Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: Rock and Roll all Nite by Poison

Review of Project by Shiro Ishida:

Eight Tricks, One DVD and $30 . . . is it gem or is it rubble?

Effect

With this DVD, you get 8 effects: A Liquid Transpo, A Rising Card, Linking Cards, A Coin Transpo, A Variation on Vernon's Triumph, A Variation on Card Warp, A Bill through Bill penetration and ACAAN.

Method

The methods range from very simple to very complex to impractical. For the Liquid Transpo, the method is relatively doable and reasonable. In this method, you start with both cups upside down on the table. Liquid is poured into one cup. It vanishes from that cup and reappears in the other cup. Not too many methods let you start with both cups upside down.

For the rising card, the method is pretty involved, but still relatively doable. However, one of the versions performed in the performance section (and the DVD trailer) is not taught on the DVD. Visual Link is a linking card routine that requires you to give the spectator a razor knife and a cutting board so that she can cut out the center of the card in preparation for the effect. You must also do this in performance to your card. And . . . you have to be faster than your spectator because while they're distracted by cutting their card, you need to switch yours for a gimmicked one. In all of the clips of the performance of this, they always started with the cards already cut and the gimmick already switched in. My last complaint about this method is that once the card rises from the deck, when you remove it completely from the deck, it looks extremely fishy.

Jump is a coin transpo. A signed card vanishes from your hand and reappears inside of an ID badge protector that is around your neck. The method's relatively workable, but you need an elaborate hook up for such a small effect. Further, the version shown in the DVD trailer cannot be done using the method taught. Angry Triumph uses an overly stacked and gimmicked deck and card box to allow you to combine three effects (sandwich, Triumph, color changing deck) into one routine. You end clean (except for the card box), and the method is pretty decent.

WHA (Worm Hole Again) is a variation of Card Warp. This one has the advantage of being able to show the card more freely. However, you need to make up a gimmick and ditch the gimmick which pretty much needs to be done while seated. If you don't plan on handing out the cards at the end, then you don't need to ditch the gimmick, and therefore can be standing if you want. There's a live performance of the effect that is different from the version taught. The live performance had a pretty sweet kicker, but it's never taught.

Dragon's Thru is a bill penetration effect. It's probably the best and most practical effect on the DVD. However, I'm 99% sure I've seen this method before. But it's very simple, and very clever. You can make a gimmicked bill in just a few minutes that you can carry with you anywhere you go. Then you can borrow a second bill or use one of your own and perform the effect. It's very simple and clever, but the gimmicked bill cannot be examined, and very likely the audience will want to do just that.

Finally, A Card At Any Number. This method is probably the worst method for an effect on this DVD. While there are some good things to be learned from parts of the method and procedure, the worst thing is that as soon as the spectator names a number, you must put the deck back in the box. Then you must immediately remove it from the box. Then you count down to the number the spectator named. Of course you discover the "thought of card" at that number. The big problem here is that there is no reason/justification for putting the cards back in the box. Further, at the beginning of the routine, you openly draw attention to the fact that you're putting the Jokers in the box. So it's clear that you're putting the cards in the box for a moment to load the Jokers onto the deck so that you can immediately pull the cards out and count. It's too obvious and not smart.

Ad Copy Integrity

I've got a few issues with the Ad copy integrity. I've already mentioned a couple items. First, the effect shown in the trailer for the coin to ID badge cover is totally bogus. You cannot do the effect the way they portray it in the trailer. Further, there is an effect in the trailer that's not in the DVD at all. In the trailer you see a necklace dipped into a potato chip back causing a charm to appear on the necklace. It's not part of the DVD at all. Another annoyance was the Ghost Rising effect. In the trailer and the performance section of the DVD, the effect is performed once with the cards in the box held upright. Then the same effect is performed with the deck flat on his palm up hand. I couldn't find that effect taught anywhere on the DVD, and the method for the in the box upright version won't work with cards held flat on the palm without the box.

As you know, ad copy inaccuracy is a huge deal for me. This one didn't do so well. However, I will say that the performance of Dragon's Thru (penetrating bill) was very accurate, and an honest representation of the effect. The linking cards was also accurate (other than the fact that you have to take the time to cut the cards up during performance).

But the written ad copy for WHA, says, "No Special Setting." That's a complete crock. A full on lie, people. There is very much a special setting/setup required. Also, the wording for "Jump" is bordering on a lie too. It would lead you to believe that the coin appears inside of the ID badge holder while the holder is in plain site. It is not. The holder is actually hidden behind your coat (a necessity due to the method). They do not even know you are wearing an ID holder until you reveal that the coins appeared there.

Product Quality

The product quality was pretty shoddy. All of the "live" performances were terrible old footage that was very hard to watch. The entire video was spoken in Japanese (I believe) and so you have to read the subtitles that are overlaid on the screen. They were hard to read and keep up with, and some of explications (as they were called on the DVD) were hard to follow because you're trying to keep up with the reading pace that they choose for you. Further, the title of the effect remains on the screen throughout the performance and explanation sections. So you have the hard-to-read subtitles plus the title layover block with very blurry text. Click on the image below for a full resolution look at a screen shot. You'll see the poor quality. On top of that, the viewing section does not take up the full screen making it very hard to watch at times. Add to that the noise of obnoxious music and him speaking in another language all while you're trying to concentrate and read the text and look at the images on the screen before the screen changes.

Additionally, you cannot skip chapters in this DVD, so if you wanted to skip the chapter you're watching, you have to go back to the main menu and navigate to one of two main screens to find the chapter you want, and then you can play it. All in all, the product quality was pretty terrible especially when you consider the price point of $30.

That said, you'll still be able to learn everything taught on the DVD (other than the stuff they skipped) well enough to do the effects.

Final Thoughts

For $30 bucks, you should get better methods, better teaching, better lighting, honest advertising, a DVD you can easily navigate, etc., etc., etc.

Final Verdict:
2 Stars with a Stone Status of rubble.