Magic- The Art of Illusion

#1
Matt Franco, Shin Lim, David Copperfield and the guy who just won AGT- Fascinated with the art of illusion, and their talents.How are these things done!!!

Googled and Googled and Googled- Where are the secrets to their tricks!!! :)
 
#2
I saw a guy make an Elephant disappear. Then they had someone talk about how it’s done and if I remember, there are mirrors, that you can tell are there, hiding it. There was a show , Malians tell all? Something like that.
 
#3
I think Ben and Teller have a show that exposes the tricks. Must really piss off the guys making a living at this. Obviously it’s all slight of hand and illusion. Many use tells and Similar experiences we all share. You don’t remember when there wrong and find it amazing when they tell you you are going on a trip to Florida. Lol.

Sometimes I think on AGT the judges and show are all in on it. It’s the only way it makes sense.
I too love Shin Lim and his smoke and speed. The hand is truly quicker than the eye.
 
#4
Absolutely LOVE Magic, Illusionists & the ever so rare Escape artist. Learned a good amount when I was a kid after reading 3 books about Houdini, then a few Movies. The first Broadway play I saw was "Merlin: with Doug Henning. I was Hooked. You're right about slight of hand, misdirection, mirrors and even using the same methods that so called "Phsycics" use for the more current types.

You're right about AGT, kinda. I wouldn't say theyr'e in on it per se but. My GF LOVES The show. So when we watch it I'll point out how they did or likely did the trick. Much to her dismay & more importantly with a handful of contestants, I was able to point out how they Clearly Fucked up! How if you're there & it's right in front there was No Way they missed it. It happens to the best & worst of them. And yet the judges would still fake some bullshit amazement.

However, took her to see that show on Broadway as well and they lived up to the hype. It was a different Lineup and had a blonde female magician from England who was really good.....& REALLY HOT!!
 
#5
On a follow up. I fucking hate it when someone acts like "they knowwww" how I would pull off the trick when in fact they're just guessing by simply saying "Its obviously not real" You must have done something with your hands" ..Duhhhhh there's a difference between saying that & really knowing how it's done. And to be sure there is an even wider chasm between "knowing how it's done" and being good enough to "pull it off"
 
#6
Absolutely LOVE Magic, Illusionists & the ever so rare Escape artist. Learned a good amount when I was a kid after reading 3 books about Houdini, then a few Movies. The first Broadway play I saw was "Merlin: with Doug Henning. I was Hooked. You're right about slight of hand, misdirection, mirrors and even using the same methods that so called "Phsycics" use for the more current types.

You're right about AGT, kinda. I wouldn't say theyr'e in on it per se but. My GF LOVES The show. So when we watch it I'll point out how they did or likely did the trick. Much to her dismay & more importantly with a handful of contestants, I was able to point out how they Clearly Fucked up! How if you're there & it's right in front there was No Way they missed it. It happens to the best & worst of them. And yet the judges would still fake some bullshit amazement.

However, took her to see that show on Broadway as well and they lived up to the hype. It was a different Lineup and had a blonde female magician from England who was really good.....& REALLY HOT!!
Can you give an example or share a secret to a trick? I recently saw Shin Lim live, having excellent seats, taped a few of his tricks and replayed them frame by frame and could not figure out a thing… Completely fascinated and perplexed
 

billyS

Reign of Terror
#7
Can you give an example or share a secret to a trick? I recently saw Shin Lim live, having excellent seats, taped a few of his tricks and replayed them frame by frame and could not figure out a thing… Completely fascinated and perplexed
I'm surprised they let you tape it.
 
#9
Can you give an example or share a secret to a trick? I recently saw Shin Lim live, having excellent seats, taped a few of his tricks and replayed them frame by frame and could not figure out a thing… Completely fascinated and perplexed
Shin is probably the Shohei Ohtani of this generation of Magicians.(Yes, yes I went there LOL) Compared with him, I'm a very, very light hitting 1st baseman beer league softball player. It's not like I ever even performed. It was a hobby 4 decades ago that:
I have enough memory, dexterity & guile
to amuse family & friends once in a while.
So...No. Explaining most of what he does would barely be more than a slightly educated guess.


