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Steve Brooks Founder / Manager Northern California - United States 3780 Posts |
I was thinking about just how deceptive a good mirror box can be.
The one I have will fool you, even a few inches away! I’ve used it to produce a few things. Can any of you suggest any really good routines?
"Always be you because nobody else can" - Steve Brooks
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Joshua Quinn Inner circle with an outer triangle 2054 Posts |
Agreed, when they're properly made and shown to someone who doesn't know the trick, they can be downright disturbing. I'm curious though... since they've been included in just about every kid’s magic kit made in the last couple decades; do they really fool very many people anymore?
I haven't used one for a long time, but when I did I would produce objects from it one at a time throughout the show, starting with something so ridiculously small that people assumed I had hidden it in my hand. Then I'd start pulling out increasingly larger items, finishing with something that looked like it was too big to have fit inside in the first place (a large load of spring flowers or what have you). And if I thought I could get away with it, depending on how quick the audience seemed, I'd end by vanishing my hand through the top of it. Once or twice that tipped people off and I was busted, but the rest of the time it brought serious gasps. Quinn
Every problem contains the seeds of its own solution. Unfortunately every problem also contains the seeds of an infinite number of non-solutions, so that first part really isn't super helpful.
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Harry Murphy Inner circle Maryland 5444 Posts |
I have seen the cheap little cardboard Mirror boxes that most kids are given. They are flimsy, garish, cheep-o affairs in general. A well-made mirror box fools even those who know the principle. Heck, almost every kid magic set I have seen includes a thumb gizmo and a ball and vase. Yet, I watched a young magician fool the heck out of a crowd of jaded, know it all, magicians (me included) with a ball and vase routine. I remember Marlo actually had a nice handling of the old x-ray box (color box?) that fooled most people who watched it.
OK, Mirror box, if you have a big one, turn it on it’s side and rip the side off it, stand in it and perform the Balducci levitation. Viola’ you’re floating. Hey! Isn’t that being marketed somewhere? The trick to any production item is to make the produced items seem bigger than where they came from. Nothing is more ridiculous than seeing a huge Square-Circle and having a few flimsy silk hanky’s come out. The same is true for a Mirror Box (or Phantom Tube, or Drum Head tube, or…) But then I could be wrong!
The artist formally known as Mumblepeas!
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Magicduck Elite user Washington State 484 Posts |
A cheap little cardboard mirror box, such as is sold in magic kits might be an item people are familiar with. But if you change the appearance of that item completely, then they totally miss the principle. For example, in livestock magic with larger animals such as ducks, a number of mirror applicances are used, as well as tip over items. If you think about the duck bucket, the wringer with a mirror and a number of other items that use the idea, such as the Grant Flaming Head Chest, the applications are extensive. And as the poster above mentioned, even placing the mirror in a different position is being used now for a one person levitation that is clever. The mirror is absolutely one of the best friends to a stage and platform magician. And I find it is not detectable to the audience.
quack |
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Wallace Loyal user Bangor, Northern Ireland 208 Posts |
Quote:
How very true! Many years ago, in the late 50s, I remember a considerable supply of latex ’compressibles’ but sadly these valuable production items have long disappeared from the dealer’s lists. I, for one, still miss them as many of them were extremely realistic! _________________ Wallace B
Wallace B
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Peter Marucci Inner circle 5389 Posts |
You're not wrong, mumblepeas. The load should ALWAYS appear to be larger than the thing it's taken out of -- otherwise, what's the point of the production?
And, Magicduck, good point: something may be familiar, like the cardboard mirror box; but, if you make it look unfamiliar, you can figuratively get away with murder. The mirror box is a much under-used and under-rated prop. So, for that matter, is the Square Circle. Pity you don't see much of either one these days. cheers, Peter Marucci showtimecol@aol.com |
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Scott O. Inner circle Midwest 1143 Posts |
I've seen mirror boxes used before, and I always thought it was so obvious. But maybe I haven't seen the right box.
Those of you who use one, what would you recommend as a "well made", deceptive box? Scott O.
Do not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest, if you do not give up. Galatians 6:9
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Peter Marucci Inner circle 5389 Posts |
Mirror boxes, to work, must have an opening big enough so that the audience can see inside easily and be aware that the box is empty.(?)
The cardboard ones, that mumblepeas refers to, generally have little openings that imply you could be hiding just about anything around the opening. But the most important thing is for the performer to handle it correctly. Don’t oversell it. For example, don’t open the box and point out that it is empty, how the pattern inside can be seen clear to the back (and, therefore, once again, the box is empty), and so on. Open it, show it empty without saying so, close it, and produce the load. I repeat: Don’t oversell the fact that it is (supposed to be) empty. "Only the guilty flee when no man pursues." cheers, Peter Marucci showtimecol@aol.com |
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Thomas Wayne Inner circle Alaska 1977 Posts |
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Or, as I used to tell my former fiance: "Don't run if you aren't being chaste." Regards, Thomas Wayne (PS For some very insightful study in the use of mirrors to create illusion, see Jim Steinmeyer's "Art and Artifice" and "Discovering Invisibility".)
