Has anyone purchased Zen Magic by Iain Moran and if so could you give me a review ie difficulty level, are the effects practical for the real world, do any of the effects require gimmicks etc ?

Hi Warren,

I realise that you would probably prefer a more impartial point of view than mine, but here goes.

None of the material is particularly difficult, if you've been doing magic for a while. I would class the level as beginners to intermediate. I use the Cull in a few effects, but also give alternative handlings for those who aren't comfortable with that move. There are double turnovers, controls, an Elmsley Count, etc. While none of the effects are self-working, certainly half of them are well within the reach of those who are new to magic.

As for being practical, they are indeed. I'm a full-time professional performer and use most of these effects on a regular basis.

Of the eight card effects, four use gimmicks, but most magi will already have what you need for one of them and the others are very simple to make at home - no splitting cards or elastic, etc. Both coin effects use gimmicks. For one effect, if you've dabbled with coins before you will no doubt already own and the other one (TUC3) uses a gimmick you might not have. There is a clue in the title.

I hope this helps and please feel free to ask me anything else.

You can also buy this directly from me for £21.99. I'm in the UK too and offer free postage. Please send me a PM and I can give you the details.

Thanks for your interest in my work.

Iain.

Yes I would have liked an unbiased opinion but I think I can let the actual creator chime in ha ha obviously I'm joking thanks for your reply Iain much appreciated.

One more question out of the four ungimmicked effect's how many require a set up ?

Thanks again for your reply

Steve Faulkner has posted a thorough review in a recent "Real Magic" post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbwPllbD......oademail

Thanks for the link much appreciated I had seen that review. Unfortunately as much as I respect Steve and I most definitely do I have never seen him give a bad review, personally I refuse to believe that everything that comes out is brilliant so the only review show that I pay any attention to is the Wizard Product Review as they are the only ones who will tell you when something is bad.

That said the review did make me think I would get something from the dvd but I would still like to know out of the four routines that don't require gimmicks do they require a set up so I'm hoping Iain will be able to answer the question for me.

Hi Warren,

Let me go through those four effects for you:

Magician's Nephew: Requires a set-up, but if you already perform memorised deck magic, you will already be set-up and at the end, it's reset and ready to go again.

Thanks to Lance, John and Dave: Requires no set-up at all.

Quantum Sandwich 2.0: Requires a set up, but it is 2 cards from another deck, which can be easilly be brought in to play at any time, plus automatic reset.

Prime Importance: This requires you to carry a small packet of blank cards, which are openly brought in to play, though the deck doesn't need a set-up. Although the reset isn't instant, it can be, if you carry multiple packets of the blank cards in your wallet, as I do.

This material has been created to actually use in the real world and I'm sure you would find it very practical. I know I do!

Iain.

Hi Warren,

Totally get what you mean. My aim in starting to review products was to find the good stuff and ignore the bad. Until recently, I wasn't receiving regular products to review, so had to choose what I felt looked good and then purchase, or contact the creators. I also found that creators who were really proud of their work would happily send stuff, whilst those that knew they were rushing things out would be more reluctant. So I would again get the good stuff.

I did become a little conscious that I had been positive about pretty much everything, whilst being as honest as possible about the downsides all effects have.
Things have changed a little, as I now receive products from Murphy's magic, and you'll see that I have been a little more balanced with the more recent reviews.

Anyways. really good to hear this feedback and have a great day

Steve

Thanks for the honesty Iain it's much appreciated, as there seems to be set ups and gimmicks involved in the majority of the effects I'm not sure yet if this is for me or not but time will tell.

Steve With regards to my comment's lots of review shows tend to review products that appear to be good and many have valid reasons for doing so however I do prefer review shows that review both the good and the bad and give honest reviews regardless.
I look forward to your future reviews as your obviously very knowledgeable.

Hi Warren,

It's a very valid point and definitely something I'll do my best to balance out. I'm probably subconsciously going towards reviewing things I would use more, which isn't as helpful I know.

Thanks loads!

Steve

DVD review - Zen Magic by Iain Moran
Opening Comments:
If you've never had the pleasure of meeting Iain Moran you won't know that he is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. Whenever a UK working magician (and I mean a working magician in the truest sense) releases a DVD I am interested. Especially knowing that Iain performs to similar audiences I perform for (Northerners in the UK) I'm even more interested. Make no mistake that UK audiences can be brutal, you must be on top of your game, if not they will let you know you are rubbish in no uncertain terms. This is Iain's stomping ground and he owns it, not by being brash, but by being good, I mean very good. Charming, with the skills to match. This is top drawer working material that will become part of many working guys repertoire instantly, it just too good, don't miss out on this sensational collection of dynamite magic.

Iain's gentle charm and warm sense of fun comes over nicely on the DVD, he's a genuine guy who cares about his audience and is a top entertainer. All the credits are there, and the teaching is second to none. His knowledge on the history of magic is a well-known thing among magicians. There's no difficult moves and no chancy material here, there's no 'it might work 9 out of 10 times', it's all clear, solid and guaranteed to deliver. There's absolutely no ego or pretentiousness about him and the focus is all on the magic and getting those sparkling WOW moments.

On to the DVD in hand - Zen by Big Blind media https://bigblindmedia.com/products/zen-magic-with-iain-moran?variant=30967050633265. Also available directly from Iain, contact him on Facebook and the Magic Café etc..

