"Bullseye" DVD by Brent Braun
Suggested Retail USD$30.00
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 6 Out of 10

"Bullseye", a DVD by Brent Braun, is a nifty idea, with a nice theme going for it, but with severe limitations on the where and when of performance, this is one best learned and stored away for those special times when you may be able to actually pull this one off.

The effect of "Bullseye" is neat. A card is selected, signed, lost in the deck... you know, the usual stuff. The performer then brings out a dart, tosses the deck at a dart board, throws the dart at the quickly falling deck, and impales a single card to the dart board. The dart is removed and, sure enough, the impaled card is seen to be the signed card.

See? Told you it was a neat one.

And the method makes it even neater. There's nothing "special" used here: the deck is normal, the dart is normal, the dart board is normal... everything is normal here. There is a gaff, of course, but it's minor; making one will take you five seconds max (which is good, because you'll go through one every performance). As for sleights, there is no palming and no switching; the work here is very simple. To makes things even more appetizing, you could even do this with soft tipped darts and electronic boards. Or ditch the board altogether and throw the dart at something else.

See? "Bullseye" has some good stuff going for it.

Then it becomes a little problematic.

Obviously, with darts and dart boards in use, this is one you'll either use in formal performances or as an apparently "impromptu" piece. If you shun the dartboard, then you'll still need a surface that'll take and hold a dart (and which'll take damage without anyone yelling and screaming). Okay, no real problem so far...

Until the angle issue raises its ugly head.

See? You knew there was something I didn't like.

Here's the thing: the angles with "Bullseye" are brutal. Essentially, one complete side is shut down (whether it's your right or left depends upon which hand you use). Now, for formal shows, maybe stage or platform work, that's not a big deal at all. It's easily done. However, the selling point here -- judging from the ad copy -- is that you can do this easily enough in "a pool hall or a pub". Considering the severity of the angles, well, good luck with that.

Beyond that, though, there's just nothing really awe-inspiring here. The presentation is flat -- this is more of a showpiece than an engaging piece of magic -- and there's no interaction with spectators. Further, at times this just seems overly-controlled to me. Maybe with a little more play, a little more entertainment value, maybe a little more openness, this could be something special. As it is, it's a good trick, but not a great one.

Don't take that as my being completely down on "Bullseye". At the end of the day it is a pretty slick idea. With a little work, it could be something special. But with a limited opportunity for performance and a high price for a single-trick DVD, I just don't want to do the work.

For all of that, "Bullseye" is one for those that are taken with the idea and want to learn it and save it for those special occasions.

"Bullseye" DVD by Brent Braun
In a Blink: 6 Out of 10

Material: 5
This is an interesting idea and, in the right place and time, sure to be a hit, but with practicality issues and a little too much control in evidence, it's hardly going to be something performed often. This is one best known and remembered for those times when you can get away with it.

Practicality: 5
The set-up is minor, though repeating it will take a little extra work and possibly a trip to the can.The biggest problem here are the workable angles; your side (either right or left depending on your handedness) has to be dead to spectators or your busted. Considering the best time and place for this one is a bar, well, that can be near impossible to pull off.

Quality of Production: 5
The audio and video are good, if the picture isn't at times a bit dark and the camera work a bit off. Still, nothing too bad here, certainly nothing bad enough to hamper learning the effect.

Quality of Instruction: 10
Braun does an incredible job of teaching his material. I love it when a creator's passion for his work shows through and it does here.

Presentation: 5
It's a card location with a neat theme, but really little else going for it. At times the handling just seems too controlled. Perhaps with a little more openness, a little more audience interaction, this could be play a bit bigger. As it is, it's good, just not great.

Shane

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