Price$24.95
Media TypeDVD
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedAug 29, 2014
Sparks
James, JC
Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc.
(Based on 2 reviews)
The subject: The very elusive, master of sleight of hand, Mr. JC James.
The project: Sparks.
The Objective: spark your imagination and creativity with a series of impromptu miracles, using rubber bands, coins, cards and dollar bills. Real world, tried and true routines directly from the working arsenal of one of the busiest working professionals in Europe. Here's what you get:
Spin: Cause a borrowed pencil, pen, or sharpie to vanish and appear with a flourish at the fingertips using the incredible new technique. You'll be performing this one minutes after watching.
Latex Slydini: Borrowing from an old Slydini technique, A borrowed rubber band is fairly placed into a magicians hand while his wrists are held by spectators to keep everything fair. When the hand is opened, the rubber band has COMPLETELY vanished only to be replaced by another object such as a dollar bill or a pack of matches or a folded playing card. This can be done NAKED!
POG Production: 4 aces literally jump out of a tabled deck and into your hand with a single touch of an ungimmicked pack. This is a great way to get into a 4 ace routine.
Wave Change: A rhythmic metamorphosis of one playing card into another that happens at chest height. Very easy to perform and looks better live than on camera. Your audience will love it!
ACAP (As Close As Possible): 4 cards are placed face up into four different places in the deck. The cards are squared and tabled. Without any funny business, they are found all together in the center of the deck.
Fake Tilt: As the name implies, this is a version of the tilt that is just as beautiful as it is unorthodox. Includes single and multiple card variations.
CHLAK: A unique 4 for 4 type switch that has both natural timing and a unique aesthetic. Here you'll learn how to use it as a production of a four of a kind, for a collectors routine and for a phone number prediction.
Fan Change: This looks like you're using a gimmick to create a color change of a card held in a fan of cards, but it's completely impromptu.
Clean Transpo: A two card transposition done in a flash. A card held in the hand instantly trades places with the top card of the deck.
Drunken Production: This is bound to be a favorite. Its unique. it's Bold. It's offbeat. An interestingly visual one at a time production of a four of a kind, a crazy interlude then a transformation of the four of a kind into another. If you work behind a table, you would be remiss not to give this a try.
UnSleeve: A novel way to vanish and reproduce a coin using the spectators outstretched hand.
Behind the Force: A clever way to influence the selection of a playing card that will make you smile.
T2P: A very dynamic routine that is sure to get audible gasps from lay audiences. A card is freely selected and signed. The magicians says he will cause the card to travel to his pocket magically. As he waves over the card, slowly it starts to vanish, bit by bit. The magician asks the spectator to say stop. When she does, he removes his hand to show only part of the card is left. The spectator reaches into the magicians pocket and the rest of the SIGNED card is there!
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: We're Not Gonna Take by Twister Sister
Sparks Review
One DVD, over a dozen effects, ideas, moves and concepts, $25 bucks and one Sparks Review. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.
Sparks Review: Effect
Take a look at the ad copy; they lay out the effects quite nicely. However, you're really getting a bunch of utility moves. There are some effects too, but it's more like a tool box of ideas and concepts.
Sparks Review: Method
The methods range from super easy to super hard. Much of the work here will require a fair bit of practice and the development of the knack to pull it off. Whereas other effects/ideas will take a lot less effort. Every method is doable with practice. However, some of the effects are extremely angly . . . so angly, in fact, that I would say they're unusable. Below is a list of the effects and a brief commentary about their angles and other possible issues.
Spin:
Meant mainly for a small group of 3 to 4 people who are very much in front of you. Doable and legit, but sensitive angles.
Latex Slydini:
No angle issues whatsoever. Totally doable and easy to do.
POG Production:
Also no angle restrictions. This is very simple to do. It appears as thought it will be hard to do, but I got it on the first try.
Wave Change:
Pretty easy with no angle problems other than behind you.
ACAP:
Very knacky and moderately angly. They need to be on one side or the other (depending on whether you're a lefty or a righty).
