The "surgical coin revoval" idea always interested me, as do any ways to add a macabre twist to coin magic. We've spoken of ghostly and grim macabre coin thoughts before. This is just an exploration of how painful coin magic could be...if the magic were real....

While doing special make-up effects on two low-budget zombie movies last week I spent my few free minutes of down time creating a prosthetic to augment, or add a visceral twist to a time-tested effect - the Okito box.

First I show a large box filled with a dozen exotic snuff boxes. Some silver. some bone. Some enameled from India. "All have stories to tell." My mother's old collection (true) from this I explain that the plainest looking box (Okito brass) is the one filled with real, raw magic (Like the simple but "true" grail in Indiana Jones #3. I like this concept, that the apparently "plainest" thing or person...could contain the most magic - for those who know how to look...)

I use a Buddah Boston box, etched with a vintage monogram.
I consistantly use the wonderful Sam Berman Turnover Move as described by David Neighbors in his Professional Coin Box magic book.

Without tipping things, Okito Box wise, .....
Following the coin penetration, I wince, making the old comment about "of course it hurts each time I pass them through the solid flesh."

Allow a beat - to let it seem that the effect is "over"

Now comes the grand guignol kicker.
I turn palm up -to reveal a large, very raw, bloody, deep and fresh wound the size of a half-dollar. "Magic never comes - without a price. There are worlds where wonderment and regret dance a bittersweet tango..."

Another idea is for 3 of the 4 coins to pass. The fourth gets "stuck." The palm is turn up and the coin juts out halfway from the stigmatiic wound, slick with the magi's precious life-fluid. (cut a coin, use part of a folder or bite-coin and pre-insert into appliance so it looks 1/2 penetrated)

METHOD: The wound appliance is already in place from the start. Not too hard to manage with a lil experimentation.

You will need
Thin piece of latex
Derma Wax
Liquid latex
stage blood
Make-up to match your skin
Acting skills

Wound is made thusly: Cut out a half-dollar sized piece of thin latex rubber or foam latex.
Build up the walls of the wound with derma wax or mortician's putty. Make it like a tiny crater. Use a coil on the sides and blend it into the hole. ( be sure not to get wax on reverse side or adhesivw, if used, could be difficult) to stick. If "wound" is constructed flat and dry, it could be ditched up the ______via an elastic old-time hold-out or pull.

Once wound is sculpted - Apply a thin coat or two of liquid latex to seal in the shape. let it dry.
Paint/apply greasepaint or rubber-mask paint etc to the wound. Powder lightly if you can...
Use red "Gel Effects" or any faux blood of your choice in wound. (Don't let it drip and give you away. So called Gel Blood is good because it will not run. )

The coin-wound appliance can either be palmed and ditched, without any adhesive needed. (I suggest this) Or, you could use "Prost-Aid" or other sticky/adhevise which will stick to the flesh. Keep this, or several, powdered between tissues in a sandwich baggy in your pocket, in readiness)

The same wound could be "healed' ,miraculously, if the applaince were constructed and applied appropriately.

You could also use a cartoony "hole" sticker to make rthe "real" penetration gag wackier and less grisly.

Note: I have also found that working with "PLASTO: BRAND derma wax/putty leaves a sticky residue on the palm which, while a bit messy, allows a coin to stick to the hand perfectly! This must have many applications not yet discovered.

Nowadays you can buy good, pre-sculpted wounds and such at any good toy or halloween-store. A big bullet wound would stand-in nicely for a SCW (Srtigmatic Coin Wound) don'tcha think?

Next up: "THE HOOK RE-REVISITED" as channeled through Dario Argento. (joke)

Charles,

Very good. However, if you use your first presentational idea, wouldn't there be a wound on the top of your hand also? I'd go with the second.
Also, it would be nice to "squeeze" the last 3/4s of the coin out with your other hand's thumb, and have it fall on the table!

BTW - Loved your work in Beetlejuice.


