Forgery by Glen West

Alright fellow Café friends, most of you who know me, know that I refuse to review effects that I feel will not help, or improve our magic. So I am pleased to review Forgery for you right now. I have been awaiting for this effect for the past six months, and was pleased to get an advanced copy. So here it is fellas!!!

DVD Quality:

On a scale of 1-5 I give the over all quality of the video and audio on this DVD a 3.5. Don’t get me wrong, a 5 would be something put out by David Stone and Ellusionist. There is some background noise in one section of the DVD for half a second, and it appears to be shot with a hand help on a stand. Don’t get me wrong, it seems to be a high end camera, just not one of those $8000.00 jobbies that E and the top companies use lol. At no time during my viewing, did I need to squint my eyes, or adjust my flat screen. Again not a big deal, I just now that you guys want the skinny on every aspect of a DVD before you spend your hard earned dollars on an effect.

The Effects:

There are three taught on the DVD, but one will soon release the other possibilities this gaff can be used for. Please remember this is what the spectator will see. The first effect shown on the DVD is,

Signing Off:

The spectator is given a free choice of a card. The selection is lost in the deck, and the magician claims he will find the selection. The magician reveals the wrong card, and asked the spectator to initial it. The magician then wipes at the initials with his thumb and in one quick wipe, the wrong card has changed to the spectators selected card, with their initials on it. It does not end there though. The cards are spread in the magicians hands to show that the incorrect card that was signed, is face up in a face down deck with no markings on it. Very awesome reactions with this one. Quick and to the point. Pure eye candy.

Tephlon Cards:

The spectator freely chooses a card. The card is then placed on the table by the magician. The magician explains that his cards have a special tephlon coating on them, and that if signed, the marker will rub right off. The spectator signs the Queen of Diamonds, and is instructed to wipe the marker off. It seems as if the wrong cards are being used because the initials will not rub off. The magicians tries, and has no trouble rubbing the ink off the card, face up right under the spectators nose. The magician then picks up the spectators card from the table and shows the spectator’s initials are on the card that has been sitting on the table in plain view. This one really gets them looking at you like you have three heads, I love it. This effect has the impact that Your Signed Card by Brother John has, with out all the handling, a true signed card transpo.
Flip Flop:

A card is sandwiched face down between two Jokers. The card is slowly pushed through and is seen to be warping (could not resist) face up. You then flip everything over showing the backs and repeat the effect face up. That’s right, you may have to re read that last sentence, I will wait. Immediately, no funny awkward moves, nothing. Once you have pushed the face up card though, you can show the cards and hand everything out. Glen teaches how to get clean. It takes about a half a sec, and you will miss it in the performance video if you blink. Any effect that you are able to hand out the cards is top notch in my book. This effect will have the spectator begging to see the cards, and when you give the cards to them, you can almost hear their heart hit the floor. I really love this effect, it really fools magicians, I should now, I was one of them lol.


The explanations are taught so well, you will be performing in no time. Glen explains everything from spectator control, to the moves needed to get in and out of these effects. Practice sessions are also included in this DVD, which only enhance the overall feel to the DVD. Truly a great addition.

The gimmick, not only do you get one with the DVD, Glen teaches you how to make one. How many creators would do that? As with the rest of the DVD, nothing is left out on the construction of this little beauty.

Now my personal favorite:

The DVD comes with a demo of Glens Signed Torn and Restored Card effect called Seamless. I was lucky enough to see this up close and personal. Through each tear of the card, I was surprised on how open everything was. In the back of my mind I was telling myself, nothing really new here, but the openness of the tearing bothered me lol. Now the killer, the restore faze. So visual, so clean so open. I found myself with my hand over my mouth half way through, laughing like a little school girl. I mean it was so visual. The last faze was the icing on the cake. BANG instant restore and no seams or creases. He handed my the card immediately and smiled. I shoke his hand and advised him not to release it. This effect is well worth any sum of money Glen decides to sell it for, if he sells it.

Overall score of Forgery 5/5
DVD Quality and sound 4/5
Seamless teaser 10/10

You really have to get Forgery into your arsenal A.S.A.P

Cost of the effect T.B.A
Were I got an advanced copy http://www.kwmagic.com
Release date T.B.A
Regards,
Jeremy Hanrahan

Wow, sounds and looks good. Does anyone know if kwmagic ship to the uk?

Well ive just ordered, ive seen Seamless and it looks phenominal so ive got high hopes for this.

Thanks guys. So glad this is finally getting released, but still nervous. Still wanna shoot a full teaser/demo./ The ones on the KW site are the performances from the DVD, and as you know, if it doesn't have screaming girls on the street, lots of cuts and loud music, it can't sell

Oh, and it's GlenN, but don't worry, everyone makes that mistake.

L will get this eventually because ever since I saw your stuff, I have been waiting for a release of something like this. Now if only I wasn't broke right now...and man I can't wait for seamless...if you release it...PLEASE?! jk!

but seriously...it looks like the greatest T&R I've ever seen.

Can't wait to get this Glenn and keep up the great work!

Adam

Anybody know how different this one with John Rivav's "Amazing materializing signature"? Thanks.

Jeff

I do not know the method of that one, but from the looks of it, with it you can only change the card from a jack to a different jack.

With Forgery, the spectator has a completely free choice of card. No forcing what so ever.

There are also several different effects/routines on the Forgery DVD.

Sorry GlenN my advanced copy did not come with a cover lol. Don't be nervous, the effect will stand on it's own.

Regards,
Jeremy Hanrahan

I can't believe the hype was held off this long...

Glad to hear you like the trick Jeremy, it has been a year since we decided to start this project. Hopefully there will be some more reviews from the other previews sent out !

Just to fill in a couple of blanks that IrishGhost had TBA beside:

Suggested Retail is $29.95

We are shipping them to wholesalers and dealers next week.

DVD was done this way to keep the retail price down.
So far response has been very positive.

Phil

Make sure they also shipped to http://www.themagicwarehouse.com ;-)

Jeff

How difficult is this? What sleights are required?

The actual workings of this are nice and simple, I don't want to go into what sleights are used because I don't want to give anything away, but I'm almost totally certain that you'll know whats needed.

Some of the effects that can be done with this are already being done with good old fashion sleight of hand.

If you are killing with similar effects with a regular deck why would one want to add this to their arsenal?

Would this be good for workers? In other words, a shuffled deck in use(funny how effects that require setup have a way of "disappearing" from your working material)? How easy can the gimmick come in and out of play? Can the spectators "examine" everything?

If you are killing with similar effects... I suspect you don't need this one.

Personally I have not been fortunate enough to see a non-gimmicked version of this effect, nor have I witnessed your card handling techniques.

The idea of signature moving from the face of one card to the face of a chosen card - then letting the spectator keep the card is new to me, perhaps not to you.

I like the trick, the handling and the reactions... Glenn has done a fantastic job in creating and presenting this handling.

Currently there are only two people in the United States with this effect. It will be officially available in the next few days.

All the best

Phil

Everything but the gimmick

The gimmick can be added and taken away as easily as a single.

Might I ask what similar effects you are accomplishing with Slight of Hand alone?

I had found it impossible to move a spectator'a sig from the FACE of one card to another any other way so far. In my experiences that is

So, as far as "set-up", there is NONE outside of that with any other effect with a gimmick.

I am the one of the two in the united states! But still waiting for it to arrive, once it is in hands I will share a review from across the border! LOL

"Might I ask what similar effects you are accomplishing with Slight of Hand alone?

I had found it impossible to move a spectator'a sig from the FACE of one card to another any other way so far. In my experiences that is "


Jay Sankey has an impromptu routine where one card is signed on the face and one card on the back. These cards are "squeezed" together to form 1 card that equals the sum of the other two cards and it has the signature on the front and back.

I have never seen an effect like this accomplished using sleight of hand, infact you'd have to be insanely skilled to be able get the exact same effect and as cleanly done, inhuman even.
What effect have you seen/learnt where you can accomplish what is done with Forgery using pure sleight of hand?
If you think you have any idea by watching the demo vid, then I'd say your very likely wrong.

Sickmagic

If you haven't recieved yours today... let me know... I will see if I can get one Overnighted to you, it would be great to get another review.

all the best

Phil