When I was around 7 years old, a magician performed at my elementary school. During his performance there was a large cloth laying on the ground, flat as a pancake, suddenly and mysterously it started rising, and taking shape, soon inside was a figure standing, he removed the cloth and it was his assistant. A few minutes later he redrapes the cloth over her and she melts back into the floor, again the cloth as flat as a pancake laying on the floor. He did this in the gymnasium and was surrounded on all sides by spectators. Now I'm 31 and I wish to learn this effect.
What I described is as closely as I can remember it?
Does anyone know where I can learn this or buy this? Thank you

Hi Jolan

It is wonderful what people remember about a magic trick they have seen.


Check up on illusion building and
PM me if you wish

Paula

Sounds like what Copperfield did when he did the exploding building. And he reappeared on top of that slate under a cloth. Pretty cool effect I have to say.

Michael

Michael,
What Copperfield did on that special was on a raised platform placed on sawhorses. Otherwise, the visual effect was about the same, although I don't believe it was the same method as what Jolan saw as a child. I think that was basically taking advantage of the "built in" features of that particuar stage.

Oh ok. It just sounded like that. But you might be right. Thanks

Seeing things when you're young and trying to remember them now might cloud your mind a bit.

Since you were only 7 years old I am sure the the illusion you described has some things missing. Heck, I can't remember what I did 4 years ago.

Search around for a similar effect/illusion. I doubt the illusion is as clean as you described.

Although I have never seen the effect described, it seems like I have heard of a giant "glorpy" to produce an assistant on a solid floor.

Funny, I was also reminded of Copperfield in the BUILDING DEMOLITION conclusion. The cloth laying on the plate of steel supported by the sawhorses blew in the wind moments before he began to rise up...it almost revealed the secret and nearly ruined the "all one shot" since the building was already imploded. Thankfully it only jostled the cloth and the illusion was recorded for all eternity. I agree with Dave above..

The method used in a school years ago was not the same method Copperfield used in his illusion. I believe a method could be used that doesn't need a "Special Stage" and could be performed live with limited sight lines. Of course, with Copperfields budget, I could also do it surrounded on a raised platform after escaping from an imploding building. I built a poor mans version for about 20 bucks and the sight lines are awesome, but not surrounded!

In all fairness to Jolan and his memory, I too, have seen a similar/same? effect during a Shriner's Circus in a school gym. Just like Jolan's school's floor, there were no trap doors or platforms. The magician held up a curtain made of a hula hoop and the girl appeared within, there was no disappearance afterwards. He performed 3/4 surrounded slightly away from the backdrop. It happened quite fast and was very surprising.

Perhaps as a clue to the method, I do remember something like a large carpet/runner leading from the backdrop to where the hula hoop lay.

s

...But, Is there in any book an explanation about can you do what Jolan witnessed as a Child?

PaulaJayne, What do you know about that?

I know Copperfield's version is only-for-TV because the critical angles, but another version, done surrounded, sounds Really cool!

On one of the masked magician specials(i am not the REAL masked magician) he did a trick with that concept. But he used that concept to make a different illusion.

The effect sounds like OUT OF THIN AIR
This was a Paul Osborne idea it can be found in his BIG BLACK BOOK.

This sounds like Ralph Adams appearing from the floor using a black art picket fence. The cloth is laid out flat on the floor, raised a little and the person grows right out of the floor...convincing as can be. It's in the Ralph Adams book. It also comes with a video. I think this a great source for info.

Speed
Speed & Thro: High Energy Magic

Without getting into method, I do an appearance like this using Black Art. This is a very professional and inexpensive way to pull off a vanish or appearance like this. I use a hoola hoop with a sheet.
Go to: http://www.blackartsecrets.com for info on black art.

-JH

A current performer does something like this. The cloth isn't really flat to begin with.

Ralph Adams method could accomplish this but so could any number of other methods.

Get a copy of Tom Palmer's "Modern Illusions." There is an assistant vanish in there that will provide you with a few clues. That's all I will say on an open forum.