Ok so I've heard some chatter than some people wanted to hear an indepth review about Calen Morelli's Funtion(nine) DVD. First off I would like to say I just bought it and LOVED it! As we all know Calen is a creative genuis! Now, keep in mind this review is coming from a person that just finished watching it, I haven't had much time to practice or try all these effects, though hopefully this review will shed some light on some questions people may have.
If you guys haven't heard or seen of this project, watch the trailer here: http://www.papercranemagic.com/f9.htm
Note: Something that I really like about Calen is that he trys to think outside the box with his effects. If he does a "find your card trick" he find it in an awesome and different way than other magicians typically do. Same goes with his other effects.
Effects:
VGH(a+b) = (a) A selected card visually jumps from the deck to your hands, ending in between the spectators hands! (b) An in hands and extremely visual version of Paul Harris' grasshopper effect.
I think these 2 effects are great! I personally think, for my style I didn't like the whole plot of the cards becoming "magnetic" and them jumping back and forth several times between the aces. I personally believe it's kinda confusing to the audience, I was kinda confused the first time I saw the effect. That being said, you don't need to do that part, you can just have their card appear in their hands. This is the way I perfer but you can perform it the way Calen performs it as well and still slay audiences. This effect is easy and impromptu and very effective, total win!
8/10
PEN IN BOTTLE = A pen visually jumps inside a full bottle of water.
I was very impressed with this idea of a pen through water bottle. There are MANY MANY MANY coin through bottles or bottle cap through bottles, etc, but I like the idea of a pen... this probably could work with other random objects laying around your house. Now this effect does involve a gimmick and some set up, with of course a little bit of sleight of hand. Angles are pretty much good, I think the only bad angle is someone over your shoulder. The method is quite deseptive and it's something I've known about bottle water for awhile but didn't think of it in this way. I'll have to try this out sometime, I'm sure I'll get some awesome reactions.
8/10
TRANSPORT = You hold your cell phone and the spectator holds a cell phone. A rubber band is wrapped around the cell phone in your hand. The band visually vanishes from the phone in your hands and reappears on the phone they have been holding the entire time!
(bonus) = A borrowed ring instantly links onto a few rubber bands worn on your wrist then it melts off just as impossibly.
I liked the idea of this effect but didn't like the fact that it involved a gimmick, the gimmick isn't bad, I would have just like a slight of hand method for an effect like this. That being said, Calen released a video on papercrane magic to those that own Function(nine) a sleight of hand method that I was extremly excited about, it does have a bit of setup, though the setup is quite easy and the rest is just presentation and sleight of hand.
Sleight of hand method can be found here: http://www.papercranemagic.com/transportimpromptu.htm
9/10
SUSPENDED= You hang one band on another. Then in an instant half of the supporting band vanishes for just a moment leaving the band hanging in the air! Pure visual goodness!
Ok this is pure genuis! Calen, if you're reading this, I have no idea how you could have thought of this method, it fooled me BAD!!! I walked away from my tv when I saw this effect! haha.
Like the description says, the top band of the rubberband quickly vanishes BUT still the rubberband hanging from the top band still stays on top as if the top band was still there! Method is amazing! It does involve a gimmick which is simple to use. I'm sure many of you will be performing this.
9/10 (I would give this a 10, but I gave it a 9 only because you can't make the gimmick, it's something you have to buy seperatly and I think it would have made sense to supply the gimmick with this DVD)
LOADED(1.0) = If you perform card under box, you will love this powerful routine!
Description on papercrane doesn't really describe this effect that well. This, yet again, fooled me bad! One of those out of the box effects that does the whole "I'll find your card" but Calen Morelli style haha. Basically the spectator choses a card, and you drop it on the floor saying you can make the card vanish while it's on the floor, you snap though nothing happens. You pick it up to show that their card changes into a different card and their card appears underneith your shoe. You then place their card inside of the deck and instantly the ENTIRE deck vanishes except their card and the entire deck is underneith your shoe. I think this is the one of BEST effect on the DVDs! Mostly because it's such a strong effect that catches people by surprise and the best part about it! It's totally impromptu! No setup, no gimmicks. It's a good effect to just do at a random situation. The sleights aren't too hard, with a little bit of practice I'm sure you'll get it down perfectly. Oh and if you want to, the selected card can be signed. One of the Best effects on the DVDs!
