Hello, I am new here and looking for help in recreating the walking through the door FX in Ghost the musical. I know it is a play on peppers ghost and have it down to maybe 80 or 90 percent how its done but just a few details are missing. A forum like this with so many experts I figured could be of help! If any of you don't know the show or the FX take a look here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGd0pJTnWcE take a look starting at 40 sec if you want but all the fx are here in the video! Any thoughts or anyone willing to help re create this in NY?

This effect is the creation of Paul Kieve so the best is to contact him to get permission and to get the details.

You can hear Paul talk about this illusion on this episode of The Magicians' Podcast: https://magicianspodcast.podbean.com/e/ep-87-paul-kieve/

I believe the Broadway (or was it West End) Version had more elaborate setups and effects. I saw the touring show and it was still impressive.

I believe I read (or heard on that Podcast) that Mr. Kieve had the luxury of specifying illusions first and then scenery was designed/built to accommodate for the original production(s).

I also have theories on the door effect but I’d rather not put them here to respect the inventor and the art.

If anyone wants to chat privately, I’d love to discuss.

Jim Steinmeyer recreated Pepper's Ghost many years ago 1995, and some time later an article in Genii Magazine was published.

I believe his version was called the Blue Room.

The effect is very expensive to recreate, in the thousands of dollars.

The 2012 Billboard Awards where they resurrected Michael Jackson was nearly flawless to the live audience. The ability to directly project CGI optimized images at high brightnes vs reflection of live target makes for a more "solid" figure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vqiRl5afgQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0L8YlgnGpc

I managed a show (Girl To Gorilla) in 1985, for the late Tim Deremer, who had built it as a side show illusion. It was a money maker. We toured the midwest and south. The illusion "mechanics" were mounted in a trailer. Tim built it for perhaps a grand.

The Blue Room and Pepper's ghost are both technically optical effects but totally different. Jim & John Gaughan put the Blue Room together for one of the conferences of Magical History and it was beautiful to see in person!



That technique (although many times incorrectly called a "hologram") is actually just a simple front projection onto a clear screen (Musion "EyeLiner" is the brand name) and still only produces a 2D image which is very noticeable in person. They tried and disguise it by playing it as far upstage as possible but you can still tell. This is the same technique they use at Universal Studios on the Fast & The Furious section of their tram ride. The 2D image is in stark contrast to the dimensional set around it. It looks fine on camera but in person is lacking.

Does anyone know if the newest edition of "The Science Behind The Ghost!" contains the plastic insert like earlier editions?

http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/4611

It does not. No. But makes up for it with a swanky hardback and soft touch cover. It's a nice edition. I recommend picking one up.