What

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About this book This is a book of concepts. Twice in my life I've been asked why my books don't contain exact measurements. Both times the asking was done by someone who knew very little about illusions, let alone carpentry.

It was an innocent question.

Exact

measurements are not provided because they would be absolutely useless. I have never in my life built anything exactly as laid out in a book or plan. Not because of any short sight of the authors of the respective books or plans, but because (1) an illusion should be custom designed for the person using it (a base designed to conceal a petite 5f2" dancer would be hopelessly inadequate for my clumsy body), and (2) the choice of materials, methods, and look vary from performer to performer. I could've added some measurements and some exploded diagrams that look like workshop plans, but they would only provide a false sense of security. Get out there and build mock-ups. Play with cardboard. Experiment with your assistants (I mean that in a healthy moral way). Or hire an illusion builder.

Special thanks in no particular order: Rand Woodbury, Adam Marcus, Ken and Traci Montgomery, Richard and Marcia Friedman, James Randi, Jeff Rutenberg, Matt Barber, Jeffery Kostick, Fran Bombino, Saverio Poehlman, Jim Nance, Jack Latona, Marc Roc, Milan and Linda, Tom Bramlett, Penn & Teller, Don Wayne, Paul Osborne, Tim White, Martin Gardner, Jim Murphy, Geri Lampert, Jose Alvarez, Jerry Andrus, Justin Young, Mark Murphy, and David Morrow

Table of contents Special thanks Introduction Lit

16

Skyscraper

18

The Vanishing Ferrari

20

The Zeus Basket

22

Cloud

24

Metal

26

Mirror

28

Blinker

30

Armor of the Gods

32

Billboard

34

Rose Chamber

36

The Zoom Tube

38

Edge Vanish

40

Special Delivery

42

Splitting the Ace

44

Iron Man

46

Coffin

48

Costume Closet

50

UFO

52

Cycle

54

Fence Escape

56

Toy Car

58

Balloons

60

Quad

62

The Reflex Box

64

Gone

66

Thunder

68

Magnetic

70

Mr. Pincushion

72

Triplicator

74

The Vanishing Peanut

76

Mr. Happy Socky

78

Radius

80

Anything Goes

82

The Closet

84

Stacked

86

Moto Asrah

88

Inferno

90

Inferno 2.0

92

Video Effect

94

Death Box

96

Tie Cabinet

98

Video Head

100

How to cut a piece of rope

102

Chainsaw Massacre

104

LockUp

106

Hotfoot

108

ACME Flattener

110

Shredder

112

Burst

114

Bowling Ball Through Head

116

The 200 Watt Guru

118

Light Suspension

120

Jurassic Trick

122

Stretch-O-Matic

124

Water Boy

126

Split

128

Spikey

130

Samurai

132

How To Create A Zombie

134

House Party

136

Mummy-O-Matic

138

The Wizard

140

Squeezer

142

The 360 Degree Levitation

144

Signature Piece

146

Super Box

148

Buried Alive

150

Card Pile

152

Cabinet of Pain

154

Stonehenge

156

Secret of the Pyramids

158

The Vanishing Banana

160

Asrah Coffin

162

Super Dude

164

Birthday Cake

166

Card Appearance

168

Walking Through A Fish Tank

170

Hypercube

172

Big Shoes

174

Envision

176

Moto-X

178

Shatterman

180

The Keep

182

The Time Thingamajig

184

Lighthouse

186

Twinz

188

Shape Shifter

190

Astronomy

192

Truckin1

194

Mayne's Mirror

196

Morgue Roulette

198

Portable Elvis

200

Lucky Hat

202

The Invisible Saloon

204

Razors

206

Mona Lisa

208

The Impossible Cabinet

210

New Asrah

212

Shadow Cube

214

Glossary,

216

Bibliography

218

About the author

219

Introduction "If we steal thoughts from the moderns, it will be cried down as plagiarism; if from the ancients, it will be cried up as erudition." Charles Caleb Colton "There comes a time in every rightly constructed boy's life that he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure." Mark Twain

For a kid who was into illusions before he could drive, I've been pretty lucky. My interest in magic was encouraged by my parents and nurtured by people who were kind enough to explain things to me and listen to my ideas. My ability to get people to hear out my ideas and even drop a couple of bucks on making them happen is due entirely to the time spent by people who were willing to share their insight on magic. People like Don Wayne who kindly spent a couple hours talking illusions with me when I was 16. People like Tom Bramlett who let me into their shop and attempted (in vain) to show me something about carpentry. People like Rand Woodbury who showed me how to develop my ideas and put them into practice. People like James Randi who patiently explained that most of my ideas weren't new. People like Martin Gardner who would answer my questions and explain that not only was my idea not new, it had been done better a hundred years before. People like Milan Forzetting and his wife Linda who were willing to explain the show business ropes to a teenager.

There are other people who I haven't met, but educated me through their books and essays. Jim Steinmeyer and Paul Osborne come to mind. In my opinion, Steinmeyer possesses the greatest mind that ever thought about magic - bar none. Osborne and now Rand Woodbury have done more to make it possible for the average performer to perform illusions that anybody I can think of.

It was because of these people that I was able to build an illusion show with my father in my driveway when I was in high school. It was through the help of these people that I traveled across half the world before I was twenty. It might also be because of these people that I found myself in my underwear covered in blood in Penn & Teller's workshop. But hey, the past is the past and the statute of limitations ran out. What can I

do? Move forward. My goals as an entertainer are a lot different than they were 10 years ago. I've accomplished a lot of the things I dreamed about when I was fifteen (plus some stuff I hadn't even dreamed about, heh heh). My interest in illusions has shifted from trying to discover a brand new way to hide someone to creating a reason to do so. My performing style has radically changed as well. Mostly I've progressed. In other areas I've regressed, intentionally deconstructing some of my notions about magic. I don't consider myself an illusionist anymore. I'm hesitant to even use the term magician - this isn't because I've come to believe that developing a twenty-minute routine around the Sword Through Neck effect has enabled me to transcend the title of "magician" to "entertainer" (like let's say Sinatra). Although I still perform, I've intentionally spent more time on the outside of the magic world than on the inside. Simply put, I've been doing other things.

But this hasn't stopped me from thinking about magic. As this book will testify to, I've been doing a lot of thinking about magic. Personally, I like my ideas as a non-magician better than the ones I had as a magician. Whether you like them at all is beyond my control now that this book is in your hands. I've done my best to present you with some different concepts. If anything, I hope that I can return some of that influence the people I mentioned had on me...

Best,

Andrew Mayne

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LIT EFFECT

The magician steps into a cabinet that conceals him from neck to mid-thigh. An assistant brings on stage a half dozen or so poles with lit light bulbs at the end. One at a time the light bulbs are shoved from the back of the cabinet through the front - apparently penetrating the magician. Additional lights are pushed through the sides as well. Finally the bulbs are removed and the magician emerges unscathed.

METHOD

The effect is accomplished because of four principles: The first one is that the magician twists his body out of the way of the light bulbs. The second is that the poles are actually made from a stiff rubber material that can be bent to accommodate space around the magician. The third principle is that the light bulbs are the low-voltage battery operated kind you find at novelty shops - the kind that won't burn you. The last form of deception happens because the light bulbs are of a much larger diameter than the poles. Two lights that are next to each other on the front actually have several inches of space between the poles. The front of the cabinet has several slots for the lights to slide through. The slots are in turn covered by overlapping folds of Spandex to prevent exposure of the interior of the

cabinet.

BACKGROUND Light bulbs are common everyday items. Light bulbs on a stick are little bit unique. Shoving them through a human being is an interesting premise. Not only does the audience have to wonder how the performer is able to displace their matter in this way, they also should be wondering why the performer doesn't get burned by the bulbs. On a purely visual level, this effect would work nicely with very dim lighting. This not only would make it easier to see the light bulbs, it would create a mysterious atmosphere - or give the audience a reason to complain that they can't see the stage.

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„ STJ

\r^

KV

Bulbs passing by magician

/

Magician with twisted body (top view)

Overlapping

flaps covering slot for bulb

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SKYSCRAPER EFFECT

To the strains of some second-rate studio musicians aping a popular show tune, a chorus line of dancers and maybe a screaming chimpanzee in 21st century Busby Berkly fashion make their way into a building erected on a platform on stage. As soon as the last performer waves goodbye, the magician, dressed as a demolition expert, activates an explosive charge that sets off pyro all around the building. The sides roll up and the dancers (and the screaming chimp) are gone.

METHOD

After the dancers make their way around the platform, the last one releases a catch which lowers a black drape on the back. The drape, coupled with the black backdrop creates a black art space where the dancers can be hid after exiting the building from

the rear. •

The sides are triggered to roll up by the last assistant to duck behind the hiding space.

•

The dancer is triggered by the pyro that the magician sets off.

The platform is painted with a somewhat metallic finish to increase the effectiveness of the black art. Flashing caution lights strategically placed around the illusion help mask the black art drape. BACKGROUND

Most of your illusionists who perform on a regular basis spend a lot of that time performing in revue shows. This means lots of dancers and silly production numbers. Producers of these kinds of show love it when you can incorporate magic effects into those parts of the show. Producers will often be willing to pay for the construction of props if they think it will help the show. Because this effect is more of a set piece than

a magic prop, most scenic departments could make it with little trouble. NOTE

If you're in a show with a lot of performers, you might want to suggest it to the producer. You might also want to suggest that they pay for it as well...

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Pyro

Assistants hiding behind platform

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THE VANISHING FERRARI*

*(crushed) EFFECT

The magician explains that he is going to perform his most incredible illusion ever: the vanishing of a Ferrari. There is of course one catch - a minor one; because the magician spent all his cash on sequins, he couldn't afford a Ferrari in mint condition. Not even spearmint condition. A crushed cube of a car is wheeled on stage. The magician admits that it needs a little bit of bodywork. But hey, he points out has he pulls a keychain from his pocket, the alarm still works. He presses a button and the cube starts to flash with light in a couple places and makes a pathetic attempt of sounding like a car alarm. The magician covers the cube with a cloth and whips it away. The cube has vanished - but his assistant, named Porsche is there instead.

METHOD

The cube is nothing more than some fold down panels covered with bits of car looking debris and automotive paint. A couple light bulbs and cracked taillights are located on

the front and are triggered by the car alarm. •

The panels are designed to fold down accordion-style into the surface of the table.

•

The cloth used to cover the cube contains a square panel that helps the cloth retain its shape while the assistant lowers the sides.

BACKGROUND This effect is obviously done more for laughs than adding any kind of credibility to the performer. Which is fine for me. If I wanted to be taking credibly, I wouldn't have become a magician. Pretending to have god-like powers is not a way to get your fellow man to take you seriously. NOTE

A frustrating aspect of being an illusionist is how much money you spend for something

that doesnt spend much time on stage. The answer, despite what some performers may think, is not to stretch something out as much as possible. It's much better to use material that lends itself to an entertaining presentation. A crushed piece of metal the magician claims is a Ferrari is probably a little bit more deserving of some comedy diversion than a sub-trunk - unless the trunk was made of cheese.

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*(crashed)

Fold-down panels

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<: Side view

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The Zeus Basket EFFECT

To the strains of Basil Poledouris's Conan score (or maybe the soundtrack from an old Steve Reeves movie), the magician introduces his lovely (yet equal) assistant. On stage sits a cloud (with mist) supported off the ground by a steel arm. The magician assists the assistant into the cloud. The magician then unveils several stainless steel lightning bolts. These are pushed through the sides of the misting cloud. A final bolt is pushed through the top and the cloud flashes with light. The magician removes all the lightning bolts and his assistant emerges from the cloud.

METHOD

The Zeus Basket is a conventional sword basket covered in cotton with a couple of strobe lights and a fogger concealed in it. The assistant avoids rupture from the lightning bolts because she's had a tetanus shot and the bolts completely miss her.

BACKGROUND The Sword Basket effect has been around for about a billion years. Despite its overexposure to magicians by other magicians, it still is a cool effect. One of the reasons

that it is cool is because it's pretty straightforward and simple. Leave it to me to make it not so straightforward or simple. The lightning bolts give you something other than swords or spears to commit misogyny with. They also create a different effect in the minds of the spectator. You didn't shove a girl into a basket and skewer her with swords. Nope. You shoved her into a cloud and skewered her with lightning bolts. Get the difference? I don't. But I sure bet that cloud will look pretty with all that fog and flashing lights. Maybe we should make it rain to? NOTE

There is an electronic fogger on the market that only requires water and a battery. A couple of these on the surface of the cloud will save you the trouble of installing a large fogger and settling a lawsuit from your assistant for lung damage.

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Interior view

Thunderbolts passing over and by the assistant

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CLOUD EFFECT

A young volunteer is brought up on stage from the audience. The magician has the volunteer lay down on a fluffy cloud atop two rainbows. The volunteer is instructed to close their eyes and to think of being lighter than air. The two rainbow supports are removed and the cloud remains suspended in mid-air. The supports are replaced and the volunteer assisted off of the cloud. METHOD

The right rainbow support is hollow and conceals a metal gimmick that connects the cloud to the base. The fluffy pliable nature of the cloud allows the rainbow to be removed and conceal the metal gimmick. Because there is several inches of fluff between the cloud and the rainbow supports, the supports can be moved in and out of place without causing the cloud to shake from shifting weight. •

The cloud is made of foam rubber and cotton batting wrapped around a board approximately four feet long.

•

The gimmick that supports the cloud is located slightly off center and near the volunteer's center of gravity.

•

The top of the rainbow support is made of black foam and contains a slit that allows the support to move back.

BACKGROUND This effect is inspired by the late Doug Henning. He always had a novel way of presenting his magic. I think that's because he had a unique way of looking at an illusion. Doug didn't think the typical magician questions of "where can I hide the lady". Doug was more concerned with the presentation - "why am I making a lady appear". To come up with a fun way to make a child volunteer float, I decided to think about what kind of imagery a child might associate with floating. Clouds immediately came to mind. The use of a cloud also solved one of the problem that face suspensions; what happens when you shift the weight of the person from the support to the gimmick. Here that problem is negated because there's at least two inches of space between the hard surface of the gimmick and the rainbow support - they never touch. Think of why you are trying to accomplish something and the solution will often present itself. Rather than create something that is arbitrary to your goals, you can create an effect where every single prop is essential and obvious.

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Slot for support Cloud

Cotton Support gimmick

Back

Front Side view

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METAL EFFECT

A cardboard box is on a table center stage. The magic overturns the box dumping several shards of jagged metal onto an adjacent table. The magician's assistant is placed into the box which is then sealed at the top. Donning a pair of workman's gloves, the magician then begins to pick up the jagged rusty pieces of metal and shove them through the sides of the cardboard box. Piece after piece of metal is pushed into the box until there is no place left to shove them through. The pieces are removed one by one and placed onto the table. The box is unsealed and the assistant emerges unharmed. But dies several days later from a tetanus infection.

METHOD

The cardboard box is real. The table is real. The assistant is real. The shards of metal are almost completely fake. Most of them are pieces of thick rubber painted to

look like jagged rusted metal. Interspersed among them are some real pieces of metal - painted to look rusted. These genuine pieces are banged around a bit to help the auditory aspect of the illusion. The rubber pieces are the ones pushed into the box near the assistant. The assistant pushes them around herself to avoid puncture.

BACKGROUND Jagged metal. How many movie villains have met their demise by plummeting from a building top and falling on a rust gate, spire, weathervane, or other convenient sharp

metal object? Here we use a several pieces of nasty looking rusted metal to make the audience really uncomfortable. Shiny swords are one thing. But a piece of dirty metal makes

the skin crawl. NOTE

Before I started working on the nail in head stunt I actually had my doctor give me a tetanus shot.

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Interior view

The assistant

guides the fake shards around their body

Metal? Or thick rubber?

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MIRROR EFFECT

A large mirror is brought on stage. Members of the audience are invited to inspect its surface. After they have returned to their seats a Spandex partition is placed in the middle of the mirror. The mirror is revolved so the reflective backside faces the audience and a similar partition is placed on the back. The mirror is revolved back to where it faces the audience. The magician steps behind the mirror and then steps through the mirror. The mirror is revolved to reveal that it is still solid and the partitions are removed.

METHOD

The magician actually steps through an empty space created by swinging the mirror out of position. The mirror still appears to be in the same place because two fake pieces of mirror are pushed out from the middle partition. This occurs as the mirror is

revolved around so a partition can be placed on the back of the mirror. Two black panels on either side of the back end of the mirror conceal the action of the

mirror swinging out of place. After the magician steps through the partition, the mirror springs back behind him. He then immediately spreads open the middle of the partition to show that the mirror is stilt there.

