Date: 03 Jun 97 10:00:12 +0500
From: puppetco-AT-thepuppetco.org (Christopher Piper)
Subject: Re: Is it all done by mirrors?


Hi, Ian.  I'll not try to embellish on Mark's excellent reply, but I
have one correction to your drawing.  The Plexiglas (tm) form a 90
degree angle between the effects puppeteer and the audience in order for
the light to bounce correctly.  Please pardon the modification to your
excellent illustration:

>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX                                         _
>               45 degrees   /                                            |
>                           /   <= very clean plexiglass/perspex       7 feet
>high                      / 
>    (}                   / ---------------------->                       |
>    () <-Puppet/actor   / ^        Light bounces at 90 degrees           |
>    /\                 / /|\                                             |
>___________________   /   |     _____                               ______
>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX|    |     |xxx|        Audience        _______|xxxx|
>XXXXXX Stage  XXXXXXX|    |     |xxx|________________________|xxxxxxxxxxx|
>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX|    |     |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx|
                           | 
>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX|    |     |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx|
>    Operator and         /m\    |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx|
>      Upside down  =>   / - \   |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx|
>         head          (  O  )  |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx|
>______________________ {_o o_}__|xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx|
>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx|

My family did a carnival show called "Girl to Gorilla" in which the
effect was turned from vertical to horizontal.  The illusion was set up
that the girl was cursed and about to change.  Judicious use of dimmers
completed the trick:

        TOP VIEW

               | <curtain     
               |            A
               |            U
            /  |            D                       
  Gorilla  /                I
          /                 E
  glass> /                  N
        /      |            C
       /       |            E
          Girl |
               | <curtain

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