Hello Everyone,

Just to let you all know, 'The Step System' by Lee Smith is now available to order on our website, which gives you all the details on content, running times, etc. As the trailer shows, this two DVD set features some great easy-to-do magic that gets stunning reactions. Any questions please feel free to ask.

Best,
Russ

Pre-order done!

Lee is a great unassuming young pro with the promise of an execellent future. I hope this launches him into the big time. He holds our Magical Mayem club together with equal enthusiasm and I'm looking forward to this release. If his lecture notes are a benchmark, this DVD release could be one of those 'must haves.'

Good luck with this project Lee and Russ.

Best

John

Hi Guys,

Many thanks for all the kind words.

I really hope you all get plenty from the STEP system. We wanted to show people that you do not need to be complicated to get great reactions. I have used all the effects you will see many many times and have got a huge amount of miliage from each one of them. (The reactions will speak for themselves)

You will also see me performing the routines and effects in different situations sometimes under fire in rowdy bars and other times in a posh restaurant, we did this to show you how you can adapt your personality not the magic and how the reactions vary in different settings. We did not edit anything out to show you what you can get away with and how if you get the approch correct you will be well on your way.

The project was based around my lecture notes which was the original inspiration for the projects but we have also included a few of my own original effects. (a couple of them released here for the very first time) as a bonus you will also get my Walkabout Lecture notes as a PDF.


These DVD's are as much about audiance management, people skills, and approch as they are about the effects. On volume 1 me and Ravi Mayar go into massive indepth detail and disscusions on all the finer points of magic and what makes the effects so strong and the all important approch. Volume 2 is more about the effects and how to get the most out of them. Ravi is great and helps makes the explantions as thorough as possibe.

I am sure that this DVD set will help give you confidence and advice you will need to get started, as well a giving you a complete set of effects to start performing.

Most of the routines are fast and visual, and they all have room for the performer to adapt their own style.

I am a fast peformer as that's my style, and many of the routines was designed to get around large groups of people at drinks receptions and walkaround corporate type events, most are very hands off and they can be added to any repertoire at anytime, And the best bit is almost every routine can be done with a SHUFFLED DECK.

It is all easy to do if you can do the basics of magic and If you are a magcian looking to get into performing in real live situations then you will get a lot of info from these DVDs. And anyone who already performs there is plenty of routines for you aswell.

We had a blast filming the project and if anyone has any quetions please feel free to ask.

I will be on the RSVP stand at Blackpool and will be happy to demo any of the effects, so if your coming please pop over and say hello.

Many thanks.

Lee Smith.

Review is up in "Dvd, Video tape, Audio tape & Compact discs."

A good friend of mine, max curd recently posted his thought on lee's superb dvd's on the blackpool blog: http://www.blackpoolmagic2010.blogspot.com
he isn't a memeber on the Café, but has given me permission to post his review here
I'll be back later htis week with my own review
enjoy!
Lee Smith's STEP SYSTEM (simple tricks extraordinary power) DVD Review. Producted by RSVP Magic. (Reviewed by Max)

Welcome to the "The step System" the brand new two disc set from UK magician Lee Smith. So, what is "The System"? Well, it stands for Simple Tricks Extraordinary Power and proves that You can get fantastic reactions and make a great living performing effects that really are simple to do. The reaction on these DVD's prove it!

Lee is a professional full time close up magician and has had a lot of experience in the real world.
His DVD's have been shot in front of real spectators so no L&L studio performing in front of fake audiences. (I'm not saying L&L productions are bad but using them to make what I’m writing easier to understand).

Step System volume 1:

Ice Breaker
Lee’s 3 Phase opening routine. Cards jump from hand to hand, vanish and appear in impossible places! Included is an in depth discussion on character types for different audiences, approach and much, much more.

I really like this routine because it is very well structured in that it seems to laymen to get better at each phase. This trick is a great ice breaker and a nice opening trick.

Walkaround 2 Cards to Pocket
Two cards are lost in the deck, then found and then they swap places. Snappy, fast and a real attention grabber. Utilizes the Ollie Mealing ‘Switch Trick’, one of the best glimpses ever! Worth the price of the DVD!

This is a nice version of the classic card to pocket routine because it involves two spectators which is good because if you’re a professional you will know the more people you involve in your tricks the better reactions you will get. Also it has a transposition of the two chosen cards in it which just enhances the trick loads.

Trans-box-ition
One of Lee’s signature tricks being explained for the first time. An awesome routine in which a card jumps under the card box not once but twice and even escapes a spectator’s hand. A third phase ends with the ENTIRE DECK UNDER THE BOX. Best of all its easy to do!

This is a nice card under box routine but again what makes it great is that a traditional card under box routine would be done with one card but Lee goes a step further and uses two selections and I think it’s a really nice effect.

You Keep Mine
A superb multi-phase routine that ends with the spectators signature jumping from their card to one that has your business details on the back. The perfect giveaway that’s sure to get you more bookings.

I think it’s a great routine because the kicker at the end is amazing to laymen and the fact that you can hand it out and it has your details on it is great.

Bold Business
An amazing feat of mind power. Leave the spectator thinking you really can read minds! A miracle using nothing more than a marker pen and some business cards (again worth the DVD).

This one is a great impromptu bit of mentalism and the fact that it's using your business card which you can handout at the end it makes it a good business card handout trick.

Third Degree
Three cards are chosen, one even imagined. All three are revealed in progressively harder ways until the magician reveals that the thought of card has been in their hands right from the start. A masterpiece of audience management and psychology. his

This is a lovely effect and has a real hands off feel about it. This one I will definitely be adding to my repertoire. A great way to sell yourself as a real master of your art.

All of the tricks on this DVD are great, very commercial and practical. My favourite trick would have to be Third Degree.

