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Criss Angel

It helps a lot if you have your own camera crew.

The guy relies a lot on his own camera crew, so he and only he can call the shots on the right camera angle right from the start. You would be surprised at what would finish up on the cutting room floor in a prerecorded trick. They would of course be the most impressive tricks of the lot like that butterfly trick.
He could even call the shots on some of his live tricks as the camera tracking would have been choreographed to a tee.
It would also be a disaster for television ratings it he botched a trick live on television. So he would still call the shots as far as camera angles are concerned in much of the mainstream media as well.
He does not a all strike me as one of the old school magicians who was not in the business of manipulating the media like that.

:crc:
 
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crocodile deathroll said:
He does not a all strike me as one of the old school magicians who was not in the business of manipulating the media like that.
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The old school magicians didn't have the same kind of media to manipulate.

But there can be a fine line between taking advantage of the camera and doing camera tricks.

crocodile deathroll said:
he and only he can call the shots on the right camera angle right from the start
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And a magician on stage can keep you from going backstage or in the wings to watch- which is really no different than calling the shots on the right camera angle. For that matter, if I do something close up I can control your viewing angle too.
 
Bob Klase said:
The old school magicians didn't have the same kind of media to manipulate.

But there can be a fine line between taking advantage of the camera and doing camera tricks.
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I am not pointing specifically at Criss Angel but IMO in such a competitive entertainment discipline it would be very tempting for some magicians to cross that line and use those video editing tools just as some athletes use performance enhancing drugs and do get away with it.

Like lets show the world how I can levitate an 80 ton Abrams Tank and I will tell all my fans it is telekinesis and they will believe me.

:crc:
 
crocodile deathroll said:
Like lets show the world how I can levitate an 80 ton Abrams Tank and I will tell all my fans it is telekinesis and they will believe me. :
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Pretty much exactly what some people do- like Crossing Over's John Edward. But then they're no longer magicians- just another scam artist.
 
sf108 said:
Anyone discovered how he does his levitation? It's far better than Blaine's balducci. And with the camera showing both feet up. Care to discuss.
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There's a few levitations out there; to my knowledge, Criss has not released his for sale yet.
 
I would love to get my hands on the instruction for this!!...pity it is quite costly. I doubt anyone can pull it off how he does it...
 
sf108 said:
I would love to get my hands on the instruction for this!!...pity it is quite costly. I doubt anyone can pull it off how he does it...
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This illusion strikes me as really overpriced. I expect that anyone who pays for this DVD is really going to be disappointed in its simple (and fairly obvious) method, and may also be disappointed by how much spectator control may be needed.
 
Brown said:
This illusion strikes me as really overpriced. I expect that anyone who pays for this DVD is really going to be disappointed in its simple (and fairly obvious) method, and may also be disappointed by how much spectator control may be needed.
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Not to mention time doing TV edits!;)
 
It looks to me like he's doing the levitation by this method...
{snip}
Sorry, I wasn't sure if theorising how it was done, counted as "revealing" secrets
{/snip}
But hey, I'm not a magician. That's just what it looks like to me.
 
Criss Angel reminds me of Paul Stanley from Kiss. "I'm going to levitate for all you ladies, but first I need to take my shirt off!".
 
Well, a couple friends introduced me to CA last night (on video, that is). We all watched about an hour of recorded programs.

I grant that he's got the showmanship down. No doubt charisma and characterization play a part of his charm.

But as for the illusions, there was nothing I found terribly awe-inspiring. I said to my friends (all while trying not to dampen their enthusiasm) the first thing I do when watching somebody, especially prerecorded, is to not assume anything is as it seems.

For instance, in one bit, CA is standing outside a Las Vegas hotel and, before a group of onlookers, proceeds to grab hold and lift the front of a taxicab about a foot in the air (with the back wheels still on the ground). I suggested that the cab could easily be a prop, and the onlookers could be accomplices, and proceed from there.

In short, since I know that each illusion is an illusion, I'm able to consider the mechanics of its construction, as well as admire when it's well done. But, again, many people do want to believe in such "powers" and the right approach has to be taken when discussing such matters, else one can come off as a dick and a downer.
 
I visit his forums frequently and it takes some EXTREME restraint from just going through and bursting everyone's bubble and saying that it's not real. I don't do it for the very reason that many of them do not want to know(although I do imply it heavily). About the car thing though, I think the car he used is parked behind a magic store in vegas, take from that what you will.
 
I saw on TV where he levitated a person in the middle of public place.
So far, I am inclined to believe that he has real telekinesis ability to do the levitation.
 
rikzilla said:
I did get to see some of the "Mindfreak" show but wasn't home so couldn't record it. Criss has some very cool street magic illusions. I went to his message board to learn more and found it full of nutty "believers".

Here's a common example:

Here's a link.

I've been trying to talk a little sense to some of these people and have been warned by moderators to "stop trying to debunk this".

I'm likely to get banned....funny thing is that Mr. Angel is not making supernatural claims as far as I know....but he sure seems to be encouraging others to court the woo-woos for him. Disgusting!

-z
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I cannot access the link.

How did you try to "debunk" it or to "talk a little sense"?

I would presume you would not be able to reveal how the trick is done. (if you are a knowledgable magician). Without facts on how the trick is done, how would there be strong evidence to show that it is indeed just a magic trick?
 
Jyera,

Pointing out that there are mundane methods of performing the effects would be sufficient to a reasonable person, even if they are not the specific methods that Criss uses.
 
Garrette said:
Jyera,

Pointing out that there are mundane methods of performing the effects would be sufficient to a reasonable person, even if they are not the specific methods that Criss uses.
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Absolutely, that street levitation for example the common consensus is it is a variation of the gamolo levitiation(a very impressive variation) which can be found for sale for a a few thousand dollars by doing a google search.
 
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