I have created material over the years that suits me. I don't have any wish to publish it at the moment, but I am kind of stuck and I need to get another set of eyes on the material. I have 12 or so effects, some are propless, some psychological and some use cards that I've put together in a kind of 40 page e-book. If you'd like to check it out please respond to this thread or pm me and please let me know why I should trust you to give good feedback on this mental magic. If you look like a good fit I'll pm you the pdf.

Thanks,

Josh

Sounds interesting. It is good to hear that someone has put together routines that fit them. I wish you luck with it.




Best
Ray

@Magical Dimensions Thanks, I know it's nothing compared to the real greats out there but I know there's stuff I'm missing that could really improve these pieces.

Anything that can be done over the phone? If so I'm extremely interested

@Slim King There are 2 pieces that can be performed over the phone and a couple that could be performed over Skype. I'm not claiming that they are revolutionary, or the most wonderful things out there but I feel like each routine has something to offer.

I just read through the pdf and it is excellent. Some real workers in it and it is written very well. I think you have a real talent and your routines are very well thought out.

Hi!

Sounds interesting to me as well

I'm always happy to read new material, if you like.

Count me in. I'll even film it if you like

@rowdymagi5 Wow, thank you for the kind words!

Before giving this review, Mr. Burch was upfront that he's not a mentalist. By that, I mean he's not the mentalist he feels he will become, that being said, he shares with us some really good material. The material is inspired by other artists, but the material comes from a very sincere place and from a perspective where its good enough to fool 8th graders. If we think about that, that's an amazing feat in itself. 8th graders are grabby and noisy. And will try and mess you up because, they're kids. That being said, allow me to share my thoughts on the material.

Holiday: While I do not do anagrams, I know how they work and I know how they should play. This anagram is perfect because it uses colors and road signs. Its something like Peter Turner's "Wish You Were Here". Mr. Burch takes usage of the "restricting without being restrictive approach". Good stuff. I'm certain anyone who's into Michael Murray or Pete's work, could and will use this. (TO BE NOTED: It Comes with a working chart)

Intuiting Handedness: Actually this is pretty devious. This is a REALLY good way of determining if a person is left handed or right handed.

Word Search: This is essentially a prediction effect that uses a word puzzle. I like this. I honestly never thought of using a word puzzle to create a prediction. I hate printing out things that comes with effects. But since its a word puzzle, it doesn't take a lot of ink. Mr. Burch supplies you with the necessary tools.

Wonder Woman: Its essentially a lie detector test with cards. While the effect is not 100%, meaning things can go wrong, its still powerful. I think he could have taken a more sure fire approach, but still, you get a clean effect. You, the performer can tweak this and make it better. I'm more joyed over the premise. In mentalism, we can be a bit lackadaisical and do the same stuff under the same premise. But I like his thinking as it reminds me of my own.

Lucky Coin: A Dani DaOrtiz idea, this is some mental mojo, a confabulation-esque routine using coins and cards.

Tampered Memory: This....is my baby. This is my kind of material. Its a way of changing a person's memory without hypnosis. That being said, this can get better.In fact, I know he will make it better. I'll even help.

Clocked Force: Its a sweet little card force. Something, I think you all could appreciate it.

Memorization: Its a cheeky prediction based on the premise of card memory. It has built in failure that is seen to have been a part of the plan all along.

Don't Pick the Heart: This also is a sort of mind ready, card prediction, that happens over and over. Its actually a game you play with your participants that shows them you are always in control.

Chairs of Fury: This is actually a pretty neat Chair Test. I like it. I don't do chair tests, but for those who do, you will like it.

Signed Prediction: An invisible deck effect inspired by Derren Brown.

The Invisible Toolbox: As a prelude to the human blockhead, this is a prediction effect where everyone thinks of a tool and the performer nails it. The fact that I wrote that is almost teetering on exposure, but in the cheekiest way. There's even a good one liner with a nice built in comedy piece.


Analysis: Its good. But with Mr. Burch's thinking, it can be great. I love the premises, some methods are excellent. Some are not as reliable as I hope. That being said, If I was Mr. Burch, I would sit on this and work it out a bit more.

