Frequently asked questions in alt.magic/part 3 (of 5) Last modified: Mon, Feb 14, 2005 Please send suggested corrections and additions to: jl@learn-great-magic-tricks.com Topics: Part 3 VII. OTHER MAGIC REFERENCES VII-A. MAGAZINES VII-B. VIDEO/AUDIO TAPES -------------------------------------------------------------------- VII. OTHER MAGIC REFERENCES -------------------------------------------------------------------- VII-A. MAGAZINES ON MAGIC -------------------------------------------------------------------- --- General Magic -------------------------------------------------------------------- --- Genii Magazine 4200 Wisconsin Ave. NW Suite 106-384 Washington, DC 20016 Phone: (301) 652-5800. Fax: (301) 652-8035. email: genii@geniimagazine.com WWW: http://www.geniimagazine.com (Richard Kaufman assumed publication of Genii in 1999.) Subscriptions as of Jun 2003: United States Subscriptions $48: 1 year - 12 issues. $90: 2 years- 24 issues. $135: 3 years- 36 issues. Foreign Subscriptions (Surface Mail) $62: 1 year- 12 issues. $115: 2 years- 24 issues. $172: 3 years- 36 issues. Foreign Subscriptions (AirMail) $78: 1 year - 12 issues. $150: 2 years- 24 issues. $225: 3 years- 36 issues. Visa, MC, Discover & Amex cards accepted. ------- MAGIC - The Magazine for Magicians. Circulation Office 6225 Harrison Drive, Suite 4 Las Vegas, NV 89120 USA Tel: (702) 798-0099 Ext. 103 Fax: (702) 798-0220 E-mail: circulation@magicmagazine.com WWW: http://www.magicmagazine.com Subscriptions as of June 2003: USA: $48 a year (12 issues) $90/2 years Canada/Mexico: US$58/year, US$110/2 years All other countries: Surface mail - US$63/year, US$120/2 years World Post - US$78/year, US$150 2 years Special Air - US$107/year, All countries including W. Hemisphere, Europe, Asia/Africa, Pacific Rim. Visa & MC accepted. ------- Goodliffe's ABRAcadabra Published weekly. Independent; edited by Donald Bevan; been going for more than 50 years. A5 format, 20 pages per issue. Current subscription rates, as of 21 Jun 2003 are: UK 1st Class 52 wks £50.96 26 wks £25.48 13 wks £12.74 2nd Class £46.80 £23.40 £11.70 Europe £65.00 £32.50 £16.25 Rest of World £69.00 £34.50 £17.25 Goodliffe Publications 150 New Road Bromsgrove Worcestershire B60 2LG England Telephone/Fax: +44 (0)1527 872 246 ABRA Index web site: http://www.pmhcpath.demon.co.uk/abra/ ------- Club 71 Published 12 times a year. Independent; edited by Walt Lees; covers all branches of magic. A5 format, 4 colour cover, 84 pages per issue. Special offers on Repro Magic items to subscribers. SUBSCRIPTION RATES (as of June 2003) Including postage to any address in the World! Five issues £15 US$25 Ten issues £30 US$50 Repro Magic P.O. Box 21998 London SW3 2WQ Tel: 020 7581 3695 Fax: 020 7581 9013 Email: club71@repromagic.co.uk ----- Precursor: A Magazine of Innovation unikorn magic 2215 Mytle St. Erie, PA 16502 Edited by Bill Miesel 3 issues a year $16 in US. Canada, Mexico, $19 elsewhere Similar to Ibidem. Mostly new/experimental card work. ------- The Magic Menu is published quarterly. Each issue will now have a minimum of 32 pages. (As of Jun 2003) THE MAGIC MENU is no longer available by subscription. We will continue to publish on a quarterly schedule but, due to the realities of the marketplace, issues will only be available at the cover price to non-subscribers either directly from us or from dealers. Those currently on the subscriber list will continue to receive issues at the subscribed rate. However, subscription renewals will not be available. All issues are currently $15.00 each and will be available upon publication from The Store (at the web site). Back issues are also available beginning with Issue 61. The Magic Menu website: www.magicmenu.net . (A journal with international circulation, published by Jim Sisti, for professional restaurant and bar magicians.) ------------------------------- CHANNEL ONE (Information confirmed in May 2003) "Channel One is a quarterly magic magazine or so we are told...this means it is published every three months... once again, so we are told... "They claim to have published magicians from all over the world. We weren't aware that there were this many bad magicians in other countries.. Once nice thing about the magazine though, it is more absorbent than either Genii or Magic thus it is far more useful in the bathroom. "Rumor has it that the first person from Antarctica to subscribe will get a year free. A year of what we can only guess in fear... Supposedly this will complete their set of having one subscriber per continent. I suspected most of their subscribers were incontinent. "If you would like more information (and God knows why) go to www.rfaproductions.com and click on the Channel One button." (Content supplied by publisher!!!) The magazine is available by the issue for $12.50 (US and Canada) and a yearly subscription only $40.00 (US and Canada);International rates $15.00 per issue, $55 for a yearly subscription We accept Visa, Mastercard, check or money order. Make checks payable to Anthony Miller. ( All credit card orders are processed through Mike Powers Magic. Thanks Mike!) Orders may be sent to RFA productions, PO Box 477, Powell, OH 43065 Email:channelone@rfaproductions.