So...How long does it take before I can do i'llusions?

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So...How long does it take before I can do i'llusions?

Postby smoothe1 » Oct 12th, '06, 22:46



How long is it going to take before i can do good illusions, like the ones on the street magic videos?

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Postby lozey » Oct 12th, '06, 23:04

Depends on several factors:
1. How much time you have to practice
2. The illusions you choose (some are more difficult than others)
3. Your current skill level (including crowd control, misdirection etc not just magic)
4) The sources that you choose to learn from (dvds, personal tuition, books, as opposed to some 'freebie' exposure sites/pirated e-books which typically give very poor instructions)

(C, AH)
If you have a quality,let it define you no matter what it is-Doug Bradley
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Postby Craig Browning » Oct 12th, '06, 23:08

You forgot BUDGET

Do bear in mind that an ILLUSION is more akin to what you see Copperfield do the little stuff you are referring to that Blaine and much of what Angel has done fits more under "Trick" category... Illusions are generally large "full-body" type things presented on a stage, Illusionettes are a smaller version of this that could be done in a living room of a home or "parlor" as it was once known... Grand Illusions are huge monstrosoties such as you see Copperfield, Siegfred & Roy and the such do....

Back in the 20th century, up till the mid and late 1990s, everything was pretty much segregated and understood... that was before the internet made things so "easy" :evil:

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Postby lozey » Oct 13th, '06, 13:58

True i forgot budget!

I also forgot staff!
Some illusions require massive crews

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Postby Craig Browning » Oct 13th, '06, 16:55

Nahhh... I only traveled with a crew of 24 when I was doing the Illusion act... not big deal... 4 animal handlers, four technicians, dancers, roadies, truck drivers...

Of course there's the other side to this too; aside from the props you need the sets & stage decorations (set pieces/scenary), lighting, sound, etc. Then, if you are like my buddy Franz, you troop a huge self-contained stage as well.

So, you have a Wardrobe Truck, Technical Support Truck with all your sound & Lighting gear, Livestock & Livestock Support if that's applicable, Main Show Prop Truck(s) (some props require one whole truck unto themselves they're so big) Crew Vans and of course the main Bus or RV unit used by the management team as a field office and dressing room for the stars of the show (mage & the lead assistant).

It really gets fun when you need to prep all this for air travel :twisted:

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Postby dat8962 » Oct 13th, '06, 21:03

good illusions, like the ones on the street magic videos?


Call these good illusions?

To master many of the great effects of magic can take a lifetime of work and devotion.

Sure you can learn effects or 'illusions' in quick time, particularly those that we refer to as 'self working' but then performing them to a crowd of strangers is a totally different matter.

Last edited by dat8962 on Oct 14th, '06, 11:01, edited 2 times in total.
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It's not really an optical illusion - it just looks like one!
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Postby Barnabas » Oct 14th, '06, 04:24

Here's my two cents. I think this is quite true.

No matter if you are the simplest and weakest newbie to magic or you are David Copperfields mentor it doesn't effect how your audiance will react. You can amaze someone with just as much impact with a simple card trick as you could amaze someone by making a 7 ton jet disappear. Sometimes street magic is even more incredible simply because you are right their up close to the spectator where as David could be on stage while your 100 rows in the back. Plus, the spectator knows you didn't have wires or anything if your on the street, where as many will think David of using his stage to its full mysterious potential. Think about it. :wink:

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