Escapology in its purest form is generally related to rope work, and problems are set with rope, cord, or string. However, professional escapologists' tricks will include anything from handcuffs, rigged or otherwise, to chains, mailbags, or even, in the case of Harry Houdini, prison cell. Items such as straitjackets are a staple feature in any show, either in rigged or official versions.
Although many cuffs sold in toy stores or adult stores don't even need a key to release, similar types can be opened with any thin object, such as a watchmaker's screwdriver, by pushing up from the keyhole towards the chain of the handcuffs.
Handcuffs can be secured by various methods against these kinds of attacks. Hinged handcuffs are designed to prevent twisting the wrists. Applying the cuffs so that the keyholes face upwards, towards the captive's elbows, reduces the possibility of escape. Putting the person's hands into thick gloves or mitts before applying the handcuffs inhibits the use of fingers.
One of the best ways to prevent a bound person from escaping is to secure the thumbs together; another good way is to secure his elbows. When thumbs are bound, the hands are effectively turned into paws, and cannot be used to untie knots or handle keys. Thumbcuffs, thread or fine cord can be used to do this. Wrapping the hands into balled fists with tape, preferably thicker varieties like duct tape or electrical tape, is also effective.
With ropes, there are secure ways to tie people, and there are safe ways to tie people — rarely can both be managed! Especially when someone is struggling, slippy knots can cut off circulation. Because of this danger, rope should never be placed around the neck. Even Houdini routinely answered challenges with the proviso that, "any ropes about the neck shall be fixed so as not to risk strangulation." So, often when binding an escape entertainer, bindings that risk strangulation or loss of circulation are precluded.
Useful ways to tie ropes include the jacobi or reverse-jacobi positions, where arms are crossed, and the ropes tied around the body straitjacket-style, or Japanese positions where the hands are tied high up behind someone's back. Generally, any position which ties the elbows behind the back is difficult to escape from, as the escapologist can't reach that area with hands or mouth to untie things.
It should be remembered however, that escapology, like any other discipline, evolves. Escapologists routinely put their minds to finding ways around the impediments that make escape less probable. This is one reason why restraint manufacturers continuously make improvements to their products.
With roped bondage, the escape strategy will be to move slack around until the escapologist can get it somewhere useful to untie a knot, or to release a part of his body. Most people will leave plenty of slack when tying — in their knots, in the bits between knots, and even around the wrists. The escapologist should try each loop of rope in turn, and go to work on the most promising ones.
The escapologist may try to get a head start when tied by breathing in, making fists or pulling away from knots to gain slack when the ropes are tied off. If the wrists are tied together, they can be pushed apart, either during or after their tying, to get more slack. The escapologist can also gain slack by tightening adjacent loops in the rope.
Leather bondage gear is sometimes used as an escapology challenge, but most such gear is straightforward to escape from. Assumed wrist sizes in leather gear are normally too large. There are nearly always major weaknesses in leather gear, usually involving the easy access to buckles.
With a self-made or purchased lock-pick set and practice, many padlocks can be opened. There are exceptions, such as combination locks and certain pick-resistant padlocks, such as the antique 'Scandinavian' padlock.
Minggu, 09 September 2007
CATEGORIES OF EFFECTS
There is much discussion among magicians as to how a given effect is to be categorized, and disagreement as to what categories actually exist -- for instance, some magicians consider "penetrations" to be a separate category, while others consider penetrations a form of restoration or teleportation. It is generally agreed that there are very few different types of effect. While many authors such as Fitzkee, Tarbell, S.H. Sharpe and others have disagreed, it has often been said that there are only seven types of illusion [citation needed] (perhaps because it is considered a magic number).
Production The magician produces something from nothing -- a rabbit from an empty hat, a fan of cards from thin air, a shower of coins from an empty bucket, or the magician themselves, appearing in a puff of smoke on an empty stage -- all of these effects are productions.
Vanish The magician makes something disappear -- a coin, a cage of doves, milk from a newspaper, an assistant from a cabinet, or even the Statue of Liberty. A vanish, being the reverse of a production, may use a similar technique, in reverse.
Transformation The magician transforms something from one state into another -- a silk handkerchief changes colour, a lady turns into a tiger, an indifferent card changes to the spectator's chosen card. A transformation can be seen as a combination of a vanish and a production.
