Price$39.95
Media TypeDVD
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedFeb 07, 2011
Function 9
Morelli, Calen
(Based on 3 reviews)
VGH(a+b) = (a) A selected card visually jumps from the deck to your hands, ending in between the spectators hands! (b) An in hands and extremely visual version of Paul Harris' grasshopper effect.
PEN IN BOTTLE = A pen visually jumps inside a full bottle of water.
TRANSPORT = You hold a cell phone and the spectator holds a cell phone. A rubber band is wrapped around the cell phone in your hand. The band visually vanishes from the phone in your hands and reappears on the phone they have been holding the entire time!
=(bonus) = A borrowed ring instantly links onto a few rubber bands worn on your wrist then it melts off just as impossibly.
TRANSPORT(impromptu) = All the great things about transport but impromptu.
SUSPENDED = You hang one band on another. Then in an instant half of the supporting band vanishes for just a moment leaving the band hanging in the air! Pure visual goodness!
LOADED(1.0) = If you perform card under box, you will love this powerful routine!
LOADED(2.0) = A card to hat with a kicker ending that will blow your audience away!
FRICTION = An insanely visual rubber band thru bill routine! Impromptu and easy to learn.
SUGAR FREE = A piece of gum visually jumps from the pack to your mouth, instantly!
TRANSIT = An ordinary rubber band is wrapped around your finger and visually jumps from finger to finger. Calen is back with two new handling on this super visual effect.
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Calen Morelli is a creative dude. He created a huge buzz around his magic on his video blog and has since gone on to create magic for Dan White, David Blaine, Dynamo and David Copperfield. He is a creative guy for sure and this DVD is worth checking out.
Each effect is new and fresh using unique gimmicks and premises. Whether you are looking for strong impromptu magic or visual magic that will look goon on camera I think you will find something you like on this DVD.
VGH(a): VGH stands for visual Grasshopper. This is an okay card routine, it doesn’t use a table and is impromptu. Calen stumbles through this one just a little. Interestingly enough it has multiple visual moments and ends in the spectators hands but it doesn’t get quite the reactions you might expect. Overall this effect is kind of Dan and Dave Buck style, meaning it is a little flourishy and in order to get the best reaction you will need to really practice.
VGH(b): This is the second phase of VGH. This is fairly visual but you get lost in all of the movement. Basically a selected card jumps back and forth between the black aces and the red aces. If you are looking for a good visual version of Paul Harris’ Grasshopper I would point you towards Eric Jones and his Twizted DVD. It is just as visual and a bit more clear than Calen’s version of the effect.
Pen in Bottle: This is one of the stand outs on the DVD for many. A pen is produced from your shoe, then a water bottle full of water, then you put the pen inside the water bottle as if by magic. This looks great and is routined well. Calen released this a while back as a single trick DVD, he re-released it on this DVD and now he teaches it for free on Youtube. If you are buying the DVD for this effect I’d just check it out on Youtube. As far as practicality Calen as routined this to make it as practical as possible. I have tried it live with small groups and it works okay, I tried it for a small children's birthday party and it went over well. It is a bit on the angly side but it is perform-able in the real world. This would also be great on camera.
Transport: In this effect you give your cell phone to a spectator, wrap a rubber band around a spectators phone and cause that band to teleport to your phone which was held by a spectator. I really like this routine. When you purchase the DVD you gain access to a gimmick less variation by Alan Rorrison. This is a very strong effect but it will use some heavy audience management which may make this a little tough to perform.
Transport Bonus: This was an effect that Calen created as part of his blog, I think he called it my precious. Basically a borrowed ring penetrates some rubber-bands on your wrist. This is very easy to do. I don’t like Calen’s handling but it is easy to clean up.
Suspended: Calen says that he was inspired to do this when he was looking at a clothes line and imagined that clothes line vanishing with the clothes still suspended in place. Basically this is what happens except with rubber bands. The top strand of a rubber band vanishes and suspends another rubber band. This is a great concept for a trick and fairly practical as well.
