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rickmagic1 Inner circle MIddle Tennessee area 1544 Posts |
In a word: fantastic! Marc is a true worker, and has really done his homework. You're going to see some great magic, as well as the thoughts of a true professional. His thoughts on the everything from mentalism to stage, close-up to story pieces...it's all here for you. One of the best purchases I've made in years.
Rick
Richard Green
The Modern Conjurer Coming soon: Victorian Secrets: An Evening With The Spirits! |
Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
Which effects are you learning to use in your current act/show? Which are you most excited about?
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Rich B. Special user Philadelphia 632 Posts |
I am one of the fortunate guys to live near Marc and attend lectures in his theater. He has always been helpful and gracious with his advice and is a wealth of magical knowledge.
That being said, I'm really looking forward to his upcoming lecture featuring his new DVD release...which of course I'll also be picking up my copies. Rich B. |
rickmagic1 Inner circle MIddle Tennessee area 1544 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-09-10 01:00, wmhegbli wrote: Well, for me it was mainly what was on volumes 2-4. I'm not much of a manipulation guy at all, more of a classical magic performer. Now, I have to admit that all the pieces on the following volumes were great; however, I'll give you a quick run-down of my favorites on each: Vol 2: Newspaper Prediction; Linking Finger Rings; Ghost Box Vol 3: Curse of the Rasta; Gambler vs. Devil; Dreamcatcher; The Thing; The Contract; and Alice Through The Window Pane Vol 4: The Cups and Balls; The Egg Bag; Everywhere and Nowhere; The Die Box; The Magnetized Cards Again, volume 1 has some great stuff on it, just not anything I'd do since I don't do manipulations. I watched it last night and saw some things that might help me with other pieces I'm doing. The main thing for me was that there is a great diversity of material on these, and Marc and I seem to think quite a bit alike in our choices regarding effects and presentations. Rick
Richard Green
The Modern Conjurer Coming soon: Victorian Secrets: An Evening With The Spirits! |
korttihai_82 Inner circle Finland 1880 Posts |
I pretty much agree on Rick... There is some real gems on this set but also routines that shoudnt be on a set like this. This is because there is TONS of material that is pretty much performance only. The explanation begins by pretty much just saying that this is DeSouzas presentation for this and that published routine and he wont be teaching it. This didn't bother me that much, because I pretty much had all the sources for these routines allready, but novice or some other might have though time swallow that many routines aren't teached.
For example, the ghost box is variation of Dean Dills "Deans box". You have to buy it to do the routine... that's 250$ more right there. Linking fingerrings doesn't teach all the details but you would have to buy the Porper/Biro set for that... that's 600$. The contract is partly Daniel Garcias Torn, 30$ there. There is also routine for Troy Hoosers charming chinese challenge in the set and getting the original would be again 30$. Why in the world they would even advertise these routines on a set like this? doesn't DeSouza have enough of his own material that he could teach as well? Why these presentations werent included in the set just as "extras"??? Is L&L getting greedy and including anything on their sets these days just to be able to make them 4 disc sets... That said. They good, teached material from this set could have been put into 2 discs at most... That said, this set has its gems. I forinstance am not too much into mentalism but the disc2 had many routines I am tempted to work on. Especially the newspaper prediction was maybe the best I have ever seen. Sneaky as heck but easy Juha-Matti |
Robert M Inner circle 2482 Posts |
I plan on doing one of the routines on Volume 2. It's called "Baby Hughy". I had to download some pictures and get them laminated, buy a calculator, and make up a special force deck using a blank Phil Deck, but it was worth it.
This routine is really funny AND mystifying. Robert |
twistedace Inner circle philadelphia 3772 Posts |
I understand where Juha is coming from, but please remember, Marc has put a lot of time and work into his routines and they become his own. Although some of the tricks on the DvD may have been around in various forms, you are buying his experience and original thinking behind those effects. I know that Marc brings a wealth of knowledge to the table, and any magician will be lucky to own these DvDs to see his thinking and routining processes. His Egg Bag routine was one of the first pieces of magic I saw when I started, and it fooled me SO BAD. I do the Egg Bag to this day because I remember how awesome his was.
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Jeff Corn Inner circle Las Vegas 1190 Posts |
Personally, I think the presentations are excellent. I've never considered using the Andrus' Zone Zero until now. Yeah, I may need to buy the Dean's Box to do that routine, but I've never had a reason to pick it up, until now. Even if these routines don't have full explanations, the tips and insight into them can be applied to other routines and there is more than enough full performance and explanation to make up for them.
Personally, my favorite routine was Gambler vs Devil. I have a feeling that the Dreamcatcher routine will find it's way into my set, too. I seriously feel the fourth volume should be required viewing for anyone that wants to call themselves a magician. Everyone needs a solid understanding of the history of magic and this is a great place to get it.
Yes, that is my real name. Yes, I am a real person. No, you probably won't agree with me.
