Title: Falling Elevator
Artist: Bizau Vasile Cristian
Producers: Paper Crane Magic
Link: http://papercranemagic.com/fallingelevator.htm
Retail Price: $7.95 USD
Learning Difficulty: Moderate
Length of Video Download: 15 min
Notes: This is a moving card effect.
Includes:
• Instant Instructional Download
• Presentation
• Tutorial
• Variation – Performance
• Variation - Tutorial
• Choke Slight – Tutorial
• Final Thoughts
Falling Elevator is a no gimmick, no switch sleight that visually moves a spectators card from the top of the deck to the bottom with a surprise ending.
A slow and visual card penetration either “falling” or “rising” through a deck of cards isn’t exactly a new idea. There have been products on the market before that accomplished this effect, but what Bizau (A young Romanian magician) has created is a new sleight that accomplishes this effect without a gimmick, and can be done one handed! This very well may be the one sleight you will use to close your ambitious routine for quite some time to come.
The production value on the video was okay. This obviously wasn’t shot in a studio, looks more like it was Bizau’s living room, but all things considered the production value on this project isn’t a bad one. Ignoring the hazy corners in the frame this download had great camera work, crisp audio, and good editing; which for the price of $7.95 isn’t all that bad.
The slight isn’t easy to learn, as it feels awkward in the hand as you’re starting out. Not to worry though since this is a down load it’s very easy to just stop the video, drag the playback to an earlier point and watch it over again until you get more comfortable with the moves. The surprise ending is a double illusion of sorts, while the spectator thinks the card was falling through the deck it’s revealed that it was actually raising!
The Choke Sleight that Bizau teaches is a neat way to move a card from the top of the deck to the bottom, under the spectators nose, and reverse its facing in the deck (a necessary thing to perform Falling Elevator). This move has a couple applications one of the simplest is visually changing the entire decks apparent positioning just by turning your hand up and back down again. The only thing I don’t like about this sleight is that it’s very angle sensitive, and if it’s not executed exactly right, with enough misdirection then it flashes horribly. Even Bizau flashes several times during the tutorial portion of this effect. This isn’t a move I would do with people burning my hands, unless I was absolutely certain I could pull it off flawlessly.
The Falling Elevator is a great way to close an ambitious card routine, or to show someone something neat that can be done with a signed card. This is obviously an effect Bizau has put a lot of work into, and it shows. Whether you use it in your ambitious, or you keep it on hand for your casual walk around Falling Elevator will remain in your working repertoire in some fashion.
When I give my product scores below I am measuring them on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 Being absolute the worst score possible, and 10 being the absolute best, making a score of five average. The four points that I grade upon is Product Quality, Teaching Quality, Sound & Video Quality and Overall Quality.
Product Quality: 7
Not a bad sleight, good application, decent price.
Teaching Quality: 8
Nothing is out of place with how well the effect is taught. I feel confident that I have been instructed enough to learn the sleights needed to execute the routine, all that is required of me now is time to perfect it.
Video & Sound Quality: 6
Not the best quality, as it’s not a studio production, but considering what is there it’s not bad. Of course there’s that signature repetitive Paper Crane music in the back ground that I find annoying if you pay attention to it for too long.
Overall Quality: 7
I liked the trick, not a huge fan of the Choke Sleight, but then again I haven’t put in nearly the amount of hours working it as Bizau has. Maybe it’ll grow on me in time. All you need to know is that this is a good effect for the price, and you learn some neat moves in the process. Would I recommend it? Absolutely.
