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Bryan Gilles Inner circle Northern California 1732 Posts |
I've been toying with building either a Shadow Box or Smoke Chamber as an appearance effect... What are pros and cons of each and any recommendations on what Smoke Chamber or Shadow Box to build?
Bryan |
Frank Simpson Special user SW Montana 883 Posts |
I think that in terms of practicality, a shadow box is going to be a whole lot easier to build. Personally I prefer it as an effect to watch too. To me it just seems more magical, and it does leave a lot of room for "interpretation" in performance. I believe it leaves you a bit more room for versatility in the future. By this I mean that you can have your assistants produce you from the shadow box. After a couple of seasons you may come up with a different opener, in which case you could use the shadow box to produce an assistant. Dramatically speaking, the smoke chamber is best to produce the magician, and might seem a bit out of place used in a different show spot.
Depending on the "load method" used, the shadow box does tend to be more angle-dependent, but for a theatrical setting this should not prove to be too difficult. Ultimately I think the most important question (and a question that only you can answer) is: which is going to be better in your show? They're both great illusions, but which one best suits your performance style and personality? |
MAGICofSeth Regular user 106 Posts |
My vote is also for the Shadow Box. Not only for the construction issues, but also for performance reasons. Once your chamber fills with smoke, and you step out, letting the smoke out with you, where will it all go? Most auditoriums are not well ventilated. You may perform the first half of your show in a haze. You might also affect your audience with the smoke. I have used both effects, and the shadow box seems to get a better reaction for me. I imagine it is because when you fill a box with smoke, it is like pulling the wool over their eyes. Like holding something behind your back and saying, "don't look for a second". With the Shadow Box people think they see parts of you appear. That they can still "see" inside the box because someone has demonstrated the box is empty and anything inside will make a shadow. Of course, these are my own strange ideas as to why I get better results with one trick than another.
Good Luck! |
Kevin Ridgeway V.I.P. Indianapolis, IN & Phoenix, AZ 1832 Posts |
Just to clear the air...no pun intended...LOL
There are foggers on the market that use a quick dissipating fluid. We use two of them in our show. The fog dissipates just slightly slower than CO2 cloud bursts, which is very quick. We use them as a special effect in place of pyro, which we no longer use. It is a great alternative. It can be colored with lights or made to be brilliant white. After the fog is turned off with the onboard DMX it is gone in under three seconds. I have yet to see any other magic shows take advantage of this technology...especially those with smoke chambers. So it may be time to trade up old technology for new. A good buddy of mine is picking up a smoke chamber as I write this and he will be using this style of fogger and fluid. Sorry to deviate from which opening is better...just thought I would shed some light on the supposed cons of the smoke chamber. Now back to the regularly scheduled thread. Kevin
Living Illusions
Ridgeway & Johnson Entertainment Inc Kevin Ridgeway & Kristen Johnson aka Lady Houdini The World's Premier Female Escape Artist www.LadyHoudini.com www.livingillusions.com |
Ben Whiting Loyal user Traverse City, MI 246 Posts |
I use Jack Murray's Quicksilver to open my show... the responses I've received for it so far have exceeded all my expectations!
http://www.dream-illusions.com |
Frank Simpson Special user SW Montana 883 Posts |
Kevin-
Great information! The pun...well, not so much! Is this a different fluid that is used in a standard fogger, or is it a different type of fogger altogether? |
Kevin Ridgeway V.I.P. Indianapolis, IN & Phoenix, AZ 1832 Posts |
Frank...
It is both a different fogger and fluid. Look foggers from Germany...the Model is the Viper. The fluid is the quick dissipating fluid. The importer for the U.S. is Theatre Effects. We happen to be a dealer for them...but this was for education not a sales pitch. As mentioned, we are sold on them and use two of them in our show, as well as Look's hazers. All their foggers and hazers have DMX onboard. We have placed them in other touring shows as well as placed them in installs, such as churches in Indianapolis. Kevin
Living Illusions
Ridgeway & Johnson Entertainment Inc Kevin Ridgeway & Kristen Johnson aka Lady Houdini The World's Premier Female Escape Artist www.LadyHoudini.com www.livingillusions.com |
Ben Whiting Loyal user Traverse City, MI 246 Posts |
Where is the best place to get a chiller to make low-lying fog?
