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ClintonMagus Inner circle Southwestern Southeast 3997 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-05-04 15:04, itsmagic wrote: It's just a different effect. The appearance of the easel legs doesn't bother me, considering what he's trying to achieve.
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Silvio Solaris Inner circle Xtreme Magic 1110 Posts |
What I don't like about Victor's (presentation) is that the background is too dark. Since it is not BA, it would be nicer to see a lighter backdrop through the easel. The third leg is not necessary, and I think that can be solved to do without.
Magical Wishes
Silvio Solaris 'Is all that we see and seem but a dream within a dream?' E.A.Poe |
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Steve Knight Elite user Oxford U.K. 479 Posts |
Sorry, but I think "The Dance of the Two Canvases" in Victor's version makes this look like a "sucker" trick, but without the payoff at the end.
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Laszlo Csizmadi Special user From Hell 868 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-05-04 16:03, Silvio Solaris wrote: You are right, Silvio. I don't like that dark background either. The audience is not stupid. Is it too obvious why he's switching the boards. I think that routine needs to be polished. Everyone can see that he pulls the time for a reason. I like the Pendragons' presentation much, much better. |
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Oliver - Twist Regular user France 170 Posts |
I prefer, as well, the Pendragons' version. Who invented it, and who build it?
Especially, I like the way Charlotte is having the same position as the picture before and the empty space left at the end. Looks simple and beautiful.
May all your days be magical
Oliver Twist |
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ClintonMagus Inner circle Southwestern Southeast 3997 Posts |
The more I watch Voitko's version, the more I like it. I think a lot of you are trying to read too much into this illusion. After watching it several times you know what's coming, so you get a chance to notice stuff that an audience wouldn't notice in a "one-shot" performance. They don't know what's coming and, before you know it, it's over.
The audience doesn't have to be "stupid" for this to be effective, any more than it does to be surprised and entertained by U.F. Grant's Victory Girl Production or Victory Cubes. Maybe I'm naive, but I think the visibility of the easel is an essential part of the illusion. The magician shows the area behind the canvas empty, covers it with a "picture" and frame, draws a figure, and produces a girl with a simple wave of a silk. From what I can tell, the apparatus looks exactly like what it is supposed to - an artist's easel and canvas. No heavy lumber. No weird configurations. No "honkin'" big bracing. I can't afford it, but I wish I could.
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Silvio Solaris Inner circle Xtreme Magic 1110 Posts |
I like the Pendragons' better, as well (even though it is BA). What I would have done, though, is to walk around the easel once and then drop the BA. It has a little story Copperfield style and is presented nicer. There should be a reason for the easel. Not just go on stage, "exchange" a couple of canvases (which is weird), and voila, the appearance. It looks weird because there is no motivation for the second canvas to begin with.
There is a way to show that easel empty and then put the canvas up without using BA, but another old principle...
Magical Wishes
Silvio Solaris 'Is all that we see and seem but a dream within a dream?' E.A.Poe |
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itsmagic Inner circle middle earth 1117 Posts |
Interesting, amosmc, that after watching Voitko's presentation a few more times, it grew on you, same as it did on me. But the more telling thing is how you felt at the FIRST VIEWING, because an audience will not have the benefit of repeat viewings.
And that's where I felt something lacking in Voitko's Magic Canvas presentation, when I watched it the first time. The whole premise seemed illogical. Why two boards? Why such a dark background? How's the girl supported in that empty space? Whereas, after watching Pendragons' presentation the first time, although not perfect, the flow, motivation, and logic was much better. My idea is to have a canvas with an incomplete portrait sitting on an easel. The magi/artist puts on finishing touches of the portrait, drawing in the eyes and lips. He looks pleased, but sad at the same time. He wraps himself in a blanket to warm himself from the chilly, lonely night. While staring at the portrait, he grabs his phone to make a call. The audience hears the phone ring, no one answers, but a girl's voice comes on, saying to leave a message. He softly whispers, "I miss you and wish you were still here with me..." He hangs up the phone, readjusts the blanket, and the girl is there behind him, appearing from the portrait. The portrait would be ghosted out, similar to the Pendragons' version. |
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ClintonMagus Inner circle Southwestern Southeast 3997 Posts |
I really liked my first viewing, also. It is a one-shot illusion - one of those things that is pretty and is over before the audience can reconstruct anything. Remember that, for the most part, the audience doesn't know all about the principles of magic.
