Art of Magic - Wayne Houchin - First thoughts

Jun 7, 2008
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DC area
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As many of you have seen pro magician Wayne Houchin has just released his new DVD called "Art of Magic" this is the first in a series of a couple. (there will be at least a second one). It is 2 hours long and filled with awesomeness.

This is really 2 dvds merged into 1 insanely awesome dvd. 1/2 of it is performances from Wayne and David Regal, Dan and Dave Buck, Aaron Fisher and Wayne talking about there thoughts on magic. The 2nd 1/2 is Wayne performing the tricks and teaching them.

http://www.waynehouchin.com/aom.html
http://www.ellusionist.com/wayne-houchin-art-of-magic.html

This is just an review for people wondering if they want to buy it or not. I will be writing another review in a week or two after I get to tricks live. This review is going to be split into 2 parts. The first part the tricks and the second 1/2 the interviews and performances.

Price: $30 now but in less than 24 hours it will go up to $35 for the dvd or download. DVD and Download cost $35 now and will cost $40.

PART 1

Effects:
TWISTING THE ACES - Wayne Houchin's handling of Dai Vernon's classic effect. The four aces magically turn face up one at a time. Clean, beautiful, and amazing.

FRENCH KISS - You ask someone to sign a playing card - the card is then folded up and placed in your spectator’s mouth. You take and sign another card - which you then fold up and place in your mouth. Impossibly, the 2 folded up cards switch places. Your signed signed card is in the spectator’s mouth and her card is in yours. Simple and powerful.

WH RING+STRING MYSTERY - A piece of string visually penetrates through a borrowed ring. New, unique, practical, and FUN.

MATCH BITE - A lit match is extinguished on your tongue. The magician then bites off the burnt end, chews it up, and spits it back onto the match. Impromptu and uses only one match.

CARBON PAPER - An incredibly powerful effect contributed to AOM by Jay Sankey. The back of a playing card is burned - your spectator FEELS the burn from that card travel through their hand and end up on a signed card that has been between their hands for the entire effect... leaving the originally burnt card completely unharmed. Performed and taught by Wayne Houchin.

Difficulty: This tricks are tricks you can be doing minutes after you see them. The DVD was made for people who are just starting magic and people who have been into magic for a while.

Teaching: Wayne goes into detail making sure that you know how to do it correctly and with out any questions. As said before it was also made for beginners so he does it for them going into detail on how to do a good double lift or a force.

Methods: All the methods are very simple and not hard to understand at all.

Set Up: all the tricks require set up except for Match Bite and Twisting the Aces. The trick Ring + String Mystery doesnt take any set up really except for 1 small thing, but you cant do it in front of them and you will need to have all the stuff with you. The set ups do not take long at all and can be prepared easy.

Angles: All the tricks are angle proof except from the bottom on a couple of them.

Reset: The trick Carbon Fiber has an instant reset and so does Twisting the Aces. The rest don't but you can make it so the French Kiss could but I wouldn't really recommend doing it (cant say to much with out exposure)

Overall: This is a great DVD. The tricks on it are some that I will be using in my routines. When you first get this you might think that because they are so easy and simple they be that great or won't get as great reactions as other tricks. DONT THINK THAT!!! if you do I will be a very sad panda...... simple fools people. I would give the tricks on this a solid 8/10

PART 2

This is part is just performances and interviews/thoughts of David Regal, Dan and Dave Buck, Aaron Fisher, and last but not least Wayne Houchin.

It is amazing to see wayne perform, you forgot he is doing sleights 1/2 the time. We don't see performances from The Buck twins, David Regal or Aaron Fisher. I would have loved to see them but it is ok. Wayne Performs at a sushi bar place/ on the street/ and at the magic castle.

The Interviews were amazing. I always enjoy listening to peoples thoughts on magic. It helps me with my magic when I am performing tricks.

I would give this part of the DVD a 10/10
 
D

Deleted member 2755

Guest
I plan on getting this someday. Gonna be awesome.

-Doug
 
D

Deleted member 2755

Guest
It won't be in there because an effect similar to this was already published a while back. That's why it was taken off the DVD.

-Doug
 

Jv

Jan 11, 2008
1,223
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Aww man... :( Do you happen to know which effect this is and where it was published?

Here's the direct quote from Wayne:
Hey guys - unfortunately Candy Scam was the effect that I had to cut. Although I created the effect back in 1998 - it came to my attention that Luke Dancy published a similar idea in 2001. As much as I hated to do it - I had to remove the explanation...

However - Candy Scam wasn't the strongest item on the DVD and I'm more than pleased with the other 5 effects. Let me know if you have any other questions - or feel free to shoot me an email: wayne@waynehouchin.com and I'll try to address your question on one of my Daily Updates.

Talk to you guys soon!
 
May 4, 2009
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Hey, I just got my copy in the mail and I live in Charleston, SC. That is world record for USPS. I can't wait to watch it tonight. I also ordered a ring in anticipation of doing the ring+string mystery (I didn't own a single ring) and it came to today also. So I'm all set.
 
Sep 9, 2007
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I performed French Kiss (but in a more physical fashion) over the weekend, and I must say, this one's a definite winner.

Yes, it's insanely basic, but it hits hard, and you can layer in a lot of great physical compliance tests into it. Everything from "say aaah", to "open wide", to her accepting the card in her mouth, to gesturing for her hands and having her comply SCREAMS great opener. Done right, you can build immediate rapport through the consistency principle (see Cialdini's "Influence").

And that's without really adding anything. I'm sure the more imaginative gents on here can figure out how take full advantage of this trick. I won't brag, but I will definitely say I was pleased with the results.

Buy this DVD. Seriously.
 
Jan 19, 2008
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And the guy who posted this review was the FIRST to buy it and won a 30 min chat with Wayne Houchin. Congrats Jack!
 
May 4, 2009
131
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I just got done watching it and it is awesome. The teaching is outstanding and there are lots of live performances. I hate DVDs where they teach the trick without even showing the trick down in front of a spectator.

French Kiss is awesome. When I had read the descriptions of the tricks before the DVD came out, this one didn't sound all that great to me. After seeing it, it's my favorite on the DVD. Also Wayne teaches a simple double, and does the best job teaching it I have ever seen. Then he teaches an advanced double lift. I was surprised to hear Wayne say that it took him two years to master doing the advanced double lift. It puts it into perspective.

Wayne also shows you how to crank the trick up by adding a very basic sleight you can let the spectator freely name any card and still use your same setup. It's genius.

Ring + String is my second favorite.
 
Jun 22, 2009
395
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Excellent DVD: Great Production: EASYYYY Tricks.

French kiss is a simple trick that I think if you throw into a routine with Cellmate from Paul Harris you are going to get a hook up lol.

Waiting for Set 2 :D
 
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