[Buckaroo]

I have no idea how this is done, but it is good.



LiveLeak.com - Magic

[osiris]

More freaky than unbelievable. Looks like amputees at work, and perhaps a little person.
Still pretty cool though, beats working.

[design219]

Cool.

Chris Angle did a similar stunt:
YouTube - Criss Angel And Half A Woman

[Mrjinglesusa]

Criss Angel is the sh*t. I used to think David Blaine was good. After seeing Criss Angel at work, David Blaine's "magic" looks like child's play.

[pman68]

angel uses alot of video editing and planted audience.

[Dakarʒ]

That's what I've been beginning to suspect.

[RAILhead]

Chris Angel is a hack. Reason? He uses effects already created by others and passes them off as his own -- and EVERY SINGLE AUDIENCE is full of plants. Further, you can buy pretty much every "trick" he does at your local magic shop. Point being, he's done nothing original like Copperfield or Lance Burton and so many others.

[Dakarʒ]

Honestly, he's become too much of a drama queen for me to enjoy watching it anymore. Lots of heavy breathing, screaming, and 'dramatic' pauses.

[design219]

Originally Posted by RAILhead 

Chris Angel is a hack...

He may be, but he entertains me, and a lot of other people. That's good enough.

[RAILhead]

Right: he's an entertainer, not a magician.

[residentEvil]

Have you been watching Room 401 on MTV? same idea...it is entertaining, not magic. The premise is illusionists putting people in situations. It is like a live horror movie if you will. Entertaining (some times) but not really magic or illusions.

[design219]

Originally Posted by RAILhead 

Right: he's an entertainer, not a magician.

I hate to break it to you, but magic is just entertainment. It's not real.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by pman68 

David Blaine uses alot of video editing and planted audience.

Fixed

[Aeternus]

Magic has many similarities to organized religion.

[- - e r i k - -]

I can't wait to hear you back that one up Rob.

[shifuimam]

What's really sad is that this guy's third trick sucked compared to his other two.

He's a good magician, but he shot himself in the foot and missed out on a million dollars because of it. Shame.

[Aeternus]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

I can't wait to hear you back that one up Rob.

Let see, trickery, deceit, performed by a group of people who's job it is to convince people to believe in BS, and another large chunk of population that swears it's real, even though they have no proof.

[design219]

Originally Posted by Aeternus 

Let see, trickery, deceit ... convince people to believe in BS...

Working on another vacation from the forums I see.

[- - e r i k - -]

Uhm...actually most magicians are quite upfront about that what they are doing is trickery and illusion and has nothing to do with anything supernatural whatsoever or that they do not pretend to be anything but entertainers.

So in fact nothing at all like organised religion.

[Aeternus]

I disagree Erik.

[wallinbl]

Originally Posted by Aeternus 

Let see, trickery, deceit, performed by a group of people who's job it is to convince people to believe in BS, and another large chunk of population that swears it's real, even though they have no proof.

Sounds more like professional wrestling to me.

[torsoboy]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

What's really sad is that this guy's third trick sucked compared to his other two.

He's a good magician, but he shot himself in the foot and missed out on a million dollars because of it. Shame.

Wow, you weren't kidding! That third trick was a trick that a 10 year old would try to pull off... and he did it badly!

YouTube - America's Got Talent - Semifinals - Kevin James

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by Aeternus 

I disagree Erik.

Disagree with what exactly?

[Mel O. Drahmatik]

This is all so dramatic. I can almost feel the audience's heart beating!

[Aeternus]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

Disagree with what exactly?

About what you said about magicians. Nobody pays to be 'fooled'. They pay because they want to see something amazing, something that makes them wonder, something that makes them question the magic in their everyday surroundings. Same goes for the church. Magicians make a living based on other people's 'faith'. They prey on other people's 'belief', and profit from their 'faith'.

[- - e r i k - -]

Sorry. I don't know what magicians you have been exposed to, but that's absolutely not the magicians I know.

Yes, people do pay to be "fooled". The whole wonder in magic is how well can they fool you and in trying to figure out the tricks. No one really believes magicians can really perform "magic" (except for children), and magicians don't pretend to do "magic" either. That is the magic of it

"I do not believe that anybody has the ability to do anything that's supernatural." - Criss Angel

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

The purpose of a magic trick is to amuse and create a feeling of wonder; the audience is generally aware that the magic is performed using trickery, and derives enjoyment from the magician's skill and cunning.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by RAILhead 

Chris Angel is a hack. Reason? He uses effects already created by others and passes them off as his own -- and EVERY SINGLE AUDIENCE is full of plants. Further, you can buy pretty much every "trick" he does at your local magic shop. Point being, he's done nothing original like Copperfield or Lance Burton and so many others.

