Price$30.00
Media TypeUtility Props
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedFeb 22, 2013
The Wallet Transformer
Francis, Cameron
Big Blind Media
(Based on 2 reviews)
The Wallet Transformer allows you to show a single playing card tucked inside your wallet. In the cleanest manner imaginable you pull the card out to show that it is the SIGNED card belonging to your spectator that everyone believed was lost in the deck.
NO ELASTIC THREAD. NO RUBBER BANDS.
Cameron Francis has created an incredible solution to the 'gaffed wallet' syndrome - you know that crazy need to buy heavily gaffed wallets so that you can perform 'signed card to wallet'. With The Wallet Transformer you can make ANY wallet into a performing beast. You can move the gimmick from wallet to wallet. You can be prepped and ready to perform one of the strongest effects in magic at any time.
- The gimmick can be fitted into ANY wallet (with at least a single credit card slot).
- The gimmick can be moved between different wallets in seconds.
- Makes performing 'Signed Card To Wallet' incredibly easy!
- Fits in hip wallets, checkbook style wallets and dress wallets
- Package comes with two gimmicks, so you have a spare (or can prepare TWO wallets!)
No Elastic thread, No rubber bands
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: Wasted Years by Iron Maiden
Cameron Francis: Wallet Transformer Review
One DVD, the stuff to make a gimmick and $30 bucks. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.
Effect
Signed card to wallet: a classic for sure. In this version, you can use your wallet. You won't need any special wallet. After the card is selected and signed, you can open your wallet to show a card in your wallet. You (appear to) remove it from the wallet and it's the signed card.
Method
The method relies on a simple gimmick that you construct with the materials provided. It takes 5 minutes to build. You put this gimmick in your wallet. It allows you to show a card in your wallet and then apparently remove it from the wallet.
The gimmick is super easy to make, and though I've not tested it in every wallet (obviously), it's the kind of thing that I can see will work in just about any kind of wallet. Once I made the gimmick and placed it in my wallet, it worked the way it was supposed to. However, it took me a fair bit of fiddling and experimenting to get the exact knack for making everything come together. Once you've taken the time to practice and get the knack, you'll find that the illusion looks like it does in the ad trailer.
Ad Copy Integrity
The written ad copy is accurate, but I need to clarify a couple of points. It mentions that it works in hip pocket wallets, dress wallets and checkbook style wallets. This is true. However, the traditional billfold (hip/dress wallets) uses one type of gimmick, and the checkbook style uses a different style. In other words, when you create the gimmick, you have to make one or the other, and they are not interchangeable.
You are given the stuff to make two gimmicks, so you could make one of each type of gimmick. However, doing that causes a different problem. Part of the gimmick that you make includes what looks like a credit card. You have to cut this credit card a certain way to make it fit the wallet — the standard wallet requires it to be cut one way, and the checkbook requires it to be cut a different way.
If you create both types of gimmicks, you'll have to cut both of the included credit card looking things. The reason this could be a potential problem is because there is a bonus routine taught on the DVD that requires the use of the credit card looking thing. The catch is that it has to be a whole uncut credit card looking thing, so if you've created two gimmicks, you can't do the bonus effect. I think that a lot of y'all will want to do that bonus effect, so you may not have the option to create both style gimmicks.
Also, there is one other piece of stuff included for making your gimmicks. If you make two gimmicks, you won't have enough of that stuff. It's not hard stuff to find . . . a trip to your local craft store will get you what you need if you decide to make a second gimmick. If you only make one, then you're good to go. There's enough included with the DVD for one.
Product Quality
It's no secret that there's a restraining order preventing me from being on the same continent as Owen Packard. Even though I tried to explain to the authorities that I was looking in his window with binoculars because I was trying to see what time the clock on his wall was showing, they didn't buy it. Plus it was hard to explain why I was in that tree with a video camera.
So I stalked Owen . . . it's not like you haven't thought about it. I was just trying to get near the beard. Anyway . . . I said all that to say, "I'm a fan of Big Blind Media." Their products are always top quality productions, and this is no exception. It's well produced, well lit, well mic'd, easy to navigate, etc.
The teaching is clear and simple. The only warning I have is that if you were using a checkbook style wallet and followed along with the gimmick construction, you would have built the gimmick the wrong way. It wasn't until a fair bit later in the DVD that you are shown that checkbook style wallets require you to build the gimmick in a different way. Some clarity that the construction was for standard billfolds and that the checkbook style construction section would be coming up in another segment would have been very appropriate here.
A section with some finer points and/or tips would have been helpful as well. I had several cases where the gimmick didn't quite work the way it should. It turned out that I was doing it wrong, but I had to figure that out on my own by trial and error. Also, the switched in (signed) card often would stick to my wallet and not make its appearance when it was supposed to. Again, this was me not doing it right, but it would have been nice to have some pointers/tips on how to more correctly do these things.