Fake Tilt:
Also knacky and has the same angle sensitivity as the original Tilt/Depth Illusion.
CHLAK:
A modification of the Vernon Strip Out move that is a bit angly and fishy even when he did it. However, I've played around with the move, and it's doable . . . practice, practice, practice!
Fan Change:
Super angly. They basically have to almost be standing behind you looking over your right shoulder. It's a slightly knacky move, but I was able to do it without too much effort. However, I don't think you'd be able to do it for more than one person, and you'd have to really control their line of sight. Borderline unusable.
Clean Transpo:
Pretty simple with a little practice, and pretty much angle proof. Totally usable.
Drunken Production:
Simple and angle proof and actually a full routine.
Unsleeve:
This is mostly for one person. She will feel a coin appear on her hand. You can do it pretty well surrounded, and everyone else will see a coin magically appear, but the effect is the strongest for the one person who feels it.
Behind the Force:
This is pretty much unusable. You need to have a spectator standing nearly behind you on your left, and you can't have anyone else nearby. In the training, he suggested that this would be used in a situation where a person in front of you picks a card the normal way; then someone to your left (behind you) picks a card using this force technique. If you do this, the first guy, in front, who picked a card will see everything.
T2P:
This one is pretty decent on angles, but it has one fishy move. However, this fishy move can be overcome with better timing and practice than JC James showed on the DVD. It's totally doable with practice.
Sparks Review: Ad Copy Integrity
The ad copy is mostly accurate. The opening line about sparking creativity is a good way to describe this project. It's a series of ideas and moves (and some routines) that will, likely, get your creative juices flowing.
Some of the claims, however, need to be addressed. First, regarding Spin, the claim that you'll be doing it in minutes is not true. It's a little trick and knacky and wasn't explained clearly enough, and one of the reproductions of the pen was never taught. There are some finer points and details that should have been addressed but weren't
Next, Latex Slydini cannot be done naked unless you're willing to substitute nature's orifices for your pockets found in your clothes that you're not wearing. This relies heavily on the use of a pocket. The method is solid and doable, but naked-doable.
During the video trailer, two claims are made that are iffy. First, they claim that everything is impromptu and no gimmicks are used. One effect does use a duplicate card. I don't know if I'd consider that a gimmick, but it's certainly not impromptu. Everything else, however, can be done with a borrowed deck and/or borrowed items (coins, bills, rubber bands, etc.). Also, on the ad trailer, they claim that there are "predictions." I'm assuming that means "prediction effects." However, I don't recall any such effect, and if you look at the ad copy, you'll see all of the effects listed. None of them, as you can see, is a prediction effect. The closest thing is CHLAK which claims to be a phone number prediction. However, it's more like a revelation because it's your phone number that's being revealed (not predicted).
The last thing that I must question is the claim that everything is real world tested. I would be very surprised if that were true of the Fan Change and Behind The Force. Many of the effects taught on the DVD were shown being performed in front of live audiences. However, those two were not. They were performed for a very forced camera angle that is not a normal position that you can have a spectator stand.
Sparks Review: Product Quality
Generally speaking, the teaching is pretty solid, but there were a few exceptions. First, as already mentioned, pieces of Spin were left out. Second, during the performance segment of Wave Change there was a moment where he handles a double. However, he does a move that makes it look very much like a single card. This is never taught during the explanation. Other than some minor language barrier issues, there were no other real issues.
Sparks Review: Final Thoughts
Though a couple of the moves taught here are not usable in any real world setting that I know of, the majority of the material is relatively practical (with some knack acquisition and practice). The ad copy mistakes, for the most part felt more like mistakes than dishonest intentions. However, attention to detail in situations like this is very important. All things considered this is a solid product with a small handful of relatively not-so-minor problems.
Final Verdict:
3.5 Stars with a Stone Status of gem.
Available at your Favorite Magic Dealer. Dealer's see Murphy's Magic for details.
