Dear Lusion,

I think the IntruderBox is beside of the point of the Paul Escape topic, but I will answer your question.
The ones who asked for the IB's rights I had gave my permission to them, so they can modify as they want.
I think we will see some spectacular modifications.
Thank you for your praise.

Best Regards,

Saman Zerin

Hallo SamanZerin and Paul,

here are some ideas I got watching your video.

First, I really like the vanish and appearance part and think they
are very convincing. Nevertheless I think the video does Paul no
justice: judging on the picture I would think he is a jerk, more
focused on his tricks than on the audience (but a good runner). Most
shots show his view concentrated on his actions. The few times he
looks up into the camera his mood appears rather bored to me. Why
should I applaud a performer who doesn't care if I'm watching? As a
spectator I would like to have seen more of the person Paul Escape -
not only his hands. As a host I would like to see him interacting
with people, before I expose my guests to his show. If I had only
seen the coin bite part, I would be left with an much better
impression of his stage person. To me this was the most likable part
and I really enjoyed it.

What puzzles me about this video is: Why did you take so much effort
in using special visual effects (slow-motion, vintage, circling the
actor) but made no connection between sound and picture. Take the
beginning for example the music start with some "soft" cords then
the drums "smash" in, that would be the perfect moment for a strong
effect, a cut or a rapid zoom. The first appearance of the turning
card. and the stopping are a too subtle shift to correspond to the
music. The whole video is full of such moments "out of tune". Why
not cut and pitch the song so that the curtain is raised on the long
I after that gets me through the night or some more gentle music
while floating the card.

Using the same "commercial" effects that Blaine or Chris Angel
employ, will be no problem in most parts of Europe. Here in Germany
for example bothe are rather unknown.

Eventually, I've to admit that the video works well nevertheless.
Now I'm really curious to see Paul Escape life and I think a lot of
youtube visitors do so as well. Any plans to do a show in Germany?

Video production comment: the high speed 360's would have been better if you made and used one of these: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/steadycam

Good ideas in the production but a bit shaky. You should get a lot of gigs with it.

Hi lui,

thank you for your sincere reply.
This was our first film, so everything can't be perfect, I hope you understand this.

About my personality, if I am talking with a host and I show this film they think: "Hmm that's great but we want to see something in live!" and when I perform in live for them they are freaked out and they enjoy it as you saw by the coin bite. And they say: "Well, that's it what we want!" And I think that's the point I and other magicians working for.
But it was a good point from you, I think in the future we will keep this in view.

Show in Germany? Well, right now nobody asked me to perform in Germnay, but if somebody askes for it, that would be a pleasure for me. I have 2 Escape Shows BagEscape and JacketEscape and a close-up show.

We will make a promo film for the JacketEscape. I think it will be done in middle of October, it can be watched on my website: http://www.paulescape.com

Regards,

PE

I personaly did not like the video at all...It seemed a bit cocky and didn't get anything cross about this "new star" I know nothing about him and therefore at the end of the video couldent care less about booking him, watch more, ect...The music for me was a turn off but that I know is a personal thing...All the close up of the spounges, cups and balls and coins ect should probably go...If there was only one of these close ups in the vid maybe right at the begining that would be ok but this vid to me is a collection of tricks that just about anyone can do and makes Paul look very average. Maybe do somthing with that appearence at the beging. Maybe produce him have him aproach the camera and introduce himself. DO somthing conects him with the viewers...Also put in more reaction shots...they don't need to be freak outs but shots of people laughing and smiling will go along way.

Also Paul comes of as a Kid trying to be a cool adult in the vid.

These are just my thoughts feel free to ignore them.

Best of luck with it,

Anton

(p.s. I don't say any of this to be rude or mean...I belive in what I say and olny say it to help)

Okay, I just have to say this, and I am sure others here are thinking the same thing.

It does not have to do with the video per say, but goes to appearance/impression.

What is with the name? Paul ESCAPE?

I know it may be too late to change that as he may have become known by that name, but I think that using the term escape as a last name seems a bit less than professional.

It sounds like the stage names we used to come up with as kids just starting out.

Think about it, most of the names you think of as great magicians, mentalists, escape artists ect. have used a "normal" first and last name. Now it might not have been their given birth names, but "normal" sounding none the less.

I think Paul could gain a bit more respect and be looked upon as more professional if he used a "proper" last name.

Just my .02 cents. YMMV

Hy all,

forget about the tricks for a moment. This film is a promo, as Zerin said, this musn't contain brand new original stuff, that would have no sense. This film is made for promote myself.
I know in US these tricks are avarage, but the tricks aren't important, the important thing is how can you handle the crowed/audience, how can you speak, and how well practiced are your slight-of-hand tricks.
I think the host doesn't give a heck which kind of tricks I perform, he wants to hear great response from the audince and when he gets it he is satisfied with the show and he will ask me an other time too.
Nn artist name has nothing to do with the show's success, it depends on me and not on my artist name.

By the way it was good to hear other critism too.

Regards,

PE

Assessing "star value" is always somewhat subjective, but when basketball fans see a Magic Johnson or a Michael Jordan perform on the court, there is little doubt in anyone's mind they've seen a star. I think most people who frequent the forums of this Café know magic relatively well, and what concur that what we saw on the video wasn't "star" status. Whether from the tricks performed ( the B-2 Bomber - pen ripping through bill was a freebie on penguin.com last month for orders over $30) or the overall presentation, it didn't yell "star." Without meaning any malice, I imagine there's dozens or more people who read these forums who could put on a more impressive show. That's not to say Paul isn't a talented young man with potential to go somewhere. But a few stocks tricks, even if smoothly performed, edited into a video with music doesn't make a star. However, I do wish him the best of luck of he continues with the art of illusion and takes it another level or two, which may come closer to "star."

