Move Zero (vol. 2) Review

1 DVD, 10 tricks, 7 tricky trick bag items, a few Q&A's with John Bannon, $30 bucks and one Move Zero (vol. 2) Review. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.

Move Zero (vol. 2) Review: Effect

As is the usual with my reviews, the effect doesn't impact the final star or Stone status. However, I want to make sure you know what the effects are, so you have an idea of what you're (potentially) purchasing, so here's a brief description of what you get.

51 Fat Chances

A variation of the open prediction plot where the entire effect is done from a borrowed, shuffled deck and the magician does not have to touch the cards at all.

Leverage

Another borrowed, shuffled effect where the magician predict (again, hands off) exactly where a spectator will cut to in the deck. They are given the deck, and cut it twice, yet you still predict where they cut.

Tiny Contrary Killer

A modification, update to Kenton Knepper's Kolossal Killer. However, you only need a (very thin) vinyl card wallet (rather than 20 or so cards in your wallet) to pull this effect off.

Pedal To The Medal

Through an impossible seeming series of random choices, the spectator finds his/her own card.

Matchismo

Again with a series of seemingly impossible and random choices, the spectator finds three cards from the deck that match three cards you predicted and as a kicker, the order of the card values is also predicted.

Chronic

Proof that John Bannon is Master of Time and Space. This is a variation of the Clock Trick (it uses the Clock Trick principle), but it's used in a different manner (i.e., you don't deal out 12 cards in a circle to make a clock). When all is said and done, it's an impossible location effect (magician finds the card under seemingly impossible conditions). Additionally, you know exactly what number they are thinking of (legitimately only thinking of).

Dead Reckoning

This, at its core, is simply a "think stop" trick. You deal the cards, and the spectator thinks stop. At the place where they merely thought "stop" you stop dealing at that very moment they though it.

The card is turned over, and it is their card. Also, you truly do not know what card they are thinking of, yet you always stop right when they think of the word stop.

I know I keep using the word "impossible" but I don't know what other word to use. This is a case that both magicians and non-magi alike will have no idea how this works.

AK47

Spectator thinks of a card, you divine it.

Bannon Triumph

AKA Play it Straight Triumph. Bannon's classic Triumph routine where, rather than the selected card turning face up, the entire deck rights itself, and all of the clubs (or whatever suit the spectator picked) turn face up while the rest of the deck returns to normal.

Free Willy

A modification of the classic Free Will concept/plot that is very easy, clean and requires no thinking. Three free choices from a spectator have been predicted.

Move Zero (vol. 2) Review: Method

The project is called Move Zero. If you can turn a blind eye to a "shuffle the top card to the bottom" here and there, then everything else is self-working / move-less.

Most tricks can be done with a borrowed, shuffled, incomplete deck. A couple require a full deck but can still be borrowed and shuffled.

A couple effects require a small set up (the four aces on top of the deck, etc.) and only two effects (Triumph and Dead Reckoning) require a large set up that can't be done in front of the spectators.

These effects rely on subtlety, layered techniques, scripting and attitude. They're all easy and can be learned with minimal effort.

Lastly, John always has some sort of a little touch here, or sneaky thing there that either obscures some of the more procedural type of effects - there aren't that many to begin with - by giving the procedure reason, meaning, or by hiding it all together.

Move Zero (vol. 2) Ad Copy Integrity

The only part of the ad copy that people may call into question is this line: " . . . none of which require a single move."

While I agree with that statement, I can see why people may argue it. However, based on my experience with BBM, and the fact that the only (maybe) move is shuffle the top card to the bottom, my vote is that they are being honest in their ad copy and had no sneaky or ill intentions.

Move Zero (vol. 2) Product Quality

As is common knowledge in the U.K., I'm not allowed within 4500 miles of Owen Packard. Sometimes, if I'm not careful, when I'm in my back yard in Salt Lake City, I accidentally violate parole.

So, obviously, this DVD is a Big Blind Media production which means top notch everything: audio, video, lighting, menu navigation, etc.

Production Quality

As mentioned above, there is nothing negative to speak of here. Only positive. Multiple camera angles, proper cuts and zooms to keep you focused and on track.

Perfect audio, etc., etc.

Teaching Quality

The structure of the teaching is also excellent. It's Bannon; duh!? The basic structure is this.

