Greg,

I agree. I think it would have been very cool had it worked out properly. I do not think Eli's performance will have a lasting negative impact on the general public. In a weeks time Eli Kerr and his blunder will be lost within the clutter and noise of people's everyday important lives. Don't give magic too much credit. It's going to take a real star to leave a lasting impression, not a minor technical problem. I am

Magically Yours,

Beau Alexander

You are dead on here - he tried to get participation from Osborn - didn't go off well

that's a first

Beau--
I can agree that Eli's blunder won't be remembered, specifically, by the public. However, I think it's a pity when a magician screws up one of the few chances our very specialized art form has, to get mainstream media attention. Again, to deliver a respectable performance and still not be good enough to advance is one thing, to completely self-destruct, is quite another.

On a side-note: I don't think the dove ending would have been cool, even if it had worked. What was the theatrical motivation? When Lance Burton's showgirls go behind his cape one by one, at the end of his show, only to have him turn around and have the equivalent number of doves fly out from him--that's good theatrical motivation. It's not like Eli was producing 6 girls out of the Hologram--just one. (And if he was following the traditional hologram routine, the picture he placed in the prop, that the girl "emerges" from, would have had to have the doves as well, in order to make any sense.) I just don't believe kicker-endings for the sake of kicker-endings is good theater---particularly in this case, where it was probably the cause of the screw-up---Because if you watch the following clip, it's obvious they knew how to perform a standard routine (Bowling ball substituted for the typical metal sphere)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vIbhh1hPlg

If it's not broke--Why fix it?

Further--Frank is correct about knowing the time limit situation. This was not sprung upon these acts at the last minute. They knew the time-frame and likewise should have presented something that conformed to it....If he had just cut out most of the blah, blah, blah--you've got your 3 minute routine.

when I herd sharron say that I actually said outloud they need to see Chez and his superhero costume.

AND there is a new show out don't remeber what its called and it is something about people with large "collections" of basically anything and fanatics of differenthings.
I think they should tape Chez for it.

Does anybody have a link to the illusion begin performed correctly.

Dorian

In the above link where he does bowling ball, he does hologram right after,.

Seems he just added the doves for AGT and it screwed it up.

Ok...nevermind...I just looked it up on youtube and saw Hans Klok do it. Why would Eli choose to do that on a stage where he has no control over lighting....

oh well...

Dorian

or I could have just clicked the linked to gratiously provided....i thought it was to the same AGT performance

Let's really stir things up.

This show is called "America's Got Talent" If anyone saw this show from outside the U.S. (such as myself) one would have to ask themselves, IS THIS THE BEST YOU GUYS (AND GALS)HAVE DOWN THERE???? Even this frozen Canadian knows you have better! LOL

Let's face it, this is a Summer fill-in show, with 3 has-been celebrities doing the b-t-h thing with many of the acts, and trying to be funny on others with their comments. One of the earlier posts summed up it up, does anyone believe this is a true contest, and a "reality" show??? IT'S A FILLER, and overall, NOT A VERY GOOD ONE!!! (That's why I have not been watching it, I let you guys post the acts.)

Keith, I think you are being really harsh re. Holographic Reality, I do not consider what I saw as an exposure. Poor production yes, but I do not think a laymen is any further ahead. (I only saw the posted version, was the actual worse???). I am sure Eli is as disappointed with the outcome of the performance, as some of the guys on this thread seem to be.

Another person posted that a friend called them about "a magician who butchered hologram" - This comment really impressed me as I do not have any laymen friends that would bother to call me about a second rate magic performance, let alone know, or remember the name of an illusion on the T.V.

Someone else wants us to go to a critique on the Sword Basket. I agree that it is not the greatest of illusions, and we can all hope to be as good as the Pendragons with it, but I think Eli did a pretty good job of it. I liked the design, the double girl production, his look.

What did Eli get out of this show.

1) An International T.V. credit/appearance (it is also shown in Canada, in both French and English). Actually 2 credits. And NO ONE CARES that the second show was Eli not at his best.

2) Well edited portions of the shows will go into his folio.

3) On set photos etc. etc.

4) Become the subject of an international discussion form (here on the Café)


But, I do agree with Keith on DUMP THE DOVES. They add nothing to the effect, and in my opinion weaken an otherwise great illusion. And since it is Bar-B-Q season I heard someone mention that dove tastes a little like duck, anyone care to comment on this???

(What do I watch? "So You Think You Can Dance?" Costuming, choreography, raw talent, hard work. No "store bought" talent. You have to admire these young performers as they give up so much of their lives to follow their passion, can we say this about a lot of "magical" performers?? Need inspiration, catch a show or two. Make magic your passion, make magic your life!)

That's my rant over with! LOL

Blair Marshall
"ShaZzam!"

I agree. don't you think we are being just a little too harsh? I know wat you mean how you should practice until you cannot get it worng but there are some things that do go wrong. As a community(magic communty) we should be uplifting are fellow magicians instead of making comments about how horrible they are,

Eli kerr is actually quite a good magician from what I have seen.

So we should come together as a whole .

MentalV

Blair, I couldn't agree with you more....I think you hit the nail on the head.

Totally different question:

Having only seen the flaming sword basket, I was thoroughly unimpressed by one aspect. In most effects like this that I have seen, it appears that an object is inserted in one side of the apparatus, and comes out the other side. In this presentation, the flaming swords seem to just slide down the same side they are put in, and come out with no traveling through the cavity.

