...or does he?



Advice on how to approach/present magic is shared freely every day on The Magic Café, especially advice that can be encapsulated into a few sentences or paragraphs. But suppose you didn't want to share (After all, we do live in a capitalist world)? You then might want to put your thoughts into pamphlet or eBook form. Mentalist/hypnotist Andrew Gerard has placed his ideas on a 2 DVD set priced at about $90.

“The Process” is Mr. Gerard's framework for presenting a magic trick. It's a worthwhile idea but I don't think it's exactly original or revolutionary. I assume the set is aimed toward non-mentalist magicians, since most decent mentalism effects are already built around a strong presentation. So why the high price? I see nothing here that needs to be kept out of the hands of the merely curious.

Surely the price has nothing to do with defraying the cost of producing the discs. The production values are very low. The set was shot in sidekick Bro Gilbert's living room and kitchen (btw the refrigerator may need a new condenser based on the constant loud hum). There was supposedly a cameraman present but apparently his job was simply to make sure the red light kept blinking. The camera never moves. The camera never pans. The camera never zooms or pulls out. Watching this disc is something of an endurance test. Mr. Gerard apparently doesn't think it's important to try to keep the students' interest. I've seen videos of stale college lectures that were more compelling.

You're saying, “Hey! I don't buy instructional discs for slick production values! I buy them to learn!” True. Me too. But if someone chooses to place their material on a DVD instead of, say, a booklet, I think there should be some justification for doing so (aside from being able to charge more money).

Media choice aside, if you're like me, you'll have trouble learning here too. “The Process” is supposedly a formal procedure for presenting an effect. Unfortunately, it is presented in a casual, informal way through a conversation between Mr. Gerard and his sidekick, Bro Gilbert. They start off on the right foot by discussing the first step of “The Process.” This first step is given a name (or “loosely categorized” anyway, as Mr. Gerard says) and elaborated upon. Then things get murky. Mr. Gerard says the next part of The Process is achieved “by following some very strict guidelines” but the name of this next step was left unclear. I think step two comes in two parts. Or does it just have a two-part name? Or were they discussing parts two and three? To add to my confusion, Mr. Gerard goes on to talk about how two different Processes are “fused...together to be invisible.” (“Hey, Abbott!!!”) A blackboard or some captions would have been helpful. When all was said and done, I had no idea how many steps are in The Process nor what each is called (aside from step one).

After the disappointing discussion of the subject matter we get to the effects. “Ah,” I thought, “It's not a problem that I haven't yet caught on to the various steps...now each step will be explicitly explained when applied to some specific examples.” No such luck. The distinct stages of the Process remained a mystery here too, thanks to the unfocused explanations. To those on the Café who have praised this set, please PM this knucklehead and enumerate each step in The Process for me. Thanks, in advance. I'll be sitting in the corner wearing a dunce cap in the meantime.

Some playing card tricks and a Patrik Kuffs design dupe using a business card are the featured effects. Amazingly, while “The Process” is supposed to bring the focus of an effect on the spectator, not one genuine spectator/real world example appears. Bro Gilbert assumes the role of spectator for each trick.

The total running time here is under 2 hours and, so, could have fit onto a single disc. Why wasn't this done? Aesthetics? To split the set into two distinct phases: instruction and examples? Nope. The effects begin on disc one and spill over onto disc two. Because of the short running time, the vague description in the ad, and the absence of any detailed positive reviews here on the Café, I didn't want to pay full price for The Process. I managed to find it on eBay for $55. At one point during their discussion, Messrs. Gerard and Gilbert joke about buyer's remorse related to the purchase of a magic DVD. Can I get a big “Oh, no, you di'int!” from everyone?

Even if “The Process” were a single disc selling for $30, I still couldn't recommend it because of the sloppy instruction. At one point Mr. Gerard reminds the viewer, “...it is easy to miss out or not focus in on exactly what's going on here...” No kidding. The best instructional DVDs out there offer focused, thorough discussions, not a freewheeling chat between two pals, as we have here.

I totally agree but I was afraid to post due to the cult-like adoring reviews. I also could not locate the steps of the process after the premise. Every trick needs a premise and must emotionally involve the specs. Give them something to remember. Good advice but it could have been presented in pamphlet form or on the back of an envelope. I thought it might have been me. Thanks for saying that the emperor has no clothes.

Another example of peoples greed for money and thinking magicians will buy anything. Thanks Mind guerilla for speaking up.


Ezzet

Very detailed review. Thanks.

Thanks for the review.

Thank you for taking the time to post such a detailed review.

I travel the country I meet magicians all over the world and there are 2 magicians that when magicians talk about them they talk about them as though they have real power. Those 2 magicians are Andrew Gerard and Michael Weber. That's my review of the process.

I loved the set but I can why someone would not like it. Not an insult to the OP but I think there is a specific personality type that Gerard's methods are perfect for. For example, he has a very thought approach to a design duplication and I have seen the design dupe performed exactly as Andrew performs and when performed exactly like he does it you WILL create a memory for the subject you are performing to. I perform the DD but I just can't do it the way he does it for the environment I perform in also it is a very intimate and serious performance piece and I don't really do a lot mentalism anymore that requires a good deal of theatrical performance. Having said that it is awesome and that one effect is worth the price of the disc's, it really looks like the real thing and I would say hands down best DD on the market but I am sure Weber, Gerard and Bro Gilbert for that matter have one they use that is a thousand times better that they will never release.

Ted,

I didn't review Mr. Gerard as a performer, consultant or human being. I'm sure he's tops in all those categories. That doesn't mean he's a good teacher. I reviewed his instructional DVD set and, obviously, found it lacking.

Please PM me and clue me in on the distinct stages of The Process. No one has done so yet. Thanks.

One can achieve the same DD effect with Papercrane's Psypher, AND the performer will not have to take the drawing back and handle it. That move was shady. Maybe it looks better in real performance.

That will be revealed in the follow up DVD set "The Process Part 2 ". 20 Minutes of instruction spread out over 3 DVD's.

I see you are selling your DVD on this site. When asked what you thought about it--you said it has received "great reviews". Hmmmm.

Describing reviews as "great" instead of "cult-like adoring" seems like a good strategy when trying to sell something.

It HAS received some great reviews. Including one from the Wizard Product review guys (although they also raised the issue of the price).

Here's a link to a post from someone who declares The Process to be worth double the price...before he has even watched it!
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/searc......=6851651

That "review" is a joke. He says "My order is in and I can't wait!" after giving a glowing review.

Like he was going to pay for it. Friends should NOT hype the releases of their friends. It's deceitful.

I enjoyed the dvds and I am not part of the cult. lol

I don't think Mind Guerrilla's request is out of line. deputy or somebody who owns it and likes it send him a PM explaining the stages of the process. He needs help with a product he purchased. Have you contacted Andrew Gerard directly?

To my disappointment, no fans of this DVD PMed me to clue me in.

However, another Café member, as baffled as I, took it upon himself to contact Mr. Gerard directly and was then, in turn, able to relay "the three main steps" to me. I would post them here if it would not amount to exposure.

Yes, the actual "process" is described as a 3 step process but only the first one is clearly named; I still don't know what the other 2 are.

I highly recommend checking out Paul Harris' introduction to Close Up Seductions - I wonder if this is the same thing?

If anyone wants to PM me as well I'll appreciate.

thanks

I don't own this. There are tons of people raved about it. Any others who own it would recommend? I am on the fence but the price is pretty high.