My review of The Cloak
The Cloak:
A brand new elastic thread hook-up that will supposedly allow freedom never before possible with other hook-ups...
aswell as solving the problem of breakage during performance by 90%...
is this a revolution in thread work...
does it accomplish what it sets out to do...
welcome to The Cloak
Product- The Cloak
Creator- Justin Miller
Format- DVD
Price- approx $30, from what ive seen it's approx £20 from UK retailers
Available- From Justin Miller direct at http://www.thecloakdvd.com/ this way your supporting the creator and, as a bonus, you get supplied with some Infinity Thread (pre-orderers did but I read that everyone who orders direct from him does, you might want to check though as I'm not 100% sure). You can also purchase from most big retailers.
The DVD:
I'd like to start by giving my opinion on the actual DVD itself.
The picture and sound quality are great, and it's all shot so that everything is very easy to see ie viewing angle, background etc.
The DVD has a running time of approx 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Aswell as the explanations you get to see the effects taught being performed out and about by Justin Miller, these are great to see as Justin is such a great performer and you get to see the reactions of what you'll be learning can achieve and how they come across.
DVD overall - A well put together and great quality DVD
The Hook-ups:
Ok... so this is what the Cloak is all about and the reason for purchasing this DVD, true there are effects and I'll get in to them later, but there would be no effects if it wasn't for the hook-ups and it's the hook-ups which are what The Cloak is.
There are two hook-ups for The Cloak... I'll go over each seperately giving my thoughts and views on each.
I'll start with what I consider to be the weakest of the two and then move onto what I would say is the main Cloak hook-up.
The Cloak stand up hook-up-
This is the hook-up for when you want to perform walk around, be it at a restaraunt or walking the streets/outside.
At first I tought I wouldn't really be using the stand-up version as to be honest the Infinity Loop by Ron Jaxon allows for basically the same results but is easier to conceal, not that this isn't a great hook-up as it is and it does have it's advantages, but with the Infinity Loop I felt more at ease just walking around where as with The Cloak I was always aware of the lighting etc.
Then it hit me 'DING' I couldn't believe I didn't think of it sooner... there is a very simple way to make the issue I had with the stand-up Cloak non-existant.
For stand-up I'll still be sticking with the Infinity Loop as I'm comfortable with it and it can do basically the same stuff, but for those who have not got that you can't really go wrong with this one, I'd consider it to be on the same level as the Infinity Loop and so by saying that I mean this is a fantastic hook-up that has a lot of possibilties.
Pros-
Nice and easy set-up
Allows a lot of freedom in the effects you can perform
Easy to completely conceal
Always ready to go
You can have it on all day and go about doing your everyday routines (well I wouldn't recommend having a bath with it on, or going swimming, or...)
Cons-
As with all thread work you have to be aware of the lighting while performing
Ways around it but would be best wearing a shirt
Doesn't really accomplish anything new
Difficulty-
This hook-up is not only easy to set-up, but also very easy to use.
If your already experienced with thread work then you'll feel at home immediately with this, if on the other hand your completely new to this style you'll have no trouble learning how to utilise this hook-up.
Overall-
Not the next step in thread work as it doesn't really accomplish anything new, but a nice hook-up that is practical to use and offers a lot of freedom to experiment.
The Cloak hook-up:
Yes... THE Cloak hook-up.
This is what I'd consider to be the true Cloak hook-up and it's the one Justin Miller first came upon out of the two hook-ups contained within the DVD.
This is the seated hook-up, but don't let that effect your decision whether you'd utilise this or not as this IS the next step in thread work. If you don't ever perform seated then this'll change that, it's that good.
Don't worry though... you may need to be seated but the hook-up isn't strung all over the place with people needing to limbo to get to there seats... infact it's completely invisible with no real risk of ever being seen while not performing, and while performing offers unprecedented freedom of movement for yourself and what your working with, with next to no risk of breakage and while being more invisible than any other hook-up ive ever seen.
When I first learned the method I couldn't stop smiling, it's just so clever and well constructed and thought through, with sooo many possibilities it's unreal.
As you can tell I'm more than happy and feel that this has more than lived up to it's description.
The set-up is easy and quick and can be done right in front of the specs with no real worries (well obviously not stripping the thread etc or that might give them an inkling of whats going on, especially if your sitting there thread in hand stripping it lol).
Clean-up is also quick and easy and so it's not an issue at all.
Pros-
Nice easy and quick set-up
No need to set-up table before hand as it can be done infront of the specs without suspicion
Quick and easy clean-up
Basically makes breakage non existant
Easiest to conceal
Your basically always clean
Unbelievable amount of freedom in movement
Allows for effects that are not possible with any other hook-up
Cons-
You nee to be seated at a table/working surface
Erm... you don't get bestowed the power to really cause things to float and move by just willing them to???
