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Rick Fisher Elite user Rick Fisher 471 Posts |
Our plastic zombie looks like a real chrome ball. We have sold dozens of them - they don't dent or break - we call it Dream Zombie because it weighs only 3 oz! We had metal ones spun at one time but they all had a satin finish. These balls are a joy to use.
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magicians Inner circle Teacher and Legend 2898 Posts |
In the 80's I put a zombie ball on the market called the spririt of 76'.
It was made from a vacuum plated Christmas ornament (unlike some that are out there now). The h**e fit a wire like the styro-foam balls version used. 5" diameter. Came in silver or gold. Dollar stores have a version of them this time of year which would require rubber stopper gimmicks. --------------- Like Ricks, the weight advantage makes for some impossible moves plus they don't dent. Great for my routine. http://magicians.podbean.com/village-ball/
Illusionist, Illusionist consulting, product development, stage consultant, seasoned performer for over 35 years. Specializing in original effects. Highly opinionated, usually correct, and not afraid of jealous critics. I've been a puppet, a pirate, a pawn and a King. Free lance gynecologist.
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Drake New user I feel bad having only 59 Posts |
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On 2008-08-10 11:40, magicians wrote: That was a really nice presentation, loved it. |
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ChrisCroydon_02 New user Vienna, Austria 8 Posts |
Well, what I can say to the zombie and my experience with it.
I first acquired the Zombie in the US in some magic shop on Long Island in the late 80ties. But had bad experiences since the ball was two shells of “fairly” light metal (even sort of soft thus it easily got distortions or marks because fall it did) that fit together making the shiny ball, but still very heavy when on the gimmick, lever force on finger! What is more, the spiral was of hard metal and not even an inch of length thus it hurt at lot when doing especially slow moves, which still I feel the zombie needs to perform convincingly and elegant. I had a cloth that was 100 percent cotton (magic shop extra pay) and black on the back—stitched by mother, this added weight galore to the ball once under the cloth. My finger ached after the maybe two minutes of hovering in the air, as you might imagine. I had no video and just a very brief description of the trick and some fellow magicians (friends that happened to be magicians) who advised me to use a styro-foam ball instead and conjure up my own zombie by making a hole and bending some wire. I gave up on that as well since a tiny hole is hard to find when trying to get the wire in during performance on stage, which I wanted to do, otherwise it was not convincing to me. Ball should be untouched throughout the zombie floating routine. Later I came up with a bigger hole in the styro ball and used one of the very light gimmicks you can buy at magic dealers if you talk them into it well, without the ball thus cheaper, a left over, with a plastic thimble on one end and a spiral that fitted my finger much better since longer. The hole I easily made by one of the kitchen utensils by which normally you punch out the core of an apple, “snatched” from mother's kitchen. The right size for the thimble and hole, you have to make some adjustments though, but styro-foam gives way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--JpLmu7kDk here you see the early version silver ball and pink cloth with dragon ornament, tough job, and you also can see the improvement same costume but different improved props! For my later improvement of the ending of my floating routine, with input from Hardy Werner, Vienna, Austria, many thanks to him!!, you can see at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp7KmowfDPA Do you see it vanish? ) The basic idea of lantern on stage was from Jimmy Bix Vienna, Austria in the 80ties, I guess he was thinking of Lance Burton, I was not -- unlicked cub that I was -- I did not even know he was there those days. I hope I could contribute some insightful personal experience and am happy if I can get suggestions for my improvement as well. Many thanks for attention and concern, Cheerio, Conjurer Chris Croydon from Vienna, Austria. Click here to view attached image. |
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SpellbinderEntertainment Inner circle West Coast 3519 Posts |
Hello Chris and everyone.
There are some basic Zombie rules which can greatly improve any performance. (These are not mine, but have developed over the years the effect has been around.) --When the performer moves the object does not move it stays in place. When the object if moving the performer does not move he/she stays in place. --Give the floated object personality and life, like a puppet or vent figure, and motivation for moving at all. Once you know the objects personality, whims, wishes, and motivation, then you know what speed it should move at, and why it is floating the way it does. --Less is more. Keep a floating object routine short, decide on a length, then after practice and rehearsal, chop the performance time in about half. E.G. a cane about fifteen seconds, a table about one minute to one and one-half, a ball one and one-half to two-minutes. --The original premise was that the ball was solid and therefore heavy, it takes acting and mime to give the ball weight (and/or a switch) but a heavy object floating is more magically impressive than a light object floating, therefore while the idea of a lamp-shade is quite original and impressive, it can lose some impact because by nature a lamp-shade is hollow and light. Finally, in my opinion a Styrofoam ball or even a plastic one just does not cut it. They look cheap and don’t move nearly as well, if you love the effect, invest in the finest quality metal ball you can afford (mine is a 24K gold plated vintage Abbotts). I could go on and on, but better you should read Al Schneider’s Zombie book, or get the Zombie Reanimated DVD set from Jeb Sherrill, or watch the Neil Foster performance on the Don Alan Magic Ranch TV videos. Magically, Walt |
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magicians Inner circle Teacher and Legend 2898 Posts |
I have sold, performed, and even manufactured zombie balls. No matter what they are made of, the magician has to sell the premise.