It's really funny that you bring up Copperfield as a more "honest" alternative.

Copperfield just blew up the scale of these "events" and the tricks involved. And he was the ladies' darling 'cuz of his mysterious eyes and dramatic hair.

That's all.

[Super Mario]

Chris Angel uses actors. Observe closely. He's the biggest hack and moron on TV. ****ing guy thinks he's a dark mystery or something. "Look into my mind!"....uh

[wallinbl]

Originally Posted by Aeternus 

Magicians make a living based on other people's 'faith'.

Magic has absolutely nothing to do with faith. It's not even arguable.

[design219]

Here's a cute parody of David Blain.

YouTube - David Blaine Street Magic: YouTube Edition!

[Dakarʒ]

I believe fire is magic, and it scares me a lot.

[design219]

Evil magic. And you should be scared.

[euchomai]

Every magician is a hack. Doesn't mean we shouldn't enjoy the entertainment. You think all of them are intelligent enough to come up with complex mechanical illusions? There are huge companies that invent and sell these props. The premise behind most "magic" is the same.

Ticket prices vary because of the magician's acting ability. David Blain and Criss Angel are pretty good actors, they pull of the "magician" part well. You end up thinking they are possessed by something.

[Mrjinglesusa]

Originally Posted by Super Mario 

Chris Angel uses actors. Observe closely. He's the biggest hack and moron on TV. ****ing guy thinks he's a dark mystery or something. "Look into my mind!"....uh

Name ONE big name magician/illusionist who doesn't use actors and video editing when they do TV specials. That's right - there are none.

And I'd hardly call someone who won the Academy of Magical Arts' Magician of the Year award and the IMS Magician of the year (twice) a "hack".

Criss Angel is a very good magician/illusionist and is also considered one of the best mentalists working today. Hardly a "hack".

And anyone who likens magic/illusion to organized religion is an idiot looking to stir the pot.

[smacintush]

Originally Posted by Mrjinglesusa 

an idiot looking to stir the pot.

Well if that doesn't describe Ca$h I don't know what does.

[smacintush]

I'm sorry, Chris Angel may be a great magician, but when a levitation illusion becomes a crane carrying you and using digital compositing to create the effect then you cross over from "brilliant" to "hack" IMO.

SPFX ≠ magic

[wallinbl]

Magic is only good if it can fool a live audience. If you have to edit film to create the effect, then it's crap. Hollywood does that all the time.

[Mrjinglesusa]

There has not been ONE magician/illusionist TV show where special effects, plants, and liberal video editing were not used. David Blaine, Copperfield, etc. all used them. That's almost like saying Copperfield is a hack because he uses a wiring harness patented by someone else for his "flying" illusion.

For stage illusion, there are certain liberties you can take with your illusions. For TV illusions, there are others. Different methods for different types of illusions/effects.

[analogika]

Yes, but digital compositing?

I mean, illusionism used to mean sleight of hand.

[Mrjinglesusa]

Originally Posted by analogika 

Yes, but digital compositing?

I mean, illusionism used to mean sleight of hand.

Even digital compositing. The purpose of an illusion is to create a state of disbelief. Even digital compositiing and video effects accomplish that task. I don't think anyone would argue that TV illusions are as "impressive" as those seen live, however IMO they are still entertaining and lead one to wonder what parts of the illusion were "real" and which parts were the result of video editing and/or plants.

And I'll throw something else out there for thought: you can take any given stage illusion, videotape it, and play it on TV. The fact that it is on TV does not necessarily imply that any editing or plants were used in the illusion.

So yes, some illusions that Blaine, Angel and Copperfield do on TV are likely manipulated in some form or another. However, not ALL of them are. It's up to the viewer to try and figure out which are "real" and which are edited.

[analogika]

Well, or not.

[smacintush]

I don't think there is any doubt that plants have been a part of stage magic since forever. I don't have an issue with that.

I don't even have a problem with many camera "tricks". I think that angling and perspective is a great way to pull off a trick.

Using digital effects is "cheating". It's no different than using drugs and steroids to "enhance" your "performance" in a sport. Or "special" equipment like loaded bats.

[analogika]

That conjures up images of prune-fed guano bombers...