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I ght st or m
When I was performing overseas and had a lot of spare time on my hands, I
began to create a list of ideas for stage illusions that wouldn 't take up a lot of
space. I started playing around with the all the different things you could do with
a fake hand. I like the concept of a fake hand. It's sort of like a trick base except
in reverse. Where a magician's base is used to hide someone's body, a fake
hand is used to make you think that someone's body is there (or part of it). This
led to my walking through a mirror effect and few other creations.

One of my earliest ideas was a variation on a very old stage illusion. There's an
old effect where a magician's assistant would walk out on stage holding a tray.
The magician would reach through the back of the assistant and shove his hand
out through the chest and pour himself a drink (I guess he really needed that
drink). I liked this idea and tried to come up with a version that didn't require as
much set up. I came up with an effect that was kind of a box that fit around the
assistant. The magician would reach through from behind with a handkerchief
and pass it through the assistant's body. Rand Woodbury developed a more
sinister version of this in his book Diversions using a knife.

I took another route and streamlined the "box" and switched the handkerchief to
a work light and put the magician at the center of the effect.

This illusion is best performed as a quick interlude. The assistant shouldn't have
his hand passed through your body for more than 10 seconds . The effect is best
presented as a moment of "weird". My favorite line from Tw iligh t Zone: The
Movie is when Dan Aykroyd as the ambulance drive asks the passenger, "You
wanna see something really scary?" and then bites his head off. That's a very
John Landis moment. Light Storm is more freaky than scary, but the pacing is
similar.

Although the props for this effect are easy to assemble, the real key is in the
choreography. It's up to you and your assistant to sell the illusion. Your movements
are what will create the illusion , the gimmick is just the clincher. Use a mirror and
a video camera to rehearse your movements.

Finally, create an atmosphere of mystery for your effect. Try music from horror
movie soundtracks. Play with the lighting. You're not j ust performing a trick,
you're creating a whole scene.

Best,

Andrew Mayne
 The lights in the theatre darken .
Strange music begins to fill the air as
fog rolls on to the stage. The magician
picks up a thin board. An assistant in
a clean room suit holding an eerie
green work light walks on stage.

The magician places the board in front of

his body. The assistant walks behind the
magician and raises the light. He lowers
the light behind the magician and begins
to push.

The magician pulls the board The green light begins to

closer towards his chest. emerge from the center of the
board.
 The assistant's hand emerges
holding the light. He pushes the
light to one side passing through
- -- ,.
--- the magician's body as if it were
made of fog . The magician
remains motionless.

The assistant The assistant

pushes the light slowly retracts
to other side the light letting
passing through its green
the magician's intensity pass
spine. through the
magician's body.

The assistant pulls the light

completely through and holds it above
his head. The magician lowers the
board and reveals that his body is
completely intact. The green light
fades out with the eerie music.
the secret .
T he thin board th at the
magician uses to shield his
body actually has a fake
hand that can attach to it.
The hand has a magnet in it
that can adhere to a magnet
in the board that allows the
magician to remove the fake
handto make the effect more
deceptive.

When the assistant steps

behind the magician, the
magician putsthe fake right
hand in place then reaches
behind to grab the light
from the assistant.
./
The assistant holds on to
the light cord to make it
appear that th e light is
really travelling through the
magician.
methodology---
Several factors come into play to create the illusion:

1) The fake hand allows the magician to use his own hand as the
assistant's.

2) By using a fake hand that the magician can slip his hand in
and out of he can create movement in the fake hand making it
look real.

3) In allowing the fake hand to be added and removed during the

effect, the board becomes a neutral object.

4) Careful choreography between the magician and his assistant

make the effect look smooth and natural.

5) Use of a green light bulb compensates for color variations

between the magician and his assistant's respective skin
complexions.

6) By limiting the light source on stage to just the green light, bad
angles are reduced and the effect looks more dramatic.

Try to use assistants who

are snappy dressers and
like Devo music.
light Storm
24"

5" 20"

- - - - - - - , , - 30" - '--'-'-'-'--'-.,..'--'--'--'--'-'

o
Magnet attach ed
to board

Fake hand with magnet

materials _
(2) 20"x3 0" foam core
approximately y." thick (black)

Green light bulb

Silver spray paint

Super 77 spray adhesive

1 yard of black Spandex •

(2) Neodymium magnets (very strong)

Fake latex hand

Work light with extension cord

••
Scissors

Black marker
preparation'---- _
(1) According to the blueprint diagram
cut out the center section of both boards
with a box knife or scissors. Use a round
object and a ruler to make your
guidelines.

(2) Cut the Spandex into two

strips 30" long by 10" tall.

(3) Give the front side of one board a light coat

with the silver spray paint to give it a slight
metallic sheen (if desired).

(4) Give the inside of one board a

light coating of spray adhesive.

(5) Lay down the first

Spandex strip so that its
top edge al most
touches the top of the
interior cutout.

(6) Lay down the second strip so it

overlaps the first one. Your hand should
be able to push through the center.
 (7) Lay the second board on top of the Spandex and
other board . Press down firmly so the adhesive will
stick. Apply weight and let the board(s) dry for a few
minutes.

(8) Cut off the excess Spandex that sticks out.

Glue one magnet on the edge of the board where

your right hand would grip it (as in the pictures).
I
- Glue the other magnet with the
appropriate pole facing down to the
inside of the fake hand so it can
adhere to the board's magnet.

Your final product

should look like these
photos (with the hand
attached).

Remove the hood to the work light and

screw in the green light bulb. Always
be careful and never touch the light
when it's hot. Unplug when not in use
and place the cardboard sleeve back
on the light when it has cooled down.
performance _
First create an appropriate atmosphere for your
audience by using dramatic lighting, mood music
and fog effects if you can.

With your right hand already slipped into the fake

hand , pick up the board and casually flip it
around. At this point your assistant should enter
with the green light. Grip the board with a hand
on either side. As your assistant approaches
your left shoulder, slip your hand out of the I
gimmick and prepare for your assistant to hand
you the light.

Take the light with your right hand. Your assistant

should hold on to the cord for the light with his
left hand. Bring the light towards the front of
your body between your chest and the board.
Your assistant should keep his shoulder close
to your back.

Note: It'd be a good idea to practice all of

these moves in front of a mirror and then a
video camera.

As you push the light through the slit in the

Spandex your assistant should bring his elbow
towards your back. He should place his right
palm on yo ur shoulde r blade so yo u can
synchronize your movements. Only push the
tip of the light through first.

I
 When you begin to shift the light from side
to side you should do it slowly with your
assistant slightly shifting his body to match
the movements. Be careful not to stick your
hand out too far.

After a few moments, slowly retract the light and

hand it to your assistant it. He should hold it
above his head as he backs away. Put your right
hand back into the gimmick hand and pull it off
the board as you pull the board away from your
body. This animates the hand and makes it
appear natural. Bring the board up in front of
your body for a moment and slip the gimmick
into your pocket.

This effect is dependent upon creating the

right atmosphere and the right movement.
Make it a point to videotape your practice
sessions so you can make the effect look
as natural as possible. All the moves should
look convincing . If they look fake to you,
they'll look fake to your audience.