BACKGROUND Doug Henning and later David Copperfield featured a walking through a mirror effect in

their acts that was absolutely beautiful. Like most of the really cool stuff in magic, it was the creation of Jim Steinmeyer. There are several walking through a mirror effects out there. Steinmeyer's is still my favorite. It's not my place to tip his method, but I'll

say that he as usual came up with an elegant way to solve several problems. For this version of the effect I decided to try and solve some of the problems I had seen in some of the other methods. I think this succeeded, but I still think Steinmeyer's

is the best.

^^p

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(Partition not shown)

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The mirror swinging out to allow the magician to pass (Back view)

Mirrors sliding into position from behind partition

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BLINKER EFFECT

Four traffic barricades form a square in the middle of the stage. As their flashing lights pulse away, two assistants walk out on stage and pick up a sheet. As soon as they reach eye-level with the sheet they drop it. There stands the magician and an assistant. METHOD

The back two barricades are fakes. A mirror running from the top to the bottom reflects the front legs as the back ones. A piece of thick translucent plastic draped over the top of them limits the mirror to an interior reflection only. The magician and his assistant actually are hidden in wells on the back of the barricades. When the sheet is raised up, the magician and his assistant move from their hiding places to the middle of the barricades. When the sheet is dropped, they make their appearance.

BACKGROUND James Randi was the first one to explain to me the principle of having a mirror facing straight at an audience with a material between them to keep the audience from seeing themselves. It's a principal that has been used several times to great success in large

stage illusions. The principal was originally developed by Maskelyne and Devant. In playing with various materials I found that a heavy plastic sheeting material could be

quite opaque to any kind of image detail when folded over. With the right thickness you get the illusion that you are seeing into it, but not beyond it. The flashing lights on the barricades keep the eye from registering too much of what is

taking place in the space created by the legs of the barricade. Add to that the element of surprise and you have a method for producing someone from thin air. NOTE

Obviously you can use this prop for anything. The way described here was the first

one that came to mind. People could disappear behind one just as easily as they are made to appear.

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D ^

Side view

Set-up with two blinkers _.t.^ii

Black-art wall

<-

Audience

Front

Back Mirror

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ARMOR OF THE GODS EFFECT Explaining that he spends much of his time abroad collecting antiques, the magician brings out his latest acquisition. He describes it as a genuine twentieth-century reproduction of a 14th century forgery. It's a chest piece from a suit of armor with a large heart painted on it. He then explains he bought it because it also came with a cool sword. The magician then dons the armor and has his assistant shove the sword through his back. The tip of the blade emerges through the center of the heart on the front of the armor. The blade is removed, the armor taken off, and the magician is unharmed.

METHOD The sword is actually made from two pieces of a large tape measure adhered together. The sword bends around a channel in the armor made from a piece of metal tubing. The tubing is cut in the middle so the armor can hinge open to allow the magician to put it on.

The method is exactly the same as that of the classic sword through neck effect - except the sword is a little longer.

BACKGROUND Although I think the sword through neck effect is good for a few laughs, it's one of those props that only a magician could love. It doesn't look like anything an audience

could be expected to be familiar with. This isn't really that big of a problem. But I like it better when the audience is watching you perform miracles with stuff they're accustomed to. I would venture that most members of the audience have never put on 14th century armor. Yet I'm sure they saw some on TV somewhere. NOTE This effect works technically the same way the sword through neck does. This means

that the effect could be done with a spectator wearing the armor instead of the magician.

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The chest piece hinged open*

Side view *Fabric lining

not shown

Interior view

The sword is bent around the body by a metal

channel

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BILLBOARD EFFECT

The curtains part to reveal a billboard for the magician's act. Two assistants revolve the billboard around so the audience can see the backside. As the front of the billboard is revolved back towards the audience, the magician can be seen standing in front of his likeness on the board. The board is revolved again and two of his assistants are now there. The board is revolved one more time and a motorcycle is now on the ledge in front of the board.

METHOD

Two principles are used to make this effect work. The basic one being black art. Behind the billboard is a platform on a ledge covered in black fabric. Because the platform actually sticks out several feet beyond the back curtain, the floor can be lit to some degree. When the billboard is first revolved the magician steps from the black art platform to the ledge of the billboard. His assistants make their entrance the same way. A bit of timing diversion occurs after his two assistants appear. They make their way to the front of the stage while the billboard is revolved again. This allows the stagehands enough time to slide the motorcycle onto the platform.

BACKGROUND

This is basically just a big version of the artist's dream. The method is pretty simple,

but I've seen a lot of lighting and background setups where this method could work. NOTE

A certain amount of depth is created by having the black art platform stick out over the stage floor. This helps separate the billboard from the scenery.

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Loading

platform

Side view

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ROSE CHAMBER EFFECT

Onstage stands a large inflatable clear plastic cube. The magician steps inside of it through a slit on one side. He steps on top of a platform in the middle of the chamber and folds back his sleeves. He makes a single rose petal appear. He drops it and it

begins to flutter in the breeze from the air blower keeping the chamber inflated. He makes a fist and produces another petal which he lets flutter in the breeze. He then produces a handful of petals that are let loose to fly around in the breeze. He continues to produces petals until the chamber is a maelstrom of red petals.

METHOD

The first few rose petals - actually pieces of tissue paper - are produced through slieght of hand. A large package of them is located in the magician's sleeve. He first shows his hands empty then pulls his sleeves back. As he does this he palms the packet of petals. The first two petals he produces are pushed off from the top of the pack. The next few are produced by pushing off wads of petals. The vast majority are produced by a second air blower located behind the magician. This blower is connected to the

wall of the chamber and has several piles of petals in its air duct. When a foot switch turns it on, it launches thousands of petal into the chamber. The chamber is made from clear plastic sheeting - the kind used as a paint drop cloth.

BACKGROUND When the snow effect first appeared it was pretty neat. After about the 500,000 performance by the 500th performer, it has become a bit of a cliche. It's still a neat effect, but I thought it might be time for an alternative. Making it snow is much more profound than making a bunch of rose petals appear, but what can you do. My "Make It Rain"

effect drowned a couple audience members. And my make it "Hail" effect killed several more. Until I get the bugs out of my "Make It A Meteor Shower" effect, rose petals will have to suffice.

NOTE

Always use caution when stepping into any huge clear plastic chambers!

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rose chamber

The petals sliding into

the palm

A clip holds the petals in place

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THE ZOOM TUBE EFFECT

The magician lays some newspapers on the middle of the stage floor. He explains that they are there to prevent the use of trap doors. Two assistants walk out with a square that has a curtain that hangs down on all four sides. This is placed over the newspapers. The magician steps in the middle of it and it's raised around him. The curtain is dropped and he's gone. No platform, no trick base, no trap door. Nada. The curtain is raised again for a moment and dropped. The magician is back as quickly as he had vanished. METHOD

Hanging from one of the theatrical lighting pipes directly over the newspapers is a sheet of black fabric. When the curtain is raised around the magician, an offstage assistant lowers a rope from the ceiling. The magician is then pulled straight up off the floor to behind the piece of black-art. After it has been revealed that he has vanished, the curtain is raised and the magician lowered again. To make the square curtain for this effect (or any other requiring a curtain) use PVC pipe as your support ring. BACKGROUND

Every now and then I'll watch a videotape of my act and try and figure out alternative ways I could accomplish what I was performing. Sometimes, the lighting and scenery creates an opportunity that we couldn't see in the planning stages of the show. A lot of the stuff I've performed has been in front of black curtains. Often, not much thought has been put into the lighting above head level. If that doesn't seem to affect the audience's ability to be fooled by an effect, it creates a unique way to entertain them. NOTE

The Zoom Tube is not so much an effect as much as a tool. You'll see that I've used it elsewhere in this book to accomplish other illusions.

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Black art curtain

Curtain

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EDGE VANISH EFFECT A large card board box with no top or bottom is dragged onstage. The magician has one of his stagehands stand near the edge of the stage. The box is placed over the assistant, walling them in. The magician then proceeds to slide the box around the stage for no apparent reason. He trips, the box falls over flat. The stagehand is gone.

METHOD

At the foot of the stage is a set of steps leading from the floor of the auditorium to the stage. The steps are hollow and a trap door on the top of them allows someone to move from on top of them to into them. •

When the magician pushes the box over the edge of the stage to the steps, the assistant crawls into the steps.

•

The assistant makes his exit during a blackout later on in the show.

BACKGROUND Most stages don't have trap doors anymore. Many of them don't have steps leading to

the audience either. By solving one problem you can solve the other. However, it's very important to isolate the point where the assistant vanishes from where they crawl

into the steps. NOTE This method is obviously more of a tool than an effect. You can use it to make somebody appear as well as disappear. With a little effort, you could even switch one person for another.

Since the steps are in the audience and not on the stage, they should be made to look as mundane as possible. Flat black paint and a lot of wear with pieces of reflective tape marking the steps will increase the deception. Something made out of shiny

chrome might seem a little odd.

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Assistant inside stairs Top view

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SPECIAL DELIVERY EFFECT A table is wheeled out to the magician. On it sits a large package. The magician explains that he's always looking for new ways to ship his props and assistants around the world. Sometimes things can get quite hectic. He says that he'd like to do a card trick but can't because he can't remember what happened to his deck of cards or his assistant. One went on an airline. The other got sent Federal Express. He picks up the package and shakes it. A hand reaches through the top of the package and hands him a deck of cards. The magician takes the cards and sets the package back down on the table. He announces that he'll figure out what happened to his assistant later. While his back is turned his assistant crawls out of the box and storms offstage.

METHOD The illusion of the box being empty is created when the magician effortlessly picks up

the box and shakes it. The assistant is actually supported inside the box by a platform that holds the assistant several inches off the table. This platform has a metal support that goes out the back of the box, around the magician and down into the table. His

body conceals the support when the box is lifted off the table.

BACKGROUND I like magic effects where the illusion is created completely in the spectator's mind. In this effect the magician never directs their attention to anything magical. It just sort of happens. The audience knows that you can't pick up a box with another human in it

and shake it without straining. That's where the illusion occurs. NOTE

If you like this effect but want to perform it differently, the box could be made into a lot of different things: a birthday present, a basket, a giant piece of origami...

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Special Delivery

—- The support gimmick ^——-7 (box not shown)

Side view

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SPLITTING THE ACE EFFECT

A volunteer is brought up onstage and asked to lie down on a table. A frame with a hole large enough to fit around their body is brought out. This is placed over their waist. The magician then brings out a giant-sized Ace of Spades. The card is placed into the frame and pushed down through the spectator's body. The card is then pushed up and down several times to show that it is passing through their body. The

card is removed and the spectator is unharmed. METHOD

The card actually sits inside of a frame. At the bottom of the frame is a roller shade. As the card is pushed down into the body frame, the face of the ace is rolled up into the card frame. At the bottom of the body frame there is another roller shade with an Ace on it. As the sides of the card frame come down through the body frame they

push down on this second roller shade creating the illusion that the card is passing through the spectator.

BACKGROUND Pushing one unusual object through another is always an interesting premise to me.

Partially because I'm fascinated by the mental picture of what is taking place. If something vanishes, it vanishes. Cut someone in half and they're in half. Move one object through another; what's the magical explanation? Are their molecules intertwined? Does part of one object disappear? Do they go into some kind of Doctor Who space? This effect came about after I was playing around with some playing cards and thinking about those questions. I still don't have an answer.

NOTE

Before making this effect, play around with some pieces of cardboard. Once you find the right shapes and sizes, you can use them as templates for making the final version.

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IRON MAN EFFECT

Standing on a platform is a large metal cage in the form of a human body. On either side are racks of spears. The magician places several balloons inside the cage and locks it. The spikes are released and then slam into the cage popping the balloons. The spikes are pulled back and the magician takes the place of the balloons. The cage is locked. He has two minutes to get out. A curtain is raised in front of the cage. A light is then placed in back of the cage so the magician's silhouette can be seen. He struggles with his bonds to no success. The spikes slam into the cage. The curtain drops and the magician is standing in front of the cage unharmed.

METHOD

Before the light is placed in back of the cage to cast a shadow on the curtain, the magician steps through a trap in the front of the cage. He then stands directly in front of the

cage causing his shadow to appear inside of the cage. When the spikes slam into the cage he steps forward and pulls the curtain down.

BACKGROUND

A trick like the sub trunk is somewhat of a magic cliche. But the first time I ever saw it I was pretty impressed. I'm still fascinated by the idea of the performer instantaneously extricated himself from his bonds. Throw a couple sharp spears in for good measure and the fun really begins. I've also been fascinated by the look of medieval torture devices. There's a wonderful passage in the book Hannibal by Thomas Harris where he describes Hannibal Lector going to an exposition of torture devices - not to look at the devices themselves - but to watch the expressions of the people staring at the cruel machines. Creepy. Cool too.

NOTE

For added effect, as soon as the spikes close in, a little blood on the sheet wouldn't

hurt. A little blood on the audience would be even cooler. You actually don't have to spray them with blood per se. Have an assistant in the back of the theatre with a giant Super Soaker squirt gun loaded with water. At the right moment (when the spikes go

in) have them squirt water at the ceiling of the theatre. When the water hits the audience, they should react.

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COFFIN EFFECT

A gothic looking coffin is wheeled onstage. Underneath the coffin is a platform with several dozen lit candles. The coffin is opened and the magician's assistant is placed into it. After the lid is closed a crank is turned on the side of the coffin. The platform holding the candles is slowly raised upwards. The candles go through holes in the bottom of the coffin. The crank is turned some more and the candles emerge through holes in the top of the coffin. Because of the spacing of the candles it would appear there was no possible place for the assistant to hide. The crank is turned the other way and the candles are lowered out of the coffin. The lid is opened and the assistant emerges unharmed.

METHOD

The assistant avoids the candles by rolling out the side of the coffin. The side panel is made from loose Spandex that allows the assistant to move their body onto the ledge without being seen. A trap comes up between the assistant and the candles to prevent them from coming into contact with the flames. The top and bottom of the coffin are made from a fire retardant material.

BACKGROUND

Several of the illusions in this book have a gothic theme to them. I'm a sucker for old horror films. Especially the old Hammer films. The first illusions I ever made were all designed around a gothic magic act. One of the things I spent some time thinking about were all the different ways you could kill Dracula. This coffin was one of those ideas. I was an odd child. NOTE

There are several different ways you could accomplish this effect. I just went for the most straightforward. Another method would be to create a path for the assistant to place her body in that would avoid the seemingly randomly placed candles.

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c o "F f i n

Top view

Back view

Platform for raising

and lowering candles (candles not shown)

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COSTUME CLOSET EFFECT

A big part of being in show business the magician explains, is the ability to change in and out of costumes quickly. Actually, the problem was solved a long time ago. A tall upright cabinet is pushed onstage. The magician introduces the prop as an old costume-changing booth used for horror films. An incredible piece of technology, he explains. He pulls back a curtain to show the empty interior. An assistant is brought out onstage. The magician explains that he is going to time her. She walks in one side of the cabinet and comes out the other in a few seconds dressed as the bride of Frankenstein. Pretty good, but the magician challenges her to do better. She walks through the cabinet and comes out the other side almost immediately as a mummy. She next changes into the Creature From The Black Lagoon. The magician then walks through the cabinet himself and emerges a wolfman. The assistant re-enters the cabinet and steps out as a space creature. They both walk towards the audience. The wolfman

takes off his mask and is the assistant. The alien takes off his mask and is the magician. METHOD

A second assistant is hidden inside the cabinet. When the first assistant steps into the cabinet they switch places (the second one already wearing the costume). While the second one emerges, the first assistant puts on the next costume. When the magician

steps into the cabinet the assistant steps out in his place as the wolfman. He then emerges as the space creature.

The side of the cabinet is made from sheet metal. An outward curve in the sheet added to the width of the frame around the front and a few inches you steal on the inside, will create enough space for your assistant.

BACKGROUND I once saw a quick-change artist perform. He did a bit from some Dickens novel where he portrayed all the different parts. It was really impressive. I've thought about a magical version of that for a while. The costume closet seemed like the most direct way to do it. The little twist at the end is set up nicely by the routine of the illusion. The whole

effect is really just an adaptation of an effect performed 100 years ago by the Maskelynes in the palace of mystery. The chief difference being the 100 years of horror movies that we're able to draw upon.