Best

Oh too cool, another FX artist among us ! Nice. Thanks for the prosthetic tips.
Here's the only thing on my resume, from Halloween 2000:
http://www.phrets.com/paulvamp.jpg I didn't make the prosthetic piece myself though, that was bought from ScreamTeam. (I'm not an FX artist, I just think it's a cool gig.)

Do you do anything to dull the Okito box ? I would think the fact that it's shiny and new looking would distract a bit. Anything with a "history" shouldn't be too new looking, logically.

Nice idea, nice to have you here
hope to hear more of your ideas soon...
peace...

Thanks for the ideas.

To finish the job invest in a stippling brush. use it before the make-up, it will give you a much needed skin texture.
The most common colorbase is Tan#2 (Factor)
Slim/Howie Diddit

As an added bonus you could also cast a coin with laytex and make it look like it didn't make it through the hand completely. That it is just under the skin.
Awesome idea Charles!!!

Magickman

Great idea thanks for sharing it.
How about a little pocket under the wound with the coin sticking half out and you pull the coin out with the other hand?

All of these feedback ideas are splendid, thanks one and all.
Slim's idea of using a stippling sponge is excellent, I'd forgotten that.

Magickman, your under-the-flesh thought reminds me of another idea, a faux exposure bit:

Once again, this would involve attaching an APPLIANCE of some sort to the palm. Again, it would be made of, ideally, foam latex or some more recent innovation. Silicone is translucent and amazingly flesh like. (I have just heard of a material called GEL FOAM which sets quickly and, though pricey, is worth it. )

The single best book on stage make-up, foam-rubber appliances is Richard Corson's wonderful tome. Try to find it cheaper, somewhere. it is essential for this sort of thing. Here is a link:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/det......;s=books

The appliance might cover your ENTIRE PALM. The crease in your fingers closest to your palm would provide the blending edge. It would ideally be made from a cast of your own palm so every line and crease would be realistic. You'd then apply makeup to your entire palm and fingers...

"Some people accuse me of keeping the four coins somehow hidden in my palm. This is absurd! How could anyone keep coins secreted in their palm? Well, I'll let you in on an ancient secret. We do."

You reveal a large, surreal slit-pocket-flap in your hand and blithely dump the coins out or pluck them out. This slit could even be zippered or have snaps like a classis coin purse. Only, your hand IS your coin purse.

They could be ancient Greek coins. You go into a strange trance and chant, like a mantra: "And just as Zeus had born both Dionysus and Athena, the coins are lovingly torn into minted existance from my very being."

Or forbidden Amulets of Warlock Power you keep under your skin, like batteries of dark power, stitched in. "Twas the shaman's odd trade with me. I shudder to think what he now owns of mine."

Of course, these manifestations of coinage can be bloody or not, depending on the venue. I rather think the effect is classier as a phantastical, weerd, quirky, unworldly mystical moment - as opposed to a moment of unmotivated shock and grue. (which has a special time & place as well0 It all depends...

A zippered palm-pocket would be fascinating to children, if not presented too grotesquely! "I just use my imagination, and take these invisible coins out of my hand!" (like the old zippered bananna gag)

Excellent idea, haha sponge balls from damp and bleeding pouch in hand, you could even use one of those funky sponge bananas.

Or make one in the stomach like that bit out of David Cronenberg's film 'Videodrome'

I remember checking that book out of my high school library over and over again, it was fascinating. It's also surprising that a high school library would even have it, but I suppose it was for the drama and thespian classes.
It was yet another interest passed by - I learned a lot but moved on to try other things and different hobbies.

I always wondered why most sponge balls were red! ;o)

Bloody red sponge balls.... This reminds me of my presentation for the effect. "The Sponge Balls from Hell" featuring the "Red Seeds of Blood". If the community is interested I'll post the routine here from my lecture notes.

-Patrick Redford.

[quote]On 2005-08-06 14:28, Patrick Redford wrote:
Bloody red sponge balls.... This reminds me of my presentation for the effect. "The Sponge Balls from Hell" featuring the "Red Seeds of Blood". If the community is interested I'll post the routine here from my lecture notes.


Please DO!

I've just made a post under the title "The Sponge Balls from Hell"

-Patrick