The Platt Pad - my review
From Brian and Mike Platt, creators of the outstanding effect Blackout! comes yet another fantastic release...
Demo: http://www.plattmagic.com/Products.html
Price: $99 + shipping
What you get:
A pad of paper
Some extra paper
Instructions on how to re-work the gimmick for your other hand
Name/password for the "secret section" of his website, which contains 2 additional videos
9 Yuck and 9 Smiley stickers
Some generic force deck cards (so you can get started immediately)
2 DVDs in a little white flimsy plastic CD holder
The pad you receive is very well made, and should last a lifetime. It obviously cannot be examined, but from ANY distance looks perfectly normal and will not raise suspicion. All the routines are designed so there's zero heat on your pad, and it's such a commonplace object that it's eliminated in the spectator's mind as a method for your magic. Even when Brian performs for a grabby lady, she goes for his sleeves and not the pad.
The whole setup reminds me of Dean Dill's The Revelation. Even though the notebook is the method, NOBODY goes for it, asks about it, or even thinks twice about its presence. Or even The Extractor, where a card is placed inside a card box then appears in your pocket. A spectator's brain doesn't process the card box being gimmicked. Brian has done an outstanding job creating a "non-gimmick" for the sole purpose of small packet tricks. You end perfectly clean, and every card can be examined.
You will eventually need more paper, and I didn't see that covered in the DVDs. But a quick trip to Staples with your last remaining sheet should provide them enough to create a large stack for you fairly cheap. The process of adding new paper is a huge pain however, and probably the only downside I can think of to this entire package.
One of the coolest features of the pad is the ability to end clean on every gimmicked packet trick in existence. Great effects such as Wild Card, Oil and Water, MacDonald's Aces, Twisted Sisters, etc all can be COMPLETELY examined at the end thanks to the wonderful workings of Platt Pad.
What can be used:
The Platt Pad supports small flat things like:
- Envelopes
- Playing cards (all types, sans jumbo)
- Business cards
- ESP cards
- Dollar bills (will also support a variety of other foreign paper currency)
- Most tarot or oracle cards
- Collectible sports, horror, etc cards
- Small photographs
Both DVDs have animated menus showing you the first few seconds of each chapter. However it's filled with late 80's porn music and the video quality is like watching a YouTube channel at 240 resolution. Once you're past the main menu, the music stops (thank Jesus) and you get into the workings of The Platt Pad.
Most of the tricks are performed at what looks like Platt's house (his pad? get it? ok nevermind) with a weird spotted backdrop. I think his wife (Michelle?) is the one filming, and seems to hold the camera steady and do a good overall job. I do hear a male voice occasionally, but not sure who that is.
DVD 1 (one hour, 20 mins)
Introduction
25 years in the making, Brian says he and his father have been working on several prototypes over the past few years. It all started when Brian saw a trick that he had hoped would live up to the hype, but didn't. He then went on a quest to re-create it using a better method.
Handling #1 - the handoff
The handling on his demo, where he tilts off a card that's been placed on the pad and then turns it over to reveal.
Handling #2 - the serving tray
The card placed on top of the pad is handed out to your spectator, and they grab to reveal.
Angles
Not TOO bad - people need to be standing or above you in some manner. You cannot perform this for a seated group without revealing something. You'll notice in all the demos that specs are standing above a tabled surface.
Mr. Yuck
Shown on the demo. Spectator is instructed to think happy thoughts while selecting a card amongst 7-9 others. They turn it over to see a happy face, while all other cards are yucky faces. You receive 18 yuck/happy stickers to apply to your own deck. I used them on blank face cards I had laying around, and they do look great.
He shows several live demos to adults and kids, all of which are impressed. This is probably my favorite routine on the DVD set.
The Basics
More of a pep-talk to magicians to use the pad like a normal pad.
Numbers
Spectator freely chooses a single card from 5 possible ones, which turns out to be the predicted number. I do kinda like the trick, however I think the "FU Card Trick" is much better, making this obsolete.
X Card, etc
Standard "select the card with an X" plot, and shown as a live performance in the "Introduction" section. You can also use ESP cards here, and have a prediction about which they chose.
