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TheGreatRaymondo Special user Manchester, England 969 Posts |
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On Nov 28, 2015, Martin Waring wrote: Martin, Double sided clear sellotape is an excellent idea! As you say without it there is a good chance a few tiles could easily go AWOL! As a side note if anyone needs to use an another word or two then it shouldn't be to difficult to knock something up at home pretty easily and quickly. Overall it is easy to perform and if done correctly will get good audience reactions. I like it!
We are inclined to believe those whom we do not know because they have not yet deceived us...
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misterillusion Special user Roseville, California 748 Posts |
I have received this from Penguin and everything is great except the DVD will not play in any of my players. I have no problem with any other DVDs (and I have hundreds) except this one. Has anyone else experienced this problem with the Wordsmyth DVD?
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saysold1 Eternal Order Recovering Cafe addict with only 10794 Posts |
Go to your penguin account and you can watch from there by streaming
Creator of The SvenPad Supreme(R) line of aerospace level quality, made in the USA utility props. https://svenpads.com/
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misterillusion Special user Roseville, California 748 Posts |
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On Dec 23, 2015, saysold1 wrote: I contacted Penguin about this problem and they told me that they couldn't help me. They also told me that they were unable to stream the video. Their final solution was that they told me to go to the local library or a friend's house to watch it. I contacted Francis Menotti directly and he was very helpful. He said that he was aware that there was a problem like this. He has contacted Vanishing Inc. and they are going to solve the problem for me. I will check my Penguin account again, though, as you suggest, but it was no help last time I looked Thanks, Charlie |
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stempleton Inner circle 1443 Posts |
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On Dec 23, 2015, misterillusion wrote: If your purchase was to include a DVD, then I would think Penguin should compensate you in some form for their not being able to provide what your payment was to include (even if a third party is able to provide a workaround for you.) |
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videoman Inner circle 6732 Posts |
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On Dec 23, 2015, misterillusion wrote: That's very strange. Penguin has always taken care of any problem I've had immediately. I've never been told they couldn't help me with a defective product. |
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James927 Regular user Nor Cal 164 Posts |
Brett - I'm also looking forward to your review (if you still plan on making one).
Also, I watched the Q&A that Kyle posted (thank you Kyle and Francis) and don't quite understand Francis' statement (paraphrasing) that for repeat shows he didn't find it necessary to change the word, within the context of his full show. Can anyone help me understand how an effect based on random free choice would not be completely undermined when people viewing a 2nd time witness the same word being 'randomly' chosen? What sort of full show context would make this a non-issue? Thanks. Quote:
On Nov 13, 2015, Steven Conner wrote: |
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misterillusion Special user Roseville, California 748 Posts |
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On Dec 24, 2015, videoman wrote: I agree. I am also disappointed with Penguin's response & I have been a good customer too for many years. I may have to now go elsewhere for my props from now on. Penguin's attitude seemed to be that the problem was mine and not theirs. I explained the whole thing to someone named Chris and then had to go through the same entire explanation with someone named Mark. I know that it is a problem with the DVD and not my players. Logic tells me that if all of my hundreds of DVDs work okay and this one does not, that there is a problem with the DVD itself. Francis Menotti himself agreed with me in a separate email to him directly. I have over twenty years of experience in performing magic professionally and I can perform the effect without the DVD. I am familiar with all the workings of what is provided. I just wonder if there is something on the DVD which will give me a little more insight into the presentation. Here, by the way, is the final email from Penguin Magic which basically states that this is my problem & not theirs: "Hi Charlie! hope your gig went well! I spoke with a couple different people in our warehouse and over at our supplier who tested the DVD. It looks like this item may only play on a computer DVD drive. that's where we tested your replacement and it played without any trouble. I’m not sure whether you’re using a mac or a PC, but autoplay may not be enabled on your machine. For a Mac you may need to open finder and select the disk and double click it to begin playing your disk. For more information on that or how to play it on a PC I can suggest checking out google. Also, if your home computer or laptop isn’t playing it you might want to try a library or friend’s computer to test the disk. Hope that helps, Mark Penguin magic" |
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misterillusion Special user Roseville, California 748 Posts |
For those who might be interested, I had my computer checked out and there is nothing wrong with my DVD player(s) and the general opinion from the "experts" is that the purchased Word-smyth DVD is at fault. Penguin, however, insists that the problem is mine and not theirs. Anybody with magic performance experience can figure out how to present this effect without the DVD, but it would have been nice to have been able to play the DVD at least once to see if there were any small performace details which might have been of use.
Attached is the transcript of my conversation with my computer tech-rep who advised me that my DVD player is not the problem. I have heard nothing more from Penguin and not a word from Vanishing either. I am really puzzled, disappointed, and my eyes are now more open regarding where I will be buying my magic from now on. |
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videoman Inner circle 6732 Posts |
Yeah, that's a bummer and very unusual behavior for those companies in my experience.
