Everything below is set up for individual purchase through AND Credit Card. Price
includes First Class postage anywhere in the United States,
NOTE: My DVDs are now handed through an on-line distributor, so when you order DVDs they will be added to a seperate shopping cart than my books and Impression devices, so don't be alarmed. This is as it should be. Shipping is charged through the distributor depending on your location. Unfortunately, I have no control over the customs regulations on overseas orders.
The Butterfly Impression Pad is the impression capturing device of choice of mentalists around the world. Its innocent appearance combined with ease of handling is a lethal combination which opens up an infinite number of possible miracles.
Since its introduction in 1999, The Butterfly has undergone many improvements and advancements in handlings. Many of these ideas have been scattered across my DVDs and manuscripts. Many more have been kept between myself and a few friends.
On this DVD, for the first time I discuss the complete history of the development, evolution and handling of the Butterfly. I also show how to maintain and repair the unit when it needs it, and how to modify it to expand its deceptiveness.
Several different models are demonstrated and discussed, along with the advantages of each model.
There is a section devoted entirely to peeks, including new peeks as well as expanded discussion of existing peeks discussed in previous works.
Another discussion explores several powerful routines including suggestions on structuring your own routines.
John Riggs throws down the gauntlet and challenges your perceptions about what a Mentalist should and shouldn't do as he develops his career. This doesn't focus on such commonplace questions as should you use a disclaimer or not--no; in this discussion, which is conducted in interview fashion with the help of Thomas Hastings, who attempts to keep John's restless mind on track, John tackles the business of performing, ethics, marketing, dealing with real-life situations, maintining your personal integrity, responsibility--all sorts of topics. John performed his first professional performance at age fifteen. Thirty-five years later, after appearing in every sort of venue imaginable, he shares his experience with you. John says:
"I've always wanted to do a lecture, but not in the usual format, -- a parade of tricks followed by explanations. We have enough of these to last us several lifetimes. I wanted to do something that challenged the audience to examine thier beliefs--just as my shows do for my audiences. I discussed this with my friend Chris Carter. During the conversation, the idea of a lecture about Things a Mentalist Shouldn't Do came up. I loved the idea."
This turned out to be more than just a lecture. The lively discussion between Tom and John ran almost two hours. If you're looking for tricks, this is not the place to look. If you want invalubale insights in what it is to be a professional entertainer, look no further.
The upgrade to Q and A My Way 1995 (originally released in 1995) this 45 minute DVD is an upgrade to the original methods. It introduces a new and more flexible gimmick as well as new handlings, steals for the billets, a four-billet routine, and--as a bonus--discussions of several new Q and A routines that have nothing to do with Q and A My Way at all.
Note: You have to have Q and A My Way 1995 to make sense of this, as this is an upgrade. See below.
2008 Gimmicked Pad $50
If you're ordering the Pad gimmick from the UK or Europe,
PLEASE ADD $15.00 for Airmail overseas postage!
Q AND A MY WAY 1995
A method I came up with more
than ten years ago for performing Q and A in real time, without any pre-show work
at all. The effect is that audience members -- all or some -- write their
name and a question on small 3" x 3" cards, fold them, and you gather them in a
bag. Then, returning to the stage area, you bring out a 6x9 Memo pad, flip
it open, and proceed to give detailed readings for up to 25 people in the
audience.
The few mentalists who have seen me
perform this for audiences had no clue how it was done, and proceeded to spread
a "legend" about the act. Everything from electronics to shills was
proposed -- but none were correct! Like everything else I do, this is low-tech,
with nothing to go wrong. Several professional psychic entertainers added this
to their act immediately.
I've used this almost exclusively
for my Q and A method of choice. Until recently, it was available only to
members of the PEA. I've decided to release it to mentalists who want a nearly-perfect method of doing Q
and A. What you get is (1) a manuscript detailing how to make the gimmick,
handling suggestions and various ways to do the work (2) a DVD explaining and
demonstrating the presentation.
Note: the original package, priced
at $150.00, included the gimmick pre-made. You do not get the gimmick in this
package.
I'll make the gimmick for Q and A My Way, but not for very long. It's a pain in the neck to make, but I've had several chaps ask if I would make them one. So I will. Price, $50.
John Riggs On Psi Parties: Audio CD
A few
years ago, Blair Robertson interviewed me via telephone and picked my brain
concerning the lucrative market of Psi Parties. In the time since I wrote Psychic Soirees, I had further developed my thoughts on this venue
through hundreds of performances.