Find Barbara
A "find the red backed card" trick with an overly liberal use of the flustration count. I didn't like this at all, and would rather stick with red vs. blue backed effects taught on DVD 2.
Stop!
Spectator calls STOP while you count 15 cards down onto the table. When turned over that card says, "You will stop at this card" while the others are perfectly normal. Not exactly my favorite, however a very good effect.
The Double Switch
You write down a prediction and hand it to the spectator for later. He can then choose between business cards containing several random names. The one chosen randomly by the spectator matches the prediction. This IS a cute use of business cards, and a great method to hand yours out. Instead of names, you can write movies, TV shows, teachers of the school or execs of the company you're gigging at, etc.
F.U. Card Trick
The most powerful trick on DVD 1! You write two predictions, and hand them to the spectator for later. Spectator then cuts the deck anywhere they'd like and says STOP 4 times while you count down cards. Once the four random cards are chosen, spectator signs their name on the back of one. And of course prediction #1 contains the names of all four cards, while prediction #2 says "You will sign the 7 of Hearts".
Before you bash the trick, you CAN simplify this a lot. Just have spec slide out 4 cards from the deck, and only have one prediction (containing both reveals) for a cleaner overall effect. Either way, this is fantastic.
Ambitiously Ambitious
An ACR with a medium packet of cards (20 or so). Spectator can cut the cards, shuffle, etc and their card always rises to the top. Afterwards all the cards can be handed out for examination, although in the demo he DOES have 2 7H cards in the packet which will make you laugh.
Spectator finds his card
Spec picks a random card from the deck, and adds it to a pile of 10 other cards. Once they are mixed up, spec chooses which one would possibly be HIS card, and of course they are correct. Meh, I didn't like.
Platt's Princess (Gone!)
Brian's take on Daryl's Princess Card Trick. See the original here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB_x0G3ZHDg
Spectator thinks of one card from a selection of 5 spread out. Their thought-of card vanishes, and the packet can be examined, leaving the spec with a card that says "GONE!" or whatever. Nice way to make this old trick 100% examinable.
From Brian and Mike Platt, creators of the outstanding effect Blackout! comes yet another fantastic release...
Demo: http://www.plattmagic.com/Products.html
Price: $99 + shipping
What you get:
A pad of paper
Some extra paper
Instructions on how to re-work the gimmick for your other hand
Name/password for the "secret section" of his website, which contains 2 additional videos
9 Yuck and 9 Smiley stickers
Some generic force deck cards (so you can get started immediately)
2 DVDs in a little white flimsy plastic CD holder
The pad you receive is very well made, and should last a lifetime. It obviously cannot be examined, but from ANY distance looks perfectly normal and will not raise suspicion. All the routines are designed so there's zero heat on your pad, and it's such a commonplace object that it's eliminated in the spectator's mind as a method for your magic. Even when Brian performs for a grabby lady, she goes for his sleeves and not the pad.
The whole setup reminds me of Dean Dill's The Revelation. Even though the notebook is the method, NOBODY goes for it, asks about it, or even thinks twice about its presence. Or even The Extractor, where a card is placed inside a card box then appears in your pocket. A spectator's brain doesn't process the card box being gimmicked. Brian has done an outstanding job creating a "non-gimmick" for the sole purpose of small packet tricks. You end perfectly clean, and every card can be examined.
You will eventually need more paper, and I didn't see that covered in the DVDs. But a quick trip to Staples with your last remaining sheet should provide them enough to create a large stack for you fairly cheap. The process of adding new paper is a huge pain however, and probably the only downside I can think of to this entire package.
One of the coolest features of the pad is the ability to end clean on every gimmicked packet trick in existence. Great effects such as Wild Card, Oil and Water, MacDonald's Aces, Twisted Sisters, etc all can be COMPLETELY examined at the end thanks to the wonderful workings of Platt Pad.