(Top ▲)
Sparks is an hour and fifteen minute DVD narrated and taught by French Magician, JC James. James is a very talented sleight of hand and card magician who shows off his skills with 13 impromptu tricks of varying degrees of difficulty. James indicates that the tricks took years of refinement and practice, which is obvious when you sit down to practice many of the tricks which require more than basic card handling skills. Some of the tricks are performed in front of a live audience and then explained in a sit down style explanation from James’s hotel room. Although the explanations are clear and the camera work is excellent, James does not always break down the moves the way many other instructional DVD do, especially with some of the harder moves. The production quality and presentation is excellent. Overall the DVD is good, but beginners should not choose this DVD as their first pick.
1. “Spin” is an impromptu vanish of a Sharpie pen from the magician’s hands which is a quick and easy trick.
2. The “Latex Slydini” is also an easy trick that consists of a rubber band/dollar bill transposition. In this routine the performer shows a dollar bill (which should be signed) and places it in his pocket. He then displays a rubber band in one hand as if he were going to perform Crazy Man's Handcuffs and grabs it with the other hand. When the magician opens his hand to reveal the rubber band, the dollar bill is there and the rubber band is gone. The rubber band appears in the magician's pocket. The reaction to this very easy trick is tremendous.
3. “POG Production” is a very hard technique in which the magician pushes down on a squared deck on the table and four cards pop into the air and is caught by the magician. There is no routine or suggested patter. This will require a bit of practice and may cause some frustration.
4. “Wave Change” is a quick card change technique. The magician waves a card, places it on top of the deck, picks it up again, waves it and it is a different card. Unless this trick is done smoothly, the method will easily be detected. When performed correctly, which will require some practice, it looks great. There is no routine or suggested patter.
5. “ACAP Control (As Close As Possible)” is a trick in which the four Queens are visibly placed in different places in the deck, the deck is squared and all four Queens meet in the middle of the deck. This is a great trick/technique which will require some practice. JC James says that he thinks it is hard to do, but getting this move down is worth the practice.
6. “Fake Tilt” is a move that allows the magician to throw a card into the middle of a deck and make it instantly appear on the top of the deck. James teaches this with multiple cards and a color change as well. This too will require some practice otherwise the performance will not be effective.
7. “CHLAK Production”is a trick in which a spectator chooses a face down card from a fanned deck, which is then jogged. This is repeated for a total of four times. Then the jogged cards are turned over and they are the four Aces. It is an amazing effect which is worth the practice. There are a few variations of this trick included on the DVD, including a very smooth way to get someone’s cell phone number on the caller ID on your cell phone.
8. “Fan Change” is a move in which the magician holds a four card fan and flicks one card with his finger and it changes into another card. James indicates that this trick is difficult. It is. There are angle problems as well as the ability to consistently perform this trick. There is no routine or suggested patter.
9. “Clean Transpo” is an amazing card move that appears to make the top card and the bottom card instantly switch places. The camera angles on this explanation could have been better and like many of the other moves, it requires practice. This is so astonishing that this very direct effect in of itself does not require any patter or story line.
10. “Drunken Production” is an entertaining and lengthy routine that requires more than basic card handling skills.
11. “UnSleeve” is a coin vanish that reappears in a very cool way into the spectator’s hand. You cannot perform this trick in short sleeves and James had trouble performing this trick on the DVD, dropping the coin and saying that sometimes he misses. This is not one of the harder tricks on the DVD, although James indicates that it is not simple.
12. “Behind the Force” is a force that has some angle restrictions. Because of the positioning of the audience to the magician, some spectators may be skeptical that the card that is shown is the card that they selected.
13. “T2P” is the most amazing trick on the DVD and requires some real guts and confidence to pull it off. In this trick, the spectator chooses and signs a card, which is then lost in the deck. The deck is riffled and the signed card jumps partly out of the deck (although this move needed to be repeated several times before it worked on the DVD) which is then placed faced up on top of the deck. The magician waves his finger over the card and the card is revealed to have been torn in half. The missing piece appears in the magician’s pocket. This is really mind blowing to spectators.
