[size=+2]Touch[/size]-[size=+1]Hanson Chien[/size]
There was only one quick review on this DVD so I thought I give it an in depth one, as it deserves it.
As soon as I saw this come out, I thought "me want". I'm a big fan of rubber band magic, and the effects on this looked quite nice...they were
.
[size=+1]The DVD[/size]: The DVD is itself is fine, it's easy to navigate (could be a bit better) but overall you shouldn't have any issues. The effects are laid out in order and easy to see and choose which you want to see.
[size=+1]The Quality[/size]: The quality was interesting. The clips of live performances outside were all done very nicely, and looked great, but the indoor studio (where all the teaching takes place) was not of as good quality. Not bad, but not great. But come on, theory 11 has spoiled us.
[size=+1]Teaching[/size]: The teaching is silent and the only time you hear Hanson talk is the live performances, and when he has something to say about an effect before he teaches it. This is slightly annoying because you miss a lot of the timing for the band effects, but it's still easy to understand the basic mechanics of each effect. Although silent, they are all taught very well, and you should have no issues with any of them.
[size=+1]Tricks[/size]: On to the tricks! This is what I really enjoyed about the DVD (duh). I think Hanson provided a great array of tricks, not just linking linking linking and more linking bands. He does have quite a few linking effects, but a lot of other types of effects too. Let's take a closer look.
Touch: The main trick on the DVD, yet it doesn't take up half the DVD like most DVDs would do. This effect is both well thought out, and freaking genius. I know there has been a lot of "he stole that idea/is it original" talk going on, but yes, this specific handling (from what I understand) is original, and all the people who have created similar effects are credited on the DVD. The effect itself is very easy, and will take a small amount of time (maybe a day) before you'll be performing this to people. The timing is also very important on this one, again, I had to learn that the hard way because the explanations are silent, but oh well. You will want nice stretchy bands for this one.
Escape: This effect is basically Touch, just with a totally different presentation. I find it funny how the exact same trick looks like something totally different just by a presentation change.
Ghost Slink: As the name implies, the effect was heavily inspired by Daniel Garcia's Slink effect. Hanson says it was also inspired by Dan Harlan's Plink. The effect looks just like Slink, so imagine Slink only in the last phase the band is pulled right back out, no change in hand position like in Daniel's Slink. The rubber band pops in, then pops out. Super visual and direct. I will personally still be using slink, but this is a nice effect to do if someone wants to see Slink again. Just personal preference.
Ghost Palm: Imagine Touch, only backwards. Basically, you wrap a rubber band around your hand and the spec's hand (your palms are together) and just as quickly, you quickly move your hand down, causing the band to go right though your spec's hand and stay on yours. This is very visual and very surprising, and the spec can even hold on to their own fingers to make sure the band won't come off. At first I thought this would be very gutsy, but it really isn't after performing it. It worked perfectly. Love love love it.
Ghost Finger: Now this is sick. You cause a rubber band to penetrate you index finger, while the spec holds on to the tip of your finger so there is no way the band could get through! You then proceed to make it pop back though you finger again. To get even crazier, you then do it on the specs finger! I have yet to perform it on a specs finger (it's a bit nacky), but I have done it though mine (both ways) and it works great, people love it. Very easy, and very impressive. Great pre-effect to Touch.
Crazy Hanson's Handcuffs: Basically a very visual Crazy Man's Handcuffs. He teaches two ways of doing it. One easy way, and one hard way. The hard way is more visual as you might expect. The easy way is more practical
Crazy Magician's Handcuffs: This is Hanson's version of Crazy Man's Handcuffs. I have yet to try it out, but it looks easier than even the well known standby. The nice thing is that there is no moment of finger changing, it happens almost automatically. Nice.