What can be used:
The Platt Pad supports small flat things like:
- Envelopes
- Playing cards (all types, sans jumbo)
- Business cards
- ESP cards
- Dollar bills (will also support a variety of other foreign paper currency)
- Most tarot or oracle cards
- Collectible sports, horror, etc cards
- Small photographs
Both DVDs have animated menus showing you the first few seconds of each chapter. However it's filled with late 80's porn music and the video quality is like watching a YouTube channel at 240 resolution. Once you're past the main menu, the music stops (thank Jesus) and you get into the workings of The Platt Pad.
Most of the tricks are performed at what looks like Platt's house (his pad? get it? ok nevermind) with a weird spotted backdrop. I think his wife (Michelle?) is the one filming, and seems to hold the camera steady and do a good overall job. I do hear a male voice occasionally, but not sure who that is.
DVD 1 (one hour, 20 mins)
Introduction
25 years in the making, Brian says he and his father have been working on several prototypes over the past few years. It all started when Brian saw a trick that he had hoped would live up to the hype, but didn't. He then went on a quest to re-create it using a better method.
Handling #1 - the handoff
The handling on his demo, where he tilts off a card that's been placed on the pad and then turns it over to reveal.
Handling #2 - the serving tray
The card placed on top of the pad is handed out to your spectator, and they grab to reveal.
Angles
Not TOO bad - people need to be standing or above you in some manner. You cannot perform this for a seated group without revealing something. You'll notice in all the demos that specs are standing above a tabled surface.
Mr. Yuck
Shown on the demo. Spectator is instructed to think happy thoughts while selecting a card amongst 7-9 others. They turn it over to see a happy face, while all other cards are yucky faces. You receive 18 yuck/happy stickers to apply to your own deck. I used them on blank face cards I had laying around, and they do look great.
He shows several live demos to adults and kids, all of which are impressed. This is probably my favorite routine on the DVD set.
The Basics
More of a pep-talk to magicians to use the pad like a normal pad.
Numbers
Spectator freely chooses a single card from 5 possible ones, which turns out to be the predicted number. I do kinda like the trick, however I think the "FU Card Trick" is much better, making this obsolete.
X Card, etc
Standard "select the card with an X" plot, and shown as a live performance in the "Introduction" section. You can also use ESP cards here, and have a prediction about which they chose.
Find Barbara
A "find the red backed card" trick with an overly liberal use of the flustration count. I didn't like this at all, and would rather stick with red vs. blue backed effects taught on DVD 2.
Stop!
Spectator calls STOP while you count 15 cards down onto the table. When turned over that card says, "You will stop at this card" while the others are perfectly normal. Not exactly my favorite, however a very good effect.
The Double Switch
You write down a prediction and hand it to the spectator for later. He can then choose between business cards containing several random names. The one chosen randomly by the spectator matches the prediction. This IS a cute use of business cards, and a great method to hand yours out. Instead of names, you can write movies, TV shows, teachers of the school or execs of the company you're gigging at, etc.
F.U. Card Trick
The most powerful trick on DVD 1! You write two predictions, and hand them to the spectator for later. Spectator then cuts the deck anywhere they'd like and says STOP 4 times while you count down cards. Once the four random cards are chosen, spectator signs their name on the back of one. And of course prediction #1 contains the names of all four cards, while prediction #2 says "You will sign the 7 of Hearts".
Before you bash the trick, you CAN simplify this a lot. Just have spec slide out 4 cards from the deck, and only have one prediction (containing both reveals) for a cleaner overall effect. Either way, this is fantastic.
Ambitiously Ambitious
An ACR with a medium packet of cards (20 or so). Spectator can cut the cards, shuffle, etc and their card always rises to the top. Afterwards all the cards can be handed out for examination, although in the demo he DOES have 2 7H cards in the packet which will make you laugh.
Spectator finds his card
Spec picks a random card from the deck, and adds it to a pile of 10 other cards. Once they are mixed up, spec chooses which one would possibly be HIS card, and of course they are correct. Meh, I didn't like.
Platt's Princess (Gone!)
Brian's take on Daryl's Princess Card Trick. See the original here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB_x0G3ZHDg
Spectator thinks of one card from a selection of 5 spread out. Their thought-of card vanishes, and the packet can be examined, leaving the spec with a card that says "GONE!" or whatever. Nice way to make this old trick 100% examinable.