There are classic moves that defy a logical conclusion. All in all, consider that the zombie was a toilet float when Joe Karson created it. And the styro ball may be tacky looking up close, but it too has merit in the right hands. The Morrissey magic two piece zombie balls, are heavy, and I have 3, 4 and 5" sizes in gold and silver. The scratch and dent easily, but if your gimmick is secure as you perform, you will have success. I modified some vacuum-plated plastic balls with great success in the 80's, they were seamless and indestructible. They were the preferred ball to use with my special gimmick (see link in my other posts). My ultimate goal is to do a simulation of contact juggling (which is a beautiful effect) and then have the ball float. Maybe even switch a silver lacrosse ball for the zombie and drop it with a thud at the end of the routine.
Illusionist, Illusionist consulting, product development, stage consultant, seasoned performer for over 35 years. Specializing in original effects. Highly opinionated, usually correct, and not afraid of jealous critics. I've been a puppet, a pirate, a pawn and a King. Free lance gynecologist.
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Hare Veteran user 323 Posts |
Raymond Crowe's work with zombie is sublime, and forces a magician to reconsider what is important about any trick involving weightlessness and general floatility.
I think it ought to be mandatory for any aspiring sphere shepards.
"Better described in The Amateur Magician's Handbook"
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Stucky Inner circle I'm Batman! 1355 Posts |
A bunch of us saw Jimmy Fingers at WMS do a SUPERB zombie ball routine. The ball had a life of it's own, comedy, and a little conflict. One of the best I have seen in some time.
Official Thread Killer
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magic4545 Inner circle Jimmy Fingers 1159 Posts |
Thanks, Stucky... love the log rolls!
Yeah, Zombie is amazing when you don't try to get too fancy and overly creative with it. Zombie is a true test of your movement, mime and clowning skills. Walt is a genius, and I still disagree about the composition of the ball... He thinks that it has to be metal, or people will know it's not real... I'm satisfied with a lighter weight mylar ball. But, the most important thing is to handle it like it's heavy when it's not outside of your hand. Think shotput, not ornament. Also, another concept is moving one direction while it is going the other. In improv, agreement is important, but in mime, resistance and physics-based conflict creates miracles. The most important aspect of Zombie for me is gimmick management... LOCK THAT LUNA!!! I like Raymond Crowe's work, but it's all for magicians. Make sure that you keep it short, and combine concepts. Don't just avoid the gimmick to tell everybody that you don't have a gimmick. You're losing out on too many cool visuals and positions. Also, I like to humanize and animate the ball. Just as important... Never forget that the magic is in the silver ball. In my opinion, all of the other objects and colors of the ball just never have the elegance and beauty of the mirrored finish of a softball sized zombie ball. My only regret about my routine is the fast moves that are used at certain points. I'm a firm believer that if this thing is that heavy, it shouldn't move fast. But, every now and then I get carried away. I've been doing it for over 3 decades, and I STILL can't control myself. The problem with the Vernet ball is that there is a point of reference on the ball, denoting a specific point of contact. A smooth, direction neutral ball is the key to the zombie's mysterious presence. Ultimately, the zombie's power relies HUGELY on YOUR presence on stage. The performer who can go onto the stage without ANY props, and work an open mic comedy club without any props or hack will be much more able to pull this miracle off effectively than the guy who is leaning too heavily on this prop as a crutch. Or the mime who can draw a crowd on the street, even better if he can do it WITHOUT the clown white. Presence is the key to this. Command the stage, be commanded by the ball. There is the conflict! The zombie just reminds me that my favorite effects (streamer, MY rope through body, zombie, MY acaanr, Magellan levitation, SBO, my dove act, Choppo, even Slamdown, to some degree) are mostly mime. Hear the words of Mickey Silver. Feel them. Live them. Jimmy Fingers |
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Brent McLeod Inner circle 1792 Posts |
Good topic
Theres some fabulous advice above-take note!! I have performed Zombie for over 25years Professionally in clubs & stage Influences recently are Jeff McBrides advice on his stage DVDS, Tim Wrights video is a classic for teaching as are Books by Joe Karson, Tommy Wonder etc.. The effect as mentioned must be relitively short -I use about 75-80 secs to music The effect is meant to be used to music-its one of those tricks!!!! Your mime & body language & character of the ball is paramount to a great effect rather than a ball on a stick!! This takes time & many shows to actually workby watching lay audience reactions to different moves etc have fun... |
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Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts |
Search Charlie Frye on you tube and see a hilarious routine. Otherwise my advice to most that want to work with a zombie ball is to get a rehearsal area, place the ball on the floor and jump up and down on it. Then figure out something else to float.
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
Pete, that is harsh, maybe you are telling the next "Charlie Frye" to not pursue a fabulous presentation.
