Gum by Jeff Prace

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Tom Frame
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Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Tom Frame » December 1st, 2009, 12:48 pm

Gum (DVD) by Jeff Prace $24.95
Running time: 50 minutes
Available at: http://www.JeffPraceMagic.com
Dealers contact Murphys Magic Supplies, Inc. (916) 853-9292
http://www.murphysmagicsupplies.com


Jeff Prace is a very creative 15 year old lad from the Chicago area. In this well-produced DVD, he teaches four bits of masticatory magic using gum. Visit Mr. Praces website to view performances of these effects.

Mr. Prace comes across as a pleasant and poised young man. He speaks well and does a very good job of teaching the material. He has dutifully researched previous gum effects and provides proper crediting. Unlike many of his peers, its clear that he actually rehearsed what he wanted to say before the cameras started rolling. I commend him for his preparation.


Orbit: The performer displays a pack of gum with only one piece remaining in it. With a mere wave of the pack, it instantly transforms into a full pack of gum. The performer can immediately give a piece of gum to a participant.

This is a very cool effect! Mr. Praces method is very clever. Youll have to construct the special Orbit pack, but this procedure wont take more than 15 minutes. Once its built, you probably wont leave home without it. I really like it.


Re-Wrapped: The performer removes a piece of gum from his mouth and stretches it between his hands. He wads up the gum and it transforms into a brand new, wrapped piece, which can immediately be given to a participant.

The effect is visually stunning and Mr. Praces handling is very well constructed. Youll probably need to purchase one item, but there is no construction involved. I really like this effect.


Insta-Wrap: The performer removes a piece of gum from his mouth and holds it by the fingertips of one hand. He allows the gum to fall into his cupped hand, then immediately opens his hand to reveal that the gum has morphed into a new, wrapped piece. The gum can be given to a participant.

Youll need to take a trip to the arts and crafts store to purchase the inexpensive materials. You should be able to construct the props in less than 30 minutes.

On the plus side, the transformation is instantaneous and requires only one hand. The downside is that the piece of gum is tiny and rather hard to see. To ensure that the crowd can see and appreciate what happens, youll need to perform this effect in close proximity to them. I like it.


Back in Time: The magician removes a piece of gum from his mouth and deposits it in a semi-transparent film canister. He displays a photo of himself blowing a gum bubble and places it into a wallet.

The performer turns back the hands of time. He dumps the gum into his hand, showing that it has transformed into a new, wrapped piece. He gives the gum to a participant. He removes the photo from the wallet, displaying that the gum bubble is gone.

Youll need a Himber wallet. If you dont have one or dont care to use the wallet, Mr. Prace offers several wallet-free versions which are nearly as effective.

There is no presentational or methodological reason to dump the wrapped gum into your hand before giving it to the participant. So why bother? I recommend dumping the wrapped gum directly into the participants hand. I like this effect.


No More Card Tricks: This item appears in the form of an Easter egg. It was published in the June 2009 issue of MAGIC. The effect is that a seemingly ordinary deck of cards instantly becomes bound by electrical tape. Mr. Prace acknowledges that his effect was inspired by Paul Harriss Solid Deception. I like the effect and it provides bonus bang for your buck.

Restaurant workers and performers who are repulsed by the idea of removing props from their mouths will eschew these effects. Fortunately, I am unencumbered by such propriety.

This DVD is a delight. I am very impressed with Mr. Praces creativity and I look forward to his future offerings.


Highly Recommended

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Richard Kaufman » December 1st, 2009, 1:26 pm

15?
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Tom Frame
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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Tom Frame » December 1st, 2009, 3:53 pm

Yep!

To quote Paul Harris, "Solid Practical Coolness. This kid is going to be DANGEROUS!!!"

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Jeff.Prace » December 1st, 2009, 11:52 pm

Thanks Tom for the great review! I am very glad you liked it!

And yes Richard, 15.
I was 14 when I had my first creation published in your magazine!

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Joe Pecore » December 2nd, 2009, 7:26 am

Re-Clipped (A broken and restored sharpie) by Jeff Prace was in the October 2008 (Tom Maeda) issue, in case anyone was wondering: http://geniimagazine.com/back_issues/2008/10/index.html
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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Sebastien L. » December 2nd, 2009, 10:15 am

Wow. A video with nice production values, actually scripted and rehearsed, taught well, with references to previous work, cool tricks, endorsed by Paul Harris, and all this from a 15-year old?

That's just awesome. I may well be buying this, that empty to full pack of gum sounds very interesting. Does it need to be a specific brand or is it adaptable to other gum "boxes"?

