"Reflections" DVD by Yigal Mesika and Finn Jon
Suggested Retail USD$50.00
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 9 Out of 10

"Reflections", a DVD by Yigal Mesika and Finn Jon, continues the work begun on their ground-breaking "Loops" collection, with enough ideas on the use and performance with loops that, like it's predecessor, this DVD is a must-have for loop workers.

"Reflections" picks up where "Loops" left off. While "Loops" concentrated on set-ups and handlings, "Reflections" deals more with the common problems of using loops. While the ads tout the secrets of using loops under different lighting conditions, really that's only the tip of the surface here.

True enough, Jon and Mesika give all the info you need for using loops pretty much anytime and anywhere. Lighting considerations are discussed in-depth, along with things you can do to the loops themselves to counter problematic lighting. If you work with loops, this information by itself is worth the price of the disc.

But Jon and Mesika go further. The one thing that kept me away from loops -- their tendency to break with nothing more than my giving them a sideways glance -- is also discussed to a great extent. The solutions, part set-up and part-handling, will eliminate that problem once and for all. And as usual, Jon and Mesika end up with different approaches to the issue and by combining them yield an yet another solution.

There's also a great deal of discussion about hiding the use of loops. Okay, that sounds a little redundant, hiding invisible things, but in this case we're talking about eliminating the use of "strings" from the spectators minds. This was great to hear and the exchange between Jon and Mesika on the topic was fascinating.

Along with all of that, there's a lot more. I lost track of all the various handlings and techniques Jon and Mesika share; there's just too many to keep count. Every idea seems to yield a handling or two and from that a trick.

Speaking of which, there are tricks here, but they are few: "Boomerang Card", "Jumping Cigarette", "One-Handed Floating Bill", and "Spinning Lightbulb". The tricks are good (I loved the floating bill), but this is not a DVD about tricks; it's about getting the knowledge of how to truly master loops into your hot little brain so you can create your own effects. To that end, the few tricks give way to much more discussion and many more revelations about the "dos and don'ts" of loop work.

And that's really why this disc is so valuable for loop workers or those that want to use loops to the best of their ability. The ideas here, the thoughts behind the techniques, all add together to make this disc worth every penny and much, much more.

My advice? Like "Loops", "Reflections" is a must-have for anyone interested in using loops. To paraphrase a certain old credit card commercial, don't use loops without it.

"Reflections" DVD by Yigal Mesika and Finn Jon
In a Blink: 9 Out of 10

Material: 10
The sequel to the excellent set, "Loops", continues with the insider workings of loops perfectly. Concentrating more on handling and environmental concerns, this disc is yet another that anyone working with or wanting to work with loops needs to have.

Practicality: 10
Loops are what loops are, and they carry some baggage with them. However, what Jon and Mesika do here is make the loops even more practical by tackling head-on the issues loops have. A beautiful job, that.

Quality of Production: 10
Everything is perfect here; this is a great production, period.

Quality of Instruction: 9
Jon and Mesika do a fantastic job of teaching their material and expressing their thoughts. A couple of times things are a little hard to see, but otherwise there's nothing to hamper your learning the work of these masters.

Presentation: 10
Being more of a lecture than a collection of routines, verbal presentations are nowhere to be found. It's all about the handlings of the loops and the various approaches to using them, and that's where the presentations really lie.

Shane

Available direct from your favorite dealer. Dealers, please contact Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc. toll-free at 1-800-853-7403 or visit Murphy's Magic Supplies website.