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MagicSanta Inner circle Northern Nevada 5841 Posts |
Title: Volume IV by Ed Ellis
Medium: DVD Arena: Close up card magic Available: Any shop, distributed by Murphys Magic Supplies As you can guess by the title this is the fourth release of material by Ed Ellis. As usual the production level is very good with lots of fancy graphics. In fact I want to warn the production team not to get too cocky, your production tricks are not as important as the content. That being said they did a good job on the filming and sound, you also get to see a mini Ed explode and all kinds of fancy things they can do now with video. With this DVD Ed returns to card magic after diving into rubber bands on volume three. The magic on this DVD wasn’t, in my opinion, as strong as on volume two and three, I’ve not seen volume one, but still it is clear that Ed Ellis is a very talented card magician and he focuses here on improving your presentation of magic. While I’m thinking of it can someone confirm to me if Ed is left handed? I find myself doing the moves with the opposite of Ed and I get confused as I was a right handed kid in a left handed family so I do some things left handed without thinking because that is how I was taught growing up. The DVD opens with Ellis Aces. This is a nice routine that would be suitable for table work, Ed does restaurants, and strolling. You show the aces in a nice little display ala Chris The Slumpster Kenner and place them into the deck in a step fashion, the last ace can be handled by the spec. You then do quick production of the aces one at a time. There is a very nice switch in this routine, the Kenner work, and it just looked great. You’ll want to practice this and study your angles. I found the production that Ed uses, while looking great, hard for me to do. I do a close variation that I learned from Ian Rowland that actually is half of a move Ian does to do a spin out of a card. I like the spin out because when done right and you don’t catch it the card tends to always land face up on the table some 20 inches away after a nice spin. Ed does a good job explaining but I think this is a case where an additional camera from beneath would have helped. You’ll still learn the moves but next time less graphics, add another camera angle. Next on the agenda is the Axis Double. This is kind of a color change with a little flash and done quickly. It is explained well enough and you’ll want to practice until you are smooth. Speaking of which you’ll note tips for card handling scrolling across the screen, read them, they are truths. The Axis Double is great for the table or strolling magician as is the Ellis Aces. The lil’ Street Assassins and Hallway Hit Men would get a lot of mileage out of it as well. We then get Eds take on the slip force. I like the slip force and to be honest Ed and I already do it virtually exactly the same but if you want to learn how to do it right this is the way to go. Lastly you get Eds take on how to produce a card from the top of the deck to either give to a spectator or to lay it on the table and even pick it up. Again a second angle would have been nice here but Ed does show them well enough, could have been better, but you should survive. Some of the simple movements, like the floating card production, meaning it looks like it is floating across the fingers not a floating card in a floating card sense, looks really cool. These are the little things that can make your magic look just a little bit better. I liked the DVD and found a lot of stuff I could use to add a bit of flair to my card magic and I liked the Ellis Aces as well as the Axis Double. Both are well worth the work. The DVD is short. It says 54 minutes but either I hit a time warp or that time includes the previews of other DVDs and the segment on Eds TV show he does in his home town. If I was going to say something negative it would be to focus a bit more on the instruction aspect and do put in some thought about the angles you film from. You have the tools use them and I don’t think your guys used them fully on this project. The magic is worker stuff and what you’ll likely use though and another well done outing for Ed. |
Ed Ellis New user Ohio 11 Posts |
Hi again. Thanks so much for the nice review. I have to say though that my girl friend loves the mini me and loves it when I blow up!! Yes, the minutes on the DVD include The Ed Ellis Show.
I agree that a couple of times it would have been nice to have a 3rd camera view. To be honest I filmed volumes 2-4 during the same 3 day session and during the shoot got a very bad cold. I think I said this before in a different post but on the last day I didn't watch the "rushes". I was too sick. It cost me to because the editor had to spend several extra hours editing out sniffing and sneezing. Thanks again, Ed |
MagicSanta Inner circle Northern Nevada 5841 Posts |
I think the way to resolve this is more people to buy your material, cuz they are that good, and THEN you can increase the camera angles! We all benefit!
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Ed Ellis New user Ohio 11 Posts |
How could I argue with that!!
