I am giving this two stars because I at least appreciate some of the routines and thinking here, and
I actually think these guys could make this into an awesome product. However, in this product's
first iteration, this is seriously lacking and I'm highly disappointed.
First off, your $20
is buying you part of what you need to perform the routines in the trailer, but part of what you
need to perform some of those effects isn't even included in the package. Most of the routines being
performed in the trailer are using two methods at the same time. You are supplied with what you need
to do ONE of the two methods, but NOT the other method. And, the one thing they do provide you, you
only get a very small amount of it. As for the supply that isn't even in this package, they don't
actually tell you where to get it or recommendations, they just brush on it in the video. If someone
was entirely new to this type of effect, they'd have no idea where to go or what to get. So upon
opening the box, I'm already hugely disappointed.
Then, I start to watch the download. It's
36 minutes long total. They touch up on the materials early on, and then they LITERALLY NEVER TEACH
YOU HOW TO MAKE THE GIMMICK. They go over what they use to build it, and where it should be built in
your hand, but they never actually show you how to make it. Maybe they thought it was "self
explanatory", but you have to assume people that spend money on your product don't know anything
about how to do it. Then, it gets worse. In the "teaching" section (and I say teaching with
borderline sarcasm), Alain shows clips of him doing the routines at exposed angles, to music, and
never actually talks or teaches you how to set up the trick or how to execute it. Seriously, his
"teaching" is just him doing the tricks, maybe at a slightly slower speed, with 0 dialogue, at an
exposed angle. He flies through them, too. He barely stops, you have about 10 seconds of footage of
instruction for each vanish or appearance or transposition. It's nearly impossible to actually learn
from. It would have taken him 1 minute to teach "this is the Air move that we will do on every
trick" or something like that, but he never does it.
Shin Lim's section has more actual
teaching, but he's focusing on just one routine with the sucker punch coins.
To summarize:
36 minutes of crappy instruction and half of what you actually need to pull off most the routines.
That's what you get here for $20. It isn't practical for most situations either, but I somewhat
expected that going into this and still bought it because I wanted to know Alain's and Shin's
thinking and learn some stuff from them. I was disappointed in that front. This could have been so
much better had they included the other material you need (and charged a little more for the product
to do so), and then had a more in-depth download. I want my money back, but now that I've watched
the download I feel like it's too late for that. 2/5
30 of 33 magicians found this helpful.
I agree Matt with all you said!
13 of 14 magicians found this helpful.
I have bought over 600 items from penguin and this is probably the first I am going to ask for a
refund.
Read the previous reviews...they said it best. No explanation how to make the gimmick.
There is no verbiage when the trick is demonstrated...and of course you cannot see the special item.
And I agree with the other review. One star is generous. Maybe this is why the item is out of
stock now. Kudos to penguin if they pulled this product to prevent further pain to other buyers.
10 of 10 magicians found this helpful.
A "1" is not low enough.
8 of 9 magicians found this helpful.
I will have to upgrade my previous poor review. They updated their instructions and now this a
pretty good product since I can now see how things are constructed and performed. Not 5 stars but
a good 4.5. Good job and thanks for the new instructions.
7 of 7 magicians found this helpful.
There’s no 0 rating so this gets a 1 . Instructions provided are only what you need for the gimmick
nothing at all to help the people who spent their hard earned money how to make the gimmick at all.
You get barely enough of what they provide. You have to guess how too make this which is ridiculous.
I’m gonna ask for a refund I feel like this is a gag purchase because it’s a joke. The package you
get might as well be just air. This at the most should have been .50 cents.
5 of 5 magicians found this helpful.
The instructions are not clear... It could work for Instagram. For real like you will require wired
moves...
They never teach you how to construct the gimmick and nor the handling... you have to
figure out how to do it.
They teach you the history behind the gimmick...
Have some
potential, however it is bad presented, the lack of teaching the handling is something wrong.
2 of 2 magicians found this helpful.
I have the Air and I need to say that I loved Alain's handling, it's easy to learn and can be
applied in many ways. Just need to practice the handling, wich he shows in slow-mo, and repeat this
in all the sequences he shows.
I already knew the gimmick, but never used before. I think I
didn't have good ideas to use, but after watching Air I can see it's very practical and helpful,
with a lot other effects too. It's very easy to do, you just need to attach the described materials.
As extra he teaches his manipulation ideas with one card and to do that, we ending up knowing
applications to another very helpful gimmick.
Also there's an entire part explaining the
psychology used by Alain to develop his effects.
The Shin Lim extra is a good idea to a close-up
application of the gimmick and gave me more inspiration to create my own sequences. I'm creating my
act and this material helped me a lot!
2 of 3 magicians found this helpful.
This effect uses an old method but with new handling. I was familiar with the original method so I
didn't need any instruction on how to assemble the gimmick.
I was a little disappointed
when I saw that I already knew the method, but the new handling, and some extra preparation and tips
made it worth the purchase.
This video also gave me some ideas for how to use this with
mentalism.
It's a beautiful effect and I don't understand why people don't like it.
2 of 3 magicians found this helpful.
Well the method has been around for years. The instructions are half decent. Starts off with
explanations by shin lim that I was pleased with but then there's a transition in the teaching where
all verbal explanations stop and become visual learning only. Wasn't expecting that but I was okay
with it I guess.
The effect is cool but cant figure out how to put it into a routine I feel
comfortable with.Thats really my job, I'll figure it out.
Also I have to share that I'm
bothered that my purchase didn't give me access to my instructions as part of my penguin magic
library . I'm forced to go to shin lims site and remember a password to gain access to my online
instructions. Not a huge deal breaker but I'm loyal to Penguin and would like my video purchases
there.
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.