Bannon performs for a person or two. Then they cut to him and another member of the team. He explains it to the member of the team and they discuss it.

They cut to a screen with all related credits for the effect.

If there was a particular concept at play for the effect (e.g., Gilbreath, etc.), they'll cut to John giving an in depth overview of the concept to the camera. This section is called the Trick Bag.

Then between many of the segments, they'll cut to John answer a question posed to him by the team (e.g., how'd you get into magic, etc.).

Everything is covered in great detail yet it's not boring or "too much." It's just right.

In the Trick Bag we have more depth on the following topics:

• The Down Under Deal


• Jay Ose False Cut


• Probability Cull


• Gilbreath Principle


• Keycards & Crimps


• Stacking the Deck


• Remote Rosetta

A lot of these sound like moves, and maybe some of them, technically, are. However they are the type of moves that are not secret, are self working, and can (most of the time) be performed by the spectator.

Move Zero (vol. 2) Review: Final Thoughts

Many of these are the kind of effects that once learned, you can just whip 'em out on the spur of the moment when needed.

They are all easy, self-working, have reliable, effective and doable methods that will work in most performing environments.

For $30 bucks, that comes out to about $3 bucks a trick, plus you get all the Trick Bag stuff on top of all that.

If you like card tricks and you like clever sneaky, easy self-workers, then you'll like this video.

Lastly, why am I not allowed within 4500 miles, you ask? Some people think I was framed. I wasn't.

Move Zero (vol. 2) Final Verdict:

5 Stars with a Stone Status of GEM!

Move Zero Volume 2 by John Bannon and Big Blind Media is a must have DVD. It is a 10 trick project that is as strong as Volume 1 and has me itching for Volume 3. Most of the tricks can be done with a borrowed and shuffled deck, but there is some setup required in a couple of the tricks.

Each of the 10 tricks are performed by Bannon to an audience of 1 or 2 people. The production value, camera angles, cinematography, editing and presentation of everything on this DVD is the highest level possible. The DVD menu is laid out in a user friendly way to make marathon watching easy. There is a ton of material here and you will love it all!

Bannon performs a trick to a lay person in one place and then in the next track, the explanation, he immediately explains it to a magician, which is set in another location. Throughout the DVD there are snippets of interviews with Bannon and “Trickbag” sections in which Bannon focuses on various moves that are relevant to the tricks on the DVD and also to your card magic in general. Just like in Volume 1, the interviews with Bannon are very interesting and reveals his philosophy about sharing his creations and how he creates.

Some of the Trickbag sections teach the Down under Deal, the Ose False Cut (which is focused on in Volume 1 as well), the amazing Gilbreath principle, the probability cull, keycards and crimps and other bits and pieces of the tricks presented. Although there is a heavy focus on the Balducci deeper cut force, which I do not love, you can easily substitute this force for one of many. It seems a bit overused in certain portions of the DVD and in others it fits perfectly.

Bannon’s inspiration draws from methods, thoughts and prior tricks from many magicians. After each explanation he has a “Credits” section which thoroughly reviews the history of the parts of each presentation.

Pedal to the Medal is one of my favorites presented on this DVD. It is a two phase trick that really blows people away. When you get this project, jump right to this trick. If you are not familiar with the probability cull, you will love the power of this Alan Ackerman creation. Then, skip to Dead Reckoning for a trick with a plot that is virtually impossible to reconstruct and guaranteed to blow you spectator’s minds… and also your own. In reaction to this trick, Bannon’s spectator said “I can’t cope with that” and you will find that your spectator’s have the same reaction. The only issue I have with this trick is that you need to have a half deck setup which is a bit cumbersome to get into and Bannon does not provide a list of the cards needed to get ready. AK47 is also a very strong impromptu trick that doesn’t always hit dead center, but with some performance skills or “tap dancing” you can really impress.

Do not wait until the end to get to Bannon Triumph (trick #9) which is a very strong and easy to perform triumph effect that requires a touch of a setup. This may be my favorite trick on the DVD because it is so simple and so powerful. Bannon revealed that this is one of the first tricks he created.

The over-the-top ad copy is accurate and the project is worthy of the praise. The promotional videos are just Bannon’s performances of the tricks so there is nothing misleading or suspect there.

Bannon and Big Blind Media has outdone themselves, again!