This is a very nice effect and something different. This is a great effect for strolling or street magic. Michael uses more than one method for the color changes so it allows for variablility in how you display the changed straw as well as allows the opportunity for more than just the first 2 color changes. If you think about it, in performance he actual has the straw change colors 4 times. Not bad for something that's commonly found. The patter is very nice and everyone will resonate with it. Michaels teaching is very good. The video,is 19min in length, just right for this effect. If you have no sleight of hand you can easily master this. If you do have some sleight of hand skills, you can go our right now and do this. Only negatives are: you don't end clean, you do need to watch your angles a little bit (but no more than any other effect and the audience isn't usually in those locations anyways.). I also wished he'd actually showed both color changes as was done in the video. It's really no big deal, but would have been nice. Reset is very quick. Oh, and not crazy arts and crafts required for this one. Very nice effect to have in your quiver.

To a magician, I think it looks as though there isn't much to see here. That's what I thought at first, but having watched the video, I can't wait to try this out. I think this will look pretty incredible to lay people.

I also think it looks like a lot of fun to perform. The patter you hear in the demo is fairly straightforward, but you can really bring your own personality and style in to the presentation. For instance, "McDonald's? I never eat there. Why? No, it's not the food. It's their straws—they are so faulty! Here, just look at this...see what I mean?" There's a lighthearted kind of fun inherent in thinking about straws, of all things. I like the idea of bringing magic to such a pedestrian item that most of us never think twice about.

There's a tiny bit of preparation needed for the final color change, something you'll probably want to prepare at home. (It won't take much more than a minute to prep.) Reset is fast but not instant; you'll want to be off to the side somewhere to reset.

The teaching is really solid and earnest—video just over 18 minutes. There's a familiar move that is taught thoroughly without becoming overbearing to those who know it already. A few handling variations are suggested for employing the gimmick, and there's a great suggestion offered at the end for making the stripes of a straw disappear completely. (It's not demoed, but you'll get the idea, and it's a good one.)

Full disclosure: I was offered the chance to preview this video gratis. As I say, I didn't expect much, but I'm pleasantly surprised. Good teaching of a solid method, something that looks like a lot of fun to perform, and I'm actually eager to get out there, grab a lot of straws, and start in on this! My only wish is that this could be as impromptu as it looks. As I say, you do need an ever-so-slight amount of setup and prep. Still, I have a feeling I'll be performing this often.

As I watched the trailer, I thought, "why haven't I used the paddle move this way?" Then, POW! The whole straw changed color! I though "ok, nice switch, I gues??? But how..." tTen SMACK in the face... the color changed again!

What!!!?????

I never would have thought of this technique! I had no idea straws had these properties! Very simple gimmick to make. No crafting skills required.

I haven't perform it yet, but I can't wait. The reactions on the trailer are priceless!

I'm lovin' it!

I love this! Easy to do. Familiar everday object. Impossible color changes. Take my money!

In the video it looks a lot cleaner than in real life,the gimmick you can make at your house is easy to make but very hard to make it perfectly so it will not flash.Overall not the best effect for me but to people who will take their time to make the gimmick cleanly it is a good affect.Also the straw is not inspectable.

I love this trick!

I'm glad I got this. For any experienced magician, most of the trick is pretty obvious how it's done. That said, let me tell you... the final transpo really surprised me! What a great technique!

Even though most of the trick is a basic technique that most know (unless you're strictly a card guy or a mentalist), Michael still had lots of great little tips and subtleties on how to do (and improve) the move. Even though I figured out how it's done the first time I saw the demo, I did not at all feel like I shouldn't have gotten this. I'm glad I did. After all, it's not the main moves that makes the magic... they make tricks. The subtle moves and convincers are what make the magic.

If you're a beginner, you MUST get this. If you're intermediate, you can probably still benefit from it. Especially with the final transpo. (The final transpo might also be self explanatory to some... but he alters the move slightly and improves it from how you might think it's done.) So simple, yet so visual! In fact, if you're brave, you can even go for a double transpo at the end. He shows you how to do that.

This is a great impromptu trick (there is a gimmick, but head to the restroom real quick to prepare it. It'll take like 5 seconds (as long as you have the right tool of course) that is very visual. I love it when I can do something visual with everyday objects. That makes the magic seem real.

I hadn't heard of Michael Kaminskas until this video (I looked him up and he does have a Penguin Live lecture... I might just have to get that one), but I'm relieved to see that Penguin gave him his own avatar. He deserves it. He's a really good teacher who gives clear instructions. Even though he taught the basic moves in literally 5 minutes, the video had many tips and a couple alternative handlings to make this a nice solid download.

Get this!

... and Michael Kaminskas. Remember that name.

I really don't want to seem rude or petty, but some the method (which is rather cool!) is pretty obvious in watching the performance because of his magician's guilt or weird kinesthetics or whatever you want to call it. A more natural posture in the instruction and performance would have been better for learning to do this in a way that won't telegraph the situation.

On the other hand, it is really several moments of amazement in a very short time period and with not a huge amount of work. I could see possibly expanding it too. I liked it. I would have given it five stars except for that one thing. If you do straw magic or restaurant magic, this is probably something you might use. less than a minute for reset. Part of it is totally impromptu if you are in McDonalds, and could stand alone in a casual setting.

This is a wonderful trick. I've had the idea of doing the paddle move with a straw before, but this actually takes it to a whole new dimension.

one very important thing to consider is where you plan on performing this trick. I can't imagine anyone performing this professionally, although if you have a place for it in your set, by all means, go ahead!

The type of place a trick like this should be performed is while you're hanging out with friends in a restaurant or coffee shop. To that end, I would not recommend this trick. With a trick like this you have to be able to hand the straw out or at the very least put it in your drink and leave it there for a bit, drinking out of it occasionally. However, you can't actually do that with this trick as the back of the straw is very dirty.

Ending the trick the way Michael does, by having to say "and I'll just put it in my pocket" just doesn't fly when this is supposedly the straw you need for your drink.

It is still a great trick, and it is well taught (other than the point that he recommends putting the straw with a sleeve on it in your drink. What are you going to do next? If it turns at all they'll see the prep work and you can't drink from it anyway.)

I do recommend it still, but consider where you want to perform it and if these considerations will be issues for you before purchasing.

This is a fantastic trick. Love the thinking. The organic nature of using a McD straw with multiple color changes - genius! Perfect for casual "hanging out - hey! do a trick for us" situations. You probably already know the sleight of hand you'll need (it's super easy and he teaches it well on the video) - so this is an "I can do this almost immediately after watching the video" kind of trick.

Cons: Slight angle sensitivity (very minimal), straw cannot be handed out
Pros: Easy to do, highly visual

I was a little taken back by the crowd reaction in the trailer, but I think they were too stunned to even realize what was happening ... which is great. The moves are fast and the effect is very visual. You are able to customize this to restaurants that fit your area, and it can be done kind of on the fly. Reset should take a few seconds. Nice application of age old moves to fit a modern situation.