I need to practice more impromptu stuff to feel confident in every setting, I want to be able to perform if someone asks me to.
I'v search around for the "ultimate Impromptu DVD" but it seems that there are so many to choose from, I found names like: Jay Sankey, Dan Harland, Greg Wilson, Celini among others.

I would like to add one with routines with "everyday" objects, but they can't be as advanced as some Greg Wilson routines I'v seen (my magic/sleight of hand/misdirection are not there yet).

Any beginner/intermediate DVD`s would be great.

F.

Most of Greg Wilsons on-the-spot dvd is as simple as...
Dime & A Penny
Napkin Balls over the head
Florida Keys
Lipstick thro' hand

For paper/sponge balls/coins a good take/put is required these can be learnt from Roth or Ammars basic coin technique dvd's - they are excellent tutors.

Wilson is poor on teaching sleights but excellent on mis-direction

I would therefore suggest 2 - on-the-spot and either a roth or Ammar intro to coins...

Basic take/puts/switches are pretty simple even a friction pass is almost automtic as is a bobo switch, the only ones requiring a lot of practise is a retention vanish and advanced palming of multiple coins but luckily few tricks need this advanced stuff so whether you bother with them is up to you...

Many coin routines require a good goshmans pinch - the best teacher of this sleight is sankey for his coins across (Mr Clean Across) - Wilson has his equivalent (3/4 across) but spends little time on teaching the sleight so if you get stuck PM me - its simple to explain and do the sankey way just takes practise

I agree with Claironeer. I can only reccomend Greg Wilsons "On the spot" since its the only "impromptu" DVD I own. As far as the difficulty level, my "magic/sleight of hand/misdirection" was not there either when I got the DVD. But after viewing it many times and practicing, its getting there, and faster than I had hoped.

When I first got the DVD I thought there was no way I could do 3/4 across for example. Now, I can see it coming together. It will still be a month or more before I can do it for anyone but I have the confidence that I CAN do it. Its a good DVD,
I'm sure you could learn from it.

I also have Ammars "Complete intro to coin magic" and have learned a ton from that combined with Bobo's MCM.

Vandy

On the spot is fantastic.

Too bad it's sold only by Penquin now.

Larry Anderson's "Jawdroppers"

Available @ http://www.jawdroppers.com

Hope this helps.

Phil

Off the Cuff and On the Spot are both great impromptu tapes from Greg Wilson. For me, the teaching of the recap routine was more in-depth on Off the Cuff. If you have the money, get both.

Kevin

Off The Cuff is my recommendation, too. Greg's got some great stuff...and it's easier than you think.

And indeed, Michael Ammar has several Easy to Master Card DVD's that are worth viewing, but then again, cards are not that impromptu. I mean, if you have a deck of cards, then you might as well do a lot of magic.

One thing to consider might be Osterlind's new DVD set on Easy to Master Mentalism. Certainly anything to do with the mind cannot be more impromptu. You could do some mentalism on the beach in your swim suit

yours,
Scott

To be honest, I do think some of Greg Wilson's material is to advanced for me,
I don't honestly think many "magicians" learn the 3/4 across during their first year of practice..?

But, how about Dan Harland, he seems to have tons of Impromptu material out on print?
Any happy Harland customers out there?

F.

Greg Web's on the spot is very good. There's so much stuff out there. but I mean if you see something lying around just pick it up and fiddle with it, and ull think of something. Dan Harlan also has some importmptu stuff.

Fengenroll, if you think the Wilson tapes are too advanced by all means stay away from them. If you go in believing that its too difficult and that you will never be able to do the things on the DVD, then you probably won't be able to. I truly believe that any skill level can learn from this and that the only way to improve your skills is to start on something that is difficult and WORK on it until it becomes as perfect as you can possibly make it.

I'm assuming that you don't own a copy of "On the Spot" since we are discussing it here, but since you honestly don't believe many "magicians" learn the 3/4 across during their first year of practice I assume you've seen it performed. First I certainly believe that many "magicians" espically those who focus on coins would learn the main sleight in their first year of practice. I don't even like to say how many sleights are used in a routine, but in this case there are very few. Without having seen the explanation of the routine, I'm not sure how you can say its far too advanced and that not many "magicians" would learn it in their first year of practice. If someone were proficient in the main sleights used, they could probably view the tape and perform it the next day. Others would need to work on it for a while, but its certainly not the most difficult thing in the world. Its a matter of practice more than anything.

I would reccomend this DVD to a beginner who is willing to put in the work to be able to perform some or all of the routines.

Vandy

P.S. When I got this DVD I wanted to do ReCap, my striking vanish was a joke when I started practicing it. I thought there was no way I could ever make it look good. About two months later, I was at a point where I would pick up a pen and do ReCap anytime for anyone.

Try Tom Mullica's Expert Impromptu Magic made easy. They are good and fairly easy to do. With a little practice,you'll start wowing people.Also try some coin magic, coins appear to be impromptu when pulled out on the spot-everybody for sure has coins.

Oh yes Toms Mullica's exert impromptu magic made easy it great!also check out fan harlan ultimate impromptu magic.those tricks are great .

ON THE SPOT. Hands down.

Get on the spot. and if you have enough money get off the cuff too

Greg Wilson's On The Spot is terrific
TJ

Don't forget the Steven's Greater Magic Libary Impromptu I and II. Lot's of good material.

I agree with Phil, Larry Anderson's Jawdroppers, good stuff and easy to do.

I love on the spot you can start of with the easy stuff and as your skills and missdiresction improve you can learn the "harder stuff" my personal fav is his take on paper over the head the glass kills them

I can appreciate not wanting to spend money on something that will have limited use, now, when you could spend the money on something that will have great use, now. Last year I bought Sankey's Revolutionary Coin Magic, took one look at the explanation for the Capricorn Change, and prompty put the DVD back on the shelf. Great stuff, but I'm not there - yet. I am still working on stuff from Amar's CICM.

To that end, have you looked at Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic. It is wonderfull. It has a section on impromtu magic, as well as cards, coins/money, rope, silks, mental, "betchas"(more like puzzles than magic), "make at home magic", sponge balls, billiard ball, cups and balls, and illusions(how to make them, such as floating your assistant - takes a few rolls of IT ).


It has some very nice tricks. His cut and restore string just floors people(by the way, that trick can be made more convincing by letting the spectator choose a colored marker, then marking the cut ends with the marker. When the restoration is done in the spectators hand, and the colored section, and the color that they chose, is now in the middle of a fully restored string... it plays great. Its incredibly simple, but really impresses people. Its takes a simple prep, but I carry some around with me so I'm ready to go).

I digressed, so, this book is nicely organized, so that you can work on the types of effects you are interested in, thoroughly illustrated to help you see step by step(to be any better, it would take a video), and is cheap. Just make sure you get a more recent edition, with over 500 pages, not the one that has about 472 pages. The extra he added, "reputation makers", has a ring on rope trick that is very nice, and the effect/method could be used in conjuction with other penetrations(I'm considering it for a "Deans Box" routine.)

I highly recommend it to beginners.

Like phil said, Larry Anderson's Jawdroppers was the first 4 vids I bought.
Great stuff all easy to do stuff aswell.
Also I think on the end of one of the four tapes you get a sort of bonus trick, which is called THE SELF-FOLDING BILL which is quite cool.
All in all for the price with a free deck of Svengali cards aswell its a good buy.