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Re: The Works

Posted: July 3rd, 2018, 9:30 pm
by PickaCard
I've inquired but have had no reply...

Re: The Works

Posted: July 4th, 2018, 11:43 am
by Richard Kaufman
I hope to receive some news shortly.

Re: The Works

Posted: July 4th, 2018, 1:31 pm
by Bibliophage
I spoke with both of the publishers this last weekend in New Jersey and they said that we should see the next Works by the following week.

Re: The Works

Posted: July 10th, 2018, 12:01 pm
by Bibliophage
New issue arrived!

Re: The Works

Posted: July 10th, 2018, 4:37 pm
by PickaCard
I am now begin to believe the issues are released upon a critical mass of member emails sent to enquire about the "monthly" releases... and one by the Genii to tip the balance.

Re: The Works

Posted: September 27th, 2018, 7:46 pm
by Mac Stone
Another one.

Re: The Works

Posted: September 28th, 2018, 11:46 am
by Richard Kaufman
I didn't nudge them on the new one. It just appeared!

Re: The Works

Posted: September 28th, 2018, 1:00 pm
by PickaCard
Another brilliant release. I am always happy when they show up in my email.

Re: The Works

Posted: January 4th, 2019, 7:36 am
by AaronSmith
Issue 12 appeared earlier and from first read through I think it might be one of my favourites.

Re: The Works

Posted: January 4th, 2019, 9:41 am
by erdnasephile
I noticed there was no ad for the next effect included this time. Does this mean it's the final issue? (I seem to recall somewhere the number '18' issues promised?)

Re: The Works

Posted: January 4th, 2019, 11:34 am
by Arcato
... and the bonus effect "The Unseen" has not been released either...

Re: The Works

Posted: January 4th, 2019, 1:34 pm
by Richard Kaufman
Original text from the advertisement which I posted on page 1 of this thread (so, yes, items were promised every month for a year and a half, and Unseen was also promised).

When you join you will be sent your complete The Works custom collection delivered via First-Class Mail to anywhere in the world. Every month thereafter you will receive digital instructions for one of the routines, effects or devices in your collection. As you receive instructions for the standup mentalism act, you will also learn the details of how to put the act together, how to make the routines fit your style and persona, updated tips, professional insights and more.

You'll receive at least a year and a half of instructions and routines and perhaps even a little bit more for no additional cost to you. Every month you will learn a piece of strong, practical mentalism you can start performing immediately. In addition you'll receive a “catalog style” description of the effect that will be taught the following month giving you a month of performance and anticipation. At the outset you will receive a box filled with the dozens of special items you will need to perform the routines.

The Works is $350 plus a one-time shipping fee ($15 in USA and Canada, $25 elsewhere). Special Offer: Act now and receive The Unseen.

Only those valued founding members who join in the next 10 days will receive The Unseen: a special routine from Michael Weber and the secret Unseen device all included as part of your collection. This special offer ends 7/14/2016.

Re: The Works

Posted: January 4th, 2019, 1:38 pm
by Richard Kaufman
I would expect that "The Unseen" will only be sent after the final instructions have been sent out (there should be another six). My guess is that there's no teaser for the next one because they haven't decided on what it is yet.

Re: The Works

Posted: January 5th, 2019, 9:50 am
by erdnasephile
Thanks!

Re: The Works

Posted: March 4th, 2019, 11:50 am
by Mac Stone
An update from The Works.

The next release will be a triple issue, three separate effects woven together into a single routine much like the first three issues of The Works.

Re: The Works

Posted: March 4th, 2019, 1:36 pm
by Ted M
3-in-1 seems to fail to deliver on this promised element:

"Every month you will learn a piece of strong, practical mentalism you can start performing immediately. In addition you'll receive a “catalog style” description of the effect that will be taught the following month giving you a month of performance and anticipation.

But hey, per its advertising, The Works promised to begin delivering every month starting Aug 2016. It should have completed its year and a half run in January 2017, more than two full years ago. But instead it's taken more than 3 1/2 years to deliver its first year of material, with another half year of material still to go, plus a so-called "bonus" effect.

When taking people's money: Say what you mean, and mean what you say.

