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Gary Veteran user Market Harborough, UK 367 Posts |
The series is good if you really need to know the bigger picture on thred magic. For the casual user, balance the overall cost with how often you plan to use thread effects.
Ammar's style is not to everyone's taste, but the methods are clearly put across. Good production values, but I did want to hit the guy in the L&L audience with a fly swat afer a while as he bacame overly annoying. John Kennedy does a retractor for about $60, but I am fed up with it constantly jamming to the extent I no longer use it. The ETRs as sold through Chazpro and other dealers are major investments, but the slow movent is very effective. The best investmeet I have made so far is John Kennedy's Z threads. Excellent value for money and used on a weekly basis at least. Extremely versatile and flexible.
"I can see clearly now, the brain has gone"
- Anon |
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Ryan New user Calgary 89 Posts |
So I am a IT Layman, who is thinking of getting 'reeled' into this phenonimum. Would this DVD series be a good/ideal place to start? Or should I 'fish' around for another resource?
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bekralik Inner circle Canada 1357 Posts |
>John Kennedy does a retractor for about
>$60, but I am fed up with it constantly >jamming to the extent I no longer use it. >The ETRs as sold through Chazpro and other >dealers are major investments, but the slow >movent is very effective. I agree with the ESR, although it's incredibly expensive. Good for a pre-set up levitation. I'm considering the UFC, also, although I'm wondering about getting the two-set UFC and how that will be more effective ... do you really require another stage hand? Can you hook-up two on yourself or somewhere where you can switch it, and make for some of the good movements it promises? The Stealth Retractor fortunately hasn't jammed for me and I use it mainly for light PK stuff like forks and napkins and sugar packets across tables. The Hummingbird Reel REALLY jams practically every time I use it. However, I understand that John has changed the SR thread to half it's length to prevent jamming now? I dunno what kind of an impact it will have on the overall effect, but I guess I've never really used 10' ever. Carlr, you recommended Le Clair's book and video ... I have the video ... is the book a good companion to have with extra material in it? |
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Magnus Maccormack New user Calgary, Canada 67 Posts |
I have the first two in the series and have really enjoyed them. Having also bought the vids that James George made in the 80's for his reel I was a little worried about the content. (I was less than impressed with the George's vids)
Ammar provides loads of info for all kinds of hookups, some for cloe-up some you van adapt for stage use. LeClairs book, however, provies some insight into using the method behind thread work as opposed to just tricks with string. If you can swing it, I recommend both. |
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Eight Spades Elite user Ohio (northwest) 482 Posts |
I've done thread work for about two years now and love it, but I still haven't found a quality-made, reliable ITR. I always have the problem of after a few retracts, the thread doesn't seem to pull all the way in and I have to tear the whole thing apart (which I'm sure you all know how hard this can be). My question is, what is the preferred ITR by all of you thread workers. I'm not looking for a cheap fix, but a real quality ITR that won't require a lot of maintenance. Thanks guys!
-Christian
"Tricks are only the crude residue from which the lifeblood of magic has been drained." -S.H. Sharpe
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Harvey Nerzof Regular user 193 Posts |
HN Review 75: Easy to Master Invisible Thread Miracles Vol. 1, 2, 3 – Michael Ammar
AD: There is more powerful potential in just a few feet of invisible thread than almost anything else in magic. This is magic that becomes the stuff of legends. No matter what type of magic you perform, from the purest sleight of hand to the largest grand illusions, this is the type of magic that creates conversations and reputations. People vividly remember the moment they saw something levitated and animated just inches away from their eyes. Continuing in the Easy to Master tradition, this new set of videos is organized in a very structured fashion, taking the viewer from simple animations with short lengths of thread that can be easily set up and managed through intermediate effects that are a bit more involved and finally ending up with elaborate effects that are truly mind-bending. Each video in this series also contains valuable supporting information on lighting, concealment, and theory that will stimulate your thinking well beyond the featured magic. Volume 1 contents: Section One - Introducing Elastic Thread