Haunted Magic

Discuss your favorite platform magic and illusions.
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Haunted Magic

Postby Guest » January 23rd, 2007, 2:39 pm

Hello everyone,

I simply want to discuss haunted magic, something I have become quite partial to. I want to perform some haunted magic at a talent show, and I was asking for some ideas, as well as just generally making a thread for the magic type. I am not really sure what kind of things are visible on stage, as I don't usually perform stage.

I figure Zombie Ball, some mentalism, and maybe some stuff with the PK ring will make it a good performance. Last, I just want a way to 1) tie the effects together, and 2) set a dark atmosphere. I hope to perform more stage magic, as it is truly remarkable magic. Thanks in advanced!

Cheers,
Aidan Errickson

Guest

Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Guest » January 25th, 2007, 2:06 pm

Seriously? No one likes Haunted Magic...?

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Guest » January 25th, 2007, 7:05 pm

Aidan,
Although haunted magic of the stage variety is not my thing, I am intrigued by stories that create a 'haunted' mood. For example I really enjoy the "Storytelling Is Magic" column by Ed Solomon in The Linking Ring.
You might also consider a search for information about Phillip Morris, a magician and theatrical costume dealer from Charlotte, NC. Mr. Morris toured 'haunted' shows for years.
Good luck with your quest.
Chaz

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Guest » January 26th, 2007, 8:11 am

Spirit Theater by Eugene Burger has always been one of my favorite books, though I don't perform any of the material. It recounts his presentation of theatrical seances and provides several very strong routines for many performance situations. It really gets you thinking, which I'm sure is what Eugene wanted when he wrote it!

"Less is more."

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Mingodrake » June 1st, 2008, 3:35 pm

From the date of this post , guess there are not a lot of folks into haunted magic on here I am working on a " spirit act" myself and would love to talk about some spook stuff. I have read a lot of Doc Hilford , some Ormand Mcgill, Tony Shiels " 13" and spend a bit of time at sacred-texts.com for background story and patter . Any ideas for where to go from here? Other then the spook stuff I'm more into mentalist work.

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Necromancer » June 1st, 2008, 11:05 pm

Hi Doug,

I am in my fifth year of performing a weekly hauntings-themed mentalism show at a popular Chicago nightclub, Supernatural Chicago, and have acted as Medium for The Houdini Seance in Chicago on six consecutive Halloweens. What specifically do you want to know?

Best,
Neil
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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Mingodrake » June 2nd, 2008, 7:18 pm

Hi Neil ,
Thank you for the reply. Looks like you are an expert !
I am trying to decide how " real" to make this look. I of course will be advertising this show as theater . The plan is to have my guest's sign a lemon scented waver form/question sheet to be turned in after the show....2 birds with one stone you know. Here are a few things going on in my head right now.
1. Where can I find a good way to have a spirit appear that looks like it MIGHT be real ? Perhaps some sort of peppers ghost.
2. Should I even bother ? I think I can build a pretty strong act without it...would it seem more real without the effects?
3. How do I respond if a patron wants to contact " grandma" or whoever ? I'm saying no, but how?
4. What other material should I be studying ? For haunted magic that is... I am going back to our history and reading about the mediums of old and there methods . Any other ideas?

I am trying to build a 60 min set ...halfway there.. I might include a lecture bit at the start.

Thank you for any input you might have
Doug

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Doc Dixon » June 2nd, 2008, 8:25 pm

For "haunted magic" may I suggest the book "Haunted Magik" by Rick Maue? Rick is a close friend and a great guy, so I'm far from impartial. But I can't imagine ANY ONE who's interested in this genre not benefiting from its contents.