Restoration The magician destroys an object, then restores it back to its original state -- a rope is cut, a newspaper is torn, a woman is sawn in half, a borrowed watch is smashed to pieces -- then they are all restored to their original state.
Teleportation The magician causes something to move from one place to another -- a borrowed ring is found inside a ball of wool, a canary inside a light bulb, an assistant from a cabinet to the back of the theatre. When two objects exchange places, it is called a transposition; a simultaneous, double teleportation.
An edge of a coin appearing to defy the laws of gravity.
Levitation The magician defies gravity, either by making something float in the air, or with the aid of another object (suspension) -- a silver ball floats around a cloth, an assistant floats in mid-air, another is suspended from a broom, a scarf dances in a sealed bottle, the magician hovers a few inches off the floor. There are many popular ways to create this illusion of the magician himself being levitated, such as the Balducci levitation, the King Rising, Criss Angel's stool levitations, the Andruzzi levitations, and the eight gravity.
Penetration The magician makes a solid object pass through another -- a set of steel rings link and unlink, a candle penetrates an arm, swords pass through an assistant in a basket, a saltshaker penetrates the table-top, a man walks through a mirror. Sometimes referred to as 'solid-through-solid'.
Prediction The magician predicts the choice of a spectator, or the outcome of an event under seemingly impossible circumstances -- a newspaper headline is predicted, the total amount of loose change in the spectator's pocket, a picture drawn on a slate. Prediction forms the basis for most 'pick-a-card' tricks, where a random card is chosen, then revealed to be known by the performer.
Many magical routines use combinations of effects. For example, in the famous 'cups and balls' a magician may use vanishes, productions, penetrations, teleportations and transformations all as part of the one presentation.
Production The magician produces something from nothing -- a rabbit from an empty hat, a fan of cards from thin air, a shower of coins from an empty bucket, or the magician themselves, appearing in a puff of smoke on an empty stage -- all of these effects are productions.
Vanish The magician makes something disappear -- a coin, a cage of doves, milk from a newspaper, an assistant from a cabinet, or even the Statue of Liberty. A vanish, being the reverse of a production, may use a similar technique, in reverse.
Transformation The magician transforms something from one state into another -- a silk handkerchief changes colour, a lady turns into a tiger, an indifferent card changes to the spectator's chosen card. A transformation can be seen as a combination of a vanish and a production.
Restoration The magician destroys an object, then restores it back to its original state -- a rope is cut, a newspaper is torn, a woman is sawn in half, a borrowed watch is smashed to pieces -- then they are all restored to their original state.
Teleportation The magician causes something to move from one place to another -- a borrowed ring is found inside a ball of wool, a canary inside a light bulb, an assistant from a cabinet to the back of the theatre. When two objects exchange places, it is called a transposition; a simultaneous, double teleportation.
An edge of a coin appearing to defy the laws of gravity.
Levitation The magician defies gravity, either by making something float in the air, or with the aid of another object (suspension) -- a silver ball floats around a cloth, an assistant floats in mid-air, another is suspended from a broom, a scarf dances in a sealed bottle, the magician hovers a few inches off the floor. There are many popular ways to create this illusion of the magician himself being levitated, such as the Balducci levitation, the King Rising, Criss Angel's stool levitations, the Andruzzi levitations, and the eight gravity.
Penetration The magician makes a solid object pass through another -- a set of steel rings link and unlink, a candle penetrates an arm, swords pass through an assistant in a basket, a saltshaker penetrates the table-top, a man walks through a mirror. Sometimes referred to as 'solid-through-solid'.
Prediction The magician predicts the choice of a spectator, or the outcome of an event under seemingly impossible circumstances -- a newspaper headline is predicted, the total amount of loose change in the spectator's pocket, a picture drawn on a slate. Prediction forms the basis for most 'pick-a-card' tricks, where a random card is chosen, then revealed to be known by the performer.
Many magical routines use combinations of effects. For example, in the famous 'cups and balls' a magician may use vanishes, productions, penetrations, teleportations and transformations all as part of the one presentation.
Types of magic peformance
Magic performances tend to fall into a few specialities or genres.
