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Effortless Effects by Ryan Schlutz Review:
Seven effects, one powerful principle and $30 bucks. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.
I think I might have a man crush on Ryan Schlutz. Don't tell my wife. The dude is smart, a thinker, and a magician's magician. He knows his stuff. He takes old principles that have been around forever, ones that you've even used, and disguises them so well that no layperson and most magicians will have no idea how the effect is done.
Of course, with this kind of magic, often the procedure is the weakness: the dealing; the counting; the this and the that. Not so with Mr. S. His effects have simplicity in method while still having brilliant deception in method. The effects are clean and allow you to focus on presentation. That's the best kind of magic there is if you're into entertaining your audience. Having said all that, let's examine the usual suspects and see where things lead:
- Effect
- Method
- Ad Copy Integrity
- Product Quality
Effect
Several impossible effects such as having the spectator shuffle the cards thoroughly followed by them grabbing a chunk of cards from the shuffled deck. They, then, merely think of one card which ends up face up in the deck or revealed in any way you'd like.
Method
Ryan Schlutz has coined/created the concept, The GAP Principle, which stands for Grab A Pile. This concept, obviously, has more depth to it than that, but it's this principle, which you will be taught well, that allows you to do impossible seeming miracles. Stuff that just cannot be traced back. The method(s) is/are so simple and within the reach of any performer. Further, unlike most magician foolers, this stuff also entertains and fools the lay folk as well.
Ad Copy Integrity
S.O.L.I.D.!
Product Quality
It's Big Blind Media folks - home of the Were-beast that is Owen Packard. Of course it's top notch productions. Schlutz does a great job of explaining and teaching the concepts. Each effect is performed. Then it's taught/explained to either Liam Montier, James Went or Were-beast himself. Following each explanation, you're shown a quick overview/bullet point of each effect with Schlutz and the camera.
Also, many of the effects have extra bonus tips, tricks and ideas. Finally, there's a section covering The GAP Principle in depth.
Final Thoughts
If you're a card guy who needs to add some stuff to your repertoire that can be done with a completely shuffled deck and almost 100% hands off, then you MUST get this DVD. If you're a card guy at all, you'd do well to study this DVD. If you're not a card guy, then become a card guy and get this DVD.
Final Verdict:
5 Stars with a Stone Status of GEM!
4 Comments
Hi Jeff, I agree this is superb but i would have given it 4/4.5 stars because the add copy (back of DVD box) implies that no sleights are used so that performance can be developed.This is not true.There are basic sleights and it should say so.The material is strong and taught well but no sleights is pushed very hard in the ad copy.
@Steve – Good point. I didn’t notice that anywhere on the website ad copy. Also, I will say that in the DVD, he always mentioned sleight-less handlings, so I think they’re still covered.
Hi Jeff,
The point is when you read the promo material it says practically no sleights and the DVD case it indicates that no sleights are required its all about presentation.To find any qualification you would have already bought the DVD expecting no sleights so no i donot believe they are ‘covered’ It does not take away the fact there is some good stuff on here.BUT it is not right for BBM to market this product as sleight free.(although not hard!)
Best Wishes
Steve
@Steve – I’m gonna have to disagree with you here brother. First, the ad copy only mentions sleights in two different places. In one place is says, “almost NO sleight of hand.” Note the use of the word “almost.” The other place it mentions sleights, it says, “with no sleights to worry about.” I think that means “not hard” not “non existent.”
However, even if the claim was “no sleights,” they still live up to that claim by showing how to do each effect with no sleights. So from what I can tell, they did nothing wrong.