Hmmm... stuggling... to... think... of... anyth.................
Difficulty-
This is not difficult at all to use, but will require the time and effort to do justice to what this allows you to accomplish.
If your used to working with thread you should have no problems, those who have never used thread work before... now's the time to start.
Overall-
This is the real deal... the next step in thread work.
Justin Miller has provided us with the means to perform some truly astonishing things, and that means a more magical and unbelievable experience for our spectators.
I absolutely love this!
Thanks for releasing this Justin... I don't know how you do it but I'm sure glad your around, this is amazing!!
The effects/routines:
Three effects are taught but differ from one another depending on the hook-up.
I will go over each effect for both hook-ups.
The Rising-
Stand-up version-
Not on the same level as the sitdown version, this is an inferior version but of the same overall effect as the sit-down version but with the performer needing to be hands on during the effect.
I know seeing this first might be a bit confusing as at this point you don't know what this effect is, but after reading the pros and cons and then moving on to the sit-down version it'll all make sense.
Pros-
Happens out your hands with the spec holding the glass
Quick clean-up
Cons-
You need to touch the deck throughout apart from when the card rises
Not immeiately examinable... but pretty close
Difficulty-
Not really that difficult at all, everyone should be able to learn this pretty quick
Sit-down version-
A haunted pack routine with a difference... you never touch the deck throughout the entire routine.
That's right, the specs do everything from removing the deck from it's box to selecting a card and signing it to placing the card back in the deck to placing the deck in a glass/tumbler etc.
Everything is immediately examinable after so no worries there.
Honestly an absolutely amazing effect and it's just so magical looking, and it gets the specs involved in the routine which is always good.
Another thing that adds even more to the magicalness is that they are holding the glass as it happens and they are quite a distance from you... to them there is no way you could be doing anything.
Pros-
Completely hands off
Immediately examinable
Erm... read the description... as good as it sounds
Cons-
Have to be seated (not a con to everyone, but I'll put it for those that see this as a con. This is probably about the only con you'll get for the seated versions as they are really just so good)
Difficulty-
Not difficult and you'll pick up the workings in no time at all, but like every effect it'll need practise so you get to know how far you can push it.
Overall-
The sit-down version is stunning and looks truly magical, the stand-up one is still good but there are better ones out there.
I won't be bothering with the stand-up, but the sit-down one is gonna be with me for a long time... excellent.
Continued...
The Cloak:
A brand new elastic thread hook-up that will supposedly allow freedom never before possible with other hook-ups...
aswell as solving the problem of breakage during performance by 90%...
is this a revolution in thread work...
does it accomplish what it sets out to do...
welcome to The Cloak
Product- The Cloak
Creator- Justin Miller
Format- DVD
Price- approx $30, from what ive seen it's approx £20 from UK retailers
Available- From Justin Miller direct at http://www.thecloakdvd.com/ this way your supporting the creator and, as a bonus, you get supplied with some Infinity Thread (pre-orderers did but I read that everyone who orders direct from him does, you might want to check though as I'm not 100% sure). You can also purchase from most big retailers.
The DVD:
I'd like to start by giving my opinion on the actual DVD itself.
The picture and sound quality are great, and it's all shot so that everything is very easy to see ie viewing angle, background etc.
The DVD has a running time of approx 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Aswell as the explanations you get to see the effects taught being performed out and about by Justin Miller, these are great to see as Justin is such a great performer and you get to see the reactions of what you'll be learning can achieve and how they come across.
DVD overall - A well put together and great quality DVD
The Hook-ups:
Ok... so this is what the Cloak is all about and the reason for purchasing this DVD, true there are effects and I'll get in to them later, but there would be no effects if it wasn't for the hook-ups and it's the hook-ups which are what The Cloak is.
There are two hook-ups for The Cloak... I'll go over each seperately giving my thoughts and views on each.
I'll start with what I consider to be the weakest of the two and then move onto what I would say is the main Cloak hook-up.
The Cloak stand up hook-up-
This is the hook-up for when you want to perform walk around, be it at a restaraunt or walking the streets/outside.
At first I tought I wouldn't really be using the stand-up version as to be honest the Infinity Loop by Ron Jaxon allows for basically the same results but is easier to conceal, not that this isn't a great hook-up as it is and it does have it's advantages, but with the Infinity Loop I felt more at ease just walking around where as with The Cloak I was always aware of the lighting etc.
Then it hit me 'DING' I couldn't believe I didn't think of it sooner... there is a very simple way to make the issue I had with the stand-up Cloak non-existant.
For stand-up I'll still be sticking with the Infinity Loop as I'm comfortable with it and it can do basically the same stuff, but for those who have not got that you can't really go wrong with this one, I'd consider it to be on the same level as the Infinity Loop and so by saying that I mean this is a fantastic hook-up that has a lot of possibilties.