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Tom Frame » December 2nd, 2009, 11:56 am

Jeff uses the Orbit brand of gum, hence the trick's name. He mentions that other "box" brands may be adaptable.

Jeff, care to share the results of your experimentation?

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Jeff.Prace » December 2nd, 2009, 12:31 pm

I actually brought a whole box of other brands of gum that will work for Orbit, but ended up forgetting to mention this.

There are plenty of brands that will work.

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Sebastien L. » December 2nd, 2009, 12:43 pm

Sounds good to me. I'll be buying this soon.

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 2nd, 2009, 5:50 pm

Chewing gum is the most disgusting substance known to man. I utterly detest it. I think it should be made illegal just as it already is in Singapore. In fact if they were to bring in the death penalty for it I believe it would be highly commendable.

If anyone dares to chew gum in my presence I am always very rude to them and if anyone wants a psychic reading I refuse to do it if they are chewing this disgusting stuff in the usual revolting North American manner. I actually have a sign up on my booth at psychic fairs explaining that chewing gum affects the vibrations and it must be got rid of before having a reading.

Ugh!

As for doing magic with it I consider this to be the end of civilisation as we know it.

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Jonathan Townsend » December 2nd, 2009, 6:03 pm

It's okay Mark, just not so classy in so-called polite company.
Conjuring with Q-tips or feminine hygiene products... that might be the one of the signs of end times.
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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 2nd, 2009, 6:17 pm

It is not "okay" in the slightest. It is the sole reason I am thinking of returning to the UK for good. I can't abide it. At least in Britain we chew the stuff with some decorum and rarely. And there is only one colour. A dull grey. Here they insist on showing the inside of their mouths with the dreadful colour contrasts as if they are having a party.

And there are around 3 million different brands of the disgusting stuff. And the disgraceful American/Canadian habit of blowing bubbles and making crackling noises is quite revolting. And around a third of the population chews the stuff here. I swear it rots the brain and is the reason that Canadians think and move so slowly.

You even see banking staff chewing the stuff. This really is not the British way of doing things.

If anyone dares to chew the revolting stuff in front of me when I am selling svengali decks I honk a horn in their face and snarl at them to go away. And if anyone works for me and chews one piece of gum I fire them immediately.

UGH!

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Jager » December 2nd, 2009, 6:39 pm

Mark.Lewis wrote:It is not "okay" in the slightest. It is the sole reason I am thinking of returning to the UK for good. I can't abide it. At least in Britain we chew the stuff with some decorum and rarely.


Probably one of the reasons the Brits are so well known for their brilliant white teeth. (wink, wink).
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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 2nd, 2009, 7:33 pm

And one of the reasons that Americans and Canadians have a lower standard of education that we British. Academically we are far superior. And it is all because of the lack of chewing gum. As I have already stated chewing gum rots the brain cells. I would rather have rotting teeth than rotting brain cells.

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Jeff Stone » December 2nd, 2009, 7:56 pm

Mark.Lewis wrote:And one of the reasons that Americans and Canadians have a lower standard of education that we British. Academically we are far superior. And it is all because of the lack of chewing gum. As I have already stated chewing gum rots the brain cells. I would rather have rotting teeth than rotting brain cells.


Are you sure about that?
Chewing Gum Activates the Brain

Einstein Chewed Gum

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 2nd, 2009, 8:04 pm

Quite sure. Einstein was not American. And indeed he would have done far better if he had not partaken of this disgusting stuff. Al Koran fooled him after all with a trick. And Koran did not chew gum.

Besides to get back on topic. Magic with chewing gum is in bad taste. (No pun intended). The idea of removing this ghastly stuff from your mouth to do tricks with it is horrendous in itself. And to think that people in the old days would complain about the razor blades from mouth trick.

This confirms my opinion that any trick invented after 1954 should be made illegal.

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Jeff.Prace » December 2nd, 2009, 8:24 pm

I disagree with your strong opinion.
And most people agree with me; as around 96% of people actually chew gum.

Of course, not everyone chews gum the way you describe. Believe it or not, there are polite ways to chew.

And these are not the trick you do at a corporate gig. This kind of magic is meant to be done causally. And not all the tricks on this DVD require chewed gum.

And about being the smartest - let's take a look at some statistics, shall we?
http://www.iqleague.com/group.aspx?page=2&nameUrl=smartest-country-in-the-world

Jeff

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Jager » December 2nd, 2009, 8:27 pm

Mark.Lewis wrote:The idea of removing this ghastly stuff from your mouth to do tricks with it is horrendous in itself.


