Review: Corporate Close Up II Volume 2

If you want to effectively work a corporate close-up event, here's a DVD, the second of two titles, that dispenses advice from eight magicians. As these types of DVDs typically go, you'll find some useful information and suggestions to try out, as well as other advice that won't connect as strongly.

The DVD features advice from Harry Robson, Iain Moran, Shaun McCree and more, with the bulk of the information from Robson. The DVD covers topics such as: dealing with dinner courses, the number of tricks to carry, building a group, effects to use as a finale, getting started in corporate magic, the use of a website and more. An agent who books magicians for corporate parties weighs in with aspects that he looks for in an entertainer.

"Bottle Production" is a signed card to bottle taught by Robson, a stunning routine. However, Robson teaches the bottle production, which is based on a well known one, but doesn’t show you Etiene Pradier's method (credited) for getting the signed card into the bottle. This workings can be found on Pradier's excellent DVD, "Professional Repertoire of Etienne Pradier" (click here to read my review).

Shaun McCree teaches "Watched Ambitious," which was also on his excellent Mix 'N Mingle DVD (click here to read my review). The routine is McCree's ambitious card with a finale where the signed card is found folded, underneath his watch - a great finale for a set.

There's a strong transposition effect called "Transpo." Here, a spectator's selected card changes places with a card that you are holding. However, this is very similar to the transposition effect taught on the first DVD.

"Card Through Hand" is a streamlined "Biddle card trick." A spectator takes eight cards from the deck and selects one, which is mixed back into the eight-card packet. You separate and show four cards and the spectator verifies that his selected card is among them.

The spectator holds these four cards securely while you hold the remaining four cards. You cause one card to pass through the spectator's hand because at the end, you’re holding the selected card, which has vanished from the spectator’s packet.

A trick also taught on his "Mix 'N Mingle" DVD is Shaun McCree's "Razor Sharp" (click here to read my review). This is McCree's version of a great Himber effect. Here a card is selected and mixed back into the deck, which is placed into its card box. The magician lets spectators select a razor blade that is placed into the card box.

The card box is shaken and when the contents are dumped out, the cards are cut into tiny pieces with one exception, the spectator's card. I've performed this one and it gets great reactions.

The information on the DVD is good, however, don't expect any of the suggestions to absolutely bowl you over. They're all based on common sense and most performers who have done lots of strolling performers will conclude many of the same things.

There's nothing that can replace hard-earned experience.

MSRP: $34.95

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