I was wondering which one you guys recommend...was thinking of getting one of them...

If I had to choose, I would go for stealing pips, the school of hard knox was kind of boring considering it was filmed on the streets....

Get Stealing Pips by Oz Pearlman. Both of them wern't very good, but School of Hardknocks was just sad compare to Pips.

Why get either? Get a book by Vernon and you're set for a long time.

I heard both videos aren't really good.

I heard the same.

Hahah, this post honestly cracks me up as Rodney is one of my good friends. Anyways, I tossed up some testimonials of what people in the magic community are saying about Stealing Pips. Check it out if you get a chance....
http://www.watchmagic.com/index2.php?p=products

-Ozer

Thank's Oz...I ordered you DVD like a week a go...I am still waiting for it to come in...can't wait to see it!!!

I got stealing pips and sold it on ebay. Not because the magic was bad, but the dvd itself. I've talked to a number of other people who had similar problems with sound and picture. It worked fine in another dvd player I tried it in and not in mine or another. I can't afford to buy a new dvd player so I sold it. The sad thing was the performance worked fine, it was only when you went to the explanation that it did not work.

Low Phat

Stealing Pips:

Not a bad DVd, but then again not a good one. Alot of the material is workable in the real world, but then again, it isn't very practical. One of the principles in particular would be totally useless in a bad lighting situation. Another of the principles would require you to remove three cards, put them in the deck face up in seperate places and then do an "X" move right in front of your spectators. You couldn't just take the deck right out of the box and do the Once Upon a Time effect.

Too much of the card magic on this DVD is wham bam thank you mam. I don't see much point in including "live performances" when you don't interact with your spectator what so ever. One good point about it is that he does teach the Bertram change to the highest caliber, and it is without doubt the best thing that he does on it.

don't get me wrong, I am not bad mouthing the DVD because I didn't think it was all together bad. Just not enough originality on it for my liking. Sure, they were his handlings, but they are all some one elses effects. Well done on getting a DVD out anyways, your out there working for Penguin, sessioning with Ken Krenzel and onto your next DVD, more power to you.

I wish I could say the same about the School of Hardknocks DVd, thankfully I didn't buy it. The biggest disappointment is Rodney doing magic at people, the name of the DVD was the first thing wrong in my opinion. This guy is not a worker and his card work looks far too much like ***. All of this plots are quick, too the point and sadly, inferior methods for everything he does. Again folks, nothing new here. His torn and restored card was particularly bad considering what people are doing with this plot nowadays. A standard four ace production that he does pretty badly (come on the card aren't even square on ace 1) followed by some lame cuts, performed excellently though. And he would have held his status as a flourisher, in my mind, if it wasnt for the lame flipback.

Basically, take the advice above. Sadly, neither will equip you with good solid working routines, neither will teach you much about being a working magician, and neither will stand you in better stead than a good book by Vernon, or anyone else for that matter. If you need to scracth your DVD itch, buy something by Mike Close or Gregory Wilson. Too of the best close up "workers" around today with good tried and tested material.

Also "OZ's Control" is actually Gilles Coutures or Hanks for those who know what I mean.

Get the Vernon book. Or get Mike Ammar's easy to Mater Series. Get something that credits the originators of these effects. I'm no longer ordering DVD's or effects by these youngsters that have sprung up.

Jeff

Shaun,

you were perhaps a little harsher with your words than I would have been, but I agree pretty much 100% with what you said.

Low Phat

Soemtimes tough words are needed to get the point across. I wish more thought and care was put into these projects.

I don't think I was harsh, I was totally honest and fair.

Shaun,

I didn't say you were too harsh, I said you used harsher words. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. Like I said I agree with you 100%. You were honest and fair, I guess you just had more guts to put it out there then what I did.

Low Phat

It's a shame when a video product actually gets in the way of appreciating the technique it's meant to showcase.

That's the case, I believe, with "Stealing Pips". While I may be overly picky about video production in general (I've been in TV way too long ...) the lighting caused shadows that I found distracting, and the overall feel of it was choppy.

Since Oz lives here in NYC, I figure he wouldn't have problems finding a good crew for the shoot!

I thought the material taught on Stealing Pips was priceless Oz did a great job teaching and creating VERY powerful effects....Sure the production wasn't that great but it wasn't bad enough to make the DVD as a whole worthless...I personally do not have a problem with sounds at all.

Oz is a great teacher. I really enjoyed the DVD.

Believe me, I have no problems with Oz's skills, and I do enjoy watching him work. And by no means did I infer that the DVD is worthless.

It's just that you could have the best material in the world, but if the production values aren't up to par, I personally get distracted and find it frustrating to work with.

Plus, I know lots of good people in production who could use the work!

I would say get School of Hardknocks, while it has some pretty dull effects, it shows performances out on the street, many people say the lighting is bad but it seems pretty okay to me.

stealing pips is a pretty good video, I only got it to learn the betram change, it is a good video, and I would reccommend it, but get school of hardknocks first.