Step System volume 2:

Just Think
You predict a card that the spectator merely thinks of and repeat the feat for an amazing kicker ending.

This is a great trick inspired from a routine by David Willimason called "Cocktale Dazzlers" on his DVD "Magic Farm". Like me because Lee is left handed he had some trouble with performing the trick but has come up with a nice alternative which allows him to do his take on the first phase of David's routine.

Business Lunch
Lee’s preferred handling for the Out to Lunch principle, leaving the spectator with the best memento they could have, your business card. The ultimate giveaway routine that’s sure to leave a lasting impression with your audience.

Another fantastic trick were Lee has taken an old classic and put a twist on it and made it much better. Again you give your card out at the end so it’s a nice business card handout trick.

Key To Amazement
A self-working miracle where a thought of card is found under seemingly impossible conditions. This will freak out magicians and lay people alike!

This is a nice little clever routine because it seems so impossible and the best part about it is the its self working!

Crazy Cuffs
A classic of magic explained. A borrowed ring jumps onto the band for a kicker ending.

A nice classic of magic with a nice touch of Lee Smith.

Coming Together
A performance only of Paul Green’s wonderful effect where two signatures end up on the same card. If you like Anniversary Waltz you will love this. Watch Lee’s take on this for Walkaround performances.

A very nice adaption to Paul Green's great effect, nice thing about it is if you already do anniversary you will know most versions you need a gimmicked card but with Lee Smith's adaptation to Paul Green's effect you don’t need any gimmicked cards so its impromptu. I think I will be adding this to my repertoire!

Fifth Element
Lee’s take on Paul Harris’ ‘Whack My Pack’ plot. Sure-Fire and plays great to the largest of groups.

This one is great, Lee showed me it before he realised his DVD's at Blackpool this year and I totally loved it, such a nice effect and very direct. This is one that you will use.

Bonaces
A brand new four ace routine, released here for the very first time! This is a multi-phase routine that you will learn and use!

A fantastic trick which has many different parts to it which on a whole makes it a really cool trick and I can imagine it will play very big to a large audience if you are doing walkaround or table hopping.

Strike Two
taking an old classic and bringing it right up-to-date, watch as Lee gets screams and gasps with this multi-phase lighter routine explained in complete detail. Another routine that you WILL USE!

This one in my opinion is worth the price of both DVD's alone. I have watched Lee perform it live to real people and it packs small, plays big. It is something you are going to add to you repertoire without a shadow of a doubt. It’s so simple yet so affective.

Okay basically I'm just going to quickly sum it all up and give my final thoughts now.
Lee's DVD was aimed at the sort of beginner magician that wanted to go out into the real world but was not confident enough to do so, I would just like to say although the material on the DVD was aimed at sort of beginners all of it can be used by the professional magician because the material is so strong, direct and commercial.
I am very happy with my purchase (Lee will that funny lol) and I could recommend it to any magician of any standard. Also I would just like to say that Russ Stevens did a superb job at filming it and Ravi Mayar as assisting Lee throughout the explanations.

It's a 10/10 * from myself Max Curd and if you like what you heard visit

http://www.rsvpmagic.com/

Here are my own thoughts now I've had chance to get to grips with the DVD set......
There is so much information on this dvd set.
Ravi and Lee discuss so much more than just the tricks.
If you fast forward through anything just to get to the explantions, it will be your loss!
Everything from audience mangement, how to approach a group to what to expect from them in different settings is covered.
Russ Stevens has done the usual great job of filming and producing the whole thing
You get multiple perforances of some effects to show how they can play in various situations, all followed by clear explanations.
The key factors for me when looking for new material are restting and walkaround (no tables) effects.
Most of the effects on this set can be done standing with no tables, and even better, the spectators often only need to think of a card.
So even if they are loaded up with drinks and handbags etc this wont stop you!
I'll give you the highlights that stood out for me....
Ice Breaker is a variation of a trick that I have been using already.
I have been doing pretty much the first phase of this for over 2 years, so I know how well it plays, but when you follow that up with the visual change and then combining 2 spectators selctions as lee does, it more than trebles the impact of the effect! the whole routine flows so well.
After the first phase you will get spectators asking to do it again, and that's just what you do!
Trans-box-ition is another great effect using 2 selections.
I've been working James Brown's Box Clever, so it was natural to give Lee's effect some time and effort.
The thing I love about Trans-box-ition, is there is a moment in the effect when the cards seem to jumpimg in what you could say a triangular pattern - from the deck, to the box, to between their hands.
This is a lovely part of the trick and the cards really do bounce and hop from place to place!
Lee has also added a 3rd phase to this, including a third signed selection, don't overlook this!
Bold Business, a drawing duplication - no wallets, peek devices etc used
just a stack of your cards and some balls required. Don't be scared, it's awesome stuff again!
Third Degree is great as it uses a "thought of card".
If you play this right you will be very pleased with the reactions it gets
this has to be one of the most powerful effects on the set!!
Fifth Element is a great in the hands, thought of card effect.
I have played with different variations of this effect, but this is the one I'll be using.
Lee has stripped it right down to get the routine as simple and direct as possible without any hard moves, yet it knocks them for six every time!
Bonaces is a releativly new idea from Lee.
Its great as again, it uses 2 selections, its not hard and the kicker will fry them when they open their hands!
I've been playing with this and some other ideas to make it the ace production that will be in my repetoire.
All the material here is direct, powerful magic.
There are no long winded storylines, counting, dealing etc
This is the most advice and material that I have got from a single purchase in years.
Thank you Lee for sharing this with us, and putting so much effort into the project
I have got more than I could ever expect from it, and I'm sure any hobbiest, professional, and working magician will benefit massively from it also.
Matt Wainwright