10/10
LOADED(2.0) = A card to hat with a kicker ending that will blow your audience away!
Ok this kinda has the same plot to it. Spectator picks a card (can be signed), instantly you make their card vanish ontop of the deck and it appears inside of your hat. (an added bonus, if you want to do this, seconds before you reveal their card is in the hat, you instantly wave your hat across your eyes and you're instantly wearing sunglasses! It's optional but still very cool) and then you reveal their card is inside your hat. You then take their card and place it inside of the deck and instantly the whole deck vanishes except their card and the whole deck appears inside your hat! In my opinion it's the BEST effect on the DVD! Just like Loaded 1.0 it's totally impromptu with no gimmicks! It's amazing!
10/10
FRICTION = An insanely visual rubber band thru bill routine! Impromptu and easy to learn.
I really liked this idea because it wasn't the typical pen through bill or straw through bill, etc. and several effects that involve rubberbands and bills the bill usually is the one that penetrates the rubberband. This time it's revered, the rubberband penetrates the bill. The method is a little tricky, will take some practice but is totally impromptu!
8/10
SUGAR FREE = A piece of gum visually jumps from the pack to your mouth, instantly!
When I saw the trailer for these DVDs I REALLY wanted to learn this! The effect is still great. It does involve a gimmick that you can make yourself. I haven't tryed it yet so I can't say if the moves are easy or difficult, it looks easy but I can't say for sure. Although I was a bit disapointed at the method, ONLY because I wish it had a different setup. Still, it's a great effect!
7/10
TRANSIT = An ordinary rubber band is wrapped around your finger and visually jumps from finger to finger. Calen is back with two new handling on this super visual effect.
Ok for those of you who probably already know, here on theory11, Calen has released Transit on DVD. Well Function(nine) teaches Transit too, though like the description says, it teaches you TWO new handlings on this effect! I STILL haven't practiced Transit yet, sadly. Though I've heard the moves is a bit knacky but I'm sure with some practice it'll go well. The new handlings are pretty awesome and I perfer them over the original, but that's my personal opinion.
8/10
Overall thoughts Overall these DVDs were TOTALLY worth it! I loved every single effect on them! Like I said before Calen is a genious and needs to come out with several more dvds SOON! haha. Most of these effects are easy with a few that will take some practice. But overall, if you have been debating of getting this or not. GET IT! Highly reccomended!!
Overall rating of dvds: 9.5/10
Thank you.
If you guys haven't heard or seen of this project, watch the trailer here: http://www.papercranemagic.com/f9.htm
Note: Something that I really like about Calen is that he trys to think outside the box with his effects. If he does a "find your card trick" he find it in an awesome and different way than other magicians typically do. Same goes with his other effects.
Effects:
VGH(a+b) = (a) A selected card visually jumps from the deck to your hands, ending in between the spectators hands! (b) An in hands and extremely visual version of Paul Harris' grasshopper effect.
I think these 2 effects are great! I personally think, for my style I didn't like the whole plot of the cards becoming "magnetic" and them jumping back and forth several times between the aces. I personally believe it's kinda confusing to the audience, I was kinda confused the first time I saw the effect. That being said, you don't need to do that part, you can just have their card appear in their hands. This is the way I perfer but you can perform it the way Calen performs it as well and still slay audiences. This effect is easy and impromptu and very effective, total win!
8/10
PEN IN BOTTLE = A pen visually jumps inside a full bottle of water.
I was very impressed with this idea of a pen through water bottle. There are MANY MANY MANY coin through bottles or bottle cap through bottles, etc, but I like the idea of a pen... this probably could work with other random objects laying around your house. Now this effect does involve a gimmick and some set up, with of course a little bit of sleight of hand. Angles are pretty much good, I think the only bad angle is someone over your shoulder. The method is quite deseptive and it's something I've known about bottle water for awhile but didn't think of it in this way. I'll have to try this out sometime, I'm sure I'll get some awesome reactions.
8/10
TRANSPORT = You hold your cell phone and the spectator holds a cell phone. A rubber band is wrapped around the cell phone in your hand. The band visually vanishes from the phone in your hands and reappears on the phone they have been holding the entire time!
(bonus) = A borrowed ring instantly links onto a few rubber bands worn on your wrist then it melts off just as impossibly.