Section Two - Accessing the Threads Section Three - Magic With Invisible Elastic Tahoe Tessie and the Magic Postcard; The Rising Business Card; Whirling Business Card; Dan Harlan's Financial Attraction; Ammar's Portable, Permanent Wallet Hookup Section Four - Finn Jon's Elastic Loops Phenomenon Fork; Finn Jon's Bill That Falls Up; The Floating Bill; Electrostatic Straw; Things That Affect Thread Visibility Section Five - Visible but Hidden Threads Stefan Schuster's Self-Folding Bill with Kicker, featuring Ammar's Self-Contained Wallet Hookup; Acrobatic Matchbox Section Six - The Traditional Reel Knot Absolutely Instant; Knot Automatically Undone; Clearly Penetrated Mike Stand Section Seven - James George Interview Comparing Every Available I.T.R.; Care and Management Volume Two We begin with amazing ideas and applications of the James George Invisible Thread Reel, which includes marvelously deceptive methods of passing a solid hoop over and around floating objects that are marvelously deceptive. Also included are methods for working with threads from 6 inches to twenty feet long that create magic that people will talk about for a lifetime. Section 1 – Magic Using the I. T. R. Finn Jon’s Mystery Nut and Bolt ala I. T. R The Chop Cup Application Dave Nelson’s Dollar Bill Flight I. T. R. Floating Bill The Perfect Practice Hookup Open Face Hookup Z Grip to Lock the Thread Hoop Pass Rotating Hoop Pass Bloom’s Balancing Card Robert Henry’s Ashra Coin I. T. R. Whirling Card Section 2 – The One-Hand Hookup Al Baker’s Erectile Bill Socrate’s Personal Chi Power Section 3 – The LeClair Hookup Floating Bill The Whirling Card Section 4 – The One Point Hookup The Animated Straw The Coin in Beer Baker’s Card from Hat Whirling Card Baker’s Ring on Pencil Section 5 – John Kennedy’s Stealth Retractor Ammar’s Threading the Needle Care and Feeding of the Stealth Retractor Rising Business Cards Rising Card Self-Turning Page Section 6 – Bonus Guest Star James George The Floating Pencil Tips & Theory Why Threads Break and How To Avoid Practicing with Threads Controlling Your Space The Hierarchy of Astonishment Volume Three This is the real work on storing, transporting and accessing the invisible threads you’ll use for any type of effect. The majority of this information is being revealed here for the first time in any format, and represents ideal solutions for almost any close-up, stand-up, corporate, bar or restaurant performer. You’ll also find sources for invisible thread well worth the price of the video to anyone seriously interested in performing magic with thread. You’ll see what types of thread are strongest, ranked in order of strength according to similar dimensions, and how to separate and secure individual strands of the finest invisible thread. Some of the information featured here has previously been sold individually for large sums of money. You’ll learn the exact method Ammar used to perform the Floating Bill on The Tonight Show, as well as the Steve Fearson Hookup, which creates what some of our greatest minds have called the most amazing magic they’ve ever seen! Performance Floating Bill The Super String Theory Section One - Thread Strength According to Similar Diameters Section Two - Securing the Ends, Separating Individual Strands Section Three –Storing and Transporting Simple Playing Card Finn Jon System John Kennedy’s Z-Webs & Mini-Z-Webs The Pin & Straw System Sticky Mat Solution John Haar’s Deck Gimmick Clear Plastic Sticks Lifesaver Holders Wine Bottle Hookups—Corks, Ribbons, Clear Tubes Under-Bar Bobbins Mike-Stand Holders Section Four – The Horizontal Two-Point Hookup Explanation The Floating Bill The Super String Theory Section Five –The Steve Fearson Hookup The Floating Lifesaver James George’s Floating Spinning Ball REVIEW: A complete treatise on IT work – even though the electronic gimmicks are not fully considered (Ammar only deals with John Kennedy’s Stealth Retractor). The highlight of the tape IMO is the updated version of his Floating Bill routine: interestingly, the author does not use the gimmick he sold along with the routine for fifteen years… A no-smoking version of Steve Fearson’s Floating Cigarette (performed with a Polo Mint and a different set-up) is also worth mentioning. Overall rating: Very good (and very bad for exposure) H.
Download all reviews at http://magicreviews.tripod.com/HN_Magic_Reviews.PDF
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Eirik Special user Oslo 879 Posts |
Great rewiew,
I have all three of 'em, guess I'll have to go through them again, cause I have forgotten how many routines there actually are on those three. Well done Ammar! -e-
...As long as i`m not a world-champion at anything, the great reactions of doin` magic will do just fine.....
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DJG Inner circle 1296 Posts |
I think the frustration from thread comes from the fact of how fragile an item it is! But, that's what make it so special and all that impressive once mastered.
