• From: Red Deer, AB
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Topic: Sleight of Hand Brainstorming Thread

Hey all! So I need some help. For the short film I'm planning to shoot next month I want to do a small little sleight of hand trick to shoot this one bit of magic in camera.

Basically the gag is, the lead character is pointing out a little floating inviible something in mid air, reaches out and snatches a small (~2 inch tall) model of a butterfly from thin air in her fingertips.

I've done some research, and I know I've seen guys do gags like this with coins, but I'm not sure how to go about it with something larger. It does only have to work for this one shot, so we can fake it as much as it needs to, to get it to work, but I'd like to do it practically. And I don't mind building something to make it work, I'm pretty much figuring on it.

I was thinking some of clear base that could be gripped between the fingers, holding the model behind the hand, and then could be thrown forward and grabbed in the finger tips for the reveal. No clue if that would work. I know we've got a couple magic people around here, so I thought I'd throw it out to all of you fine people to see if anyone has any ideas smile

Thanks y'all!

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  • Teague
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Re: Sleight of Hand Brainstorming Thread

Whether or not this effect works in-camera will come down to your actor practicing it quite a bit, not anything you can do. You're good with that?

Teague Chrystie

I have a tendency to fix your typos.

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  • From: Red Deer, AB
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Re: Sleight of Hand Brainstorming Thread

Teague wrote:

Whether or not this effect works in-camera will come down to your actor practicing it quite a bit, not anything you can do. You're good with that?

I was planning on it.

And worse case scenario we'll shoot an effects version and I'll have an extra day or 2 of post work.

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  • Teague
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Re: Sleight of Hand Brainstorming Thread

Right on. Tell me about the butterfly. Is it meant to be a real butterfly, or is it actually meant to be like a little butterfly toy? Do you have something in mind you can show?

Teague Chrystie

I have a tendency to fix your typos.

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  • From: Red Deer, AB
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Re: Sleight of Hand Brainstorming Thread

Model toy.

Basically the lead character makes the little model butterfly appear and gives it to a little girl, so it plays off like okay, she probably could have just done some sleight of hand to make it appear and given it to the little girl to make her smile. But then she sprinkles some magic dust over the model and it bursts to life (as a real butterfly) and takes off (That'll be digital). And everyone rejoices!

I'm not sure exactly what the model will look like yet, but I really like the idea of it being sort of a twisted wire and stained glass sort of thing. (Quick google search... probably something akin to this, but with some sort of colouring, stained glass or coloured plastic for the wings:
https://img0.etsystatic.com/011/0/7609591/il_340x270.435555636_dw1r.jpg

Either way, like a really nice home craft project, something the character made herself.)

If this is ringing any bells, I think you actually read this one once upon a time.

Last edited by BigDamnArtist (2014-05-13 01:27:53)

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  • From: Buffalo, NY
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Re: Sleight of Hand Brainstorming Thread

BigDamnArtist wrote:

Model toy.

Basically the lead character makes the little model butterfly appear and gives it to a little girl, so it plays off like okay, she probably could have just done some sleight of hand to make it appear and given it to the little girl to make her smile. But then she sprinkles some magic dust over the model and it bursts to life (as a real butterfly) and takes off (That'll be digital). And everyone rejoices!

I'd have the lead character jump back and shout, "What the fuck is that?! She's a demon! Kill her!"

I write stories! With words!
http://www.asstr.org/~Invid_Fan/

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  • From: Red Deer, AB
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Re: Sleight of Hand Brainstorming Thread

Invid wrote:
BigDamnArtist wrote:

Model toy.

Basically the lead character makes the little model butterfly appear and gives it to a little girl, so it plays off like okay, she probably could have just done some sleight of hand to make it appear and given it to the little girl to make her smile. But then she sprinkles some magic dust over the model and it bursts to life (as a real butterfly) and takes off (That'll be digital). And everyone rejoices!

I'd have the lead character jump back and shout, "What the fuck is that?! She's a demon! Kill her!"

Well I suppose that's the difference between you and me. Typically I would frown on my characters framing a 6 year old girl as a demon. I suppose you would also have her then lead the town in the joyous burning at the stake of the 6 year old demon?

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  • Herc
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Re: Sleight of Hand Brainstorming Thread

BigDamnArtist wrote:

I was thinking some of clear base that could be gripped between the fingers, holding the model behind the hand, and then could be thrown forward and grabbed in the finger tips for the reveal. No clue if that would work.

Augment it with a bit of monofilament and I don't see why not. Like, have the wire set up so that when the hand moves into the gripping motion, the tension brings the model to the front of the finger tips. Just a thought.

Disclaimer: if you dislike the tone of a post I make, re-read it in a North/East London accent until it sounds sufficiently playful smile

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Re: Sleight of Hand Brainstorming Thread

BigDamnArtist wrote:

Well I suppose that's the difference between you and me. Typically I would frown on my characters framing a 6 year old girl as a demon. I suppose you would also have her then lead the town in the joyous burning at the stake of the 6 year old demon?

Hey, I grew up loving The Omen, that wonderful story about the 5 year old Anti-Christ. Spare the sacrificial knives, spoil the child...

I write stories! With words!
http://www.asstr.org/~Invid_Fan/

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  • From: Red Deer, AB
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Re: Sleight of Hand Brainstorming Thread

Invid wrote:
BigDamnArtist wrote:

Well I suppose that's the difference between you and me. Typically I would frown on my characters framing a 6 year old girl as a demon. I suppose you would also have her then lead the town in the joyous burning at the stake of the 6 year old demon?

Hey, I grew up loving The Omen, that wonderful story about the 5 year old Anti-Christ. Spare the sacrificial knives, spoil the child...

Well if she actually IS a demon, then by all means torches and pitchforks for everyone.

ZangrethorDigital.ca

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