Hey Sam,
You had said that you could find the Royal Road to Card Magic for less than $5 including shipping but I searched the net and I didn't find any site like that.Would you please tell me where you can get it?
RC Magic
Check here >>>
http://search.half.ebay.com/royal-road-to-card-magic_W0QQmZbooks
Each to its own, but I personally don´t think that a book alone is the best way to start if you´re an absolute beginner.
As a beginner you don´t know how it should look like. It`s better to see it. A DVD
in combination with a companion book is the best way to start IMO.
If I have to start again, I would buy the Card College DVD set by Roberto Giobbi and Card College 1&2 books. It´s a huge purchase and you must be sure you`re serious about Card Magic.
On the other hand, keep in mind you don´t need something else for maybe 2 years to come as it`s a complete course.
It`s an investment over time and in my mind much better than buying the latest and greatest one-trick DVDs over the years (which would btw cost you more in the end).
An alternative is the R.Paul Wilson 'Royal Road to Card Magic'-DVD-set in combination with the RRTCM book.
This may be helpful ->
http://blog.aaronfishermagic.com/?p=688
So let me get this straight. You are telling a
true beginner to go out and spend anywhere in between $70 (royal road DVD) and $125 (card college DVDs) on DVDs when he can learn the same information for anywhere between $5 (royal road book) and $49 (card college vol 1 & 2 books), and yes I did find Card College vol 1 & 2 for $49 together.
IMO, (I am not trying to sound like a jerk) ChrisWiens gave the worst advice anyone can give a
true beginner and that is to spend more money than they need to on stuff they don't need to buy. Why in the world would you tell him to spend over $125 on the same information he can get for $49? I understand the whole video vs book argument so you don't have to get into that. What I don't understand is, why would you tell someone to spend more money than they need to spend to get the same information? You say, "As a beginner you don´t know how it should look like. It`s better to see it." RC Magic when you read this PM me and I will give you my info. If you are in need of any help with seeing the way things look I will personally help you through it and if I can't I will point you in the right direction to get the help you need. There is no need to spend the extra money when there are people willing to help.
Now lets talk cash. Lets say RC Magic does have $125 to spend on magic. He could spend all $125 on the Card College DVD set or he could buy,
Royal Road to Card Magic - $4.74
Card College vol 1 - $13.99
Card College vol 2 - $35.00
A brick (12 pk) of Bicycle playing cards - $16.20 (going from the Costco online price + taxes)
Now lets take a time out for a second. That's $69.93 worth of stuff that would probably last him for the first 2 years of magic, and now you are left with $55.07 to go to a local magic shop and buy a bunch of good one trick packets. Keyword is good, don't go to a magic shop and let the clerks talk you into buying crap. Actually have a magician perform stuff for you. If you like it, buy it. But remember what I said, don't buy crap. Maybe pick up Crazy Man's handcuffs. Very good and very easy trick done with 2 rubber bands. You can get that trick with instructions for under $10 I think. You can see Eric Ross performing the trick here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa4UlyCw7fI and he killed with it. And before anyone says anything about the difference in buying one trick packs from a magic shop and buying a one trick download, there is a difference because one trick packets are normally the basics (fundamentals) and are needed to further your magic.
Now, back on track, If you would have bought the DVD format of the three books above and a brick of cards you would have spent over $210 (a $140 difference) on less information (because R. Paul Wilson does
NOT cover everything from The Royal Road to Card Magic book in his DVD set).
So the question is asked again, why would you tell someone to spend more money than they need to spend to get the same information?