The Vault - Project Straw by Brandon David & Chris Turchi - A Review
Video DOWNLOAD

It's all about straws.. and the magic within. This one hour and forty minute video download is perfect for restaurant and walk around magicians.. or just to entertain friends and family. This review is a mix of ad copy and my thoughts.. You'll know the difference..
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Drink your fill of 10 hyper-visual effects all done with an everyday organic object! In this refreshing new project, the geniuses behind "Envy-Lope," Brandon David and Chris Turchi, share secrets hidden inside every straw wrapper.

Here's just a taste what you'll discover:

STRAW THROUGH BILL/RECEIPT A straw punctures a borrowed bill or receipt, and is visually pulled right through the very center. The straw is pulled cleanly through without any marks or tears on the receipt/bill. Both objects can be immediately handed out and inspected.

Me- This is the centerpiece of the video. The straw is gimmicked.. and Brandon and Chris carefully walk you through the making of the gimmmick. No worries.. there's no complicated or time consuming DIY.. the gimmick is made from a small section of a straw and a pair of scissors, and only takes a couple of minutes. The look is real and you can use any small piece of paper, like a receipt, or a folded bill/currency. You can borrow it from the spectator for greater effect.

Torn and Restored Wrapper: A straw wrapper is torn to reveal the straw inside. With a wave, the magician can heal the torn wrapper and hand the straw out for inspection. Sure, this is probably the most useless super-power ever, but the effect is AMAZING!

Me- Again, the illusion is real. The Torn and Restored Wrapper also requires a small gimmick you create in a matter of minutes. None of the DIY on this video is complicated.. we're talking about straws here.. and the gimmicks are created out of straw pieces. Because you do actually tear the wrapper, you will need to create several of these gimmicks if you want to perform it multiple times. Don't fret.. this is not a problema, and those who know me know I'm not a big DIY guy.

Torn and Restored Straw: A straw is torn into two parts, one in each of the magician's hands. With a simple toss, the torn straw is now made whole!

Me- You actually need an outside object to complete this illusion... a piece of tape. This is really a very good looking illusion, and one of my two favorites on the video. Unlike most of the other illusions, it's a tad angle sensitive, but considering it's more of a one-on-one performance, that shouldn't be a problem. You will require a bit of timing.. so practice a little before your first performance.

Moving X: The magician draws an X on a straw with a Sharpie. Slowly and visually, the X begins to travel down one end of the straw to the other. The straw can then immediately be handed out and inspected by the spectator.

Me- I can see this being the best illusion in the bunch.. or the weakest. Depends on your handling. If you perform very close to Brandon and Chris' method, I don't see a problem. The X does travel up and down the straw.. with a little coaxing.

Straw through Straw: A ultra-visual penetration of two straws. Melt a straw through another or just cleanly pull it through in one motion. This one, you've got to see to believe!

Me- When you aren't prepared for this.. it'll catch you totally off-guard. The illusion is near perfect and the setup is quick. Again, you do need a very small gimmick, but you can create one in a minute. Once again, a little practice will help.. but the upside is SOOO worth it!

You'll learn all these effects, plus more!

Me- Two of my personal favorites are in the bonus section. They don't get cred in the ad copy, but I'll speak kindly of them now. One I knew from years ago.. it's the straw out the mouth effect. They perform their version differently from the method I've used for years.. and I like their's better. I' going to definitely use this, as it is one of my favorite things to do when I catch a kid watching me from another table in a restaurant. A little cough.. and then a straw-out-the-mouth goes a long way!
The guys also teach a psychic straw effect similar to a spoon bending effect. I like their method because they teach you how to pre-bend the straw, making it so easy to perform. This is the type effect I've spent ten bucks to learn in the past..
Another strong effect is the straw that rewraps itself.. Yes, I said it. It takes a little prep, but it sure is worth it.

With a nearly 2-hour deluge of expert instruction taught by Chris Turchi and Brandon David, there's something here for everyone - from beginner to the advanced, from the mentalists to the magicians, and even social media performers!
Quench your thirst for visual organic magic with Project Straw! You'll be lovin' it!

Me- For the money and the potential new material you'll get, this is well worth the cost. I know a lot of downloads today are $9.95, but they are generally one effect. You get eight or nine very useable effects on Project Straw.. stuff you can use almost impromptu.. if you have a moment to prepare a gimmick. Being a restaurant guy myself, straws are the perfect object to use as a magic prop. Both adults and kids will appreciate your performances and you can put that two hundred dollar coin in your pocket and amaze them with free props.. thanks to Chris and Brandon..

I recommend this download to all my readers and friends.. If you like quick magic, you'll really like PROJECT STRAW..

$19.95 From Murphy's Magic and dealers who carry their products..

https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=66444

What a great review. Thanks!