Freedom Pack by Justin Miller Review

[ch17772]

Hi everyone
Im here to review jmiller's freedom pack.
im assuming that you guys already know what the effect is.so ill go straight to the review..

when i first watched the trailer, i was fooled really bad.
i always liked justin miller's stuff(except autograph... sorry). so i bought it the day that it was released.(my magic shop pre ordered).
i watched it right away, and the gimmick was so simple yet genius.
he goes through everything in detail(as always).
he was teaching in a forest(he almost got hit by a acorn couple of times) , and he also teaches various ways to put the card in the box.
this effect is very practical, easy reset(1-3 sec??), angle proof almost anywhere, and the gimmick is easy to make.
this is something that im using every time in my routine. (for me it is a perfect closer).

so.....
teaching 9/10

effect 10/10 Great.. nothing to say

practicality 8.5/10

overall, i give this 9.5/10 i definitely recommend the freedom pack for every level of performers

2 thumbs up to Justin miller !

hope he comes back with a great effect.
Justin miller says"freedom pack is the effect, that i want the magic community to remember me for".
i think freedom pack is the best effect that he came up with so far

so thats it....

p.s

the bonus effect Brain Freeze is awesome.
(the deck is red... selection is made..... goes in to the deck...he flips the deck and the blue box appears and inside the box, the deck is all blue except one card... your selection)

 

[MalibuARMY]

I just wanted to add to this. The practicality is actually terrible. I perform at the magic castle and with the crappy ACR he shows is with not a deck of cards but a brick. Face it, it looks like he is holding a brick that you can riffle.

This effect is great when after a packet trick. Then you pull out FP and put the packet in the deck and then do FP. I personally don't like the line of "I forgot to take the cards out of the card case." I would just do FP to wrap up before I leave. It works much better.

And a quick thing for Justin Miller, it is best to not boast about how much freedom you get with the trick when you really don't get that much freedom with the practicality. In the settings I perform in, I would NEVER turn my back on the audience or do an ACR (As you see in the demo). I'll leave that to the magicians who don't want to stand out.

 

[BrendoneC]

I just wanted to add to this. The practicality is actually terrible. I perform at the magic castle and with the crappy ACR he shows is with not a deck of cards but a brick. Face it, it looks like he is holding a brick that you can riffle.

This effect is great when after a packet trick. Then you pull out FP and put the packet in the deck and then do FP. I personally don't like the line of "I forgot to take the cards out of the card case." I would just do FP to wrap up before I leave. It works much better.

And a quick thing for Justin Miller, it is best to not boast about how much freedom you get with the trick when you really don't get that much freedom with the practicality. In the settings I perform in, I would NEVER turn my back on the audience or do an ACR (As you see in the demo). I'll leave that to the magicians who don't want to stand out.

I've been working on a 20 card OOTW trick (jon armstrong), so would I be able to put those in the gimmick after performing, then do FP then move on to non-card stuff? thanks for the help.

 

[Mat La Vore]

I would NEVER... do an ACR (As you see in the demo). I'll leave that to the magicians who don't want to stand out.

ACR seems to work just fine for David Blaine, Cyril, Jay Sankey, Greg Wilson, Daniel Garcia, etc.

I've never had a layman tell me they've seen it before whenever I've done it.

 

[Randy]

My only gripe with it is that I couldn't get the original change to work right during practice every time. But that's pretty much my own fault for being clumsy when it comes to doing things that require you to toss and catch cards or items in the air.

You don't HAVE to do the ACR like he did a few times. There was a spot where he simply did a few other things and you pay attention to what he said in the video. He also did a bunch of other effects with the same deck as well. The FP thing was like the last stop.

 

[Justin-Miller]

Yea I am currently doing a sick rewind set with this now...I do not know why I have to point stuff like this out but hereeeeee goeeessss!
The CRAPPY acr was only put into place for YOU guys to show you HOW TO GET INTO and OUT OF THE GIMMICK with silky ease. There are SOOOOO many other ways and methods to use the Freedom pack. I have come up with 6 just since I released it.

