We were delighted to hear from Illusionist
J.C.Sum, recently. A few months ago, he had purchased
one of our "Thru
Steel" illusions for his new stage show.
J.C. reported that not only was "Ning,
the Magic Babe" presenting it six days a week (and it
was holding up very well), but they had also just performed our
illusion on TV in Singapore. It's the second illusion in this
YouTube Clip.
Because he and Ning work the effect as a duo, they devised their own
handling for the trick. Due to the necessary misdirection, a solo
performer couldn't get away with doing it this way. However, you
may notice that Ning tends to provide her own special
"misdirection." <wink>
The new demo video has also just been posted for our "CHAINSAW!"
illusion. Cody
Fisher was kicking the tires on it for us and came up with
some wonderful suggestions. He filmed a couple of shows in front
of a live audience and allowed us to use it. Thanks Cody!
CHAINSAW!
will be available before the end of March. However, there is a bit
of trouble ahead for the trick that we should probably mention...
This effect was developed using a specific brand of electric
chainsaw. I was just informed yesterday that the company that made
them has just gone out of business! CRAP! CRAP!
CRAP! Figures, don't it?
Well, we stockpiled some saws and have enough to get the first
handful of props out the door. Hopefully we'll find a few
more. Meanwhile, research is already afoot to find another brand
that is affordable, AVAILABLE and most importantly, able to be properly
gimmicked.
Let's see...what else? There's a new design for the "Thru
Steel." It almost suggests it's own patter.
(Think 'radiation'.)
We suddenly sold out our entire stock of "POP
Guns," but more are in the works.
...and no, I'm not yet ready to tell you what "Close-Up
Illusions" means. But soon... :o)
"Economic Downturn?"
Feb 05, 2009 -- Well, we're back from vacation and have hit the ground running.
There are a half dozen half-built illusions all over the workshop. Why
half-built? Blame it on "Consumer Confidence."
Um, what?
Have you been affected by the "recent economic downturn?"
We haven't really been hit until last week. Don't worry.
We're not in trouble and have got orders up the wazoo...painful as that sounds.
However, a number of our important suppliers have apparently decided
that the sky is falling. Because they "expected lower
demand," they stocked less product. They quickly ran out.
So, materials we would normally have in two days are now out of stock
for weeks at a time. MY demand hasn't lowered. They goofed, but I'm the one suffering. They're
messing with my business...and I don't like it!
Personally, I'm an optimist. I don't care WHAT they say "Consumer
Confidence" is, THIS consumer is still confident. I've been
through bad times before...now if the Chicken Little's out there don't ruin my business
FOR me, I'll be fine. <sigh>
Otherwise, everything's going great! We have the first round of
the Chainsawing in Half (half-finished, of course), but it may
not ship until mid-March at this point.
Around the website, you'll notice a couple of new things. We've
added some new items to the "Past Projects"
section. There's
also a new item in the "Accessories" category...didn't know
where else to put it.
There's also a new whiz-bang website navigation menu, that's probably
broken. If it is, let me know!
By the way, it has come to my attention that there's sometimes a
problem with the PayPal buttons. Nothing security related!
Just the inability to add multiple items to the shopping cart...only
some items...and only sometimes. I'll be chasing that down in the
next week or so.
Well, outta time. Gotta run. Next time maybe I'll tell you what
"Close-Up Illusions" are. <wink>
What's new? What ISN'T!
11/22/08 -- There
are SO many exciting things going on around the workshop that it's
difficult to know where to begin!
After seeing it
presented recently at the British I.B.M Convention by Amethyst
Illusions, we've received many
inquiries about our Thru
Steel illusion. Many have now
shipped out to thrilled magicians around the world...and their amazed
audiences, of course! More of them are currently in the pipeline
for December delivery.
Last
month we sent out the production prototype of our Chainsawing
in Half to Cody
Fisher to kick the tires for us. He did...HARD!
Two weeks and TWENTY SHOWS later, he's decided that he likes it!
Apparently, he's been chopping school principals in half all over Texas!
He offered up some wonderful presentation possibilities that we will be
including in the final product.
