Bannon furnishes the magic. I liked this.. and I’ll use it.. as it plays well for several spectators, much like you’d encounter table hopping and during walk-around. It’s a prediction effect where a card pre-selected by you matches up with a card freely selected by the spectators.. after a very fair series of cuts and eliminations.

The only negative I’ve heard is that the ESP cards don’t come with a case.. but they DO come with a solid cardboard box that keeps everything contained and secure.

Reset? It will take a minute or two. All the cards are in a particular order, and rearranging the cards to that order will take a brief time. There’s nothing to remember about the order, as each cards markings will tell you where it goes.

One quick suggestion.. the second phase involves a prediction of sorts. The predicted number comes on a pre-printed card. Perhaps you’ll agree after receiving your set the predicted number would be more effective if you write the prediction on a slip of paper and have one of the spectators hold it until reveal time. Just a thought.

ESP BY THE NUMBERS will work for you. It’s simple, easy to set up, easy to remember, and very easy to perform. The overall success WILL depend on your patter and selling ability. You can leave your audience shrugging their shoulders.. or scratching their heads in awe.
I recommend the second…  And I recommend ESP BY THE NUMBERS…
Run time 28 minutes..  $25.00

Available through dealers who carry the Murphy’s Magic line of quality magic….

http://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=59208 

Reviewed by Rick Carruth

 

HOLE IN ONE – A Review

HOLE IN ONE – A Review

Hole In One – (DVD and Gimmicks) by SansMinds Creative Labs

HOLE IN ONE is one of the latest releases from SansMinds. I own several of the SansMinds effects and I can fairly say this is definitely one of the more visual of all their effects. You show a dollar bill, allow it to be examined, and state you are going to ‘change’ the bill… from a dollar to a quarter. Now, you don’t actually change it to a quarter.. but you DO give it a slight shake and watch as a hole suddenly appears in the center of the bill.. leaving a fully visible hole through the bill and a quarter in the hand of a spectator holding their hand below the bill.
Here is the sales copy…

” We honestly feel that good magic is magic that solves a problem. Modern magic is visual — people can not only see the magic happen, but it also visually puzzles them in a way where their minds simply can’t process the logic. Hole in One does all of this. It’s super easy to do, and waits in your wallet until you’re ready to blow their minds. A beautiful piece of visual magic that serves a purpose and answers an everyday question:
How do you break a bill?
With a Hole in One.”

I agree that modern magic is very visual. There is considerably less emphasis on sleight of hand and more on gimmicks and technology. HOLE IN ONE uses some of both. The dollar bill initially shown to the spectator is a normal bill, but not the one used to perform the magic. The DVD demonstrates a simple method for switching the bills.. one that beginners should master in short order. The performance of the effect is also something beginners should find very easy to perform as well. To get a good idea of the effect itself, I suggest clicking on the Murphy’s Magic link at the end of this review and watching the video. It will save me much explaining…

HOLE IN ONE comes ‘partially’ complete with everything you need.. including a gimmick and a 30 minute DVD of the performance and the secret. It does NOT come with the bills needed to construct the gimmick.. in this case, two $1 bills and a small portion of a third. It also does not come with the coin.. which could be a bit of a problem for some folks as the coin needs to be magnetic. I wish I could say the effect comes ready to perform.. but I can’t. It will be left to the user to construct the gimmick. I can guess one primary reason is so the purchaser can use any denomination and bills from any country. The directions are good and you ‘should’ be able to construct the gimmick without major problems, although it will require a little time and effort to get everything exact. Like most projects, some of you will breeze through the construction.. and some will take a little longer. I don’t consider this a deal breaker.. but I do want you to be aware the gimmick is a DIY.

The effect works much as it’s shown on the video. The hole appears very suddenly, the quarter is clean, and your audience will be quite surprised. You can perform it again after a very brief setup. You cannot allow close examination of the bill after the effect, but you can place the gimmicked bill in your pocket or wallet, and show an ungimmicked bill, with a hole, if the spectator asks..

Personally, I don’t shop at IKEA. I’m lazy. I don’t like putting furniture together. I like for my bed or dresser or whatever to be delivered to my home fully assembled.. or close to it. Then again, there are those who love to put together their essentials. If you don’t mind a little work, HOLE IN ONE will suit your purpose and give you an effect probably unlike anything else you’re currently performing.

Available at dealers selling the Murphy’s Magic line of products. $29.99

https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=60633

Reviewed by Rick Carruth

KEY PREDICTION – By Richard Griffin

KEY PREDICTION – By Richard Griffin

Key Prediction – by Richard Griffin
Murphy’s Magic

Key Prediction by Richard Griffin - Trick

KEY PREDICTION uses a key fob to complete a prediction routine based on an Al Koran effect. The performer shows an audience member several items; specifically a key, a coin, a phone, and a credit card.. all items normally carried by a spectator or two. The spectator is asked to eliminate one of the items. It’s a totally free choice. Then, a second and a third are eliminated.. leaving only one item on the table. Everyone agrees there was no forcing involved and the remaining choice was a totally free one.

Despite this.. the performer focuses attention on a set of keys and an attached key fob resting on the table from before the initial selection. The performer is correct.. always correct. Thankfully, there are NO multiple outs and NO forcing. The item fairly selected by the spectator is the item shown on the back of the key fob.

This is a nice mental magic effect that can be performed during walk-around or stand up performances. It would work nicely during table hopping, as you really don’t need much room. Based on an idea initially created by Al Koran, Key Prediction depends on a little bit of manipulation to go with a gaffed key fob, allowing the performer to control the outcome with a minimum amount of effort.

I’m not going to say you can perform Key Prediction straight out the package.. but the ‘manipulation’ is not a worry for virtually any level of magician. You should be performing successfully within 30 minutes or so. It’s a matter of getting comfortable with gripping the components. In all fairness, the item is listed as ‘intermediate’ magic.. but I honestly feel any level can perform Key Prediction with a little practice.

Reset is about a second or two. It can be accomplished facing the spectators without a need to ‘hide’. (Don’t confuse ‘hide’ with ‘conceal’..)

In addition to the key, phone, coin and credit card reveal, the key fob also allows you to perform a circle, square, wavy line and star reveal.. the traditional ESP symbols.. minus the circle. I appreciate the flexibility and the added reveal items as you can easily carry the four ESP cards in your pocket to expedite the performance, particularly if you’re performing it a number of times as with walk-around. Mr Griffin also includes a blank option for you to create your own reveal. When combined with other mental effects, this can be a very powerful feature. Use an erasable pen and you can change the ‘blank’ side to anything you want..

Your package will include the special key fob, the necessary gimmicks, and an instructional DVD. My only complaint is the DVD could have been a little longer. With a run time of about 18 minutes it covers all the basics well.. but perhaps it could have included some additional ideas. That’s OK. Your mind will race with possibilities once you get your hands on Key Prediction.

I will recommend Key Prediction, as it does what it says.. and it allows you to do what it advertises. We all wish a new gimmick could contain some type of true magic and would make us look amazing with no effort on our part.. but I have yet to review such an item.. darn it. If you put the effort into Key Prediction, I do promise you’ll have a nice little pocket effect that won’t gather dust in your ‘magic box of unfulfilled dreams’.

Available for $34.95 for magic companies that carry the Murphy’s Magic line of products..

https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=59084

Review by Rick Carruth..