I'm glad this thread exists. It's useful to document these broken promises for the purpose of evaluating future purchases.

Re: The Works

Posted: March 4th, 2019, 4:07 pm
by Richard Kaufman
Ted, if you were to count the number of times a well-intentioned person in magic stated they would publish something on such and such date, and was late (sometimes a few years late), it would be a very long list. I would be on that list myself!

Generally, I give a pass to people who are late but actually deliver the material you've paid for.

Are you happy with what you've received in the first 12 installments of The Works?

Re: The Works

Posted: March 5th, 2019, 7:02 pm
by Ted M
I chose to skip The Works, since I previously subscribed to Weber/Trono's Real Secrets and felt that project did not deliver what its advertising promised.

Like I said, it's useful to document these broken promises for the purpose of evaluating future purchases.

Re: The Works

Posted: March 5th, 2019, 8:12 pm
by Daniel Z
I'm a happy customer of Real Secrets, Psience and The Works. It seems to me that participating in ventures such of these carries certain, I would have thought, well understood risks, including delays, and even the premature demise of the project. On the other hand I certainly understand and sympathize with the position of unhappy and disgruntled customers of projects that fall short of their inital promises. .

Re: The Works

Posted: March 6th, 2019, 6:45 am
by PickaCard
One must remember that The Works is different from the other examples given because we have received all of the releases (gimmicks) upfront. All that is missing are written instructions, sent by email, for each routine associated with the gimmicks provided.

So it’s not like they are looking for creative content to send out the next issue and it’s not a lack of funds to mail out the next installement to subscribers since it’s done by email. The extensive delay is the greatest mystery in the box.

Re: The Works

Posted: May 4th, 2019, 11:35 am
by Mac Stone
The Triple Issue has arrived.

Re: The Works

Posted: May 4th, 2019, 2:21 pm
by Richard Kaufman
Unlike Ted, I like Real Secrets a lot. Getting fun tactile things interests me. I like the "play" factor. Ditto for The Works.
You see it 32 years ago when I published "Gaffed to the Hilt."

Re: The Works

Posted: May 4th, 2019, 4:07 pm
by Bibliophage
Ted,

I bet if you asked they'd give your money back if you returned the box full of people and materials

I use the material and have had three friends try to get a set, so I know the demand is still there

Re: The Works

Posted: May 4th, 2019, 10:01 pm
by Bill Mullins
Richard Kaufman wrote:Unlike Ted, I like Real Secrets a lot. Getting fun tactile things interests me. I like the "play" factor. Ditto for The Works.
You see it 32 years ago when I published "Gaffed to the Hilt."


Haversat & Ewing auctioned a copy of "Gaffed" today, with the gaffed cards - I wonder what it went for.

Re: The Works

Posted: May 4th, 2019, 10:22 pm
by Joe Lyons
Last bid I saw was around $430, much cheaper than the recent Potter sales.

Re: The Works

Posted: May 6th, 2019, 1:59 pm
by Bill Mullins
Richard Kaufman wrote:You see it 32 years ago when I published "Gaffed to the Hilt."


. . . a copy of which just sold for $561.

Re: The Works

Posted: August 16th, 2019, 7:27 am
by Arcato
Does anybody know, when we will receive the ‘bonus’ effect for those who signed up early? This is what actually sold me to the entire project and I’m quite disappointed that it hasn’t shown up yet...

Re: The Works

Posted: August 16th, 2019, 8:22 pm
by Richard Kaufman
The bonus effect will be released as the final item, I believe.

Re: The Works

Posted: November 2nd, 2019, 2:44 pm
by qkeli
Does someone knows when wil be released the last issue ?

Re: The Works

Posted: November 2nd, 2019, 4:10 pm
by Richard Kaufman
An item was released in early October. No word since then.

Re: The Works

Posted: April 29th, 2020, 4:17 am
by Arcato
In case anybody still cares, another edition of The Works (#17 to be exact) has arrived in my inbox...

Re: The Works

Posted: April 29th, 2020, 2:26 pm
by Richard Kaufman
I already posted this information.

