Title: Shatter
Creator: Kevin Parker
Website: http://kevinparkerproductions.com/shatter.html
Price: $49.99
Type of Product: Instant Download
Length: 43:11
The download consists of five visual tricks: (in order on video)
Passing Through - coin through bottle
Descent - coin through glass table
From Nothing - apple production in plastic bag
Mirage - bottle production
Intake - pk bottle attraction
Note: All of these effects can be seen at the website above. Also, I will be adding post performance reviews for these effects. These are my thoughts before performances.
Passing Through
Trick Rating: 5/5
Difficulty: 1.5 (on a scale from 1-5, 1 being easy, 5 being hard)
This is a take on the ordinary coin through bottle effect, making it much more visual. There’s not much to say about the trick. It does involve a gimmick, but it is very easy to make, and at the end of the trick, the bottle can be handed out for a souvenir with the coin in it. Kevin Parker even shows a way to do the trick with a borrowed bottle, but I find that unnecessary. It’s harder to do, and it would be much more convenient just to use your own bottle. This trick is hardly angle sensitive. I really like this trick, and it would work great for close up, bar, or living room magic.
Descent
Trick Rating: 4/5
Difficulty: 2
A coin very visually passes through a clear glass table. Both hands are seen empty numerous times. The coin can even be signed. It is pretty easy to do, although it will take some practice. This trick is a little angle sensitive, but should be done easily. I find this trick great for close up.
From Nothing
Trick Rating: 2.5/5
Difficulty: 1
A magician produces an apple from a shown empty bag. The apple can be handed out and eaten at the end of the trick. This trick is kind of hard to visualize in your head. Here is a description Kevin Parker himself wrote about it: “A bag is handed out supposedly containing free fruit for them to have, they hand it back saying it's empty. Performer sticks his hand inside saying 'no it's not' and as they watch his empty palm through the see-through bag an apple materializes in it slowly and visually. It is pulled out for them to have and keep.” Of course, you can just visit the website and watch it for yourself. I don’t really like this trick too much. It does use a gimmick/preparation, although everything can be examined at the end. (I just find the idea of making an apple come out of a bag a little random. This might change in the after performance review) From Nothing isn’t angle sensitive at all. This trick would work close up or in a living room setting, or even stage if needed.
Mirage
Trick Rating: 4.5/5
Difficulty: 2.5
A magician turns around and produces a bottle out of thin air. This is decently easy but kind of angle sensitive. With practice, it will be natural. The bottle can be any soft drink, or water, and can be filled or empty. The method to this trick just makes you laugh when you understand it. I really like this trick, and it can work in any situation from close up to stage.
Intake
Trick Rating: 3/5
Difficulty: 1
With a wave of your hands, you make a bottle slide towards yourself. This trick is very simple, and the method is also so. This bottle can be borrowed, and can be handed out afterward. This trick is pretty angle sensitive, so it will need audience management. This trick is meant for close up to living room. I think it’s ok.
Production Quality:
This is the biggest factor in the entire download that brings my entire rating down. While the effects are great, the quality of the download is not so good… The video itself is pretty bad quality. Many of the shots were just handheld and wobbly. I think the tricks themselves were planned on being released by themselves at first. You can tell that it wasn’t one project. The file does download fast due to the small size, but I think that video quality is more important than download time. Now the teaching quality was thorough, but in some places, it seemed unprepared. The Intake tutorial was this raw, unedited video at the very end of the download, and it was less than a minute long. Although, sadly, it didn’t take longer than that to explain it, I think he could have gone much much more into detail. The entire download seemed kind of unprofessional. Nonetheless, while I understood it, and the effects were great, this brought my overall view of the production down. Production Rating: 2/5
Last thoughts:
I enjoyed the download and effects a lot and will definitely use them. They are all visual, and they hit hard. I didn’t like the production quality, and I think they could do better. Still, I think this is a great download, with the classic effects that make you say, “Why didn’t I think of that???” It might be on the pricy side for a download, but if you think you’ll like these effects, go ahead, buy it.
Here’s the website once again. It has a preview of all the effects.
http://kevinparkerproductions.com/shatter.html
Note: I will post additional review information on each trick after I perform them.
