I haven't seen a review of Pointless up, so I thought I'd post one. Here goes--

The effect-
The performer shows a Bic pen. After telling the spectators to follow the point, they proceed to move the point of the pen from one side of the pen to the other.

Value--

Yes, the effect is $40. Yes, it's worth it. I have heard the this effect can generally be performed with a pen-through effect. Having never owned a pen-through effect, I can't speak to that, but I am more than happy to have spent the money on this. The pen is well made, everything fits together well and looks...well...like a Bic pen.

Teaching--

This is my first Greg Wilson routine and I'm very happy with the DVD. Greg has a number of performances on the DVD, by himself and others. Including a performance by Christian Grisier (I hope I spelled that right), who showed the effect to Greg. The teaching moves quickly, but the effect is not really complicated. Just spending a few minutes with it should give you plenty of ideas. Also included are a couple of additional handlings in the form of a bar bet.

Impact--
I love this trick. I always test out new stuff on my wife and love being able to make her jaw drop. She's always observant and skeptical. Makes for good training. Her jaw dropped. The handling is natural, no funny moves and just looks like magic. I handed her the pen and she spent the next couple minutes shaking the pen and looking for a secret, but there's none to be found. I perform a lot for teenagers in our youth group (my wife is the youth pastor) and this has gone over very well. They're not going to run screaming, but the look of astonishment is worth it.

Other thoughts--

In my opinion, this is totally worth it. Some people won't want to spend the money but that's okay, less competition for me. For those of you that may have Greg's lecture notes on this, it was called pre-cap before he changed the name.

I love this too Mediamonk. Yes, you probably can perform this with a "pen through" pen, but Greg's prop has some special, albeit subtle, features that make it unique, and perfect for this effect. Don't underestimate the power of this trick. It's super easy, and therefor perfect for strolling or street magic. It's a frickin' Bic pen for Heaven's sake. How innocent can you get?

Greg Wilson is a joy to watch. Down to earth, natural, and a great teacher. I don't know him, but he seems like the type of guy you could just hang with. So far, he seems to be the type of performer, creator, who only releases an effect after he's totally tweaked it out and proven to himself that it's a winner. That's something to be admired.

He explains on the DVD he doesn't recommend using it as a "pen through" effect because of the way the gimmick is made.

It's one of those effects you can always carry in your front shirt pocket because to the spectator it's just a normal bic pen, which it is. When the timing is right you can go into a routine with it or if the timing isn't right just keep it in your shirt pocket. But it's always there ready to go whenever needed.

I also picked up Pointless and it arrived yesterday. It's exactly what I expected to find, and it's incredibly fun to play with. I agree with the above statement that it's not a "run away screaming" effect, but it's astonishing, and people will enjoy it. Plus, since it's just a Bic pen, having it in play through out your routine as a writing instrument, wand, etc. makes it that much more impressive.

I found the instructional section of the DVD to be a bit dark (as in, more light could have been provided).

The explanation was quick, as mentioned, but not a lot of instruction is really required to get things going. Plus, you can always re-watch the DVD many times until you've picked up what you wish.

I also enjoyed the "extra features" section sharing ideas from some other minds in magic.

I think this purchase was worth what I paid for it, and look forward to sharing it with many around me.

He was explaining a few finesses on his recap routine to me, then he proceeded to fry me with pointless. My jaw was literally hanging when he handed the pen to me for examination.

That's what you call a set - up and kill.

Pointless was definately worth the money! The pen is made VERY well and will last a long time. People are very fooled with this item! I highly recommend it.


RNK

So it means the trick (pointless) can be combine with re-cap? and it can be examined after the routine?
what a great trick ...

I think it just screams "I'M NOT A REAL PEN!"

I couldn't get the hang of it. That's my shortcoming, not that of the trick.

