Price$39.95
Media TypeTrick
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedJun 28, 2014
Bill Flash Reverse
Chatelain, Mickael
Gi'Mick Magic
(Based on 2 reviews)
A few years ago, we put out an incredible effect under the name BILL FLASH CARD.
Today, and for the first time on DVD, we're offering BILL FLASH REVERSE.
BILL FLASH CARD REVERSE
Your deck is on the table, still in its case. Before you begin, you take out a banknote from your wallet, for example a 10 Euros note or 10 dollars bill, to be offered as compensation if the trick fails. You visibly place the banknote on the table; then you place your wallet on top of the banknote.
NOW the trick can begin!
"Believe me, your spectators will never be this attentive. They've got nothing to lose - quite the contrary, in fact!"
Take the cards out of the case, show both sides - it's an absolutely ordinary deck.
The spectator choses a card; for example, the King of Hearts.
You invite the spectator to fold the card into fourths himself. You take back the card, still folded in fourths and ask the two following questions:
1. Do you remember the banknote under the wallet?
Of course, the spectators answer, "Yes, it's a 10 Euros note."
2. Do you remember your card?
Once again, the spectators answer, "Yes, it's the King of Hearts."
Show the card one more time as you unfold it and show it freely front and back, then show your completely empty hands, which the spectators will acknowledge with no hesitation.
Slowly refold the card, first in two then again in fourths.
The hiding nothing and in full light, right before the spectators' eyes, you shake the folded card and then, faster than the blink of an eye, the card is transformed into a banknote, also folded in fourths!
Unfold and freely show the banknote - it's completely genuine, and not just any banknote, it's a 10 Euro note!
How is this possible. You have nothing else in your hands - they're completely empty!
A completely baffling transformation! Where did the card go?
Invite your spectator to pick up your wallet.
I'll let you imagine his reaction.
The banknote is no longer under the wallet - it has been replaced by a card folded in fourths!
Unfold it and show it around. Just as impossibly as unbelievably, it's the King of Hearts, the very card chosen at the beginning of the trick!
Among the most mysterious transformations possible - a perfect close-up effect!
This summer, change your bicycle card into a banknote !
Let's take a look at a few important details:
- The above text is 100% accurate, you will be able to do the effect exactly as described.
- At the beginning of the trick, you clearly place a bill under your wallet, though you could do it under the hand of a spectator with the same result.
- Both the transformation and the transposition are automatic! Difficult to believe, but TRUE!
- No palming, no switches, no fake thumb.
What you get:
The trick is delivered complete. You'll get the REVERSE gimmick for the transformation of the card into a real banknote.
You'll also get a copy of the famous BILL FLASH CARD trick.
By combining these two effects, you'll be able to do BILL FLASH CARD REVERSE.
The trick comes with a DVD of detailed directions in French and English
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: Mr. Roboto by Styx
Mickael Chatelain: Bill Flash Reverse Review
One DVD, two gimmicks, a two hour long arts and crafts project and $40 bucks. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.
Effect
You get two basic effects that can be combined into various routines. One effect is that of a dollar bill changing into a playing card. The other is a playing card changing into a dollar bill. Check the video trailer for the effects. But don't let it sway you too much. There are some issues.
Method
The method relies on two different gimmicks. One is called the Bill-Flash gimmick and the other is the Reverse gimmick. One changes the card to a bill. The other changes the bill to a card.
You're provided with some of the stuff that you need to make the gimmicks. You'll need to supply your own glue stick and dollar bills. If you decide to make these two gimmicks, you will sacrifice 3 $1 dollar bills (or whatever denomination you use). Two of the bills are permanently sacrificed, and one could be reused later if you decide to destroy the gimmick.
Making the gimmicks was a huge pain in the butt, and when finished, the gimmick was nowhere as clean looking as the one in the video. Playing cards and money are too thick, and this causes some issues when the gimmick is fully assembled. The one that changes from a bill to a card had too much secret stuff exposed. No matter how much adjusting and tweaking I did, I could not get it to look good and function well enough that I would trust it in performance. This gimmick has some heavy angle problems and awkward handling.
