Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: For Cryin' Out Loud By Meatloaf

So, I wonder if the company that produced this DVD understand their own name . . . Sans Minds Productionz . . . Sans Minds . . . as in, without minds.

Lucky for us this lack of thinking ends with the name of the production company because this product/DVD/Effect is pretty darn not-sans-minds. :)

The effect is simple (always a plus): an object is removed from a photograph. Period.

For $25 you get a relatively short DVD, a few photos and the gimmick. You'll have to supply your own 'real' objects. The photos that come with the DVD are pictures of a Hershey's Kiss. The Kiss falls out of the photo into the spectator's hands. You'll need to supply the Kiss, but everything is included.

Additionally, you are taught 11 different ideas of effects you can do. In the case of the other ideas, you'll have to make your own photographs or buy them from [Jeff tries not snicker] . . . Sans Minds Productionz.

For $15 bucks you can buy a combo pack of photos from [snicker . . . snort] Sans Minds Productionz. The pack contains 19 photo cards with 8 completely different effects. In my opinion, it's worth it.

The only negative I might have to say about this product is that there is a minor discrepancy that happens when using the gimmick. However, it's handled so casually and so briefly that I don't think it's an issue. Plus there are a lot of other ways to accomplish what the gimmick does with either other gimmick or even without gimmicks at all, so I'm not going to let this impact my review.

There are a lot of really good ideas on this DVD, but let me point out my four favorites. I'll just give the effect exactly as cleanly as it really is, and you'll see why I like them:

• A picture of a deflated balloon is shown. You bring the picture up to your mouth and extract the balloon nozzle from the picture and blow into it. You then push the nozzle back into the photo and turn the photo around to show the balloon has been inflated in the photograph. Your hands are empty and you can IMMEDIATELY hand the photo out for the spectator to keep. This effect totally fooled me. It just made me smile. It's beautiful.
• Another beautiful effect . . . Borrow a quarter. Show a photo that clearly is nothing but an empty table top. Then take the quarter and visually put the coin into the photo. The audience sees it go in the photo. You can IMMEDIATELY hand the photo out to be kept. Your hands are clean and totally empty. This looks like real magic or trick photography. It's incredible.
• A lighter funny effect . . . a photo of red sponge ball (a.k.a. a clown nose) is shown. The photo is raised up to the performers nose. When the photo is lowered, there is a red nose on the performer and the photo is sans red nose.
• How 'bout this . . . show a picture of your desk with nothing on it. Hold the photo facing you in your left hand. Your right hand throws your house key at the photo. It hits the photo and goes right inside. You IMMEDIATELY hand out the photo which now has a key in it.

I don't know what else to tell you about this guys. If you do close up magic professionally, full time, part time, or even if you just do the occasional 'bend' when the situation permits, you'll find something on this DVD.

Final Verdict:
5 Stars with a Stone Status of pure unadulterated total GEM!