Loaded 1: Is a great card trick and it is completely impromptu. Basically the spectators card appears under your foot, then the deck vanishes and it appears under your foot as well. I love this and it has become one of my go to effects. If the boldness of the other effects on the DVD make you nervous then this is a great trick to warm you up. I love this.
Loaded 2: This may be my favorite trick on the whole DVD. The spectators card appears in your hat, the deck vanishes then it appears in your hat as well. During the routine Calen makes sunglasses appear on his face at one point. Personally I cut this part out and it works just fine. This probably is best performed with a fitted baseball hat, it has some angle considerations but I love to use it in casual situations when I’m wearing a hat.
Friction: This is a very cool routine with a rubber band and a dollar. The bill slowly and visually is pulled through the rubber band. It is then reconnected. This is impromptu and uses borrowed objects. I like this a lot, it could easily be routined with Marcus Eddie’s stairway or Daniel Garcia’s Jacobs Ladder.
Sugar Free: This is a fun piece of magic where a piece of chewing gum vanishes from its pack and reappears in your mouth. This uses a fairly involved gimmick but what I liked about it was how Calen gave some real world pointers for walk-around so you don’t waste the gum.
Transit: This is a fun routine that causes a rubber band to jump from finger to finger. The gimmick is fairly cheap and easy to make and I have made a few. This was released separately on Theory11 for about $15 but here you get 2 more handlings with slightly different endings. This is a lot of fun to watch in Calen’s hands. The gimmick is easily transportable if you keep it in your pocket.
So that’s it. You get a real mixed bag of magic here with developed ideas and routines. Calen isn’t the greatest performer but he is a solid magic creator. Most people will get something out of this DVD.
Each effect is new and fresh using unique gimmicks and premises. Whether you are looking for strong impromptu magic or visual magic that will look goon on camera I think you will find something you like on this DVD.
VGH(a): VGH stands for visual Grasshopper. This is an okay card routine, it doesn’t use a table and is impromptu. Calen stumbles through this one just a little. Interestingly enough it has multiple visual moments and ends in the spectators hands but it doesn’t get quite the reactions you might expect. Overall this effect is kind of Dan and Dave Buck style, meaning it is a little flourishy and in order to get the best reaction you will need to really practice.
VGH(b): This is the second phase of VGH. This is fairly visual but you get lost in all of the movement. Basically a selected card jumps back and forth between the black aces and the red aces. If you are looking for a good visual version of Paul Harris’ Grasshopper I would point you towards Eric Jones and his Twizted DVD. It is just as visual and a bit more clear than Calen’s version of the effect.
Pen in Bottle: This is one of the stand outs on the DVD for many. A pen is produced from your shoe, then a water bottle full of water, then you put the pen inside the water bottle as if by magic. This looks great and is routined well. Calen released this a while back as a single trick DVD, he re-released it on this DVD and now he teaches it for free on Youtube. If you are buying the DVD for this effect I’d just check it out on Youtube. As far as practicality Calen as routined this to make it as practical as possible. I have tried it live with small groups and it works okay, I tried it for a small children's birthday party and it went over well. It is a bit on the angly side but it is perform-able in the real world. This would also be great on camera.
Transport: In this effect you give your cell phone to a spectator, wrap a rubber band around a spectators phone and cause that band to teleport to your phone which was held by a spectator. I really like this routine. When you purchase the DVD you gain access to a gimmick less variation by Alan Rorrison. This is a very strong effect but it will use some heavy audience management which may make this a little tough to perform.
Transport Bonus: This was an effect that Calen created as part of his blog, I think he called it my precious. Basically a borrowed ring penetrates some rubber-bands on your wrist. This is very easy to do. I don’t like Calen’s handling but it is easy to clean up.
Suspended: Calen says that he was inspired to do this when he was looking at a clothes line and imagined that clothes line vanishing with the clothes still suspended in place. Basically this is what happens except with rubber bands. The top strand of a rubber band vanishes and suspends another rubber band. This is a great concept for a trick and fairly practical as well.
