Hi Guys,

I have my own garage wood working shop and recently I've been designing something I need for a routine that I haven't seen anywhere else. If it all works out then mine will effectively be a "proto-type" from which others could be made. I'm enjoying the design/construction but I know nothing about how to design for cost effective replication, where to get things built, how to market, etc. Nor really do I want to be in that business.

I was wondering if there were some well known reputable makers/vendors out there I could show plans and a prototype to who might be interested in being the maker/seller. I'd be looking for name acknowledgment and some form of royalty (though since this isn't my primary occupation I'm pretty flexible on payment arrangements.)

Obviously I'd want to deal with someone with a name and reputation to porotect because once the gadget is explained there really is no "protection" from the idea just being ripped off.

Cyberqat,
Be VERY careful here when sending proto-types out to manufacturers or discussing prop ideas or workings. There are some "reputable" Manufacturing companies that can sink your ship before it hits the water.
Check for REFERENCES of people that they are currently PAYING royalties to and not just saying they "have the rights", "exclusive permission" etc. as you will find there are some real snakes in this business.
I would be happy to chat with you but I am not taking on any new ideas at this time however I can give you some insights on how to protect yourself.
Good luck!
Chance Wolf
Wolfs Magic

Cyberqat, you won't go wrong by heeding the advice from Chance Wolf. I fully agree with what Chance mentioned on the "snakes (ANACONDAS) in the business". Too many people have been ripped off unknowingly.

There are several illusion designers and builders who would be more than happy to give you advice, but there are others, just as reputable, who won't give you the time of day. That doesn't make one better than the other; it's just that some regard their time as being that valuable.

I suggest is that you write some of the builders and designers who you have read about on the Café as being trustworthy. Ask whether they would be interested in looking at your ideas, and what they would charge for their time. You might also want to have a non-disclosure agreement of some sort prepared for them to sign. This isn't tacky. It's just good business. Depending upon how detailed you want to get with the review, there are more than a few who would look at your idea and offer comments for free.

On a whim, I once e-mailed three designers/builders asking for suggestions on "hiding space" dimensions for a production illusion I was building. It was a simple question with a simple answer. One didn't answer at all. One told me how giving out the information would hurt his livelihood.

However, the best-known of all of them - the one who has mega-projects underway all the time, and the one I KNEW I would never hear from - asked me for plans, made sketches and suggestions, and corresponded back and forth with me until the illusion was successfully completed. He saw this as a chance to "better the art of magic", I guess, but it cemented his reputation in my mind as the best at what he does.

Good luck. Let us know how it turns out...