Best,

DD

PS: The book can be purchased from www.deceptionsunlimited.com

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Spellbinder » June 2nd, 2008, 9:42 pm

Take a lesson from Alfred Hitchcock... it's not what you see, it's what you EXPECT to see, or see in your mind as a result of suggestions, sounds, smells (OK, Hitch didn't use smells, but that's no reason we can't!).
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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Mingodrake » June 2nd, 2008, 11:02 pm

I thought about building some kind of induction script into the patter to perhaps help a little with what they " expected" to see. I'm not sure how well that would work. I will be working with no more then 15 at a time. I'm trying to do something close to a parlor show circa turn of the century .
Doc odd as it seems I found a waterlogged copy of Ricks book a week or so ago at a local flea market here in Alabama along with a bunch of other oddity's. It's great ! The chamber of Horrors has my mind racing for Halloween this year. The way he used the " out to lunch " gaff would have given me the creeps . Does he have any more books ? I'll look on the link .
Thank you both for the input and ideas
Doug

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby magicalt » June 3rd, 2008, 9:24 am

Try Eugene Burgers Spirit Theater and Teller,s House of Mystery for ideas.

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Necromancer » June 3rd, 2008, 7:03 pm

Mingodrake wrote:1. Where can I find a good way to have a spirit appear that looks like it MIGHT be real ? Perhaps some sort of peppers ghost.
2. Should I even bother ? I think I can build a pretty strong act without it...would it seem more real without the effects?
3. How do I respond if a patron wants to contact " grandma" or whoever ? I'm saying no, but how?
4. What other material should I be studying ? For haunted magic that is... I am going back to our history and reading about the mediums of old and there methods . Any other ideas?


Hi Doug,

I'm not quite sure what to say overall as I don't know what you're trying to accomplish. Is this supposed to feel like a recreation of an authentic turn-of-the-century seance? Is this a spook show of some kind? What do you want your audience to feel they are participating in, and how do you want them to describe it afterward?

Once you've got that figured out, think about the way you want to structure the performance to meet those goals. Choosing effects is only part of this.

In answer to your above questions:

1. Methods are legion. For period techniques, see Keene's Psychic Mafia and Moore-Davis' Seance. (For audiences of 15 in a parlor show, your Pepper's Ghost possibilities are seriously limited.)

2. That depends on your dramatic goals and your performance venue. If you're doing a believable seance, I'd advise against it. Conversely, if you're doing a spook show, you pretty well must.

3. Well, why do you say no? I can tell you why I do: because I firmly believe that mediums are unnecessary -- that anybody can make peace with the spirits by simply shutting out all distractions, dimming the lights, closing their eyes, and being open to all possibilities. In time, a comforting memory may suggest itself, or a half-forgotten dream, or a scent, or a sound. (This kind of meditation can be a great help during the grieving process. And in the rare case that additional assistance is desired, I can always refer them to a reputable grief counselor.)

4. Reading spiritualism history is a great place to start. I also agree with prior advice about books for magical performers by Maue, Teller, and Burger, and happily add the works of Moore-Davis (Seance), Corinda (13 Steps), Annemann (The Jinx), Earle (Manifestations), and Waters (Mind, Myth & Magick). Lastly, I think it's a good idea to stay on top of the works of authors for the general public on such subjects as haunted places, allegedly true hauntings, ghost hunting, exorcisms, and so on. Your audiences are not Victorian, after all, so it's a good idea to know as much about the subject as they do.

Best of luck,
Neil
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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Jonathan Townsend » June 4th, 2008, 8:11 am

Ghost in the cell phone? Printer?, PDA? a pen that takes possession of the holder?

lots of ways to go without resorting to things which creaked of self-parody over a hundred years ago or asking folks to recall their parents early childhood traumas.
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Necromancer » June 5th, 2008, 11:00 am

All viable suggestions, Jonathan, but so is doing a historic reenactment.

Incidentally, your pronouncement that seances "creaked of self-parody over a hundred years ago" isn't quite true -- plenty of people continued to believe in and conduct seances all the way up through the 1920, after which the spiritualist movement splintered but has still soldiered on in some way (have you ever been here?).

Best,
Neil
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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Jonathan Townsend » June 5th, 2008, 12:39 pm

Hi Neil,

No issues with reenactments or spiritualism - I just find materials taken out of their setting and presented without context (as if the audience could relate from their lives) something we need to be conscious of.

All for updating the media though - when presented in modern context.