Re: The Works

Posted: June 18th, 2020, 10:01 am
by Edward Pungot
Suite Life Bonus

Oblique Strategies: Scan your eyes across the key card to produce the Hermann Grid Illusion. Now rotate the card at a 45 degree angle to make the illusion go away. Proceed to Colorful Deception.

Hermann-Grid-Illusion-PDF
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Hermann+Grid+Illusion+Revisited+Schiller+PDF&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart

Topic lectures include visual pattern, color, depth perception, and optical illusions
https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/brain-and-cognitive-sciences/9-04-sensory-systems-fall-2013/

Re: The Works

Posted: October 13th, 2020, 2:28 pm
by Edward Pungot
Suite Life Addendum
B-Side: Girl w/ a Pearl Earring
(Address/Zip/Tel.)
Beauty/Familiarity/Mystery
(Tracy Chevalier)

Re: The Works

Posted: October 17th, 2020, 6:33 pm
by Edward Pungot
A Lubor Lens can be placed in front of the Tower Suites card without taking any extra wallet space. The two fit snugly together.
A bit of lateral thinking hijacking by way of the lenticular lens: If you wear eyeglasses, the arm of the frame can be balanced over the middle phalanges of the fingers of the open stretched palm of the hand.

Re: The Works

Posted: November 5th, 2020, 7:52 pm
by Edward Pungot
On the backside of the crosswords page are 2 sudoku grids. If you scan this page and photoshop out the numbers, you have 2 blank grids ready to perform Jim Steinmeyer's "Triumph Sudoku" found in his book Technique & Understanding.

Re: The Works

Posted: November 5th, 2020, 8:39 pm
by Edward Pungot
Tearable Just Tearable!
https://www.amazon.com/Rustic-Loyalty-Reward-Cards-Coffee/dp/B079DSZYFL

Displays and Easily Rearranged on the Surface of the Outer Wallet
(also works well with Vernon's handling of E.G. Browns "Spelling Trick" found in the Vernon Touch column)

Re: The Works

Posted: November 7th, 2020, 11:08 am
by Edward Pungot
Here is an example for getting into, out of, and tied to E.G. Brown's "Spelling Trick." You talk about combinatorics and 10! (factorial). To get their head around this, you tell them to pull out there cell phone's calculator function and have them work out the simple calculation, explaining to them what that huge number represents. During this down time you arrange the cards in the appropriate order and tell them that this is iteration #1665, which has a special magical property with built-in conflict and resolution points thrown-in for dramatic measure. Proceed with by-play.

Go into London's "Almost Real Prediction" a la Weber.

And close with Steinmeyer's "Triumph Sudoku."

Re: The Works

Posted: November 8th, 2020, 1:41 pm
by Edward Pungot
Edit: I think "permutation #" is a better fit than "iteration #" in the above post.

Also, there are some interesting "mixing" procedures that can be incorporated into the second part of the routine (London/Weber). Check out Verbal Magic (Tamariz 17-20, 139-141).

If using the torn pieces from the loyalty card, all this can easily be done on the surface of your wallet acting as your performing space. The 9 pieces lay out nicely in a convenient 3×3 grid before and after the spelling trick (the same pieces and configuration can then be used in the sudoku preliminary). The 10th piece (free hot drink) can be taken out of play and set aside or given to the spectator to hold as a keepsake at the conclusion of the spelling trick.

Re: The Works

Posted: November 15th, 2020, 7:10 am
by Edward Pungot
Personally, I don't care much for the zodiac mystery. I'm more of a Murakami fan myself. What I've done instead is replace the Sunday astrology section of the crosswords page with a picture of an old typewriter with a white coffee mug with black coffee set to the right of it. The typewriter has a white sheet of paper sticking out with the following type- written message:

All men know the
benefit of useful things,
but nobody knows the
benefit of futility.
Where can I find a man
who has forgotten words
so that I can have a
word with him?

The question I pose the auditor is this:
How many times does the letter F appear in this sentence?

Answer
Most people count 6 Fs, but there are actually 8.
It's easy to glaze over the Fs in the preposition "of"--words such as "and," "from," and "of" are processed unconsciously by our mind.


Picture puzzle can be found in the book put out by Brain Games called Optical Illusions.