Infinity Linkage: I think everyone will use this one. Very visual and fair looking. It can easily (unlike some band effects) be used with other objects as demonstrated on the DVD. The display of the linked bands is similar to that in Marcus Eddie's Raw Linkage (hence the name Infinity Linkage), making it very fair looking. The unlink is very visual and fair also. Awesome. Hanson also teaches how to do it with a ring and rubber band. Very nice clean display of a ring linked on a band. I liked the whole linking effect of the ring and rubber band.
Missing Linkage: This is basically identical looking to Chris Kenner's Missing Link effect (get it...missing linkage ;P). Anyway, I can't say much without revealing it, but I can say you will need one heck of a stretchy band for this. There is a nice bonus of this trick where (at the end of the linking) you put both bands cleanly in the spec's hand. You mime taking one and open your hand to find you have one band, and the spec has only one now. Nice and different.
Flash Band: This is basically Garrett Thomas' Ring thing, only with a band on you finger. All credit is given to Garrett. Nice idea applying it to rubber bands.
[size=+1]Routines[/size]: The routines were great. Well thought out and cleverly made. Hanson says he hopes you find inspiration to create you own routines.
Teleport: This was my favorite of the two routines. The effects taught are the classic band up nose, Jumping Band, and Ultimate Jump. The first two are classics and Hanson has a great take on Jumping Band, it looks great.
Liquid: The effects taught in Liquid are the regular Crazy Man's Handcuffs, Snapped and Restored rubber band, and Joe Rindfleisch's Remote Link which is a link done in you specs hands.
[size=+1]Overall[/size]: I love this DVD, and recommend it to any of you rubber band magic fans. A few great new ideas in hear, and some great effects based off of classic (or new) principles. Highly recommended and well worth the money. I would even say a beginner could buy this if he wanted to learn rubber band magic. However, there are probably easier places to start (as this DVD has no talking during explanation)
I will warn those not familiar with rubber band magic, that all the effects on hear have a setup (which can be done in few second or less) that must be done right in front of you spectators. You should have a grasp on misdirection, because Hanson does not teach any tips on performing these effects. However, his live performances were very helpful for learning the timing of the tricks.
Buy it!
Cheers,
Ryan
There was only one quick review on this DVD so I thought I give it an in depth one, as it deserves it.
As soon as I saw this come out, I thought "me want". I'm a big fan of rubber band magic, and the effects on this looked quite nice...they were
.[size=+1]The DVD[/size]: The DVD is itself is fine, it's easy to navigate (could be a bit better) but overall you shouldn't have any issues. The effects are laid out in order and easy to see and choose which you want to see.
[size=+1]The Quality[/size]: The quality was interesting. The clips of live performances outside were all done very nicely, and looked great, but the indoor studio (where all the teaching takes place) was not of as good quality. Not bad, but not great. But come on, theory 11 has spoiled us.
[size=+1]Teaching[/size]: The teaching is silent and the only time you hear Hanson talk is the live performances, and when he has something to say about an effect before he teaches it. This is slightly annoying because you miss a lot of the timing for the band effects, but it's still easy to understand the basic mechanics of each effect. Although silent, they are all taught very well, and you should have no issues with any of them.
[size=+1]Tricks[/size]: On to the tricks! This is what I really enjoyed about the DVD (duh). I think Hanson provided a great array of tricks, not just linking linking linking and more linking bands. He does have quite a few linking effects, but a lot of other types of effects too. Let's take a closer look.
Touch: The main trick on the DVD, yet it doesn't take up half the DVD like most DVDs would do. This effect is both well thought out, and freaking genius. I know there has been a lot of "he stole that idea/is it original" talk going on, but yes, this specific handling (from what I understand) is original, and all the people who have created similar effects are credited on the DVD. The effect itself is very easy, and will take a small amount of time (maybe a day) before you'll be performing this to people. The timing is also very important on this one, again, I had to learn that the hard way because the explanations are silent, but oh well. You will want nice stretchy bands for this one.
Escape: This effect is basically Touch, just with a totally different presentation. I find it funny how the exact same trick looks like something totally different just by a presentation change.
