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erlandish Inner circle Vancouver, Canada 1254 Posts |
Hey guys, this review was requested from within the Knots and Loops forum, so sorry if it isn't as timely as it could be. If you're interested in more reviews of rope magic resources, it's Rope Magic Month on the old blog. (Also, apologies for any typos)
Fiber Optics, from Richard Sanders Format: DVD Genre: Rope Magic Price: 30$ on dennymagic.com What you get: 2 different multi-phase routines and almost two dozen moves Who this is for: A rope magician who prefers visual magic Difficulty: Advanced Beginner Rating: 3 stars (Good) Introduction: This DVD actually represents my first exposure to rope magic. Up until that point, in my ignorance I'd falsely assumed that rope magic was simply all about false knots and little more, and had pretty much written it off as a curiosity rather than serious magic. It stayed that way until Nechto (aka Ben Williams of "Labelled" fame) put up a video on magicvideodepot.com showing a set he did for his competition, where he closed with his own variation of the Sanders Fiber Optics routine. While the audience responded very strongly, I just watched like a slack-jawed fool, feeling like a real idiot for my own unfounded bias against rope magic. Immediately after that video went up, the questions started about where people could learn the routine, and no sooner did Ben's answer come up that I ordered the DVD and began studying. I suppose you could say that (for good or ill) my entire interest in the genre was sparked by Richard Sanders's routine, which I guess can be read as a very strong opening endorsement. The Good: This is a long routine with a lot of visual magic in it. The box advertizes 16 phases and that's pretty much what you get, and there's some variety there. Consider the three rope routine as a Professor's Nightmare on hallucinogens -- you start with three ropes of different length, which are then altered to be the same length. The magician removes one of the ropes to simplify things, and then decides to change the last two even ropes into one big rope, and work from there. It's this one-rope section where Fiber Optics comes to life. He does a quick cut-and-restored effect, and then begins to point out all the weird qualities of the rope, showing how the ends can be made to travel from one hand to the other, stuffing them in one fist to have them pop out the other one. He does it again visually, with the ends actually sliding down the length of the rope and reattaching to the other side (this is a hard phase to explain, suffice to say that it's an extremely visual piece of magic). This is followed by plucking the ends off, and after the magician puts the ends in his pocket, he shows that the rope is now an endless loop. Running that loop through his fingers, he asks a spectator to call out stop, and then pulls out the ends from his pocket and replaces them on the rope at that point. He then reforms the endless loop using static cling, and then reaches into his pocket to pull out an extra set of ends, and then replaces them onto the loop as well. The ends are plucked off and replaced a couple more times, before he shows that you also have to be wary of the middle, and he demonstrates this by looping a small portion of the middle in his fist, and then visibly removing and then restoring it. Finally, he takes that long rope, uses his finger scissors to cut it into two even-length pieces, and then brings back the third length that was tucked away, before having all three ropes revert back to their uneven lengths. That's a whole lot of magic, and in Richard's hands it's a fun routine as well. One of the other great things about this DVD is the modularity of the moves. This so far has been a common good quality about the rope resources seen so far -- if you're already doing a routine that incorporates the SP gimmick, and you're wondering if you can get a little bit more mileage out of it, this DVD represents potentially a dozen ways you can add to it. Conversely, there's nothing stating that you can't keep Sanders's basic routine setup and substitute a few handling ideas from elsewhere as well, perhaps to address some of the weaknesses (more on this later). The one-rope routine that I'm working with is approximately equal parts Tabary, Sanders and Flip, and while it was a little bit tricky getting them all to flow together, eventually it was possible to make them all work. Sanders himself displays how with his one-rope routine, which essentially has many of the same moves of the three rope routine, but with an opening that lets you smuggle in the gimmick, and a climax that lets you clean it all up. Some other quick notes: Richard Sanders performs the routine very well and explains it clearly. He's also good about pointing out which moves will require a knack, and even if you can't quite nail the trickier restorations, there are simpler ones available to choose from. There are no real problems with production quality, and the main menu indexes all of the necessary moves in an easy to find fashion, although you might need to remember them by their somewhat ambiguous names. Finally, this routine doesn't actually involve cutting any of your ropes, so you don't have to worry about running through your rope as quickly as you might in a traditional rope routine. It's less expensive to both practice and perform, and the cleanup helps you reset, even in the case of the gimmicked one-rope routine. As for the gimmick itself, if you haven't already guessed what it is, don't worry about it, if you've got rope, you can make your own. The Not-So-Good: One slightly disappointing aspect to this is that while the advertising for this DVD promises 22 moves, we're not really talking about 22 effects. I sat down and tried to categorize them, and the variety, while still impressive, isn't quite as nice as hinted