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Marc DeSouza V.I.P. Wayne, PA 161 Posts |
Hi All,
Thanks to all of you for your nice comments. Juha-Matti, I am not "attacking" you here in my reply, only explaining why the material was chosen. I understand your "concern" over the perfromance material that is not fully explained, but I certainly wouldn't consider it to be "TONS". I thought long and hard about including some of those routines, especially Ghost Box and the Floating Table. I did so at the request of several people and because I feel that seeing the presentation is the real lesson. How to take an existing piece of material and change the effect or push the limits on it. In the case of Ghost Box, my pesentation for Dean's Box, I wanted to show my real working routine that goes far beyond what Dean Dill gives you. I wanted to show how you can add so much to that routine and to be truthful, I have another 5 phases that were cut from the routine...I feel 11 and a half minutes is quite long enough. In the case of The Floating Table, there is a 6 minute story presentation before any "magic effect" happens and it plays extremely stong for audiences. I think that's a lesson right there. I don't feel it is proper to expose another creator's work and you should purchase the original if you wish to perform it. By watching my routines, it might make you decide to purchase the original. In the case of Tequila, again I am showing how much more can be done with an existing routine, but don't feel it is proper to teach Jerry andrus' work, only my additions. In the case of The Linking Finger Rings, I do indeed fully teach a very workable version using a standard, inexpensive Himber Ring. My preference is to use the Porper, but that decision is up to the individual. The Contract is an entirely new presentation for torn and restored card that doesn't even use a card. It can be adapted to almost any handling of torn and restored card. Finally, The Way To Inner Peace is a presentation for a great effect by Troy Hooser. Again, it is a presentation of an established effect that shows how much a story can enhance a magic trick. I feel my best talents are in the creation of crafted presentations. You ask if I don't have enough of my own material... this is my material, why wouldn't I want to teach you my best? These are the real routines that I use when I go out to perform for real people. My primary goal in releasing these discs was to help people enhance their own magic by learning how good presentations can be created. My best way to accomplish that was to teach by example. You ask why L&L would even advertise these...a lot of people have found these routines to be the highlights of the set. There is no issue of L&L's greed here. There is absolutely no fluff on these discs. These are all real working pieces that I use constantly. If any of you have any questions or wish to further discuss the material, feel free to contact me either here or with a PM, Marc DeSouza |
squando Elite user 444 Posts |
Hey,
I agree that it is often dissapointing to not get a full explaination, but I know that Marc regards ethics as highly as he does magical excellence. Therefore I am pleased that he shows his best and shows his devotion to protecting others work. And his real lessons on the DVD's are on presentation, making magic magical. Robert Neale wrote in his book, THIS IS NOT A BOOK, that there is real "magic" in the performance of a skilled ventrilloquist WHILE everyone knows the secret of animating a puppet. I suggest taking one of your magicl strengths and put some presentational meat on it to make it shine... Then thank Marc for the inspiration.
Frank
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patrick66 Veteran user The Netherlands 384 Posts |
Which volumes should I buy when I want to do something more with my Dean's Box?
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korttihai_82 Inner circle Finland 1880 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-11-12 15:48, patrick66 wrote: Ghosts box is on volume 2 I believe. 2 Extremely nice additions in there. Add Invisible deck in there and you could do 20min act just with the box J-M |
Marc DeSouza V.I.P. Wayne, PA 161 Posts |
Hi J-M ( and everyone else. The addition of Invisible Deck is a great idea and one I hadn't thought of. I would certainly make one up from an old looking deck, such as the 1800's Bicycle deck or one of Card-Shark's. A couple of other ideas I had worked through used a "juice joint" in the top of the pedestal I normally use in presenting the routine. This allows me to do an incredible looking spirit bell, which is keeping with the theme. I also played with the electronic version of the nut off bolt, again with the "works" in the top. Two other effects were a cigar that starts smoking in the box and a version of one phase of Sefalaljia where a ball placed next to a glass ends up inside of it. In my version, I used an old-fashion glass and a great looking fake maraschino cherry.
Marc |
mystre71 Inner circle martinsburg west virginia 1693 Posts |
Just finished watching these, and there are great! Thanks for releasing these Marc. Maybe the best DVD's for 09.
They teach more than just the workings of trick. They show you how you can take an existing routine and really make it your own. They go beyond that, and show you how the right presentation,trick,and character,can bring these stories to life. They also show you how much time, thought and hard work Marc has put into these routines. As well as how little thought others (yes, out on DVD) put into theirs. Best, Joe
Walk around coin box work check it out here https://www.magicalmystries.com/products
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Marc DeSouza V.I.P. Wayne, PA 161 Posts |
Thanks Joe! Glad you enjoyed them,
Marc |
Neznarf Inner circle NY then AZ now 1840 Posts |
Not many DVD's out on stage & parlor routines.
I look forward to seeing these.
"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain."
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magicalaurie Inner circle Ontario, Canada 2962 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-11-04 16:08, Marc DeSouza wrote: I haven't got your DVD set (yet), Marc, but I really like the idea and find it inspirational, considering the great pressure to create new effects. Very practical, honest, and valuable, and like I said, inspiring, to me. |
Glenn Godsey Special user 737 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-11-04 16:08, Marc DeSouza wrote: I don't see Tequila listed in the original post description. Which volume is it on? Best regards, Glenn Godsey |
A.J. Veteran user Michigan 314 Posts |
I think Marc's 90-minute Magic History Lecture (one that includes many magical effects throughout) on Volume 4 is one of the most memorable events I've seen in a long, long time. It's informative, and entertaining, and truly outstanding. Don't miss it.
After the Lecture, Marc explains his routines and gives out so much information for improving your own performances. Fantastic. Marc has been generous to us all with this DVD set. A.J. |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Dvd, Video tape, Audio tape & Compact discs. » » Marc DeSouza's new DVD set from L&L (0 Likes) |
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