Apparently, brilliant performer and creator, James Brown has a new set of DVDs forthcoming.

...I don't know James, at all, but I was so impressed by a youtube clip of his routine "Cerebral Steal" (kindly posted by Anthony Jacquin, I believe), I thought I would post a link to this set. It's funny, I just saw the ad on the Café and followed the rabbit hole.

Some time ago, I actually emailed James to ask him about this routine (and to beg him to give me permission to use it), but sadly a few days later I noticed I had a bounce-back message (telling me it never arrived). Although I am familiar with the techniques, I have not even thought about attempting it, since it was just simply too good to "steal". I know a brilliant routine when I see one.

Every now and then a routine just stops me and makes me smile. "Cerebral Steal" is one of those. Now I see that it can be mine for a meager $35 (along with a host of other ideas). It will be mine.

This post will be an absolute surprise to James or anyone affiliated with this project. I was just really impressed. It's apparently a 2 DVD set, this is just the DVD that contains the routine I saw.


Contents Include:

BOX CLEVER
A freely chosen card, which can be signed, vanishes from the deck multiple times, appearing under the card case, inside the card case and finally the entire deck jumps into the case! ALL DONE WHILST THE SPECTATOR IS HOLDING THE CARD CASE!

ITHWICH
Two cards are cleanly shown and placed onto the spectators hands. AFTER this a card is freely chosen and almost instantly vanishes from the entire deck and appears BETWEEN the two they are holding! Superb stuff.


OMNI PRESENT
A card is chosen and SIGNED. The spectator is now given the deck to hold and told to imagine that the entire deck has suddenly become transparent and that the only card they can see, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DECK is their card! A fantasic pseudo hypnosis routine.


CAUGHT THREE TIMES
Three selected cards appear sandwiched, one at a time, between two court cards under impossible conditions!


REVERSE ENGINEERING
Two thought of cards are devined under impossible conditions. James now takes the audience back in time showing that one card placed in his pocket at the start of the routine is one of the selections!


CEREBRAL STEAL
The spectator choses a card and is then made to lose all memory of it! This is then followed by an impossible mind read by the magician. Strong and reputation making magic!

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNIST
Learn just what it means to be a "Professional Opportunist". Join James and Ravi for a bonus section in which they discuss how to make the most of your environments when performing magic.

CONTROLLING A SPECTATOR
James and Ravi discuss and explain just how to attain perfect audience management from your spectators at all times. Using a mixture of magicial techniques and body movements, you'll learn just how to make these techniques work for you too.


http://www.rsvpmagic.com/james-brown-1-new.html


With regards,

Sean

Thanks Sean, added to the cart. I am a big fan of James Browns magic very excited about this dvd.

Hello Waters,

Many thanks for your kind comments about James' work.

For your interest, here is another clip that's from Volume 2 using Cerebral Steal,l but adding a word to the final outcome. It can be seen here:

http://rsvpmagic.com/james-brown-22-new.html

Best,
Russ

I absolutely love James Browns' stuff. Not only is it fun to perform, but it is just plain fun and entertaining to watch him perform the material. Great stuff. I can't wait for this.

This stuff looks awesome! Cant wait to see it. Russ has done a great job on the trailers. Especially the last one! Does anyone have any idea what made him choose BANANA???!!!???

Bubble

I know James has branched out into hypnotism recently. Do you need a background in this area to perform the effects like Cerebral Steal? I've already ordered the disks but it's be great to know what kind of skills I'll need to make it work.

Rob

According to Russ, everything you need is on the dvd. No knowledge of hypnosis required. There are some routines that have hypnotic elements but everything required is taught.

James Brown a brilliant entertainer performer and professional opportunist and I am honoured to call him one of my best mates, as many of you know James has branched out into the world of hypnosis and he uses his brilliant pick pocketing skills as well as magic to create some brilliant entertainment.

The Professional opportunist DVD’S is a 2 set DVD taking you through material that James has been working on and some of which he has invented, there are also a few bits which were on his last DVD (Fancy a pot of Jam) whereby the effects have been taken to a whole new level… so if you liked Fancy a pot of jam your going to LOVE THIS exciting indeed.

James also goes into a full explanation of each trick and performance whereby he is interviewed by fellow friend and magician Ravi Mayar

There are also bonus footage of James performing some extra magic, pick pocketing and hypnosis.

On a final note hope you enjoy the DVD’s, Russ Stevens has done an amazing job as always.

Amit Badiani

Hello Everyone,

As Zerububle states above, no knowledge of hypnosis is required as routines like Cerebral Steal and Omni-Present can be used as part of the induction or as stand-alone magic routines. The second DVD does feature James performing an induction, although this is not taught, you get a good idea from just watching and listening to his wording, timing and performance.

As the DVD states, if anyone is interested in a more detailed look into combining hypnosis and magic, please check out The Manchurian Approach DVD available from Alakazam, which gives a complete and detailed look into this subject.