MOST magicians: "Here's a quarter, it's gone, you're an idiot, it's back, you're a jerk, show's over." Jerry Seinfeld
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daleshrimpton Regular user the u.k 135 Posts |
The best box I saw was the Jack Hughes collapsing mirror box that was made for a good friend of mine. He produced a Flemish giant rabbit from it, and if you know your bunnies, you will know that these beasts are huge. He also had a Hughes squared circle, with both the inner, and the outer boxes having bottoms, completely removing the usual method from the mind of the audience, despite the fact that it was still used.
This item was made for the original Wytchwood poodle act. |
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martinkaplan Special user Los Angeles 562 Posts |
Or, as I used to tell my former fiance:
"Don’t run if you aren’t being chaste." Regards, Thomas Wayne ---------------- Thomas: That is one funny line! Thanks for the pick-me-up! -Marty |
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amagician Regular user Hobart Tasmania Australia 160 Posts |
latex collapsibles! I heard another Australian dealer had some destroyed by Customs - suggested they were a risk for small children who might try to eat them. Don't know how accurate the story (years old) is.
I have seen alot of this sort of stuff in pet shops but don't know if these are very collapsible because I saw them in the dog/cat sections as I rushed through to the feathered pet area. My parrot was down to it's last seed and tomorrow is it's birthday so I got it another one. _________________ Have a Magic 2002 John Williams http://www.ezytodo.com/aladdin/ subscribe to our free ezine
Have a Magic day
John Williams http://www.ezymagic.com/ more tricks than you can shake a wand at subscribe to our free ezine on site |
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nick13245 New user 18 Posts |
Hey, when I was first starting out magic, I had no idea what a mirror box was. Im sure, that 80% of people, who don't do magic, have no idea what a mirror box is, even though they have probably seen a trick done with them before.
-Nick |
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Philemon Vanderbeck Inner circle Seattle, WA 4694 Posts |
One of my favorite 'mirror boxes' is still the "magic shrinking coin bank" that Tenyo used to make.
It's still fun to put a coin into the top slot and watch it get 'funnelled' into the little box and shrunk. Tenyo also cleverly uses mirrors in several of their pocket effects, often in unexpected ways.
Professor Philemon Vanderbeck
That Creepy Magician "I use my sixth sense to create the illusion of possessing the other five." |
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Peter Marucci Inner circle 5389 Posts |
Norm Nielsen markets some of the best collapsible plasticized production items I have ever seen.
They are absolutely realistic. They have about as much resemblance to the old-style latex collapsibles as an ox-cart has to a Ferrari! BTW, I have no connection to Norm Nielsen or any company that carries his stuff. If you want to take a look at some of it, try: http://www.topsecretmagic.co.uk/nielsen.html cheers, Peter Marucci showtimecol@aol.com |
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zimsalabim Special user Orlando Floirda USA 520 Posts |
I have a wooden one that we wrapped like a present. Xmas for the holidays birthday for the birthdays. You get the idea I also have a "toy" catalog I made up ala the coloring book. Show the magic gift empty then riffle through the book show ing the different toys that could eb in the box. THEn hav the kids say stop as you riffle and it hits a teddy bear. Open the box Teddy Bear is inside. I even did a wish book routine for a SEARS event not to long ago. This really plays well. You can get teddy bears from the dollar store or walgreens. Of course your helper gets the bear and htat has a serious cuteness factor photo opp etc. Parents love it.
Z
Joe Zimmer
"The Second Greatest Magician in the World" Who is the Greatest? Everybody else! Borrowed with respect from the late Great Eddie Fechter Owner of the Forks Hotel Zimsalabim Orlando Florida |
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
I have not used mine for a long time. When I was using it, I used it to produce my rabbit.
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bowers Inner circle Oakboro N.C. 7024 Posts |
I have a nice good size one
that I purchased from daytona magic.i do love it.and used it some.but I don't like having to lug it to my kids shows. todd |
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magictvlv1 New user 61 Posts |
Built my own out of foam core a few weeks ago. Larger and cheaper than the 50 dollar wooden one at the magic shop. Looks pretty good. Gary Darwin gave me some good advice about handling a few years ago. Fooled my students.
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Magic Rik Loyal user Eastern Canada 296 Posts |
Magic Disappearing Box - aka - Mirror box.
OK - this really has be intrigued. Here are two parts to hoe this person built his own Magic Disappearing Box. IMHO - quite impressive: Part One - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raiFzWTyEKU and Part Two - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxjZ_E7XG6c On my list of things to build. |
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