In fairness to Cameron, he may have never had these problems, so it may have never occurred to him that the problems exist in the first place. Also, as I mentioned earlier, just a few minutes of trial and error will get you there.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is a solid product. It does exactly what it says it does. The only real question is whether or not you think the illusion of removing the card from the wallet looks good. If you think it looks good and you are looking for a card to wallet effect that doesn't require a special wallet, then you'll be very happy with this.
If, however, you think the illusion is not good and/or you don't like the effect and/or don't plan on performing card to wallet, then why are you reading this review?
Final Verdict:
4.5 Stars with a Stone Status of Gem.
(Top ▲)
This is quite a nice product for what it is. It is not the ultimate solution for the Card to Wallet plot, but it is a workable one.
The ad copy is 100% accurate - it does everything that it says. It says that you get two quality gimmicks printed on Bicycle stock for preparing up to two wallets if you like. If you would prefer to only use one wallet, there is a nice little money monte routine that Cameron teaches as a bonus that uses one of the gimmicks. You are getting two of the same gimmick, so if you prepare two wallets you cannot do the monte effect and if you prepare one wallet, you can.
I mention that because if you use what is normally called a "pocket secretary" type of wallet (think the JOL Plus Wallets), which Cameron calls the 'Checkbook style' wallet, you have to make a gimmick to fit that style of wallet. You cannot use a gimmick made for a bi-fold (hip style) wallet with these types because the credit card slots are orientated differently.
The way this works is quite clever, but one drawback to this method is that you cannot slowly withdraw the card from the credit card slot, nor can you allow an audience volunteer to do it. The action require for removing the card from the wallet can be done at a casual pace - it does not have to be lighting-fast - but it cannot be done slowly.
It is my opinion that while the gimmicks are very good quality and nicely printed, they would not suit my taste if I were to use this product. If you find that you do not like it either, once you know how this works you can actually make your own with a real/genuine version of what the gimmick is, or some other similar card.
The total gimmick is very easy to make and only takes a couple of minutes.
The DVD is not terribly long but it does not have to be. The production quality is the usual for Big Blind Media - fantastic lighting, sound and quality, but sometimes the heavy metal music that plays between the segments blasted my ears out, but that does not happen during the performance and teaching sections.
As always Cameron does an excellent job of teaching and leaves nothing to be desired. He shows you how to make the gimmick for both types of wallets, how to install them, how to fix any issues you might have, how to do the basic routine and then the bonus effect.
The effect is easy to do and it looks great, but like I said before the only drawback when compared to some other C.T.W. methods is that you cannot take the card out slowly. You can let them stare at it while it is being shown to have arrived in your wallet - nothing to be seen there.
If you watch the trailer, you see exactly what the effect looks like. If you like what you see, you will probably like this method. Personally I would recommend you use your own credit cards for a more 'genuine' look, but other than that, this is a solid method.
Recommended!
The ad copy is 100% accurate - it does everything that it says. It says that you get two quality gimmicks printed on Bicycle stock for preparing up to two wallets if you like. If you would prefer to only use one wallet, there is a nice little money monte routine that Cameron teaches as a bonus that uses one of the gimmicks. You are getting two of the same gimmick, so if you prepare two wallets you cannot do the monte effect and if you prepare one wallet, you can.
I mention that because if you use what is normally called a "pocket secretary" type of wallet (think the JOL Plus Wallets), which Cameron calls the 'Checkbook style' wallet, you have to make a gimmick to fit that style of wallet. You cannot use a gimmick made for a bi-fold (hip style) wallet with these types because the credit card slots are orientated differently.
The way this works is quite clever, but one drawback to this method is that you cannot slowly withdraw the card from the credit card slot, nor can you allow an audience volunteer to do it. The action require for removing the card from the wallet can be done at a casual pace - it does not have to be lighting-fast - but it cannot be done slowly.
It is my opinion that while the gimmicks are very good quality and nicely printed, they would not suit my taste if I were to use this product. If you find that you do not like it either, once you know how this works you can actually make your own with a real/genuine version of what the gimmick is, or some other similar card.
The total gimmick is very easy to make and only takes a couple of minutes.
The DVD is not terribly long but it does not have to be. The production quality is the usual for Big Blind Media - fantastic lighting, sound and quality, but sometimes the heavy metal music that plays between the segments blasted my ears out, but that does not happen during the performance and teaching sections.
As always Cameron does an excellent job of teaching and leaves nothing to be desired. He shows you how to make the gimmick for both types of wallets, how to install them, how to fix any issues you might have, how to do the basic routine and then the bonus effect.
The effect is easy to do and it looks great, but like I said before the only drawback when compared to some other C.T.W. methods is that you cannot take the card out slowly. You can let them stare at it while it is being shown to have arrived in your wallet - nothing to be seen there.
If you watch the trailer, you see exactly what the effect looks like. If you like what you see, you will probably like this method. Personally I would recommend you use your own credit cards for a more 'genuine' look, but other than that, this is a solid method.
Recommended!