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CCPCris Loyal user Alabama 280 Posts |
Ok heres what I am running into, I have sevearl illusions I have built, and have been great stage pieces. But please tell me, I am desgining several new illusions that require bases, so heres my questions.
A. Does the base always look bigger than it should be to us (being magicans) because we know its purpose? B. And second, should all props be built on top of bases, despite if its needed to achive the effect, just to have consistincy with props and the audince not start saying, "Hey that last illusion was on a short table, this one is bigger? Just asking Used woodburys plans, and some I got from other builders and magician freinds
making the unreal, real...really!
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Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
As magicians, we usually do know what to look for. But by the same token, some of us can recognize a good design, distinguishing it from a poor one.
I would not put large bases on every illusion for consistency. First, it would be adding too much to illusions that don't need it, which would likely attract the eye to unnecessary "parts". Once it was noticed, the consistency may flag itself on all illusions. Bases, when required should be disguised by design. Not only does the thickness of the base need to optically appear less than what it is, the parts that you do want noticed should be designed to attract the eye. Often bases are noticable, not because they are designed poorly, but because of the latter. The box on top does not visually separate itself from the base. If the box and the base appear to be one in the same, the entire unit will appear larger. There is more to it than that, but the quick answer to your question is, don't break everything to make one broken part look normal. Fix the broken part.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
Lusion Special user 590 Posts |
There are a lot of illusions that I look at and I say *** that's a thin base!! Daniel Summers stuff, as well as others. The thing is if you can make it smaller then do so, its not suppose to have a lot of room for you or your assistant. I had a base that after 5 mins my assistant was able to move in and out of it quickly so I rebuild it smaller and it took her and hour or so to get the hang of getting in and out.
I would tell you to avoid anything with a full base! A base is not an illusion! The spiker illusion works with a full base because the base is integrated with the design of the upper cabinet. I would really recommend for you to read as much books as you can when it comes to illusions such and Mark Parkers, Chris Murphy, and others. Yes Woodburys stuff is good but things have changed a slight. Woodbury gives you the basics personally I think his deceptive stairs are the best version still, everything else has a new updated twist and build. |
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
With any base, as with any illusion "place", there is going to be an absolute minimum amount of space required for the person involved. That's just basic physics. The key then, is to make that space appear smaller from the viewing angle(s). Thinner, stable materials, and design tricks accomplish this. Woodbury's deceptive stairs is definitely a great example of this. It simply looks impossible from the viewing angle for them to do what they do.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
George Ledo Magic Café Columnist SF Bay Area 3042 Posts |
Look at it from the point of view of an audience member. A box is wheeled onto the stage. The box by itself is too small to hide a person, or whatever. Therefore it's also too small to have its own casters. Therefore it's on a base that allows for the casters -- essentially a cart. And for theatrical reasons that cart wants to look nice too.
As Michael said, the base needs to be disguised by the design of the overall prop. However, I've been noticing way too much emphasis on bases recently, as entities in themselves, where the emphasis really wants to be on the box and the presentation.
That's our departed buddy Burt, aka The Great Burtini, doing his famous Cups and Mice routine
www.georgefledo.net Latest column: "Sorry about the photos in my posts here" |
mengst New user Northern CA 74 Posts |
I'm an amature, so I'll try to answer more as a spectator.
A. Yeah, I think so. But, there are illusions out there that cause magicians to think "Someone can fit in that?!" B. No. If you use a base in one trick, you may catch them off guard. But after that, the audience may be thinking about where the girl was and look closer at the next "box" trick. Mike |
GWSchott Veteran user Southeastern Michigan 361 Posts |
In my humble opinion a base shouldn't be decorated. It should be a 'non-issue' to the observer; just something that makes it possible to wheel the illusion on and off stage.
Yours In Magic,
Gordon |
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