New John George Video

[Doug Brewer]

John George, who has won just about every award out there (first place I.B.M, S.A.M. (silver medal), Florida State Championships, and just recently won People's Choice award in close-up at the S.A.M. in New York) has just put out a new video. John has included some of his best routines on this tape. My favorite: The Valentine Pack - the deck cuts itself around the spectator's selection (ala haunted pack), however for the kicker the card flips out of the deck face-up onto the table. The deck is examinable and you are clean (no strings hanging from your hip). Many more routines great for walk-around/strolling. John has great work on the Classic Force and Flip stick move. This tape is available from dealers, but why not contact John directly. He worked hard on this tape.

He can be reached at magic@johngeorge.com

[Jeffrey Cowan]

I've watched part of the tape and it's good. John is articulate and does a better job than most of explaining what he's doing. I've also seen him do some of these effects in person -- and there is strong, commercial stuff here.

Magicians who have or are considering a promotional video would also learn from watching the introduction to the tape. It's a very effective pastiche of performance snippets from different venues. Plus, the tape opens with a really cool special effect that I'm not going to tip here. Let's just say it's very clever/creative and something that I have not seen on any other magician's video. Frankly, I'm surprised that John included it on his tape.

[Guest]

Isn't it a pity that these new videos aren't also coming out on DVD? I mean, everbody should face the fact that this is the way to go, both because of the easier navigation and because for obvious reasons DVD is what people are buying and not tapes anymore.

I, for example, won't be buying any VHS (magic or movies) anymore.

[Jeffrey Cowan]

The problem is that, from what I understand, it's substantially more expensive to produce a dvd than a vhs video. So, dvd isn't much of an option for individual magicians who want to do a video independently (as opposed to through a company like A-1 or L&L). If one is buying the produce for the information and has the means to watch either format, I'm not sure it makes much of a difference.

[Tim Trono]

You are quite correct Jeffrey. Not only is the initial production more costly, but the duplication gives a whole new problem. An independent release or a video of someone who isn't a huge name such as Daryl or Michael Ammar will most likely not sell huge numbers. With video duplication you can basically duplicate as many as needed (i.e the number of units). Thus to duplicate 200 or 300 (or 50) is not out of the ordinary. With DVD that is not really a possibility. In every DVD duplication package I've seen one must either pay $1000 or more (on top of the authoring and duplication and packaging itself) or this is waived if the order is for 1000 units or more. This essentially forces companies to either duplicate 1000 units or not to do it. Now you may think that 1000 units is not a lot but because of the sheer number of new products, the economy, how small the magic market really is, and other factors, videos/DVDs just don't sell as many as they used to. Now a video is basically considered a "hit" if it reaches 1000 units. Thus someone like John George is stuck in an awkward situation. DVDs ARE more popular than video now and they are easier to navigate. However, they are not really cost effective on a smaller scale and it is a big risk to put an independent or not huge name out on DVD. Once DVD dupe houses stop charging the extra fees this may change but even then you have additional costs and work not associated with video such as the authoring process (setting up the links, menus, etc. which does take a significant amount of time - and money if you hire someone to do it). The money one makes on a video by the time they job it to distributors or wholesale it, pay for advertising, pay for duplication, pay for insert/sleeve design and printing, pay for production (film, studio, editing, etc.), etc. is pretty small. Thus I'd still encourage you to support performers out there like John who are trying to contribute their ideas to the magic fraternity.

Tim Trono

[Richard Kaufman]

Tim,
This is off topic, but what happened with the photos in the new David Regal books? Very pixelated, lots of weird redrawing over them, and his head is oddly shaped in many of them. What gives? If I was the author I wouldn't be very happy at all.

[Tim Trono]

I am not sure what you are seeing Richard as the copies I looked and Andrew Pinard looked at (he did lay out)had, in fact, quite a good quality. David's wife took the photos and I thought she did a great job. Feel free to call me and I can get you another copy or such.

Tim

[Richard Kaufman]

Tim, are you saying that you don't feel there is ANYTHING wrong with the reproduction of the photographs in the new Regal books?

[Tim Trono]

Not sure if you lost my e-mail address Richard but just in case it is TIMTRONO@aol.com If you want to contact me directly I'd be happy to discuss this per my previous post.

Tim

[MaxNY]

With over 25 years experience in NYC post-production, I am offering a solution to all DVD problems. DVD's are sooooo wide spread now, that almost anybody can into the game. Yes, they are a bit expensive, but stackable DVD burners are all the rage in post-production. Stackable burners go for about ten grand. Now, if you want chapter points and stuff like that, you PAY for the first one...once you have a master, then the stackable burners can duplicate all the chapters etc. I hate to give you this name, cause they layed me off three months ago, but go to Devlin (212) 391-1313 and ask for Rico, tell them Max sent you. Please sound professional, don't haggle just go in, and get a quote. Your best bet in a straight DVD, again, formatting a master disc gets very expensive. They also sell burners for about 1,300 dollars now, blanks about 6 dollars, call B&H in NYC. John George was terrific, great guy to boot.