talkmagic.co.uk

Basic Coin Magic by Ian Kendall
£10.00 from www.virtualmagicshow.com/bcm

Overview

This VCD was exactly what I was looking for to get me into Coin Magic, arguably one of the most visually impressive forms of close up magic that there is.

There is no doubt that Ian Kendall is a superb teacher. He has a relaxed style and a very soothing voice. Quite frankly watching the movie clips on this VCD was like being in the same room as him, and he seemed to emphasise exactly the right points at the right time.

For the most part he is either standing, or seated in what can only be described as a Big Brother chair with what would appear to be a large white rug backdrop. But don’t let that put you off at all. When close ups are need we get close ups. When you need to see what it looks like from his perspective you get to see. If anything the BB chair makes it seem that you are actually sitting there right in front of him as he demonstrates and explains the moves.

Difficulty. 1/5
1=Even I can do it, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)
Interesting question. Well from my point of view (that is someone with very little coin experience), it has to be 3-5. But I will add that ultimately everything is very doable, and it’s just a matter now of me putting in the practice.

The Movies

1: The Hang Point and Classic Palm

Personally I have seldom heard anyone else talk of the “Hang Point”, and yet is goes so hand in hand (groans at himself) with the Classic Palm that it surprises me that it isn’t mentioned more often.

Ian spends quite a lot of time talking about the “Hang Point” and how to easily move from there to the Classic Palm, and back again.

This is definitely the best place to start with coin magic, and the moves are taught efficiently and well.

There is also an additional downloadable movie clip of Ian re-emphasising certain points that was produced in response to questions asked.

2: The Pass

Ok, so once the Hang Point and classic palm have been mastered it makes sense that we learn a simple way to make a coin disappear.

This move is just so effective. It sums up why I want to learn more about coin sleights, because frankly it looks just like magic.

3: The French Drop

No Coin Magician would be complete without perfecting how to do an effective French Drop. When done wrong it looks awful, so it’s important to be taught it well. For me this succeeds.

4: The Bobo Switch

As with the French Drop, the Bobo Switch is a fundamental move in Coin Sleights, and again it is taught well. I have to agree with all the DVD purists out there that sometimes one little movie clip can make so much more sense, and make everything just fall in place.

5: Palm to Palm Transfer

I am still struggling a little with this one. Truth be known I am struggling with most of them, but I do know that all I have to do is re-watch the clips, and practice practice practice.

Seeing how well Ian does this gives me something to aspire to.

And the Rest…

The remaining video clips include, The Himber Vanish, The Homme Masque Load, The Rosenthal Click Pass (I think) and The Himber Sankey Count.

I won’t go into detail about all these as I am still very much practicing the first 5, but all the techniques are taught with Ian’s non confrontational relaxed style that give me confidence that if I watch these movies enough times, and practice often enough then one day I too will be able to do Coin Magic.

What you get with these movie clips isn’t just the sleights, but the subtleties and misdirections that so many books exclude.

Rating. Effect/item: 9/10, Quality of goods: 8/10, Value for money: 10/10

Bottom Line.
I urge everyone who has thought about getting into coin magic to buy this VCD. Quite simply it is a great teaching aid, and if that isn’t enough, since I first purchased the VCD there have been 4 updates made available for download.

Normally I prefer books to DVDs, however that doesn’t mean I don’t think that DVDs are great learning tools. If you already have Bobo’s then I would still recommend this VCD as a companion aid.

I mentioned earlier that whilst watching the movie clips I felt that I was in the same room as Ian, well these updates make that doubly true. Effectively people who have bought the original VCD have been emailing Ian with questions and clarifications on certain points and these updates for the most part answer those questions and add a few extra moves to boot.

The last update was even the start of a nice little routine that Ian himself uses on his walkabouts.

This to me proves how approachable Ian Kendall is, and his dedication to after sales service. Ask him a question and you may well find he produces a new movie clip to explain it.

The bottom line – well I am eagerly awaiting his next VCD project, and whilst I am waiting I will be practicing everything on this one.

Forget CUPS. Just buy it!