The one that changes to a dollar was a little more workable, but it was still a huge pain in the butt to make. All in all, these gimmicks are not good. In fact, the card to bill gimmick is already starting to come apart a little bit. The part that is coming apart is the part that came pre-assembled, not the part that I had to add on.
Ad Copy Integrity
There are some issues with the ad copy as well.
Written Copy
In the description of the effect called Bill Flash Card Reverse this claim is made: "Take the cards out of the case, show both sides - it's an absolutely ordinary deck." You cannot show the deck around, and it is NOT ordinary. Sure the deck is ordinary, but it has a big fat bulky gimmick in it, a gimmick that has to be hidden by holding the deck in a sort of deep dealer's grip. If you tried to show the deck on both sides, you'd have some issues.
A few paragraphs later, this claim is made: "The[n] hiding nothing and in full light, right before the spectators' eyes, you shake the folded card and then, faster than the blink of an eye, the card is transformed into a banknote, also folded in fourths!" It's mostly true, except for the part about "hiding nothing." That's not true; you're hiding the gimmick.
Next claim: "Unfold and freely show the banknote - it's completely genuine, and not just any banknote, it's a 10 Euro note!" The bank note may be so-called genuine, but it's connected to a gimmick that is not removable, thus making the bank not, not quite legitimate.
Toward the end of the ad copy is the claim that "The above text is 100% accurate." Obviously that's not true. Next up is the claim that this can be done with any currency. Yes; that's true, however, you have to pick a currency and always do it with that currency. In other words, you can't do it with a $5 bill at this table, and a $10 bill at that table. Your gimmick is permanently one specific bill of your choosing.
Video Trailer
The ad trailer is actually accurate in the sense that all the effects can be done as shown assuming you can get your gimmick built properly without any angle problems and extra exposed bulk. I could not make that happen. I think if you used thin playing cards, this might be possible.
Product Quality
The film footage was terrible. The lighting was horrible. Much of the time, the playing cards were completely white-washed. I couldn't tell if I was looking at the front or back of the card. Mickael Chatelain's face was washed out quite frequently. The footage did not take up the full screen and was a bit grainy.
The teaching of how to handle the gimmicks was actually pretty good (other than the lighting quality). However, the explanation for creating the gimmicks was terribly done. It was done with quick — way too quick — images and text on the screen.
In order to make it, you have to pause it at each image. However, by the time the image was on the screen I would reach for the pause button, but the next image was already starting to superimpose itself over the one I was trying to look at. Finally with some pause button ninjutsu, I was able to pause it at the right time and look at the images and make the gimmicks.
However, there are way too many finer points that needed to be discussed that were not covered due to the poor teaching method. Further, the entire DVD was all out of order. The first thing shown is a trailer. Then you're shown a graphic about how to fold a dollar bill. There is no context to this folding. Next you're shown the graphic images for how to make the gimmick that has nothing to do with a folded dollar bill. At this point, I'm still not sure what the folded bill is for.
Next is a performance/walk-through/explanation of the gimmick that you have not yet been shown how to make. Then is a performance/explanation of how to use the gimmick that you made a moment ago. After that you are then shown the graphic images for making the other gimmick that you've already been taught how to use, even though you hadn't made it yet.
Watching this thing was exhausting. One final problem is that on the DVD itself, there is a video performance where the bill is placed under his wallet. Then he tells the spectator to pick up the wallet to reveal that it has changed to a playing card. He then tells her to pick up the card and unfold it. You CANNOT do that. She would be picking up a very heavily gaffed card that will not withstand spectator handling. If there is a way to do this, it was not taught it on the DVD.
Final Thoughts
The gimmicks themselves do function, and I really thing that with some thinner playing cards, you might have something workable, but I've already wasted enough time on this. Plus the DVD is based on using normal cards. Add that to the fact that the DVD was terrible quality, the gimmicks are messy and expose too much, and there are very misleading statement in the ad copy, and it's hard to give this a good rating.