Loaded 1: Is a great card trick and it is completely impromptu. Basically the spectators card appears under your foot, then the deck vanishes and it appears under your foot as well. I love this and it has become one of my go to effects. If the boldness of the other effects on the DVD make you nervous then this is a great trick to warm you up. I love this.
Loaded 2: This may be my favorite trick on the whole DVD. The spectators card appears in your hat, the deck vanishes then it appears in your hat as well. During the routine Calen makes sunglasses appear on his face at one point. Personally I cut this part out and it works just fine. This probably is best performed with a fitted baseball hat, it has some angle considerations but I love to use it in casual situations when I’m wearing a hat.
Friction: This is a very cool routine with a rubber band and a dollar. The bill slowly and visually is pulled through the rubber band. It is then reconnected. This is impromptu and uses borrowed objects. I like this a lot, it could easily be routined with Marcus Eddie’s stairway or Daniel Garcia’s Jacobs Ladder.
Sugar Free: This is a fun piece of magic where a piece of chewing gum vanishes from its pack and reappears in your mouth. This uses a fairly involved gimmick but what I liked about it was how Calen gave some real world pointers for walk-around so you don’t waste the gum.
Transit: This is a fun routine that causes a rubber band to jump from finger to finger. The gimmick is fairly cheap and easy to make and I have made a few. This was released separately on Theory11 for about $15 but here you get 2 more handlings with slightly different endings. This is a lot of fun to watch in Calen’s hands. The gimmick is easily transportable if you keep it in your pocket.
So that’s it. You get a real mixed bag of magic here with developed ideas and routines. Calen isn’t the greatest performer but he is a solid magic creator. Most people will get something out of this DVD.
(Top ▲)
Calen Morelli has taken the magic world by storm. In the time since I got this DVD for review, he’s released several, brilliant, and best selling effects. He has even become the newest member of David Copperfield’s creative team.
I’ll admit, I was skeptical the first time I saw this unassuming guy in a baseball hat appear on the screen. And also, the first effect did not impress me. It was a card routine where I was not sure what the effect was supposed to be. However, after that, he visually put a pen inside a water bottle. I was floored. He then made a rubber band jump from a spectator’s cell phone to another cell phone openly resting on a spectator’s hand. He then linked a borrowed ring onto the bands on his wrist. Then he pulled a rubber band through an ordinary bill. And THEN he made a piece of gum visually jump from the package to his mouth. A PERFECT TV trick that is also usable in a real world situation. It will hurt the first few times he fools you, because he just seems like a regular teenager mumbling through some ‘street’ magic he’s created.
While I don’t think you should take any theatrical or performance tips from Morelli, you will be amazed at how he thinks, and how visually appealing his magic is.
The explanations are clear, however some of the instructions are just text on the screen, and some of the text has typos. Don’t let any of this turn you off from this DVD set. You will be able to learn all the effects, and be using them in no time.
In a realm where every other ‘street magic’ DVD is filled with unoriginal, uncreative, or unusable effects, this DVD has stood above all of them. Even full time restaurant performers or strolling workers will get a few non card effects that will slide right into their shows.
I have to take a star off for the typos in the instructions, and the less than stellar card effects, but all the other material receives my highest recommendation, and will be worth every penny you invest.
I’ll admit, I was skeptical the first time I saw this unassuming guy in a baseball hat appear on the screen. And also, the first effect did not impress me. It was a card routine where I was not sure what the effect was supposed to be. However, after that, he visually put a pen inside a water bottle. I was floored. He then made a rubber band jump from a spectator’s cell phone to another cell phone openly resting on a spectator’s hand. He then linked a borrowed ring onto the bands on his wrist. Then he pulled a rubber band through an ordinary bill. And THEN he made a piece of gum visually jump from the package to his mouth. A PERFECT TV trick that is also usable in a real world situation. It will hurt the first few times he fools you, because he just seems like a regular teenager mumbling through some ‘street’ magic he’s created.
