I still didn't have the time to watch...

Is it 2 hours or nearly four?

3 hours and 56 minutes! (This does include the interview at the end.)

236 minutes long.

Thanks Movieman and Zombie Magic, that's great!

I'm watching this again, and just want to reiterate there is so much great teaching and terrific ideas discussed in this lecture, it really is a gold mine of good stuff.

The discussion of Colin's "Penn & Teller-Fool Us" prediction reveal and the potential to use the UCCU (thanks, Patrick for suggesting that!) as a tool to accomplish it is just one example of a gold nugget.

I watched this again recently and posted my thoughts at my blog.

Powerful stuff

I don't wanna expose anything on method regarding Collins book test, but for me the additional of having spectators predicting the thought of word weakens the original effect rather than strengthen it IMHO. Doesn't it kinda put a solution in all of the spectators mind that the word chosen is an obvious choice because everyone was thinking of it? To me, it would be like asking a woman to think of a card and all the women in the audience think of the 'queen of hearts'. Nice effect, and you could ham it up, but the conclusion to a lot of ppl would be that 'sure, everyone thinks of the queen of hearts' or in this case everyone must think of 'house'. ( I won't say anymore on method here, but hopefully I have conveyed enough to ppl who have seen the lecture). I'm not knocking the method or effect, I think it's great, but I will use the original published method from the dvds.

Does the online lecture include his newspaper test routine which is in his opening mind dvd?

No, that routine's not included in his Penguin Live lecture.

Good point baobow but I don't think you need to worry. I think Colin covered that concern quite effectively in the modified handling and dialogue for BT.

The assistant isn't simply asked to, "think of a word", it's a bit more subtle than that.

The assistant is FIRST asked to first "see a few words" in their mind and then, "get a few words locked in [their] mind". From the perspective of the audience at this point in the effect the assistant is NOT thinking of a single word, they are thinking of a 'few words'. What those words are only they know.

Colin puts the 'imaginary book' back on the shelf and then backs away a little putting a bit of distance between himself and the assistant.

He asks the assistant to "switch between the words they are thinking of". This creates the impression that the assistant is making a 'conscious' choice of some sort rather than an 'off the cuff' or 'spur of the moment' choice. Eventually Colin asks the assistant is to settle on 'one word'.

To the watching audience the assistant's 'choice' of word is made some time AFTER the 'imaginary book' business. The assistant has been asked to think of 'a few words' before eventually 'settling' one word. Their final 'choice' happens whilst Colin is nowhere near them.

For those reasons I've never had the sense that the audience think that I'm just playing the odds in someway or thinking, 'well everyone thinks of [whatever]'.

I like BT a lot and if you're a fan of BT I recommend Colin's work on BT in 'Facade'.

For me, I've found that being able to bring the prediction into play BEFORE the assistant actually reveals their thought of word plays stronger than doing it the other way around as it was in the original BT.

With the prediction in play and known to the audience (but not to the assistant) the audience wait with baited breath (as do you) to hear what word the assistant is actually thinking of. You're fully committed to the outcome before the thought of word is even uttered.

First you get the reaction from the audience when they hear the assistant say the word that they see written on your prediction.

Second you get the reaction from the assistant themselves (and the audience's reaction to their reaction) when you show them that your prediction matches the word they were merely thinking of.

Regards,

Laurence.

It's not stronger, it's different.

Do you have to buy a lot of material in order to do the effects in this lecture? One of the reviews on penguin said it would cost $400 to get all the necessary materials...

He does one effect trust has an expensive prop but he teaches soooooo much awesome material that doesn't rely on buying something extra. And little things I already had like certain cards but I am sure most magicians would have as well. Definitely one my my favorite penguin lectures I seen so far.

Ryan

Thanks! Guess I'll be getting this!

Does anyone have a list of effects he performs and explains?

Daren,

It's Colin McLeod so you know you won't be disappointed. I know there is some cross over material, but there's some other brilliant material throughout. The billet s****h and the routine he teaches with it is excellent.

Ok cheers, think I will take the plunge with this, he is incredible!