Totally overrated. What you are actually getting here is a collectors piece of magic memorabillia. The CTG routine lasts for a minute... You get the said bonuses, but at the end of the day, if you are looking for magic to learn, your pennies are better spent else where. The routine is very impressive, don't get me wrong, but I was left with the feeling of 'where's the rest?'

As for the forum on ellusionist, I have to say that it is full of butt kissing, At the end of the day, this helps no one!! I am very glad I bought this DVD as a collectable, but I would not bother to buy it again to look for real 'practical' matierial to advance me in the realm of magic.

1381
Wow
How did you ever come up with the idea that CTG was a magic DVD?
You are correct, it's not " Magic ". CTG is De'vo's solution to one of the requirements for the Ulmen Trials. Now I must say that some of the things on the DVD are kind of magical in a way. Magic no Skill yes.
I am sure that you have at least tried the Heaven Display, Flipback Vanish?
I hope you enjoy the DVD for nothing else but for the skill involved.
Skulldini

I just loved the CTG routine! It's incredible and ingenious! The bonuses are also incredible! Real world stuff that I use everday. The Heaven Display was worth the DVD alone, the CTG routine was worth 2 times as much. Kudos to De'vo for the BEST DVD I OWN!
Cardjinx

It's the ultimate flourish dvd period!

I can't believe how much gushing over this DVD has been done. I bought it based on the teaser. Knowing that I would probably never use the stuff I bought it anyway.
I was wrong about that since some of the stuff has tickled my fancy.

However, I can give this thing mixed reviews at best and here's why:

First, there are three flourishes with variations on this DVD. Four if you count the smooth opener from Cradle To Grave. The CTG flourish is really cool and the flipback fan and vanish is really cool and the birdy fan with heaven display variation is cool but one gets more for less from other videos.

Second, a lot of the stuff came out really dark on the DVD. Not completely unwatchable but in some cases really dark. Particularly the segment on the Ulmen Trials.

Third, De'vo went way overboard when it comes to editing software. Did he get a copy of After Effects and try one of everything? I know this is a personal choice and I shouldn't be too surprised since he loves flourishes so much I would expect he would be enamored of all types of visual stimulation.

Fourth, and this is a big one for me on magic videos. There's no nice performance sequence. He has his demo section but it's so over produced with effects that the power of the flourishes becomes diminished. On a personal note, I think that every DVD should have a separate performance section so you can see how it's supposed to look and show it to your friends and get their thoughts before learning.

On his Demo section that allows you to see CTG the camera is always, in my opinion too close. His hands freqently go out of frame and I missed the box flip at first because it flew out of frame. Also, what's the deal with demoing everything in a small frame? I don't want to see 5 copies of his hands doing the same thing when I watch the demo. I would lilke to see him do it in full frame on my TV screen. Instead, all we've got is a little box in the center of the screen.

With all that said, the stuff on the video is very cool very flicky flourishes. If that's your cup of tea and all you care about is learning how it's done then this is great. The teaching is adequate to learn the moves and the moves themselves are novel and cool.

I just think that the production style and quality detract from the performance section of the flourishes.

Dang, that's what I loved about the DVD! All the effects and changes that keeps everything interesting! I hate other boring videos that just drag on and on. One thing you won't do in this video is fall asleep.lol The angles were close, and again that is what I loved about it. If you have a small screen like me, you don't have to squint to see what's going on. There is one part where the thumb touches the lense.lol Also the performances weren't all too close. The CTG was broken down in 3 screens, but as far as my copy shows me, that was the only one. I think he was trying to be artistic and do something different. Bout time too. Tired of seeing the same ol' stuff. This style isn't for everyone, but it is for me!

Cardjinx

I hear the next puzzle is on it's way! A free second edition to the winner, signed, and a signed card. Also another free bonus video(the 7th one) I hear is coming as well. Can't wait

Ive headr that the price is too high. Personlaly I think 50 bux for a dvd that only teaches a few thing is outrageous. sure it is some of the best material out there but if I was gonna spend that much money I would spend 20 bux more and get "The Bible" it seams a lot more logical to me. I havnt seen the video so I'm not sayin anythign bad I'm just sayin I wouldnt spen that much money on something with that little material.

I agree. It is overpriced.