And as far as doing an ACR for laymen..what son? STRONG for them...STRONGGGGG!
Thank you to al of you who have made FP a great success...we are in our 2,000th run.
JM

 

[CaseyRudd]

There are SOOOOO many other ways and methods to use the Freedom pack. I have come up with 6 just since I released it.

I am just putting in my own opinion, but maybe you could have waited and worked on Freedom Pack more to show the flexibility in terms of applications? You said on The Magic Session you thought of the color changing deck the night before shooting the actual DVD itself. Because you said that, it seems like it wasn't a well thought out process and it was just filler for a DVD that focused around a main idea of re-casing the cards. I felt that if you took a lot more time in developing this effect making it to its highest potential, the success could have been much, much larger. My friend Zach worked with another guy on a "better" gimmick for Freedom Pack that gives you more 'freedom' so to speak. They went more in depth on your effect and did more to it to make it a lot better. All I'm saying is that Freedom Pack, to ME, wasn't very well thought out. Maybe more time into research and development could have made this a LOT better than what it is now.

 

[saborfang17]

Yea I am currently doing a sick rewind set with this now...I do not know why I have to point stuff like this out but hereeeeee goeeessss!
The CRAPPY acr was only put into place for YOU guys to show you HOW TO GET INTO and OUT OF THE GIMMICK with silky ease. There are SOOOOO many other ways and methods to use the Freedom pack. I have come up with 6 just since I released it.

And as far as doing an ACR for laymen..what son? STRONG for them...STRONGGGGG!
Thank you to al of you who have made FP a great success...we are in our 2,000th run.
JM

An ACR is only strong when done in the right situation with the right patter. With that being said, when you do an ACR at the right time, it should definitely be stronger than the weak "I forgot to take the cards out of the box" line. Sorry to say, but the ambitious card sequence didn't cut it for me - although the gimmick's a nice idea. Over-priced, in my opinion, but it does have smething worth bringing to the table - even if it's not worth paying $35 for.

 

[Randy]

You're missing the point. The small ACR was just a minor way of getting into the set up, you do not HAVE TO do the ACR, you can do other effects that you like and enjoy if you so feel the need.

Also why are you criticizing him for the patter he used for the effect. You do know that you don't HAVE to use his exact patter or lines when you perform the effect. Use some of your own creativity and come up with some better lines if you want to.

 

[Justin-Miller]

I am just putting in my own opinion, but maybe you could have waited and worked on Freedom Pack more to show the flexibility in terms of applications? You said on The Magic Session you thought of the color changing deck the night before shooting the actual DVD itself. Because you said that, it seems like it wasn't a well thought out process and it was just filler for a DVD that focused around a main idea of re-casing the cards. I felt that if you took a lot more time in developing this effect making it to its highest potential, the success could have been much, much larger. My friend Zach worked with another guy on a "better" gimmick for Freedom Pack that gives you more 'freedom' so to speak. They went more in depth on your effect and did more to it to make it a lot better. All I'm saying is that Freedom Pack, to ME, wasn't very well thought out. Maybe more time into research and development could have made this a LOT better than what it is now.

lol..casey you are twisting my words..I said that i came up with the METHOD for brain-freeze the night before in a dream...i had been working on the method for quite some time before that...soooo once the method was given to me it was done.
Yea I know the friends you speak of..would love to see what they came up with as FP was a diving board into something bigger..I even say on the dvd I cant wait to see what others come up with from my original idea.

JM

 

[Justin-Miller]

"the success could have been a lot better" ?????
Casey, FP, RIZER, and PSHYER are the TOP selling DVDs RIGHT NOW!!
And they keep breaking solid records weekly..."could have been" has not even reached our ears yet young man.
When you don't know what your talking about you begin to spread lies to the public....
I stand behind FP with full force and so does MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY other pro. magicians.
JM

 

[MalibuARMY]

ACR seems to work just fine for David Blaine, Cyril, Jay Sankey, Greg Wilson, Daniel Garcia, etc.

