Hello everyone,

Today, I'm offering a new manuscript, titled Pins and Needles, featuring my close-up Russian Roulette effect.

Effect:

The performer expertly juggles two sponge balls, absurdly claiming this to be one of the most dangerous feats of juggling in the world. Stopping abruptly, he asks a spectator to point to either sponge, and then squishes that sponge in a tight fist. This juggling process is repeated, as the performer boasts the high level of danger. On the last round, the performer once more squishes the chosen sponge, and immediately hands it out. The danger is then shockingly revealed, as needle after needle is removed from the unchosen sponge.

-No switches or sleight of hand involved

-No forcing of any kind

-No magnets or gimmicks

-Everything is examinable

-Perfect for walk-around

-100% safe!

If interested in purchasing Pins and Needles, please send $9.99 to mattmello88@gmail.com through PayPal.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask here, or through PM, if containing possible spoiler information.

Have a good one, guys!

Matt Mello

Matt is one of my favorite creators. He creates visually interesting pieces of Mentalism which is so important to have to break up the constant stream of mind reading.

This is another example of Matt's genius. When I saw the secret, I couldn't help but smile at the creativity and ingenuity. This plays exactly as Matt says above. It's as fair as fair can be with no equivoque and no other force of any kind. They genuinely point to the sponge they want, and yet, they get it right every single time.

This is very lateral thinking on Matts part which is one reason why the stuff he comes up with is so unique. It also packs small and plays big. This could play great table hopping as table side entertainment, or this could fill a stage in front of 500 people easily.

Very creative, very imaginative, very impressive, very easy to do, and most importantly, very safe if you do it exactly as Matt says.

Another great release. Don't hesitate to buy this one. As a matter of fact... don't hesitate to buy anything Matt puts out!

This is not my cup-of-tea, however, kudos to Matt for selling this at a very reasonable price.

Thanks for the review, Madison! I'm happy that you enjoyed it!

No worries, Pegasus! I can understand that this type of demonstration won't be for everyone. I just want to clarify for purchasers that pegasus doesn't own this, and is only stating his opinion based on my description. And thanks for the kudos! I always try to price things fairly.

Yes, that is correct, sorry for any confusion. I'm going solely on Madison's review.

http://pinsneedlesmentalism.blogspot.cl/
I love Matt´s thinking and he is now one of the creative authors of "Mentalism Center".
He is creative in approach and offers the community simple solutions and interesting visuals. His new release "Pins and Needles" is no exception.
A fun, easy method and most important, safe.

A true bargain.


Best

I bought this today, so have not had a chance to perform it. But I will: I like it a lot.

The reason I was attracted to the effect:
- I have been an admirer (and user) of Matt's work in the past,
- I liked the idea of presenting this effect. I thought it intriguing and powerful.

If you do too, you will already have a few methods in mind, particularly if you are well-read. Matt references Luke Jermay, Jon Allen and Scott Alexander, but these are for the Russian Roulette premise rather than relating to this particular effect or method.

The method completely fooled me: I would not have come up with it in a hundred years. It is devilish in its ingenuity. It is also very straight-forward in execution.

Is it safe? Pretty much, although as is the case in (almost) any RR effect, I guess there is an outside chance you'd get things out of line. But the worst that would happen in this effect is a sore hand from a few pinpricks: it's hardly a razor-sharp Bowie knife or broken bottle.

In just a handful of pages in this download Matt explains everything fully, with illustrations, and gives plenty of afterthoughts and additional comments. He actually describes two routines: one the 'Pin Cushion' effect described above, the other using the same methodology to produce a rather different effect.

It struck me that you are not restricted to two sponge balls: you could use three, which might link it to other ball routines in your repertoire, and make it play slightly bigger for stand up. That said, for me this is at its best as a close up effect; for platform or parlour I think the implement of danger needs to be seen for theatrical impact. You can play this for fun, or for a darker impact.

