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Four Quarters

Magick Balay

(Based on 1 review)
TRAILER/DEMO

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Magick Balay is truly one of New York City's great magicians. A long-standing fixture of the New York magic community, Magick has been entertaining audiences for his entire life. Magick has worked as a magic demonstrator for some of Manhattan's top magic shops and is also in constant demand as a private entertainer. He has appeared in Reel Magic Magazine and on Marco Tempest's Virtual Magician.

The New York Magic Project is proud to bring you Four Quarters, Magick's take on the classic Mismade Bill effect. You borrow a dollar bill from an audience member. At the tips of your fingers, with the audience carefully studying your every move, the bill is folded into a small packet. When the bill is unfolded, it has turned inside out! The audience can examine the bill. You then re-fold the bill and return it to its original state.

There is nothing more organic or amazing than magic with borrowed money. Watch Magick as he takes his unique brand of conjuring onto the streets of Manhattan and blows people away. Then join him for an in-depth explanation session, including tips on motivation, audience connections, and more. Filmed in high definition and featuring Dolby Digital sound, the 4Q DVD will have you performing this amazing effect in no time. The DVD even includes a Mismade Dollar Bill, made from real US currency. The bill is truly miscut, with no tape or glue involved.
  • Includes Genuine Miscut Dollar Bill
  • Live, Unstaged Street Performances
  • In-Depth Teaching with Multiple Angles
  • Filmed in High Definition
  • Dolby Digital Sound
Runtime Approximately: 35 min

Reviews

Joe Diamond

Official Reviewer

Dec 02, 2010

Turning a borrowed bill inside out using a Mismade Bill and the $100 Bill Switch is an old idea, and I’m sure many of you interested in the effect already have a handling you use. The rest of you may be looking through the literature for a handling that flows well in your hands. Either way, keep reading, because Magick Balay and the New York Magic Project offer a version of the effect that has something for everyone.

When I watched the demo video, I was convinced he was doing a handling of the effect that doesn’t use a gimmick normally used in the $100 Bill Switch. To avoid exposure, we’ll call this gimmick the TT. Even though I watched the effect several times in the demo, I did not spot a TT. Well, guess what? This routine uses a TT. Magick handled this gimmick so casually to the point where it becomes truly invisible.

Now, the actual handling is NOT the $100 Bill Switch. It’s a completely different set of folds that Magick arrived at independently. He even tells a really funny story about how he created this handling. Whether you are looking for a handling, or already have one, there is much to be learned from this version. The magic happens fast, with little to no dead time, making it easy to fit into your current close up show.

Magick seems to be a casual New York guy. There is zero BS about him. The guy on the streets, and the guy in the studio is the same fast talking yet charming guy. Even though you make not dig his style, he stays true to himself, and that’s something else many magicians can learn from. The performance he gives is quick, casual, and friendly. While I’m not a fan of stopping people in the street to show them magic, he does it with a confidence and doesn’t overstay his welcome. I would have preferred more performances in a professional walk around context, but there are some, so I can’t complain too much!

He is a very casual and thorough teacher. With over the shoulder shots of bills & gimmick in hand, you will have not problem learning his version of this classic effect. He even covers much of the history regarding the Mismade Bill and the $100 Bill Switch.

This one surprised me. While I think twenty-five dollars is a little high for such a ‘quick’ effect, it’s not unreasonable. You get a Mismade Bill included, which is normally fifteen dollars all by itself. So for ten extra dollars you get a high quality DVD that offers a fresh take on this plot. That’s a pretty good deal in my book!

There is a bonus effect included, which is more of a sight gag routine using some standard ‘body magic’ moves and the TT. It’s not a killer bonus item, but it’s not a terrible one either.

If you are looking for a practical close up effect that instantly resets, and apparently only uses a borrowed object, this is one of the few “One Trick DVDs” I’d recommend.

Four Quarters = Four Stars!
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