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t As one assistant emerges, the other puts on the next costume

Second assistant hidden inside of closet

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UFO EFFECT

The magician introduces his new toy, a flying saucer. He steps into the saucer and flips some switches. Lights begin to flash on the saucer and it starts to make a humming noise. The saucer begins to lift off the ground. The saucer lifts several feet into the air then floats back down to the ground. The magician steps out of the saucer grinning like an idiot.

METHOD

This effect works through one of two ways: (1) Secret alien technology hidden in Nevada (2) A support that runs from the saucer through a slit in the back curtain to pivot managed by a stage hand

If you guessed 1 you're absolutely right. The UFO is actually made from a high-tech

material that defies gravity. It can't be bought on the open market but can be manufacture by mixing equal parts plutonium and Tang. In the event that you can't secure the Tang to make the outer skin of your UFO, you might want to try fiberglass or a large sheet of plastic.

BACKGROUND

I'm always amused by cartoon drawings of aliens. Especially the ones where they're sitting in tiny spaceships. The Internet is cool and all, but I won't be impressed until science gives me a tiny spaceship that only covers my legs to fly around in.

NOTE

If you want to make the illusion extra-deceptive from side angles, put a smoke machine backstage with a hose running along the support to the back of the UFO. A blanket of

fog coming out of the back of your contraption will look like emissions from a tail pipe.

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Side view

The offstage unskilled labor that makes the

magic possible

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CYCLE EFFECT The magician explains he's developed a brand new form of shopping. It's quite revolutionary because you don't have to go to the store or have anything sent to you. Two assistants walk onstage carrying a large picture of a motorcycle. The magician walks behind it and holds it upright as the two assistants walk offstage. He sets it on the ground then tips the panel forward - a motorcycle is revealed behind it.

METHOD The motorcycle is a complete fake. It's made from Styrofoam and foam rubber. It weighs very little. The assistants are supporting it behind the panel when they walk out onstage.

When they set the panel down they also set the bike down as well. The magician holds on to the top of the panel as the assistants undue the wires holding the motorcycle to it.

BACKGROUND In the world of movies the make a lot of fake stuff that looks real; rocks, marble col-

umns, chariots, even people. A motorcycle shouldn't be any different. Right? NOTE

If you are going to make any kind of fake object, the less detail you have to fake, the better. A Japanese sport bike or a European racing one would probably pose less of a challenge than a big Harley. You can carve most of the shapes and curves in a sport bike from a large piece of Styrofoam. Sanding the foam down and then giving it a coating will look real enough from a distance. Just don't try to ride it.

illusiontip Black magic marker for touching up props Costumes, shoes and that nice autobody finish on your illusion all have a habit of getting scuffed up. Keep a black magic marker in your toolbox so you can apply a quick touch up until you have a chance to give the scuff a proper touch up paint job. J

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Fake motorcycle

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FENCE ESCAPE EFFECT A chain link fence in an industrial looking metal frame is pushed onstage. The magician is placed behind the fence and handcuffed to it. Moments after he is chained to the fence a flash goes off. The magician has vanished — gone forever...

METHOD A piece of black fabric unfolds from the top of the frame and hides the magician from view when the flash goes off. The handcuffs slide open without a key because the ratchet has been filed down.

A sure way to keep the eye from noticing a black art effect is to give it a bright object to

focus on in front of the area you are trying to hide. A shiny chain link fence does that for this effect.

BACKGROUND When done right, black art effects can look like pure magic. Part of creating the illusion is in staging the lighting and the props on stage so everything looks natural.

NOTE

So what happens after the magician has escaped from the fence? Easy, he absconds with the box office receipts and takes an airplane to the Bahamas. Unless of course he is actually performing in the Bahamas. If so, then he travels from the back of the

fence to the offstage in back and makes his way around the theatre to appear in the audience.

illusiontip Extra material that requires no set-up Keep an extra ten minutes of material that requires no set-up

handy at all times. This can be a rope routine or anything else that's simple and can be done in the audience while your backstage crew tries to fix whatever problem needs to be solved.

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Handcuff

with filed

Black-art

ratchet

cloth

Pyro /___ /

Front view

Side view

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TOY CAR EFFECT

From the back of the auditorium a small remote controlled car comes rolling. It drives through the audience and up on stage. It makes a few circles around a miniature garage located in the middle of the stage then drives up a ramp into the garage. The front window of the garage closes. The magician bursts through the roof of the garage.

METHOD

The magician is hidden behind a fake wall in the garage. The car - controlled by someone off-stage - is driven into the garage, then the magician releases the shade for the window. The roof is made of black paper with scoring along the edge to allow the magician to break through it.

BACKGROUND Clown cars are pretty cool. Forty people climbing out of a small car is pretty funny. It's a lot like high school. If you make the car even smaller, you have an illusion when just one person climbs out.

I've thought of several different ways to accomplish this effect. I think using a variation of The Doll's House is pretty straightforward.

illusiontip Put info on the back of business cards Whenever you meet someone, write done where you met them

and whatever relevant information you have on the back of their business card. This will help you remember later on who the hell they were. Also, don't forget to actually put the card in some place useful other than the bottom of your chest of drawers.

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Toy Car Toy car

Magician hiding in

garage

Top view

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BALLOONS EFFECT

A tall upright cabinet stands mid-stage. The magician waves goodbye to his audience then steps inside the cabinet. Moments later several balloons in the form of his body float out of the top of the cabinet and up into the rafters above the stage. The sides of the cabinet fall down and the magician has vanished - ostensibly having changed into the balloons.

METHOD

The magician steps into the cabinet then climbs into the base beneath it. Once there, he releases a catch that lets the balloons loose. A moment later he releases another catch that allows the sides to fall down. The balloons have a flesh colored balloon for the head. The body is color coordinated to the magician's outfit.

BACKGROUND Watching computer animation can give you some pretty crazy ideas about what magic would look like if you could do anything you wanted to visually. One computergenerated effect in particular is when an object or person is changed into a number of small floating spheres. While helium balloons don't quite replicate this effect, they come kind of close. At the very least they create the opportunity for a unique transformation.

illusiontip Send out lots of postcards Anywhere you go, everywhere go; send out lots of stupid postcards - to agents, family, friends, etc. This will keep them up-

dated on where you are at and will keep you in the minds of the people you want to book you.

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The magician hiding in the base

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QUAD EFFECT

A tall cabinet is pushed onstage. The cabinet is split apart in the middle and the magician's assistant steps inside. She places a hand out of a slot in either corner and does the same with her feet. The cabinet is then pushed closed. Eight blades are then brought out. The blades are pushed into the cabinet dividing it into four quadrants. The cabinet is then split apart. The assistant's hands and feet move on command from the magician. The top sections of the two cabinets are then lifted to show that the assistant has been cut into four pieces. The cabinets are pushed back together and the blades are removed. The assistant emerges unharmed.

METHOD

Two assistants are used. The assistant who is seen by the audience places her real right hand and right foot into the slots. The unseen assistant, hiding in the left side (the audience's right) of the cabinet places her left foot and left hand through the slot. Once

the assistant is sealed inside of the cabinet she steps into the side section. The sides of the cabinet are curved to allow several inches of space to hide the assistant's body in addition to the several inches taken up by the strut that supports the top cabinet.

BACKGROUND QUAD is basically another way to magically mutilate an assistant. Fake feet and

hands could be used instead of a hidden assistant, but people come pretty cheap.

illusiontip Always update people on change of address and phone number

There's a handful of people who I'd like to get hold of but can't because they haven't told me where they're at now (by choice). Likewise, there are probably a couple people who would like to get hold of me but can't because they don't know where I'm at (he he). Keep a list of everybody you know, and send all of them updates on your new addresses and phone numbers.

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Top section

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Interior view

Bottom section

U Side interior view

- Blade with curve

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THE REFLEX BOX EFFECT

The magician pushes a frame onto stage. The audience can see straight through it to the back of the stage. The magician takes the cloth that is draped over the frame and covers it with it. He pulls the cloth away and reveals his assistant.

METHOD

The hiding space in the Reflex Box is created partially through the sides of the frame. The majority of the space is created by the cloth draped over the frame. The assistant is partially in the frame and partially hanging out of it. The outside of the frame is covered with black Spandex. When the assistant steps into the box after the magician covers it, the Spandex snaps back into place. The cloth used to cover the frame should be bulky enough to conceal several inches of the assistant's body

The top and bottom edges of the frame should stick out a few inches beyond the cloth

to make it appear thinner.

BACKGROUND I've used a lot of different magic cloths with my illusions. Some that were kind of bulky, some that weren't. I've noticed that you can lay one on top of a prop and nobody

seems to give it much mind - even if it looks kind of thick. The ability to steal just a couple inches because of this is enough to create an illusion.

illusiontip Maintain a consistent e-mail address

Unlike a phone number or a physical address, an e-mail address is the easiest thing to maintain. Somehow, people tend to ignore this fact and constantly change their address (usually for some stupid vanity address). Even if you move to a new email address, maintain the old one and be sure to tell people that you changed it.

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The Reflex Box

Trap

Spandex

Interior view

of hiding space (front)

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GONE EFFECT

The magician explains that he has been practicing the art of invisibility. So far he has only been partially successful. He states that if he goes into his little quiet chamber and meditates he can almost make himself vanish. He offers to demonstrate. His quiet chamber is brought out onstage. He steps inside, he is fastened into it and his meditative music is played. After a few moments of meditation, the front is opened arid the magician has vanished from the waist up. The door is closed and then reopened. The magician has fully returned.

METHOD

The magician steps into the chamber and kneels down to where he hides behind his front legs and the shackle that binds them in the box. Fake thighs are pulled out from

the shackle section to give him more room to hide. A black panel folds down over him to conceal him from high sight lines. BACKGROUND

The Disembodied Princess has always been one of my most favorite magic effects. The first time I saw it performed - by David Copperfield - I was blown away. It wasn't until later on that I learned some of the history of the effect. Originated by P.T. Selbit,

the effect is also called "Girl without a middle", or "no guts". For this variation, I thought it would be neat to allow the magician to actually hide part of his body with his own body. The premise of trying to "half vanish" allows us the op-

portunity to create a Disembodied-like effect without a fake head.

illusiontip Have lots of photos and video taken Any chance you get, have pictures and video taken. Even if the

video isn't of your whole act, it will be useful later on when you put together a promotional video. Having lots of pictures will also provide you with a lot of material for your promotional kit and any other kind of publicity.

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Front door conceals fake legs

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Fold-down panel

Magician hiding behind legs Front view

Side view

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THUNDER EFFECT

The magician walks onstage holding three steel thunderbolts. He places them in a row pointing up on a platform. His assistant walks onstage and is placed into a trance. With the help of a stagehand the assistant is placed atop the three bolts. The magician carefully removes two of the bolts leaving the assistant suspended at the neck over just one of the bolts. The other two are replaced and the assistant is removed from off the thunderbolts.

METHOD

This effect is based upon the sword suspension effect. The assistant wears a harness under her clothes that has a slot for the thunderbolt at the base of her neck to slip into. To get the bolt to lock into to place, she is placed onto the thunderbolts at an angle -

head end first. She's removed the same way.

BACKGROUND The really nice thing about the sword suspension is that you can do it with people at just about any angle. Using the thunderbolts is a way to theme the effect for a unique

presentation. NOTES

The platform could be covered in cotton or white foam. The use of a small misting machine can make it appear cloud-like.

illusiontip Update your material often With desktop video ad publishing it's now easier than ever to

keep your promotional material updated. Anytime you add a new effect or concept to your act, revise your material and send it out to your agents. This reminds them that you are out there.

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Bolt locking into place

Harness for supporting the assistant (unfastened)

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MAGNETIC EFFECT

The magician explains that he is proud to have in his audience two former carnival sideshow performers. He walks into the audience and grabs two random gentlemen with similar builds. He brings them onstage and introduces them as the Magnetic Brothers. He gives them each a flashy jumpsuit to put on. He then has them sit backto-back on a crate and interlock arms. The magician tells the audience that their strange ability is the result of a close encounter with a bolt of lightning and a 7-11 burrito. He slides the crate out from underneath them and they remain in a seated position with their backs to each other. The magnetic force is so strong the magician explains that one of the brothers can even lift his feet off the ground. He points to one of the men and he lifts his feet off the ground - effectively levitating off the ground. The magician has him put his feet back and returns the crate. The men are then allowed to stand up and return to the audience (sans flashy jumpsuits).

METHOD

The two men are supported by a seat that is supported by a metal rod at the far end

away from the audience. This rod travels through a corner of the crate and into the platform the crate is on.

The corner of the crate just barely touches the seat the men are sitting on. Addition-

ally, the crate is painted a dark neutral color that recedes into the background in back of the jumpsuits the men are wearing.

Because their arms are interlocked, the man with his feet planted on the floor keeps the man who is lifting his feet balanced. The jumpsuits are quite baggy. This allows them to cover up portions of the seat that may otherwise be visible.

BACKGROUND

Sometimes suggesting something magical is happening can be even more impressive than announcing it in big bold letters. Build-up is everything. Two men could conceivably support themselves off the ground in the sitting position with their backs to

each other. But it would be an impossibility for one to lift his feet off the ground entirely. NOTE

You could take this effect one step further and have both men lift their feet off the ground and create a complete levitation.

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Overhead view

Crate with notch for platform Hidden seat

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MR PINCUSHION EFFECT

The magician steps onto a platform in the middle of the stage. Two assistants walk out with a large sheet. They cover him from head to toe with the sheet. The assistants then wheel out a cart with several dozen fencing foils. They begin to shove the foils straight through magician's body. They shove every foil into every possible angle. They then remove all the foils. The sheet is pulled away and the magician is still standing unharmed.

METHOD

When the sheet is brought in front of the magician, a wire frame form similar to an Asrah form is lowered onto the platform in front of the magician. He sits down on the bottom of the form holding it to the platform. The swords are shoved from one end of the form to the other avoiding the magician who is sitting below.

After the swords are pulled out and the sheet about to be pulled away, the magician stands up. The sheet is yanked upwards to allow the form to be pulled upwards to the rafters.

BACKGROUND The principle of the Asrah levitation is quite clever. The form is introduced a little bit differently here. With one spotlight that just barely touches the top of the sheet when the assistants go to cover the magician, the form can be lowered unseen.

illusiontip Buy a video camera A video camera (ideally a MiniDV) is one of the best tools in a magician's arsenal. It will help you rehearse your act (you can see your mistakes before your audience does), it will help you train your assistants (they can see how it's supposed to be done), and you can use it to shoot video of your act for your promotional tape and many other things.

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Form Front Magician

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TRIPLICATOR EFFECT

The magician puts on a pair of safety glasses and enters a tall cabinet. The doors are closed and two blades are shoved into the middle; dividing the cabinet in two. The top cabinet is lifted and a third cabinet is placed between the top and bottom. The doors to all three cabinets are opened and the magician's body is now nine feet tall. The doors are closed and the cabinets are unstacked. The doors to the three cabinets are opened to reveal that the magician now has three third sized clones. The doors are closed, the cabinets stacked into three, the middle removed, the blades removed and the magician emerges his usual self.

METHOD

The cabinets have three sides with doors that can be opened. Each side has a different form. Cabinet (1) which is the top of the first two cabinets, has a normal door that opens to the dark interior, a door that opens to a form that resembles the top part of the magicians body - fake head and all and a door that opens to pint-sized body form of the magician. Cabinet (2), the bottom of the first two cabinets, has a normal door, a

door that opens to fake legs and a door that opens to a miniature magician. Cabinet 3 has a door that opens to the magician's fake midsection and a miniature magician.

Sunglasses are used to conceal that the miniatures are complete fakes. The reveals are done quickly to keep the audience from figuring that out.

BACKGROUND The Mismade girl by Chuck Jones is a pretty cool effect. It starts out as a typical magic effect; put a girl into a box, cut her up. But it ends up as something more entertaining. When the magician can't remember what part to put where, the audience is giving a cool visual.

For Triplicator I wanted to give the audience a neat visual idea of what happens when you use too many boxes or stop the effect in midstream. I don't think the result is one they would expect.