At the asking price it is a steal if you go on to perform it. I can see why Matt has released it separately; if this was part of a collection of material, its impact would be lost and it would end up being overlooked. Which would be a shame.

I read the effect and thought how would I do it.
I bought the effect, and it is how I thought I would do it.

Will I use it? Probably not. Do I feel hard done by? Not really (on the fence though). For this type of routine I want it to be cleaner.

One effect I don't see credited (and that's ok) is Colin McCleod's (or Cloud, or Cleod, or McCloud - not sure what day it is) routine with the bags. (It's in the Penguin Lecture, and Divine I think) It's much, much better, similar idea, bigger impact.

I like Matt's other effects but this one doesn't do it for me at the minute.

If you think you'll like it, $10 is worth a punt sometimes. Would probably prefer I had $10 now I'm thinking about it.

Wow this seems like a very brutal review just because you "propbably" won't use it.

As for Colin's effect, it is vastly different from this one. Two totally different effects. The only thing they have in common is that they are a roulette. I prefer Matt's because I fee Colin's routine is a "one second" routine. One choice of two just isn't that impressive to layman no matter what the stakes. Matts is different because they choose multiple times which is why it transcends from 50/50 to impossible.

Thanks for your review, Bob! I'm glad that you enjoyed it, and will use it! It's really a very entertaining routine.

And I'm sorry to hear that you feel that way, Adam. Just to clarify on the credits, I cited Luke Jermay's "A Dangerous Opener" because it was a 50/50 Russian roulette, with the element of danger being revealed as a surprise. That was released in 2004, almost a decade before Colin's routine.

Sponge balls and mentalism should never be in the same sentence

The "effect" is the performer avoids a hidden danger. That's the same as any Roulette/Smash & Stab. What's unique here is the method and presentation. Props to Matt for that.

SolidSnake - Why? This routine gives a presentation in which the objects used are incidental. Mind reading, influence, etc.

I did guess the method before purchasing it. I still purchased it because I didn't come up with the idea, but upon reading the PDF I realized I had it nailed already. I will say this is unusual - Usually Matt comes up with a method I wouldn't have even considered.

I do like the extra presentation given as well. It definitely suits my style. I will give this one a go, I think it will be a nice addition to my walk around or parlor sets.

Anything can be made to feel organic within a set, SolidSnake. This is an entertaining piece of mentalism, and the audience actually takes it very seriously at the end.

I sense you have a narrower view of what mentalism is, and sorry to be harsh, but likely perform a show that's not very original. You want to see some "mentalism" over the internet? I'm getting the impression that your show consists of duplicating a drawing a person has made. You have people add meaningless numbers on a pad of paper to show how you've predicted them in advance. I'm sensing a book...and some sort of test involved?

But if I present a Russian roulette with sponges, not with bags or cups (which somehow make "logical" sense) suddenly it's not mentalism?

Oh I know, just worth mentioning the other option out there. I prefer (and have performed) Colin's to Luke's in that instance.

Never say never....

Without innovation, we'd still be using bear skins and stone knives to do billets.

Matt,
I haven't seen this yet, but I am loving the concept! For the longest time, I have been reluctant to do sponge balls just because it just seemed to lack something for me. This just might kick it up a notch for me.
Thanks, man!
KJ

Yeah. Colin Mcleoud had an idea with a certain gimmick and a spongeball for a "find it in the audience" routine. Never say never is true.

Personally I think Mello's got a great idea here. And if you actually purchased it, I think you'd see it's firmly in the realm of mentalism particularly with the alternative presentation he gives which has a hypnotic flare.

I also bought the ebook. I didn´t know what to expect! The idea is great and absolutely clean because there is no equivoque or force of any kind!
I like this!!! If I had the choice of using a 50:50 RR type routine in a performance, I would probably go for this one.

kiki

Although simple; I think this is really very clever. I think some people will look at the method and turn their nose up at it's simplicity but I think it will work just fine and will definitely be trying this out.

It's very much a mentalism effect despite using a 2 sponge balls.