# Magic and Magicians. How do they do it?



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

I am a fan of magicians and have always enjoyed their slight of hand, but lately I see more and more outrageous illusions and have begin to wonder how they are even possible.

I have watched three David Blaine shows recently and can't figure out how he does things like walking down the side of a hotel in Las Vegas or standing on a 100 foot high pole for 35 hours, then jumps off. Or he climbs or reaches through a pane of solid glass. He even levitates on the street, but he sets himself up so carefully, I suspect magnets in both shoes and sidewalk might be the method here.

Anyone have any idea how these things are done? Houdini was one thing, but modern magicians are quite another.


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

It's magic?


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## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

A Magician never reveals his secrets


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

The wall walking feats (and extreme magic that appear to defy logic) are nothing more than wire stunts and creative editing of footage. You can do a search on Google for Chris Angel (or David Blaine) and there are sites that discuss how the more outrageous tricks are done.

The original levitation trick is a matter of perspective. The person is actually standing on the ball of one foot while the other acts suspended. I have a friend who does this for fun. It helps if they where slightly baggy pants (or loose cut.) You'll notice it's always done at certain angles. There have been exagerrated versions where the guy levitates several feet in the air--it's all wires and editing. They show the extreme version while intercutting people's reactions.

The walking (or crawling) through the glass window is a large-scale version of a card trick. The short story is: there's a sliding panel that you can't see. 

The slight of hand stuff is always interesting... I love it. True magic, IMHO.


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## Loafer (Jan 7, 2004)

« MannyP Design » said:


> The original levitation trick is a matter of perspective. The person is actually standing on the ball of one foot while the other acts suspended. I have a friend who does this for fun. It helps if they where slightly baggy pants (or loose cut.) You'll notice it's always done at certain angles. There have been exagerrated versions where the guy levitates several feet in the air--it's all wires and editing. They show the extreme version while intercutting people's reactions.


hehehehe, exactly, I used to do this for my nephews and to say they thought I was a freakin' god or something would be an understatement. Kids love that one!


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

« MannyP Design » said:


> The slight of hand stuff is always interesting... I love it. True magic, IMHO.


That's what I meant MannyP.

I have seen many live magicians over the years and they fool me every time. I know the hand is quicker than the eye, but it is such fun.

Today's complicated stuff is lost on me.


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## depmode101 (Sep 4, 2002)

some of david blanes slight of hand tricks are real - however, some of his other Tricks are made to look better by tv trickery which is too bad.

The levitating trick looks good in person, but David Blane overdoes it by showing tv shots which are not possible. The real trick uses no magnets, and you don’t have to hold onto anything to make it look good. he also overdoes it by falling over after "coming back down to the ground" and almost fainting. 

There is a real good magic store in the city called "the browsers den of magic" http://www.browsersden.com you can buy a lot of tricks there and learn how to do them - some can be done more easily than others, and the more Time you put into the trick, the better the trick looks.Although, finding out how a trick is done, does ruin the element that the tricks appear to be.

David ben http://www.davidben.com is a great magician that performs from time to time in the city, and if you ever get a chance you should go see him - much better than David Blane.


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

SINC said:


> That's what I meant MannyP.
> 
> I have seen many live magicians over the years and they fool me every time. I know the hand is quicker than the eye, but it is such fun.
> 
> Today's complicated stuff is lost on me.


I saw a show about Vegas cheaters (people who try to beat casinos) and there was one fellow who had the most amazing slights of hand ever seen... he would pull the most daring tricks within inches of a dealer/cooler--better than any magician, IMHO. He dealt a full deck of cards to the interviewer--except with every card that emerged, it immediately disappeared. When the last card was dealt he revealed his empty hands. :yikes:

He had never been caught and retired from gambling... I believe he offers his services to casinos to catch thieves for a pretty penny. 

Amazing.


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## Rob777 (Dec 17, 2002)

I watched a TV show a couple of weeks ago about those slight of hand tricks. Apparently, it's all about distraction (obviously). They get to pay attention to something else while they do what they need to do. I've noticed that usually when they are doing tricks they are always talking. The show did the trick twice, once with talking, and once without. It was amazing how much more you notice when there is no talking.


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## LaurieR (Feb 9, 2006)

« MannyP Design » said:


> ... he would pull the most daring tricks within inches of a dealer/cooler--better than any magician, IMHO.


So coolers really are used in casinos? And they actually work?


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## ErnstNL (Apr 12, 2003)

Magic is illusion and deception, magic is entertainment.
I love the new magicians who have taken tricks beyond David Copperfield. 


Most magicians practice their craft honestly. Is a person claiming to heal the sick and to proclaim to read their minds to reveal innermost secrets really a magician or a healer who God speaks through?
Too many have used magic skills to deceive and dupe honest people for personal gain. 
There are honest magicians who have taken up the challange to expose and advertise these hucksters. Penn and Teller like to teach their audiences how simple illusions were performed.
James Randi has exposed and challenged those who proclaim to have paranormal/supernatural/super powers to a million-dollar challange. None have passed a preliminary test. . 
http://www.randi.org/research/index.html


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

Sinc, I saw how the levitation stunt was done. My son's friend found out and showed him and he, in turn, showed me. I can't really explain it since it has to be seen to be understood. It is an optical illusion, in that you see what looks like levitation, but it is not.

Blaine's other acts are incredible.


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

When I was about 12, I went through my magic phase. I had the fortune to meet both John Scarne (he doubled for actor Paul Newman's hands during scenes that involved card manipulations and deck switching in the movie "The Sting"), who got me hooked on his game, Teeko, and The Amazing Randi. I hurt two of my fingers playing blacktop basketball (New York City rules) and that ended my "career" at being a card magician. Such is Life.


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## RevMatt (Sep 10, 2005)

Magic!


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

LaurieR said:


> So coolers really are used in casinos? And they actually work?


Not in the William H. Macey sense, no.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Funny I just learned the term watching that movie last night :clap:

I find the close up magic fascinating especially with personal jewelry and such where something ends up in some one's wallet.

The illusions are neat but the intight magic and sleight of hand - card tricks etc are mesmerizing - pardon the pun


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## Chealion (Jan 16, 2001)

The thing to remember about the TV shows is that they are nowhere near as impromptu as they seem. They have time and money to set things up. (The glass trick involves a rather expensive prop).


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

I guess it fascinates because we all wonder how they do it at the time we see it done.

As time passes and some things are revealed, it does not seem so astounding as that first time.


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