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Covernton Regular user Vancouver 124 Posts |
I'm working on the "final load" sequence for my version of the cups and balls. I'm trying to make a tentacle whip out of the cup and grab the ball. I bought a very rubbery rubber snake this afternoon and have been trying to work out a way to have it whip out and then retract, leaving the cup empty and examinable. My initial idea was a finger puppet sort of set up but the tentacle is a little too long to conceal in that way. It's approximately 11 inches in length, and the shortest I'd be willing to go is about 6 inches. I thought I could rig up some kind of pull, but that hasn't yielded any results, especially because due to the rubbery nature of the tentacle; it doesn't like to slide over cloth at all and catches very easily. And I'd thought I'd finally found a use for my ring flight Oh well.
Any thoughts on this? If it helps I do wear a long sleeved coat. TX! -Covernton |
Sir T Special user 535 Posts |
Some thoughts:
Think Latex not rubber--easy to make. The tentacle needs a very strong magnet in it; the ball needs to be custom made using the symbol of the Elder Gods of course. The pull device, is the tentacle , you may wish to review Bob Cassidy's work. He has a rather nice one that would work. Just me thinking out loud........... Kevin |
Covernton Regular user Vancouver 124 Posts |
As I mentioned, I've already made the tentacle. I'm working out the mechanics of the appearance, movement and vanish before I go ahead and start trying to attach the magnet to the end and complicate things with the ball.
What sort of pull is it? I tried an elastic one and the ringflight gimmick and neither produced any sort of decent results. Ideally in this case I'd like to do it all via slight of hand since I'm not a big fan of pulls but would resort to one if it was the best option/only way. thanks Covernton |
Dan LeFay Inner circle Holland 1371 Posts |
I think it's a very cool idea.
I also think such an idea deserves a more logical "evolution." I understand you get stuck with the tentacle (literally;-)! It would be better to construct your idea from the bottom up. First find a way to snag the ball with a method that loosely looks like a tentacle. A magnet is a very good option btw. In my mind a grabbing tentacle would not only have to be pulled away, before all it should "whip" into existence... Now if you have something that does this, start working to make it look like a tentacle. Since the thing is seen very shortly don't bother if this thing does not look as good as the tentacle you bought... (After all, it's very strength of gripping things makes it also impossible to retract, therefor rubber does not seem appropriate). I realize I do not make it easier for you, but I think it is a wonderful idea. Wonderful ideas might come easy, but are often very difficult to create. Read Tommy Wonder's books or watch the tapes to get inspired on going for the best method and remain true to your dream! All the best, Dan
"Things need not have happened to be true.
Tales and dreams are the shadow-truths, that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes, and forgot." Neil Gaiman |
kaytracy Inner circle Central California 1793 Posts |
Covernton, I fear the only thing that comes to mind for the action you describe, at least for my feeble little mind, is those silly boxing nun puppets, where the arms whip out and back as you pull the lever.
You could hide the nun mechanism (gads, that sounds bad ...) after removal of sisters' noble visage, in your waistband perhaps and trigger the action with a leg or foot move, the "arm" whips out, the mag does its job, and your coat falls back to cover all.
Kay and Tory
www.Bizarremagick.com |
Ojasa New user U.S. 77 Posts |
What if you went with switching out the whole cup? Inside the gaffed cup you could have the tentacle and a power source.
The tentacle could contain a magnet at the end, and already be extended to grasp the ball. During the off beat switch the cups, and when you place it on the table you would physically place it in position to grasp the ball. In the tentacle itself you could place a piece of memory wire that would automatically curl when heated, wrapped with Nicrome wire that will produce heat when an electric current is introduced. This could cause the tenticle to slowly or reasonably quickly retract into the cup. I realize this would be a lot of work, but it would give them a very eerie experience, and it would let you show off a good looking tentacle. The down side is your cup could then not be investigated, but you would have plenty of reason to chain them into a box.... Just an idea..
that magic is an art, and an art worth your learning. The question is rather, whether you be capable of learning it? Magic is somewhat like poetry, men are to be born so: I mean, with inclinations to it, though both may be heightened by discourse and prac
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Covernton Regular user Vancouver 124 Posts |
Wow! Those are both really interesting ideas! The thing with the memory wire intrigues me but I think at the present it's beyond my technical capabilities. But... the look of it slowly curling back into the cup.... that's a real creepy thought!
I'll think on these for a while and post if I come up with a solution for this problem. thanks! -Covernton |
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
The image of a tentacle extending from a cup and taking the ball back is so strong I'm gonna offer some help.
First off, let's remember that the effect is more important than the method, and that if the effect/visual is important to you, then you will need to start with something that looks good and work around it. Having watched critters with tentacles... it seems that they kind of snake/whip out and curl around just a bit to make contact. They then retract/curl up to bring in the goodies to the beak. In my imagination the arm would seem to flop out, reach towards the ball and then curl around it a bit. then the arm would curl in and retract in a kind of 'snatching' gesture. The problem then is to get the thing to reach out, then towards, then around the ball before retracting. My intuition is telling me that the ball is really the key to this problem. If the tentale were light and the ball heavy, an invisible line could jerk the tentacle out, then again to effect the curl aournd the ball. Now we have to get the thing back into the cup. Clearly a HEAVY ball is half an answer, however the weight would make the retraction difficult. Let's consider something that anchors the ball to the table... like a small peg. Now if the performer were to just tap the ball lightly from above or the side to get the ball off the tiny peg, the ball would then be the free end of the line and all could retract at the next pull of the line. I won't bore you with any suggestions load moves and stealth retractors. As the folks above have suggested, the props that inspire you may not be the ones you will be performing with. It's up to you to create the means to realize your artistic vision. Oh, and bravo for connecting the old mechanical bank with the hand that snatches the penney to the cups and balls and the Lovecraft critter. If we meet and get along, the sushi is on me. -Jonathan
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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carlb New user Seattle 77 Posts |
Just a thought after reading Jonathon's comment:
What if the tentacle reached out to a heavy (or anchored) ball and instead of actually retracting into the cup, dragged the cup up and over covering ball and tentacle both... |
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