I've scored this objectively on what I like and whether I will find it useful. Others may disagree and see something as being much better/worse. I just can't see anyone not liking almost all this material. This DVD reminds me of a good music album, an instant classic!!
Comments and scores:

Counting on Them: Imagine performing a trick that fools everyone, and then explaining how to do it...and then leaving them even more fooled than before! This is a jaw dropping coincidence trick that is devious and outstandingly clever.
Comments: The modus-operandi is in plain sight and nobody will suspect. This is a stand-out trick from the DVD (An excellent opening track (trick?) and deservedly the trailer for the DVD showcases this, if you like this opening number it just gets better from here). Score -10/10

Magician's Nephew: You and your spectator both choose cards, and lose them back in the deck, and then, astonishingly, find each other's cards!
Comments: This play's very well and would be marked higher but I just don't like m*m****d decks, but for someone that does this has a beautiful purity/cleanness that could be played as strong mentalism and may well be a 10/10 for a mentalist. Score - 7/10

Thanks to Lance, John and Dave: A signed card vanishes and appears back in your pocket, time and time again, before the kicker that they never see coming!
Comments: Now this is where the DVD gets really interesting for me. A nice easy card to pocket routine, that ends with a killer ending, all the pacing and beats are perfect. The misdirection is so strong all the way here, if you've ever wanted to do all the best bits of a card to pocket routine without the heavy lifting, this is the routine. Score - 9/10

Quantum Sandwich 2.0: A baffling double sandwich routine, with a signed card, then finishes with a visual and shocking kickback! Brains will fizz!
Comments: Flipping heck this is good, I mean really good. I've always liked Club Sandwich by Andrew Normansell. But always felt it was over a bit soon after two phases, (I think 3 is the magic number) Iain has put together one heck of a sandwich routine (arguably (and is IMHO) better than club sandwich) and there's no gaffs and it's not too sleight heavy. There's one move that just made me laugh because of it's sheer cheekiness. Score -10/10

TUC3: Fast and furious is the vibe for this unrelenting coin routine, with productions, transpositions and vanishes that will leave them reeling!
Comments: Tango (Marcello) owes Iain a big favor here. He's put together an eye-popping routine easily within the grasp of anybody and Marcello (Mr. Tango) already has my money. It's Iain's routine and the simplicity of this that take this to new heights. I did have Come Fly With Me by Mark Mason (Bob Swadling), beautifully made coins and great for stage or platform, but bad (for me anyway) when doing close up, the angles are bad and I always felt the routine was a bit too short as well. Iain has put together a longer routine with a TUC with a stunning ending, with a lots of element of 3 fly, and some coin to pocket thrown in. It reminds me of (perhaps) when Doc Eason did Copper Silver Brass on his bar magic DVDs, it became the go to routine for CSB, this will undoubtedly become the go to TUC routine. Top Marks! Score -10/10

Easy To Find: A super-clean sandwich style effect with a dash of mentalism to finish them off!
Comments: I prefer Quantum sandwich 2.0 to this Sandwich routine, but it does deliver a kick to the head ending, which I won't ruin for you. Possibly higher if I did't like Quantum sandwich 2.0 so much, some may just fall in love with the ending of this routine- this lower mark is your fault Iain, you only have yourself to blame! Score - 7/10

Fifty Some: A double whammy that you can build into any card box! First a chosen card appears inside, and then a prediction impossibly appears on the case - and it's examinable!
Comments: Devious and crafty makes this a perfect workable workhorse routine for the strolling professional. What I like is that you show the card has vanished (it doesn't mention this in the blurb but Is a key element!) before it goes to the box. The great thing about this is the it's a gimmick but it's a workers gimmick, you'll need to get the DVD to know what I mean ! No p*l*s required. Score - 8/10

Prime Importance: A visual shocker where a blank card visibly prints into a selection, first the back design, and then the face, and then finally the signature!! This is a keeper!
Comments: I love this, it just builds and builds to a stunning finish. This would go into my special trick's category for those top table special occasion moments where you want to stun. I don't think this could get any better. Score - 10/10

Silver Sequence: Another coin routine that will leave you spectators picking their jaws from the floor!
Comments: this is my least favorite, it feels a bit clunky. The hands come together too often and the whole things feels a bit over-worked. Worth your attention if you like 3 fly routines though.
All good albums have a bit of dud and this was the one for me. Score - 6/10

Picking Pockets: Easily the most astonishing version of the 'Interchange' plot ever conceived. Four jacks, isolated in four different pockets, slowly and cleanly change places with four signed aces, which are then removed from the pockets the jacks had been in! KILLER!
Comments: I'm a big fan of Jerry Sadowitz's 'the more things change' routine although I've never performed it due to the heavy sleights needed. Iain has made this routine easily within the grasp of anybody and this must be the go-to routine to learn the interchange plot, 20 years in the making and well worth it. I'll learn this and do it! There's a gaff and none gaff version 9/10

Ending comments:
This has to be one of the DVDs of the year and should be on every Magician worth his salt Xmas list. Find Iain on Facebook as he is selling copies and got mine out to me very quickly.
BONUS : And if that were not enough Iain throws in some bonus card moves/sleights that I bet you've never seen (but wish you had) many years ago!

Warren.. things have changed in the past several years. Companies like Murphy's Magic have a standard that is considerably higher than those of some of the independent publishers. They will not produce bad effects. I am a reviewer for Murphy's and I have had maybe two items in the past two years that I would not review favorably. I contact Murphy's about those items, along with my complaints, and they contact the developer to relay my complaints.. and the developer has the opportunity to correct the problem. I admit.. a blasting review has a certain appeal, but there is a dwindling number of items that fit the bill. There is merit to 'almost' all items.