White Magic: My Review

[Steerpike]

Could you explain the ring on glass routine. The guy on the right was clearly in on it and you said no stooge or acting?

You're assuming an awful lot. I saw Jon Stetson do linking finger rings with no stooging whatsoever, just clever stagecraft. Paul Gertner got a ring on an hourglass. He's been doing it since the 70's in fact. You can find it in his book Silver and Steel.

Also for the book why did they blur out the book and not any others?

As Christopher pointed out, this is easy to attribute to copyright law. Now let me ask you a question: why did you think the cover was blurred out?

Also the card on sign was justified and i understand the appearance but what about the car scene. Those 2 "people getting a tour" seemed acted.

And it never occurred to you that it was just two people a little anxious about being on camera? Watch a documentary sometime.

I came to terms that the show was a success

Pardon me if I'm skeptical.

 

[Bizzaro]

Every effect shown in the special was presented to the spectator live in the same manner it was performed on television. None of the performances or reactions were fake or artificial in any way. Every effect could be (and was) performed live for real people. Without exception, every reaction shown was genuine - there was neither the time nor the budget for actors.

I want to challenge this a bit as they did a lot of editing reactions to an effect they didn't show.

Want an example? The "restored bill" to me is extremely scummy.

I could point out more examples but this was by far the worst infraction of the two shows.

Moderator Note: Edited to remove exposure.

 

[meauxfeaux]

Bizarro is correct with his specific example. I suspect it's fairly obvious to most how this was accomplished. I realize the editing of reactions into this piece (or vice-versa) is intended to layer on deception, but, unfortunately, the effect shown points straight to the method; one that I think most will suss out.

Can it be performed in the 'real world', as we say? Well, yes, a torn and restored bill can be, as we all know. But not the way it was shown. Yes, this spectator saw a bill torn and restored, as he clearly states, but not the one that you and I saw. This effect, more than any other, took full advantage of the specific medium, but not in a way that has a real-world counterpart (i.e. out-of-frame is equivalent to stage wings or misdirection, etc.).