Blair
released this ONE HOUR interview via a download from his website for a limited
time. After a couple of months, he turned the audio file over to me.
My friend James Scott cleaned up the audio quality, amplified my end of the
two-way dialogue (in the original format, it was difficult to hear me) and
further tweaked the quality of the original recording.
Now
you can have this formerly-restricted audio interview on CD format.
The
topics include marketing, performance, how to deal with difficult performing
situations, BOR sales, and a lot of informational tips for people who perform
readings for entertainment.
Covering the topics of Swami Writing,
Double-Writing and Pocket Writing, this one hour DVD is an
exhaustive exploration of some of the most devastating secret weapons of the
mentalist's arsenal.
John Riggs is a past master of Secret Writing
techniques, and these tips will save you months of frustrating trial-and-error.
While mentalism literature is full of
applications involving secret writing, there has never before been a
comprehensive tutorial in how to master these powerful techniques. Now
there is.
Learn how to perform miracles with nothing more
than a few slips of paper and some simple accessories.
Performed before the Psychic Entertainers
Association Convention in Reston Virginia, this is a high-quality, multi-cameral
shoot, with lots of close-ups and superb editing so you can see every detail.
I don't lecture often, in fact I don't lecture at
all outside of a few, very rare occasions.
Plus:
Like all my products, these are not mass-marketed to dealers and are therefore
kept out of the hands of the merely curious, the internet magic prostitutes, and
e-Bay.
Minus:
These are not studio-quality, filmed-and-edited works of the dramatic art.
Just down-and-dirty real-world lectures I did for real mentalists.
John Riggs-- UNCHAINED! DVD Lecture Series Number One!
In 1996, John Riggs was released from his cage to
present a lecture at the Meeting of the Minds in New Jersey for the Psychic
Entertainers Convention. He performed and explained several of his pet
effects from his writings. Included in this one-hour DVD re-release is:
Procrastinating
Prognosticator (including all the original handling and bad jokes)
They Hell Fire (one of the strongest
close-up mental effects you can do)
Add-A-Riggs One and Add-A-Riggs Two (one switches numbers and one DOES NOT!)
Bear Your Soul (You present an audience
member with a teddy bear carrying a letter signed with the name of the bear they
had when they were a child.
An extensive discussion on Pocket Writing and
much discussion on performing tips and philosophy.
I don't lecture often, in fact I don't lecture at
all outside of a few, very rare occasions.
Plus:
Like all my products, these are not mass-marketed to dealers and are therefore
kept out of the hands of the merely curious, the internet magic prostitutes, and
e-Bay.
Minus:
These are not studio-quality, filmed-and-edited works of the dramatic art.
Just down-and-dirty real-world lectures I did for real mentalists.
Covering the care, maintenence, history and application of the Brown Hornet Impression Clipboard. This video goes in-depth into this powerful and revolutionary tool which was called, upon its release, A quantum leap in clipboards.
Peeks, peeks and more peeks, of course--even peeks requiring little or no cover whatsoever, but even more valuable are the performance tips on how to integrate the Brown Hornet into your act and devise exactly the right moment to capture the peek. This in itself is valuble information for any Impression technology, even if you don't use the BUGBOARDS.
I originally presented this lecture in 1995 at the Las Vegas Meeting of the Minds, and it became apparent to me, due to the enthusiasm with which it was received, it was a topic Mentalists welcomed. I realized I needed far more than the limited time I was allotted to do the topic justice.
In this TWO HOUR discussion, I cover sleights I consider essential to the working Mentalist. Not useful, not handy—but ESSENTIAL. Some of these sleights are lifesavers if you find yourself in a tight corner, and armed with this toolkit of moves and techniques, a virtual unlimited assortment of effects is possible.
The sleights I demonstrate are equally useful with Playing Cards, Index Cards, Postcards, and Business cards. There is also a section on the use of the shiner, and a section on coin sleights.
The book is included as a PDF on the DVD. Put it in the drive on your computer, click on the DATA folder, there it is!
On this DVD, I cover:
Crimps and Bridges
Nail Nicks
The Double-Lift and Turnover
The Key Card and how to use it
Various ways to locate and control cards
The Hofzinser Spread control and several variants
The Classic Pass and Turnover Pass for more advanced applications
A variety of False Shuffles for all skill levels and applications, from maintaining a red-black setup to maintaining a full-deck stack.
A thorough discussion of the Henry Hay False Dovetail Shuffle from the Amateur Magician’s Handbook
Coin switches and their application in Mentalism
The use of a shiner and how to ring the gimmick in and out of play