I would be mostly concerned about catching the cooties.
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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Jager » December 2nd, 2009, 8:37 pm

Jeff.Prace wrote:
And about being the smartest - let's take a look at some statistics, shall we?
http://www.iqleague.com/group.aspx?page=2&nameUrl=smartest-country-in-the-world


I scored 101.18 while chewing a stick of gum. I wonder what percentage of people chew gum in the Netherlands?
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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Joe Pecore » December 2nd, 2009, 8:39 pm

Mark.Lewis wrote:Quite sure. Einstein was not American.

I believe Einstein became a citizen of the United States in 1940 and remained one until he died.
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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 2nd, 2009, 9:17 pm

Doesn't count about Einstein. He was a pretend American not a real one. And the Dutch are indeed the smartest people in the world. And when I was there I didn't see a single person chewing gum. And to prove how smart I am I can do the svengali deck in fluent Dutch. I have no idea what I am saying though.

96% of people in America may possibly chew gum which proves my point about the brain rotting away. However this statistic drastically goes down in other more civilized countries. And I am afraid Canada has been polluted by this dreadful American habit too. In fact even more so.

And there is NO polite way to chew that disgusting substance. It shouldn't even be put in the mouth in the first place.

And as for doing it for magic tricks it doesn't matter if you do it at a corporate engagement or in a dingy bar. It lowers the art of magic and anyone that does such a thing should have their tongues cut out. Their brains will have rotted away anyway so nothing needs to be done about that.

It is quite illegal in Singapore and so it should be. Filthy habit.

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Jonathan Townsend » December 2nd, 2009, 9:22 pm

Kinda makes me wonder about doing Ramsay's four little beans with plastic coated tic-tacs.

;)
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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Jeff.Prace » December 2nd, 2009, 9:25 pm

We can obviously see this is not for you. But you are being very unfair by saying we should have our tongues cut off and so on. And you haven't even seen the DVD!

If I don't like coin magic, I am obviously not going to say that coin magic is the worst thing in the world, and everyone who does it should get their head banged against the wall. Everyone has different opinions.

It's been statistically proven that chewing gum actually HELPS the brain, so your argument about "rotting the brain" is simply untrue. Are you a scientist, or do you have research to back this up?

And if you read the chart correctly, the Dutch are #26. Not even close to the smartest. But this has nothing to do with anything so let's stay on topic.

I'm fine that you don't like my product, but it's unfair to bash it they way you have done. I worked very hard on all these effects and improved them over the last few years.

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 2nd, 2009, 9:26 pm

I do the Ramsey bean trick but with silver paper foil. It goes over remarkably well. The only reservation I have with it is that you have to use your mouth. It is a hell of a lot better than chewing gum though.

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 2nd, 2009, 9:58 pm

Prace my boy. I do not have to be a scientist to know that chewing gum rots the brain. I merely have to be British and we are experts in matters of intellect.Members of the Magic Circle excluded of course. I really can't see why you can't do annoying card tricks like all the other teenage magicians do. Then you can go on You Tube and amuse yourself in the way your young colleagues do.

I have no wish to watch your DVD and I cannot even bear to read the descriptions of your tricks. Chewing gum is the most disgusting habit known to man.

Chewing gum cannot possibly help the brain otherwise teachers would allow it in the classroom. They don't allow it since it must obviously have a bad effect on the brains of the student.

The rather silly chart you just posted indicates nothing. I am quite sure it is an American chart and by dint of such has no credibility whatsoever.

A far better indication of how smart people in various countries are is listening to me. I have ripped people off all over the world and therefore have a very good indication of which people are the brightest and which are the dumbest.

The British are fairly bright except those who hail from Yorkshire. The Irish are even brighter but then they chew less gum than the British. The Dutch are definitely the brightest of all since they seem to be able to speak about thirty thousand languages at once. And of course the biggest proportion of good magicians in the world per capita hail from The Netherlands. And they don't chew gum. I bet you don't sell one DVD to Holland.

I hate to tell you but I have found Americans fairly dim. Just look at your last president for example. And any country where you can purchase guns like bars of chocolate can't be that bright. Or where you have to pay several thousand dollars for a packet of aspirins for a slight headache. No doubt the said headache comes from chewing gum in the usual disgusting incessant manner.

I live in Canada and I am afraid Canadians aren't very bright either. I feel like a wolf among the chickens over here. Canadians walk slow, they talk slow and they think slow. It is because of the chewing gum.

