For anyone that does the traditional water and fan..

Anyone tried a Snow Storm out of their mouths....

We had a traditional demo (done well by Kevo) at last nights ring 129 meeting...on the way home I wondered about a nearly normal version from the mouth...or armpit....or puppet's hand.....


Harris

From a puppets hand would be really quite amzing and fun. It would certainly put a different spin on it.

Kyle

I think that's a great idea. I'd love to see a ventriloquist shoot a snowstorm out of a snowman's puppet's mouth! How great would that be!?

Now your talking Michael. I love this free flow of creative thought. From just a few posts we have gotten the idea of a snowstorm originating from a different source and for a different purpose. We also have a very logical progression of not any puppet but what if it were a snowman puppet? It makes sense and carries the idea one step further. I could see so much byplay from the puppet and the magician or ventriloquist leading up to a very surprising and unexpected ending. It could be a serious peice or very comical depending upon how you set it up.

For example what if the snowman has a cold (funny just in that statement alone). Every time he coughs he coughs up snowflakes. This certainly could lead to comical moments.

Kyle

Don't forget to blow some snow or some steam from the Snowman's ears. That's always a funny bit. Especially if you are trying to stop the snow blowing out of his mouth and cover his mouth with your hand. Then it suddenly starts flying out of his ears.

That is actually a pretty funny bit. hehe It makes sense and almost creates this panic between the magician or ventriloquest and the puppet. he can not stop coughing or sneezing so you cover his mouth for him but it just continues out his ears. Very nice.

Kyle

I wonder whether there is way to get the gag but still keep the wonder and majesty of this effect?

What would happen if it starts out looking like a prop gag and ends with a miracle of sorts. Meaning what if the puppet was coughing or sneezing up snow flakes. You cover his mouth and it comes out his ears. You get ear muffs for the ears, cover his mouth and you are finally safe.. so you think. Then at the end you look at the audience and smile and snow starts coming out of your ears. All this happens as a sort of comical nature of you simply trying to stop it from happening and trying to restore order.

Just an idea.

Kyle

You guys are awesome..Though I don't have one, Steve Axtell has a Snow Man Puppet.


Harris

Indeed! Even to use one in the same show with Snow Storm would be nice.... http://www.axtell.com/snowman.html

How large is the gimmick that creates Snowstorm? I'm not familiar although I've seen Kevin James perform it in Vegas when I was invited to "the Greatest Magic on Earth" by another magician in the show & customer, Joseph Gabriel.

Ax

You are welcome Harris. That is what is great about this palce. We can share ideas and brainstorm with each other. Steve brings up a good question. Perhaps the gimmick of the snow animators that are out on the market could br rigged into an Axtell puppet (with Steve's expert help) to create the effect we are thinking of? That is if anyone ever wanted to really do this. I think it would make for a really entertaining but for a magician or ventriloquist. I could see so much comedy by play leading into a hilarious situation when the snow comes form the snowman. There is a lot of possibilities.

Kyle

The top hat on the snowman could also be rigged to hold the gimmick... the top of the top hat could open and the snowstorm could begin.... what a finale with the music "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow..." Falling down around the magician and the snowman.

Is snowstorm the Kevin James effect? I see "Snow Animator" on his site. Could someone provide a link?

Ax

Hey Steve,

As far as I am aware, the classic snowstorm effect (wet torn paper changing into snow flake confetti that is cascaded into he air from the hand and the use of a fan) is a classic of magic and not really owned by anyone that I know of. Certainly there is histrory there with this effect and I kow others can guide you with that history better then I can. The classic effect has been around for years and there are many folks who make the snowstorm packets etc.

Kevin James Snow Animator is a totally diffeent method and way of creating a snowstorm effect with the bare hands and creates a much greater range of snow filling the stage area. I do not want to giove away the method or any secrets here but it is vastly different technology and you would need to talk with Kevin to get more information on that.

Hope this helps my friend. Let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.

Kyle

I am a low tech guy. Certain concepts of the effect have been claimed by various magician's over the years..I am not trying to create controversy (bad spelling maybee) just using a generic idea..ala packets and fan...

Someone who is safe with tools could come up putting my idea into production.
(I did recently create a puppet house where my "baby puppet" peeks out of several different doors. It is made out of a discard sturdy cardboard box, glue and red, yellow and green paper...an example of look don't see along with sound props Baby Ruth comes out with..but I digress...)

Harris

Great to know. I would imagine a little computer fan and a cage reservoir suspended above it in with the confetti in the hat could do it.

Although having it come from the mouth as you guys have suggested could be really fun for a snowman's cough or sneeze.....he's catching a cold.... a choo!

Do you have some links to the snow packets or related magic tricks? I can at least add some of the links to our snowman page.

Ax

Steve,
I have tried with many versions of a computer fan and it was not very successful.

James...were they too fast & powerful?

I think this idea could translate well into just about any puppet. a colorful bird puppet could "sneeze" a rainbow snowstorm. that would be pretty cool too.

Aww nice idea Michael. It certainly could be as if the bird is coughing up feathers or something. A cat puppet could cough up a funny hair ball of sorts. It opens up the idea to a vast array of different puppets.

Kyle

Meow...Just did 10 days with my cat on antibiotics. Snickers had to be pilled not me. One time the she got a "taste of the pill". She looked like Cujo Cat..foaming at the mouth. Our vet said it was a natural response. Didn't look natural to me!

Oh the weather out side is frightfull..
..
...
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let it snow let it snow..

Thanks for all the food for thought..Now if we can get Snickers back on dry cat food. She is hooked on soft canned after 10 days of it.

Cue the Canned Laughter.

Harris