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- New Age, Bizarre Magic, Mentalism, Occult, Tarot, Crystals,etc -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Altar Flame As of March 2002 only one more edition was to be published. ------- Krypts Quarterly Crier is a quarterly publication dealing in bizarre magick themes and magic as Magick. $25/year in the USA; $38/year everywhere else. From Sorceries Limited 32 W. Broad Street, Bethlehem, Pa 18018 USA. Phone: (610)954-7678. E-mail: snkrypt@aol.com. ------- Syzygy 2901 N. 55th Avenue Phoenix,AZ 85031-3301. EMail: LeeE7@aol.com. $38.00 US per year (Reported in March 2002 as being published "slowly" - may now be suspended.) -------------------------------------------------------------------- Magazine for Collectors -------------------------------------------------------------------- Aphelion Thomas A. Sawyer 521 S. Lyon St., No. 105 Santa Ana, CA 92701 $30 ----------------- The Collectors' Forum Fred Evans editor PO. Box 391 Knoxville, TN, 37901 This quarterly publication costs $20 per year. It is based on letters and short articles that readers submit, and thus has a very friendly feeling. Fred includes with each issue various magic "stuff", which itself is collectable. Well worth the money. ------------- Magicol David Meyers PO BOX 427 Glenwood, IL 60425 This is the quarterly publication of the Magic Collectors Association. For information on joining write David Meyers. The dues are $20 per year. -------------------------------------------------------------------- --- Magic Clubs -------------------------------------------------------------------- --- Linking Ring (monthly magazine of International Brotherhood of Magicians) Executive Secretary 11155C South Towne Square St. Louis MO 63123-7823 Tel: (314) 845-9200 Fax: (314) 845-9220 ---- M. U. M. (monthly magazine of Society of American Magicians) Richard Blowers, National Administrator P.O. Box 510260 St. Louis, MO 63151 (314) 846-5659 -------------------------------------------------------------------- --- Special Interests -------------------------------------------------------------------- --- Ricky Jay's "Journal of Anomalies" is a self-published broadsheet that comes out somewhat irregularly, but is well worth the wait. It is normally filled with the type of material found in Jay's "Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women". Subscriptions are $90.00 per year, and can be ordered through: Dailey Rare Books & Fine Print 8216 Melrose Ave Los Angeles, CA 90046 (323) 658-8515 --- Rubber Chicken Chronicles Comedy and Christian Newsletter Send $2 for sample issue P.O. Box 505 Sweetwater, TN 37874 -------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- VII-B. VIDEO/AUDIO TAPES ON MAGIC The following is a list of tapes on magic. The intent is to list tapes which instruct rather than tapes of magic performances. If you are interested in the latter, a list of older "Magic in Movies" indicating movies, actors, and scenes in which magic appears may be found at the Repro Magic web site: http://www.repromagic.co.uk (Often the name of the producer of the tape is listed. Interested magicians are urged to check for availability from your local dealer first, and then seach for it elsewhere if the local sources cannot supply, or there is no local dealer.) Contributors: HCM100@psuvm.psu.edu (Sleight of Hans) cragaisi@isis.cs.du.edu (Chris Ragaisis) georgec@eng.umd.edu (George B. Clark) gumby@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (David B. Gumminger) halw@hpwrce.mayfield.hp.com (Hal Work) jti01@duts.ccc.amdahl.com (Jeff Isozaki) msibbern@nyx.cs.du.edu (Michael Sibbernsen) nielsen@eecs.umich.edu (Paul Nielsen) nigel@ietech.demon.co.uk (Nigel G. Backhurst) dennymagic@aol.com (Dennymagic) soupking@aol.com (Soup King) 1. General Brad Burt Video Tapes - Brad Burt series Are excellent for instructional purposes. They are not fancy studio productions but are easy to follow. One includes the Zarrow shuffle and appears excellent. The tapes are advertised in Genii from Brad Burt's Magic Shop in San Diego. From Jay Malone (malone@crash.cts.com) I know Brad and I have four of his videos (both coin videos, the sponge and the chop cup). Brad has been teaching many years and was, until he opened his shop, an active performer. He studies each effect that he sells and I feel that his "rating system" is fair. I've never been disapointed in my dealings with him. 2. Performance/Philosophy [No items in this topic] 3. For the Beginner Mark Wilson Videos The Mark Wilson videos are terrific. If you liked the book, you'll like the videos. Well produced, very good instructional layout, easy to follow and understand. I highly recommend them especially for a beginner. 