From: "Mark Levenson" <markl-AT-levenson.com>
Subject: Re: Is it all done by mirrors?
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 1997 21:31:37 -0700


hello.  comments below.

Mark Levenson
markl-AT-levenson.com
----------
> From: IAN GRANT <101642.232-AT-compuserve.com>
> To: puptcrit-AT-jefferson.village.Virginia.EDU
> Subject: Is it all done by mirrors?
> Date: Monday, June 02, 1997 4:24 PM
> 
> Hello everyone. 
> 
> I've been lurking for a while, enjoying all the expertise, and thought it
was
> time to ask for advice on the following set-up. A friend of mine saw 'The
Yellow
> Submarine' at the National Marionette Theatre, Prague, and was very
impressed at
> the reflection/projection technique I've tried to depict below. Forgive
me for
> the 'goatee bearded man falls down drain' ascii art! By way of
explanation: The
> cross section shows how a below-stage-figure was reflected onto a large
> stage-sized sheet of plexiglass to appear as an animated apparition. The
stage
> accomodated two or so actors with puppets and props. 
> 
> I am curious about (at least) three things:
> 
> a) How is such an effect best lit? Can the reflected surface be lit and
used
> like a 'gauze', ie. to become opaque _and_ transclucent depending on the
source
> of light?
yes, that's a way it's done, with the audience alternately seeing the
reflection and seeing through it, as the artist wishes.  the original
effect (see "c" below) was done with a mirror that had the silver tapering
off so that one end was a clear glass.  the entire thing was shifted back
and forth (the audience seeing first the glass, then the mirror, etc.).
 
> b) What contortions would the below stage operator have to perform? Is
there a
> way of reflecting a performance below stage that _doesn't_ have to be
performed
> upside down? BTW, it is my assumption that the source of the reflection
is under
> the stage.
in the original effect, the performer held the puppet upside down for it to
appear right side up.  there is a way to perform it without the upside down
aspect -- that's to have the reflected object offstage left or right, not
below stage.  
 
> c) Is it original or a new use of ancient 'it's all done by mirrors'
technology?
not original.  it's an adaptation of one of the most famous magic illusions
of the last century, "Pepper's Ghost."  won't bore you with details, but it
made the reputations of several of England's most famous Victorian
magicians (esp. Maskelyne and Devant).  any good history of magic will
include it.  Will Dexter's This is Magic, Melbourne Christopher's History
of Magic, David Charney's Magic: Great Illusions Revealed are a few.  The
principle lives on and, in various forms, is used by contemporary
magicians, too.

> d) What dramatic uses can others think for such a technique?
Magicians built entire playlets around the effect, with people turning into
skeletons, mummies into people, animated suits of armor fighting the hero,
etc.  it's well suited for slow, visible transformations as well as
supernatural animations.




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