talkmagic.co.uk

Right, so today I went over to the local sewing store and got something which was labeled "Wooly Nylon - Black." After reading "The Source," apparently, this is what IT is made of. So I get home and start stripping it (with my fingers) I get a good sized piece, maybe 3 feet long and rip it off. Now, even when I get it to what seems to be a single strand, it's still clearly visible. Am I doing something wrong?

Also, note that "The Source" says this thread would be invisible to the naked eye...How would I go about stripping something I can't see?

I don't really wanna go around levitating stuff and look like a jackass when people say "Uh, there's a string hanging off your hand..."

Any help would be appreciated. I'm not sure if this counts as revealing so if it does, just delete this post and/or send me a private message/email.

You can just go buy some IT...

Anyways, the good way to start off here at TM is by introducing yourself in the introduction forum.

As for your IT problem, if you wear a black shirt and do it when its a bit dark out, it should work fine. Personally, I'd just buy the stuff instead of making it.

sleightlycrazy wrote:You can just go buy some IT...

...Because that's what unstripped IT is. Doing it myself is probably going to be a lot less troublesome than finding some place that sells stripped IT.

Mind you online orders are impossible for me, at the moment.

I use woolly nylon also, I find it really depends a lot on lighting and what your wearing etc. Make sure too that its only one strand because sometimes I get 2 and only think its one.

KaleBaiton wrote:I use woolly nylon also, I find it really depends a lot on lighting and what your wearing etc. Make sure too that its only one strand because sometimes I get 2 and only think its one.

Is there any surefire way of knowing whether it's one strand or not?

Because I can literally see the thread, not just the reflection, so i doubt it's lighting.

Do you have a picture on your wall? If so, hold that thread up about 5 inches in front of that picture...Can you see it?

Above in a post is suggested black on black. That sounds right...But it's not. A broken background, or even slightly lighter background hides it better.

And, if it cannot be seen with the naked eye, how the hell you gonna strip that out? You've already noted that paradox in your post above. (That would honestly BE invisible.)

The problem is that everyone buys into this stuff, not realizing the truth behind it...It takes time and practice to find out which clothes work the best to conceal the fact, how to move and misdirect attention away from the method and onto the magic.

With IT, this is terribly difficult, because it really is right out there for them to see.

Furhter, it has to be smooth. As soon as there is some bouncing going on, it become immediately apparent as to the method.

But, in the hands of the right guy, the guy who's put the time in and given it a strong study, it can really look like a miracle, can't it?

Mike.

I can see it if i deliberately focus ON the thread, but i suppose that's mostly because I know it's there.

Anyway, I can easily wear a broken patterned shirt or whatever, but the main problem is that when I do this, I will quite possibly be doing it surrounded, so people may see it from the sides and such.

Then you take into account your surroundings when deciding upon doing an IT effect, right?

Where you gonna be? In a living room? There are couches, wall paper, tables, stuff on those tables...

What's the lighting? Direct, overhead, track lighting? You might have a problem if that's the case.

In a bar? Then lighting will be dimmer anyway and there's lots of busy background going on everywhere.

On the street? Then you attract a crowd all around you and they make for a great broken background (lots of different clothes styles, hair styles and so forth).

Again, this requires study, not just: "Grab some IT and make lots of stuff float."

Well, not if you want it to look real.

Mike.

IT is one of those things that I treat as a bonus effect.
Only perform it if the conditions are right, and don't overuse it. You will kill it if you milk it.

probably a silly question, but are you taking one length of thread and then extracting just one strand of the fibre?

magicmonkey wrote:probably a silly question, but are you taking one length of thread and then extracting just one strand of the fibre?

Yeah, I believe that's what I meant by "stripping it."

I'm not using the whole fuzzy thread if that's what you're asking, unless you mean something else.

Anyway, thanks for all your input guys.

I use black, elastic thread that I strip myself. It was included in the package when I purchased Jon LeClair's superb book, The Art of IT. When it comes to IT, I think there is some difference in the quality that is available. When stripped, a single strand of LeClair's thread lives up to its name and is virtually invisible to the naked eye; depending on lighting conditions it really is invisible, even to me! I use the LeClair Animator method, which I highly recommend. Try not to perform IT effects with your back to a light source, e.g. a window, as this will increase the chances of the method being exposed.

Thanks for the advice guys, but one quick question. Anyone have any tips to reduce bounciness/shakiness if I'm doing the Steve Fearson Floating Cigarette routine? Without spoiling too much, I'm not directly controlling it with my hands, so it's a lot more difficult to make it look like it's not on a thread.

If you speed up the routine a little bit, it might make it more difficult to see the ciggarette wobbling and shaking.

on a similar note, what is the best way you have found of attaching the thread to a cigarette? I've always found this impossible with w**, but it may just be the brand I'm using as it doesn't seem very pliable before being warmed up in my hands