As I've said before, the greatest audience reaction I ever received was an unexpected appearance of my daughter, where she simply stepped from behind a table to behind a six-foot silk. When the silk was pulled away, there she was, and the audience audibly gasped. I really like the Pendragons' version, too, but it is a different illusion.
Things are more like they are today than they've ever been before...
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Silvio Solaris Inner circle Xtreme Magic 1110 Posts |
Personally, I like to see little stories which evoke emotions... Of course you can wheel out the most deceptive base and have a girl appear/disappear, but it's just that. Magic should be an aid and the cream of the crop of those stories we want to tell the audience. Like: I am a magician, so let me tell you a bit about my life and what happened once I was in love... There was this girl I met, and I couldn't get her out of my mind, so I took an canvas and grabbed a paintbrush...
That's why Viktor's version doesn't do anything for me. It's cold as ice. Concerning the method with that background and lighting, it would've looked more deceptive with BA. The audience would not know the difference, but feel it. Pendragons' is far better executed, and actually cheaper to make. The performance is a bit kitschy.
Magical Wishes
Silvio Solaris 'Is all that we see and seem but a dream within a dream?' E.A.Poe |
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ClintonMagus Inner circle Southwestern Southeast 3997 Posts |
Okay... So you think the effect is so weak that you couldn't even build a story around it?
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Silvio Solaris Inner circle Xtreme Magic 1110 Posts |
The idea of have a painting transform into a human is great. The method of Victor Voitko sucks. So, what are we talking about? METHOD or EFFECT? There are sure better "methods" to achieve this type of "effect". As I mentioned above, what is the story you want to tell, and what is the best method to achieve the climatic "effect"?
Magical Wishes
Silvio Solaris 'Is all that we see and seem but a dream within a dream?' E.A.Poe |
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ClintonMagus Inner circle Southwestern Southeast 3997 Posts |
Okay. I'm not going to argue about something that is my opinion. We'll just agree to disagree.
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Silvio Solaris Inner circle Xtreme Magic 1110 Posts |
Apples or oranges? Everybody's got his opinion and free will. You asked me about the effect, and that I like.
Magical Wishes
Silvio Solaris 'Is all that we see and seem but a dream within a dream?' E.A.Poe |
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santos Regular user 103 Posts |
I like oranges...
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maverick23 New user 49 Posts |
I own and perform Victor's version. The shear speed at which the girl appears and with only a brief millisecond of cover blows people away!! For your info, too, it does come with a method for using BA. It's then up to the performer which way he/she decides to do it.
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itsmagic Inner circle middle earth 1117 Posts |
Maverick23, how angle sensitive is Victor's Magic Canvas? In what venues would you not recommend performing this?
Thanks. |
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magicjazzz New user 93 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-05-04 22:50, Silvio Solaris wrote: About motivation... The Artist approaches the easel with empty canvas in hand. The picture with a drawing of a girl stands on easel. This picture is disliked by the artist. He removes it from the easel, puts on an empty canvas, and draws the girl of his dreams, which comes alive. This is about motivation. Very simple and logistical. I understand why immediately this is not seen. We're discussing the promotional trailer of Magic Canvas. This is not the full-fledged act. This is only a promotional video. On Victor's site, in Voitko Studio, you can see Magic Duo "Double Fantasy". They are Voitko's students. They use Magic Canvas in the beginning of their act. This is the magic version of the myth about Pygmalion and Galatea. Very beautiful, romantic love history. This is a promotional video from TV5 France. If you could see all of their act, your opinion would change...I hope. And you do not need a black background and dark stage for Magic Canvas. As an added bonus, there are also extra gimmicks to make the illusion even more powerful using black art lighting. |
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Silvio Solaris Inner circle Xtreme Magic 1110 Posts |
That's what I meant by using a "lighter" background, since it doesn't use BA.
As far as the canvas exchange goes, it is not clear from the clip. It looks like the magician just walks on stage rapidly with the canvas and does the illusion. For me, it just happens too fast.
Magical Wishes
Silvio Solaris 'Is all that we see and seem but a dream within a dream?' E.A.Poe |
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Paulo Cabrita Special user 820 Posts |
I saw Canvas by Voitko live! Amazing and powerful, appears very magical and clear!
Very talented, and good illusion! Paulo |
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