I am not an illusionist, so I have no preconceived notions of how it "should" work, so it's all raw perception to me. That said, the second girl production was excellent.

Revlovejoy,

That is why the sword basket is a "difficult" illusion to present/perform. Much of the response to it is based in the presentation. Not sure if to a modern audience there is a big mystery to it. You have to go back to the origins of the illusion and read the original Indian presentations to understand the attraction to it.

Blair Marshall
"ShaZzam!"

About the indian sword basket-

The original trick the originated in India is really cool and very different from the illusion that you see on stage today. The original stage version (Look it up in Robert-Houdin's book) was very different in method and introduced the swords.
Today, audiences don't seem to be "hip" to the current method, but I don't think many audience members want to see it. I don't perform stage illusions, but I have seen the Indian Sword Basket (with fire) performed live. When the basket was wheeled out on stage, everybody knew what was coming and the trick got a weak response.

The first time I was introduced to the Indian Sword Basket trick was in some cartoon. I was deeply disappointed when I saw it on stage for the first time. I hated it because it was nothing like the cartoon.

Please listen to these podcasts that go into a discussion about the presentation of the Indian Sword Basket. These guys feel the same way I feel about the trick and they go in-depth on what goes on in the audience's minds. Please give it a listen:
http://img671.libsyn.com/img671/07cc0614......1130.mp3
http://img671.libsyn.com/img671/f1321152......1207.mp3

I don't think the sword basket fools anybody or at least the audiences that I have seen it performed for.

As for the hologram illusion, I thought Eli did a good job in his earlier video with it. However, doves don't improve a trick. I have yet to understand why you would feel the need to produce doves too.

Mentalv--

I have sat by for years and listened to this "larry-feelgood" mentality that we should be uplifting, etc...but all that does, from all that I have seen, is delude magicians/illusionists into a false sense of worth. It's time people got slapped with a reality check once and while, to say "Hey--this is NOT ACCEPTABLE." When you reach a certain level (i.e. an internationally televised program) you'd better realize that we're going to raise the level of expectation.

Now we can all hem and haw about 'everybody has an off night', 'even the greats mess-up',etc...but the reality is if nobody is ever held accountable for what ends up on stage, you delude the process for everyone involved--pro and amateur.

The late, great, Channing Pollock once said, "You can judge a magician by how well they cover their mistakes." And in my opinon, Eli did nothing to cover his mistake.

I think RUTHLESSLY HONEST feedback is the most uplifting thing a fellow magician can do to benefit our community. I know it's not always the most popular stance, because criticizing one's act usually gets confused with criticizing the individual. Eli Kerr may be the nicest guy in town, but that doesn't make his lackluster performance anymore acceptable.

Blair, you describe exactly what I have seen. I saw Pendragons do this live, and the illusion was done well (of course) in that it really looked like the swords took up all the space. Yet, I sat there thinking "wow Char really IS flexible. In the Eli Kerr TV appearance, I didn't even get a sense that the illusion looked the way it should.

You do realize that you only saw a few seconds of Eli's 3 minute act? How can you sit there and make any credable statements about anything to do with Eli or his act without having any knowledge of what really happend? There was nothing revealed to expose the effect in anyway, if you happen to have this prop or any idea of it's working you can easily see that there was nothing given away in at all. Why not find out the facts before spouting of opinions, just makes you look foolish to those that know the truth. Eli is easy to get a hold of if you have any questions or wanna find out what really happend, or if you are true crowd follower, and believer in the reality if reality Tv then continue making statements without all the facts. Just my thoughts, I worked with Eli a few years back for one of his runs, and he is truley one of the most talent and creative guys I have ever met, and he has designed, built effects, and worked with other well known magicians so know his background before making accusations in regards to his other talents. What you saw him perform on America's got Talent is just a small taste of what he has to offer. So if you feel the need to give an opinion and post it for the world to see, please consider taking 2 minutes to find out the facts, that's all I ask, especially of a fellow performer.

Mentalv,

Do you not think Eli knows he had a problem?? This was not something he would not have been aware of happening, so to use an open forum to BASH a fellow performer, is in my opinion not right. Critique is one thing, but to perhaps go off the deep end is another. Honest feedback is one thing, look at the facts, give your opinion, state references, HELP the performer grow! Bashing does nothing.

Here's another example of contradiction on this thread, in one case we are discussing a possible lack of preperation/rehearsal, and the next minute we are saying that when one of the judges said his act had a certain style (with the basket) we say that by his next performance he should have redressed his act, and routine so that he could appeal to that judge's idea of his style. Should he look at the comment, yes, should he try to do it overnight.....no!!

In my post, you do read about my thoughts on the use of the doves (sauteed with butter is usually tasty), and while none of us like to get (negative) feedback, it does help us to improve.

Criticism will be listened to much more closely when the manner in which it is delivered is not hostile, and done in a spirit of giving.

Blair Marshall
"ShaZzam!"

I agree with you blair. we should look at the facts correctly. I think the eli has already gotten the point that he did mess up and more bashing will not do anything better. The past is the past, the bashing will not change the past. how many lay people will actually understand what happend? probally not many. They will just understand that something went wrong. they will not know what exactly was suppose to happen or how the illusion works and they most likely have forgotten it by now! . But everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Come on guys. it seems as you guys are coming down harder on eli kerr than the masked magician!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank-you!

Blair Marshall
"ShaZzam!"