4. Card Magic Advanced Card Work - all of the Tannen's Stars of Magic-Paul Harris series. Paul is good, funny, and weird. The tapes are extremely well done, and the selection of magic is commercial (i.e. not just finger flinging to impress other magicians, its finger flinging to impress _everybody_!) Definitely not for beginners! Basic Card Sleights - Bill Tarr 90min tape packed with, as Bill Tarr says, "everything you need to know to be a dynamite card magician." The video has fairly poor production quality, and the backdrop is quite confusing. This aside, the instruction is excellent; Bill Tarr is a very good teacher. The topics include: The Slip Shuffle, Jog Shuffle, Hindu Shuffle, Slip Cut, False Triple Cut, Double Cut Classic Pass, Invisible Pass, Say When Pass, Classic Force, Riffle Force, Top- Palm, Double Lift, Top Change, Glide, Buckle, Elmsley Count, Card Weaving, and Key Cards. It includes good bits of card business and a few good card tricks. Recommend to any beginning magician as a good way to start with almost all basic card sleights. Also pretty good for those more experienced that need to work on old skills. Card Manipulation and Flourishes "Art of Card Manipulation" - Jeff McBride "Card Flourishes" - Lou Lancaster "The Major Card Flourishes" - Brad Burt "Fedko - Card Illusions" - John Fedko "Card and Ball Manipulation" - Peki "Steven's Vol 3" - Shimada On the Pass - Richard Kaufman I just bought the video "On the Pass" by Richard Kaufman last weekend. It is a good presentation of the classic pass, riffle pass and Herrmann pass along with several variations and tricks based on them. He first demonstrates the pass as the spectator would see it. Then carefully shows finger positions and moves very slowly. This is shown from the performer's point of view. Then he speeds things up. Awesome! My first time through the tape, I just sat there with my mouth hanging open. Do I ever have a lot of practicing to do. One comment he makes near the end of the 40 minute video is, "Practice the classic pass 100 times a day for a year and you'll really have something special." Zarrow Shuffle, The - Brad Burt This man has to be one of the best teachers I've ever seen. Here, he teaches both the Zarrow and Faro shuffles as well as tricks. The Zarrow is the best looking table false shuffle I've ever seen. Unless you are specifically looking for it, you can't tell the difference between a Zarrow shuffle and a tabled riffle shuffle - even then you might not do it. 5. Coin Magic Expert Coin Magic Made Easy - David Roth A must have for anyone who wants to get into coin magic. He will teach any necessary sleights, then he will show a routine on a spectator, and then he will have a breakdown of the routine that he did. 6. Card & Coin Combinations Basic Card and Coin Sleights - Brad Burt series Brad is the best teacher of effects around. He has beginners' tapes on cards, coins, flourishes and sponge balls. They are self- produced so they are more reasonably priced than Tannen tapes. Brad "guarantees" you can learn the stuff from the tapes. I don't know if that means refunding the price of the tape if you can't, but it seems worth a try. For more info, call (619) 571-4749, Fax: (619) 571-7943. Daryl's Encyclopedia of Card Sleights The most complete videos on card sleights currently available. There are eight volumes total. Each volume is around $30. He explains things in a clear way and has a nice sense of humor. 7. Mentalism Eugene Goes Bizarre - Eugene Burger - STEVEN'S VOL 4" I'm very impressed with Burger's Videos. The number of tricks is pretty low but the production values are the highest I've seen in any of the 8 videos I own. I do a modified version of his "Retribution" (aka the burned card) and just left people with jaws on the floor. His Gypsy thread routine in "..Bizzare" is REALLY nice. I have several of his books and attended a small seminar that he gave in St. Paul last year. A thoroughly enjoyable person, he really puts a lot of work into his routines, books and videos. 