Hi jayhoward,

the pen in the film isn't B-2, but yes it is from penguinmagic.
I think we are done with the star thing.
And I won't replay myself about the "common" tricks, but hey what kind of tricks do you perform to your audince? I think nearly the same tricks, yes they are common but gets the best respons/reactions from the specs.
In a 4 minutes long film there is no time and sense to show my full repertoire, I hope you understand this.

And there is a VERY IMPORTANT POINT: This film was made for lay people and not for magicians, sure I will make a film for you guys, but hey with age 20 I think it isn't bad and I am performing magic 1 year ago.

Anyway, thanks for your post!

Regards,

Paul

Paul I agree tricks don't matter to much...(trust me they are what you make of them) but your promo doesn't show how you can entertain or interact with an audience either! You need to include that in the video. I feel your promo shows to manny tricks but nothing else...remeber its not a promo about a magic dvd its a promo about YOU! Your video doesn't tell me who you are... nothing in the vid makes you stand out more than anyone else in my opinion.

Also I diagree there is a lot in a name...

Paul Escape is a generic name.... You are not the only (insert first name) Escape. There are other people with the same last name... it adds to your avergeness...

Paul keep with it...

Anton "James Royalty"

p.s. if you only knew what people said to me about my first vid/show...but hey now I'm better because of it!

Hi Paul.

First off, I hope you don't feel people are looking to pick on you unfairly. That is certainly not my intent, and I don't think it's anybody else's either. If you've been doing magic for only a year you are off to a wonderful start. However, I think if you really want someday to achieve "star" status, then you should accept that a year of practicing magic is just a start. I'm sure if you asked many of the successful magicians who frequent these forums, most of them would tell you they have worked far longer than that to get where they are today. I know you say the video is only made to "promote myself." But if you listen to what Anton is saying, it doesn't really promote you as anything special, magically speaking. You may say it's only for lay people, but if you hope to get bookings or get agents interested in you, it has to impress them, and they've seen a lot of people who can do everything you did in the video and then some. I assume that when you posted your video here you realized this is not a website for "lay people," and that you did want people to tell you honestly what they thought. Rather than either you or Saman being self-defensive, I would just take some of the criticism people have given you and run with it, as we say. If you are able to understand the issues people had with your video and what they think you are missing right now as a performer, it might help to take your magic to a next level. Good luck to you and may we one day see your name flashed across television screens in Europe.

Hello guys,

I understand your critism and I think they are right, I know I have to learn a lot. Sometimes your critism very hard for me, but hey that's why we opened this topic, your are magicians and not lay people, so you are watching this film in a different view and you have other opinions about the film than an average Joe.

The other thing: US is a different market. Here in EU a lot of people thinks that every magician is a jerk and they are f**king with rabbits and doves. So that's why we focused more on the tricks.
We don't have Criss Angel and David Blaine shows here, just a very very small group of people (internet freaks) knows them.
I know it is hard to understand, but we have other rules here, managers and producers didn't see this kind of magic before. First they have to get to know this kind of art of magic and after I can sell myself.
I think there could be more reaction shoots, but the next time.

Guys I was never disappointed when I read your comments about my film. As I said you were right in some points.
Here in Hungary the responses to the film are fantastic, I have to work a lot to get same respons from you, magician friends.

Regards,

PE

PS: I never heard Escape as an artist name before... but I like it and I think it is good for me, becouse I am an escape artist.

I want to apology. Sorry for the rude word, I won't hurt magicians who works with animals, but this is the experience here when I talk with lay people.

Regards,

PE

I quite enjoyed it.

Don't much care how the appearance and disappearance were achieved - it works - that's all that matters - I didn't see where he came from or where he went.
The setting is beautiful.

I get the point that you're selling his ability to perform magic but I think other posters make a very valid point about showing personality - we saw plenty of 'brooding kid as sex god' Mtv stuff but when he smiled everything came alive - he's got a great smile - why not use it?

The girls reacting to the trick showed that he doesn't just do tricks - he can also mystify and entertain so I agree more reaction shots would be good.

The name is irrelevant - as long as people can remember it who cares?

I'll get shot for this (with no chance of catching the bullet) but magicians won't decide if he's a star or not - lay people will. They will not care if he spent 20 years perfecting an original illusion or spent $100 at Penguin last week - if he can entertain them and make them like him - he'll do okay.

Perhaps also we should be careful when judging people in other countries. I have no idea what facilities and opportunities are available to him in Hungary. I do know that, like my American friends, I am lucky to live in a wealthy country where items other people would struggle to have are both easily available and affordable.

I got a sense from some of the posts that there was some formula he had to follow: have the right name, pay his dues, perform more unique tricks...

A lot of this is important but we are in entertainment and if A + B equalled C in this game there'd be a star on every block.

Let's give a young ambitious magician some encouragement - he'll make mistakes - and, like us all, learn from them.

One word of caution though - while I like a colorful turn of phrase, for all our sakes, think before you type Mr Escape. I don't want to see magicians becoming social outcasts because of suspicions about our relationships with our livestock.

Dear PlasticDestiny,

Thank you for your creative and constructive critisem, that's why we showed this clip on the Magic Café forum.
We can't make any changes on the film, but by the next film we will keep in view your advices and comments.

Best Regards,

Saman Zerin

Hello guys,

I think this topic is done, thank you for your comments, I read a lot of good replys, I will keep them in view.

Regards,

PE