The price is fair and the ad copy and promotional videos are accurate. James seems like a very nice person and t the end of the DVD, he provides his email address and invites you to contact him with any questions. The final chapter on the DVD contains a written message that states “Don’t be discouraged by the difficulty of some of the techniques taught. As with everything in life, you will have to practice. Practice until the hard becomes easy and the easy becomes beautiful.” This is an inspiring DVD, which at times can be challenging.
1. “Spin” is an impromptu vanish of a Sharpie pen from the magician’s hands which is a quick and easy trick.
2. The “Latex Slydini” is also an easy trick that consists of a rubber band/dollar bill transposition. In this routine the performer shows a dollar bill (which should be signed) and places it in his pocket. He then displays a rubber band in one hand as if he were going to perform Crazy Man's Handcuffs and grabs it with the other hand. When the magician opens his hand to reveal the rubber band, the dollar bill is there and the rubber band is gone. The rubber band appears in the magician's pocket. The reaction to this very easy trick is tremendous.
3. “POG Production” is a very hard technique in which the magician pushes down on a squared deck on the table and four cards pop into the air and is caught by the magician. There is no routine or suggested patter. This will require a bit of practice and may cause some frustration.
4. “Wave Change” is a quick card change technique. The magician waves a card, places it on top of the deck, picks it up again, waves it and it is a different card. Unless this trick is done smoothly, the method will easily be detected. When performed correctly, which will require some practice, it looks great. There is no routine or suggested patter.
5. “ACAP Control (As Close As Possible)” is a trick in which the four Queens are visibly placed in different places in the deck, the deck is squared and all four Queens meet in the middle of the deck. This is a great trick/technique which will require some practice. JC James says that he thinks it is hard to do, but getting this move down is worth the practice.
6. “Fake Tilt” is a move that allows the magician to throw a card into the middle of a deck and make it instantly appear on the top of the deck. James teaches this with multiple cards and a color change as well. This too will require some practice otherwise the performance will not be effective.
7. “CHLAK Production”is a trick in which a spectator chooses a face down card from a fanned deck, which is then jogged. This is repeated for a total of four times. Then the jogged cards are turned over and they are the four Aces. It is an amazing effect which is worth the practice. There are a few variations of this trick included on the DVD, including a very smooth way to get someone’s cell phone number on the caller ID on your cell phone.
8. “Fan Change” is a move in which the magician holds a four card fan and flicks one card with his finger and it changes into another card. James indicates that this trick is difficult. It is. There are angle problems as well as the ability to consistently perform this trick. There is no routine or suggested patter.
9. “Clean Transpo” is an amazing card move that appears to make the top card and the bottom card instantly switch places. The camera angles on this explanation could have been better and like many of the other moves, it requires practice. This is so astonishing that this very direct effect in of itself does not require any patter or story line.
10. “Drunken Production” is an entertaining and lengthy routine that requires more than basic card handling skills.
11. “UnSleeve” is a coin vanish that reappears in a very cool way into the spectator’s hand. You cannot perform this trick in short sleeves and James had trouble performing this trick on the DVD, dropping the coin and saying that sometimes he misses. This is not one of the harder tricks on the DVD, although James indicates that it is not simple.
12. “Behind the Force” is a force that has some angle restrictions. Because of the positioning of the audience to the magician, some spectators may be skeptical that the card that is shown is the card that they selected.
13. “T2P” is the most amazing trick on the DVD and requires some real guts and confidence to pull it off. In this trick, the spectator chooses and signs a card, which is then lost in the deck. The deck is riffled and the signed card jumps partly out of the deck (although this move needed to be repeated several times before it worked on the DVD) which is then placed faced up on top of the deck. The magician waves his finger over the card and the card is revealed to have been torn in half. The missing piece appears in the magician’s pocket. This is really mind blowing to spectators.
The price is fair and the ad copy and promotional videos are accurate. James seems like a very nice person and t the end of the DVD, he provides his email address and invites you to contact him with any questions. The final chapter on the DVD contains a written message that states “Don’t be discouraged by the difficulty of some of the techniques taught. As with everything in life, you will have to practice. Practice until the hard becomes easy and the easy becomes beautiful.” This is an inspiring DVD, which at times can be challenging.