I liked the idea of this effect but didn't like the fact that it involved a gimmick, the gimmick isn't bad, I would have just like a slight of hand method for an effect like this. That being said, Calen released a video on papercrane magic to those that own Function(nine) a sleight of hand method that I was extremly excited about, it does have a bit of setup, though the setup is quite easy and the rest is just presentation and sleight of hand.
Sleight of hand method can be found here: http://www.papercranemagic.com/transportimpromptu.htm
9/10
SUSPENDED= You hang one band on another. Then in an instant half of the supporting band vanishes for just a moment leaving the band hanging in the air! Pure visual goodness!
Ok this is pure genuis! Calen, if you're reading this, I have no idea how you could have thought of this method, it fooled me BAD!!! I walked away from my tv when I saw this effect! haha.
Like the description says, the top band of the rubberband quickly vanishes BUT still the rubberband hanging from the top band still stays on top as if the top band was still there! Method is amazing! It does involve a gimmick which is simple to use. I'm sure many of you will be performing this.
9/10 (I would give this a 10, but I gave it a 9 only because you can't make the gimmick, it's something you have to buy seperatly and I think it would have made sense to supply the gimmick with this DVD)
LOADED(1.0) = If you perform card under box, you will love this powerful routine!
Description on papercrane doesn't really describe this effect that well. This, yet again, fooled me bad! One of those out of the box effects that does the whole "I'll find your card" but Calen Morelli style haha. Basically the spectator choses a card, and you drop it on the floor saying you can make the card vanish while it's on the floor, you snap though nothing happens. You pick it up to show that their card changes into a different card and their card appears underneith your shoe. You then place their card inside of the deck and instantly the ENTIRE deck vanishes except their card and the entire deck is underneith your shoe. I think this is the one of BEST effect on the DVDs! Mostly because it's such a strong effect that catches people by surprise and the best part about it! It's totally impromptu! No setup, no gimmicks. It's a good effect to just do at a random situation. The sleights aren't too hard, with a little bit of practice I'm sure you'll get it down perfectly. Oh and if you want to, the selected card can be signed. One of the Best effects on the DVDs!
10/10
LOADED(2.0) = A card to hat with a kicker ending that will blow your audience away!
Ok this kinda has the same plot to it. Spectator picks a card (can be signed), instantly you make their card vanish ontop of the deck and it appears inside of your hat. (an added bonus, if you want to do this, seconds before you reveal their card is in the hat, you instantly wave your hat across your eyes and you're instantly wearing sunglasses! It's optional but still very cool) and then you reveal their card is inside your hat. You then take their card and place it inside of the deck and instantly the whole deck vanishes except their card and the whole deck appears inside your hat! In my opinion it's the BEST effect on the DVD! Just like Loaded 1.0 it's totally impromptu with no gimmicks! It's amazing!
10/10
FRICTION = An insanely visual rubber band thru bill routine! Impromptu and easy to learn.
I really liked this idea because it wasn't the typical pen through bill or straw through bill, etc. and several effects that involve rubberbands and bills the bill usually is the one that penetrates the rubberband. This time it's revered, the rubberband penetrates the bill. The method is a little tricky, will take some practice but is totally impromptu!
8/10
SUGAR FREE = A piece of gum visually jumps from the pack to your mouth, instantly!
When I saw the trailer for these DVDs I REALLY wanted to learn this! The effect is still great. It does involve a gimmick that you can make yourself. I haven't tryed it yet so I can't say if the moves are easy or difficult, it looks easy but I can't say for sure. Although I was a bit disapointed at the method, ONLY because I wish it had a different setup. Still, it's a great effect!
7/10
TRANSIT = An ordinary rubber band is wrapped around your finger and visually jumps from finger to finger. Calen is back with two new handling on this super visual effect.
Ok for those of you who probably already know, here on theory11, Calen has released Transit on DVD. Well Function(nine) teaches Transit too, though like the description says, it teaches you TWO new handlings on this effect! I STILL haven't practiced Transit yet, sadly. Though I've heard the moves is a bit knacky but I'm sure with some practice it'll go well. The new handlings are pretty awesome and I perfer them over the original, but that's my personal opinion.
8/10
Overall thoughts Overall these DVDs were TOTALLY worth it! I loved every single effect on them! Like I said before Calen is a genious and needs to come out with several more dvds SOON! haha. Most of these effects are easy with a few that will take some practice. But overall, if you have been debating of getting this or not. GET IT! Highly reccomended!!
Overall rating of dvds: 9.5/10
Thank you.
