Price$29.95
Media TypeDVD
CategoryGeneral, Close Up
Date AddedFeb 19, 2015
Changeling
Marc Lavelle
Titanas
(Based on 2 reviews)
There are dozens of ways the change can occur, from a highly visual morph in the performers hands, to a very discrete switch in the SPECTATORS own hand!
There are three fully worked and highly responsive routines performed and taught in detail on this DVD, but there are many, MANY other routine possibilities - some of which are suggested in the discussion section.
Effects taught:
Bill Monte: A modern demonstration of an old bet, where two notes change places in an instant, whilst the spectator has their hand on one of them!
Note-Possible: A signed, borrowed note changes in the spectators hand for a lesser value note (or coupon etc) as a kicker, their signed note appears in your (card to) wallet!
Two Bill Transpo: This will truly mess with your spectators heads! A borrowed note is isolated in a glass between their hands. Then, in an instant, it visibly switches with a note placed on the palm of the magicians hand!
All routines taught can be performed in so many different ways, with loads and loads of handling options, to suit every style of performer!
Reviews
(Top ▲)
PROS
This is an excellent bill change effect. The DVD has several excellent routines. The methods are very good. The instruction is very good.
The gimmick construction is not too difficult. The gimmick is very good.
CONS
You can’t hand out the bill for examination. In the DVD, he says that in past handlings, he did have participants handle the bill and they would not detect the gimmick, but he recommends you don't let them handle the gimmick.
VERDICT
Excellent gimmick, excellent methods, and excellent routines.
This is an excellent bill change effect. The DVD has several excellent routines. The methods are very good. The instruction is very good.
The gimmick construction is not too difficult. The gimmick is very good.
CONS
You can’t hand out the bill for examination. In the DVD, he says that in past handlings, he did have participants handle the bill and they would not detect the gimmick, but he recommends you don't let them handle the gimmick.
VERDICT
Excellent gimmick, excellent methods, and excellent routines.
(Top ▲)
Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: Yours to Hold by Skillet
Marc Lavelle & Martyn Rowland: The Changeling Review
One DVD, enough "stuff" to make four gimmicks, over 90 minutes and $30 bucks. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.
Effect
Visually (or not) change one bill into another bill.
Method
The method relies on a very simple gimmick that you'll have to construct. It'll take about 20 or so minutes to build, but it's a one time thing (until the gimmick wears out over time). The gimmick is very deceptive and looks great when complete. It works extremely well, and there are a huge variety of ways you can effect the change. In order to make the gimmick, you'll need to sacrifice three bills/notes.
If you're changing, for example, a $1 to a $5, you'll need to sacrifice a $1 and two $5 bills. So you're total investment is $11 bucks. Also, in the above example, one of the $5's and the $1 are permanently gone. You'll not be able to get them back. The other $5 can be spent if you get in a pinch. Of course, make sure you disassemble the gimmick first. Personally, I built my gimmick onto $1,000,000 dollar bills. I had to sacrifice two of them and a single $1 bill. That way, I'm only out a buck.
However, it depends on the routines you're going to perform. If you're going to borrow a bill and do an effect with their money, then you'll have to make your gimmick with real money. This gimmick can be made to change any bill to any other bill even if they're two different colors and/or sizes. It can also be made to turn a lottery ticket, check, blank paper or anything else into a bill/note.
You'll also be taught three different routines. Live performances and studio performances are given. In all three effects, the magic happens in the spectator's hands. They cleverly constructed to allow the magic to happen in the spectator's hands without them discovering the gimmick.
Ad Copy Integrity
The ad copy is 100% accurate. In fact, the only thing that's a little off is a place where they undersold it. Here's the quote from the effect called Note-Possible: "A signed, borrowed note changes in the spectators hand for a lesser value note (or coupon etc) as a kicker, their signed note appears in your (card to) wallet!" Notice that in parenthesis, it says, "card to." You actually don't need a card-to-wallet wallet to make the bill/note appear in your wallet.
Product Quality
The DVD is very well produced. The menu is very easy to navigate and has a "main menu" and Prev/Next link on each page. It's pretty well lit, well mic'd (with one exception) and well explained. The only place where the audio was a little low was one section toward the end of the DVD where they were going over some bonus ideas. Even then, it was minor, and simply turning up the volume solved the problem.
The construction of the gimmick and the teaching in general is very well done. You'll learn several different ways to cause the change to happen. All of the effects are very well explained, and you'll have no problem learning what you need to learn to perform these effects and use this gimmick.
Also, they included a little "special something" needed to construct the gimmick. You're given enough of them to make four different gimmicks. Also, these "special somethings" are reusable. So if you ever disassemble your gimmick, you'll be able to reuse the "special somethings" for future gimmicks you may make. In other words, you'll always have enough of them to make 4 gimmicks, forever.
Final Thoughts
If you like the effect and/or the visual nature of the change, you'll love this DVD, and more importantly, you'll use the gimmick. It's a very clever idea that can be performed surrounds, and can be carried with you for anytime/anywhere performances. If you don't mind the extra cost of "sacrificing" the needed bills to make the gimmick (and you liked the effect), you'll definitely want to pick this up.
Final Verdict:
5 Stars with a Stone Status of GEM!