Everything he just said. A couple of months ago I made a post here asking what would be the best way to get into coin magic. Well, this is it.

The CD is very good value for a tenner and the free updates make it pretty much essential. Get them now before he gets his commercial head on and withdraws them for inclusion on his follow-up CD. Having said that I think he's just too nice a bloke which is one of the things that makes him such a good teacher.

I have had Bobo for a while now and it has never grabbed me enough to take my silver half dollars out of the drawer....hopefully this will!

Thanks for the comments everyone!

Steve - it's in the post.

Charles - the update videos will never be withdrawn, at least not while I'm in charge (and, you know, I _am_ in charge). I'm not promising how many there will be though - I'll run out of basic moves one day - but as I said on the Magic Cafe, I ditched my plans for an Intermediate Coin Magic CD and I'll be putting the stuff from that out as updates. I may wait a while for everyone to catch up though

The best way to say thanks is to spread the word If everyone persuades two people to buy the CD, by Christmas everyone in the world will have two copies and I'll be able to buy Fiji!

On a more serious note, any questions can be sent to m@gician.info and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Thanks again, and take care,

Ian

expect money from me as soon as i get a booking, do you take visa electron??.

Just Paypal at the mo - I think they take Visa though (and sting me in charges for the privalige...)

Take care, Ian

okey dokey i have a paypal account.

At the risk of annexing the thread, I'd like to comment a wee bit on Bananafish's words.

1. The Hang Point is a term I use to explain my fingertip rest position. I've not heard it mentioned anywhere, and as a name it fitted the move enough for me to explain it. Several people have mentioned different methods for the HP that they have been using for years, and to be honest, that's great (Bobo, for example, has a different grip). I'm not going to insist that you give up the method you are happy with and join my Utopian dream of palming coins (Although things _are_ easier my way!)

2. It's the Rosenthal Click pass. While I was taping I referred to it as the Schnieider Click Pass, and even said a wee bit about Al Schneider. While I was typing out the code for the front end something was niggling at the back of my mind. I checked, and sure enough the move is Harvey Rosenthal's. *rse. That explains the atrocious voice dubbing of Harvey's name over certain parts of the explaination! Unfortunately I forgot the change the code of the web pages, and they still point to the Schneider Click Pass...

3. As for the after sales service; I'm a firm believer in treating people as you would like to be treated. I have no desire to take your money and feck off into the sunset (to be honest I wouldn't get much further than Newcastle, but that's another matter) as I'd like to keep you as a customer for future projects. Being nice costs very little, and everyone gets a warm, pink, fluffy feeling. Besides, if all the reviews said 'he's a git' I doubt I'd get many sales!

I realise that all my posts in the forum so far have been about me, and for that I apologise. I hope to be able to be more helpful in the months to come.

Take care, Ian

hey ian the reviews about your stuff so don't apologise for talking about yourself m8.
its refreshing to get the inventors viewpoint and to be able to talk to then direct so well played to you........now if only i could secure a few bookings.

careful now....you'll soon be on a par with Mr. Guinn for the all round nice guy award!!!!!

Next time I'm in Edinburgh I'll show you my "incredible coin to liquid transpo" involving pounds coins, barman and pints of ale.

just whatched the opening coin vid from your site you have the same off the cuff style as me and it seem to work for you.
thanks for the unintentional tip for the reacuring jumbo coin's, your hank has a little white spot on it which was a little distracting when your in the know about ear stuff and cotton reals but that wasn't the method you were useing, i don't know if you had spotted that or maybey you use it a s a marker??.

Er, no, and you are the first person in all the years I've been using that hank to have noticed. It was my father's and I appropriated it for magic. There are no gimmicks involved in that routine (or, in fact, 95% of anything I do...)

Now I'll have to cut the thing off!

Take care, Ian

Well it arrived yesterday and it is exactly what it says on the tin....I've got admit though, I am bloody rubbish with coins. I am amazed I can count out my change at the pub without it all falling on the floor............

will be ordering mine in two weeks when i get paid.

So now I beg the question - when it comes to learning coins in a visual format, should I pick Ammar or Kendall ???