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believer New user 52 Posts |
I just purchased thread head by Fearson and who's afraid of string by john leclair. wow. these videos are great. I am looking for the Thread Miracles 1-3 by Ammar. Do any of you guys have any material, videos, or ITR's for sale?
Thanks |
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troller Loyal user 276 Posts |
Have any of you people seen or used the Spider Pen. Can the Ammar DVD make sense of using the Spider Pen?
My thought on the Spider Pen, first, it's cheaply made, material wise. The plastic pen is so weak that if you were to drop it, it could crack. Try that with a bic pen and you will know that you can throw it against a brick wall and only then, will it crack!!! My Spider Pen, when putting in a new battery, screwed in crooked. So I ended up forcing the screw in straight. That resulted in a stress crack along the thread part. So I had to use clear tape and epoxy to glue it together. The glue doesn't seem to hold too well onto the plastic, hmmm what going on here?... but at least the clear tape is working to keep the battery screw in. As for the thread, it is a little weak. I bought the Wonderful Bar effect that comes with some thread and it seems to be stronger. So after tangling the original thread of the Spider Pen, I reeled in my own thread using the spare thread that came with the Wonderful Bar. The tangling results when you spool out a 15" or more of thread, and if you were to break it in mid performance, the motor reels in the thread so fast that it gets tangled in upon itself. I found it sometimes impossible to untangle and thus I had to cut it all away, wasting valuable thread just to start all over again and respool some more thread on. I have yet to buy a replacement thread because I think it is not as strong as the Wonderful Bar thread!!! Threading is little hard, but you do get use to it. One thing I did noticed, when threading, you keep the unit on, then spool the thread in slowly. If you were to break the thread or by accident, release the tension and loose it, the thread has a tendency to spool quickly onto the spool too fast, thus tangling and then it's all over. There is no way you can untangle the thread and therefore you would need to cut it off the spool and start over with some new thread. Learned that the hard way. The tension on the Spider Pen is also weak, it could not lift a pad of paper 6"x2-1/2" A single sheet I am talking about. But it does lift a dollar bill and will lift silk and tissue paper. The batteries that come with the Spider Pen are weak or not long lasting also. I am asking around to find a replacement but no one seems to know of what kind are needed. I also find that when using the SP, you have to use new batteries or be ready for limp thread. Great idea, but I wish someone would have made it a reel holder with a motor that would at least lift 4 pounds (exaggerating here!!!). Give me strength. I wish that there could be a little more strength added to the motor so that it would give more tension. Maybe it's due to preventing the thread from breaking too easily. How the heck do you walk away to 30' with the Spider Pen is beyond me. There is another problem that I found. The top of the pen has a clicker that also hold the spool in. The thread comes out from the side of this holder and it is kinda sharp on the side of this holder, and if you move away at an angle, the thread sometimes gets cut. You can always revolve this holder around but in the middle of the act, now way without touching the pen and giving it away. I tried using tape to make it smoother there, but that just resulted in preventing smooth movement, and thus breakage again due to too much friction. All in all, I am waiting to find out how to use it properly to get full effect on it. I bought a bunch of books, but they are not as detailed in showing how to make things float. I guess I will be buying the Ammar DVD's to see what it's all about. The floating thing is what it's all about. If you try and use the thread, you will get a bouncing effect that I think is not desired. For it gives away the focal point of the axis and therefore people see that there is a string involved. I wonder if any of these videos deals with this? I also would like to know how to get it to float from one hand to another without moveing my hands. Very important when making something look like it's levitating. If I move my hands, it give away that my hand is moving the string. Hmmm.... Any thoughts on the Spider Pen? |
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clarissa35f Veteran user 363 Posts |
Quote:
On 2002-03-22 13:22, E-Leoni wrote: If you want to know how to tie the loops, look up " The Million Dollar Knot." by Finn Jon, it is an ID you can buy at another website, and comes with PET2.0 both for $19.95, now considering that a spool of PET2.0 sells for $19.95 you can say the ID is free. Or is the PET2.0 free? Still looks Like a good deal if you want to know the best way to tie the loops.
“Amateurs practice until they get it right.
Professionals practice until they can’t get it wrong.” <Anonymous> "There is no such thing as magic, there is no other way that could have been done" <Whit Haydn> |
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