The CTG routine is a great routine. De'vo became popular inventing it.

All the material isn't "Magic", it's just a way of showing that you have "talent" and "skill". No one cares, they'll say "Oh he's good with cards."

If you do magic tricks, "How did you do that? OMG!!!" then they'll think like you're David Blaine.

P.S. If you want to become popular like De'vo just invent your own CTG routine. all you have to do is follow all the rules:

Less than 25 seconds.
Box used in routine.
Deck in same order,
etc.

Over-priced? lol, How much would you pay to learn just one of De'vo's special moves from him himself? $50.00 is chump change, and to think he spent 7 months making this teaching his underground stuff which was originally for flourishers only, then thought magicians could appreciate his art. Guess he was wrong. Guess that means he needs to raise up the prices like he was talking about in the beginning. That way only the artists would buy, and not those magicians that couldn't appreciate what he was giving. That's what he did with his superhandz CDs, 2 moves for $25.00

It all depends on what is worth it to you personally. I've spent hundreds on magic junk over the years! None of it worth a dime! But to be just one of a few that has De'vo's personal flourishes that not everyone else is doing to me is priceless. Not very many moves?? There are over 15 including the bonuses and the bonuses are still coming. 6 moves already just in bonuses. The Heaven Display is worth it to me alone, as is the complete CTG routine. Also what about the personal instruction on his forums where he will answer your questions on your techniques and even critque your videos/pictures and help you improve. Like your own trainer. How much is that worth? What about being on his personal mailing list to get underground material that he won't be selling commercially or on the list to get the next DVDs at a cheaper price. Not to mention the countless tips and bonus routines and ideas on his private forums. Also the chances to win free prizes like 2nd edition signed DVDs, the Encyclopedia, and other cool stuff like tactical cards and signed aces. He just dropped the 3rd puzzle. No winner yet. Also there is instruction by "The Flourishman" as well and video made exclusively for those that bought CTG. People look at the trailer or move list and think "that's it?" - lol, not with De'vo's stuff. There is ALWAYS more and more, just open your eyes and see all that he is giving! $50.00? It should be priced at over $150.00, especially because of the amount of hours everyday he spends on the forums answering questions and personally helping people with the CTG material.

On a different note, his limited book(Dreams and Nightmares) is being released to his supporting fans in the near future. Not everyone, just artists. Hot from the shadower forums.

$50 USD is DEFINTELY worth what you get. You get much more than the DVD with that. phantomace pretty much covered it all. Having the help and the extra info right there is awesome.

And here's the other thing. On this DVD, you get ORIGINAL MOVES. NOWHERE has this material been tought before. A lot of all this magic stuff is material you can get anywhere. This is the ONE source for this stuff. Not another move that requires a double lift, a pass, stacks of decks being placed, signatures to mark the card, tape, pulls, thumbtips, etc.

Aside from the fact that it uses cards, this is ALL new. Flipback? Flipback fan? Were do you see this stuff? Heaven Display... and the CTG (I LOVE the closer... it's just SO different and awesome). And finally a UNIQUE change to the "sybil".

Your right, if you want magic, your pennies are better spent elsewhere. But if you want truly original hot material, CTG.

As for the effects in his DVD, have you ever filmed an entire DVD, made ALL the music, and done ALL the editing? Do you realize how long this takes?? Hell even editing a 41 second video of mine (which didn't have too much editing) took long enough. Try over an hour of material. Rendering alone takes SO long to do. Titles are also a REAL hassle to do. If you crank the music up, and let yourself get pulled in by the DVD, it all goes very nice. It was also his first huge project like this. You gotta give the man credit.

As for the rules you were talking about:
"Less than 25 seconds.
Box used in routine.
Deck in same order,
etc."

Did you see the rules? Did you watch the DVD? There's a ton more to it than that. I'd like to see you pull CTG in 25 seconds.


And as for "If you do magic tricks, 'How did you do that? OMG!!!' then they'll think like you're David Blaine," that supports CTG. CTG is ORIGINAL.

DBZ, you can't flourish for shiicago, thinkin' you nice but you not...try makin your own CTG, I'd like to see that, cuz even in the DVD it self, ALL the requirements aren't stated, so try, although what you be doin is ending up with crap, DBZ wannabe flourisher and magician.