That is like telling "Charlie Frye" that he could not compare to Neil Foster or Lance Burton, so why try to "make it his own". |
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Alan Munro Inner circle Kentwood, Michigan, USA 5952 Posts |
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On 2008-08-05 21:32, ibm_usa wrote: I second that suggestion. Craft stores have the right balls and a hardware store should have a pliable, yet rigid wire. You won't even need a cork. When it comes to metal zombies, I'm spoiled. I own an original RNT gold zombie. I hate the Morrissey - looks more like a percolator than a magical object. The seam is awful! The Ickle Pickle model is nice, but it has a satin finish. |
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Brent McLeod Inner circle 1792 Posts |
Charlies zombie bowling ball routine is certainly original at that!!
Fabulous entertainment but that's what makes him one of the best !!! |
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Cyberqat Inner circle You can tell I work on the net from my 2209 Posts |
You know... maybe this makes me a GDA (G_D Amature) But I learned with a styrofoam Miracle Ball as a kid because it was all I could afford.
I recently bought the metal ball I thought I always wanted... and I hate it. Its too heavy. It means the gimmick has to be shorter and stiffer, which robs it of the floating bounce that I developed and really works for me. I pulled out my old Miracle Ball, and its as good as ever. I'm thinking I'm going to go down to the craft store and get a bunch of different sized styrofoam balls and them experiment with metallic paints.
It is always darkest just before you are eaten by a grue.
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Cyberqat Inner circle You can tell I work on the net from my 2209 Posts |
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On 2009-12-24 15:47, Rick Fisher wrote: I just saw this... your ball looks like *exactly* what I want! I'm going to hold off trying to make my own and give yours a try. P.S. Hardest part of that order for me was choosing a color. If I like it, I might be back for one or two more Will you sell just the ball and stand without the gimmick if I want to get another color or two?
It is always darkest just before you are eaten by a grue.
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Anatole Inner circle 1912 Posts |
I agree that maybe Zombie has been overdone at magic club meetings and magicians' conventions, but I also think that a lot of people in the lay public have not seen it. I've been in magic since the 1960's, and I still enjoy seeing a zombie routine done well, just like I enjoy seeing card manipulations or billiard balls done well.
Also, I personally still prefer Lance Burton's original zombie routine. A floating silver sphere has more appeal to me than a floating bird cage. Bird cages aren't supposed to float. But silver spheres have a mysterious quality to them. And give the audience credit. If they've seen one object floating around on a foulard, they've seen 'em all, whether it's a violin, a bird cage, a mask, or a stalk of celery. Besides, with the bird cage, you lose the deceptive strength of a sphere that has no identifying characteristic that betrays its angle of tilt. To me, seeing someone perform a good zombie routine at a magic convention would be like hearing a good singer at a concert sing an Irving Berlin standard. Of course, I would expect the people booking the talent at any show to make sure that if there are two or more magicians in the line-up, that no trick duplication occurs, just like I would expect talent agents to make sure that in a line-up of singers that no songs are duplicated. I did a cancer charity benefit once and Amanda Blake (Miss Kitty from "Gunsmoke") was in the audience. After my performance, she came up to me and said how much she liked my presentation of the "trick with the rings." She said up front that she had seen quite a few magicians do the ring trick, but the trick was a special favorite of hers, and although my routine came straight out of Henry Hay's _The Amateur Magician's Handbook_ with all the figures (globe, flower, pretzel, etc)--it was something she really enjoyed. At least Pete qualified his comments on Zombie presentations by addressing them to "most" of the people who want to work with a zombie ball, and not "all." ----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez
----- Sonny Narvaez
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Kent Wong Inner circle Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 2458 Posts |
I posted this link on another thread a while back, but it seems appropriate here. The most important aspect of the floating ball is the character or personality of the ball itself. Is it dark and ominous? Is it playful and friendly? Is it wild and mischievous? The personality of the ball will dictate the moves that make sense within your routine. I owned a Zombie Ball ever since I was 8 years old. But I seldom performed it because I wasn't able to properly define its character.
Recently, that changed. I now perform the floating ball as part of my Tribute to Parents routine. As stated in the introduction, the ball represents life. As parents, we nurture and care for it. We help it to grow and achieve an sense of independence. And then one day, it blossoms into an individual all its own. The floating ball routine is purposely short and serves as a transition to the larger production. Anyways, here a link to the first time I ever performed this routine: http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=9188869169720407905 Kent
"Believing is Seeing"
<BR>______________________ <BR> <BR>www.kentwongmagic.com |
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Mr. Mystoffelees Inner circle I haven't changed anyone's opinion in 3623 Posts |
Kent-
That makes a lot of sense! I had not thought of it that way, but am now mulling over the "character" of the zombie. I have switched to the Naked Zombie and I think this will give it much more depth... thanks... Jim p.s. By the way, Losander has a great zombie routine with a bubble...
Also known, when doing rope magic, as "Cordini"
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lucianoristori New user 12 Posts |
The original Losander Zombie Ball DVD seems to be out of print and very hard to find.
Is any of the more recent Losander's DVDs a good replacement? Is the original material included in the Art of Levitation 1,2 & 3? Thanks... Luciano |
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