at on the cover, and is really displayed in full with the regular routine -- meaning, adding some of those other moves would really just lead to a repetition of phases. Basically, you get two ends switches, the Slydini false display, the Nightmare Switch and rope-length alteration, an ends across move, the super slide, two different ways to do finger cuts, three restorations from the false 2-rope display, a removed-middle effect, two restorations from the removed-middle effect, three ways to pluck the ends off to create an endless loop, several restorations from the endless loop, two ways to restore the three ropes at the end, and the standard going-to-the-pocket move to clean up the one rope routine. That might sound like a lot of variety but upon watching it I couldn't find all that much difference between a lot of the moves from the same category, and I'm not just talking in an abstract manner -- for instance, I had to watch the explanations several times for Loop Swoop and Air Toss (two ways to restore the ends back to the endless loop) just to see what the actual difference was. In my opinion, they're less separate moves and more variations on the same move. The subtle differences in handling might be helpful if you find one is too tricky for you, but in terms of the effect perceived by the audience, the difference is hardly noticeable. Another example: the two ways to remove the ends from the loop to create the endless loop differ only in the amount of time between the ends switch and the removal itself, and yet for some reason they're counted as two moves. Don't get me wrong -- there's still a lot of magic to be had on this DVD, but there's also a bit of overenthusiastic marketing. The scope of magic available isn't very wide, either. While Sanders does offer you a bunch of ideas for middle phases, the opening phases and closing phases for both routines have a rather stock feel to them, and the three rope routine is really just a one-rope routine sandwiched between a couple of Professor's Nightmare effects, and while those effects themselves aren't bad, the best, most visual effects happen in the middle of the routine. This creates a bit of a problem if you're the type that likes to end a routine with the strongest effect. That said, nothing's stopping you from adding to it or altering it yourself. One thing that I've been finding out so far with the rope magic resources I've collected is that almost every one of them has both their strengths relative to their peers, and one or two key weaknesses which are addressed better in other resources. For instance, Sanders does a better Slydini Professor's Nightmare false count than Ted Lesley does, but Ted Lesley's entrance into the Professor's Nightmare has so much more potential for fooling people because of the apparent fairness of the cutting of the three identical ropes. Sanders's three rope routine actually starts with the three ropes of different sizes and hands them out to be examined, which in my opinion significantly complicates the effect -- it's difficult to get ahead of the audience when what they perceive is the true situation happens to be the true situation. What's interesting is that his one-rope routine doesn't have this weakness, as Sanders lets the audience examine the rope and then routines a way to bring in the gimmick. There's also Sanders's take on the stretching of the ropes. If you do it in a more traditional manner, you take what appears to be the ends of the three ropes in both hands and stretch them all out evenly. In Sanders's version, though, he simply tugs on the short end to make it longer, and the long rope then becomes shorter. This is an incredibly visually clear move, but in my opinion it's too clear, since one rope basically stays motionless while the other two ropes move in a coordinated fashion that suggests causality, which in turn suggests connection, which in brings the audience VERY close to the secret behind the effect. Since the principle at work in this secret is the same used throughout the routine, that's a pretty nasty risk to take. Other than the above, though, it's hard to find outright flaws with this DVD. It's well-produced and well-taught, and perhaps there aren't as many weaknesses as there are philosophical considerations. Let's move on to those. Other thoughts: This magic is extremely visual... in fact, some might argue it's too visual. To take a similar parallel from the coin genre, compare 3 fly to a regular coins across. Some might gravitate towards 3 fly because it's much more visual and out in the open, and allows for a more brisk pace than your typical closed fist coins across. Others might argue that the openness of 3 fly actually destroys much of the mystery of the effect and risks basically giving away the method (a la Too Perfect theory). Which is where Fiber Optics comes in. As previously mentioned, the moves Sanders teaches here basically flaunt the existence of the hidden feature (George Sandsish SP usage). Practically all of the effects rely on its use, and a couple of them push it too far, in my opinion. Tabary does a similar effect to Sanders's ends slide, which accomplishes basically the same effect but doesn't expose the gimmick so plainly. Another is the repeated use of the finger-cutting effect. On an abstract level, using your hands (or "magic") to restore a piece of rope should conceivably be equivalent to using your fingers to cut it, but the latter lacks the mystery of the former. These are personal biases that I have, though, and even the two other flaws that I alluded to as flaws (the opening examination and the Professor's Nightmare stretching) might not be from your point of view. It's really a question of philosophy -- if those moves don't violate yours, then there's no problem. Plus, even if you agree that the above are too visual, you don't have to discard the whole DVD -- just simply