I would also say that nearly all of the material James performs and explains has no connection with his work on "Still Fancy a Pot of Jam" apart from the Thought of card under Watch, which does merit being there as it takes the routine into a completely different direction.

Since posting the new clip (above) I've had many emails asking if the routine uses pre-show (for the word) and I'd like to say that it doesn't. The whole performance of that trick is there from beginning to end and is an example of James actually showing just how well the material (and theories discussed) play to real people, "live" as it were.

To everyone that has pre-ordered, thank you very much for your continued support and I hope you all enjoy the DVDs.

Best,
Russ

James Brown's work does look fanatasic. I'm looking forward to purchasing watching this dvd set.


I really do enjoy cerbeal steal, in James' performance I liked how the man was almost verbally fighting with his friends about the card.


Great stuff.

I just put in my order. I will let you know what I think once I have a chance to watch it. I loved "Fancy a Pot of Jam" so I don't think I could go wrong here. Thanks!

Do we need to purchase vol. 1 to be able to perform cerebral steal with a word in vol. 2? Or is the complete routine explained in vol.2 also?

Hello Rpascual,

The complete routine (minus the word idea) is only explained in volume 1. I think once you see the full explanation though, you'd be able to work out just what James does when using the word idea. I'd suggest both volumes though, as there are great routines on both discs.

Best,
Russ

^^^ Thank you, Greatly appreciated will place an order soon.


Ricky

...I "ante'd up". I look forward to this. Best wishes on this project.


Sean

Hi russ,
looking forward to these!
I guess a james brown dvd release, with a few pages of internet forum bashing is the normal?
all I can say is a big thanks to yourself and to james for deciding to share some of his great work with the magic community
are you still on schedule to post them out this week russ?
thanks again mate
matt wainwright

Hello Everyone,

Just thought I'd let you all know that these DVDs arrived with us today and all pre-orders have been shipped.

Many thanks.

Best,
Russ

Just what I wanted to hear!
thanks russ
keep up the good work mate, anything else in the pipeline for us mate???
best
matt

James Brown :: Professional Opportunist Vol 1

Possibly one of the most anticipated DVD’s by me this year. James Brown is one of the cleverest modern day magicians and everything he touches, he steals. RSVP have taken on an ambitious project, releasing a set of DVD’s which are highly sought after by magicians but what a cracking job they have done.

So firstly, The material on this DVD is made for card magician’s with the mentalist, pickpocket and hypnotist in mind. Touching every aspect of what a performance should be and then picking each thing apart so it is the very best that it can be. I was incredibly excited when I learnt about the release of the set and admit that perhaps my expectations were so high that no degree of brilliance could have met my needs. But it did that perfectly. It was everything I’d thought of and more.

RSVP (Russ Stevens) has done a stunning job on this DVD. Its quality is superb. Several camera angles during the explanations, crystal clear filming and of course perfect live performances. Everything is sleek and simple. It’s bursting with incredible ideas and insightful performance tips. Everyone is credited brilliantly and the odd inside joke is shared.

James first begins with several performances of the first effect “Box Clever”. An extension of James previous works. The card under box is one piece of magic that James truly owns, taking this a step further with a brilliant piece of simple, clever and practical magic. The effect is essentially a card under box, card under box, Deck under box, Card in box and followed with the finally, deck inside box. The methodology is really cool, mixing some different methods to create possibly the most workable card under box routines around. The best part? James has built all of the misdirection in for us. He talks in depth on how to perform this on the hands of the spectator and discusses every tiny spec of paint that makes this affect a beautiful piece of art. Everything is executed with precision and really is a worker.

This is then followed into by a couple of brilliant real world performances of the next effect “ITHWICH”. It is essentially a take on the sandwich card plot but with some brilliant psychological advances. James has a brilliant way of combining normal magic plots with well known psychological techniques to create not just a “Magic Trick”, but a complete experience for the spectators. This is a perfect example of such genius. Even as a standalone card effect, it’s brilliant. Watching the performance, I was fooled completely. The methodology is brilliant thinking and so simple. James makes the spectators hands affix to each other with 2 cards inside. They cannot undo their hands at all. Somehow the cards are causing their hands to be clamped shut. This is an old idea but James’ combination with the card effect makes it by far the most practical version of the effect. Guaranteeing you a brilliant effect whether it works or not. It works virtually all of the time but James of course covers every area of the effect, even if it doesn’t go to plan.

James is very brave with the next effect. He is playing with a classic of magic and something the most magicians all ready use and love, the ever popular Omni Deck. We all know the brilliant reactions we get from this effect; James throws us into why he has created this brilliant version of the Omni Deck. What I personally LOVED about this effect was that he utilised the Omni Deck in a different way whilst keeping the traditional styled effect. Also using the interesting angle properties with the inside of the Omni Deck which really makes this effect a whole different ball game. Having a card selected and signed. The card is placed to one side. The magician then places the deck in their hand and proceeds to penetrate their hands with the signed card. He then makes is possible for them to look through the deck and see their card. They open their hand and the deck has turned into a black of glass, In the centre of the block is their signed card. Trapped in the walls of plastic. He then pulls the card throw the plastic and hands it back to be examined. Brilliant! Not much more to say. It’s a brilliantly put together piece with an awesome method which I’ve never thought about with the Omni deck. A real worker.

