BLOG OF AN ESCAMOTEUR

THE DESIRE

I was working today on a new cut and restored rope routine for me. As I’m still pretty new to rope magic, I was looking for sources to get information. I have to admit that I underestimated the impact of rope magic on lay audiences completely. I always felt that it’s sort of old fashioned and no longer up to date. This changed when Alexander De Cova persuaded me to try his routine Robing a short and very practical rope routine. Suddenly this was the trick I was asked most of the time after a show.

OK – I’m still able to learn. As I was not completely happy with Robing I was looking for additional sources. My starting point was the rope DVD from Pat Page a bargain as you get a wealth of fundamental rope knowledge together with the great thinking of one of the greatest Magicians of our time. (I will post more on this DVD another time)

After watching this DVD (yes I know books should be the better source, but I always had problems to follow a rope trick in print) I was really exited but I was missing a longer rope routine. I did a quick research in The Magic Café and got the tip to have look on the rope DVD in L&L’s World Greatest Magic Series. Good idea I thought but I want it NOW!

Knowing that L&L offers several of their titles as instant download I gave it a try. And yes you get all titles of this DVD series as Video on Demand.

IT’S A STONY WAY TO VIDEO ON DEMAND HEAVEN

Buying your magic DVD by downloading is a clever idea in principle but there are several obstacles that have to be overcome.  L&L doesn’t provide this service on their own, but the use the service of a company called Grapeflix.

1. Registering at Grapeflix is annoying due to a really bad spam captcha. Sometimes I believe they are not against spammers but to prevent companies from potential customers. Lucky they were that I really wanted that Video NOW.
2. The price is the same as the DVD but without shipping. Fine. But you only can buy it if you use MS Internet Explorer, because they use Microsoft’s Digital Rights Management (DRM) as copy protection system. Additionally you need the newest version of Media Player 11 eventually as in my case with an additionally security update. Without that DRM does not work and it won’t let you download the movie.
3. After setting it all up correctly I really was able to download a Windows Media File (WMF) of about 640MB which took me about an hour. Still better than to wait a week here in Germany.
4. The biggest drawback compared with the DVD is that you don’t have instant access to the single chapters as on a DVD. You have to view the video from the beginning to the and. Welcome back in the age of VHS.
5. As the file is protected by DRM I was also not able to load it into my Video Editing Software to create the chapters on my own, but I’m working on that.

THE END

After watching the video I have sort of mixed feelings to this way of purchasing magic videos.  On the upside there is without doubt the possibility to instant access to a video when you need it. The downside is the missing instant access to individual chapters, DRM and you have to watch it on your computer. For a DVD that cheap this is acceptable.

For a premium title I still would go for the real DVD as you can view it on your DVD-Player and it makes a much better impression on your friends in your DVD shelf

Related posts:

1. Used Magic Items on my blog
2. Magic on Stage by Jeff McBride
3. Teller tells the secret of sucess in Magic