Stage illusions are performed for large audiences, typically within an auditorium. This type of magic is distinguished by large-scale props, the use of assistants and often, exotic animals such as elephants and tigers. Some famous stage illusionists, past and present, include Howard Thurston, Chung Ling Soo, David Copperfield, and Siegfried & Roy.
Cabaret magic, Platform magic or Stand-up magic are terms used to describe magic performed for a medium to large audience. Night club magic and comedy club magic are also examples of this form. The term parlor magic is sometimes used but is considered pejorative. This genre includes the skilled manipulation of props such as billiard balls, card fans, doves, rabbits, silks, and rope. Examples of such magicians include Jeff McBride, Penn and Teller, David Abbott, Channing Pollock, Black Herman, and Fred Kaps.
Close-up magic is performed with the audience close to the magician, sometimes even one-on-one. It usually makes use of everyday items as props, such as cards and coins (see Coin magic) and seemingly 'impromptu' effects. This is also called "table magic" particularly when performed as dinner entertainment. Ricky Jay and Lee Asher, following in the traditions of Dai Vernon, Slydini and Max Malini, are considered among the foremost practitioners of close-up magic.
Mentalism creates the impression in the minds of the audience that the performer possesses special powers to read thoughts, predict events, control other minds, and similar feats. It can be presented on a stage, in a cabaret setting, before small close-up groups, or even for one spectator. Magicians in this field include Alexander, Max Maven, Kreskin, Luke Jermay, Derren Brown, The Zancigs, and Banachek.
Children's magic is performed for an audience primarily composed of children. It is typically performed at a birthday party, daycare or preschool, elementary school, Sunday School, or library. This type of magic is usually comedic in nature and involves audience interaction as well as volunteer assistants.
Corporate Magic or Trade Show Magic uses magic as a communication and sales tool, as opposed to just straightforward entertainment. Corporate magicians may come from a business background and typically present at meetings, conferences and product launches. They run workshops and can sometimes be found at trade shows, where their patter and illusions enhance an entertaining presentation of the products offered by their corporate sponsors.[3]
Street magic is a form of street performing or busking that employs a hybrid of stage magic, platform and close-up magic, usually performed 'in the round' or surrounded. Notable modern street magic performers include Jeff Sheridan, Jim Cellini, Gazzo and Sonny Holliday. The term "street magic" has recently (since the first David Blaine TV special "Street Magic" aired in 1997) come to be used to describe a style of "guerilla" performance where magicians approach and perform for unsuspecting members of the public on the street. Unlike traditional street magic, this style is almost purely designed for TV and gains its impact from the wild reactions of the public. Magicians of this type include David Blaine, Criss Angel and Cyril Takayama.
Bizarre magic uses mystical, horror, fantasy and other similar themes in performance. Bizarre magic is typically performed in a close-up venue, although some performers have effectively presented it in a stage setting. Charles Cameron has generally been credited as the "godfather of bizarre magic." Others such as Tony Raven, Tony Andruzzi, and Tony "Doc" Shiels contributed significantly to its development.
Shock magic[citation needed] is a genre of magic that shocks the audience, hence the name. Sometimes referred to as "geek magic," it takes its roots from circus sideshows, in which "freakish" performances were shown to audiences. Common shock magic or geek magic effects include eating razor blades, needle-through-arm, string through neck and pen-through-tongue. Magicians known for performing shock magic include Criss Angel, Andrew Mayne, Sean Fields and Brian Brushwood
Stage illusions are performed for large audiences, typically within an auditorium. This type of magic is distinguished by large-scale props, the use of assistants and often, exotic animals such as elephants and tigers. Some famous stage illusionists, past and present, include Howard Thurston, Chung Ling Soo, David Copperfield, and Siegfried & Roy.
Cabaret magic, Platform magic or Stand-up magic are terms used to describe magic performed for a medium to large audience. Night club magic and comedy club magic are also examples of this form. The term parlor magic is sometimes used but is considered pejorative. This genre includes the skilled manipulation of props such as billiard balls, card fans, doves, rabbits, silks, and rope. Examples of such magicians include Jeff McBride, Penn and Teller, David Abbott, Channing Pollock, Black Herman, and Fred Kaps.
