Plans for illusion...

Discuss your favorite platform magic and illusions.
Caleb
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Plans for illusion...

Postby Caleb » April 6th, 2009, 9:09 pm

Does anyone have the plans for a sub-trunk or the Assistant's Revenge?

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Plans for illusion...

Postby Richard Kaufman » April 7th, 2009, 12:32 am

You can buy plans, you know. They're something that are generally paid for.
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mai-ling
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Re: Plans for illusion...

Postby mai-ling » April 7th, 2009, 8:58 am

and if you don't want to pay for them,
you can do what my father has always done.

by figuring them out yourself.
you will remember my name
http://www.mai-ling.net
world's youngest illusionista


Dan Wolfe
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Re: Plans for illusion...

Postby Dan Wolfe » April 8th, 2009, 6:52 am

I like what Aldo Columbini told me recently:

"I see a magic trick in a catalog and figure out how it works. I order it, look at it and it doesn't work like mine. I think mine's better. BOOM! I invented a new magic trick!"

I do the same thing with illusions all the time.
Smoky Mountain Magic
http://www.SMMagic.com

Jonathan Townsend
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Re: Plans for illusion...

Postby Jonathan Townsend » April 8th, 2009, 8:10 am

So if I see you do a trick and I don't look like you I can copy the items and say it's my trick? Kewl! YouTube now truly rulz.
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

Dan Wolfe
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Re: Plans for illusion...

Postby Dan Wolfe » April 8th, 2009, 8:52 am

Aldo was referring to presenting a similar effect but using a different method to accomplish it.

...and why on Earth would you want to look like me?
Smoky Mountain Magic

http://www.SMMagic.com

Jonathan Townsend
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Re: Plans for illusion...

Postby Jonathan Townsend » April 8th, 2009, 8:58 am

Magicians have a great time fooling themselves.

But for the those who like to learn:

If I see a trick and decide I want to do that effect.
And I don't look like the performer I saw do the trick.
I (by dint of the logic others have presented) have every right to do the effect and call it my own trick.

Since method is outside the realm of discussions of effect:
If I happen to use the same method I can claim to be honoring the other performer.
If I happen to use some other method I can claim original creation of the work.

Or...

We might want to leave the "monkey see- monkey do" to monkeys and remember that even pigeons and mice learn by watching and instead focus on what makes us better than those creatures.

Up to you.

Got cheese?
Last edited by Jonathan Townsend on April 8th, 2009, 8:59 am, edited 0 times in total.
Reason: who moved my cheese? Heck - I want to know who cut that cheese?

Jim Riser
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Re: Plans for illusion...

Postby Jim Riser » April 9th, 2009, 1:40 am

I would suggest that you determine the effect that you desire to present. After determining exactly what you want to do, you might look over the many books on illusions which are available. This will give you an idea of what has been done in the past.

As an example, there are a number of sub trunk designs. Just buying a plan of one design might well not do the job for you. Your body type/size might make things unworkable. Your costuming and act theme might place some limits on the methods to be used. Or your act theme could certainly offer opportunities for completely original designs/workings. There are enough so called magicians using the same old trunk design. If you want to be different, be original in your thinking.

In addition, the substitution effect need not always be presented standing on the trunk prior to the switch.

I consider books a better investment than individual plans which need to be resized anyway. A key to being original is knowing what has been done before.

If you do not want to spend anything on such books, perhaps you should stick to doing card tricks from books checked out of the local library. There is nothing inexpensive about illusions. Plan costs are the least of the expenses.
Jim

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Tom Stone
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Re: Plans for illusion...

Postby Tom Stone » April 9th, 2009, 2:03 am

mai-ling wrote:and if you don't want to pay for them,
you can do what my father has always done.

by figuring them out yourself.

That's quite nasty!

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Tom Stone
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Re: Plans for illusion...

Postby Tom Stone » April 9th, 2009, 2:25 am

Richard Kaufman wrote:You can buy plans, you know. They're something that are generally paid for.

I don't know what the status is on those plans. Do they, generally, have permission from the creators to sell those plans?

Anyway, Robert Harbin submitted "Assistant's Revenge" to the book THE ART OF ILLUSION by Will Ayling.
There is also a similar effect, though more portable, in Harbincadabra.

rlmiller007
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Re: Plans for illusion...

Postby rlmiller007 » May 5th, 2012, 3:42 pm

Half price books. Mark Wilsons Complete Course in Magic. It includes plans for several illusions.

A1exM
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Joined: September 12th, 2008, 2:16 pm

Re: Plans for illusion...

Postby A1exM » May 5th, 2012, 4:39 pm

Hi Caleb
Check out the Paul Osborne Illusion Systems books; A great primer for those keen on building they're own illusions.
Enjoy your journey,
Alex


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