It's also surprising that neither Penguin, VI, or Murphy's has an online video that you could stream or download while waiting for a replacement DVD. One way or another you should get a video, even if Francis himself has to send you one. Another option I think would be to send the whole thing back to Penguin for a refund and then reorder from a dealer of your choosing. A hassle I know but you're entitled to what you paid for and the video could provide insights you may not discover on your own. |
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misterillusion Special user Roseville, California 748 Posts |
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On Dec 28, 2015, videoman wrote: I wish you were the rep at Penguin, or VI, or Murphy's....if you were I can imagine that there would be no issue at all with this situation. In my magic business, my guarantee to my customers is that the customer owes me nothing at the end of my performance if they are not 100% satisfied. It has never been an issue for me in the 20+ years I have been performing professionally, but I would stand behind my "product" if a customer ever complained....complaints travel farther and wider than compliments. I want MY customers to only speak positively about what I do. In checking my Penguin-site record of orders, I have been a customer of Penguin since April of 2006 and have ordered frequently without even checking with other suppliers. They even send me emails telling me that I am one of their valued customers. I like their speedy shipping, videos of the order being packed, and their discounts, but all of this seems like sizzle without the steak now. It is time for me to go back to Hocus-Pocus, and Stevens Magic Emporium. I think your suggestion is a good one. I am so busy right now with shows that I really do not have time to think about this any more. I have already spent too much time on it. I had two shows this past weekend, two shows on Wednesday and two on New Year's Eve, and I need to concentrate on the positive & not the negative. I hope I am not making a "mountain out of an ant hill", but I am really ticked. Thanks again for your comments |
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JanForster Inner circle Germany ... when not traveling... 4190 Posts |
I bought it some time ago (through vanishing...) as I liked the basic idea (and still do)...May be I could help you. My DVD worked fine, but basically I can't stand videos, I am the book guy... So I converted my DVD to MP4 so that I could see it at least on my iPad instead PC or Mac book... If you provide an email address for me via PM I could send to you a temporary link to download this file. Jan
Jan Forster
www.janforster.de |
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misterillusion Special user Roseville, California 748 Posts |
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On Dec 28, 2015, JanForster wrote: Jan.....that would be AWESOME! I will send you a PM. Thanks so VERY much!javascript:emoticon('%20:yippee:%20') |
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misterillusion Special user Roseville, California 748 Posts |
Jan .....I got the link, downloaded it and now have the file ready to watch. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. Talk about magicians helping magicians! If it wasn't for the Café and the magicians-helping-magicians concept, I would still be here with nothing. Penguin Magic is located about a 20 minute drive from where I live. Murphy's and VI are all in the greater Sacramento area too, but it took a magician in Germany to help me with this. I owe you Jan! Let me know what I can do for you. I have been to Germany three times. I have visited Berlin, Berchtesgarden, Munich, cruised up the Danube to Nuremberg, and other places. I have performed in Bad Reichenhall back in 2012. Both my wife and I loved Bavaria. I don't have current plans to revisit in the near future, but my wife and I have talked about coming back to Bavaria to see Salzberg and Werfin over in Austria. If you live near there, let me know and we will make it a point to meet up and buy you a beer.
Thanks Jan :/) |
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Jack Straw Inner circle Wichita 1020 Posts |
I don't own this anymore, but it just occurred to me that you should remove the blank tiles that you were supplied.
If a spec gets one, it will look funny when you reveal the word.
Jack Straw from Wichita, cut his buddy down
And dug for him a shallow grave, and laid his body down Half a mile from Tucson, by the morning light One man gone and another to go, my old buddy you're moving much too slow We can share the women, we can share the wine |
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misterillusion Special user Roseville, California 748 Posts |
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On Jan 18, 2016, Jack Straw wrote: Thanks. I appreciate your advice Charlie |
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The great Gumbini Inner circle 3062 Posts |
The spec will never get the blank tile if set up properly. I have always received steller responces to this. If handled in a relaxed way it is well received.
Good magic to all, Eric |
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Roland Choo Loyal user Singapore 226 Posts |
There is problem with the DVD.
I think this fooled maybe because it is not complicated. I will keep this trick as simple as possible. Premise is something like a game on how random choices leads everyone to. There was another similar magic contest in China. The judges were simply fooled by the magician who did a peek and a magic square. |
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stempleton Inner circle 1443 Posts |
Just purchased this, and before I begin any serious work with it, does anyone have any tips on handling the dictionary? I am not a mentalist, seldom do mental magic, but the premise of this trick really works for me. Have only viewed the DVD, and the creator brushes over this part rather quickly. Maybe I'm overthinking, but it never hurts to ask those who have used this technique in the past. Thanks.
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The great Gumbini Inner circle 3062 Posts |
I just followed the advice in the instructions and it has never failed. My advice is as old as magic...practice practice practice.
Good magic to all, Eric |
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