replace the phase with a different handling, and keep the rest of it. That said, you will need to look elsewhere for those handlings. One odd thing to mention on that point, Sanders does state during the endless loop phase that it's better to hold the plucked ends as if they are ends, doubling them over and concealing the fold, rather than displaying a single small piece of rope. Watching him give that advice, I had to chuckle -- NOW he wants to be careful? One last thing, the presentation that Sanders chooses for this routine lacks motivation other than to display all the weird qualities of the rope, which is probably a necessity since it would be difficult to construct something more focussed without removing a lot of the magic phases that wouldn't fit the narrower theme. So, if your performing persona is not the type to pick up a prop and just jazz with it, you might have a problem sticking with Sanders's minimalist (from a thematic point of view) routine structure. You could argue that the trade-off is beneficial for certain magicians -- Daryl's longer-than-average ACR comes to mind. Again, nobody's holding a gun to your head and forcing you to stick with that presentational style. Plus, if you do happen to be that kind of jazzing performer, then you've got a nice long routine that lets you indulge that side of yourself to your heart's content. Conclusion: I think much of my criticisms above will come across as nitpicking, which is fair enough. If you like pushing the envelope with visual magic then a lot of what I personally consider a drawback might actually seem to you to be a selling point. I even have to confess that some of the things I see as flaws in the routine didn't even register the first time I saw it performed, which in itself might be proof that it's not as important as I've made it out to be, especially when you consider the infrequency with which your average layman is going to see magic shows -- it's usually not often enough that these discrepancies start to do any real damage. Even then, in the right hands it's such a fun bit of magic as well that he might be too busy enjoying himself to pick up on the details. So, all the above said, this is a good DVD for your library. It might not be the seminal work on rope magic, but it does give you what you need to create a long routine with a lot of magic, and enough tools to either take it and make it your own, or else expand an existing routine with some great visual effects. |
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Trekdad Elite user Telford, PA 445 Posts |
Wow -- thorough review. I haven't gotten this yet, but it's helped me decide.
RE: where you discuss his stretching the ropes -- when I saw someone do it this way, I was struck by how visually better it seemed (in my eyes at least) than the more traditional way. Your thoughts about causality, though, causes me to re-think this from the spectator's viewpoint. It's a point Darwin Ortiz cautions about considering in "Designing Miracles". Thanks for the review.
Barnhardt: You have tested this theory?
Klaatu: I find it works well enough to get me from one planet to the next. The Day the Earth Stood Still |
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oombob Special user Canada 844 Posts |
A great dvd. Three pieces of ungimmicked rope that can be passed out for inspection and a routine that leaves your audience searching blindly on the linoleum for their popped out eyes. Top marks.
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gman Special user Lancaster, pa 751 Posts |
Great Review.
The beauty about this dvd is that if you do a rope routine...it will in my opinion enhance the performance by giving you things to add into your performance. If you don't have one then this is a great routine to have. George |
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Tivoli Loyal user Paris (France) 252 Posts |
As we all know the dvd is top but your review is just whaouuuu !!!!!
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Joshua Barrett Inner circle Cincinnati, Ohio 3631 Posts |
You guys seem to know a lot on the subject. I'm thinking of learning a rope routine, just so I have on in my rep, I was going to do kenners 3d ropes, how do you guy thnk this compares to fiber optics?
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Comedy Writer Special user 594 Posts |
I agree thad doing PN as an intro to FO kinda gives away the trick.
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erlandish Inner circle Vancouver, Canada 1254 Posts |
Tivoli,
Heh, is that a good whaouuuu or a bad whaouuuu? I know sometimes my verbal diarrhea gets out of control. |
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BrianMillerMagic Inner circle CT 2050 Posts |
The original review made some metion of "exposing the gimmick" blatantly in the routine, which of course it does. I think though with the way you should be presenting this routine, it is more about amusement and the "aw" factor than about truly fooling people. The premise of the routine is ridiculous to begin with, and I think that is why you can get away with showing off how its done in the context of the routine and still entertain. The dvd is great and the routine is fantastic; one of the most popular effects in my show since I started performing it.
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mrsmiles Elite user 443 Posts |
Fantastic review. Clear, and full of modestly drawn conclusions - utterly different from the 'this-is-how-it-is black & white' type of opinions & reviews we sometimes see. I think a key element is, as you say, that the routine is 'modular' and thus it is easier than usual to opt in and out of routine in terms of which parts you incorporate into your own work. The fact that the dvd itself is broken down into so many chapters of course makes the modular functionality of the routine and the teaching totally viable.
