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I totally agree with you: I don't think that most tricks on TV are done with camera tricks, but I constantly run into people who DO believe that, and it does take some of the wonder out of watching it on television when that option is available.

That's why I think that using camera tricks is a pretty egregious offense.

Again, though, there are some people who believe that camera tricks are a trick like any other, and that sense the nature of magic is to "trick" the audience, then they should be allowed. I don't agree with this--I feel like camera tricks are a form of cheating akin to making the audience turn their backs to you while you go and get the fishbowl from offstage and "magical" make it appear--but I understand that some people do. They're entitled to their opinion.

All Im saying is that they use camera tricks for TV specials.. sometimes it warrants reason.. but they do it

Take the Balducci.. If Blaine hadnt used camera editing for the final balducci.. how much quicker would the secret have leaked out.

The secret was aired in papers all over the UK in a matter of weeks, but I remember my college friends at the time saying '' Bull.. he leviated 5 feet off the ground..'' And they went back and watched it and confirmed it, and so dismissed the stuff the y read.. hence why the balducci still causes a reaction in my opinion.

Sure, obviously the likes of Blaine do ''real magic'' for the spectators but as you have to involve our audience.... and the TV Watchers are now the audience when a TV special airs.. there has to be a way of getting these ''new'' spectators involved... camera angles and camera editing to spice it up..

I would have done the same thing I think.. in an attempt to keep the secrets beign exposed.. as tv spectators could replay the effects over and over to figure out how it could be done, this has to be guarded against. If tv camera editing rules out any possible way of finding methods.. this is all good.

Likewise, if it means people assuming that magic is all camera trickery.. I think this is the best thing to happen to magic.. Why? Simple.

You meet someone who thinks this way.. you blow them out of the water with magic right in front of their face.. this shatters their perception of reality and destroys their 'logical thinking' of how these effects work..

I often hear people say to me ' I always thought that was dont by camera tricks, but.. ''

So there.. I dont condone the magicians ego rising because he has done stunts using camera editing because I know this doesnt make the magician any more skilled than we, but I embrace what it means for me..

If any of that makes much sense

I.D wrote:You meet someone who thinks this way.. you blow them out of the water with magic right in front of their face.. this shatters their perception of reality and destroys their 'logical thinking' of how these effects work..

I often hear people say to me ' I always thought that was dont by camera tricks, but.. ''

Of course, it can work the other way...if they then go onto believe what they saw on television wasn't camera tricks (even if it was) then it sets the bar exceptionally high for you .

a pretty egregious offense

Wow, big word. I think this is the first time I've ever heard it used in coversation.

I love criss angel, alot of his tricks is very hard to figure out if i can at all and
acctuly puts his life at risk out of alot of magcians he would have to be my favorite... the reason i dont like david blaine is because all he uses for his levitation's is t.v magic and some wire... and there alot of his trick that i can figure out. and allso alot of his tricks are card tricks, personaly i dont think people get card trick and i dont get a great reaction after a trick... people like things that they havent seen before and that arent humanly possible such the coin through the can or walking on a wall or lifting a car or getting struck by 3 million volts of electricityor defiing gravity making solid objects dissapear... and lets face it card tricks are boring..
Im not saying david blaine is a bad magician its just he aint my kind..

He doesn't put his life in risk he only appears to. Of course theres always a chance it could go wrong but I doubt any magician would do any effect however dangerous it may seem unless they knew what they were doing .

Card tricks are boring? I think you're making a big assumption there, Vinnie. There are a few TM members who could twist your mind inside out with a borrowed deck.

Misanthropy wrote:He doesn't put his life in risk he only appears to. Of course theres always a chance it could go wrong but I doubt any magician would do any effect however dangerous it may seem unless they knew what they were doing .

Misanthropy, that's a REALLY naive statement. No matter how controlled the situation may be, the risk is absolutely real. In some cases the situation isn't nearly as "death-defying" as it is claimed, but I can name quite a few Criss Angel (and David Blaine) stunts which could have ended tragically.

As for magicians not doing an effect....... hmmmmmm.......

Chung Ling Soo, perhaps? I'm pretty sure he knew what he was doing with the bullet catch. As did the 15 or more other magicians who have died performing it.

Too long ago? Perhaps - but I'm pretty sure Roy was familiar with that tiger, too....

And it's not just magic!

Steve Irwin knew more than almost anyone about the wildlife he observed. He also knew quite a bit about stingrays...

Think about these kinds of things before you make comments like that. It's dismissive to think that knowledge of what you're doing makes it less dangerous.

And Vinnie - if you think card tricks are boring, do you change the channel whenever Criss Angel performs them? I know I've seen at least a dozen or so card tricks on Mindfreak.....

Note I said they wouldn't do it UNLESS they knew what they were doing. I never said knowing about a effect makes it less dangerous but it certainly makes you more aware about how not to mess it up. Its REALLY niave to think that everything he does is genuinely death defying and not just meant to seem that way but you wouldn't know because you're not there you're just watching it on television. They have that warning at the start of the show to build anticipation (also to avoid being sued). Its showmanship.

Misanthropy wrote:He doesn't put his life in risk he only appears to. Of course theres always a chance it could go wrong but I doubt any magician would do any effect however dangerous it may seem unless they knew what they were doing .

Well i personaly dont like card trick it wasnt an assumtion it was an opion

Don't know why you quoted me there as I said nothing about card tricks. As you said its completely your opinion if you like or don't like card tricks. I used to not like them but I'm slowly getting into them with help from royal road to card magic.

I believe he meant to quote tomo.

You didn't present it as an opinion, Vinnie. You said - "let's face it, card tricks are boring".