While I don’t think you should take any theatrical or performance tips from Morelli, you will be amazed at how he thinks, and how visually appealing his magic is.
The explanations are clear, however some of the instructions are just text on the screen, and some of the text has typos. Don’t let any of this turn you off from this DVD set. You will be able to learn all the effects, and be using them in no time.
In a realm where every other ‘street magic’ DVD is filled with unoriginal, uncreative, or unusable effects, this DVD has stood above all of them. Even full time restaurant performers or strolling workers will get a few non card effects that will slide right into their shows.
I have to take a star off for the typos in the instructions, and the less than stellar card effects, but all the other material receives my highest recommendation, and will be worth every penny you invest.
(Top ▲)
This DVD says it has 9 routines but there are a couple of added bonus ideas that add to that total. I'll review each item and then the overall DVD
VGH(a+b) is a good card trick. It is visual and entertaining but is my least favorite effect on the DVD. It also is probably the most finger busting effect on the DVD.
Pen(in)Bottle. Wow! While many of the ideas are not new they are combined for an effect that leaves your audience in total amazement. This is a well structured routine that builds nicely.
TRANSport. An odd idea that is relatively easy aand unexpected. The rubberband vanish from their cellphone is OK but when they look down and see it on your cellphone which they've been holding, the shock on their face is great.
susPENDED is a quickie that is visual and shcoking. It is relatively easy and is a good member of a set of effects with rubberbands.
LOADED(1.0) a decent card and then the deck to impossible location
LOADED(2.0) A card and then the deck to impossible location with an added touch that is wonderful and raises the effect to another level.
fricTION a rubberband thru bill routine that is good. It takes great care to make the effect look truly convincing. If done well, it is a great effect that shocks the viewers.
SUGAR(free) a visual quickie. This is one I won't be doing but it it a very visual effect.
TRANsit. This was released separately. It is a good rubberband effect that is visual and totally impossible looking. The initial setup is a pain but it need only be done once.
These are with the possible exception of LOADED(2.0) definitely closeup or small group effects. Calen does an excellent job both performing the effects and explaining them. He goes over problems he has had in past performances and teaches how to avoid them.
My only quibble with the production is a very annoying visual that is repeated at the beginning of each effect and explanation. It has flashing high power lamps and inexplicable shots. I hope to see more from Calen but hopefully without the annoying self-centered repetitous and unnecessary intro video.
VGH(a+b) is a good card trick. It is visual and entertaining but is my least favorite effect on the DVD. It also is probably the most finger busting effect on the DVD.
Pen(in)Bottle. Wow! While many of the ideas are not new they are combined for an effect that leaves your audience in total amazement. This is a well structured routine that builds nicely.
TRANSport. An odd idea that is relatively easy aand unexpected. The rubberband vanish from their cellphone is OK but when they look down and see it on your cellphone which they've been holding, the shock on their face is great.
susPENDED is a quickie that is visual and shcoking. It is relatively easy and is a good member of a set of effects with rubberbands.
LOADED(1.0) a decent card and then the deck to impossible location
LOADED(2.0) A card and then the deck to impossible location with an added touch that is wonderful and raises the effect to another level.
fricTION a rubberband thru bill routine that is good. It takes great care to make the effect look truly convincing. If done well, it is a great effect that shocks the viewers.
SUGAR(free) a visual quickie. This is one I won't be doing but it it a very visual effect.
TRANsit. This was released separately. It is a good rubberband effect that is visual and totally impossible looking. The initial setup is a pain but it need only be done once.
These are with the possible exception of LOADED(2.0) definitely closeup or small group effects. Calen does an excellent job both performing the effects and explaining them. He goes over problems he has had in past performances and teaches how to avoid them.
My only quibble with the production is a very annoying visual that is repeated at the beginning of each effect and explanation. It has flashing high power lamps and inexplicable shots. I hope to see more from Calen but hopefully without the annoying self-centered repetitous and unnecessary intro video.