May I say again that this is one of the best, if not THE best reviews I have seen. I already have the dvd and I say this without hesitation
mrsmiles
(UK) |
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Tivoli Loyal user Paris (France) 252 Posts |
Erlandish
It's a whaouuu soooo goood review, when my next dvd "Tivoliland 2, magic in restaurant" will be out I will send you a copy to be reviewed By the way in this dvd (Tivoliland 2) you'll find a very good rope routine (well I hope you will enjoy this routine but also the others ) Regards folks arthur |
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andrelimantara Special user Surabaya, Indonesia 871 Posts |
A great DVD indeed....
You will learn dozen moves..... if you do rope routine, this dvd is a must have Cheers Andre
"Good performance comes from good practice, Great performance comes from the heart - Andre Limantara"
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LobowolfXXX Inner circle La Famiglia 1196 Posts |
I think the review understates the quality of the DVD, unless that's 3 stars on a 3 star scale. This is one of the best DVD's I've purchased in the last few years.
"Torture doesn't work" lol
Guess they forgot to tell Bill Buckley. "...as we reason and love, we are able to hope. And hope enables us to resist those things that would enslave us." |
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Regan Inner circle U.S.A. 5726 Posts |
Thanks for that terrific review!
Regan
Mister Mystery
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erlandish Inner circle Vancouver, Canada 1254 Posts |
Tivoli-
Phew! Glad if the review was helpful. LobowolfXXX- It's 3 stars out of 5. I understand if that would be considered a low score by some (only 6 out of 10?!?) but I'm trying to make a real effort to not go the route that other reviewers go. If you're interested in my ranking philosophy you can check it out on the blog itself, but for a quick recap of what you'll find written there: I think most reviewers hand out 8s, 9s and 10s too indiscriminantly. It's not just magic, either -- other industries like computer games tend to have the entire range of their reviewed products fall somewhere between 6 and 10, which makes no sense to me. I try to reserve 5 stars for what I consider to be absolute timeless classics -- out of a dozen reviews I've done so far, I've only given out one, and even that had a caveat emptor on it. It's also one reason that I'm avoiding submitting reviews to review sites like MyLovelyAssistant and TrickReview.net. I consider 3 out 5 stars to be a good rating, meaning that the product is worth owning -- I'm certainly happy to have it in my library. But those websites tend to have a lot of contributors and I can't guarantee that everyone sees a 3 out of 5 the same way I do (MyLovelyAssistant I think rates pretty responsibly, though, and surprisingly enough, David Acer gave Fiber Optics 3 stars out of 5 over there as well). Still, since it's worth your while to compare as many reviews as possible, there's no reason to see my rating as one that's handed down from up on high. For what it's worth, I don't know if any of the DVDs in this rope magic series I'm doing will get a 4 out of 5 (a couple are flirting with it), so in terms of how this DVD ranks amongst its peers, I think it stands in good stead. |
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Tivoli Loyal user Paris (France) 252 Posts |
Erlandish
I can't say the review was helpfull...... cause I all ready have the concerned DVD. I love the way you are framing the review. Thanks |
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erlandish Inner circle Vancouver, Canada 1254 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-03-09 02:51, Tivoli wrote: You know, I really should have guessed that from your comment. Do I suffer from stupidity? No, I enjoy every minute of it. |
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Tivoli Loyal user Paris (France) 252 Posts |
My poor erlandish
Come on my friend in french from a famous book :"Heureux les simples d'esprit" Being stupid is sooooo great, I'm with you my friend and I suffer ether. Regards arthur |
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smitty Veteran user Picton, Ontario 358 Posts |
I've just been directed by Frank of 'theambitiouscard' site, to check out Fiber Optics, and must say, the demo I just watched on YouTube was nothing short of WOW, VISUAL, CLEAN, FAST, and downright amazing.
I'm giving this very serious consideration, as I want to get away from the old standard P.N. routine, which I've done since 77, and learn something NEW and FRESH. This looks like it could be the next rope routine to go into my repertoire. The only problem is, everywhere I go on here, it's OUT OF STOCK. No one seems to have it. Does this mean that dealers can't keep it on there shelves, as with the Goshman 3D Multiplying Rabbits. Anyone on here know of 'anyone' who actually has this IN STOCK. BEST...smitty |
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Brian S. Tanner Regular user 161 Posts |
I can't say enough about Fiber Optics. Most definately the most magic you'll ever get out of 3 ungimmicked ropes.
Judge:How do you plead?
<BR>Defendant:I plead insanity. <BR>Judge:Insanity? <BR>Defendant:Yep. I'm just crazy about that stuff! |
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