Price$39.95
Media TypeDVD
CategoryComedy, Close Up
Date AddedSep 25, 2011
Squeak Technique
McBride, Jeff
McBride Magic & Mystery School
(Based on 3 reviews)
Feel the Power of The Squeak!
Make your sleight-of-hand more effective by adding a "Mc-Sqeaker." Jeff teaches you how to use this great gimmick to add laughs to your show.
Filled with ideas, bits of business and sure-fire gags for creating your own comedy magic routines.
Includes BRAVO! A Squeaky Clean Ball and Bowl Routine.
The world's leading teacher of stage magic shares the inner secrets of a street magic classic! The inner workings now revealed!
Step back in time to the street magic of Renaissance Italy and witness a recreation of a timeless classic of magic. Learn now this time-tested routine can be adapted for today's audiences.
- This is a "do any time, any where" effect that will leave your audiences speechless!
- Includes the secret gimmicks that will enhance the routines and can be used in many other effects.
- use your own or a borrowed bowl and sponges, or even rolled-up bank notes.
- Learn the history of this classic effect and how it can be updated for modern audiences.
Package includes two Mc-Squeakers.
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Quick Stuff
The DVD is extremely well shot. Easy navigation. Excellent lighting, sound (though the live performance was a little hard to hear and sometimes distorted) and camera work. The beginning of the DVD sort of had a documentary feel to it for parts of it. The music really added to this feeling. It was oddly comforting.
The Meat
The DVD is broken down into two parts. Part one covers Jeff's Bowl and Ball(s) routine. Part two covers various ideas for the two supplied squeakers. In part one, you will learn everything in extreme detail from which balls to use, what type of wand, where to store the loads, types of cups and/or bowls, how to enhance the magic with the squeaker and so much more.
This section is broken down into several sub sections and is very well presented in a clear manner that truly covers every angle of how to create your own routine. Of course, we are treated to Jeff's routine which hilarious, well scripted, well choreographed, and very magical.
Part 2 is where the squeak stuff comes in. This is the part that I thought was going to be lame. But man was I surprised. This is actually my favorite part of the DVD. I grew up in the 80's. What that means is that I (as with every teenager in that decade) tried my hand at break dancing, "popping", "roboting", etc. I've seen some serious moves (not by me) over the years, and I'm telling you that I've never seen a "robot" better than Jeff McBride's. It was unbelievable. I finished watching it around 4:00 AM. Then I went to bed. But before I did, I woke up my wife just to tell her how awesome Jeff's Robot was.
His pantomime skills are second to none. Add to that the various squeaking effects, and you will be witness to some of the most incredible illusions. I was truly blown away by his talent in this area. I could almost recommend this DVD at the asking price just so that you can see his Robot moves.
Are there any negatives? Yes, but not enough to stop my high recommendation. The main negative was that I wish there was more time spent teaching the actual techniques to get the sounds. With a title like Squeak Technique, you might be expecting much more than you get. Don't get me wrong; Jeff made that squeaker do things I had no idea it could do. Some time was spent on this, but I think a bit more time on the subject would have been helpful, especially considering the title.
There's plenty of information and technique, however, a) to get you started squeaking, b) to get you thinking of ways to enhance the illusions and effects that you perform and c) to get you creating and thinking about how to improve your magic overall . . . and finally, if you've ever considered putting together a cup (or bowl) and ball(s) routine, this is an excellent springboard for that. It's also a great place for people who already have a cups and balls act. It will open your mind.
One final (and extremely valuable) lesson that I took away from this is the power of character and/or a mask. Jeff pulls off a Renaissance era French man character that I would never have believed was him if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes. It's not the type of character that I thought Jeff McBride's character could ever play, but again I was - gladly - proven wrong. This opened my eyes and got me thinking heavily about my own material. That alone is worth the price.
Final Verdict: 4.5 stars with a Stone Status of Absolute GEM!
