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MadisonH Inner circle 1752 Posts |
It is with great joy that I get to tell you guys about this awesome new release by Matt Mello.
Matt is one of the good guys in the business. His work is always practical, simple, and effective, and he is so humble and genuine. His work is perhaps some of the most underrated material, IMO. I have used several of his routines in my professional shows for many years now. All of that said, I think this may be the most theatrical and memorable piece of his to date. It’s called “Black Leather” and it’s going to be hard for me to discuss because the presentation is one of the freshest things about this. So essentially, it’s a big performance piece which spans a length of time before the show, during intermission, and immediately following intermission. It’s highly immersive and interactive where the entire audience can take part if they wish. It’s very Derren Brown-esque with the way it plays out. The audience will feel as if they are witnessing something special when they see this and it has a very unique feeling which will resonate differently than any other effect in your show. I can’t say much more, but I have a feeling this is the piece people would go home and talk about. This isn’t a piece which can be done close up and it isn’t a piece that can be done at house parties or table hopping. It’s really designed for professional use in a theatrical show with an intermission. If you don’t have an intermission, you could actually do the intermission part of the effect as part of the show (if you are a corporate worker, this is a great option for you.) Just play a song, have them do what they need to do, and carry on. But I do think it does work better in an intermission setting. The pdf is very well laid out and easy to read (as are all of Matt’s releases) and the method is bold and effective. It is genuinely one of the easiest things you can do. In fact, I would even go so far to say it’s a totally self-working show stopper. I predict everyone who purchases this will shake their heads and laugh as they read the method because of the genius of it. There’s no memory work, complicated setup, electronics, anagrams, stooging, assistants, or gimmicks. I know it’s a lot of money to spend on something you don’t even know what the effect is, but it will be worth the leap of faith. If you are familiar with Matt’s other releases, you know his thinking. This is virtually the pinnacle of “Matt Mello Thinking.” Simple, but very theatrical and very effective. All of your efforts can be focused on presentation as the method takes care of itself. Get yours for a discounted preorder price here: https://www.theoutermind.com/store/p3/Bl......llo.html Madison |
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clairvoyant Loyal user 272 Posts |
What type of performing character would this piece be appropriate for?
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MadisonH Inner circle 1752 Posts |
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On Dec 11, 2018, clairvoyant wrote: Just about all types. It could be presented very seriously. It could also be presented very comedically. There’s potential for both. No matter which route you go, it will be entertaining because of the characteristics of the routine. Does that help any? Madison |
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Pixelated Veteran user 331 Posts |
Hi, does the 'before the show' part you refer to relate to preparation work that you need to do alone or pre show work with participants?
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Blindside785 Inner circle Olympia, WA 4541 Posts |
Some info I received from Matt when I asked about this product and my performance setting.
Hey Nicholas, thanks for your interest in Black Leather. The length of the experience would depend on what you intend to add/take away from the routine. On average, I would say the pre-intermission spiel would run anywhere from 30 sec - 1 min. The intermission can be any length you want, 5-15 min. The resolution of the effect, after the intermission, runs roughly 5 min. It's not a close-up effect, but if the 15 people have come to the event in groups of 2 or 3, I would say you could perform it. Based on the theme of the effect, it doesn't really work for groups that know each other. Realistically though, I would prefer to have 30 or more people. |
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MadisonH Inner circle 1752 Posts |
Quote:
On Dec 11, 2018, Pixelated wrote: That just refers to the timespan of the EFFECT not the method. There’s no preshow used for method. Madison |
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matthewmello Special user 786 Posts |
Thanks for posting about Black Leather, Maddy! And for fielding these initial questions.
If you're looking to include a powerful, unique and artistic experience to your mentalism show, Black Leather will be a welcome addition to your act. As I mention in the ad copy, this isn't another add-a-number, star sign guess, etc. If you want to stand out from the typical magician, this routine will certainly help in that respect. |
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Sudo Nimh Inner circle 1879 Posts |
I echo Madison's sentiments about Matt's character. It's refreshing to talk with another innovator who is simply doing what he does for the love of it. We expressed an interest in each other's work and shared effects. I wasn't aware of the existence of "Black Leather" but Matt sent it along as an additional gift because he thought I'd enjoy it. There was no collusion or him asking for me to review it or anything of that nature - he simply thought I'd appreciate it.
And I did. Honestly, I had a good chuckle while reading it because it's exactly the sort of plucky thing I'd expect to see from Derren Brown and the effect is all out of proportion to the simple method being used. This would work well with any type of performing character because it can be played very seriously or comedic, or somewhere in the middle. There's certainly lots of room for humour. To be clear though, this absolutely requires you to have a show with an intermission. Not because you do anything special during the intermission, but because audience members will. Basically, you set up the audience before the intermission with a dilemma (which supposedly happened before the show began) which you then resolve after the intermission's over. The intermission serves as an opportunity for the culprit to "do the right thing". I could easily envision the audience members all watching each other carefully during the intermission to try and figure out which among them is the culprit. But just to clarify, you don't actually do anything whatsoever before the show begins and there's absolutely no pre-show or anything of that nature involved. I understand why Matt doesn't want to describe the effect in detail because the effect is actually the thing here. I wish I could say more about it because, again, it's exactly the sort of devilish thing that Derren Brown might do. It is both bold and clever and really allows the performer to focus on the presentation instead of mechanics. Experienced performers will easily see avenues for other things they may wish to add to this to personalize it and it's pretty flexible in that regard. I can't see anyone who has a show that fits the requirements for this effect being disappointed with "Black Leather" at all. It's a "pack small, play big" effect and really helps to create some suspense during the intermission while also being refreshingly different from the standard gamut of effects commonly used in these types of shows. Great job Matt! |
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Tempesta Elite user USA 404 Posts |
I paid for this, but knowing Matt--I was able to peek at a basic draft of Black Leather.