In my opinion, the God's honest truth, When he tinkers with this some more, what you will have is a full stage show. I'm happy to have read this. Keep creating!

@Urban Entity thanks for the kind review! Very thorough. Yes, some of the methods are kind of freeform, jazzy and bold. I've provided surefire outs for the majority of the really difficult stuff and plan on adding surefire solutions for every piece.

I've tested Wonder Woman with a couple other presentational ideas. Banachek has a grandfather's name plot I think he talks about in psychological subtleties, the same principles in Wonder Woman could work using different props. I'll expand on that in the future.

The chair test is not the kind of thing that you would close a show with. It has the feeling of Corrinda's or Banachek's except that you can perform it in an impromptu setting, with a single piece of paper, a pen and 3 chairs. That is the more bold version, that I have used in the past but I also include a version that uses the back of a card box with a bit of extra prep that works 100% of the time.

In talking with Devin Knight the chair effect was his favorite.

I have to say from the outset I enjoyed reading though these effects and if nothing else got me thinking about how to improve some current ideas I have. Also I enjoyed the way the effects were scripted, and it shows a lot of thought has been taken into putting these together. As for the effect and methods, some are creative combinations of old principles but as I said well put together, others are very thought provoking and as The Urban Entity states above with some work could be greatly improved upon.

Holiday: For me this was timely as I have started the study of progressive anagrams, again great scripting but as someone from the UK I couldn't see this working with the subject matter however it does give a frame work to use the principle so that it could work in the UK with a different presentation.

Intuiting Handedness: I really liked this psychological subtlety and cant wait to try it out, it is ever so simple and can be added to lots of routines.

Word Search: For me this was the highlight, a well throughout presentation with a mix of methods delivering a very strong effect as said above it is "essentially a prediction effect that uses a word puzzle" I would like to explore the methodology to create something that was more suited to my personality, it has encouraged me to come up with other routines, but the more I think about it the more I think I can justify the wordsearch puzzle.

Wonder Woman: Iam a fan of the lie detector plot as deception and lie detection were a specialist subject of mine with my MSc in Forensic psychology. This is a little bold, in some respects you are really doing what you say you are, I think I would prefer a more sure fire method but at the same time gives you room to try this out.

Lucky Coin: A nice plot, again not a 100% effect though a great out is given if it doesn't go the intended way and the audience would never know any different. I liked the use of the coin as a lucky talisman. I would prefer to use a version of the Vernon Substitute move/force (forgive me if that isn't correct) and incorporate that into a hand of cards with a heirloom like presentation where the coin was your great uncles and a picture revels the cards and then the date on the coin is the final kicker. (this is just what popped into my head whilst reading it, as I said this was a very thought provoking read).

Tampered Memory: I struggled to make complete sense of this routine though I knew what the effect was and how it was done and a nice premise for an effect, I wasn't sure if the method would be so transparent to an audience.

Clocked Force: I have my own methods for forcing a card when I need to and iam happy with that, I don't like to do too much with cards but this maybe of interest to others

Memorization: This isn't an effect I would perform regularly, it is an interesting set up and I do like the prediction that corrects the faults in the routine, I still think the Out of this world plot is much better done by the spectator ( I know this has a different presentaion), It for me would not replace memorization routines by Looch and Mark elsdon.

Don't Pick the Heart: This effect wasn't my cup of tea but could be a fun game for the participants.

Chairs of Fury: Again this isn't a new idea but interesting method for a chair test, saying that I probably wouldn't use it in a chair test situation but something more close up with objects.

Signed Prediction: A hypnotic suggestion presentation for an invisible deck.

The Invisible Toolbox: A psychological force again throughout scripting but not for me.


Analysis: Again as said above and previously I enjoyed the scripting and premises to a lot of this material and the methods are varied and the mix of methods in Word search is superb, Iam sure others can take and build on a lot of the material here and run away with them, if you got nothing else out of reading this (which is unlikely) you will be encouraged to think about your existing routines and play around with the premises and methods mentioned in these .

It has opened a creative door in my head and for that I thank you for giving me the chance to read through this

Dean

I appreciate all of the feedback! I'm not offering anymore free PDF's for this material at the moment.