|
Criss
Angel Masterminds The DVD Series, Volume 2 – Self Levitation
(DVD) -
(Click the name of the product to visit the product page)
|
|
Considered to be the most influential name in magic today, Criss Angel
built his career by having a visionary approach and
groundbreaking material. Now for the first time ever, it's
available to you, in this exclusive Criss Angel Mastermind DVD
series (volume two). The explanation of his most talked about
demonstration -- Self Levitation -- as created by Criss Angel
(inspired by a Jacob Spinney concept) and performed by Criss
Angel on his critically acclaimed A & E television series
MINDFREAK. Criss teaches everything you need to know about this
modern day miracle; step-by-step instructions on the method, how
to construct it (gimmick materials needed can be purchased for
approximately $125) (these materials are not available through
the Criss Angel web store) and how to perform it. Levitate up to
a chair, on an escalator, in the street, anywhere! This
demonstration can be performed in close proximity to a single
spectator or to an audience on stage. Levitations can cost
thousands, now you can create Criss Angel's version.
Also included: bonus material, an exclusive interview with Criss
sharing his inner thoughts on magic, his career and number one
TV series. Delve inside Masterminds ... Get your MINDFREAK on!
"One of the most amazing self-levitations I have ever
seen." - Richard Kaufman, Editor of Genii, The Conjurors'
Magazine "Criss Angel's levitation is the perfect illusion.
It is simple, practical, and very magical. This one fooled
me!" - Lance Burton "The simplistic nature of this
stunning demonstration allows this anywhere levitation to rise
above all predecessors." - Banachek "Beware of
imitations. Criss Angel's levitation is the original and
best!" - Johnny Thompson Great introductory price and Free
shipping anywhere in the world.
|
|
$105.00
|
My point is that convincing elements must surround
the magic of levitation, in order to be effective.
As much as the Flying Illusion was awesome and beautiful, if
suffered from “dangling leaf”. This was obviously a new technology
invented by geniuses of magic. Whatever it was that held the performer
up was completely invisible. It had to be strong enough and thick enough
to hold up as least a hundred-ninety pounds. It was clear that the
hook-up was very complex and some of the same mysteries that enabled
Lance Burton to animate a birdcage were at work here. Even the novice of
magic can obtain booklets on the floating ball. We have all seen the
structure necessary to make the ball move about the stage. The books and
videos on the Zombie effect are enough to give some clue to the
fantastic hook-up required to float a man and a spectator.
This brings up another aspect that makes the
levitation convincing. I refer to the committee. In the early days of
magic on television, pioneers like Mark Wilson faced this problem.
Producers didn’t want to try magic shows because of the special
effects that were already in place. All of the five basic effects in
magic, e.g. production, vanish, levitation, transformation, and
transportation, were being done by editing. Mark Wilson’s answer was
to have a live audience surrounding most of the Magic, which the TV
audience could see. Beginning an illusion with the disclaimer that no
camera tricks were involved, began to close the doors on perception. I
grew up on Mark Wilson and he deserves any and all awards he might
receive.
Today as we watch the Magic Specials on TV we still
hear the disclaimer: “Absolutely no camera tricks are used, and the
camera will not cut away.” Whoever thought that up also deserves
enormous credit. The audience thinks, “hmmm, I wonder if…” and
immediately they say, nope, can’t be, because there are people all
around it and they just said there are no camera tricks. For some
reason, this cuts through all the un-convincing thoughts. What becomes a
problem is the use of shill. As most of you may know, the shill is the
guy who just won. When the con man with the three little nuts or the
three cards wants to generate interest and induce the mark to bet, he
has no better convincer than the guy who has just won money. This winner
is the plant or shill. In order to make people believe that the huge
structure in the middle of a body of water, which can be seen every day
by millions of people, has completely vanished into thin air, a group of
actors is necessary if not crucial. The only weakness in this equation
is the level of actor that the magical designer hires. In one case,
which I mentioned earlier, the taping of a special allows the live
theater audience to see things that the TV audience won’t. (Anneman
said that if ten people were enlisted to fool just one, it was perfectly
acceptable) What the live audience saw was that the group of
well-dressed young boys and girls who surrounded the flying illusion
came up and encircled the performer several times during the
evening. The only attempt to hide that fact was that the group, who
looked like they worked rides at
Disney
Land
, was seated in different parts of the theater. First, Row B was called
up to “help with the magic”. Later in the evening Row F was called
and we all saw that it was the same group.
To the lay audience, watching it on TV it looked like a random
selection from the theater seats. This “selection” then, becomes
part of the illusion. On a recent magic special the magician levitates
himself in front of a supermarket and then in the middle of a casino
lobby. He does several convincing anti-gravity effects during which the
elaborate hook-up would be difficult if not impossible. The use of
actors is suspected in the most convincing performances and the attempt
to portray them as “just walking by” falls short when he causes a
young woman from the crowd to float as well.
I want to insert a few simple facts. The case for
“real” levitation has never been proved. One of the reasons that we
now have child restraints in cars is because we didn’t like them
crashing into the windshield at sixty miles-per-hour. Thus the law of
inertia, which states that an object in motion tends to stay in motion.
Since the earth is revolving at 368 thousand miles per second, we
are traveling at that same speed. Gravity holds us to the ground and we
never feel the tremendous velocity because we match the rotation of the
globe. I would suggest that if gravity was suspended and levitation was
accomplished for even a second, David Blain would be a smoking rocket,
which would vanish over the horizon before anyone could blink an eye.
That’s one take on levitation. Thankfully, the public accepts it for
what they think it is.
Before Copperfield and the magic specials,
magicians traveled from town to town. The equipment had to be
transportable and the stage settings had to be adaptable. Howard
Thurston perfected the Asrah Levitation in which the woman assistant
floated out over the audience then vanished from under a sheet.
Improvements on machines that make this possible have ranged from the
original floating woman, to sword on ball and the assistant rotating
completely around the performer. The cost of a levitation effect has
come down in price to under a thousand dollars and the effect is still
quite good.
|
Floating
Table (Losander) - (Click the name of the product to visit the product page)
Watch a demonstration of
the product here
|
|
NEW LOWER PRICE! Dirk Losander knocked the socks off the World Magic
Seminar registrants with his "Floating Table." The
Floating Table can be performed under ANY conditions-even
surrounded. Imagine a solid table, which mysteriously begins to
rise from the floor and then suddenly takes off! This table
floats all over and seems to have a life of its own-yet it is
actually controlled by the performer. Spectators can look around
and even under the table while it floats in mid-air. This is the
most incredible, foolproof effect on the market. Based on Tommy
Wonder’s levitation principles, Losander has created a
miracle-The Floating Table. There is only one original design,
which has the rights from Tommy Wonder- and this is it! A
bargain price that includes a protective, packing case! Price is
$800 plus $30 shipping and insured. The model shown in this
photo sells for $800; however, Stevens Magic offers four
variations of Losander floating tables from $800 to $2,530.
You can’t go wrong with any model – pure poetry in
motion.
|
|
$830.00
|
|