Ghost Slink: As the name implies, the effect was heavily inspired by Daniel Garcia's Slink effect. Hanson says it was also inspired by Dan Harlan's Plink. The effect looks just like Slink, so imagine Slink only in the last phase the band is pulled right back out, no change in hand position like in Daniel's Slink. The rubber band pops in, then pops out. Super visual and direct. I will personally still be using slink, but this is a nice effect to do if someone wants to see Slink again. Just personal preference.
Ghost Palm: Imagine Touch, only backwards. Basically, you wrap a rubber band around your hand and the spec's hand (your palms are together) and just as quickly, you quickly move your hand down, causing the band to go right though your spec's hand and stay on yours. This is very visual and very surprising, and the spec can even hold on to their own fingers to make sure the band won't come off. At first I thought this would be very gutsy, but it really isn't after performing it. It worked perfectly. Love love love it.
Ghost Finger: Now this is sick. You cause a rubber band to penetrate you index finger, while the spec holds on to the tip of your finger so there is no way the band could get through! You then proceed to make it pop back though you finger again. To get even crazier, you then do it on the specs finger! I have yet to perform it on a specs finger (it's a bit nacky), but I have done it though mine (both ways) and it works great, people love it. Very easy, and very impressive. Great pre-effect to Touch.
Crazy Hanson's Handcuffs: Basically a very visual Crazy Man's Handcuffs. He teaches two ways of doing it. One easy way, and one hard way. The hard way is more visual as you might expect. The easy way is more practical
Crazy Magician's Handcuffs: This is Hanson's version of Crazy Man's Handcuffs. I have yet to try it out, but it looks easier than even the well known standby. The nice thing is that there is no moment of finger changing, it happens almost automatically. Nice.
Infinity Linkage: I think everyone will use this one. Very visual and fair looking. It can easily (unlike some band effects) be used with other objects as demonstrated on the DVD. The display of the linked bands is similar to that in Marcus Eddie's Raw Linkage (hence the name Infinity Linkage), making it very fair looking. The unlink is very visual and fair also. Awesome. Hanson also teaches how to do it with a ring and rubber band. Very nice clean display of a ring linked on a band. I liked the whole linking effect of the ring and rubber band.
Missing Linkage: This is basically identical looking to Chris Kenner's Missing Link effect (get it...missing linkage ;P). Anyway, I can't say much without revealing it, but I can say you will need one heck of a stretchy band for this. There is a nice bonus of this trick where (at the end of the linking) you put both bands cleanly in the spec's hand. You mime taking one and open your hand to find you have one band, and the spec has only one now. Nice and different.
Flash Band: This is basically Garrett Thomas' Ring thing, only with a band on you finger. All credit is given to Garrett. Nice idea applying it to rubber bands.
[size=+1]Routines[/size]: The routines were great. Well thought out and cleverly made. Hanson says he hopes you find inspiration to create you own routines.
Teleport: This was my favorite of the two routines. The effects taught are the classic band up nose, Jumping Band, and Ultimate Jump. The first two are classics and Hanson has a great take on Jumping Band, it looks great.
Liquid: The effects taught in Liquid are the regular Crazy Man's Handcuffs, Snapped and Restored rubber band, and Joe Rindfleisch's Remote Link which is a link done in you specs hands.
[size=+1]Overall[/size]: I love this DVD, and recommend it to any of you rubber band magic fans. A few great new ideas in hear, and some great effects based off of classic (or new) principles. Highly recommended and well worth the money. I would even say a beginner could buy this if he wanted to learn rubber band magic. However, there are probably easier places to start (as this DVD has no talking during explanation)
I will warn those not familiar with rubber band magic, that all the effects on hear have a setup (which can be done in few second or less) that must be done right in front of you spectators. You should have a grasp on misdirection, because Hanson does not teach any tips on performing these effects. However, his live performances were very helpful for learning the timing of the tricks.
Buy it!
Cheers,
Ryan
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