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Step 1 Step 2

Interior of middle box

Stretched magician Step 3! Miniature magician/

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THE VANISHING PEANUT EFFECT

Standing in front of the curtain, the magician announces that he is going to perform the most delicate of illusions - the vanishing peanut. Where other magician might try and impress the audience with crass displays of high-tech illusion technology by making jet airplanes and motorcycles appear and disappear, he recognizes that his audience is one of distinguished taste. Therefore they can appreciate the subtle beauty of a simple yet elegant effect as vanishing a peanut. While he says this, an elephant trunk emerges occasionally through the gap in the curtain and tries to take the peanut. The magician acts totally oblivious to the nuisance. After the trunk goes backstage a bit of a ruckus can be heard along with the vocal protests of the elephant. The curtains open to reveal a small pedestal. In back of the pedestal is what obviously looks like a medium-sized elephant covered with a sheet. The magician places the peanut on the pedestal and stands directly in front of it. A trunk lifts up from behind the sheet and goes for the peanut. In doing this, the trunk lifts up enough of the sheet to reveal elephant feet and part of an elephant's body. After the trunk has absconded with the peanut, the magician turns to the table and points out that the peanut has vanished. He then pulls away the sheet covering the elephant to reveal not an elephant, but two zookeepers pushing brooms. METHOD

There is no elephant. The trunk that emerges from the curtain and later the sheet is a rubber appliance worn over the arm of an assistant. The sound effects are prerecorded from actual elephant noises. The elephant under the sheet is created by an Asrah form supported by one assistant dressed as a zookeeper standing on a crate. This form is later pulled to the ceiling. The other assistant dressed as a zookeeper is at the front of where the elephant would be behind a form that looks like the front legs and chest of an elephant. When the peanut is placed on the table the assistant with the trunk leans forward and picks it up. He then places the trunk into the crate and lays the fake elephant body flat on the ground (the magician lets the sheet fall on it). When the sheet is pulled away the elephant form is pulled to the ceiling.

BACKGROUND I've always wanted to vanish an elephant but never had the space in my apartment to keep one. I thought moving to a two bedroom would help, but I ended up using the other room to store my pogo stick. Maybe I'll get one when I move to a townhouse with a little courtyard. Until then I have to come up with ways to do imaginary elephant tricks.

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The

Wire form Fake trunk

Fake elephant

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MR HAPPY SOCKY EFFECT

The magician tells his audience that he's developing a children's television program. He reaches down to his shoes and pulls off a white sock. The sock has a mouth and eyes drawn on it. He walks over to a small puppet theatre and places the sock inside of it. The sock then comes to life as if a hand was in it and begins to insult the audience using a bunch of crusty jokes. The magician apologizes for the sock's behavior and removes it from the theatre. He then disassembles the theatre revealing that there is no one there.

METHOD

A hidden assistant manipulates the sock. When the theatre is disassembled, the assistant hides in a compartment made up by the side and ceiling of the theatre.

BACKGROUND

I love mean puppets. If you ever want to let loose on an audience, there's no better way than putting a sock on your hand and to start screaming.

illusiontip Toolbox You should always have a tool chest handy with whatever tools you need to assemble and repair your props. Screwdrivers,

hammers, nails, glue, a ratchet set and just about any other tool you can put in there will better help you in the event of an emergency.

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Assistant hiding in the ceiling and side wall Mr. Happy Socky,

the pinnacle of high-tech magic apparatus

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RADIUS EFFECT

A large steel plate with a four-inch hole in the center is introduced into the audience. Volunteers are invited to knock on the plate and verify that it is real. After the audience has had a chance to inspect the plate it is placed into a frame onstage. The frame has a twenty-inch diameter Spandex circle in the middle of it. The magician tells his audience that due to some freak genetic accident he has rubber bones. He offers to prove it to the audience by crawling through the four-inch hole. He walks to the backside of the frame and proceeds to step all the way through the plate. The plate is removed and hit with a hammer to prove that it is solid.

METHOD

When the plate is slid into the frame a rolled up piece of material that looks exactly like the plate unrolls from the top of the frame. The plate is then swung to the side allowing

the magician to crawl though a slot in the fake. Once the magician has made it through the slot, the plate is swung back into place.

When the plate is lifted out of the frame, the fake rolls back into the top of the frame.

BACKGROUND Walking through a mirror is a pure magic effect. Crawling through a four-inch hole is

the kind of effect that is just at the borderline of possibility. These kinds of illusions fascinate me. They're the kind of thing that makes the audience leave with a burning question; was it real? If not, then how?

illusiontip Lighting design in mind When you design and build an illusion, keep in mind how it is

going to look under stage lighting conditions. Also take advantage of the way different materials reflect light. What looks mediocre in your shop might look quite spectacular on stage (or it could suck).

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Hinge Sliding the plate into position

Fake plate

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ANYTHING GOES EFFECT

The magician tells his audience that he didn't start off a big fancy illusionist. He didn't always have a bunch of shiny cool looking props. There was a time he explains, that he had to perform his magic with whatever junk he could find. A dingy looking crate is brought on stage. The magician's assistant steps inside of the crate. The magician begins to shove various random objects through its sides; fishing poles, golf clubs, inflatable alligators, tennis rackets, croquette mallets, street signs, lamp fixtures, etc. After the crate has objects going through it in every possible place he removes them all and reveals his unharmed assistant.

METHOD

The assistant is actually safely hidden inside of a secret compartment beneath the

crate.

BACKGROUND The entertainment value of this effect isn't so much the mystery of where the assistant goes, as much as the novelty of each strange object the magician brings out to shove into the box.

Having the objects out of sight before they are introduced will build up the comedy level of the effect. I suggest finishing with the inflatable alligator.

illusiontip Keep a Polaroid handy A Polaroid instant camera can come in hand when you least expect it. From documenting damage done to your props, pictures with celebrities, to uh, UFO photography, a Polaroid is a helpful tool to keep in your tool kit.

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flnnthfn ^J

Secret compartment

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THE CLOSET EFFECT

The magician tells the audience that when he was a child he would've sworn that his closet was haunted. He brings out a large box with no front and no back and offers to

prove it to the audience. A black cloth is draped over the back of the box to make it look like his dark closet. A toy ball is placed at the bottom of the box, it sits there. After a moment the ball moves just slightly. The magician picks the ball up and tosses it into the box; the ball is tossed back to him. The magician lowers the back cloth to show the audience that the box is empty. He then raises the cloth and places more objects into the box, they too begin to fly around and behave in a mysterious manner. The magician tells the audience that he discovered how to make it all stop. You simply stop believing. On cue all the objects fall to the ground and the back of the box falls open revealing that no one is there.

METHOD

Despite what the magician says, there is another person in the box. The interior and exterior walls are bent out to accommodate a person. The assistant is dressed in flat

black. The interior of the box is also flat black. This allows the assistant to step into the body of the box and manipulate objects while the black cloth is raised in back without being seen.

BACKGROUND Black art looks best when it doesn't look black art. By hiding the assistant in the side of

the box, the magician is able to convince the audience that it isn't possible for someone to be in the box throwing the stuff back out.

illusiontip Buy lots of music

Your show will sound better the more music you listen to. Movie soundtracks are often a good place to look for music that can create the right atmosphere for your effects.

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Assistant

hidden in side of cabinet

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STACKED EFFECT

A bellhop cart is wheeled on to the stage. A number of suitcases are piled onto it until the stack is as tall as a person. The topmost suitcase is opened and the magician's

assistant is helped into the stack. She climbs into the top suitcase. The suitcase is closed. All of the suitcases are unstacked - effectively vanishing the assistant. The suitcases are re-stacked and the assistant emerges from the top.

METHOD

The top and bottom sides of all the suitcases (with the exception of the top of the topmost case) are Spandex traps. This allows the assistant to travel all the way through the cases into the base of the bellboy cart into a hidden compartment.

BACKGROUND An effect that uses a lot of objects offers the opportunity for a lot of madcap choreogra-

phy. With assistants dressed as bellhops, the suitcases can be stacked and restacked in a Keystone cops type fashion.

illusiontip Pay attention to your visual themes

Do all your illusions look the same? Do you like it that way? Are you mixing different design styles in a way that shouldn't be

done? Paying attention to your design tastes can help you get a better idea of what you want your act to look like on an design level. Looking through design catalogs can also inspire your

sense of taste.

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Hiding space

in cart

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MOTO ASRAH EFFECT A sleek racing motorcycle is wheeled on to the stage by the magician. He and an assistant cover the bike with a cloth. The headlights and taillights are visible through the cloth. The magician gestures and the bike begins to float upwards. The magician steps under the bike and it floats even higher. He grabs the cloth and pulls it away. The bike has vanished.

METHOD

When the magician and assistant go to cover up the bike it's slid backwards through the back curtain. An Asrah form in the shape of the bike is lowered down from the ceiling. When the cloth is placed over the form, two small bright lights are turned on at the front and back of the form mimicking the lights of the bike. Wires then pull the form upwards. When the cloth is pulled away the lights turn off and the form is pulled to the

ceiling. The bike is slid backwards on a dolly painted flat black. The section of the curtain where it travels through is also black. The area behind it must be in complete darkness to prevent the audience from seeing this happening.

BACKGROUND Motorcycles make for very cool stage props. The original idea for this effect was to lay the assistant on top of the bike and then to float both her and the bike up Asrah-style.

That way would certainly work as well - provided your assistant isn't too tall.

illusiontip Use video to train assistants Videotape your rehearsals and have your camera man (or tri-

pod) focus on the behind the scenes stuff. This video can then help you show your assistants exactly what needs to be done in a quick fashion. Put together a videotape with the explanations and let your assistants review it before they practice. You'll be surprised at how quickly they will learn.

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Backdrop

Asrah form in shape of a motorcycle \

Motorcycle being

slid out

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INFERNO EFFECT

The magician pushes a large metal container onstage. He tosses a match in the top and flames erupt from it. He explains to the audience that the container is an incinerator. He shuts off a propane tank connected to the incinerator and the flames die down.

The magician then opens the front door to the container and climbs in. An assistant shuts the door and turns the propane tank back on. A match is tossed in the top and flames again erupt from the top. After several moments, the flames are shut off and the magician emerges unharmed. METHOD

There are never any flames in the inside compartment of the container. There's an asbestos ceiling and a steel roof above the compartment where the magician is. The flames are actually produced by rubbing alcohol. The top of the box is recessed by several inches. Within that recess there are two trays with alcohol.

There are two propane tanks that actually are water tanks. Each one is connected to a

different tray. The first tray is lit the first time to show what the incinerator does. It is, then put out when water is squirted into it through a pipe connected to the pressurized tank. The second one works the same way.

BACKGROUND Fire is very, very dangerous. This effect is described for demonstration purposes only.

Don't actually do it!

illusiontip Have an "express" show While the goal of every illusionist I've ever met has been to accumulate as much props and equipment as they possibly can,

having a whole show that can fit inside of a trunk that can be flown a commercial airplane can provide an extra source of income. Often you'll get the opportunity to perform a show where either time or money would restrict the ability for your whole illusion show to be shipped. An act that fits in a trunk can solve this problem.

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— Insulated roof

This effect is for explanation purposes only!

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INFERNO 2.0 EFFECT

The same effect as Inferno, except when the box is opened there's a charred skeleton in place of the magician.

METHOD

The magician is hidden behind a piece of black fabric. The skeleton was hidden behind the fabric when the magician first entered the box. The magician then switched places with the skeleton. BACKGROUND

This is based upon the Cremation illusion by Hercat.

illusiontip Don't be afraid to reinvent your props Sometimes we become so accustomed to looking at our props in a certain way we miss out on alternative ways to use them. Could you put a piece of black art in your Zig Zag and make it an appearance? Could your Sub-Trunk be made into a TipOver trunk? Would your Shadow Box look cooler if all the light was green?

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Black art Front

Back

This effect is for explanation purposes only!

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VIDEO EFFECT EFFECT

The magician offers to give the audience a backstage view of what goes on behind the scenes in an illusion show. A large screen television and a video camera are brought onstage. The magician puts the camera on his shoulder and begins to give the audience a video tour of the backstage. He walks back onstage and aims his camera into the audience. He pans around and zooms into himself seated in the audience. The camera person sets down the camera to reveal that a female assistant is holding the camera.

METHOD

When the magician walks offstage an assistant dressed like him puts the camera on to her shoulder. The magician enters the audience through the back entrance. The identity of the camera person is obscured because (1) The large format camera covers most of the head, and (2) a light on top of the camera is turned on.

BACKGROUND I love magic effects where the magician appears in the audience. I think they're even better when they come as a complete surprise. In this effect the transition is unexpected and the revelation of the magician in the audience is built into the flow of the effect.

illusiontip Have photos of all your props Have photos of your illusions isn't just a good idea for insurance purposes. A show producer or costume designer might want to

have an idea of what design schemes you're using. Having photos ready can make their life easier when it comes to helping you stage your act.

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DEATH BOX EFFECT

The magician is handcuffed and placed into a crate. The crate is locked shut then hoisted a dozen feet in the air. A bed of swords is placed under the crate. After approximately one minute, the crate falls on top of the swords - skewered. The magician appears from the back of the auditorium.

METHOD

At the beginning of the illusion the crate is resting on a platform. When the magician climbs into the crate he actually climbs into the base of the platform. When the crate is hoisted into the air, the platform is wheeled offstage where the magician exits and works his way to the back of the theatre.

The bottom of the crate is made of two hinged panels. This allows the magician to enter the platform and allows the sword to go through the bottom of the crate without actually breaking it.

The top of the crate is a cardboard panel that can be replaced every show. BACKGROUND

This is a very utilitarian illusion. It's a basic escape and appear elsewhere type of effect. It's also served me quite well. I came up with it in a pinch and ended up using it over 500 times in one six month period.

illusiontip Have multiple music tracks you can work with There's always the slim chance that when you perform in a review show that a piece of music that you use in your act ap-

pears elsewhere in the show around you. Being able to use an alternative piece of music will give you greater flexibility and more choice if you want to be able to change the pace of your show.

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Secret compartment in stairs

Trap under the crate

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TIE CABINET EFFECT The magician steps into a small cabinet that covers his chest. The front doors are opened and only his tie remains. The doors are closed and the magician exits the cabinet.

METHOD

Behind the tie in the cabinet (which is permanently fixed) are two mirrors at a 90degree angle to each other and 45 degrees to the side walls.

BACKGROUND This was the very first effect with mirrors that I came up with. When I was in high school I made a version of it in my parent's garage. I soon abandoned it when I de-

cided that I really didn't want to wear a tie onstage (I ended up wearing sequins - I still have nightmares over that one).

illusiontip Take a look at where you are If you find that you perform most of your shows outside of your

home state (or country) it's always a good idea to spend a day or so getting acquainted with where you are - not to sight see. You need to be able to find out where the nearest local equivalent of a hardware store is located, the Taco Bell, toy shop and fabric store. You may think asking the locals might help, but often they don't even realize what's nearby.

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Tie Front

Side view

Tie

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VIDEO HEAD EFFECT

The magician places his head into a box supported off the floor. A television is placed onstage next to him. The magician points to the television and his face appears on it. He opens the front of the cabinet and his head is gone. He closes the cabinet and switches off the television. He then opens the cabinet to real that his head has returned.

METHOD

The magician's head is hidden behind a mirror in the cabinet tilted at a 45-degree angle to the floor. The mirror reflects the ceiling The head that appears on the television is a prerecorded video.

BACKGROUND

This isn't so much as an effect as much as the beginning of a routine. While your head

is on the television there are a lot of different possibilities for entertaining the audience. With a transmitter backstage a portable television could be brought into the audience for some good-natured heckling, or even some kind of mind reading effect.

illusiontip Keep a Rolodex of contacts and keep them updated I've used just about every kind of electronic organizer known to

man. They all have their uses - and can be put to good use but nothing replaces the hands on experience of a Rolodex. Keeping an updated Rolodex on your desk is a great way to remind you to keep in touch with people. Some business executives recommend that you make a daily habit of picking one name a day and giving them a call, to keep you on everyone's mind.

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Mirror reflecting roof of box

Back

Front

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HOW TO CUT A PIECE OF ROPE* *(and an audience member) EFFECT

With the assistance of a member the audience, the magician offers to show a brand

new way of cutting a piece of rope in half. A volunteer is asked to step into a cabinet that covers their waist section. They are then asked to clinch a piece of rope with their teeth while the other end dangles by their feet. Once they are in the cabinet, the magi-

cian unveils a huge pair of scissors. The magician takes the scissors into the audience where they are allowed to inspect them. The magician returns to the stage with scissors. He places the opened scissors through a slot in the back of the box and pushes them to the front. In one motion he brings the blades to together, cutting the rope and passing through the volunteer. The scissors are pulled out of the box and set aside. The volunteer is removed unharmed.