One very simple way to try to "catch" the "turn"..of an Ordinary Magician. You know the childrens party variety or say Colin Cleod
Is that when the magician is Talking....Don't look at their face. We have a tendency that when someone is talking we naturally look at their face. That's Exactly when you should be looking at their hands. Also don't simply listen to what is being said. The verbal mis directions are not just meant to divert you from the action but also to use the power of suggestion over you as well.
kind of like this riddle.


Read this quickly & don’t go back to re -read. Remember it is being spoken with inflection & tone:

3 Salesman are traveling the countryside and end their day by looking for a cheap motel to share a room.
They see a place that advertises a vacancy. As they approach, they note a Sign that Reads
$30 per night! .. Perfect $30 per night is Easily split 3 ways.
They enter go to the front desk and each give $10.
Head up to the room happy that they’ve found a place to rest and got such a good bargain at only $30
About ½ an hour later or so the desk manager realizes that it was Tuesday Night and the have a Tuesday night special rate of 25. Hands a Bellhop 5 singles to bring back to the gentlemen.
Upon the knock at the door the bellhop presents it to one of the salesmen. The salesman surmises that he can’t equally split the 5 so he gives the bellhop a $2 tip and gives his partners $1 each. So at the end of the day my query is this.

If they Originally paid $10 each to = $30 then got a $1 back. It means they each paid $9
9x3=$27 plus the $2 they gave the bellhop = $29 …….What Happened to the other Dollar??



Have Fun.(yes I know some of you probably have heard of it, but don't ruin it for the rest)
And then after you figure it out, practice saying it. Use it on adults and children alike. You'll be surprised when you find that the children have a higher % chance of getting it over the adults.
 
#10
Shin is probably the Shohei Ohtani of this generation of Magicians.(Yes, yes I went there LOL) Compared with him, I'm a very, very light hitting 1st baseman beer league softball player. It's not like I ever even performed. It was a hobby 4 decades ago that:
I have enough memory, dexterity & guile
to amuse family & friends once in a while.
So...No. Explaining most of what he does would barely be more than a slightly educated guess.


One very simple way to try to "catch" the "turn"..of an Ordinary Magician. You know the childrens party variety or say Colin Cleod
Is that when the magician is Talking....Don't look at their face. We have a tendency that when someone is talking we naturally look at their face. That's Exactly when you should be looking at their hands. Also don't simply listen to what is being said. The verbal mis directions are not just meant to divert you from the action but also to use the power of suggestion over you as well.
kind of like this riddle.


Read this quickly & don’t go back to re -read. Remember it is being spoken with inflection & tone:

3 Salesman are traveling the countryside and end their day by looking for a cheap motel to share a room.
They see a place that advertises a vacancy. As they approach, they note a Sign that Reads
$30 per night! .. Perfect $30 per night is Easily split 3 ways.
They enter go to the front desk and each give $10.
Head up to the room happy that they’ve found a place to rest and got such a good bargain at only $30
About ½ an hour later or so the desk manager realizes that it was Tuesday Night and the have a Tuesday night special rate of 25. Hands a Bellhop 5 singles to bring back to the gentlemen.
Upon the knock at the door the bellhop presents it to one of the salesmen. The salesman surmises that he can’t equally split the 5 so he gives the bellhop a $2 tip and gives his partners $1 each. So at the end of the day my query is this.

If they Originally paid $10 each to = $30 then got a $1 back. It means they each paid $9
9x3=$27 plus the $2 they gave the bellhop = $29 …….What Happened to the other Dollar??



