I know there are threads on this effect, but I could not find any that are helpful. I am really close to buying this for Halloween, but am not that handy when it comes to building things. If anyone has this, is it easy to make? Is it a good effect? I am planning a "seance" this Halloween and am thinking of incorporating it into the act. I like the idea of having things fall and fly off shelves by themselves. Any help would be great. Thanks!

Phil

It's extremely easy to make. You're not going to have a problem making it.
Remember, the things that will fall will be in another room... you can't do it where the objects are visible because the will see the gimmick that is doing it. The cool thing is that after they "fall" if you did it right, there will be nothing to find.
Greg

The gimmick is trivial to construct.

POLTER does require that you have access to the room in advance, but it allows you to end clean, and give you *some* control over when the spirits start throwing things.

Just my musings,
Rob

I have rarely felt as ripped off as when I purchased Polter. The method, while sort of unique, is not at all desirable for delayed use and concealing the gimmick. Clever, but not magical by any means, in my opinion.

I must respectfully disagree. I performed a group reading last weekend for friends of a friend of mine. It wasn't a seance, but the room had the right mood. I was doing a reading for a girl who wanted to know if her grandma was OK. At first I kinda laughed and told her I wasn't John Edwards. She blushed and said she didn't know anything about Tarot readings and thought that was what people did. Then she asked me if they were ever used to "talk" to people who have died. As I was talking about how most people use them for personal insight, etc. I used the old line and said something like, "talking to the dead is easy, getting them to talk back is the hard part." Everyone laughed and then about 10 seconds later a book fell off my bookshelf and the girl got so flushed she nearly fainted! She said she saw little dots in front of her and everything slowed down for a second.

The effect of something falling by itself in and of itself is nothing spectacular. But like most people say on here, "presentation, presentation, presentation." I must admit, I had 2 of them set up and only 1 book fell. But it was all I needed at luckily about the right time to give that girl a moment she will never forget. You can't put a price tag on that!

Polter with the right presentation is very, very strong. It's a wise investment.

I, too, had gotten a PM from someone I asked about "Polter" some time ago. They said that the time delay between when you set it up and when the object actually falls is very small (something along the lines of a minute or so, if I can recall correctly). This is NOT what I was looking for. Instead, I was looking for an effect where I could set it up and have the object fall twenty or thirty minutes later -- not just a minute or so later. Or I at least was looking for an effect with more control over the time delay.

Alas, this effect isn't it. So I never bought it.

Hoodrat,

I PM'd you an alternative method that will allow for very long delays.

Michael

I thought I saw some rats, running along the bookcase.. Think about what I said, and you may find your answer, in this thread...

Polter is limited, as in VERY!



Magickman

The main problem with polter is the timing. For me it's too short. People are seeing you going in a room and less than 2 minutes something is falling down... Well one day they asked me what I have done... But the idea is quite good.

Who markets it?

It is from Phanthomas. You can find it at http://www.magicfact.com

Or you can buy it, used, from me, for $8...

There is a whole section in Sheherazade called "Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain." It contains much information on doing secret stuff.

Polter is good in the right place and the right time. There is a way you can set the gimmick and delay the action more than a couple of minutes, but it will require some cleverness and thinking on your part.