(Top ▲)
Squeak Technique has great teaching, great production value, and great material. What makes it great, however, is not really the squeaker material. Don't get me wrong, the squeaker material is fun. The DVD includes two squeakers and I've been annoying my wife and our cat with them for the last several weeks. But what makes it really great is Bravo!, an original bowl and ball routine that is thoroughly and expertly taught by Jeff. Even if you don't do, or even want to do, a bowl and ball routine, there is still plenty to learn. To give you a better idea here are the chapter titles:
As you can see, there's a lot of breadth and depth in the Bravo! section and a nice selection of squeaker bits in Part 2 as well.
If you're the kind of person that skims your DVDs take a moment to bow your head in shame then be sure not to skip over the Johnny Thompson Variation or the Bonus Routine. The Johnny Thompson Variation is an idea that provides nice cover for the final load and the Bonus Routine is an interesting bill to lemon effect involving some byplay with the crumpled up bill and a bowl. And hey, don't skip the resources chapter either. It has great pointers for further research.
Jeff is an excellent teacher, and kudos to Jordan Wright for the high production value, but I do have one small issue with this offering. The title and packaging might lead you to believe that this is all about the squeaker gags, which are great fun. However, both in quality and quantity this DVD stars the Bravo! routine, which deserves the spotlight.
Finally, the big question: should you buy it? If you have an interest in cups and ball then I think Jeff's ball and bowl routine are a must-have. If you want some fun squeaker gags, even though it's not the star of the DVD, I don't think you'll find collection like this taught on DVD anywhere else.
Five and a quarter stars for the material, teaching, and production value, but minus a quarter star for packaging that highlights the lesser portion of the content.
Part 1 (Bravo!)
- Opening
- The Evolution
- The Routine in Performance
- Types of Bowls
- Types of Balls
- Final Loads
- Types of Wands
- Load Holders
- Squeakers
- The Framework
- The Practice Loop
- The 10 Count Sequence
- Using the Squeaker
- Audience Participants
- The Repeat Ball Sequence
- Final Load Sequence
- Johnny Thompson Variation
- Bonus Routine
- Resources [thumbs up for this]
- Performance @ Wonderground
Part 2 (The Squeaker)
- Beginning
- Sound Effects
- The Wall
- The Robot
- The Car
- The Rooster
- Laugh and Cry
- Chapeaugraphy
- The Balloon Gag
- The Fly
- Final Thoughts
- Credits
As you can see, there's a lot of breadth and depth in the Bravo! section and a nice selection of squeaker bits in Part 2 as well.
If you're the kind of person that skims your DVDs take a moment to bow your head in shame then be sure not to skip over the Johnny Thompson Variation or the Bonus Routine. The Johnny Thompson Variation is an idea that provides nice cover for the final load and the Bonus Routine is an interesting bill to lemon effect involving some byplay with the crumpled up bill and a bowl. And hey, don't skip the resources chapter either. It has great pointers for further research.
Jeff is an excellent teacher, and kudos to Jordan Wright for the high production value, but I do have one small issue with this offering. The title and packaging might lead you to believe that this is all about the squeaker gags, which are great fun. However, both in quality and quantity this DVD stars the Bravo! routine, which deserves the spotlight.
Finally, the big question: should you buy it? If you have an interest in cups and ball then I think Jeff's ball and bowl routine are a must-have. If you want some fun squeaker gags, even though it's not the star of the DVD, I don't think you'll find collection like this taught on DVD anywhere else.
Five and a quarter stars for the material, teaching, and production value, but minus a quarter star for packaging that highlights the lesser portion of the content.
(Top ▲)
Excellent video. Jeff McBride teaches you not only the slights involved in his Bravo routine, but also gives plenty of background on the effect as well. clear concise teaching shot impeccably by Jordan Wright at the Magic and Mystery School. included are two mc squeakers that Jeff gives you plenty of information and teaching for. not only the history of it but practical applications for it outside the "Bravo' routine. in fact it has its own section on the dvd. quality effects, quality teaching, and quality production values. Highest marks for Squeak Technique!!