Thanks,
Rupayan
Creator: Kevin Parker
Website: http://kevinparkerproductions.com/shatter.html
Price: $49.99
Type of Product: Instant Download
Length: 43:11
The download consists of five visual tricks: (in order on video)
Passing Through - coin through bottle
Descent - coin through glass table
From Nothing - apple production in plastic bag
Mirage - bottle production
Intake - pk bottle attraction
Note: All of these effects can be seen at the website above. Also, I will be adding post performance reviews for these effects. These are my thoughts before performances.
Passing Through
Trick Rating: 5/5
Difficulty: 1.5 (on a scale from 1-5, 1 being easy, 5 being hard)
This is a take on the ordinary coin through bottle effect, making it much more visual. There’s not much to say about the trick. It does involve a gimmick, but it is very easy to make, and at the end of the trick, the bottle can be handed out for a souvenir with the coin in it. Kevin Parker even shows a way to do the trick with a borrowed bottle, but I find that unnecessary. It’s harder to do, and it would be much more convenient just to use your own bottle. This trick is hardly angle sensitive. I really like this trick, and it would work great for close up, bar, or living room magic.
Descent
Trick Rating: 4/5
Difficulty: 2
A coin very visually passes through a clear glass table. Both hands are seen empty numerous times. The coin can even be signed. It is pretty easy to do, although it will take some practice. This trick is a little angle sensitive, but should be done easily. I find this trick great for close up.
From Nothing
Trick Rating: 2.5/5
Difficulty: 1
A magician produces an apple from a shown empty bag. The apple can be handed out and eaten at the end of the trick. This trick is kind of hard to visualize in your head. Here is a description Kevin Parker himself wrote about it: “A bag is handed out supposedly containing free fruit for them to have, they hand it back saying it's empty. Performer sticks his hand inside saying 'no it's not' and as they watch his empty palm through the see-through bag an apple materializes in it slowly and visually. It is pulled out for them to have and keep.” Of course, you can just visit the website and watch it for yourself. I don’t really like this trick too much. It does use a gimmick/preparation, although everything can be examined at the end. (I just find the idea of making an apple come out of a bag a little random. This might change in the after performance review) From Nothing isn’t angle sensitive at all. This trick would work close up or in a living room setting, or even stage if needed.
Mirage
Trick Rating: 4.5/5
Difficulty: 2.5
A magician turns around and produces a bottle out of thin air. This is decently easy but kind of angle sensitive. With practice, it will be natural. The bottle can be any soft drink, or water, and can be filled or empty. The method to this trick just makes you laugh when you understand it. I really like this trick, and it can work in any situation from close up to stage.
Intake
Trick Rating: 3/5
Difficulty: 1
With a wave of your hands, you make a bottle slide towards yourself. This trick is very simple, and the method is also so. This bottle can be borrowed, and can be handed out afterward. This trick is pretty angle sensitive, so it will need audience management. This trick is meant for close up to living room. I think it’s ok.
Production Quality:
This is the biggest factor in the entire download that brings my entire rating down. While the effects are great, the quality of the download is not so good… The video itself is pretty bad quality. Many of the shots were just handheld and wobbly. I think the tricks themselves were planned on being released by themselves at first. You can tell that it wasn’t one project. The file does download fast due to the small size, but I think that video quality is more important than download time. Now the teaching quality was thorough, but in some places, it seemed unprepared. The Intake tutorial was this raw, unedited video at the very end of the download, and it was less than a minute long. Although, sadly, it didn’t take longer than that to explain it, I think he could have gone much much more into detail. The entire download seemed kind of unprofessional. Nonetheless, while I understood it, and the effects were great, this brought my overall view of the production down. Production Rating: 2/5
Last thoughts:
I enjoyed the download and effects a lot and will definitely use them. They are all visual, and they hit hard. I didn’t like the production quality, and I think they could do better. Still, I think this is a great download, with the classic effects that make you say, “Why didn’t I think of that???” It might be on the pricy side for a download, but if you think you’ll like these effects, go ahead, buy it.
Here’s the website once again. It has a preview of all the effects.
http://kevinparkerproductions.com/shatter.html
Note: I will post additional review information on each trick after I perform them.
Thanks,
Rupayan