I've never had a layman tell me they've seen it before whenever I've done it.

Very true however in the setting I usually perform in it is nothing the people haven't seen already.

 

[MalibuARMY]

You're missing the point. The small ACR was just a minor way of getting into the set up, you do not HAVE TO do the ACR, you can do other effects that you like and enjoy if you so feel the need.

Also why are you criticizing him for the patter he used for the effect. You do know that you don't HAVE to use his exact patter or lines when you perform the effect. Use some of your own creativity and come up with some better lines if you want to.

I understand what you mean. And thank you for bringing this to the table.

I know you don't have to do the ACR but then Justin said there is so much "Freedom" in this trick. He boasted about it so much when you really don't have that much freedom. I am just lucky I have a packet trick at the end of my show so I can use it. If not, then this effect would hit the drawer.

I was so excited when he said how much freedom you get with this. I did take his words with a grain of salt but still. I honestly don't think he did his best on this. As said before, he should have put more time and effort into it. Other people are making this better as we speak when the creator should have done it in the first place.

 

[MalibuARMY]

"the success could have been a lot better" ?????
Casey, FP, RIZER, and PSHYER are the TOP selling DVDs RIGHT NOW!!
And they keep breaking solid records weekly..."could have been" has not even reached our ears yet young man.
When you don't know what your talking about you begin to spread lies to the public....
I stand behind FP with full force and so does MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY other pro. magicians.
JM

1. Please don't talk down to Casey. This is not to do with RIZER or PSHYER. Thought you are not worrying about "Could have been" maybe you can in the future.

Though you had the method down for the extra trick on the dvd which you dreamed up and that was the missing piece you still should not push it forward. I might have an effect and all I need is a method that doesn't mean when I figure it out I perform it the next day.

2. Casey, I, and others on this thread DO know what we are talking about. I own the DVD as well as others. We do not try to spread lies, we talk about our opinions. Just as it is your OPINION about us.

3. I admire you for standing behind your product and what you believe in. However it doesn't matter how many people stand behind you and FP. It also doesn't matter if they are pro. magicians. Many stand behind Criss Angel but if I would post a thread topic about him here it would be shut down due to all the people who can't help but bash him because we all know he frankly –. I'll leave it at that.

 

[MarcusChristiansen]

"the success could have been a lot better" ?????
Casey, FP, RIZER, and PSHYER are the TOP selling DVDs RIGHT NOW!!
And they keep breaking solid records weekly..."could have been" has not even reached our ears yet young man.
When you don't know what your talking about you begin to spread lies to the public....
I stand behind FP with full force and so does MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY other pro. magicians.
JM

First of all, Casey is very clear about the fact that he is only giving us his opinion. It's not an attempt at delivering an absolute truth. Second of all, no matter how successful something is, there is always potential for it to become even better so I see nothing wrong with that either. Maybe the Freedom Pack is breaking records and has become a top seller, but that doesn't mean it couldn't have sold even more if changes were made or even more work would've gone into making it. It doesn't mean that it would've sold more either.

And playing the age card (I'm referring to the phrase "young man") just feels wrong. Age has very little to do with anything here, so I see no reason to going down that road and using phrases that seem to belittle others.

And last of all, the only possible "lie" (and I use that term lightly right now) that I can see Casey having written is about the misunderstanding or so about whether or not you came up with the idea for the color changing deck the night before filming the DVD. Maybe he was incorrect but calling it lying is a bit harsh, isn't it?

I respect you and your work, Justin, but this wasn't a very good post. You come off as very defensive for no real reason in my opinion.

 

[MalibuARMY]

First of all, Casey is very clear about the fact that he is only giving us his opinion. It's not an attempt at delivering an absolute truth. Second of all, no matter how successful something is, there is always potential for it to become even better so I see nothing wrong with that either. Maybe the Freedom Pack is breaking records and has become a top seller, but that doesn't mean it couldn't have sold even more if changes were made or even more work would've gone into making it. It doesn't mean that it would've sold more either.