Pros-
Nice and easy set-up
Allows a lot of freedom in the effects you can perform
Easy to completely conceal
Always ready to go
You can have it on all day and go about doing your everyday routines (well I wouldn't recommend having a bath with it on, or going swimming, or...)
Cons-
As with all thread work you have to be aware of the lighting while performing
Ways around it but would be best wearing a shirt
Doesn't really accomplish anything new
Difficulty-
This hook-up is not only easy to set-up, but also very easy to use.
If your already experienced with thread work then you'll feel at home immediately with this, if on the other hand your completely new to this style you'll have no trouble learning how to utilise this hook-up.
Overall-
Not the next step in thread work as it doesn't really accomplish anything new, but a nice hook-up that is practical to use and offers a lot of freedom to experiment.
The Cloak hook-up:
Yes... THE Cloak hook-up.
This is what I'd consider to be the true Cloak hook-up and it's the one Justin Miller first came upon out of the two hook-ups contained within the DVD.
This is the seated hook-up, but don't let that effect your decision whether you'd utilise this or not as this IS the next step in thread work. If you don't ever perform seated then this'll change that, it's that good.
Don't worry though... you may need to be seated but the hook-up isn't strung all over the place with people needing to limbo to get to there seats... infact it's completely invisible with no real risk of ever being seen while not performing, and while performing offers unprecedented freedom of movement for yourself and what your working with, with next to no risk of breakage and while being more invisible than any other hook-up ive ever seen.
When I first learned the method I couldn't stop smiling, it's just so clever and well constructed and thought through, with sooo many possibilities it's unreal.
As you can tell I'm more than happy and feel that this has more than lived up to it's description.
The set-up is easy and quick and can be done right in front of the specs with no real worries (well obviously not stripping the thread etc or that might give them an inkling of whats going on, especially if your sitting there thread in hand stripping it lol).
Clean-up is also quick and easy and so it's not an issue at all.
Pros-
Nice easy and quick set-up
No need to set-up table before hand as it can be done infront of the specs without suspicion
Quick and easy clean-up
Basically makes breakage non existant
Easiest to conceal
Your basically always clean
Unbelievable amount of freedom in movement
Allows for effects that are not possible with any other hook-up
Cons-
You nee to be seated at a table/working surface
Erm... you don't get bestowed the power to really cause things to float and move by just willing them to???
Hmmm... stuggling... to... think... of... anyth.................
Difficulty-
This is not difficult at all to use, but will require the time and effort to do justice to what this allows you to accomplish.
If your used to working with thread you should have no problems, those who have never used thread work before... now's the time to start.
Overall-
This is the real deal... the next step in thread work.
Justin Miller has provided us with the means to perform some truly astonishing things, and that means a more magical and unbelievable experience for our spectators.
I absolutely love this!
Thanks for releasing this Justin... I don't know how you do it but I'm sure glad your around, this is amazing!!
The effects/routines:
Three effects are taught but differ from one another depending on the hook-up.
I will go over each effect for both hook-ups.
The Rising-
Stand-up version-
Not on the same level as the sitdown version, this is an inferior version but of the same overall effect as the sit-down version but with the performer needing to be hands on during the effect.
I know seeing this first might be a bit confusing as at this point you don't know what this effect is, but after reading the pros and cons and then moving on to the sit-down version it'll all make sense.
Pros-
Happens out your hands with the spec holding the glass
Quick clean-up
Cons-
You need to touch the deck throughout apart from when the card rises
Not immeiately examinable... but pretty close
Difficulty-
Not really that difficult at all, everyone should be able to learn this pretty quick
Sit-down version-
A haunted pack routine with a difference... you never touch the deck throughout the entire routine.
That's right, the specs do everything from removing the deck from it's box to selecting a card and signing it to placing the card back in the deck to placing the deck in a glass/tumbler etc.
Everything is immediately examinable after so no worries there.
Honestly an absolutely amazing effect and it's just so magical looking, and it gets the specs involved in the routine which is always good.
Another thing that adds even more to the magicalness is that they are holding the glass as it happens and they are quite a distance from you... to them there is no way you could be doing anything.
Pros-
Completely hands off
Immediately examinable
Erm... read the description... as good as it sounds
Cons-
Have to be seated (not a con to everyone, but I'll put it for those that see this as a con. This is probably about the only con you'll get for the seated versions as they are really just so good)
Difficulty-
Not difficult and you'll pick up the workings in no time at all, but like every effect it'll need practise so you get to know how far you can push it.
Overall-
The sit-down version is stunning and looks truly magical, the stand-up one is still good but there are better ones out there.
I won't be bothering with the stand-up, but the sit-down one is gonna be with me for a long time... excellent.
Continued...