Thanks. I have been working on volume 5 for the past month and will keep working it through the end of the year. I will film it in January after the Christmas season. Working title is "The Castle Routine". It is the routine I will perform at The Magic Castle March 31 - April 6th, 2008. I "beta tested" a few moves at a recent fall festival and it went very well. |
Review King Eternal Order 14446 Posts |
I love Ed Ellis's style and his DVD's are refreshing and HE HAS KILLER CHOPS. Man, can he handle cards!
MagicSanta, thanks for another ON THE SPOT REVIEW.
"Of all words of tongue and pen,
the saddest are, "It might have been" ..........John Greenleaf Whittier |
MagicSanta Inner circle Northern Nevada 5841 Posts |
Thank you.... next, I'll review the Six Sigma quality program as it relates to the traditional TQM philosophy.
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Review King Eternal Order 14446 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-10-24 23:08, MagicSanta wrote: I took six sigma. EVERYONE in the class came out worse than when they went in.
"Of all words of tongue and pen,
the saddest are, "It might have been" ..........John Greenleaf Whittier |
MagicSanta Inner circle Northern Nevada 5841 Posts |
Yeah....that is what makes quality so beautiful man!
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theAmazinbryan Regular user 127 Posts |
IF you are a worker any of Eds dvd's are going to give you material that is useable!If you would like to learn a killer color changing routine you have to see"you Blue it".
If you would like a great original visual quickie check out materialize! Thier is so much good stuff thier you cant go wrong! Thier is somthing for everyone novice of advanced guys !! thier are clips of all his dvds @ http://www.EdEllismagic.com check it out ! look out for his routine In Magic mag this Jan or feb ! Cool stuff! I know he would get a kick out of some feedback from you guys . ttt for ed! thanks bryan |
Ed Ellis New user Ohio 11 Posts |
Hi everyone...Ed Ellis here. I am booking conventions nd lectures as we speak. If any of your clubs would like a lecture let me know and I will try to do it. Conventions are of high interest to me. If you attend a convention you like let me know and I will try to book it in 2008. Check out my web site as I will be updating where I will be in 2008. Thank you all and always feel free to ask any questions about my DVDS. Thanks Ed http://www.edellismagic.com
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Ed Ellis New user Ohio 11 Posts |
To Magic Santa Yes I am left handed...I always hold deck in right hand dealers grip. Ed
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MagicSanta Inner circle Northern Nevada 5841 Posts |
Ed, do you have more stuff coming out?
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Ed Ellis New user Ohio 11 Posts |
Yes, I do have a new DVD coming out early 2008. The working title is "The Castle Routine". It will be very close to the routine I will be performing at The Magic Castle on March 31st. I have been working on it since late summer. Tentative filming is January with editing soon after. I am using the same crew again and this time there will some Easter Eggs to find! All suggestions and constructive criticism always welcome. After that I am not sure when the next DVD will come out. I have a pretty busy schedule building for 2008. I will tell you this DVD will have a lot of content.
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MagicSanta Inner circle Northern Nevada 5841 Posts |
You, sir, are a rockabilly super stud.
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Ed Ellis New user Ohio 11 Posts |
Just as an FYI I have sold out of my personal stock of Volume 1 Materialize and I am not sure how many are out there in the stores right now. I don't expect to have more copies until the end of December but I did make a recent shipment to Murphys.
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Ed Ellis New user Ohio 11 Posts |
I want to invite you all to visit my web site at... http://www.edellismagic.com I support MAGIC Café and ask any questions come to this site so all can see them! I will be glad to answer questions about CONTENT of my dvds...I also suggest getting ENIGMA THE DVD I am the card teacher on all the volumes and a lot of the stuff I teach. is geared for beginners and advanced card workers. A.nd there is a LOT TO LEARN FROM THE MAGICIANS INTERVIEWS!...A link to ENIGMA THE DVD is on my web site. My best Ed Ellis
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ragtop86 New user 1 Post |
I see Ed Ellis has a new DVD listed as coming out in March. Here is a link with a preview of the video. It runs about a minute.
http://www.edellismagic.com/The%20Castle%20Routine.html |
Crimson-Death New user Since 2006 88 Posts |
I have loved these series of DVDs by Ed, very enjoyable magic from a very affable gentleman. I am looking forward to this next DVD.
Sleight of hand and twist of fate
On a bed of nails she makes me wait And I wait without you With or without you With or without you |
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