METHOD

There are two sets of scissors. The pair brought into the audience is real. The pair behind the box in a slot to be switched out for the real ones has a large notch in them. The surface of the fake scissors is covered with shiny vinyl. The rope to be cut in half is actually two pieces held together with magnets. When the fake pair of scissors comes together towards the front of the spectator, the magician pushes the rope down to separate the two halves.

BACKGROUND The most important part of this effect is the switch. Because the switching gimmick is built into the illusion, there's little need for extraneous movement. An opportunity for the switch can occur when the magician gets the volunteer to turn their head to the magician for a moment. At this point the real scissors can be dropped down and switched for the fake ones. At the end of the effect, the scissors can be switched back when the magician allows the spectator out of the contraption.

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(and an audience member)

Rope I

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Magnets

Back Gimmicked scissors

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CHAINSAW MASSACRE EFFECT

The magician steps into a cabinet where his sides can be seen. A masked man reminiscent of a slasher movie villain comes out onstage with a chainsaw. The chainsaw is stuck right through the middle of the magician and dragged up and down. The blade is pulled out and the masked man runs off stage. The magician emerges from the cabinet with no loss of blood. METHOD

The magician slides his body out of the path of the (fake) chainsaw. It appears that he is standing normally because the open side of the cabinet has a fake body form inside of it that looks like the side of his body. The form goes from the ankle to the armpit. The magician's real arm sticks out at the top of the form. When the magician first enters the box, the front door is ajar in such a way to hide the fake body. The chainsaw blade is a piece of smooth plastic painted to look real. An electric motor inside the motor housing vibrates the blade back and forth. The engine noises are prerecorded sound effects played over the house audio system.*

BACKGROUND The principle for this effect really hasn't been used in that many other illusions. Actually, other than the thin model sawing, I'm not aware of any illusions that use a fake body form of that represents the side of the person. I'm sure there are others though. *From a distance, a broken chainsaw would look just as good as a functioning one.

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Front view

Fake chainsaw

The magician twisting his

body out of the path of the chainsaw

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LOCK UP EFFECT

The magician's assistant steps into a small cabinet. The magician then proceeds to

"lock" the cabinet by shoving several gigantic keys through various slots in the cabinet. The keys obviously penetrate the space the assistant should be occupying. Several of the keys are removed. The front and back panels are opened to reveal that the assistant has vanished. The magician closes the doors and removes all the keys. The cabinet is opened and the assistant has returned.

METHOD

The assistant is hidden inside the cabinet in a hiding space created by the side and bottom of the cabinet. The two keys that are still present when the cabinet is opened pass between the assistant's legs.

BACKGROUND I like illusions that use fun props. Giant keys are kind of cool because we're familiar with the concept but not necessarily the application. This effect could actually be themed as a kind of "escape" trick. The cabinet could be presented as a giant lock and the person putting the keys into it dressed as a jailer.

illusiontip Build cases for all your props When you budget and build your illusions, don't forget to make cases for them. The sturdier and more padded the better. All

though it doesn't seem like the kind of expense that shows in your show, the fact that six-months later your props look almost as good as the day they were made wilf certainly show.

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Side trap with notches for keys

Hiding space

Folding trap

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HOTFOOT EFFECT

The magician sets a Hibachi onstage. He squirts some lighter fluid onto it and flames erupt from it. The magician then takes off his shoes and socks and stands on the grill over the glowing coals. After a few minutes of this (maybe performing some other trick) the magician steps off the grill with feet that are not burned.

METHOD

The coals in the grill are rocks that are painted with fluorescent orange paint. Ash is mixed in with them to make it look like a real coal fire. A small candle in the grill ignites the lighter fluid poured onto it in the beginning. Blowing on the coals puts out the candle.

BACKGROUND

This kind of endurance stunt/illusion that can be the backdrop for something else. While the magician is on the coals he could do a card trick, make origami, or read haiku. The idea is to create an impossible situation and use it as the wrapping for something else.

illusiontip Buy lots of foam padding No matter how well padded your illusion cases are, keep some foam padding on hand for extra safety. Scraps and left over pieces can help keep casters locked in place and small items from shifting.

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Fake coals

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ACME FLATTENER EFFECT The magician lays down on a low table. A cartoon-style 5-ton weight is hoisted above him. The weight is then dropped on him crushing him. Once the weight is lifted off him, his body from neck to ankle is less than an inch thick. The magician is wheeled

offstage to recuperate. METHOD The magician's body sinks into the base of the table. A flat panel delivered from the bottom of the weight sits atop his body flush with the table. The panel has a flattened magician body on it.

The weight is made from foam rubber at the bottom. Notches in the bottom sides of the weight accommodate the magician's neck, wrists, and ankles.

BACKGROUND Cartoon violence is the best kind. Not because it isn't real, but because it's so much cooler than real violence. Flattening someone like a pancake with a steamroller is so much better than doing that in the real world.

illusiontip Keep bandages in your toolbox

For many people, well for at least myself, the use of any tool even a sponge - frequently means the loss of blood. Keeping a

couple Band-Aids in your toolbox will save you a bloody couple of minutes while you struggle to find out where the nearest firstaid kit is.

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Flattened

Flat gimmick Bottom of weight

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THE SHREDDER EFFECT

The magician offers the audience a sneak peak at his a latest invention - a humansized paper shredder. The magician steps onto a platform and grabs two handles at his feet. He lifts up with the handles and a section of the platform raises around him.

As the section is lifted, the magician's body is shredded like paper. The magician stops at waist level then lowers the section - unshredding his body.

METHOD

The magician's body is concealed by two mirrors at an angle to each other. The seam where the two mirrors meet is concealed by a piece of fabric that represents part of the magician's shredded legs and pants. The mirrors and sides of the box formed as the section is lifted are formed from flexible materials that start off rolled up in roller

shades.

BACKGROUND Ever since the paper shredder was invented, various performers have found different ways of using the device as a premise for an effect. This particular instance came about when I was thinking of a way to cover up the seam where two mirrors touch. This effect came about soon after. Because rolled up mirrors aren't the best reflectors, having a pair of shredded pants in front of them appeared like a good way to keep the audience from realizing mirrors were involved.

illusiontip Bring books The life of a globe-hopping illusionist involves spending a lot of time sitting in airports and other places, just waiting. Always bring more stuff to read than you plan on reading. When that

plan gets delayed you'll appreciate that extra Crichton or Grisham novel you brought along.

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Mirrors

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BURST EFFECT

The magician places a balloon into a cabinet. The cabinet is turned to face the audience. He claps is hands and the balloon bursts with a shower of confetti. The magician's assistant is now occupying the space of the cabinet.

METHOD

The assistant is hidden behind the seam of two mirrors concealed by the ribbon holding the balloon. At the beginning of the effect the cabinet is turned away from the audience to hide the seam and notch for the balloon. The magician places the balloon into the cabinet and then turns the cabinet towards the audience. Inside the balloon is a handful of confetti that masks the mirrors swinging open when the balloon is popped. The back of the mirrors are covered in the same material as the inside of the cabinet so that they blend into the side walls when they are open.

BACKGROUND

Mirror cabinets can be quite effective when the use of mirrors is masked well enough. Sometimes this means using them in a manner where a mirror wouldn't seem to make a difference. Other times it means using them in a way that uses them in some clever technical fashion.

illusiontip Put padding in your illusions If you want to make the life of your assistants a little bit easier, put some extra padding in the corners and other places where some extra cushion won't increase the thickness of your prop. They'll appreciate the fewer bruises.

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Back Assistant Top view Mirror

Mirror

Balloon

Front

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BOWLING BALL THROUGH HEAD EFFECT The magician brings a large tube onstage. He places his head into it as an assistant brings out a bowling ball. The ball is placed at one end of the tube and rolled to the other side - passing through the magician's head where it falls to the floor with a bang.

METHOD The bowling ball brought onstage by the assistant is a fake. It's a balloon. The real ball, the one that hits the ground, is already inside the tube. The real ball is held in place by a piece of wire running across the middle of the tube. When the magician releases a catch, the bowling ball is allowed to roll free.

The performance of the effect works like this: •

The tube is brought onstage and the magician places it over his head (without

showing the inside.) •

The balloon is placed into the tube

•

The magician releases the real ball while the air is let out of the balloon.

•

The tube is shown empty

BACKGROUND An oddball effect like this can be fun and useful because you can put it just about anyplace in your act. Even though it's a "matter-through-matter" effect, it's unusual enough not to seem like anything else.

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Bowling ball

Balloon

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THE 200 WATT GURU EFFECT

Explaining that he is going to take the tradition of Indian fakirs into the twentieth century (while in the 21st), the magician unveils a bed of light bulbs. The bulbs are turned on and the bed emits a bright glow. The magician carefully sets himself on the bulbs

and endures the heat and potential broken bulb in the back for as long as he deems entertaining (Editor's note: 20 seconds?).

METHOD

The bulbs are the plastic ones that can be bought at a novelty shop. Inside each bulb is a low voltage light that doesn't generate much heat.

BACKGROUND The bed of nails is a pretty cool effect if you think about it. You really don't have to do anything except lay down and hope your audience forgot their fifth grade physics. Even if they realize that the more nails you have under you, the easier the effect is, it's still neat to watch. For this effect we're hoping that the audience will be amazed by your ability to tolerate all the heat given off by the bulbs, plus the risk of breaking them.

illusiontip Have your illusion sizes handy Get out a tape measure and write down the measurements of all your illusions both assembled and in their crates if you haven't already done so. In planning a show, most producers like to know beforehand how much space they're going to need backstage for all the props and equipment. Having this information readily available can make rehearsals go much smoother.

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i Top view of bed '. -...jyiinii. - „.

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Plastic light bulb

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LIGHT SUSPENSION EFFECT

The magician sits on a stool in front of a panel of strobing bulbs. The stool is removed and the magician remains suspended in mid-air with the lights strobing behind him.

The stool is returned and the magician steps down. METHOD

The magician is sitting on a seat that is supported by the light wall. The arm that runs from his seat to the wall has mirrors on either side that reflect the lights on either side, creating the illusion that you can see behind the magician. The seat the magician is seated on in the beginning of the effect has a back to it that flips into place as the seat is removed. The back of the seat that supports the magician matches the back that flips out from the stool.

With a light controller, the strobing lights can be made to strobe in a cascading fashion downwards. This creates the subtle effect that the magician is floating higher.

BACKGROUND This effect could also be performed as a levitation. An electric lift could be connected to the support that holds the magician. A slot between the bulbs would then allow the support arm to travel upwards.

illusiontip Put glow-in-the-dark tape on your props To protect the bodies and costumes of you, your assistants, and the stagehands, put glow-in-the-dark tape on the corners and other important edges of your illusions. This will help prevent somebody from stumbling into them in the darkness of

backstage.

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Flip-up chair back /

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Side view

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JURASSIC TRICK EFFECT

Under threat of being the first magician in history to ever be killed by a Tyrannosaurus Rex bite, the magician is tied up and suspended over the teeth of a T-Rex skull. With

his head on one crate and his feet balanced on another, the skull is held open by a flimsy stick. In the process of attempting to escape, the stick breaks and the skull slams shut on the magician's body. With prehistoric teeth lodged in his chest, the magician turns to the audience and utters his last words; "Pretty cool, huh?"

METHOD

The skull is obviously a fake. The teeth in the skull retract into the jaw like a toy knife. The stick is broken on cue by an offstage assistant directly in back of the skull with a wire leading to the stick. Since the going price for a T-Rex skull will set you back quite a bit, a skull made from fiberglass or even paper mache will probably do the trick just as well (and not weigh a ton).

BACKGROUND This effect started as a trick with giant chatter teeth. Then it became an effect using the teeth of a great white. Finally I settled on a T-Rex. Magic works like that.

illusiontip Use non-slip tape on your illusions If any part of your illusion has a spot where somebody walks on or steps on, you should use a non-slip tape on it. This will

make you or your assistant less likely to slide off of the illusion when they're not supposed to.

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Retractable teeth in jaw of skull

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STRETCH-O-MATIC EFFECT

A large panel is pushed onstage. The magician sticks his head and hands through slots in the panel. He then makes his hands and head move up and down one at a time and in different directions, ostensibly stretching his body in an impossible way. He then exits the panel a normal human.

METHOD

Behind the panel is an unseen assistant. When the panel is first brought onstage it is revolved completely around. The assistant is hidden by a piece of black fabric covering the back of the panel. When the magician steps into the panel, the assistant places their own hands through the slots in the panel.

BACKGROUND

I was sketching some different ideas for a stretching illusion when I came upon a design that had a panel tilted backwards. I thought for a moment about this and realized that would create a hiding space for a hidden assistant if you had a curtain hanging from the top that was perpendicular to the floor. The space created by the curtain and the inclined board would be sufficient for someone to hide behind.

illusiontip Locking casters An illusion without locking casters is worse than an illusion with no wheels at all. If your illusion isn't locked into place, the smallest movement (such as your assistant crawling into a hiding space) will make the illusion shimmy in an un-magical way.

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Hidden assistant

Back

Interior side view

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WATER BOY EFFECT

Part of being an illusionist the magician explains, is the ability to perform magic anytime, anywhere. This means a magician must constantly be trying to figure out how to

perform illusions with common everyday objects. He walks offstage to retrieve something. He walks back on carrying a water cooler. He places the water cooler cabinet over his head. He reaches up to the water bottle and pushes it into the cabinet. The front of the water cooler is opened, and the magician's head can be seen inside of the water bottle. The door is closed and the cabinet is removed. METHOD

A hole in the back of the water bottle covered up by a label allows the magician to place his head into the bottle. Two mirrors at an angle inside the cabinet reflect the

walls and create the illusion that the magician's neck is totally inside-the neck of the bottle.

BACKGROUND Don't ask me where this one came from. Let's just say I had a very strange dream one night.

illusiontip Keep Windex on hand If your props have any reflective or transparent surfaces on them, you should keep window cleaner on hand - especially if there are elephants nearby (trust me on this one). Before each

show give your props a good cleaning. This will keep them all sparkly fresh and free of elephant snot.

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Mirrors

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Hole Front

Hole for head Label

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SPLIT EFFECT

The magician's assistant steps into a small box set inside of a frame. Her hands emerge from holes on either side and grab handgrips. The box then splits in the mid-

dle and the sides are pushed to opposite sides of the frame. The assistant's hands are still able to move on command. The sides are put back together and the assistant steps out of the box. METHOD

A mirror at a 45-degree angle to the floor of the box conceals the assistant's body as the two sides are pushed away from each other. The assistant has a foot in either box and sits in the space created by the mirror.

BACKGROUND This effect is scaled down version of an effect called Triplex that appeared in my book: SOLO-X, illusions for the solo performer.

illusiontip Keep lots of maps Wherever you go, get a map. Mark down on that map where your are and where everything else you may need is. Just the act of doing this will give you a better familiarity with where you are. Later on, you can give these maps to other performers who will be performing in the same area.

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Mirror J!

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Side section

Side view

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SPIKEY EFFECT

The magician climbs inside of a rectangular cabinet with his hands bound. The cabinet is closed and a wall of spikes is shoved through him and emerges on the other side.

The front of the cabinet is opened and the magician is unharmed. METHOD

Two walls of spikes are used. The one that is visible in the box at the beginning of the effect is pulled into the side wall when the cabinet is closed. The rod pushing the spikes is then pushed to the other side of the cabinet and pushes out a second set of spikes hidden in the wall.

BACKGROUND This effect is a variation of an effect called the "Water Bowl Spike Mystery" in Rand Woodbury's IllusionWorks 3. He based his effect on the "Appearing Water Bowl" effect (thus the name). All I did was turn it sideways. Thanks Rand.

illusiontip Use sheets to cover your props Instead of throwing out that old bed sheet or comforter, shove it into one of your illusion cases. After each show you can throw

it over your prop to keep the dust off. It will also help keep people from using your props as expensive coffee tables.

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1st set of spikes

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avoiding puncture The rod slips through the first wall

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SAMURAI EFFECT

The magician places a screen in front of his body. An assistant holding a large samurai sword draws the blade from one end of the screen to the other, effectively passing through the magician's body.

METHOD

When the magician places the screen in front of his body he steps onto a platform that is supported off the ground by two fake feet. When the sword is passed through him, he lifts his left foot then his right foot to let the blade pass.

BACKGROUND Sometimes you come up with a principle, but no effect to go along with it. I've been

playing around with the idea of using fake feet for a while and this is one of the illusions I came up with. NOTE

With a little bit more mechanical complexity, you could make it so the blade could pass completely from one side to the other side - completely severing the box.

illusiontip Have back up copies of your music on different formats Using that CD burner, you managed to make a CD with all your music. Did you make a couple extra CD's? Did you make a MiniDisc copy? Do you have a cassette copy as well? While almost every theatre has at the very least a CD player, these things sometimes break. It's best to be prepared with multiple formats.