Final Verdict:
2 Stars with a Stone Status of rubble.
(Top ▲)
This is a great close-up and super visual playing card-to-bill change effect by French magician Michael Chatelain.
This trick comes with a French-English DVD, two gimmicks for use with Bicycle playing cards and a color copy of Euro bill, which need not be used if you prefer to use another bill, i.e. an American dollar bill. Any paper currency can be used so long as it is bigger than a folded playing card. One of the gimmicks is needed to build the Bill-Flash Reverse effect and the other gimmick is needed to create the predecessor trick, the Bill Flash. Yes, that’s right, two for the price on one. But, be forewarned the gimmicks are not completed and the Bill Flash Reverse will require arts and crafts construction, which may take some time (and quite a bit of frustration) to finish. This is not an out-of-the-box worker.
Unfortunately, the DVD is narrated by Chatelain himself whose English is not great and he labors to explain the trick. Because his English is weak, the demonstrations and explanations are annoying. And, the instructions related to the construction of the gimmick lack any verbal instructions. The DVD starts off with a few demonstrations of the routine, performed by Chatelain, which is overdubbed with spa-like music, which does not really fit. The video quality, lighting and visibility of the demonstrations is not the best, but you get the idea. On the second track, Chatelain performs the trick without any music. In the demonstration, Chatelain takes a dollar bill out of his wallet and places it on a chair, under his wallet. Then, he asks the spectator to pick a card by calling “stop” when he is riffles through a face-down deck. The chosen card is removed and then folded in a half and then in half again so that when it is opened there are visible creases and four sections. Chatelain places the card on top of the deck, immediately turns it over on top of the deck and places the deck in his back pocket. The magician then displays the bill, front and back, and folds it along the creases and with a shake, it amazingly transforms into a dollar bill, which is displayed on both sides by the magician. The magician then lifts up his wallet to reveal that the dollar bill that was placed under the wallet has turned into a playing card, which is mercury folded. When the card is opened, it is revealed to be the spectator’s chosen card.
The next two chapters of the DVD consist of graphic step-by-step instructions, which are confusing and not well thought through. This is particularly true because the instructions on how to fold the bill use a picture of an American dollar bill and the instructions that relate to the card gimmick construction use pictures of a Euro bill. There are some explanatory, folding and alignment directions that are necessary, but are unfortunately missing, which leaves you to figure it yourself. Because the instruction chapter does not have a click to advance” feature and it is instead a continuous playing file, I had to frequently reverse and play, which made the construction process even more difficult. The graphics are not great and there is no demonstration of actual real-time gimmick construction, which is big negative. And there is no audio file to explain what is being done, so you just need to follow the graphic visuals. You will eventually figure it out, but not without a bit of aggravation and hair pulling.
Once you struggle through the arts and crafts portion, Chatelain, with his poor English, struggles through the routine explanation. He shows the trick from both the spectator and performer’s point of view, which is easy to follow and easy to perform, despite the language issues.
Constructing the original Bill Flash Gimmick is rather simple and has none of the problems described above with the Bill Flash Reverse, which is more complex. The playing card Gimmick will tear after repeated use because the trick requires folding and unfolding of the card several times – and because this trick is good enough that you will want to perform it repeatedly. The DVD has instruction on how to repair the gimmick and a bonus section that explains how to use flash paper with this trick.
It is impossible to end clean with this trick and neither the bill nor the playing card can be handed out at the end of the trick, so be prepared to immediately go into something else. Also, the trick cannot be repeated with the same audience because the chosen card will not be different. The reset takes only a second. The promotional videos are accurate and the ad copy is mostly accurate, but for one line which claims you can “unfold and freely show the banknote”, which is not 100% accurate. In actuality, only the magician can unfold the bill and show both sides freely. The bill cannot leave the magician’s hands.