One interesting fact that came out of this DVD is that James has been caught three times. Caught with his trousers very much around his ankles. I jest. Of course this is the name of his next effect “Caught Three Times”. This is another stunning version of the sandwich routine. This is one of the very best spectator controlled sandwich routine I’ve come across. Everything is so unbelievably fair. It looks like you’re doing nothing to influence the deck. The effect is, two kings are put to one side. Three spectators select a card freely and each are put back into the deck by the spectators. James has the spectator put the two kings somewhere in the middle of the deck and with no funny business hands it to spectator one. He has them imagine their card adjusting in the deck until it is sandwiched inside the kings. They deck is spread and sure enough one card is sandwiched. The card is out jogged and the deck immediately handed to the second spectator. The first card is turned over and sure enough, it’s the selected card. Spectator 2 does the same thing. Of course, her card is now sandwiched. The last card is done completely by the spectator. They square the deck, imagine the card adjusting, spread the deck and take out the card. The method is so simple but brilliantly put together with patter. Officially my favourite spectators sandwich routine.

Back to the psychological tom foolery, “Reverse Engineering”. This is the only effect on DVD 1 which was a little bit of a throw away effect. None the less, a brilliant piece of magic that could work its way into a routine and work wonders. Essentially a thought of card in pocket, the thinking is brilliant. Everything with this effect relies on the subtleties. There’s not much more I’m going to say with this effect. It’s direct, simple and about as slick as possible.

Now for the effect that I’m guessing most people are interested in. “Cerebral Steal”. This is the effect that made me want the DVD’s. How on earth do you have them think of any one of 52 cards, name it and pre predict it, with nothing written down, a free selection and nothing fishy what’s so ever. If you could read someone’s mind, this is how it would look. This is just the cream of the crop. This one effect is worth the DVD 3 times over. Pure mentalism gold! Those non mentalists will be doing this effect to. It is essentially an easy effect to achieve. Those of you worried about its success rate. Please don’t. Whatever happens, James has ensured it will be an amazing piece of magic. I’ve tried it out a couple of times today. I’ve performed similar things before but never quite as ingenious as this. He shows you a live performance in which it went wrong. But the reactions at the end were still stunning. The discussions at the end are so in depth it’s unreal. Every aspect of this trick has been picked apart to the very core of its being. It’s just a wonderful piece of magic to perform.

What I also love about this DVD is that during the performances, James fuses some effects together. He doesn’t always tech what he performance but it’s just a wonderful thing to see how he fuses everything together to make everything flow. The possibilities with putting these things together in a routine is wonderful.
This is DVD is one of the best in my vast DVD collection. I really enjoyed watching it and as soon as funds appear, I’ll be picking up Vol 2 and will defiantly review it for you to. I cannot wait to dive in and I really recommend this.

“This DVD is brilliantly produced, packed full of stunning magic and discussions. I cannot wait to get hold of Vol 2 and I whole heartedly recommend it to all you magicians, mentalists, pickpockets and hypnotists. Pure brilliance”.

***** 500/5

Available from http://www.rsvpmagic.com

Jamie Daws

James Brown’s new 2 volume DVD set really does open up a new era of card magic. Combining sleights with suggestion, hypnosis and psychology James has created some of the most amazing magic with cards I have ever seen. Most of it appears to be using no sleights at all – no fancy shuffling, counting down or whatever – just very direct magic. My favourite has to be “Caught Three Times” on volume 1 which is a sandwich effect done 3 times in which the magic just seems to happen. Another great trick is “Thought of Card Under Watch” (volume 2) in which a card just thought of appears under the spectator’s watch.

The main sleights used are the cull, side slip, mercury card fold and top change which, although shown and demonstrated, are not really taught. You can probably learn the basics from the dvds but you will probably feel that more in-depth explanations are required. James also demonstrates some hypnosis which is not taught either although the basic method of suggestion is explained in order to perform “Cerebral Steal” in which a card is placed face down on a spectator’s hand and the spectator names it. Does not work 100% of the time but James shows an out which allows you to still end up with a great result.

All the tricks are performed with a real audience (mostly very attractive women!) in a bar in a walk-around situation and do not require a performing surface.

Afrer each performance the explanations of the tricks are discussed by James and fellow magician Ravi Mayar. Unfortunately Ravi does not appear to be wearing a microphone so his contributions are sometimes a bit difficult to hear.

This set are one of the most entertaining, inspiring, practical and unusual set of dvds I have seen in a long time. I’m now off to practice my culling. Thoroughly recommended.