8. Other Magic Animation and Levitation - Kevin James' Floating Rose This tape is phenomenal! You might never do the floating rose, but you learn everything you need to do levitiation and animation (close up and stage). It is difficult, but Kevin takes you step by step and leaves nothing out. Chop Cup, The - Brad Burt Everything to do the Chop cup, complete with the double large load endings standing up and surrounded. David Harkey Lecture - David Harkey Top notch! His routines are simple, visual, and strong. It requires some good misdirection, but its not overly finger flinging. Most (all) of the material is in his book. His lecture consists of 10 items. His book has 60 items. All of the material is similar in style/strength. He is very innovative. His routines have been used to win awards. He spent "10 years of his life" working on this book and it shows. He is a nice guy and quite funny. He is easy to talk to and not egotistical. He has a knack of ribbing people in the audience w/out insulting them. This is a rare talent. Strongly recommend the lecture and the book. Greatest Hits - Randy Wakeman C&S Enterprises - 1116 Brookview - Brentwood, TN USA 37027 90 minutes. 13 effects all taught. All Card routines. Great quality, post production editing by pro magician (Jim Suprise). Three good routines are Overclock, Card under glass, and Spectator on stage. I have included Spectator on stage in my own performance it is a great ace cutting effect. Harry Loryane Linking Ring "Fine Selections, fine quality, fine teaching tape" Impossibilia - The John Bannon Video. It demonstrates and explains 13 tricks, and it runs 90 minutes. It's excellent. Linking Rings - Here is a partial list of tapes with instructions on the linking rings: 1) Fedko - John Fedko has a series of 6 tapes numbered 1 thru 6. One of the tapes has linking rings as well as other platform effects. I believe the linking rings are on the "Classic Magic" volume. 2) Marc DeSousa - "Prize Winning Magic" 3) Richard Ross - Stevens' "Greater Magic" series The most beautiful version of rings I have ever seen. I watched it many times and was always impressed. He's great. Off the Cuff - Greg Wilson From: Jim Lewis (jimlewis@teleport.com) He demonstrates a ton of effects on it (way more than are listed on the case). They are all impromptu magic and very impressive. There are so many good effect on this video that it will keep you busy for months. I'd recommend this video over any other that I own for someone who is just beginning. It's great for advanced magicians too. Pat Page's Spongeball Magic (1991, Tric-a-Tape Studio) From: Stephen "PH" Buxton (mei141@cch.cov.ac.uk) This video is a must for all beginners in spongeball magic. He covers four basic vanishes, which are performed cleanly. He shows you his professional sponge ball routine, and gives a variety of other methods of bringing a surprise climax to any routine. Eg sponge to silk, colour changing balls, sponge to coin, etc. Different methods of productions are also shown, like split, and ball from mouth. He also shows his variation of the Benson rice bowl trick (from Classic Secrets Of Magic, B. Elliot), and a few ideas for chop cup routines, including a chop Top Hat. As well as these, he gives a number of tips about sponge-ball magic that he has picked up over the years. All in all, an excellent video for the beginner, but with bits of interest for those who are more advanced in the art. Routine Closeup - John Mendoza's C&S Enterprises - 1116 Brookview - Brentwood, TN 37027 USA 1 hr 40 min tape. Mendoza performs 10 effects and teaches 6 of them. Great quality, post production editing by pro magician (Jim Suprise). Particularly well explained are Mendoza's Cups and Balls and Dice Stacking. The Dice stacking are done in slow motion with a clear glass. Phil Willmarth in Linking Ring said, ".. it is far and away the finest instructional video I have ever seen" Thumb Tips - Patrick Page - (Trik-A-Tape Studio) Having watched perhaps a dozen instructional VHS tapes on magic, this one has to be my favorite. It gives an incredible amount of detail for the endless variety of tricks you can do using a thumb tip. I see beginners frequently posting inquiries about how to get started in magic. Buying a copy of this tape is my advice. 9. History/Reference [No items in this topic] 10. Business Issues in Magic Negotiating Higher Performance Fees audio tape - Michael Ammar Recommended regarding fees earned by magicians. Restaurant Magic Business audio tape- Charles Green Tape that is VERY helpful for the restaurant performer. 11. Performing for Children Ballooning 101 - T. Myers An introduction to balloon characters. --