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HOW TO CREATE A ZOMBIE EFFECT

The magician shows an empty barrel and an empty crate. He drops some old clothes into the barrel. He then pours in some radioactive goo and some blood. After a few

moments a zombie pops out of the barrel and runs into the audience to eat their brains.. METHOD

inside the crate is a black tube with a zombie in it. When the barrel is lifted out of the crate the tube remains there. The black tube is invisible because the interior of the crate is also black. The bottom of the barrel has a Spandex slit in it that allows it to slide over the tube. The crate has no bottom so it can be picked up off the barrel.

BACKGROUND Zombie science has always fascinated me. While I have never been successful at creating my very own zombie, I follow the literature quite diligently.

illusiontip Vacuum out your props The insides of our illusions can accumulate quite a bit of dust and dirt. Make it a habit to frequently vacuum out the interior of

them. This will help keep your costumes looking clean as well as lesson the chance of getting an abrasion from debris that collected where it shouldn't have.

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Inner black tube Outer

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HOUSE PARTY EFFECT

The magician rolls a cabinet on stage that has four doors. He explains to his audience that this is his house. Because he's a magician, he lives in a magic house - a house that's built inside out. He opens the front door to show that the inside of the house is empty. He then spins the house to another side and says that this is the living room. He opens the door and lets two people walk out who are dressed for a party. He spins the house again and opens up the kitchen door. A guy carrying a sandwich walks out. The magician spins the house again. He opens up his recreation room door. The magician explains that it's still not finished. Two stagehands carrying a ladder walk across the stage while he explains this. He asks them if they've had a chance to work on it. They explain that they'll get right to it and proceed to walk offstage. Before the stagehand at the end of the ladder has left the stage, the first stagehand emerges from the box. He tells the magician that problem is solved. He continues walking out of the box with the other stagehand following him.

METHOD

When the box is stationary, a mirror tunnel is pushed out from the back curtain to the box. The assistants travel through this tunnel to the box to make their entrances and exits. The two stagehands make use of one real ladder and one folding one. As the first stagehand exits offstage, he hands his end of the ladder to an offstage assistant. He then runs around the back curtain and enters the box with a folding ladder (another assistant holds the other end of this). When the last stagehand exits the stage he runs around the curtain and into the box to carry his end of the ladder.

BACKGROUND This effect is my Doctor Who variation of the Million Dollar Mystery. The principal was originated by Walter Cerreta Jeans for his Silver Hat effect

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MUMMY-O-MATIC EFFECT

The magician unveils his latest invention - The Mummy-O-Matic. He describes the device as an archeological tool used to fill empty sarcophagi with mummies. He's certain

that it will make him a billionaire. An empty sarcophagus is wheeled onstage. The magician aims his tool into it and shoots a stream of toilet paper into the relic. The sarcophagus is then closed. Within moments an angry mummy emerges to hunt down

the magician. METHOD

The Mummy is hidden in a secret compartment in back of the sarcophagus. The Mummy-O-Matic is a leaf blower with a roll of toilet paper on the front. The roll is on a spindle so it can spin freely.

BACKGROUND

I used to play with toilet paper blowers when I was a kid. I could never think of anything more useful for one than this. Too bad. It was a lot of wasted time...

illusiontip Play with your illusions Every now and then it's helpful to just monkey around with your props and try to come up with new ideas. Put them on stage

and play some cool music. Take a look at them and move them around. Do any new ideas come to mind? Do you feel silly? Huh, monkey boy?

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THE WIZARD EFFECT

The magician steps into a cabinet with his face, hands, and feet visible. Four blades are shoved into the cabinet. The middle section is then split apart. The audience can see straight through the magician. The sections are pushed back together and the blades removed. The magician steps out of the cabinet. METHOD

The magician twists his body out of the way and to the side. A fake hand in one section allows him to contort his body.

BACKGROUND Let's just say that if Robert Harbin had never invented the Zig-Zag Lady, this effect would never have existed in a million years (at least not in my mind). NOTE

To make the performance of this effect easier, practice stretching. Increasing your flexibility will increase your ability to make the illusion more convincing.

illusiontip Keep extra parts in bank bags Those zipper bags that you can get at a bank for making commercial deposits are great for holding nuts, bolts and other small parts. Whenever you have the chance, grab a few. Write the name of the illusion on the bag. Also write what goes into them (the sizes). If you should lose a bolt this will help you get a replacement much faster.

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The magicia twisting his

Blade with groove

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SQUEEZER EFFECT

The magician steps into a cabinet that covers his midsection. He grasps two handles on either end and shoves them inwards. His middle is squeezed to one inch thick.

The process is reversed and the magician emerges unharmed. METHOD

Two mirrors conceal the magician's body inside of the box.

BACKGROUND

I like illusions that are self-contained and can be performed by one performer. Although this effect is more of a quick special effect than an illusion, I think it's odd enough for the audience to appreciate it.

illusiontip Put your name on everything Put your name on everything. Your props (inside), the costumes (inside), your toolbox, your crates, your music, your tools, everything. So much stuff gets left behind in theatres you could build a new act from all of it. By having your name on everything it will make it easier for you and everyone else to keep track of your stuff.

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Front Top view

Mirror

Mirror

Magician Back

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THE 360-DEGREE LEVITATION EFFECT

The magician steps up to a platform in the middle of the audience. He picks up the sheet covering the table and places it so the audience can see the supports underneath. His assistant lays down on the table. The supports are removed. The assistant remains suspended in mid-air. The supports are replaced and the assistant is helped off the table.

METHOD

The gimmick that supports the assistant is hidden by a fake that looks like the magician's leg. A support running from the table to the platform underneath is hidden by this shell. Before the effect begins, the cloth covering the table hides the shell.

BACKGROUND I'd been toying around with the idea of using a fake like this for a while, finally I came up with the solution on how to keep the audience from seeing it before the effect begins. Obviously you could have it hidden by one of the supports - but then you couldn't perform this effect surrounded. The sheet covering the table solves two problems people looking at the effect before it begins and blocking the sight of anyone whom might see where the gimmick attaches to the table

illusiontip Keep extra parts Always have extra nuts, bolts, and other spare parts. Also keep wood putty, some sheet metal, and epoxy on hand. If you can't find a part, you need to be prepared to fake it.

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SIGNATURE PIECE EFFECT The magician has members of the audience inspect and sign a large sheet of paper. The sheet is brought onstage and placed into a large frame sitting on a platform. Two screens are placed on either side of the paper frame. The magician enters behind one screen and exits the other. The screens are pulled away and the paper is unharmed. The sheet is given to a member of the audience as a souvenir.

METHOD The magician crawls under the paper frame. A secret compartment for him to crawl through is formed by a mirror in the platform reflecting the ground as the back wait.

BACKGROUND Matter penetration effects are interesting to me. In the mind of the spectator, the effect is either the penetration of matter through matter, teleportation, or a restoration. In this effect the audience not only gets to inspect the material that is passed through, they have a hand in creating it as well.

illusiontip Make cardboard mock-ups All the illusion books tell you to make them, but people often ignore it. Don't. Grab some cardboard and your assistant and find out exactly how much space she or he needs. Don't try to "eyeball" it and don't go by what's in the "plans" you bought. An

illusion works best when it is custom fit to the person who is in it. So build a cardboard mock-up first.

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SUPER BOX EFFECT

A box is suspended off the stage floor by four cables. The front is opened to show that the box is empty. Moments after the box is closed it is reopened to reveal an assistant in the box. The box is closed and reopened again and she has vanished. The magician climbs into the box and closes it. Moments later all the sides to the box fall open and the magician is gone. He reappears in the audience.

METHOD

Behind the back wall of the box is a black art tunnel that runs all the way to the stage curtain.

BACKGROUND This is a variation of the shadow box effect.

illusJontip Black spray paint A can of black spray paint can help you out of a lot of predicaments. A quick coat can cover a blemish on a prop, conceal a fake that's supposed to be unseen, or help cover that gimmick you just made out of coat hanger and masking tape.

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BURIED ALIVE EFFECT

The magician's assistant is placed into a coffin. The coffin is then placed inside a Plexiglas box. Dirt is shoveled onto the coffin until it reaches the rim of the Plexiglas box. The magician stands on top of the dirt and lifts a sheet in front of his body. When the sheet is lowered, he's switched places with the assistant. The sides of the Plexiglas box are lowered and the dirt slides away. The magician is found inside of the box.

METHOD

The coffin has an exit on the backside that leads to a trap door in the Plexiglas. The dirt is actually lightweight pieces of foam rubber. In the event of any kind of problem, anybody under the "dirt" should be able to crawl out of it with little trouble. After the coffin is covered, the assistant exits through the secret tunnel. They then wait

for the magician to raise the sheet. When the sheet is raised, they switch places.

BACKGROUND For this effect I tried to combine the Sub Trunk with a buried alive stunt. The problem with the Buried Alive stunt has always been the danger factor. Several people have lost their lives. Even in a controlled environment like the stage this still presents a problem. By using pieces of black packing material, we create a situation that is little more dangerous than being at the bottom of the ball bin at a McDonald's play land (Maybe safer if nobody ever pees in your foam).

illusiontip Videotape your show often Just as soon as you think everything is going smoothly is the time when you need to videotape your show and sit down and

actually watch it. Watch it and be hypercritical. What can you improve? What are you trying to ignore? If this were some other magician, what would you say to him or her?

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Front view

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CARD PILE EFFECT

After producing a number of cards through sleight of hand, the magician reaches towards the table where the cards have fallen and picks a few up. He drops them and a

pile of cards several feet high appears on the table. METHOD

The pile is actually a pop-up tent with a bunch of cards glued to it. When the magician reaches to the table, he undoes a catch that lets the tent pop up. Some cards that aren't attached to the surface of the tent fall off creating the effect that it's a real pile of cards.

BACKGROUND The first time I saw one of those tents that folds into place when you release it, I thought of a several different magic effects you could do with it. This is one of the more simple and direct ones.

illusiontip Always have a recommendation ready We all know what it's like to get that last minute call from a booking agent asking us if we can fly out tomorrow to go do a show in the middle of nowhere. We also realize what it's like to have to say no. Don't be afraid to turn last minute stuff down. Also, don't be afraid to give a recommendation for someone who might be able to do it. It's not creating competition if they're already performing. You're performing a useful service. If you help the booking agent out, they're likely to associate calling you with being helped out. Calling you is good.

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CABINET OF PAIN EFFECT

A large cabinet is pushed onstage. The cabinet is opened on the side. Inside of the

cabinet are rows of spikes. The spikes are so large, that when closed, there is no room inside of the cabinet. With the opening facing the side of the stage, the magician steps into the cabinet. The cabinet is closed on him. Moments later, the magician emerges without losing any blood.

METHOD

When the cabinet is turned to the side, the wall of spikes on the front section is slid to the back section. The two walls of spikes nestle together allowing the magician half the space of the cabinet.

BACKGROUND The Iron Maiden is a nasty bit of business. With its menacing stare and scary spikes, it's been the centerpiece for torture chambers in many horror films. For this effect, I thought it would be cool to create an illusion that was merely about surviving an Iron Maiden-like device.

illusiontip Listen to your audience Listening to your audience is often a matter of reading between the lines. If somebody doesn't like your music for instance, pay

attention. If it's an older person and you frequently find yourself performing for the geriatric crowd, it's worth listening to. It's not so much what they say, but why and who says it that's important in getting feedback.

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STONEHENGE EFFECT

With the magician standing in the middle of the stage, a curtain is raised from the

stage floor to twenty feet in the air. A moment after the curtain reaches its highest point it's dropped. Over the magician is an arch from Stonehenge.

METHOD

The arch (made from lightweight materials) is lowered from the rafters behind a black sheet.

BACKGROUND Stonehenge is a very mysterious place. It's mythic and easily recognizable. Therefor, the perfect symbol to use in a large-scale magic effect. Because part of Stonehenge is

just as recognizable as the whole monolith, we have the opportunity to create a stage effect around it.

illusiontip Don't be afraid to go into the audience In my mind, the stage is any place where the audience can see you. Whenever possible I like to go right into the audience to perform my platform magic. This often involves standing on

seats in the middle of the theatre. They don't seem to mind (the audience - not the seats) and I enjoy being able to get a reaction from being up close to them.

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Black art sheet

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— Curtain

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SECRET OF THE PYRAMIDS EFFECT

The magician shows the audience what may have been a block from the Great Pyramid of Giza. He then explains that for many years there was quite a lot of controversy

over how the blocks were actually moved. He offers to show his audience his own personal theory. The block is covered with a tarp. The magician steps back and the block begins to float off the table. Is it magnetism, the magician asks? Is it anti-gravity, he

wonders? The answer is no. He grabs the tarp and pulls it away. The block is gone and several people dressed like ancient Egyptians are standing there instead. People moved the blocks.

METHOD

The block is actually made of foam rubber painted to look like stone. Inside the block are the four "Egyptians" who make it float simply by standing up. When the tarp is

pulled away, the block is folded up within it.

BACKGROUND There have been all sorts of crazy theories about how the pyramids were built. So far, the best-supported theory is that it was done through a lot of hard work.

illusiontip Be yourself If the magic business were like the music industry, 99% of all illusionists would be Elvis impersonators. In magic Elvis is David Copperfield. He has so influenced the way magic is performed that it's next to impossible to watch a show by just about any magician and not see his influence. The only performers

that come to mind that are doing their own thing, are almost always famous in their own right. They're aren't any famous Elvis impersonators, so don't hope you can be a Copperfield impersonator and be famous either.

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THE VANISHING BANANA EFFECT

The magician places a banana on a table then approaches the audience. He asks various members of the audience if he may borrow a handkerchief in order to make the banana vanish. While he is doing this, a monkey reaches from behind the table and

attempts to steal the banana. The magician is oblivious to this. Finally, after the audience directs his attention to the table, the magician pulls the table cloth off to reveal that there is nothing there - except an empty banana peal.

METHOD

The unseen monkey (an assistant wearing a furry glove and sleeve) hides in a secret compartment when the tablecloth is pulled away.

BACKGROUND I think the strongest kinds of illusions are the ones in which the magic is suggested indirectly. Equally so, I like the idea of suggesting that something is there (a monkey in this case) with out ever showing the audience. The conclusions they're left to are often more interesting than the ones we can force upon them.

illusiontip Keep notebooks handy You never know when an idea might strike you. Nor do you know when you might feel like elaborating on an idea. I keep

stacks of writing tablets around my place and in my briefcase so I'll always have someplace to write my ideas down. Just doing this alone will increase the number of ideas you have.

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The Vanishing Banana

_ Assistant hidden in table

(with monkey arm)

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THE ASRAH COFFIN EFFECT

The magician's assistant is placed into a coffin. The coffin is then covered with a sheet. Slowly the coffin begins to rise into the air. The magician walks underneath the

coffin and grabs one end of the sheet. He pulls at it and it falls to the ground. The coffin has vanished. METHOD

The assistant crawls into the coffin and then into a hiding space beneath it. When the sheet is about to be draped over the coffin, the assistant folds the sides of the coffin down - flattening it. An Asrah form in the shape of the coffin is picked up from behind the table and placed it in place of the coffin. The form is then lifted to the ceiling via wires.

BACKGROUND Coffins are pretty scary and mysterious. They're a symbol that carries a lot with them. Yet as an actual physical object - they're nothing more than a big box. which is kind of ironic, because stage magic often seems like it's all about big boxes.

illusiontip Got to Home Depot for ideas Sometimes just walking down the aisle at Home Depot, looking

at all the materials and tools can give you ideas for the look and design of illusions. Sometimes you see materials you wouldn't

have thought about using, but end up being the perfect choice.

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Recess in table top Back

Front

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SUPER DUDE EFFECT

At the end of his show, with some cool music playing him off, the magician steps into a phone booth. Moments later he shoots through the roof of the booth and flies out of sight.

METHOD The magician remains in the booth while a mannequin disguised as him is pulled through the top of the booth to the ceiling. .

BACKGROUND One of the coolest scenes in the movie The Matrix is at the very end; Neo makes a call in a phone booth then steps out and flies straight up. Ever since I saw that, I thought what a great way for a magician to make an exit. No hoops to fly through. No plastic boxes. Just fly straight up into the sky.

illusiontip Look at how the other arts portrait magic As magicians we tend to think about magic from the point of view of people within just the magic community. Often, an outsider's view can give you ideas on what would be an interesting effect or concept. Take a look at how magic is portrayed in books and in movies. Often it's done poorly, but every now and then you see an interesting portrayal.

