I'm interested to learn the Sylvester Pitch in the context of producing fruit. Can anyone who owns both the Sylvester Pitch DVD and the Sylvester's Penguin lecture comment on whether the Penguin Lecture is a suitable learning format for the move (especially for something larger than a coin). I'm on a tight budget, so it's one or the other, but I'm curious to see his entire lecture so long as it's suitable for teaching the move.

Thanks for your thoughts!

On the Pitch 98 video, Dan talks about just this one topic for over an hour.
He shows a lot of items including a egg plant and a nut the size of a baseball.

The lecture is about his act. He does cover "The Pitch", but how long or how much, I can not say as I have not seen it.
Penguin gives no details on the length or topics of the lecture.

Unless someone says different, my suggestion is for the DVD.

GO HERE:
http://sylvesterthejester.com/merch/sylvester-pitch-dvd/

Right on. Thanks your the info.

I'd like to mention a similar but different move from the "Pitch" which is almost the exact opposite, but in my opinion superior, and that is Jon Townsend's "Jumping Shuttle Pass" which I believe he innovated with a coin, but which I did a lot of experimenting with Billiard Balls, and could be done with fruit or nuts as well. Regards, Gregg Webb

Thank you, Gregg! It's always awesome to find out about utility moves that I don't know about. I did purchase the Sylvester Pitch DVD. It is excellent, and I'm delighted with the purchase.

I'll do a little digging on the Jumping Shuttle Pass.

Thanks again.

Getting Jon Townsend material is going to be a challenge, his has been off the radar for long time.

Gregg, is the jumping shuttle pass something Sankey also works with? Jon has a lot of neat things to his credit.

To the OP question: The earlier video is fine. You will need to comfortably move that production item and rehearse the transfer ... juggling skills it can't hurt to learn.

Thanks Gregg. The minor variation of the utility switch was directly inspired by a jumbo coin production Presto was doing. Someone else referred to the action as giving the coin airtime.

Dan Sylvester's work with an inertial transfer is impressive. If you are okay with toss/catch actions for sleights - well worth learning.

There is also a very similar approach which is detailed on the International Magic Lecture by Cellini.

I remember watching and practicing the move about 20 years ago after seeing him demonstrate it.

Mr. Townsend, I am so intrigued by your move. Sounds very interesting, and thank you for weighing in regarding the Sylvester Pitch.

Ajb6864, this is news to me! I am designing routines for a future festival show, so anything that Cellini has worked out on the street is of super interest to me. Thank you for this tip!

I mentioned above that I have picked up the Sylvester Pitch DVD. It's awesome. On that point, I've put together a little opening sequence and I'm wondering if any of you, familiar with the pitch, would mind to watch it and offer feedback? The move occurs around 1 minute 38 seconds. Please also note, that this was just a practice session of something that I created just this week. As such, the lines are terrible. I'm using a hobo manipulation ball, and I had to mime a character prop (a pocket watch), because I don't yet have one. But the mechanics! Anyway, If you have the time and interest, let me know what you think. Thanks so much! Here is the youtube link.

https://youtu.be/Ur_fnhBpri0

Also, regarding that practice routine. This is the first phase of the routine. The second phase isn't ready yet...

Alyx: hard to say if the pitch is good because it's entirely covered by the other hand, which may not be the case in real performance. Causing the audience to focus on one object is what makes the other one invisible, so you have to make them want to watch the first ball. With coins, you wiggle it to make it flash. With balls, you'll need to adapt somehow.

P!

I can’t imagine being able to do a successful pitch straight on with the large object you used. I assume you discovered that in practice and turn to the side to hide it (successfully I might add). However, the beauty of the pitch is the impossibility of something being in the hand you just emptied and can be seen. A side view lessens the miracle.

I learned from the penguin lecture and don’t recall any big objects, although I could be mistaken. The biggest I can do without detection from a front angle is a miniature billiard ball. The color of the ball could help or hurt depending on my clothes so I picked one that matched.

Since it wasn’t mentioned earlier, you can learn the pitch from the lecture and two “versions” are taught. One is the bundle of coins counting and going back and the other is two single items swapped. I was always curious about the full dvd and if there was any additional value.

On the DVD, Sylvester uses a large nut and a eggplant.
It has been awhile, I don't recall if he discusses the details on how to make those objects disappear specifically.

That is why I recommended the DVD, because Alyx ask about large objects and the focus of the content.

Yes, so I have the DVD now, and I can weigh in.

Sylvester pitches a large nut, an egg plant, a jar of tomato sauce, a salami, and a loaf of bread. It's pretty wild. With the large objects, he does turn to the side, and it's always the "tossing" pitch (where you are tossing the visible item).

In the DVD he also talks about common mistakes, and this section helped me a lot. I haven't seen the lecture, so I can't contrast the teaching. But all in all, I'm glad I bought the DVD.

For me personally, I've found that the angles for a large object are pretty tight (i.e. for a half circle show), but I'm still pretty new to the move. We'll see how it develops!

<Sylvester pitches a large nut, an egg plant, a jar of tomato sauce, a salami, and a loaf of bread>. - LOL of course he does. That’s hilarious.

I should probably get the dvd now too. Conversely, the rest of the penguin lecture goes into lots of his weird and clever inventions. Weird enough that salamis and loaves of bread sound perfectly normal.

There's a video of him performing at the magic castle.
It's good sometimes, but it flashes a lot.

The pitch is a very deceptive move when used correctly, but not meant to be abused, otherwise your audience thinks you're a weird juggler, and if they had just been tricked before they saw it flash, it lessens your magic.

P!

A view from a naive spectator: first viewing, a lot of surprise appearances and disappearances for me. Nice!

A lot doesn't stand a second viewing. So not for YouTube yet, if that's your aim.

For first time viewing, suspicions raised: that right forearm at :13 is stiff for a lo-o-n-g time. And around 1:30 as you turn to the side, the move to the pocket is unmotivated and draws attention. If I recall the Sylvester Pitch DVD correctly, you can do it more openly by having another object that you're supposedly or really putting into the pocket.

You have a pleasing personality and you drew my attention where you wanted it to be most of the time except for those two instances.