Notwithstanding the criticism about the DVD and the construction difficulties, this is a fun, easy and impressive trick that will be thoroughly enjoyed by the performer and audience, once you get past the construction phase.
This trick comes with a French-English DVD, two gimmicks for use with Bicycle playing cards and a color copy of Euro bill, which need not be used if you prefer to use another bill, i.e. an American dollar bill. Any paper currency can be used so long as it is bigger than a folded playing card. One of the gimmicks is needed to build the Bill-Flash Reverse effect and the other gimmick is needed to create the predecessor trick, the Bill Flash. Yes, that’s right, two for the price on one. But, be forewarned the gimmicks are not completed and the Bill Flash Reverse will require arts and crafts construction, which may take some time (and quite a bit of frustration) to finish. This is not an out-of-the-box worker.
Unfortunately, the DVD is narrated by Chatelain himself whose English is not great and he labors to explain the trick. Because his English is weak, the demonstrations and explanations are annoying. And, the instructions related to the construction of the gimmick lack any verbal instructions. The DVD starts off with a few demonstrations of the routine, performed by Chatelain, which is overdubbed with spa-like music, which does not really fit. The video quality, lighting and visibility of the demonstrations is not the best, but you get the idea. On the second track, Chatelain performs the trick without any music. In the demonstration, Chatelain takes a dollar bill out of his wallet and places it on a chair, under his wallet. Then, he asks the spectator to pick a card by calling “stop” when he is riffles through a face-down deck. The chosen card is removed and then folded in a half and then in half again so that when it is opened there are visible creases and four sections. Chatelain places the card on top of the deck, immediately turns it over on top of the deck and places the deck in his back pocket. The magician then displays the bill, front and back, and folds it along the creases and with a shake, it amazingly transforms into a dollar bill, which is displayed on both sides by the magician. The magician then lifts up his wallet to reveal that the dollar bill that was placed under the wallet has turned into a playing card, which is mercury folded. When the card is opened, it is revealed to be the spectator’s chosen card.
The next two chapters of the DVD consist of graphic step-by-step instructions, which are confusing and not well thought through. This is particularly true because the instructions on how to fold the bill use a picture of an American dollar bill and the instructions that relate to the card gimmick construction use pictures of a Euro bill. There are some explanatory, folding and alignment directions that are necessary, but are unfortunately missing, which leaves you to figure it yourself. Because the instruction chapter does not have a click to advance” feature and it is instead a continuous playing file, I had to frequently reverse and play, which made the construction process even more difficult. The graphics are not great and there is no demonstration of actual real-time gimmick construction, which is big negative. And there is no audio file to explain what is being done, so you just need to follow the graphic visuals. You will eventually figure it out, but not without a bit of aggravation and hair pulling.
Once you struggle through the arts and crafts portion, Chatelain, with his poor English, struggles through the routine explanation. He shows the trick from both the spectator and performer’s point of view, which is easy to follow and easy to perform, despite the language issues.
Constructing the original Bill Flash Gimmick is rather simple and has none of the problems described above with the Bill Flash Reverse, which is more complex. The playing card Gimmick will tear after repeated use because the trick requires folding and unfolding of the card several times – and because this trick is good enough that you will want to perform it repeatedly. The DVD has instruction on how to repair the gimmick and a bonus section that explains how to use flash paper with this trick.
It is impossible to end clean with this trick and neither the bill nor the playing card can be handed out at the end of the trick, so be prepared to immediately go into something else. Also, the trick cannot be repeated with the same audience because the chosen card will not be different. The reset takes only a second. The promotional videos are accurate and the ad copy is mostly accurate, but for one line which claims you can “unfold and freely show the banknote”, which is not 100% accurate. In actuality, only the magician can unfold the bill and show both sides freely. The bill cannot leave the magician’s hands.
Notwithstanding the criticism about the DVD and the construction difficulties, this is a fun, easy and impressive trick that will be thoroughly enjoyed by the performer and audience, once you get past the construction phase.