I've been toying with building either a Shadow Box or Smoke Chamber as an appearance effect... What are pros and cons of each and any recommendations on what Smoke Chamber or Shadow Box to build?

Bryan

I think that in terms of practicality, a shadow box is going to be a whole lot easier to build. Personally I prefer it as an effect to watch too. To me it just seems more magical, and it does leave a lot of room for "interpretation" in performance. I believe it leaves you a bit more room for versatility in the future. By this I mean that you can have your assistants produce you from the shadow box. After a couple of seasons you may come up with a different opener, in which case you could use the shadow box to produce an assistant. Dramatically speaking, the smoke chamber is best to produce the magician, and might seem a bit out of place used in a different show spot.

Depending on the "load method" used, the shadow box does tend to be more angle-dependent, but for a theatrical setting this should not prove to be too difficult.

Ultimately I think the most important question (and a question that only you can answer) is: which is going to be better in your show? They're both great illusions, but which one best suits your performance style and personality?

My vote is also for the Shadow Box. Not only for the construction issues, but also for performance reasons. Once your chamber fills with smoke, and you step out, letting the smoke out with you, where will it all go? Most auditoriums are not well ventilated. You may perform the first half of your show in a haze. You might also affect your audience with the smoke. I have used both effects, and the shadow box seems to get a better reaction for me. I imagine it is because when you fill a box with smoke, it is like pulling the wool over their eyes. Like holding something behind your back and saying, "don't look for a second". With the Shadow Box people think they see parts of you appear. That they can still "see" inside the box because someone has demonstrated the box is empty and anything inside will make a shadow. Of course, these are my own strange ideas as to why I get better results with one trick than another.
Good Luck!

Just to clear the air...no pun intended...LOL
There are foggers on the market that use a quick dissipating fluid. We use two of them in our show. The fog dissipates just slightly slower than CO2 cloud bursts, which is very quick. We use them as a special effect in place of pyro, which we no longer use. It is a great alternative. It can be colored with lights or made to be brilliant white. After the fog is turned off with the onboard DMX it is gone in under three seconds.

I have yet to see any other magic shows take advantage of this technology...especially those with smoke chambers. So it may be time to trade up old technology for new. A good buddy of mine is picking up a smoke chamber as I write this and he will be using this style of fogger and fluid.

Sorry to deviate from which opening is better...just thought I would shed some light on the supposed cons of the smoke chamber. Now back to the regularly scheduled thread.


Kevin

I use Jack Murray's Quicksilver to open my show... the responses I've received for it so far have exceeded all my expectations!

http://www.dream-illusions.com

Kevin-

Great information! The pun...well, not so much!

Is this a different fluid that is used in a standard fogger, or is it a different type of fogger altogether?

Frank...
It is both a different fogger and fluid. Look foggers from Germany...the Model is the Viper. The fluid is the quick dissipating fluid. The importer for the U.S. is Theatre Effects. We happen to be a dealer for them...but this was for education not a sales pitch. As mentioned, we are sold on them and use two of them in our show, as well as Look's hazers. All their foggers and hazers have DMX onboard. We have placed them in other touring shows as well as placed them in installs, such as churches in Indianapolis.

Kevin

Where is the best place to get a chiller to make low-lying fog?

http://gotfog.com/fog_machine_chiller.html

Why not make your own?!!!!!

Anyway, if you are looking for fog chillers just do a google search and you will find a LOT of them: http://www.google.com/search?q=fog+chill......official

Hope that helps.

Ben...
Theatre Effects has various good models. It depends on what type of chiller you want...dry ice, regular ice or CO2. I believe Steven Kline uses one of the dry ice/regular ice models. We also installed a dry ice/regular ice model in another touring performer's show.


Kevin

Back to the original question...,

As an opener I would prefer the Smoke Chamber, as an interlude piece the Shadow Box.

JMHO

Cheers!

Im on the side of what works best for your personal show. My show would look great with a smoke chamber but I currently am using a shadow box because of the opening music and theme. I don't worry too much about the smoke: we currently use a hazer throughout the show, which to me is more offensive than fog juice. I have not had any complaints. The thought of using dmx is superior. Most theaters worth playing are already dmx integrated. Now if we could figure out how to load the trucks with dmx we would all be better off.
(ok so I'll pull that one from the joke list)

I have to agree with Stanyon on this one. I think the Smoke Chamber is far better suited for an opener than the Shadow Box.

Chris-

While it is true that the Smoke Chamber is well-suited to be used as an opener, I don't think you can necessarily say it is better-suited. Doug Henning opened many tours with the Shadow Box, and to great acclaim. Like any illusion, it's all in presentation.

The individual performer's show, style, etc. is what will determine which illusion is the better opener, not the prop.

I've used the shadow box as an opener, and it always worked well. I'm actually considering making it my opener again.

Tony

Good call Frank. I should have been more specific in my opinion there. I like the smoke chamber for an opener simply because I feel that it's a little more clear cut. I find that it's far more direct for an opening illusion. The chamber is obviously empty, filled with smoke, and the performer appears. With the shadow box it doesn't have that same sense of 100% empty to me.

This of course is only my opinion and I'm sure that many of you have some GREAT reasons why a shadow box would work well for your opener and power to ya! The above is simply my own personal opinion as a magician audience member.

Chris.

I owuld have to go with the smoke chamber .. I think it is a better opener

Defenately Shadow Box.

The smoke chamber has my vote.

Why not combine them, A smoke chamber with lights in back of it to produce your shadow?
Cameron