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Wires

Mannequin

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BIRTHDAY CAKE EFFECT

At a birthday, bachelor, or bachelorette party a sheet cake is wheeled out on a table in front of the celebrant. After blowing out the candles a girl, guy, or whatever else would

be politically incorrect jumps out of the cake. METHOD

The cake is hollow and made from paper. The table beneath the cake has a mirror at an angle that creates a hiding space for the person jumping out of the cake.

BACKGROUND I was once shopping at an art supply store when a woman asked me if I knew how to make a cake for jumping out of. Maybe I was the kind of guy that looked like I would know. I suggested that it might be easier just to make a box that looked like a present instead. She thanked me then walked away. Later I had two thoughts; the first was this illusion, the other was that maybe I should have offered to have made the prop for her.

illusiontip Watch MTV

Millions of dollars are spent on music videos to create certain looks and images. In watching MTV you can get a lot of different ideas for directions you can take the look and style of your show.

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Paper top

Back

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CARD APPEARANCE EFFECT

A large Queen of Spades is pushed onstage and spun around. The card is then rotated so the front faces the audience. The magician snaps his finger and the image of the queen rolls up revealing a woman standing in the middle of the card.

METHOD

While the card is rolled around, the assistant is hiding in a secret compartment beneath the card. When the card is rotated towards the audience; she climbs from the compartment to a shelf in back of the image. A catch is released and the image rolls up into the frame of the card.

BACKGROUND Illusion shows often become one production after another. It can get quite tedious. Sometimes it's a good idea to break up the box tricks with props that look a little different. A giant card still has a magic theme to is, but isn't the usual "tall upright cabinet".

illusiontip Use a year wallboard calendar Planning things month by month is no way to make long-term plans. Having a whole year in front of you allows you to make long term goals and see what's coming up. It also encourages you to maximize the time you have.

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Back

Front

Hiding space

Assistant

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WALKING THROUGH A FISH TANK EFFECT

A fish tank is standing center stage. The magician steps behind it. His body can be

seen behind the glass, water, and curious guppy. He raises a cloth in front of the tank that doesn't quite cover the ends. He steps forward and passes straight through the tank. METHOD

The fish tank is divided into three sections. The sections look like they are part of the same tank because the gravel and items in it appear continuous. Two aerators are next to each other on opposite sides of where the left end compartment separates from the middle compartment - this creates the illusion of one aerator (the bubbles look like they are coming from one source). When the magician steps forward, the middle section swivels to let him pass through. Once he has cleared the section, it swivels back.

BACKGROUND In trying to come up with yet another matter-through-matter effect I tried to think of what would be a very unusual object to pass through. I came upon the idea of a fish take when I thought of the idea of using something that was so complex it would be hard to figure out how it could be gimmicked.

illusiontip Talk to comedians Some of the best ideas I've gotten for my act have come from comedians and not magicians. Talking to a good comedian can give you a different perspective on your show. Since they tend to look at entertainment in a slightly different way than magicians do, they've often got they're own take on how to entertain

an audience.

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Middle section swiveled out of position / Back

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Front

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HYPERCUBE EFFECT The magician places a small cube within a frame inside of a larger cube. He explains that this is a hypercube — a cube with an extra dimension. He offers a demonstration. He borrows a watch from a member of the audience. The watch is placed into the

cube. The magician asks the owner of the watch to name a time. The magician removes the watch and the time called out by the spectator is on the watch. He places the watch back into the cube. He explains that the watch will now be sent far into the future. The box is opened and the watch has been turned into a pile of broken metal and glass. The magician apologizes and offers to send the watch even further in time to when the watch can be fixed. A hand emerges from the cube holding the fixed watch. The magician thanks the hand and returns the watch.

METHOD The large cube contains a secret compartment formed by four mirrors reflecting the sides, floor, and ceiling of the box. The box is also several inches deeper than it is wide to allow an assistant to sit inside of the box and partially in the table beneath it.

The assistant moves the hands of the watch forward and replaces it with the pieces of broken watch.

BACKGROUND Hypercubes are actual theoretical mathematical objects. Salvador Dali's painting of the Crucifixion of Christ depicts the cross as an unfolded hypercube.

illusiontip Pay attention to your offstage performance After you've spent all that time developing your persona, picked out your costume and come up with all your one liners, think

about the image you are going to create for the people you work with behind the scenes. If you've only thought through as far as wanting them to think you're incredibly talented, you need to take it further.

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BIG SHOES EFFECT

The magician explains that he is ready to move up to the big time. No more kidding around. He's ready to do the big illusions. He tips over what suspiciously looks like a

giant shoe box and pulls back its lid. He closes it then tips it back into position. He lifts off the lid and steps inside the box. He lifts his feet back out with giant shoes on either foot. He takes a few clumsy steps and explains to the audience that he's not kidding around. It's time to take him seriously.

METHOD

The shoes are made from foam rubber. The box is designed so that when it tips forward a trapdoor covers the bottom of the box.

BACKGROUND

You just don't see enough giant shoes these days.

illusiontip Learn a gratuitous display of skill Many magic books say that you should avoid fancy flourishes and anything that looks like "skill". The argument is that the audience will assume that if you can do a one-handed shuffle then obviously you're capable of performing an ambitious card routine, etc., and therefor not really magical. This is a pretty silly argument. Give your audience some credit. If your goal is to convince them that you are physically incapable of performing any kind of trick, then we should dress like homeless people, use walkers, and complain of our arthritis. Use some flashy moves. People expect it. People like it. Audiences understand

juggling and that jugglers have certain skills. Making their clubs float is not one of them. I think they'll appreciate the difference between a one-handed cut and a card production routine.

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Giant shoe

Front

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ENVISION EFFECT

The lights are dimmed onstage. Fog begins to emit from the base of an upright frame. The magician steps to the frame and touches his finger to a corner. As he moves his

finger a laser light follows it. The magician traces the shape of a star in laser light. He steps back and the image flickers. A woman appears where the shaped had been. METHOD

The woman is hiding in the base of the frame. A fog machine allows the light of a small powered laser to be seen. As the woman stands up she uses a black cloth to

shield her. The cloth is dropped when it is time for her to appear. The shape is created by four mirrors in the frame. The magician creates the shape by

holding his finger in front of the laser light. As he touches each point on the frame, the laser follows.

BACKGROUND This effect is a larger version of my Holo-Graphic Artist's Dream that appeared in Paul Osborne's book Illusion.

illusiontip Volunteer Besides the alleged karmic benefits of volunteering your services for worthwhile organizations and charities, there's also the

potential for financial reward as well. The kind of people charities work to attract to their benefits are also the kind of people

who drop large amounts of money on parties and events where entertainment is frequently hired.

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MOTO-X EFFECT

The magician and his assistant push a large box on stage. The front of the box is open. The magician's assistant steps into the box. A pyro goes off and in a flash the

assistant is transformed into a motorcycle. METHOD

The assistant hides in a compartment under the box. The motorcycle is hidden in the beginning behind a black roller shade. •

The interior of the box is flat black

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Polished metal crosspieces run across the front of the box

BACKGROUND This effect is designed as a self-contained motorcycle production that can pack flat.

NOTE

Let's face it, motorcycles, kind of like cigarettes are cool. Cool in that live fast die young with emphysema and a limp way. In my opinion (which you've had to put up with quite a bit since you picked up this book) motorcycles and cigarettes should be reserved for stage and screen. They should be a kind of special effect for professionals - not something for normal human beings. Let me give you an example; super heroes like Spider-Man and Batman are cool. But if you ever met a billionaire recluse that spent his evenings running around in Spandex you'd think he was nuts - or from South Beach. My point is, I've come up with a lot of different effects with motorcycles, but I'd never actually drive one off stage, nor smoke, or wear Spandex for that matter (unless I was fighting crime).

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Side view interior

Roller shade

Back

Front

Motorcycle

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SHATTERMAN EFFECT

I'm not quite feeling like myself today, says the magician to his audience. He decides that he needs to take a mini-vacation - from himself. A cabinet is brought on to stage.

He introduces it as his separation anxiety machine. It separates you from your anxiety. The cabinet is split in the middle. The magician steps into it and it is closed around him. The sides of the box are pulled apart splitting the box into four small sections. The sections are pushed back together and the magician steps out of the cabinet.

METHOD

When the magician steps into the cabinet he crawls into a secret compartment beneath it. The sides that are split apart have Spandex sides on the inside to allow the magician to slide into the base.

BACKGROUND This effect came about when I tried to come up with a "not-so-clean" sawing illusion. Instead of tidy little boxes, I wanted an illusion where the victim was split into jagged sections.

illusiontip Keep a professional journal I wish I could remember all the shows I've done (well, most of them anyway). I now keep a journal of all my professional engagements. This serves two purposes. One purpose is obviously nostalgia. The other is more practical. By looking back at where and when you performed, you can get a pretty good idea of what your market is really like. Don't trust you subjective memory, put it down on paper.

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SHATTERMAN

Spandex fabric on interior sides The cabinet closed

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THE KEEP EFFECT

A metal locker that is open on the front is unlocked. An old trunk is lifted from it and placed on its lid. The trunk is tilted forward and shown empty. The trunk is closed then

opened again. The magician begins to produce pieces of pirate treasure. As he does this he mocks the legend of the pirate that protects the treasure. The magician tries to pull one last piece of treasure from the trunk and a pirate emerges. The pirate takes

the treasure back and kills the magician. METHOD

The pirate and treasure are hidden behind a black art panel in the locker section. A Spandex trap in the top of the locker and a conventional trap in the bottom of the trunk allows him to travel from his hiding place to the trunk.

BACKGROUND I wanted to perform a production effect using a trunk. A tip-over trunk wouldn't have worked in the given situation because of the sight lines, so I came up with a modified version of the Square and Circle effect.

illusiontip Read about the history of magic The history of magic is filled with every kind of character and personality. The amount of creativity that has been contributed to our art is incredible. By learning more about the different directions that magicians in the past took the art, you might be inspired to try radically news ones of your own.

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Spandex trap

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Side view

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THE TIME THINGAMAJIG EFFECT

The magician introduces his time machine. He places a candle on a table in the machine and closes the door. He spins the time dial and re-opens the door. The candle

is almost completely gone. Next he places a small plant on the table. He closes the door and spins the dial sending it into the future. He opens the door and the plant is three feet tall. He does a few other demonstrations then places a piece of slime mold on the table. He spins the dial way into the future. A lawyer exits the cabinet.

METHOD

The Time Machine is actually a Modern Cabinet. The assistant is hidden behind a fake wall.

BACKGROUND I like illusions that lead up to something unexpected.

NOTES

Instead of a lawyer, you could produce a theatrical agent.

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illusiontip

Use lots of smoke Smoke machines are a bit of a cliche, but they do add a lot to creating mood in a show. The smoke creates depth and adds color to the air by reflecting the gelled lights. Look at a few renaissance paintings to see how the masters created a sense of depth by changing the way "air" looked.

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Secret compartment

/ Funky hypnotic

background

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LIGHTHOUSE EFFECT

On a thin platform in the middle of the stage a curtain is raised. A light begins to shine from within the curtain. The curtain is dropped and a lighthouse is standing on the platform.

METHOD

The lighthouse is collapsible. Prior to its appearance, the lighthouse is under the platform behind a black art fake.

The lighthouse is made from several nested cylinders. A strobing light is located at the top. The lighthouse is produced by a cable lifting the cylinders from under the platform.

BACKGROUND I was trying to come up with an idea for a large production item that could inherently fold down small. Almost moments after I began to think about that, I pulled into a parking space and saw bumper sticker for a lighthouse. Serendipity.

illusiontip Take a different path It wasn't long after David Copperfield and Kevin James popularized the "Snow" effect that soon just about everyone was doing it. If your goal is to look like every other magician, follow the herd. If your goal is to define your own magical experience, run away from the herd. The easiest way to do that is to avoid do-

ing whatever everyone else is doing.

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Collapsible segments

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TWINZ EFFECT

The magician announces that he's found a radical new way to solve the problem of hiring new help. Instead of putting ads in newspapers or on the Internet, he simply finds the best talent on his staff and replicates them. The magician and his favorite assistant

step on to a platform. The magician covers his assistant with a large sheet. Under the sheet, the assistant appears to split into two. The sheet is pulled away and there are now two assistants.

METHOD

The second assistant is hidden in a secret compartment in the table. The compartment is formed by a mirror reflecting the bottom as the back of the table.

When the sheet covers the first assistant, the second assistant steps out of the compartment and up to the table behind the first assistant.

BACKGROUND When you cover an object with a sheet, it takes on new properties. It's very easy to make two people look like one by having one stand behind the other. Having them both then stand side-by-side creates a unique effect.

NOTE

It's not at all necessary to use real twins for this effect. Any two assistants in identical or contrasting costumes will work fine.

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Side view

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Mirror

The second assistant standing up behind the first

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SHAPESHIFTER EFFECT

A cube is sitting on a platform in the middle of the stage. Each side of the cube has a different shape on it: a star, a circle, a square, and a triangle. The magician spins the cube to one particular shape and covers the cube with a cloth. He pulls away the cloth and reveals an assistant in the cube. She climbs out and he covers the cube again. He produces three more assistants the same way as the first.

METHOD

The first two assistants are hidden in a secret compartment beneath the cube. The other two assistants are hidden in the platform beneath the table that supports the cube.

After the first two assistants exit the top compartment; the next assistant climbs from the base to the table. The last assistant follows the third.

BACKGROUND To keep one production effect from looking like the last one it's a good idea to think about a particular theme for each effect. For this effect, the assistants can be costumed to match the particular shape that they are produced from.

NOTE

To add an extra dimension to this effect, you could mount the whole thing on top of a rotating platform. The cube would then automatically rotate to each side. If you make the base a little large, you can fit several mole people inside of it.

illusiontip Use technology It's amazing how little many magicians know about technology. There's a well known "psychic" who has fooled several name magicians with a simple piece of technology that a high school chemistry teacher could explain to you. Get catalogs from scientific supply companies. Talk to scientists. Find out how you can put the latest advances to use.

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Space #1

Space #2 Side view

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ASTRONOMY EFFECT

Standing on a platform, the magician picks up a curtain backdrop and hangs it from two poles one either side of the platform. He snaps his finger and tiny stars begin to

light up on the backdrop. The magician explains that the very first astronomers were often magicians. The constellations in the sky were named for objects that they saw. He points to the Big Dipper. He reaches into it and pulls out a ladle. He then points to Pisces. He produces a rubber fish. He drops the curtain to show that there is nothing behind it. He raises the curtain and points to Virgo. The lights fade out. He lowers the curtain and a woman dressed as Virgo is standing behind the curtain.

METHOD

The assistant dressed as Virgo is hidden in a secret compartment in the table. She hands the production items to the magician through slits in the curtain.

The curtain is made from sewing tiny lights into it. A controller in the base of the illusion allows the assistant to control them.

BACKGROUND Planetariums are some of the most mysterious places in the world. You sit in a chair in a room and the universe is presented to you. That's real magic to me.

NOTE

Instead of sewing lights into the curtain, scenery companies sell curtains that have fiber optic lights built into them. You can have the curtain custom made with whatever design you want.

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astronomy

Back curtain

Hiding compartment Slit Back

Front

Slit

Side view ^^4

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TRUCKIN' EFFECT

At the beginning of the show the curtains part and a mini moving truck drives onstage.

It makes a few circles then comes to a stop with its tail facing the audience. The back door rolls up and shows that the truck is empty. The door closes. The truck moves

center stage. The top of the truck opens up and the magician pops out. METHOD

The magician is hidden in a compartment behind a mirror in the storage area. The truck is powered by an electric motor that drives the front wheels. The back door is open and closed manually by the magician.

BACKGROUND This is another variation of my magical Toy Car production.

NOTE

It'd be pretty cool if you put your magic show logo on the side of the truck. If guys like Penn & Teller and Copperfield can have trucks with logos, why not the rest of us?

illusiontip Steal big Magicians need to learn to steal from sources besides other magicians. What are other entertainers and forms of media doing? How can this inspire you? How far can you extend the idea of magic?