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spignataro New user 20 Posts |
http://gotfog.com/fog_machine_chiller.html
Why not make your own?!!!!! Anyway, if you are looking for fog chillers just do a google search and you will find a LOT of them: http://www.google.com/search?q=fog+chill......official Hope that helps. |
Kevin Ridgeway V.I.P. Indianapolis, IN & Phoenix, AZ 1832 Posts |
Ben...
Theatre Effects has various good models. It depends on what type of chiller you want...dry ice, regular ice or CO2. I believe Steven Kline uses one of the dry ice/regular ice models. We also installed a dry ice/regular ice model in another touring performer's show. Kevin
Living Illusions
Ridgeway & Johnson Entertainment Inc Kevin Ridgeway & Kristen Johnson aka Lady Houdini The World's Premier Female Escape Artist www.LadyHoudini.com www.livingillusions.com |
Stanyon Inner circle Landrum, S.C. by way of Chicago 3433 Posts |
Back to the original question...,
As an opener I would prefer the Smoke Chamber, as an interlude piece the Shadow Box. JMHO Cheers!
Stanyon
aka Steve Taylor "Every move a move!" "If you've enjoyed my performance half as much as I've enjoyed performing for you, then you've enjoyed it twice as much as me!" |
Michael Taggert Special user Fredericksburg Virginia 656 Posts |
Im on the side of what works best for your personal show. My show would look great with a smoke chamber but I currently am using a shadow box because of the opening music and theme. I don't worry too much about the smoke: we currently use a hazer throughout the show, which to me is more offensive than fog juice. I have not had any complaints. The thought of using dmx is superior. Most theaters worth playing are already dmx integrated. Now if we could figure out how to load the trucks with dmx we would all be better off.
(ok so I'll pull that one from the joke list) |
Chris Stolz Inner circle Mississauga, Ontario 1958 Posts |
I have to agree with Stanyon on this one. I think the Smoke Chamber is far better suited for an opener than the Shadow Box.
Chris Stolz
BLACK ART BOOK: Hiding In The Shadows. |
Frank Simpson Special user SW Montana 883 Posts |
Chris-
While it is true that the Smoke Chamber is well-suited to be used as an opener, I don't think you can necessarily say it is better-suited. Doug Henning opened many tours with the Shadow Box, and to great acclaim. Like any illusion, it's all in presentation. The individual performer's show, style, etc. is what will determine which illusion is the better opener, not the prop. |
Tony S Special user New York 582 Posts |
I've used the shadow box as an opener, and it always worked well. I'm actually considering making it my opener again.
Tony |
Chris Stolz Inner circle Mississauga, Ontario 1958 Posts |
Good call Frank. I should have been more specific in my opinion there. I like the smoke chamber for an opener simply because I feel that it's a little more clear cut. I find that it's far more direct for an opening illusion. The chamber is obviously empty, filled with smoke, and the performer appears. With the shadow box it doesn't have that same sense of 100% empty to me.
This of course is only my opinion and I'm sure that many of you have some GREAT reasons why a shadow box would work well for your opener and power to ya! The above is simply my own personal opinion as a magician audience member. Chris.
Chris Stolz
BLACK ART BOOK: Hiding In The Shadows. |
DanielSteep Inner circle 1409 Posts |
I owuld have to go with the smoke chamber .. I think it is a better opener
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Face Elite user 495 Posts |
Defenately Shadow Box.
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sethman Regular user 145 Posts |
The smoke chamber has my vote.
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magicman414 Regular user Oklahoma 157 Posts |
Why not combine them, A smoke chamber with lights in back of it to produce your shadow?
Cameron
Cameron
Square-Circle: $59.99 Smoke Chamber: $1,299 Showing up at work with a bad hair day dressed like a clown, and your clients are 7 years old: Priceless Some things money can't buy For everything else there's Magster Card |
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