:O)
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Mingodrake » June 6th, 2008, 9:56 pm

While I could see a great routine coming from modern devices . For myself I don't think I could get into it. I am building a sort of old fashioned storyline and trying to bring my audience to another place and time so to speak. 13 steps and MMM have figured a lot into what I have so far. Thanks once more to all for some great ideas.

Doug

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Jonathan Townsend » June 6th, 2008, 11:10 pm

Doug, the themes you are exploring are with us even now in our science fiction. Writers like Alastair Reynolds andGreg Egan are exploring themes which almost exactly parallel the basic spiritualist premise of living with and among the active echoes of those who have passed on.

Is that PDA reminder that just went off just something you set long ago or is that particular sound the signature of someone special who wants to tell you something - let's look at that appointment note and see.
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby David Devlin » June 10th, 2008, 1:34 pm

No one likes haunted magic? Are you kidding?

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Magic Ian » June 10th, 2008, 2:02 pm

I have an e-book, Haunted deck, book of revelations. Also, a DVD on presentation of the Haunted deck.

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Mingodrake » June 11th, 2008, 9:17 pm

Ok I have been doing homework....practical mental effects and MMM for the most part ....now for the question thats been in my mind all day.

Does anyone know the laws about shaving monkeys? lol

Doug

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby John Signa » July 16th, 2008, 11:39 pm

Necromancer wrote:I am in my fifth year of performing a weekly hauntings-themed mentalism show at a popular Chicago nightclub, Supernatural Chicago

I just saw Supernatural Chicago this last Friday and found it very entertaining. No ghosts appeared, but the small audience (14) was totally engrossed in the stories and related tricks.

My biggest lesson was how important the environment was in setting expectations. For about 10-15 minutes prior to the show starting, we were seated in a dimly-lit room. As time went by it was obvious people were getting uneasy, as heard several comments about how creepy the room was. By time Neil made his entrance, they were definitely ready.

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Francesca Moffet » April 3rd, 2009, 6:15 am

Doc Dixon wrote:For "haunted magic" may I suggest the book "Haunted Magik" by Rick Maue? Rick is a close friend and a great guy, so I'm far from impartial. But I can't imagine ANY ONE who's interested in this genre not benefiting from its contents.

Best,

DD

PS: The book can be purchased from www.deceptionsunlimited.com


I am thinking of purchasing this book but I've had conflicting opinions about it. One of my friends said it would suit me and another has said that I am better suited to learning about 'Dark Cabaret. Something between Circus of Horrors and burlesque'.

I guess it couldn't hurt to purchase it and see if it is to my taste.
Love and magic have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul, and they both take practice.

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Steve Bryant » April 3rd, 2009, 9:10 am

Don't miss The Little Egypt Book of Ghosts - 230 pages of scary magic. Check Jamy's review in the March issue of Genii, some of which is reprinted at the H&R Magic Books site here:

http://www.magicbookshop.com/product_in ... s_id=14409

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Francesca Moffet » April 3rd, 2009, 9:34 am

That looks interesting! Definitely my cup of tea. Thanks for posting the link Steve.
Love and magic have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul, and they both take practice.

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby Francesca Moffet » April 6th, 2009, 9:18 am

I've decided to throw caution to the wind and order Haunted Magik. Hehehe.
Love and magic have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul, and they both take practice.

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Re: Haunted Magic

Postby x-treem » April 29th, 2009, 1:58 pm

Sensory perception, in my mind is a big thing. So many "old" haunted effect look old but smell new. I highly suggest Blackhart's Atmosphere 1 and 2. One is an old earthen smell the other is an almost embalming fluid oder. I have used both with great results.

Here is a recap of one experiment I tried with Atmosphere 2

I added a drop of Blackharts Atmosphere No.2 in a box that I keep a mummified finger in and tried an experiment. I work with 6 horror movie buffs, big, bad, tattooed, over pierced kind of guys. So I took the box and set it on a shelf in my cubical last week.

On Monday one of those guys mentioned above came up to me and said, Is that finger on your shelf real? If it is real that is just @#$%^&* sick. It sure as ^&*@ smells real. You are one *&^%$# up person!


I also suggest anyone interested in this type of work to check out anything by Blackhart he is a master and not too far from you Francesca.
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