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Secret compartment

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MAYNE'S MIRROR EFFECT

A tri-fold screen is placed onstage. The middle section contains a mirror. The two flanking sections are black. The magician places a Spandex trap on the front of the

screen then revolves it around to show the backside. The screen is rotated back towards the audience. The magician steps behind it then walks through the trap - penetrating the mirror. METHOD

The tri-fold screen has a fourth panel. The fourth panel is hinged to the middle screen; it folds flat against the side panel when the screen is revolved. The panel behind it contains a mirror with a hole in it covered by a Spandex trap that matches the one placed on the mirror on the fourth panel. When the effect begins, the fourth panel (with the solid mirror) is in front of the middle section. Once the mirror has been shown solid and the trap placed on it, the screen is revolved. In rotating the screen the fourth panel is swung to the side (its back matches the side panel). The backside is shown to the audience. The screen is then rotated back into position. The magician steps through.

In constructing the mirror, I highly recommend either a Plexiglas or Lexan. A glass mirror would be too heavy.

BACKGROUND Mirror penetrations are pretty cool effects. The object of this one is an illusion that is inexpensive to build and not that difficult to transport.

NOTE

They key to making this illusion work is in the execution of the movements of the screen. The screen should be picked up and repositioned in a convincing mannernot as if you have to move it to swing the gimmick in place.

Like doing a hoop pass on a levitation, the moment that is the most weak should be presented as being completely natural and not the least bit suspicious.

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4th panel [_ Spandex panel

4th panel

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MORGUE ROULETTE EFFECT

Two volunteers are brought on stage. One is sent offstage while the other is asked to

pick a weapon from a table. They have a dagger, a machete, and butcher knife to choose from. Three bodies covered with sheets are pushed on stage. The spectator is asked to pick one body. They are then told to shove the weapon into the chest of the body they choose. The weapon goes in and with a sickening sound. The magician pulls back the sheet and reveals the other spectator. Oops.

METHOD

When the first spectator is sent backstage they are placed onto a special gurney. The gurney has a recess in it that accommodates a large portion of their body. A body shell is placed over them and a sheet on top of the shell. The shell protects them from

harm and allows the weapon to be stuck into it. The weapons are as harmless as possible. They're novelty store toys made to look menacing. The magician forces the second spectator into their selection. The spectator is asked to pick two bodies. If the victim is remaining the spectator is told that's their choice. If the victim is one of the two bodies picked, the spectator is asked to point to one. If they point to the victim, that's announced as their choice. If they point to the other body, that one is pushed aside.

BACKGROUND The whole point of this effect is to put the spectator into the position where they are lead to believe that they killed someone. Fun.

NOTE

Remember; when in doubt, use blood. Lots and lots of gory blood.

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ue roulett

Body shell

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PORTABLE ELVIS EFFECT

I've been spending way too much time and money on the Internet, says the magician. And no, he doesn't mean waiting for naughty pictures to download. He's got DSL,

there's no waiting. The magician has been spending too much time on an auction site bidding on useless things. But he's done with that he tells his audience. He bough the coolest thing ever. The magician sets a briefcase on a table. He opens the case and spins it around so the audience can see that it's Elvis's head. Elvis smiles to the audience and answers a few questions. The magician says goodbye and closes the case.

METHOD

"Elvis" is hidden in a mirror table (a sphinx table). He pops his head up through a trap in the table and a trap in the briefcase. The table has two mirrors at a 90-degree angle to each other. The mirrors are at a 45degree angle to the sides of the table. The point where they meet is at the center of the box. Looking down, the mirrors form a "V" pointing to the audience. A table leg is used to hide the seam. You can either use solid panels for the sides of the table or use a table cloth. If you use a cloth, be sure to keep "Elvis" from hitting the sides of it (A young Elvis would be better than an old Elvis).

BACKGROUND It's Elvis! A the impact of an effect can be increased by the symbols that it uses. In pulling Elvis out of a briefcase instead of some schmoe, you've made the effect much more memorable. You made Elvis appear...

NOTE

It's not the real Elvis. He's much to busy to sit inside of a stupid box for your trick. Do you really think Elvis is going to jump at the chance to be your lackey? Come on! Get real. Elvis is to busy fighting international crime syndicates and protecting the natural habitats of Bigfoot to hop on a plane to be in your show as some kind of throw away effect. That is unless you have a peanut butter sandwich to offer him...

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Table top

Slit

Mirrors Top view (interior)

Side view

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LUCKYHAT EFFECT

In the middle of one of those gaudy production numbers that so many of our illusionist brethren are forced to perform in, the magician steps into a large top hat. He lifts the

hat up around him (there's no bottom). He then sets the hat back down. Two assistants dressed like Playboy bunnies (or the politically incorrect equivalent) are produced. The production number continues. METHOD

When the hat is lifted, the assistants remain unseen because they are sitting on an elevated platform. The support for the platform has a curve in it that goes around the magician and into the platform beneath him. The construction of the hat doesn't have to be very complicated. With the exception of the point where the magician steps into it and out of it, it doesn't have to be very sturdy. The brim around the hat should be narrow at the front and in the back - that way the magician doesn't have to step over a very large area in order to get in and out.

BACKGROUND In this post 90's politically correct era, this effect seems very anachronistic.

NOTE

I'll be the first to admit that this trick looks a little bit cheesey. But cheese sells. Especially American cheese. One thing I've noticed when I perform in Japan is that the Japanese like cheesey American things. Top hats (actually European - but that's not my point) and girls dressed like Playboy bunnies are the kind of thing nightclub audiences like. And who am I to argue? Now that I think about it, the Playboy bunny thing doesn't sound all that bad. That Hugh Heffner guy was onto something.

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THE INVISIBLE SALOON EFFECT

The magician puts on a cowboy hat and tells the audience about his interest in the old

west. One of the things he does when he travels out west is visit old ghost towns. The curtains open up to reveal what was left at one town he visited, a set of saloon doors on top of a platform. He tells the audience that the saloon was supposed to be haunted. But it burned down. All that was left was the doors. The haunted doors. Spooky. The magician steps behind them. He holds a sheet in front of the doors. The doors open and something fills up the sheet. The old west ghost steps off the platform. The magician holds up another sheet and produces another ghost. The ghosts take off their sheets and reveal themselves as assistants.

METHOD

The "ghosts" are hidden in the platform beneath the saloon doors. When the magician

lifts up a sheet an assistant crawls from the base into a position behind the doors. They then step through the doors and into the sheet.

The sides of the saloon doors have walls that act as baffles. This covers the sight lines of the effect from extreme angles. To make the effect look convincing, I suggest that you make the doors look as aged as possible. The platform should also look well worn. This will keep the illusion from looking like some polished aluminum magic effect and more like something you really did drag out of the desert.

BACKGROUND

This effect started out as a version of The Million Dollar Mystery. It can be performed as a standard production illusion, or at the end, the magician can switch places with a third ghost.

NOTE

As a quick gag, at one point during the illusion, perhaps when the magician first begins to tell his story, a piece of tumbleweed should roll across the stage. Trust me on this

one. It'll work.

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Base with compartment

Side of saloon doors

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RAZORS EFFECT

The magician tells his audience that he is going to illustrate one of his nightmares come true - razor blades. Since someone has to stand outside of the illusion and

someone else has to go inside of it, he bravely offers his assistant the opportunity to be the one on the receiving end of the nightmare. A frame is pushed onstage. The magician's assistant steps inside. The front and back are closed. The magician places several large razor blades through the sides of the illusion. The front and back are opened - the assistant is gone. The doors are closed and the blades are removed. The doors are opened again and the assistant steps out.

METHOD

The assistant is hidden in the side wall and ceiling of the illusion. The razor blades

pass between the assistant's legs. BACKGROUND

This is my first attempt at a giant razor blade effect. As much as I though about it, I really couldn't come up with much else. Sure you could use them instead of the cookie sheet blades in a Zig-Zag lady effect. But where's the fun in that?

NOTE

To make this effect extra scary, not to mention gory, you can have your assistant apply fake blood to the blades as they are pulled out of the frame. This will not only give them something to do instead of napping on the job, it will freak out your audience. And that's a good thing.

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Assistant

Front view (interior)

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MONA LISA EFFECT

The magician tells the audience that despite his occupation that he's a man of culture. Avoiding any jokes about yogurt or yeast (Get it! I kill me - wait that wasn't funny, it's

getting late) he tells the audience that he has been putting together a bit of an art collection. Nothing fancy, just stuff that rolls up or comes with a staple in the middle. He tells the audience that he would like to share with them his latest acquisition and discovery. He introduces his genuine authentic fake imitation of Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. He explains that he has developed a new technique for finding artwork underneath original paintings. He holds a sheet in front of the painting. He lowers the sheet and a woman dressed as the Mona Lisa is standing in front of the painting (the Mona Lisa is no longer on the painting).

METHOD

The assistant is hidden inside the base beneath the painting. When she stands up behind the painting she revolves the painting to the other side (which has the Mona Lisa without the Lisa). The base that she hides in has a gradual incline to it from the front towards the back. This incline is there because the base is never spun around. The sides of the frame have panels that act as baffles that cover the sight lines of people on the extreme sides of the audience.

BACKGROUND

I've always wanted to do a magic effect with a famous piece of artwork. Someday I hope to put my Paulina Poriskova poster to work in this regard. Until then, I have other uses for it.

NOTE

You could obviously use some other work of art besides the Mona Lisa. Unless you were thinking Cezan, that velvet painting of dogs playing poker looks much better next to the window of your double-wide than on stage.

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Side panel

Front

Hiding space

Side view

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THE IMPOSSIBLE CABINET EFFECT

The magician pushes a large cabinet onstage. He opens up the inside to show the empty interior. He closes the cabinet. He opens it again and lets two people step out.

He closes the cabinet and reopens it again - two more people step out. This is repeated with the eventual production of eight people. The curtains begin to close - the magician stops the curtain and pushes the cabinet back onstage. Twenty people step out... METHOD

Two cabinets are used. The first cabinet has several compartments for hiding people. When the curtain is about to be closed the first cabinet is pushed off. The magician steps in back of the curtain and pulls out another cabinet identical to the first. This cabinet doesn't have any secret compartments. It simply has tons of people shoved into it.

BACKGROUND This effect borrows liberally from Guy Jarrett and Rand Woodbury's later interpretation of the Jarret Box, called Geometrically Impossible. I'll admit that when I first saw Rand's effect in IllusionWorks, I was skeptical. Very skeptical. I will now say with no amount of shame that it's my favorite effect out of the whole book. You have to see it to believe it. What starts out as your basic put the girl in to the cabinet and do despicable things to her effect, turns into an incredible production illusion. Just when the audience gets done clapping for a clever effect, bam!, Rand pulls several more girls out of the cabinet - and in g-strings too! What a guy.

NOTE

One of the manufacturing tricks that Rand used on his Geometrically Impossible and that I'll tip here (it's been used before, but Rand showed it to me first) is cheating an inch or more on the sides. This is done by making the side walls out of sheet metal that are bulged outward. If you then cover them with flat black material, you've added several inches of hiding space without increasing the apparent size of the illusion. This works for to reasons; the obvious one being that you increased the interior space, the other reason is that by making the sides flat black, you de-emphasize their presence.

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The first cabinet

Eight very friendly people

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NEWASRAH EFFECT

The magician asks his audience if they've ever woken up from a dream where they felt they were falling — only to wake up with a jolt as if they just fell. He explains his latest

theory. He tells the audience that he suspects that we may actually levitate when we dream. Because he has conditioned himself to go immediately asleep in the presence of darkness, he offers an experiment to prove his dream theory. The magician places himself into a trance. He lies down on a table. Two assistants cover him with a sheet. He then begins to float upwards. Before reaching the top of the stage the sheet falls to the ground. The magician has vanished. Moments later he appears at the back of auditorium. METHOD

When the magician lies down on the table he rolls of it and down a ramp that leads under the back curtain. An Asrah form is then placed into position behind the sheet. The sheet is placed on the form. The form is lifted to the ceiling via wires. The sheet falls off the form because of a thread running from the sheet to the table. (When the form reaches a certain height the thread pulls the sheet of it.)

BACKGROUND I've always wanted to do the Asrah effect where I made myself appear. Vanity is often the driving force behind my illusions.

NOTE

This effect could also be accomplished by using the standard Asrah table with the secret compartment inside of it. My suggestion here of using a ramp that leads to the backstage serves several purposes. The first one being the elimination of the need to push anything off the stage. The second one being that the magician's ability to travel around the theatre to the back of the auditorium quickly is greatly enhanced by the fact that he can already be on his journey by the time the sheet is placed over him. The third reason is that because this effect is often performed very close to the back curtain, it provides a great opportunity to take advantage of the situation of the staging. My fourth and final reason (also the least important) is that if you find yourself performing this effect for magicians (a situation I try to avoid), they'll be waiting for the table to get pushed offstage. When that doesn't happen, they're very likely to be caught by surprise because of their mistaken assumptions.

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Back curtain

Asrah form x

Front Ramp

Side view

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SHADOW CUBE EFFECT

With some really cool music (I mean really cool), two assistants open up the front of a box on top of a stair platform. After showing that the box is empty, they close the front

of the box and drop a work light into it. The light begins to flicker and the form of a person begins to appear. The door opens and the magician steps out. He closes the front of the box and gestures towards it. The shadows of two people begin to form. He

opens the box and produces two assistants. METHOD

The magician and his assistants are hidden inside the stair platform. When it's time for them to appear they climb from the platform to behind the light. They create the weird shadows by moving the light around their body.

BACKGROUND This is actually one of the first big illusions my father and I built. The stair design was all his. You could fit six people in that sucker. They were insane. Thanks dad. He designed it so it could break down into three sections that would fit inside of a station wagon. Of course, when my parents got rid of the station wagon I had to find a new way to transport it. Eventually I ended up replacing the staircase with a single set of stairs that Rand Woodbury lent me. I would have kept the big stair case if only it wasn't as big as my apartment.

NOTE

You don't have to use the staircase for only this effect. I found that when it came time to replace an illusion in my show, it was pretty simple to stick something else on top of the stairs. I've used it for my Death Box, an appearance behind a curtain, and as a simple platform to just elevate myself off the stage.

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Actual space

Overhead view of the inside of the stairs

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Glossary of terms ASRAH

The Asrah illusion was invented by Servais Leroy. The principal behind it is a wire form in the shape of a person. When covered with a cloth, the form makes it appear that someone is under the cloth. The form is painted black and made from very narrow gauge wire. From a distance and under the proper lighting, the form is invisible.

BASE

The table beneath an illusion. Usually containing a secret compartment that conceals completely or partially a person or object.

BEVEL BASE

A beveled base is a table or platform that has sloping sides. The angled sides mask the actual thickness of the table allowing for a secret compartment to conceal either a person or object.

BLACK ART

A principal developed for stage by either Max Auzinger or Buatier De Kolta. When an object that is painted or covered in flat black is in front of a back drop that is also flat black, it becomes invisible. A "black art" can also be used to describe the material used to cover the object.

FAKE

A gimmick that is intended to represent something else.

FORM

A gimmick that is the shape or appearance of something else.

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GIMMICK

Any device, apparatus, or method used to accomplish an illusion or effect.

ILLUSION

An effect or prop used for magical purposes. ILLUSIONIST

A magician with a checkbook and a mini-van.

MIRROR EFFECT

The use of a mirror or mirrors to create a secret space. MR HAPPY SOCKY

The pinnacle of high-tech magic apparatus.

PYRO

Abbreviation for pyrotechnic. An explosion or flash effect used for dramatic staging.

SHELL

A hollow object that represents part of another object or person.

SPHINX TABLE

An illusion invented by Professor Thomas W. Tobin. Two mirrors at a 45-degree angle to the audience reflecting the sides of whatever object is next to them as the back.

TRAP

A hidden door or hatch.

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Bibliography and recommended reading

Art and Artifice by Jim Steinmeyer

Base Book, The by Rand Woodbury Big Black Book, The by Paul Osborne Darwin's Inexpensive Illusions by Gary Darwin Device and Illusion by Jim Steinmeyer Diversions by Rand Woodbury Encyclopedia of Magic and Magicians by T.A. Waters Haunted Illusions by Paul Osborne Illusion Show Know-How by Paul Osborne Illusion Systems Volumes 1,2,3, and 4 by Paul Osborne Illusions by Paul Osborne Illusionworks Volumes 1,2, and 3 by Rand Woodbury Jarrett by Jim Steinmeyer

Our Magic by Maskelyne and Devant Paragon and Paradox by Milan Forzetting SOLO-X til Andrew MByTH NuriMl F« by Antn. M>yn> Mid MO|D by Andrew MiyiM MM ft* \r, Art**. Msyne Shock Itaglc by Andrew Mayne

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