"Secrets Of " shows - Page:1

Now with extra strawberries
Location: Canberra, Australia

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Posted:4th Feb 2008Hurm it is one of those impossible things do decide on for me.

I hate the way they produce them to sound aggressive against the performers that do the stunts. Kind of like they expect people to be outraged.

But some times if they show a trick or a stunt on way and you can actually do it another way, you can use that to your advantage by showing that their way of doing the trick could not possibly work.

Also I suppose part of the magic of sideshow style stunts is all of the crazy myths that are floating around about how they are achieved. Like contortionists being double jointed, fire performers bathing in freezing water before shows and that they use "cold" fire. This means People's curiosity will get the best of them and they will want to see for them selves.

I suppose these days there are not as many crazy rumours as there use to be with people being generally more educated about anatomy and that sort of thing though.

But yeah, most of the time I think that these shows suck life out of these arts and any show discussing technique could be dangerous if people did not have the sense to seek out a proper mentor before trying them.

I {Heart} hand me downs and spinning in the snow.

Rouge Dragon
BRONZE Member since Jul 2003

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Posted:4th Feb 2008I don't really like them because I've never found them to tell you anything.

And to be honest, I generally prefer not knowing how things are done because knowing takes away the "magic" (even though Pete's killed a bit of that for me!). But I don't like calling them "secrets of" shows when they don't tell any secrets. I'd much prefer a "magic show" that I can just watch for entertainment.

i would have changed ***** to phallus, and claire to petey Petey

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what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
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Posted:4th Feb 2008 Written by: Pele

However, I did see the gaffed version of several sideshow stunts, including fire eating. That pissed me off. They don't need to be gaffed ...

What does gaffed mean in this context?

The only uses I know of the word are

1. killing a fish by smacking it in the head (presumably not even magicians exposing their tricks deserve that

wink

2. bound by strong cloth tape frequently used by sound guys etc (could be used to tie up said performers?)

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....

onewheeldave
GOLD Member since Aug 2002

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Posted:4th Feb 2008I'm guessing, from the context, that 'gaffed' fire eating would maybe involve some kind of gadget that makes the performance look like fire eating, but it's actually faked??

(eg like sword swallowing using a retractable blade, so there's no actual swallowing of the sword)

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Now with extra strawberries
Location: Canberra, Australia

Total posts: 810

Posted:4th Feb 2008Gaffed in this sense means sort of faked or trick.

I don't know how fire eating would be gaffed but an example of a stunt that could be gaffed would be sword swallowing where the sword swallower uses a retractable blade.

Mind you most retractable swords are quite obviously fake and lame so if you have seen a sword swallower they were probably not using one.
EDITED_BY: Blueberry (1202097327)

I {Heart} hand me downs and spinning in the snow.

Now with extra strawberries
Location: Canberra, Australia

Total posts: 810

Posted:4th Feb 2008Eeep sorry dave i din't read your post before i posted mine.

So yeah what he said.

I {Heart} hand me downs and spinning in the snow.

what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
Location: Bali, Australia

Total posts: 4030

Posted:4th Feb 2008Or like exceptionally large body parts that were in fact.. attached by gaffer tape.

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....

FireTom

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Posted:4th Feb 2008like... ? umm

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink

what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
Location: Bali, Australia

Total posts: 4030

Posted:4th Feb 2008 Written by: Pele

I think they force performers to up their game, and really, they only show one limited way of doing a stunt/trick.

I have never seen such a show and wouldnt want to watch one. I LIKE being a gullible, impressed audience member.. not many areas of life I get to go *WOW they're so clever! * so that's part of the fun for me. But I am curious in what way the force performers to improve?

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....

Now with extra strawberries
Location: Canberra, Australia

Total posts: 810

Posted:5th Feb 2008 Written by: newgabe

Written by: Pele

I think they force performers to up their game, and really, they only show one limited way of doing a stunt/trick.

I have never seen such a show and don;t really like the idea of them.. but I am curious in what way the force performers to improve?

I'm not so sure about the side show angle but with magic i suppose they would have to find more ingeniouse ways to do the same trick?

Also with the side show stunts it could mean that performers work on there entertaining skills beacuse in the end thats what you are going for not just the "trick". So even if you know how the stunt works if the performer still does a good job of entertaining you would still enjoy it i suppose.

Still don't like the idea of the shows though.

I {Heart} hand me downs and spinning in the snow.

Ade
SILVER Member since Mar 2001

Are we there yet?
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Posted:5th Feb 2008 Written by: newgabe

What does gaffed mean in this context?
The only uses I know of the word are
1. killing a fish by smacking it in the head (presumably not even magicians exposing their tricks deserve that
wink

2. bound by strong cloth tape frequently used by sound guys etc (could be used to tie up said performers?)

gaffed = faked to look real

and the gaffing you refer to about fishing is actually the insertion of a metal hook into the side of the fish (hitting it over the head = bludgeon)

offtopic

back on topic biggrin

I love and hate those shows, I know I should preserve the mystery and not watch them, but I can't help myself and love to now how it's all done...especially the construction side of things...but I feel like I shouldn't watch them... confused

what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
Location: Bali, Australia

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Posted:5th Feb 2008Ah yes in a moment of workplace mental doodling I came across this list of carny terms that describes it well... in terms of fish (hooking) even.

Thanks!

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....

Pele
BRONZE Member since Dec 2000

Pele

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Location: WNY, USA

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Posted:6th Feb 2008LOL

Sorry. I'm so used to talking with carnies that I didn't think the word "gaff" would cause such ponderances! lol

In theater a gaffer is a person who rigs stuff, so yeah.

The gaffing of fire eating that I saw, essentially involved blowing out the torch and shoving it in your mouth behind all the smoke. Also angling yourself so it goes behind your face instead of in your mouth but making it look like it is.

I've actually learned construction and execution of some of the things we use in our acts from those shows. I passed them by pros that I know, altered and amended them as I needed. They have been great.

What I mean by helping a performer get better is we are then forced to not only step up how they present the acts (no more "I have the mystical power of not being hurt" crap, thank goodness!!!!) but it also forces us to step up and change *how* we do it.

If a show says that glass walkers put carpet mats under their broken glass to absorb some of the "impact", then to step it up, that element is removed.

If a trick shown says that you have to hide this or that, you find a way to expose this or that to remove that element.

They really do help.

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
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FireTom

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Posted:6th Feb 2008I'm split on the subject... just for NYE I saw a contact ball performance that deeply impressed me wow

and two weeks later somebody gave me an all too reasonable explanation for it... frown

Dizzappointing that is, like loosing Santa Claus for the millionth time in a row...

Ppl performing for these shows are not doing their trade a great favour by revealing the secrets to the general audience... another reason NOT to watch TV: it's getting us too smart about the less important things in life and too ignorant on what really matters...

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink