He did the rose production on a live show a few weeks ago, it looked nothing like the video version. There is definitely something fishy...
here is the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq89xwgbTCg

I read the first page and a half and decided to move on to a reply here..

For the bottle trick: I will not give away the method, but I will correct what many are missing.
There are stooges, and students.
Students we would not necessarily recognize on video. You may have heard their name once, or what not.

Let me just make clear what I am getting at. The two "spectators" in the bottle/phone trick did twice as much sleight of hand as Yif.
Watch the constant spinning and controlling of the "target" area.
Watch how the camera goes out of focus when it faces the bottle "head-on".
There is no switch because the two spectators never allow the gimmick to be seen.
Also, when drinking water, the water runs up only one side. No leaks.
If you knew how to hold it, then it wouldn't matter.

Very simple, but executed well enough by three people with hand skills to fool many. I'm sure.
As well, I think the production of this video, and the choreography, for what it was, was superb.
Making videos so people won't rewind the method takes a lot of practice.

I will agree the guy in Blue oversold his part. But they were not actors, but students.
I feel they did the best with the method they chose.
But it is not practical live, unless everyone is skilled enough to be in on it.

The coke can is fun, but there are about 5 ways to accomplish that available. It is just a matter of reworking some older ideas.

I enjoy his take on it all. The video was good and although I did not understand it all (language, and the reason for the original post), I enjoyed that he did not seem to come off pompous.

I hope this helps to end speculation about the bottle vids.
As we should appreciate the level of conviction he attempted. It was very pretty.

I did not see the bill vid.
Just my thoughts.
LokI

After reading more, I appreciate MoveMonkeys Torn Asunder reference, because I can relate.

I wanted for years to make a working version like that, but more visual.

But I also needed to film it. To share.

It took over 4 years to even film it.
When I thought it was ready to film I did over 50 performances.

From that, I got one that did not flash.
Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lab6blQivk&feature=plcp

(It will probably come down soon

In real life this fools everyone, but here;
there is that moment that is necessary, but feels weird.

I have done that moment much better in other videos, but they all showed something worse.

That is the problem with trying to do pure, workable close-up on camera.
It requires misdirections.

So I thought by putting myself out there, trying to go from start to finish, without cutting, or pulling away; that I would win the affection of my peers.

Kind of. They all noticed the "part".

So it is a double-edged sword.

Sure, after 4 years of changes and development, I thought I could nail this. But I haven't.
Maybe close, but no cigar.

Now could a more skilled magician? Surely.
But it would still be difficult.

Also, I wanted to note that in the switch that may have happened with their bottle, it happened after much affirmation.
By rule, that is a good way to go.
(Also relevant to the vid I posted).

I am not defending them, or promoting myself.

As I actually need to fix this video to be public with it.
But I feel as a producer of media, which I was long before a magician, needs to note all of this.

Magic on video is hard. Period.
Especially when it is the stuff we work daily.

Like MoveMonkey said, there is a lot more to magic than the methods and sleights.
And that is lost on video.

You must choose wisely.
LokI

This guy has a lot more vids but with each effect looking more and more impossible and sometimes a little ridiculous (Check out the breadloaf from dough effect) =\

Fruits Transposition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmeF5P5V-z4

Ice Cream from menu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrK345eUdqE

French loaf from dough
http://www.youtube.com/user/yifartofmagic

I think as magicians we may dislike it because we know it's definitely done by stooges/editing but from a layperson's point of view, they are entertained and it really looks magical to them and that's like how real magic should look/feel like. They may even think that it's actually doable by someone who calls himself a magician. Now when me and a few of my fellow magicians perform for layman, some of them are not easily impressed and will actually says "I don't know how that's done but that looks so easy! can you show something else?" They expect miracles...true story :-(

A lot of people have approached me and asked how Yif has done it, and can I do it? How should I response in order to still appear professional?

Just tell them two words: camera tricks...

What I don't appreciate about this kind of TV Magic is that, sometimes it takes magic too far from reality.

I would appreciate if the magicians can use the skills to honestly reflect what magic can do, instead of showing what magic can do with camera tricks.

Let's take a thought experience: a TV shows features a mentalist who can read anyone's mind. On the show, he approached 'spectaors' to read their minds and instantly revealed words, pictures, thoughts etc, without asking a single question or use any means. But all spectators are stooges. Would you think he is a great magician and he deserve the credits of the magic effects he performed?

Magician is like soilder: We only cheat according to code of conduct, just as soilder only kill with code of conduct. We can never cheat with unethical mean.

Alex Hui

This stuff clearly is taking advantage of the camera. But they do it very, very well!

They are camera tricks. News from Taiwan recently have covered this "magician" claiming that 95% of his tricks are special effects. This picture speaks for itself: http://news.xinhuanet.com/overseas/2012-......_21n.jpg
Apparently, he is "created" by a famous Taiwan TV producer, with plastic surgery and a fake background.

I have no problem with his performance though, but I would only consider him as a performer, not a magician.

I think the problem with Yif is that when you do camera tricks, it is not wise to brag about how good you are to other magicians. But Yif kept advertise himself as the Messiah of Asian magicians. Saying that Asian magic is behind, and he his here to show real European style magic. Can't blame Asian magicians for disliking him.

I don't care which kind of trick used for this film. I enjoy it (and many others). Most importants part of the trick, I guess..

This whole debate reminds of times when time laundry machines were introduced to the US market... the first adopters aka "housewives" were often called "too lazy to do the work themselves like a real women should..." but what's the bottom line? Clean shirts... Clean shirts... Who cares how they are washed??? Bottom line is we want clean shirts... whether you wash it by hand or machine nobody gives a heck in the end (except us magicians that is...)

We live in a very interesting times guys like David Blaine, Chris Angel were in huge part made by TV magic (really I didn't have a clue!! ). Anybody remembers David's first special??? DAVID WILL LEVITATE!!! - that was the hook, wasn't it??? Once you finally got to see it you realized that the shot we were seeing had NOTHING to do with real magic pure TV stuff... But we forgave, b/c rest of the stuff on TV was "real", Chris literally invented a new style of magic I will leave it at that - it worked for him...

This poor Asian chap just overdid it (in our eyes) so somebody decided to "bust him", unfortunately he did not have his character straight he tried to bill himself as 'ARTIST FROM PARIS' - really??? This Asian guy not able to carry a decent French conversation so to start presenting yourself as "Artists from Paris" it's like saying fine food made at Denny's - it just had that wrong gut feeling from the very beginning... I think his nail in the coffin was the fact that he started putting down other Asian magician - a BIG mistake... If he stayed quiet he might have been OK.

The bottom line is that magic as an art IS stuck in the past I think times are changing so quick - let's think about it for a second how many 'SQUEEKY CLEAN' magicians have had their TV specials in the last 40 years??? Last name come to my mind is Doug Henning, period. Let's even think about D. Copperfield (a true magic legend) - what made him - it was the HUGE MEGA ILLUSIONS - we know that even there "TV magic" was heavily at work - not CG but still w/o the advantage of TV can you make a Learjet disappear? It's like yeaahh me and my buddies are just walking on a tarmac (no security of any kind at the airpot of course) and who do we see? David! and he is like "Hey guys wanna help me with illusion?" and we said yes!

I don't think so... but again worked for HIM.

I thought about it a lot and realized that it is not magic anymore, it is not even about entertainment anymore - it's about "Can you catch my attention" (in any way shape or form) let's face it on Youtube you are not competing against other magicians per say who is your real competition??? 'Charlie bit my finger!', double rainbow guy and the cat that licks his balls... Sad but true... It just seems that most "real" magic (or is the performers) don't have to that much "pull" in drawing attention (yes there are exceptions), but for the most part all the illusions have been done and redone millions times... Same for most card tricks...

What is the answer? We will see, but I think "YIF ART OF MAGIC" is just "YI FART OF MAGIC" I think he is done...

Just my 2 cents...

Bond

These youtube video clips made a lot of heat recently in Taiwan and China.

Even FISM president and IBM ring of Taiwan openly against such so called 'After Effects' Magic.

The worst thing is this whole mess is back up by some development fund from Taiwan government. Once anything bring up in political level, it is not just a matter in the magic community anymore, it is now become nasty and dark...

Still the performer claimed that all his effects can be done in live show, all he can do is simple: never do a live tour will evade his oath.

The latest performance I thought upload by the person two weeks ago was a levitation of instant noodle which his special effect team not did a pretty good job and expose it right in the clip.

Just sad.

Unfortunately his CG person screwed up that's what blew this whole thing up... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjkjZU3PF9A

BTW - I don't think this guys was mentored by Bebel...

Bond

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&featur......a2OuPLok

the bread trick at the end, so funny, not CGI at all.....honest your honour

You can read the first ever interview with YIF himself in the next issue of VANISH Magazine.

It should answer quite a few of your questions

Atleast David's TV illusions were well thought out and entertaining. He actually did some pretty clever stuff. Unlike Criss Angel who seems to have little showmanship or creativity and rely heavily on video editing.

This guys magic is good. Looks like real magic to me. Don't see what the problem is, is that not what we would all like to achieve?

I have no problem with people like Dynamo, Yif or David Blaine they keep the art form fresh and alive in the eyes of the public, and that gets magicians more gigs!

What I think is pretty sad is all the magicians openly exposing his methods on these forums, that really hurts are art. Why do we need to do this? Is it because you go to an event and lay people start to compare you with the only TV magicians they know? I think we need to let go of the egos and accept that is what lay people will do, and its for us as magicians to push forward our own unique style and personality.

If I'm booked for an event and people say to me 'can you do Dynamo's phone in bottle trick?' I say 'NO. I don't do that trick that's Dynamo's trick. Every magician has their own signature tricks. Look let me show mine'. Then I just fry their brains with tricks from my repertoire.

I agree Bonesly...

I'm honestly shocked more at the recations of the people that say the phone in bottle can be done like that, the exact same way O_o ?! is it avaialable in any book or anything ? Please PM me if you are interested in helping me, thanks