It is fantastic. This "method/effect," I say that because they are sort of the same thing--which is why the description is so vague, involves a wallet and a piece of theatre. That's really as much as you can say without divulging something of value. If you are interested in theatrical plots suited for stage performances--I would highly recommend this. At the very least, it's wildly creative. The creativity in Black Leather is similar to Deepest, Darkest by Dee Christopher. If you liked Dee's thinking in methodology, you will absolutely love Black Leather. The idea behind this boils down to making an investment of zero dollars, and then getting a return that you reinvest, and yields a bigger return. It's Matt Mello Clever. ||sean ||
//Sean Beard
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lucavolpe Inner circle Italy - London 3349 Posts |
Very curious about this, but knowing Matt I am sure is great!
Luca Volpe
"The Italian Mentalist" https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/lucavolpe http://www.lucavolpe.com |
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MagicBrent Inner circle 2574 Posts |
I just wish I did large enough venues to merit the purchase. I’ve never been disappointed by a Matt Mello release.
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Nathan Pain Inner circle iowa 2825 Posts |
I see this is a pre-order. Does anyone know when this becomes an order or perhaps even a post-order?
Nathan
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matthewmello Special user 786 Posts |
Wow...I'm amazed by all of the feedback so far! I'm really glad everyone is enjoying Black Leather.
Nathan, I have a pretty polished draft right now, but I just want to proofread it a bit more, and make sure there isn't anything I wish to elaborate on further. I'm expecting it will be ready by Friday or Saturday, at which point the introductory price will end. In an effort to protect this work, I will be marking and altering each individual copy of Black Leather. I will be sending them out one at a time, rather than it being automated through the site. Please include your current email address, or contact me separately if you decide to purchase, so I know where to send it! Here is the link for anyone who's interested: https://www.theoutermind.com/store/p3/Bl......llo.html |
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Last Laugh Inner circle Grass Valley, California 3498 Posts |
Hmm, I do stage shows sometimes, but I've never had an intermission. Curious about stage performers that have intermissions and how long their shows are?
My Mentalism Podcast:
The Mystery Arts Podcast Check out my products! Direct from me (PW: cassidy) On Penguin Magic |
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Tempesta Elite user USA 404 Posts |
This would not be a standard intermission—there would be something very interesting and interactive going on on stage that the audience can choose to participate in. So it’s pretty special in that regard.
//Sean Beard
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matthewmello Special user 786 Posts |
Last Laugh,
As Madison mentioned, you could technically just play a song while audience members do what they need to do. I just like that people will never have experienced an intermission like they will with Black Leather, so I think it's worth fitting it into the show. Matt |
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matthewmello Special user 786 Posts |
Hey guys,
I'll be sending out all orders a bit later tonight, but as I initially wasn't sure if I'd have it ready by today or tomorrow, I'll be extending the sale through Saturday. After that, Black Leather will go up to the regular price until the remaining units have sold. Happy holidays! Matt |
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jruiz0216 Regular user 172 Posts |
Maybe someone can answer this for me. I says that an "intermission" is need or would work best with an intermission. would it be possible to do this within the context of say an xmas party? The "intermission" would be more of a break in the routine. Given that there isn't much to go by it does sound like it would be great around an xmas party as it states it needs a wallet, few boxes (presents perhaps), and index cards. if someone that has had a chance to use this. please let me know if it would be possible.
Thank you, j.Ruiz |
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MadisonH Inner circle 1752 Posts |
Quote:
On Dec 14, 2018, jruiz0216 wrote: I would say from a technical standpoint, yes it would work in this context, BUT the theme of this trick would be very interesting in the context of a Christmas party lol. In one way, I think plays negatively with a Christmas party, but in other ways, I can see it being perfectly interwoven into a spirit of Christmas performance. But honestly, it probably wouldn’t be in the way you’d expect. For instance, although the boxes COULD be presents, the boxes really just serve as a collection device, so it wouldn’t necessarily add anything to the routine by decorating it like a present. I know that was kind of all over the place, but I hope it helps. Madison |
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TimonK Veteran user Amsterdam 375 Posts |
Hey all,
bought this a couple days ago and received it today. Black Leather is brilliant. Intriguing plot, excellent dramatic conflict, completely original - unlike any performance piece I have read before. Beautiful in its simplicity. Any stage performer will be able to instantly recognise the potential of this routine, as well as to appreciate the genius behind it. Congratulations Matt! And thanks for sharing it. All the best, Timon
"But overcome space, and all we have left is Here. Overcome time, and all we have left is Now. And in the middle of Here and Now, don't you think that we might see each other once or twice?"
- Richard Bach, 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull' www.timonkrause.com |
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