talkmagic.co.uk

Hi,

I'm a pub licensee and a DJ, (website URL in sig) as a DJ I tend to be quite animated and interact quite a bit. Now I do odd tricks whilst performing but I'm now hitting a barrier. Before i post my specific questions, I realise that a couple of the answers may come under 'exposure' so please feel free to PM me. Anyway, as you can imagine, I work (when DJ'ing) in a quite dark environment, so for maximum effect I need tricks that involve light. I'm already using a pair of d'lites to realy good effect, since I can pull them off the lasers and show lights etc, throw them around and all the usual stuff. Top add a little variety, I recently put an order in with emagic, the first item was a morphing d'lite, just to add a little variety and to shine up the routine. The other thing was a d'lite flight. I recieved my parcel today and the morphing d'lite is no problem, but, i can see the 'flight' is going to need a little work, if anyone can pass on any tips or techniques for that one I'd be gratefull, obviously I'm going to be having a play in front of a mirror for a while. I'm specifically interested in combining the 'flight' with the 'd'lites'.

Also, I'm struggling to find 'tricks with lights'. I was talking on the phone to the guy at emagic, (was very impressed by the way, very helpfull bloke) One suggestion i had was possibly an illuminated zombie ball, problem is, we don't think anyone makes them. Then there was the possibilty of using a 'levitator' 'TT' with one of those trick light bulbs, but to be honest, that one sounds a bit 'lame'. Yet another idea i had which would need a little work, was those 'glowing ears' gimmicks, obviously a non worker if you're using a pair of d'lites, but what about an extension to a toe switch? Possibly a good comic entry there.

So, what I need is any other suggestions or let me know if you've come across any other stuff that invloves light or working in a dark environment, I saw something on a site that was like a lighted spill, that flkashed into a rose, but I can't remember where I saw it! Anyone know anything about this?

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer with this lot.

Ok so here I am for my pint... Oh not sure that I can help!

Here's an idea (although it might be expensive) Modelling balloons.. You can buy littltle lights to go in balloons (if you pm me I'll try and find a link), so you can give out glowing dogs and lightsabers etc. If you combine this with one of those gizmos for putting stuff in 260's while their inflated (have one but can't remember what it's called) you could make this quite magical, fun and (what's most important) original.

What about pyro stuff? Would look great in that setting...

Well, the ballons would be too time consuming as don't forget, I'm DJ'in and mixing at the time. Pyro might be OK but I'd have to check the fire hazard issues, I thought about incorporating a flsh gun but again it might be dangerous, the nearest people to me when I'm DJ'ing are about 8 feet away. Also it starts to add expense in the form of consumables, paper cotton etc.

you could always do the hummer card? you can get a gimmick to make the card flash e.t.c - and you wouldn't be able to see the IT in the dark.

I think using the hummber card would be amazing. And, who sais you can't use card tricks anyway? If you go to your local hardware shop I'm sure you could buy some glow in the dark paint. This looks really effective and if you took some time to paint over the designs it would look really effective.

[EDIT] Found a site that does some pretty cool glow in the dark cards, http://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/kikkerland_design/glow_in_the_dark_poker_playing_cards.cfm It is american though, don't know if that matters. The one problem is that you couldn't really use many sleights as your hand would glow!

Dark disco with random light effects? In deed, it sounds just like an IT case to me! You could also, to perform a quick, simple and impressive effect, vanish the now-glowing card. There are many ways to achieve it quite simply (sorry, I don't know the exacts name of those maneuvers). Taking out a green glowing card, make it spin mid-air then vanishing it could be the king of quick effect you might look for

And by the way - for a bit of self promotion here - I'm selling my hummer card if you are interested

*whistles innocently*

There's probably a lot of scope for the IT, I'll add a pic of my dj rig to this post, it's not got all the lights attached on the 'overhead' at this point but you'll get the idea. I realise though that my criteria is a little tight, it has to be quick, easy setup, and preferably using light. Now I think I have some video hanging around of me in action, although you won't see me personnaly. But it will allow you to gauge light levels, and what I could 'get away with. As I said earlier, I've just taken delivery of the d'lite flight. An idea I've had (oooo giving a poss routine away here) is, using d'lites in combination with the 'flight'. Juggle the d'lites about a bit, then throw the light into a glass of water (using a d'lite' you can make a glass of water glow. now, if I could waterproof the 'flight' head in some way, perhaps levitate the light out of the water!

I could do with pm'in someone who's had a lot of experience with the 'flight' as I do have some questions about 'manipulating it' such as 'bendability' (if you know what i mean), anyway, pic of my rig in daylight here, I'll add a dark vid when i find it and upload it to some webspace.

Here we go, this gives an idea of light levels, this is one of my party pieces, and it's where the lighting is at it's lowest.

www.thetophouse.com/laservid.wmv

Hey very nice lights, does anyone really notice your close up stuff with all that going on though?

Do you have UV light in your set up? Because couldnt you create a hummer card with Ghost cards or something so that they glow? Actually, anything white would work so you get some levitations and IT work on the go!

Flash wrote:Hey very nice lights, does anyone really notice your close up stuff with all that going on though?

That's the idea of doing tricks with 'lighty' things, they aren't close up. The laser sequence is only a small part, I have a number of lighting effects that shine in front of me, meaning that where I am it remains fairly dark. And I get their attention with the "does anyone like magic" question. Have to say the conditions for d'lites are perfect, I pluck them from my disco lights etc.

Here's the 'normal' lighting

trickyricky wrote:Do you have UV light in your set up? Because couldnt you create a hummer card with Ghost cards or something so that they glow? Actually, anything white would work so you get some levitations and IT work on the go!

Actually, you may not see it in the pics, in the foreground there's a false ceiling, where I am positioned, it goes up to full height (you see it best if you compare the still of my setup at top and then the lights still not the video, notice the 'indiscrepancy' in ceiling heights?) Anyway, up there I have a 4 foot blacklight, so yes, either white or 'luminous' objects would 'glow' quite nicely.

I'm still thinking something in the way of a lit zombie ball would work well!

Also still awaiting someone with a fair bit of experience with d'lite flight as I don't want to break mine testing for something that someone may have already tried etc. A clue for anyone who has the knowledge I'm after would be 'bendability'.

Definitely also thinking that some kind of waterproofing and levitating it out of a glass of water may work well in combination with d'lite TT's, something along the lines of the white wine to red wine move but then completely throw them by levitating it out of the water.

Blapsing_Beard wrote:And by the way - for a bit of self promotion here - I'm selling my hummer card if you are interested

*whistles innocently*

Re the hummer, will it doe the routine in the video here :-

http://www.magical-tricks.com/HummerCard.htm

How easy a setup and 'tidy'? How large an object could I use, ie, would it work with those 10 inch x 4 inch (approx) playing cards popularly used in pubs for 'play your cards right?

Hey Top house,

How about this... Maybe you could get some glow juggling balls (available from loadsa places) and turn one into a Zombie..

For some nice stuff that glows including juggling balls and frisbees try:

http://www.firetoys.co.uk

Hope this helps.