Here is my in depth review of Effortless Effects by Ryan Schultz. This is a very good card magic DVD with minimal sleights. As a move monkey myself, I usually don't like self working, no effort card tricks. But this is really good. There are also advanced (with some sleights) versions of some of the tricks that are taught after the regular explanation. I will review each effect on its own and then give the DVD a final score. Enjoy :)
Clearly See Through:
This is the effect you saw on the trailer. A thought of card becomes "invisible", disappears from the deck, is revealed by the magician and then reappears reversed in the deck. This is a beautiful routine utilising the gap principle. The effect is easy to do and has minimal sleights, this is the first effect and it already has gone into my performances. This is multi-phased and has kicker after kicker until the final reveal. You do need one other thing in your deck of cards to make this hapen, but this can be set up on the fly, no lie there. It takes less than 10 seconds and the deck is set up forever. Plus it doesn't interfere with other effects, so you have a winner on your hands with this one! This comes with an advanced handling. As I said before, as a move monkey, this was perfect for me. Pretty much the same effect but with a few advanced sleights here and there. The effect is so, so good. Perfect. 10/10
No Hassle Hof:
A thought of card appears inside the spectators hands (holding the aces) and replaces the ace of the same suit. This is another stand out effect on the DVD. The only downside to this is that it does require a small stack and I personally don't like performing with stacks, but I am sure others do and will appreciate this. The handling is very clean and I love the fact that they just "think" of a card . The advanced handling eliminates a few moments in the "effortless" version. I quite like this - 8/10
Split Decision:
This is a funny cold reading style effect utilising the gap principle. I really found the handling entertaining to learn and practice, it is so, so fun performing this. It is almost self working and this really is, as he says effortless. You really can perform this at a moments notice, as with most of these effects. The reveal of the card is completely up to you in how you present it. Ryan's presentation is very funny and entertaining, but you really can adapt this to your own character. You could also present this as a demonstration of cold reading. I really, really like this and will be using it. 10/10
Wrongly Convicted:
Ryan told me this was his favourite effect on the DVD. This has now become my favourite effect on the DVD. This effect is so much fun. It utilises the gap principle and Ryan's add on move. A freely selected card is shuffled into the pack. A small packet of cards is taken out and the spectator cuts to any card within the pile - their selected card. He goes into detail explaining his add on move (very, very easy) and also gives an advanced and easier handling of the effect. This is a fun routine that everyone who watches this will love. 10/10
Forgot To Remember:
This is a random card matching a prediction of some sort. This uses a very common principle used in mentalism effects but as always, Ryan always has his own little tweak to make it more fun and entertaining. You get insane reactions with this one. I tried this out at school in the cafeteria and literally had a teacher come over and told me to leave the cafeteria as I was making a scene (which was kind of true as I had around 40 people reacting at the same time!) This is a very strong routine which is fail-proof. Little stack but worth it. Amazing. 9/10
Fish Sandwich:
This is a blackjack/body language/mind reading effect. This is cool because it is completely impromptu and you can bring this out at any moment. There is next to no sleight of hand and is entertaining for both the spectator and the magician (if you buy the DVD, you will understand). Not much to say about this apart from the fact that it is impromptu, easy and fun. Very good. 9/10
Need's A Name:
I watched this effect's performance and I knew instantly that I would be using this. I used to do a cold reading effect when I first started doing magic very similar to this (using a k** card). This is basically the same effect except it is so much cleaner and seems a lot more fair. The effect is a spectator grabs a pile and thinks of a card in the pile. The pile is then squared up and the spectator places the pile anywhere in the deck they want. You then spread the cards out on the table and using their pulse, reveal their card. This is just one beautiful and effective use for the gap principle. I am going to use the heck out of this to fool my magician friends. 10/10
The Gap Principle:
The principle covered on the DVD is the gap principle. This was created by Mr Schlutz and it is obvious that he has experimented and created some beautiful routines utilising the principle. It is used throughout the effects and at the end of the DVD, the principle is explained and discussed with Liam Montier. I think that they should have put this segment at the beginning of the DVD. There was a few times when they told you to skip to the part with this segment then go back to the effect explanation. That is probably the only fault in the entire DVD IMHO. The gap principle allows you to control, force, peek, reveal etc. a thought of card. I believe Ryan is only scratching the surface with this principle, there is so much you can do with this. 10/10
Final Thoughts:
This DVD is very, very, very good. It is $30 and you get 7 routines, a brand new principle and unlimited possibilities. It is very rare now for me to smile when I find out the method to an effect. The beginning of the DVD explains the effect shown on the trailer (Clearly See Through) and I was so excited because I knew there was so much I could do with this principle. The DVD is shot beautifully, sound is great as Ryan teaches everything well, the DVD also features "bullet explanation" which is a quick walk through of each effect, after the explanation. This could be a close to perfect DVD. I really enjoyed this. 10/10