Rock,

I'll argue a bit here that the pen looks every bit like a Bic pen, as far as I can tell they're identical, which I'm sure is not what you meant. I have found that the solution most people have in their minds is the only possible solution that presents itself. I ran into a co-worker two weeks ago that after the first move her jaw was hanging open, but by the end of the routine she was starting to formulate an idea. It wasn't correct, but it was on the right track. I should've stopped right after the first move. I found that sometimes less is more with Pointless.

I think that (and btw, this is just goes along with my whole philosophy of the magic I present) if you pull out a pen and say, "Watch this" and you perform some crazy, mind boggling effect like this, the only solution for the spec is the right one: it's a gimmick. Unless this is an examinable pen, I have a problem with it. Now, this would be killer if you pulled it out a draw full of pens, or a bookbag, etc. That'd be cool. But that's not what I think is happening for the most part.
Just my thoughts! I definitely have no problem with anyone that performs this, as I too would like to. But personally, this is what keeps me away unfortunately.


Michael

The pen is completely examinable. They will find nothing because there is nothing to find. But I do agree with some of the posts above that the longer the routine goes on, the more likely spectators are to suspect something. That's not a flaw in the trick...it's really just because the effects are so visually impossible. The nice thing about the dvd is that it shows multiple routines. Greg's demo routine is great but I personally feel it is a bit too long (ie, the spectators will start to suspect a gimmick). But there is a really good routine on the dvd from the guy that first came up with the idea. It's short, super visual and not repetative to the point where spectators will suspect anything...and as will all the routines, the pen ends up in the spectator's hands and is completely examinable. That is the routine I prefer.

I agree, that "less is more". I don't know that "Pointless" needs to be some routine on its own, as if you've planned to do it. I envision using the pen through out my routine to sign things, make notes on a pad of paper, wave as a wand, etc. If presenting the magic as more of an afterthought about the pen, then a stand alone effect, it might be more powerful. It would present the idea you can do magic with anything, and you don't' need your special props. "I noticed something strange about bic pens the other night", perhaps mentioned as the spectator is signing a card with it, or writing down something for a (fake) mentalism bit.

This way, it doens't appear as you've removed an 'ordinary pen' from your pocket, that you can show to the spectators, and have them "notice it's normal". Just have them use it through out the routine; get them to use it like the wand, etc. Then, when you take the pen back from them, before putting it away, you can perform a small magical interlude before carrying on with the original presentation.

Just some thoughts.

Andrew

It looks EXACTLY like a real pen!

I agree with some of the above comments, as far as the spectators suspecting a gimmick, even though they are allowed to handle the pen. I have been practicing combining this with David Williamson's 'Rebate' - I feel that by starting with 'Rebate', the spectators will be less likely to come to a hypothesis, as there are two separate effects going on. I will let you know how this goes once I start to perform this.

The situation where I've really found "Pointless" to shine is when you are at a restaurant paying with a credit card. It is easy, when the bill comes, to switch out the server's pen for the pointless pen. This is particularly true when the bill comes in one of those book-type holders. In any event, no one is typically paying much attention to what you are doing so you could probably switch an elephant for the pen at that moment. Then, as if I just thought of something fun to try, I go through a couple of phases of the "Pointless" routine. It kills every time, especially when I let them handle the pen once I'm done.

Otherwise, I agree with previous posts that simply pulling out the pen and saying "hey, watch this" is about as dead a giveaway as you'll ever find.

Servers use all types of pen's, so to get one that match pointless is limiting. How often do you eat at a restaurant and do this? You do this for the server?

Guys, what I mean by saying that the pen screams, "I'M NOT A REAL PEN!" is that I think specs would automatically think that the pen is gimmicked, a trick pen. Folks aren't oblivious to the fact that there are magic shops that carry gimmicks that look like real things..

BUT

What is this I hear about the pen being examinable?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

This was a good Magic Friday effect- less is more, though, in this instance (in my opinion):

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......um=175&0

jamie

I have to agree with this statement. Although if prior to pointless you levitate a ring to land on a spectators finger. They will pretty much think you are a God. So then busting out pointless they will believe you can do anything. It all about presentation and how you structure your set.

- My thoughts