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Camouflage

Sankey, Jay

Sankey Magic

(Based on 2 reviews)
Camouflage features a diabolical, secret gimmick that allows you to perform impossible penetrations, revelations, fusions, and even a levitation.

The secret gimmick also works with ANY brand of playing cards in the world.

Some of the tricks taught are:

APERTURE - A pencil is slowly pushed through the pack. A moment later, the deck is completely undamaged and can be handed out to be examined. NO DECK SWITCH IS INVOLVED.

51GONE - The pack of cards visually disappears from inside the card case, leaving only the selected card. And yes, the card case can be examined! A perfect closing effect.

COLLAPSIBLE - Two halves of a deck of cards visually FUSE together into one solid pack. The pack can be immediately handed out for examination. A perfect opening effect.

Comes complete with the very special gimmick + a full-length instructional DVD!

Reviews

Doc Johnson

Official Reviewer

Mar 05, 2015

PROS

The three effects taught are pretty decent.

The gimmick is not bad, but it is not new either.

CONS

The gimmick was not new to me. Also, I didn't find the gimmick to be that great. I have been using a home-made similar gimmick that looks much better because it is made from the real thing.

The instruction was seriously lacking. Sankey generally goes into great detail explaining how to perform his effects with many routines and alternative handlings. Not so much in this DVD. I think he could have fleshed out some good routines based on the three effects.

I just don't think he put as much thought into this release as he has with others.

VERDICT

Not his best work.
(Top ▲)

Stuart Philip

Official Reviewer

Mar 04, 2015

Camouflage is a clever gimmick that enables the performer to create and perform many different illusions. This trick comes with a short DVD (21 minutes) and the gimmick in unfinished form, enough to make several different gimmicks and still have some raw gimmick material left over.

The DVD only has two tracks; Preview and Explanation. The Preview track is the promotional video and it accurately shows the tricks you will be able to perform with the gimmick. The arts-and-crafts time needed to create each gimmick ranges from one to three minutes and it is very easy to build.

The ad copy is accurate, except that it claims that it comes with a “full length instructional DVD!” Well, I am not sure what “full length” means, but this DVD isn't it. I was a bit surprised at how quickly Sankey rushed through the discussion of his ideas. I felt the speedy way in which Jay ran through the effects on the DVD was uncharacteristic of Jay’s prior teaching. I always enjoy watching his instruction so I was a bit let down by this DVD, which did not provide for the full routines and the detailed explanations that I was expecting. However, I was able to figure everything out and any questions I had I was able to figure out myself. The production quality was very good and the DVD was easy to watch, hear and understand.

The first effect Sankey explains is Collapsible. It immediately reminded me of Paul Harris’s Screwed Deck (which is a great trick). And, Sankey in fact credited Paul Harris with the inspiration for this effect. Basically you show a card box split in half (hinged on one side by the uncut paper) and show that the cards inside are cut in half. One, two, three and the cards fuse together. Although the card box cannot be inspected, the cards can be instantly used to perform any trick. This effect is explained by Sankey and he instructs you how to make the gimmick, but does not show you the process. The instruction is clear enough to enable you to construct this gimmick. This gimmick is the most complicated one to be made, which does not mean it is difficult. In fact, this one will take about three minutes to build. A bit of scissor and tape action and you are on your way. The reset is almost instant. This is a very easy trick to perform.

51GONE is the next explained trick. It too is very easy to perform. Here, the performer shows a full deck in the tuck box and pulls out one card (the spectator’s selected card) and the rest of the deck is shown to have disappeared when the box is inspected. Although the one card can’t be inspected, the box can be handed out. Jay does not perform a full routine, but gives you enough to make up your own. This is a simple revelation of a chosen card. The gimmick is simple and easy to make. The trick is easy to perform and the resent is almost instant. Although Sankey briefly discussed other ideas using this gimmick, he does not demonstrate them. He suggests using the card box as a production box for non-card related items such as rope or sponge balls. It is easy to conceptualize and will be easy to execute, despite the lack of performance and demonstration.

Sankey then suggests a levitating deck effect, but breezes through that idea so quickly, without any real explanation and no demonstration. This was the biggest disappointed of the DVD.

Aperture is the final effect on the DVD. It is explained and demonstrated, but the angles on the camera were off so his demonstration was not great. In Aperture, the performer takes a pencil and pushes it through an entire deck of cards (from top to bottom) and seconds later is able to show that the cards don’t have a single mark or trace of a hole on them. There are some angle issues with this trick and I would have liked to see a live demonstration or even a full studio routine with the classic Sankey patter that I love.

With this gimmick material, there are many possibilities for the creative mind. In fact, I own another widely marketed trick, by another creator, using the same gimmick, for many years. However, that gimmick is significantly more complicated than Camouflage and the effect is completely different than anything explained above.

Although I would have liked to see more detailed handling instructions from Sankey and was saddened that the DVD was rushed and did not come with detailed instructions and performances, it is still an excellent gimmick that allows you to create many effects.
(Top ▲)