Are there any good resources out there detailing what you would need (other than the prop/gimmick itself) to successfully present any type of million dollar mystery prop?

Things like lighting requirements, backdrop design, colour of prop, colour of gimmick, ideal length of gimmick, or anything else I might have missed that would be important?

Thanks!

"Colour of gimmick" ????????????????????????????

Say what?

Blair Marshall
"ShaZzam!"

A good start would be to buy Walter Jeans Illusioneer book. It will help you.

Eric

Thanks, I'll check it out!

PM me and I can help you out a bit . . .

Thanks,
Richard

In my experiences, polka dots have been a great pattern to use on the gimmick rather than a solid color. Maybe stripes? Paisley even!

Zaubern,

I find the stripe pattern works best, especially with the lighting we use. Many thanks for bringing it up.

Blair Marshall
"ShaZzam!"

LOL...If you are somewhat in the 'know' (at least a little) go and read 'Walter Jeans - Illusioneer' first. Then contact 'Splashes' (are they still in busines?) , Las Vegas. They make you one and give you a reality on how much it costs....and if you don't have the venue to perform....it's not worth it...Believe me...I know where you are coming from and if you want to ask one of the most knowleadgable Illusionists here at the caffee send Mr. Blair a PM.
Best of Luck.

Splashes is very much still in business!

If you look carefully, I know they have a picture on their site if you know what you were looking for. Hint: look for the stripes.

Please allow me to second....eh-hem, I mean third... that purchase of Walter Jeans Illusioneer book. You can get it through Mike Caveny...

Awesome information and I'm sure it will answer all of your questions...

-Bryan

Silvio, Thank-you (blush) for the compliment!

Bryan, did you check out the Cirque series I had mentioned.

Splashes is stll working, but Zuabern from the original post I did not want to mention that fact here.

Blair Marshall
"ShaZzam!"

Does any one know where a video or discription of the effect is?

Well, there's many thing you can do with the principle. For instance make lotsa people appear from a very small box. Or vanish into one. Or vanish something else. Copperfield performs the illusion "big black box" with dogs appearing (if I remember correctly) and that's essentialy the million dollar mystery in action.

MMM:

1) Search the Café for other threads, lots of info here recently (long threads).
2) See page 1 of MagicAuction Known illusion Builder outside US for a photo and description, and price, of a used J. Gaughan unit.
3) Buy the Walter Jeans book for all you need to know.

P.S. And you will find some folks on the Café are more helpful to those who fill out their profiles with a little more info/detail.

Blair Marshall
"ShaZzam!"

You'll find a PVC Pipe Version of The Million Dollar Mystery in Jim Gerrish's PVC Pipe Illusion Book 2, item 7 (on my site). Of all his PVC Pipe Illusions, it is the most expensive to build (about $500 unless you already have all the bits and pieces in your garage) but at least it won't cost a million bucks and will give you something to work with and train your assistants with.

Doug Henning performing the things go bump:
http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=RV0Vi_hL37M

This is a really neat principle. I think it originally used a mylar curtain as a backdrop. Copperfields backdrop was composed of squares. He used this principle in a few illusions. As mentioned above,The Big Black Box. Also, he did a Film to Life with a movie projected on the front of the box. He interacted with the film and people and objects appeared and vanished in the box. It culminated with the appearance of a small elephant! He then used an unorthodox approch to this with an unusual box. It wasn't square. Rather it was the shape of a giant tv camera. The camera was wheeled inside and then the box (shaped like the camera) was closed around the camera. The camera vanished.

Chad

Henning did a Gazebo and produced a marching band from it.

Blair Marshall
"ShaZzam!"

As far as backdrops....

1. the mylar curtain
2. Copperfield "squares"
3. other

which is the best? or most practical and easy to use?

I would think the mylar would be more practical than the squares.

scott