Bending is about creating dream moments, inspiring people to open their eyes wider than ever. And we wanted to make sure that this surreal FEEL played a big part in the viewing experience of the DVD. The result is a DVD that is far more visually interesting and engaging than 95% of the 'magic trick' DVDs on the market. As for the content, the DVD features a large collection of invaluable 'bending tips' + the techniques behind 25 bends of an exciting range and variety. I teach you how to create 25 memorable 'does not compute' experiences from as many different psychological angles as possible. There are visual ends, audio bends, tactile bends and conceptual bends. And because bending celebrates deception as a social activity, I selected the collection of bends to reflect a fascinating range of social functions. As the video preview suggests, there are bends suited to flirting, impressing, confusing, amusing, shocking and more. As for the items involved in the bends, because bending is about 'dropping the inexplicable' into an everyday situation, the majority of the bends featured on the DVD involve stuff you would normally find lying around at school, work, a house party, diner, coffee shop, etc. (There is only ONE bend involving playing cards in the entire collection. I couldn't resist. It's too much fun.) So you can expect to learn bends with borrowed bills, chocolate bars, drinking straws, magazines, paper clips, stir sticks, water bottles, tea bags, plastic spoons, chewing gum, soda cans, post-it notes, driver's license and other such down-to-earth, everyday items. Certain kinds of information are better suited to different mediums. So, while the bending tips and the techniques to the 25 bends work well on video, my more in-depth thinking around the psychology and philosophy of bending is better suited to the printed word. Some students of magic will find the DVD to be their favorite part of the project. Other fans of my work will get more out of the rare information contained in the two bending booklets. Here are some of the subjects I discuss: Ways of drawing attention to a bend without saying a word. Sharing a bend without trying to 'get' anything. How to really greet other people. What to say when they ask 'How did you do it?'Ah, Ha and Aha (3 profound experiences). The power of surprise. Bending as a form of reminding. Connecting through shock. Non-Framing and avoiding suspicion. Witnessing rather than performing. Mystery as a social activity. Tightropes and waterfalls. And How, Why and What (questions raised by surprise). THE EQUIPMENT--Bending needs no equipment, and is in fact at its best when it sticks to what is available in the space (the items, the personalities and the moment.) But given my more traditional magic background, I can also appreciate the value of 'gimmicks,' especially if they create memorable, dream-like images. So with the 'Bending the Real' project, I have included equipment for a few effects I've found to be well-suited to the casual and organic deception style of bending. None of them require more than a few words spoken. Contents include: RECONNECTION - Wonderfully minimal handling to create bend of snapping the tab off any soda or beer can and immediately reattaching it. (And yes, your hands are emtpy.) Perfect party bend. VANISHINK - Make a sharpie marker vanish with your sleeves up. Perform it in the nude if you want. Insanely visual bend for school, work, bus stop, coffee shop, anywhere. PRIVATE PROPERTY - An extremely clever bend for obtaining the phone number of almost anybody. Especially effective with attractive strangers in bars and clubs. AIRBORNE - Very memorable 'conceptual bend' using a bottle and a borrowed dollar bill. Reveals to witnesses just how narrow our problem-solving skills tend to be. SKIN DEEP - A small piece is snapped off the end of a wooden stir stick and a moment later it appears inside a wrapped straw held tightly in someone's hand. Killer way to 'make contact.' DIGITAL - Powerful 'mind-over-muscles' handling for a bend involving ten borrowed bills. Totally impromptu. You'll be messing minds with this crazy simple bend at school, work, everywhere. THE OFFERING - "Wanna piece of gum?" Great example of using a visually arresting bend as a social tool. REALITY BREAK - A totally impromptu, snapped + restored stir stick handling Jay's been refining for 2 years. Direct, easy, the perfect coffee shop bend. HIJACKED - The only bend involving playing cards on the entire BTR project. The shortest distance between 4 cards and "Oh my God!" TASTING IS BELIEVING - You already know plenty of surprising moments involving the eyes, ears and hands. This shocker involves the taste buds. Perfect reminder to your friends: you can't be trusted! SWEET SURPRISE - Hundreds of grains of sugar from a freshly opened packet impossibly melt through a dish. The very definition of 'organic.' CORNERED - A hard-hitting psychic bend involving a torn corner from the freely chosen page of a magazine. WHEW! - While most deceptions create tension, this inventive bend works another angle, and instead delivers overwhelming RELIEF. ECHO - Mess with minds in diners, restaurants and fast food joints. Demonstrate a spooky sympathy between a straw and the paper wrapper it usually wears. SOUND EFFECT - Using just your two hands, create a wonderfully convincing audio illusion, guaranteed to get laughs and groans. Another no prep, 'anywhere' bend. STORM CLOUD - Cause a cloud of dust to appear in the room of an enemy (or a friend witha good sense of humor.) You don't even have to be IN the room when the bend hits. DESCENDENT - One of the stand-out effects from Jay's acclaimed 'Kaleidoscope' DVD. Absolutely perfect bend to share at work or school. TOOLONG TEA - A jaw-dropping public bend created by Mike Skutt. Much more of an EVENT than a 'trick.' It's not illegal, but when you share this bend in a restaurant or coffee shop it's guaranteed to stop ALL conversation (while you never say a single word.) INSIDE JOB - Slam the cap of a plastic water bottle INSIDE the bottle and then immediately hand it out to be examined. ZERO GRAVITY - Exceptional tool + no-sleight handling to suspend almost any small, borrowed object on a folded bill, take-out menu, page from a magazine, paper napkin, almost anything you find in the space. IN RED INK - If you are a 'natural performer' you are going to LOVE this old school bend. Make as much or as little of it as you dare. BURIED TREASURE - While paying for snacks at a convenience store, 'discover' a five dollar bill inside a chocolate bar. Guaranteed to seriously mess with the minds of your friends (and the guy at the cash.) Comes complete with an awesome 'real world' theatrical hook. REMOTE CONTROL - The devious gimmick looks EXACTLY like something you would find in your desk drawer, but the mentalism possibilities are endless. Jay combines this lethal tool with the serial number of a borrowed bill with tremendous mind messing results. SHATTERED - Just how much fun can you have with a big ass rock and a friend's car (without breaking the law?)