I just got Finn Jon & Yigal Mesika's Loops Volumes 1 & 2
Hey, so I just got Loops Volumes 1 & 2, and Reflections as well, but I'll just tell you about the Loops set. I haven't seen too many other postings around the net about them yet, but I think they were released at the end of last month, so they're still pretty new. Most of the postings I've read, people are waiting for their copies in the mail, so I'm here to tell you what they're like.
Anyway, the Loops case.... "Wow!" It's a metal case and it's design is superb. Just sitting on my DVD rack, it puts my other cases to shame. Inside was the InnerCircle card and of course, both DVDs.
The first DVD is Finn Jon's. Luna Shimada introduces the video, and then in goes into a bar-style setting where Finn Performs. The effects are: Floating Cigarette (amazing to use when out on the town), Bending Knife, Floating Bubble (which my girlfriend really enjoyed), Jumping Bill, PK Touch and The Floating Card.
I've gotten some, or I guess really most videos I've gotten, are basically just one trick, or different tricks that don't relate to a performance setting. They hammer just it out, and that's it. Granted, some have really cool editing tricks to hype them up, but it side-tracks from the content. If I'm going to pay money for these, I want it to be worth my while, and even this first disc is worth the set. The effects just keep going. I use his Jumping Bill on my friends all the time.
Then Yigal Mesika is on the second disc. He does the Phenomenal Fork, World’s Best Haunted Pack, Floating Ring, The Force, Floating Bill and The Mystery glasses. I really dug a lot of his stuff because he really went in depth on the instructionals. He carefully explains what he was doing and how he does it. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I remember his Haunted Pack being on Phenomenon. Mike Super, I think was the magician's name that used it. He even won the contest with it! Anyway, if that doesn't tell you how powerful even that effect is, I don't know what else to say.
Interwoven on both discs there are interviews with Luna, where the pair tell how they got started and who their inspirations were. There's a part on there where Finn tells how he came up with the idea of Loops, and a lot of other interesting stories. Their concerns with lighting are a subject by itself, and you can find all of that stuff on Reflections.
But yeah, that's my two cents. I hate to rant on any more, but long story short, I'm grateful that I bought it and that it's in my library.
... Oh, and I have been reading on a couple forums where folks don't understand how to use the InnerCircle card. The deal is that when you buy Mesika's Loops, they have that yellow card. The ones that I just got, are intentionally designed fit inside the InnerCircle card. The ones from before 2007 are too long though, so if you buy a new set, you'll be okay. They go right into my wallet, and they're ready to go.
