Mark
04-30-2011, 05:27 PM
http://www.papercranemagic.com/fallingelevator.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8t1YKLqFR0
Being a friend of Bizau (a.k.a. Cris, and BCardician on here and YouTube) I actually know quite a bit of the process of this release and thus my review will be slightly written from a behind-the-scenes perspective. It will still be very honest though.
This release is definitely just meant for intermediate and advanced magicians as there are too many gaps for beginners. Also, the trick does use the tiniest bit of setup. (Funny thing that Cris knows I created a move called 'Confusion' which allows you to do this effect without any setup at all and I now feel like he should've asked me to use it cause it would've made this completely impromptu, but that's just on a sidenote).
The release takes under 14 minutes which I honestly think is too less. Cris teaches two techniques: the Falling Elevator and a surprise sleight that comes with a variation of the effect, and the explanations of both techniques (so without covers/subtleties/etc) only take about 40 seconds each. The rest of the release is basically about the routine, covers and that you need to do some sleights while misdirecting your spectators which was said a little too easily. Intermediate magicians should know what to do, but this release will leave beginners into nowhere.
I know that the trailer was filmed by a friend of Cris and the rest was done by Cris himself. He then sent Paper Crane the footage and they edited it, but I think they could've done a much better job on it. The order in which the variation/bonus sections appear are way confusing (suddenly Cris is talking about the bonus sleight as if you already know what he is talking about and he only teaches it later).
'Falling Elevator' itself is very easy, nice and recommended. Also the bonus sleight is very nice although it's tougher on the angles. Both techniques seem to be somewhat similar to older and other ideas but have their own original things (in case of the bonus sleight I doubt that this adds anything to the classic that looks most alike but it's a nice and neat idea to say at least).
Also I feel like some of the thinking that went into the routines hasn't truly been completed yet, but this leaves some room for the magician.
The sleights are better than the release though, which has to do with the short teachings and the editing. The only other thing I'd say Cris himself did wrong was not knowing how to call or explain something he mentioned (most intermediate and advanced magicians would know what he talked about but still, for a release that's rather sloppy).
I give the sleights a 7.6/10 and the release a 5.7/10 (and that's only when looking from an advanced and intermediate point of view because for beginners it'd probably be around a 4/10).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8t1YKLqFR0
Being a friend of Bizau (a.k.a. Cris, and BCardician on here and YouTube) I actually know quite a bit of the process of this release and thus my review will be slightly written from a behind-the-scenes perspective. It will still be very honest though.
This release is definitely just meant for intermediate and advanced magicians as there are too many gaps for beginners. Also, the trick does use the tiniest bit of setup. (Funny thing that Cris knows I created a move called 'Confusion' which allows you to do this effect without any setup at all and I now feel like he should've asked me to use it cause it would've made this completely impromptu, but that's just on a sidenote).
The release takes under 14 minutes which I honestly think is too less. Cris teaches two techniques: the Falling Elevator and a surprise sleight that comes with a variation of the effect, and the explanations of both techniques (so without covers/subtleties/etc) only take about 40 seconds each. The rest of the release is basically about the routine, covers and that you need to do some sleights while misdirecting your spectators which was said a little too easily. Intermediate magicians should know what to do, but this release will leave beginners into nowhere.
I know that the trailer was filmed by a friend of Cris and the rest was done by Cris himself. He then sent Paper Crane the footage and they edited it, but I think they could've done a much better job on it. The order in which the variation/bonus sections appear are way confusing (suddenly Cris is talking about the bonus sleight as if you already know what he is talking about and he only teaches it later).
'Falling Elevator' itself is very easy, nice and recommended. Also the bonus sleight is very nice although it's tougher on the angles. Both techniques seem to be somewhat similar to older and other ideas but have their own original things (in case of the bonus sleight I doubt that this adds anything to the classic that looks most alike but it's a nice and neat idea to say at least).
Also I feel like some of the thinking that went into the routines hasn't truly been completed yet, but this leaves some room for the magician.
The sleights are better than the release though, which has to do with the short teachings and the editing. The only other thing I'd say Cris himself did wrong was not knowing how to call or explain something he mentioned (most intermediate and advanced magicians would know what he talked about but still, for a release that's rather sloppy).
I give the sleights a 7.6/10 and the release a 5.7/10 (and that's only when looking from an advanced and intermediate point of view because for beginners it'd probably be around a 4/10).