This DVD is not overpriced for what you get. Try getting a DVD like which has 100% pure usefull and original effects. You wont find much. Most DVD have half average and half junk material . I mean, try to find one thing on this DVD that istn usefull...there isn't. Also, people who see this don't just think, 'Oh , hes good with cards'. Try showing this routine to someone. They will be stunned during the whole routine and specially at the end. You have a very unexperienced opinion of things. This DVD is one of the best around whether you like it or not.

Ok this is the third time you have posted this. There is no point to it.

I have a simple question : why does all the people that liked it are deadly trying to convince to people who didn't like it that this DVD is the best ever ?

Just accept that not everybody likes the same thing and certainly not everybody want to use flourishes and they aren't essential...they are useful for the people that uses them and that's all. If found it WAY too much over-priced for what I I found in this DVD but the poeple that WILL use them find it almost a steal so I think that could resume the situation.

As for that "battle" between flourishes and magic...fourishes will win over magic tricks for sure...but in my opinion flourishes couldn't beet magic. Hope you can see the difference between magic and magic tricks. Flourishes could be useful for people who do magic tricks as people who do magic tricks usually just want to show off.

I'd like people to really emphasize on the part "this is my opinion" okay ? hope you understand what it means...what I'm saying aren't facts, but only what I think...so don't say that what I think is wrong as you simply can't say that.

It doesn't take much to impress you guys. The original poster knew how good it was after viewing it and in 3 hours knew this was the BOMB.

Boy, he is a fast studient of magic. Most people have to actually try the material. He only has to watch a DVD and he knows it is great.

Of course, I'm a flourisher, I know what works and what doesn't when it comes to performing flourishes.

Everyone is different and will have their oppinions. I've expressed mine, others did too. As well as McBride, Daryl, Peter Duffie, TG Murphy, Jerry Cestkowski (all giving it rave reviews). That's what this place is for. Some will like it, some will not.

I love this one from truthteller on another thread in this forum:

I have CTG and I am by no means a flourisher. I have however spent over 25 years of my life learning magic from books and videos. I am a confirmed bookman and believe that the vast majority of DVD/videos offer nothing that a WELL WRITTEN book couldn't.

I will say, however, that though skeptical of the "no words" concept, that CTG is one of the best visual teaching tools I have ever seen. (I might add that I have a master's degree in education and have spent a bit of time studying learning techniques and teaching strategies). I think De'vo had an amazing grasp of what material needed to be conveyed and how best to convey it. Plus, we are not forced to sit through segments on the DVD where DVD technology is not required (such as interview sections where the written word would be so much more practical). In short, CTG was an amazingly produced product and hopefully others in our field will study it and perhaps video education will start taking advantage of its media. -Truthteller

CTG is not a magic DVD? " Loosers "
some of the things on the DVD are magical in a way.
Heaven Display, Flipback Vanish,S. opener ectra ......

-I have it,
-and I love it
-and yes I do it also

so if you think when laymen call you "Ohh Yu are like David Blaine " this is good for you ja ja ja

hell no ......

Skill SuperHandZ
official Ninja

http://pub158.ezboard.com/fsuperhandzfrm......25.topic

Superhandz project manager posted this that mabe explains some of people's questions about the amount of material and other things etc. There is much more to CTG than was on the actual DVD, the rest you get after the purchase. De'vo did this because of the rippers and downloaders that try to illegally get his material. Now the rippers will only get part of the complete package and at a much worse quality. This may give you some insight.

Skulldini, in response,

I did not mean that it was a magic dvd, I meant that if I was to buy anoother magic dvd, it would not be this. I thought I had made it clear that I thought it was very skilled, but obviously that was not so. My point was that because de'vo has this aura of underground cult status, everything that he does will be pure gold. I did not find that in this dvd. I found it tedious and was not worth the price for what I thought it would be. I am not however saying it is bad for many people. I have always refered my opinions in the first person, making it a personal review of what I found the product to be, and with all the (what I found to be) overrated reviews, I thought it would be valuable to have an opposite oppinion. I was not trying to cause an arguement about it, just what I found the product to be! As I said, I am ery happy to have bought it, but sort of for the wrong reasons, and I will probably buy other stuff of his because of the collectable nature. At the end of the day my motives are pure, as he only produces them to make some money!!