Yes, you are right to say that DC is a perfectionist. Therefore like a perfectionist, he will make sure ALL his performances run well, by hook or by crook. Of course, there is a possibility that he has perfected the required skill to perform this routine flawlessly EVERYTIME. But to say that there is never a screw-up (at least not that I have heard of) for this routine in his 1000 plus performances is unthinkable. Even machines break down, let alone mortals. But is there a chance of him hitting home runs in EVERY performances? Of course!! It's just a matter of how high the probability, that's all. I mean, tiny elements can caused failures in live performances. Why do you think singers lip-syn? Even the best singers do that. Why? Cos they are mortals afterall - mortals who do not perform at their very best everyday of their lives. A flu, a sore throat, a breakup with a boyfriend etc... basically anything can cause hiddcups in live performances. A less-than-perfect thumb break, and you won't see an ace popping out of the deck. So if you ask me, "which would be harder, performing an effect flawlessly every night, or making sure everything matched up with the camera, getting in and out, etc every night?", I would say the former. I mean, can anyone confidently claim that he can perform at his best everyday? I mean, look at Tiger Woods! Doesn't he put in enough effort? Isn't he a perfectionist? Isn't he a talent? Just look at his performance last year, and then tell me how you can equate a perfectionist to being PERFECT. A 'perfectionist' is one striving for perfection who himself is not. Cos if he is, he won't have to strive for perfection anymore. As we all know, no one is perfect, neither is DC. Conversely, human makes mistake, and DC being a human, naturally makes mistakes too.

But as I said earlier in my previous post, I was basically commenting on the assumed technique required of this effect from a technical standpoint. I mentioned the possibility of a camera trick only because of what respho said about DC's 1000 plus performances. Whether or not he has cards under the leader ace, or if he uses camera tricks, or whether he is the son of the Devil, or if the whole hall of audiences are stooges, we will never know. We can only speculate and judge for ourselves which speculation among all has the highest chance of being the answer to the problem.

Hey Simon, I believe what we saw from the Illusion DVD was taken from one of the DC's best performances of the trick (possibly recorded in the studio). I really think that his average performance in front of a live audience is not as good.

To answer the question whether it's easier to perform the trick live vs doing a camera sync, I'd say the former is easier. I am a perfectionist myself, but my camera man isn't. It's more effort for me to coordinate with my camera man compared to perfecting the sleights myself. In my last week's performance someone decided to change the lights during the trick. If I were to use a pre-recorded video it would have been exposed!

I also want to say that DC is not afraid of taking risks/making mistakes. Let me list a few examples here:

His Ferrari dropped once during the levitation
He got stuck once during the flying illusion
His Floating Rose hookup broke, and he recovered from it (using a spare hookup I guess)
He cut his finger during the Mac King rope routine

I'd say it's a big embarrasement when a levitation trick fails, yet DC is not afraid of it and continues to perform certain high risk tricks.

Being a perfectionist, I'm sure that DC practices before every show. I imagine that if it didn't feel right on that particular night, he would not perform the trick. Perhaps an example of this: during his "Dreams and Nightmares" tour, the program said something to the effect of "the illusions performed in tonight's program will be selected from the following..." listing many illusions. Did he perform them all? No. An example I vividly remember: "Snow" was listed in the program, but he did not perform it. He did perform "Grandpa's Aces," and immediately at the end of it, the camera pointed into the audience, something not done on the TV special. I cast my vote for it being done live, and done flawlessly every night that he performed it.
Brandon

Respho, if you really are a perfectionist, then maybe you would have hired a like-minded cameraman!! JUst joking... But seriously, ever thought of changing that cameraman of yours?

Well, I am not saying he did or didn't use pre-recorded footage...but aiming the camera at the audience doesn't mean it was pre-recorded. The feeds to the big screen can be changed....

True. Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through just for the performance of a card effect, though...

Brandon

Just thought I would ring in here in this debate. I have always thought that DC paused with the leader ace over the deck to lead magicians to believe something such as a load was taking place. Yes it does look like "something" happens because of his action. If magicians discovered how the aces were really loaded under the leader ace then they would all of a sudden have a lot less respect for Copperfield. Everybody who has it...go back and watch the illusion DVD again and consider another possibility. Once the leader ace is placed on the table does it stay in view the whole time?.....think about it people. I am not going to spell it out for you because I don't like exposure.

PM if you think you know what I am talking about and we can carry on our theorectical discussion in private.

And BTW....does anyone know of a load that looks anything like what he did on the special? I don't...but my knowledge of such moves is limited. I have tried many things and all I know is that in the amount of time available for the load to take place it would be nearly impossible to load 3 cards underneath the leader ace and make them perfectly aligned. It was just too fair. I wouldn't put it past him or Kenner to try some alternative method...wink wink! Nor would I put it past him to do a bunch of unecessary stuff just to keep those in the know wondering about what's really going on.

I know of a load. Don't know if it's in print. If it isn't in print, maybe I came up with it then. It takes less than a sec to load the 3 cards if perfected. I have shot it using my camera phone, but don't know how to shoot it with a camera and load it to the net. Maybe some of you guys can enlighten me, and I will post the video on the net.

True, making the 3 aces align perfectly is not easy, but not impossible. But nonetheless, a slight misalignment is not easy spotted over the TV. The leader ace was not in view after it was placed down on the table anyway. I may not understand completely what you are saying McScratchy, nor what you are trying to imply. But you are entitled to your views. But a load of perfect alignment is possible, and I can do it. Teach me what to shoot it with and how to upload it, and I will share it with all of you.

It is simply too unimaginable IF DC placed the leader ace on the deck just to confused magicians. I think that maybe we are the ones trying to confuse ourselves. Sometimes it is our mind that thinks to complexly when things are quite simple in nature. Lets not forget that there are explanations for what were done, and I believe until we exhaust and eliminate all possiblities, each and everyone of them is still very plausible. Isn't what we are discussing now a process of exhaustion and elimination? Just because something seems impossible to you, or the fact that you can't accomplish certain stuff, doesn't mean it's impossible. In magic, nothing is impossible, as long as we have hope and faith in our beliefs.

What makes hope reality, is faith. Magic is everything about hope, dreams and faith.

I know of a load. Don't know if it's in print. If it isn't in print, maybe I came up with it then. It takes less than a sec to load the 3 cards if perfected. I have shot it using my camera phone, but don't know how to shoot it with a camera and load it to the net. Maybe some of you guys can enlighten me, and I will post the video on the net.

True, making the 3 aces align perfectly is not easy, but not impossible. But nonetheless, a slight misalignment is not easy spotted over the TV. The leader ace was not in view after it was placed down on the table anyway. I may not understand completely what you are saying McScratchy, nor what you are trying to imply. But you are entitled to your views. But a load of perfect alignment is possible, and I can do it. Teach me what to shoot it with and how to upload it, and I will share it with all of you.

It is simply too unimaginable IF DC placed the leader ace on the deck just to confused magicians. I think that maybe we are the ones trying to confuse ourselves. Sometimes it is our mind that thinks to complexly when things are quite simple in nature. Lets not forget that there are explanations for what were done, and I believe until we exhaust and eliminate all possiblities, each and everyone of them is still very plausible. Isn't what we are discussing now a process of exhaustion and elimination? Just because something seems impossible to you, or the fact that you can't accomplish certain stuff, doesn't mean it's impossible. In magic, nothing is impossible, as long as we have hope and faith in our beliefs.

What makes hope reality, is faith. Magic is everything about hope, dreams and faith.

Moderators,

This thread borders on method and exposure.

Enigmo