And playing the age card (I'm referring to the phrase "young man") just feels wrong. Age has very little to do with anything here, so I see no reason to going down that road and using phrases that seem to belittle others.

And last of all, the only possible "lie" (and I use that term lightly right now) that I can see Casey having written is about the misunderstanding or so about whether or not you came up with the idea for the color changing deck the night before filming the DVD. Maybe he was incorrect but calling it lying is a bit harsh, isn't it?

I respect you and your work, Justin, but this wasn't a very good post. You come off as very defensive for no real reason in my opinion.

Very true.

We all are still learning no matter how old we are. Maybe Justin, you need to learn how to take criticism well.

 

[saborfang17]

"the success could have been a lot better" ?????
Casey, FP, RIZER, and PSHYER are the TOP selling DVDs RIGHT NOW!!
And they keep breaking solid records weekly..."could have been" has not even reached our ears yet young man.
When you don't know what your talking about you begin to spread lies to the public....
I stand behind FP with full force and so does MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY other pro. magicians.
JM

Alright - You want to lie to our face, you got it. Rizer isn't yours. Neither is Psypher. Although I'll admit they're good. No offense, but you rushed FP. At the state it's at? It's utter ****. You could've refined it, and you know it. I want to see some pro magicians come on here and stand behind it with full force, and maybe I'll consider using it. Until then, $35 not very well spent.

 

[MarcusChristiansen]

Alright - You want to lie to our face, you got it. Rizer isn't yours. Neither is Psypher. Although I'll admit they're good. No offense, but you rushed FP. At the state it's at? It's utter ****. You could've refined it, and you know it. I want to see some pro magicians come on here and stand behind it with full force, and maybe I'll consider using it. Until then, $35 not very well spent.

Justin could be meaning that one of the three top sellers is his very own Freedom Pack, not that he's behind Rizer or Psypher.

I think this discussion would benefit greatly if we took it down a notch and tried to discuss without as much feelings involved in the arguments.

 

[Randy]

Alright - You want to lie to our face, you got it. Rizer isn't yours. Neither is Psypher. Although I'll admit they're good. No offense, but you rushed FP. At the state it's at? It's utter ****. You could've refined it, and you know it. I want to see some pro magicians come on here and stand behind it with full force, and maybe I'll consider using it. Until then, $35 not very well spent.

Christ man, calm down and take a few deep breathes. The effect is actually pretty good and it's great that you are able to express your opinion on it. But you need to learn to calm down and think before you act. You were critizing him on things that were completely trivial. "I don't like the patter he used, it's blah blah." then use your own patter, christ it's not that hard do to anyways.

You don't like the effect that's fine as well. Just try to speak your opinion on the subject with a bit more clarity and respect. Rather than acting like an angry 12 year old having a temper tantrum

 

[CaseyRudd]

"the success could have been a lot better" ?????
Casey, FP, RIZER, and PSHYER are the TOP selling DVDs RIGHT NOW!!
And they keep breaking solid records weekly..."could have been" has not even reached our ears yet young man.
When you don't know what your talking about you begin to spread lies to the public....
I stand behind FP with full force and so does MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY other pro. magicians.
JM

I do know what I am talking about. One night on TMS, you specifically said "I came up with the color changing deck in a dream before we started shooting." You contradicted yourself in an earlier post about not coming up with the method the night before, then stated you came up with the method the night before. Which one is it? Kind of bad to tell your customers that because it comes to them that it was just filler material and there wasn't much thought put into it. Luke Dancy is a working professional who does his weekly reviews on products. He tried out Freedom Pack to see how it went and he said in his review he didn't like it. Then, you started a Ustream Show bashing Luke and other magicians just because they didn't like your product. I have quite a few magicians who saw that Bash Fest and can back me up on that. Coming from a 'professional', you sure do not act like one, and your writing abilities reflect that too.