I haven't been to Singapore. I bet they are the brightest of the lot since chewing gum is illegal there. Quite right too.

I do admire your creativity my boy but I wish you had used the said creativity to invent useless card tricks like other people do.

Chewing gum indeed.

I do hope you make loads of money though. Many magicians make a ton of money selling sub standard material so I don't see why you shouldn't. I remember Simon Lovell amusing me by saying somewhere that "even foetus's are producing material for magicians" or words to that effect. Now your stuff may be wonderful but I am afraid that tricks with chewing gum are perfectly dreadful.

Anyway have you noticed how I am boosting your sales? If I weren't causing a fuss this thread would have died a long time ago. Controversy sells you know.

I shall expect commission from you for keeping this thread at the top of the active topics and thus increasing your sales. Don't send me any chewing gum though.

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby John M. Dale » December 2nd, 2009, 11:37 pm

Thank you, Rev. Lewis.

I was having a bad day today until I read your last screed

I just picked myself off the floor; I haven't laughed this hard in a while.

JMD

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 2nd, 2009, 11:45 pm

I am glad to cheer you up John. It is my purpose in life to aid the weary and comfort the distressed. And once chewing gum is abolished and all the tricks who sail in her I will feel my mission in life has been accomplished.

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Jeff.Prace » December 3rd, 2009, 12:18 am

Mr. Lewis. Thanks for the discussion. Although, even at 15, I can see through your ramblings, and realize that nothing I write or say will change your mind. You don't like my effect and you don't like chewing gum. I'm sure there are others who also do not like my effect. And that's OK. I don't mind honest criticism and constructive critique about my products and my magic. (In fact, I feel fortunate to have personally taken critiques from several of the best names in the magic business.) However, I've seen some of your other posts, and I feel this discussion is quickly heading toward an uncomfortable place. So, as my parents and mentors have taught me, before it gets too personal, I'll be the bigger man, finish here and simply say 'thank you' Mr. Lewis, for a lively discussion. It's been entertaining, enlightening and educational. Thank you also, to the rest of you who have participated in this thread. I appreciate your kind thoughts as well.

Best regards,

Jeff Prace

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Richard Kaufman » December 3rd, 2009, 1:04 am

Mark, don't be a dimwit. Plenty of people chew gum. If you don't, that's fine. I don't want to hear any more about it.
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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Pete McCabe » December 3rd, 2009, 4:10 am

Jeff,

Please do not take seriously or pay attention to anything Mark Lewis says about your product. Just keep up the good work.

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Matthew Field » December 3rd, 2009, 4:45 am

Jeff - do you credit Jay Sankey for "Re-Wrapped" in "100% Sankey"?

Matt Field

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby JamieDaws » December 3rd, 2009, 6:21 am

Jeffs DVD is brilliant. Full of real world ideas and brilliantly put together. Whether youre like gum or not is irrelevant. You don't have to actually chew the gum at all. And besides, we all do things that we dont necessarily enjoy as long as it brings joy to others. As for Jeffs age, you shouldnt be so surprised that hes young and already successful. Young doesnt mean dumb. Jeffs a brilliant thinker and I cant wait to see what else he comes up with in the future. The DVD is brilliantly produced and Jeff teaches everything really well.

Jamie Daws

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 3rd, 2009, 6:31 am

Richard Kaufman wrote:Mark, don't be a dimwit. Plenty of people chew gum. If you don't, that's fine. I don't want to hear any more about it.


Very well. I shall say no more about it except that I cannot possibly be a dimwit. Why? Because I don't chew gum of course.

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Jeff.Prace » December 3rd, 2009, 9:54 am

Matthew Field wrote:Jeff - do you credit Jay Sankey for "Re-Wrapped" in "100% Sankey"?

Matt Field


Jay Sankey is indeed credited for Sugarless Gum, which was later renamed to Wrap it Up.

Jeff

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Re: Gum by Jeff Prace

Postby Jeff.Prace » May 27th, 2010, 11:06 pm

Hey guys,

Sorry to bring back the dead, but I have 10 free copies of my DVD Gum to give away. The only catch is that you have to post a video review - that must be over three minutes long - after you receive the DVD. The review must be posted on YouTube and must be public so everyone can watch.

Please note: this DVD contains three effects using chewed gum. If you are grossed out by this and/or have chiclephobia this is not for you!

PM me if you're interested. I will notify you if you're chosen and will ask for your shipping address. The DVD is totally free! I pay shipping and all you have to do is make a video review!

Remember, PM me if you're interested.

Best,

Jeff Prace


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