Close-up magic is performed with the audience close to the magician, sometimes even one-on-one. It usually makes use of everyday items as props, such as cards and coins (see Coin magic) and seemingly 'impromptu' effects. This is also called "table magic" particularly when performed as dinner entertainment. Ricky Jay and Lee Asher, following in the traditions of Dai Vernon, Slydini and Max Malini, are considered among the foremost practitioners of close-up magic.
Mentalism creates the impression in the minds of the audience that the performer possesses special powers to read thoughts, predict events, control other minds, and similar feats. It can be presented on a stage, in a cabaret setting, before small close-up groups, or even for one spectator. Magicians in this field include Alexander, Max Maven, Kreskin, Luke Jermay, Derren Brown, The Zancigs, and Banachek.
Children's magic is performed for an audience primarily composed of children. It is typically performed at a birthday party, daycare or preschool, elementary school, Sunday School, or library. This type of magic is usually comedic in nature and involves audience interaction as well as volunteer assistants.
Corporate Magic or Trade Show Magic uses magic as a communication and sales tool, as opposed to just straightforward entertainment. Corporate magicians may come from a business background and typically present at meetings, conferences and product launches. They run workshops and can sometimes be found at trade shows, where their patter and illusions enhance an entertaining presentation of the products offered by their corporate sponsors.[3]
Street magic is a form of street performing or busking that employs a hybrid of stage magic, platform and close-up magic, usually performed 'in the round' or surrounded. Notable modern street magic performers include Jeff Sheridan, Jim Cellini, Gazzo and Sonny Holliday. The term "street magic" has recently (since the first David Blaine TV special "Street Magic" aired in 1997) come to be used to describe a style of "guerilla" performance where magicians approach and perform for unsuspecting members of the public on the street. Unlike traditional street magic, this style is almost purely designed for TV and gains its impact from the wild reactions of the public. Magicians of this type include David Blaine, Criss Angel and Cyril Takayama.
Bizarre magic uses mystical, horror, fantasy and other similar themes in performance. Bizarre magic is typically performed in a close-up venue, although some performers have effectively presented it in a stage setting. Charles Cameron has generally been credited as the "godfather of bizarre magic." Others such as Tony Raven, Tony Andruzzi, and Tony "Doc" Shiels contributed significantly to its development.
Shock magic[citation needed] is a genre of magic that shocks the audience, hence the name. Sometimes referred to as "geek magic," it takes its roots from circus sideshows, in which "freakish" performances were shown to audiences. Common shock magic or geek magic effects include eating razor blades, needle-through-arm, string through neck and pen-through-tongue. Magicians known for performing shock magic include Criss Angel, Andrew Mayne, Sean Fields and Brian Brushwood
DAVID BLAINE
David Blaine: 'Drowned' Alive
Magician David Blaine has been buried alive for seven days, frozen for 61 hours, perched 90 feet up on a pole for 35 hours, and suspended for 44 days.
Now, he has been submerged in a human aquarium and plans to stay there for a week.
Related Stories
"My system is completely empty," he said before being submerged. "So that way in the sphere I don't have to use the bathroom. I have a catheter in case I have to do No. 1, but I don't intend on doing anything else."
To prepare for his weeklong stay in 2,000 gallons of 96-degree saltwater, Blaine underwent grueling training with the Navy SEALs and oxygen deprivation while diving with stingrays.
"What was amazing about the Navy SEALs -- a lot of their training, although it is physical, is more about the mental and spiritual part," said Blaine, 33. "They talk about overriding the pain in your body by finding something to take you away from it."
Defying Death
If he survives his seven-day endurance test, Blaine will handcuff himself to 150 pounds of chain and then remove his breathing apparatus. He hopes to break the world record of almost nine minutes without breathing. The stunt will be broadcast on ABC on May 8.
"I'll have to escape from all these chains, and if not I will drown and the world will see something pretty insane," he said.
Blaine said he had lost 50 pounds while practicing holding his breath.
"I would wake up and hold my breath for 48 minutes out of the course of every hour," he said. "I'd breathe for a minute, hold my breath for five minutes immediately after, and then right after that, breathe a minute, hold for six minutes and keep going for all the way up to an hour. In that process, your CO2 levels become so high, your body has to work like a marathon runner to get rid of it."
