Hi,
I just purchased the universal impression dvd. I'm having trouble understanding how this device works. The dvd doesnt teach you how to actually use the gimmick.

There is a layer of plastic on the gimmick. Do i need to remove it or leave it there?

When the impression's made, how do I erase it?

Gosh, doesn't feel good when you purchase a product and the dvd doesn't help.

I find this difficult to believe. If the DVD doesn't tell you how to use the gimmick, then what DOES it talk about?

But anyway, you should have access to a whole other forum specifically for Universal Impression. Go have a look. That's the place to ask these questions.

With some of the DVD's and instructions around today in the sad state they're in, I don't doubt it at all. Maybe try to contact the dealer you bought it from, or the creator to ask these questions. People won't be willing to help you here because we can't be sure that you actually bought it.

-JT

Actually the problems you encountered are discussed in the DVD. You may want to re-watch it from the beginning.

It's all there on the DVD, which is actually pretty thorough -- although I'm getting tired of watching DVDs in which the magician looks like he should be squeegie-ing my windshield.

If you ended up with the more "recent edition" of Universal Impression (as I did), I can understand your possible confusion about the erasing part. They stopped including the thing you need to do the erasing on the assumption that it is common enough for you to get on your own.

I have this also and the D.V.D does go over everything you need to know about the trick. You might want to watch it agian.

I had the same problem. For those of you who are saying it is all on the dvd it may be, but it is surely not as obvious to find than most dvds.

I took off the plastic, I believe that was for shipping.

To erase the impression you need to rub a magnet on the other side of your piece of impression materials. I use my pen thru dollar for this and it works well.

I agree that the dvd is not one of the best when it comes to teaching what it should

Ari

I find that hard to believe. b.Smith goes over EVERYTHING; how to set-up, also teaches you various possibilites of where you can use the gimmick, how to erase the impression, how to gimmick the marker, ect, ect. Upon first viewing the DVD, and then practicing the effect for a few hours (as UI is pretty much 'self-working'), I went out to perform UI, and the reactions I recieved from it were astounding, and that was only after watching the DVD ONCE.

Well I didn't "get it" right away and my dvd player wouldn't play a small segment of the dvd, maybe it was all on that part I couldn't see.

I got this from Rob himself and he is a cool guy so it's nothing personal and I love knowing I have this effect in my arsenal.

Ari

I disagree.

The DVD was poorly put together. The 2 seconds that they spent showing you how to clear the impression and get set up for your next use was at the tail end of showing you how to use one of the effects.

It should have been clearly explained right at the beginning of the DVD when he is showing how the device works.

I actually didn't see the portion on the DVD where he tells you how to clear the device until well after I had been using it. Luckily, I figured the easiest way to erase it was to use the magnet on the opposite side of the device.

I like the effect, but I was not really very happy with the instructions. Smith seemed bored and disinterested. It was one of the worst instructional DVDs I've gotten in all of the effects that I have.

b.Smith DOES show you which side of the pad to use by rubbing the magnet to tell the difference... heck there's a piece of cardboard on one side of the pad, how could you NOT tell how to clear the impression, let alone tell what side to use?! Also, the use of the magnet would be the only explanation as to why you would recieve one, but even if you didn't know how to clear the device, b.Smith DOES slightly go over the topic; which in my opinion was in more then enough detail.

You got a magnet with yours???

I didn't

1. There was no piece of cardboard over the back of my impression device. It looked the exact same on both sides, with the exception of one side appeared a bit smoother.
2. Mine did not come with a magnet at all. It came with a DVD and a little piece of the impression material.

Care to explain how those of us that got the product packaged like that were supposed to know how to erase it without watching the entire DVD carefully in order to catch the brief instant when it's explained??

Like I said, there were two seconds tacked on to the end of one of the effects that showed you how to erase the impression. That's garbage as far as teaching goes.

1. My impression came with piece of thin cardboard on one side.
2. Mine came went with magnet.

Also, how can you say b.Smith's teaching is garbage just because he spent less then 30 seconds explaining how to erase the impression? Now that statement is garbage (and no offense).

He spent less than 30 seconds teaching you how to do something that is NECESSARY for EVERY thing done with this effect, but that 30 seconds was tacked on to the end of one routine in the MIDDLE of the DVD.

How do you not get this?? If it's something that's required for EVERY effect with the device, don't you think it should be a little bit more prevalent on the DVD?? Like, oh, say at the beginning, in the section where he's showing you how the thing works?? Not tucked in as an afterthought after one single routine.

The fact that it's thrown in in a spot that doesn't make any sense is why "b.Smith's" teaching on the DVD is absolute garbage. Here, I've got an idea...let's take something that everyone needs to know and put it in a spot that doesn't make any sense. It's like teaching someone calculus before you've taught them addition and subtraction. It just doesn't make any sense.