Product information:
http://www.murphysmagic.com/Streaming/Product.aspx?id=53708
Clearly See Through:
This is the effect you saw on the trailer. A thought of card becomes "invisible", disappears from the deck, is revealed by the magician and then reappears reversed in the deck. This is a beautiful routine utilising the gap principle. The effect is easy to do and has minimal sleights, this is the first effect and it already has gone into my performances. This is multi-phased and has kicker after kicker until the final reveal. You do need one other thing in your deck of cards to make this hapen, but this can be set up on the fly, no lie there. It takes less than 10 seconds and the deck is set up forever. Plus it doesn't interfere with other effects, so you have a winner on your hands with this one! This comes with an advanced handling. As I said before, as a move monkey, this was perfect for me. Pretty much the same effect but with a few advanced sleights here and there. The effect is so, so good. Perfect. 10/10
No Hassle Hof:
A thought of card appears inside the spectators hands (holding the aces) and replaces the ace of the same suit. This is another stand out effect on the DVD. The only downside to this is that it does require a small stack and I personally don't like performing with stacks, but I am sure others do and will appreciate this. The handling is very clean and I love the fact that they just "think" of a card . The advanced handling eliminates a few moments in the "effortless" version. I quite like this - 8/10
Split Decision:
This is a funny cold reading style effect utilising the gap principle. I really found the handling entertaining to learn and practice, it is so, so fun performing this. It is almost self working and this really is, as he says effortless. You really can perform this at a moments notice, as with most of these effects. The reveal of the card is completely up to you in how you present it. Ryan's presentation is very funny and entertaining, but you really can adapt this to your own character. You could also present this as a demonstration of cold reading. I really, really like this and will be using it. 10/10
Wrongly Convicted:
Ryan told me this was his favourite effect on the DVD. This has now become my favourite effect on the DVD. This effect is so much fun. It utilises the gap principle and Ryan's add on move. A freely selected card is shuffled into the pack. A small packet of cards is taken out and the spectator cuts to any card within the pile - their selected card. He goes into detail explaining his add on move (very, very easy) and also gives an advanced and easier handling of the effect. This is a fun routine that everyone who watches this will love. 10/10
Forgot To Remember:
This is a random card matching a prediction of some sort. This uses a very common principle used in mentalism effects but as always, Ryan always has his own little tweak to make it more fun and entertaining. You get insane reactions with this one. I tried this out at school in the cafeteria and literally had a teacher come over and told me to leave the cafeteria as I was making a scene (which was kind of true as I had around 40 people reacting at the same time!) This is a very strong routine which is fail-proof. Little stack but worth it. Amazing. 9/10
Fish Sandwich:
This is a blackjack/body language/mind reading effect. This is cool because it is completely impromptu and you can bring this out at any moment. There is next to no sleight of hand and is entertaining for both the spectator and the magician (if you buy the DVD, you will understand). Not much to say about this apart from the fact that it is impromptu, easy and fun. Very good. 9/10
Need's A Name:
I watched this effect's performance and I knew instantly that I would be using this. I used to do a cold reading effect when I first started doing magic very similar to this (using a k** card). This is basically the same effect except it is so much cleaner and seems a lot more fair. The effect is a spectator grabs a pile and thinks of a card in the pile. The pile is then squared up and the spectator places the pile anywhere in the deck they want. You then spread the cards out on the table and using their pulse, reveal their card. This is just one beautiful and effective use for the gap principle. I am going to use the heck out of this to fool my magician friends. 10/10
The Gap Principle:
The principle covered on the DVD is the gap principle. This was created by Mr Schlutz and it is obvious that he has experimented and created some beautiful routines utilising the principle. It is used throughout the effects and at the end of the DVD, the principle is explained and discussed with Liam Montier. I think that they should have put this segment at the beginning of the DVD. There was a few times when they told you to skip to the part with this segment then go back to the effect explanation. That is probably the only fault in the entire DVD IMHO. The gap principle allows you to control, force, peek, reveal etc. a thought of card. I believe Ryan is only scratching the surface with this principle, there is so much you can do with this. 10/10
Final Thoughts:
This DVD is very, very, very good. It is $30 and you get 7 routines, a brand new principle and unlimited possibilities. It is very rare now for me to smile when I find out the method to an effect. The beginning of the DVD explains the effect shown on the trailer (Clearly See Through) and I was so excited because I knew there was so much I could do with this principle. The DVD is shot beautifully, sound is great as Ryan teaches everything well, the DVD also features "bullet explanation" which is a quick walk through of each effect, after the explanation. This could be a close to perfect DVD. I really enjoyed this. 10/10
Product information:
http://www.murphysmagic.com/Streaming/Product.aspx?id=53708