The final escape will be the difficult part, and Blaine has been relaxing in his fish tank, which sits outside Lincoln Center in Manhattan, N.Y., where pedestrians can view him. Blaine, who is 6-foot-1, appears about 33 percent larger because of the way the spherical tank refracts the light.
If he survives his seven-day endurance test, Blaine will handcuff himself to 150 pounds of chain and then remove his breathing apparatus. He hopes to break the world record of almost nine minutes without breathing. The stunt will be broadcast on ABC on May 8.
"I'll have to escape from all these chains, and if not I will drown and the world will see something pretty insane," he said.
Blaine said he had lost 50 pounds while practicing holding his breath.
"I would wake up and hold my breath for 48 minutes out of the course of every hour," he said. "I'd breathe for a minute, hold my breath for five minutes immediately after, and then right after that, breathe a minute, hold for six minutes and keep going for all the way up to an hour. In that process, your CO2 levels become so high, your body has to work like a marathon runner to get rid of it."
The final escape will be the difficult part, and Blaine has been relaxing in his fish tank, which sits outside Lincoln Center in Manhattan, N.Y., where pedestrians can view him. Blaine, who is 6-foot-1, appears about 33 percent larger because of the way the spherical tank refracts the light.
Sabtu, 08 September 2007
FREE TRIK....
The Magic Number Nine
,,,,,,,,,FREE,,,,,,,,,,,TRICK,,,,,,,,MENTAL
The Magic Number Nine
The effect:In this mental magic trick you will confuse the sceptics in your audience by correctly predicting the result of a very complex series of calculations and then revealing your prediction in an extremely unusual way. Before you begin: You will need a magazine, a piece of card, a pencil and a marker pen. You will also need to open the magazine at page number nine and write in bold letters using the marker pen, "I got here first" as this will be your prediction! Here's how this mental magic trick is done:1.Ask a member of the audience to think of a four digit number in which all of the digits are different. Tell them to write the number down but not to tell you what it is.(a below)2. Get them to jumble up the four digits and write the new number below the first (b) if it is smaller or above the first number if it is larger. 3. Now ask them to subtract the smaller number from the larger number. (c) Next get them to add the digits of the total together (d) and if the total of this calculation is a two digit number then these two digits should be added together as well. They need to carry on like this until they are left with a single digit number.(e) Magically, this number will always be a 9!As a demonstration of this magical calculation:(a) 8253 (first number thought of)(b) 3285 (orig. digits jumbled up)(c) 8253 minus 3285 = 4968(d) 4+9+6+8 = 27 so as this is 2 digit number add the two digits: 2+7(e) =9Obviously to complete this routine all you need to do is to give your spectator the magazine and ask them to open it at that page which corresponds with the number that they finished up with and which of course you couldn't possibly have known!!
FREE MENTAL TRICK
Magic Name Prediction
The effect:The magician gets some members of the audience to shout out the names of around a dozen different famous people - either dead or alive and writes them down on pieces of paper which are then mixed up in a hat. The magician then writes down a prediction. A member of the audience picks one of the pieces of paper and reads out the name written on it and it is seen to be the name that the magician predicted. How this mental magic trick is done:Make sure you have available around a dozen pieces of paper, a piece of coloured card, a pen and a hat. Ask a member of your audience to call out a famous name then write this name down on a piece of paper and drop it into the hat. Request another name but this time instead of writing down the name which is called out to you, actually write down once again the first name that was called. This means of course that both of the pieces of paper in the hat have the same name written on them. Carry on in this manner apparently writing down names which are called out from other members of the audience but in fact writing down the same name all the time until you have around a dozen pieces of paper in the hat all with the same name on them. At this point you now make a big show of making your prediction (the same name again) the piece of coloured card which you place somewhere where it is in sight of the audience but to where they cannot see the name. Next, get a member of your audience to shake up the hat containing all the pieces of paper and dip in their hand to choose one of them which they must then read aloud. Of course now you simply need only to show that you magically predicted the name and possibly more importantly to get rid of all the other pieces of paper in the hat so that no wonder realises your deception
Langganan:
Postingan (Atom)