Have Fun.(yes I know some of you probably have heard of it, but don't ruin it for the rest)
And then after you figure it out, practice saying it. Use it on adults and children alike. You'll be surprised when you find that the children have a higher % chance of getting it over the adults.
Completely stumped and will be obsessing throughout the day…
Grrrrr.. ty for this
 
#13
Seen a show many years ago and the magician told the viewers exactly what he was going to do, and you still couldn't see the move. Amazing!
Can't tell you how much I love Magic. I've hired B list magicians to do company dinners etc. for my Team. It's expensive ...If they're good. But really makes it special. Even hired a guy who was trying to be a contestant on AGT but did'nt make it past audtion. Again he's amateur compared to Shin Lim but still would blow you away. Last show he did was about 8-10 tricks. of which I only could figure out how he did maybe 3-4 but still never actually caught the turn. Have used him twice now. He did make a mistake once but noone really caught it because If you're really good your a showman enough to know how to cover it up and redirect everyone.
 
#14
There is no missing dollar. The men spent $27. Of which $25 went on the room and $2 went to the light fingered bell boy. You can not add the $2 the bellboy has to the $27 the men spent as this $2 actually comes out of the $27 the men spent, the other $25 going on the room.

Put another way consider how the $30 breaks down:
$25 — room
$3 (3x $1) — back to the men
$2 — Bellboy
 
#16
There is no missing dollar. The men spent $27. Of which $25 went on the room and $2 went to the light fingered bell boy. You can not add the $2 the bellboy has to the $27 the men spent as this $2 actually comes out of the $27 the men spent, the other $25 going on the room.

Put another way consider how the $30 breaks down:
$25 — room
$3 (3x $1) — back to the men
$2 — Bellboy
Exactly kind of.
Or the other variation is simply that I talked quickly enough to LIE when I ask the final question & manipulate the equation. I emphasize that they started with $30 kept repeating $30, $30 loud & Clear. But then gloss over the fact that the actual cost of the room is $25 NOT 30 So if startin with the amount each paid(9)the equation is really
9x3=$27-2=25
Or you could really say that the sum of the equation Really should simply be $27 (the amount of $ that Atually left ther pockets)
Simply 25+2=$27
& yes if When using a sum of 30 the equation would be 25+1+1+1+2=30 or 25+3+2=30
Point is when reading it, NOT simply listening & even in black & white. Some people where baffled I'm sure.
Just curious.
Did you already know?
Get the first time reading through?
or Re Read it more than once ?
 
#17
@LorenzoDeMedici: you are probably not a fan of the "Masked Magician", I suppose, lol!

And hats off to @TheRicker!

V
Actually kinda liked it. Again the amazement becomes drawn from their ability to do it.
And do it without anyone noticing the turn.
Kinda like I know how to throw a Curveball but Hell if I can!, And almost everytime I want to at will. And Under pressure. I know the mechanics of hitting a 100mph fastball. But Not a chance in the fucking world I can! Let alone to a certain spot that there is No Defender.
 
#18
Exactly kind of.
Or the other variation is simply that I talked quickly enough to LIE when I ask the final question & manipulate the equation. I emphasize that they started with $30 kept repeating $30, $30 loud & Clear. But then gloss over the fact that the actual cost of the room is $25 NOT 30 So if startin with the amount each paid(9)the equation is really
9x3=$27-2=25
Or you could really say that the sum of the equation Really should simply be $27 (the amount of $ that Atually left ther pockets)
Simply 25+2=$27
& yes if When using a sum of 30 the equation would be 25+1+1+1+2=30 or 25+3+2=30
Point is when reading it, NOT simply listening & even in black & white. Some people where baffled I'm sure.
Just curious.
Did you already know?
Get the first time reading through?
or Re Read it more than once ?
I got it but it took me a few minutes. What you really did is verbal (or written) misdirection. Just like the magician makes you look where he wants you to, so you don't see what he's doing, your words misdirect your brain so that you see the problem incorrectly.
 
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