So, WHEN will the
final product be ready? Well, a demo video should be up in a few
weeks. We're hoping that the first few will be ready to ship by
early December... in time for Christmas shows! The next run
probably won't be ready until late January 2009.
Since posting photos
of the prop in our "Past Projects" section, we've
been asked many times to build Jim
Steinmeyer's "Modern Art" illusion.
However, the book containing the blueprints (the purchase price of
which includes the performance rights) has been out of print for
some time.
Well, book or no book,
we've recently been granted permission by Mr. Steinmeyer to continue
building that illusion for our clients! We've also developed a
whole new design for the prop that gets rid of the "funky
box" look and completely eliminates the black art section.
Jim has even given us his blessing on it! Photos will be posted
when the first one is finished. Until
then, I leak nothing!
Aside from the ethical
component of the publication (a blatant violation of the I.B.M/S.A.M.
Joint Code of Ethics), I
really couldn't comment. I hadn't seen the plans. However,
having now received a copy and studying his product, I
have written a review here.
By the way, next week I will be
attending and teaching at the Mid-Atlantic
Clown Association Convention in Youngstown, Ohio. The
bad news is that we'll be out of the workshop. The GOOD news is
that we've developed some BRAND NEW Comedy/Kidshow items to take
along! If you're looking for something to spice up your Holiday
shows this year, we may just have something for you when we return.
Not dead. Just
busy! 08/05/2008 -- My apologies for taking so long between
notes. We've just been up to our ears in work!
What's the latest? SILLY
ARTILLERY! We've finally released the "POP
Gun!" It's a hilarious routine that would be great
for kidshows, or even adult shows! (It's a real fooler.)
You may have seen the POP
Gun in our Past Projects Gallery. The first one was
originally created as a one-off custom prop. After road-testing it
in about 700 shows, the client finally decided he liked it! We think
you will to.
We've got a dozen of these goofy things
ready to go. THREE have already been spoken for, but the rest are up
for grabs. You can find out more about it in the Stage
Magic section. Sorry, there's no demo video yet. (Our camera
broke!)
We also personally delivered an original
illusion this week, "Martyr."
A local theatre is doing their annual Halloween
Show and needed to cut an actor's head off...which is many a
director's fantasy, anyway.
The classic Lester Lake Guillotine wouldn't
work, since this guy isn't supposed to survive. So, I developed a
brand new illusion for them. It'll debut October 17th, 2008. (Tickets
are only six bucks!) We should have video of it posted soon after
that, but snapshots of the prop and a description are available in the Past
Projects Gallery.
There's SO much more I should mention; Mospundsow
is back in stock, our "Thru
Steel" illusion was presented at the British IBM
Convention last week, Chainsawing
will be ready to ship soon, etc. EXCITING STUFF! But I haven't
the time. I've got to get back into the workshop!
More later...I PROMISE!
We've MOVED! 07/31/2008 -- ...and hopefully you didn't even notice.
There were some "issues" with our old web hosting
provider. They raised their cost and lowered their quality.
So, we're outta there!
There's also been an issue with
spelling. NO ONE could ever remember if "Smoky Mountain"
is spelled with an "E." For the record, it's not.
"Smokey the Bear" spells HIS name with an "E."
The "Great Smoky Mountains" don't. Never did. Sorry.
So, we've registered www.SMMagic.com
as our new little spot on the web. The old addresses will still
bring you here (we had to register BOTH spellings), but the new email
address will be MUCH easier to spell.
...and no S & M jokes, please!
Although we have been getting more inquiries about rope tricks and
escapes, lately. Hmmm...
Anyway, everything has been transferred, but a few
links here and there may be problematic. We'll get everything
inspected and fixed as necessary. Our apologies for any inconvenience.
By the way, I personally audience-tested
our newest product during a live performance last night. It
was hilarious! THEY LOVED IT! I think you will, too.
Details coming soon...
New "Mospundsow"
Tubes! 07/13/2008 -- Magicians have emailed to ask if it were
possible to get a SQUARE tube for this trick, like the one in our demo
video. You can read more about all that below under
"Squaring the Circle."
The new tube has arrived! You folks
asked for it. Here
it is!
We're still perfecting the look of the Wine
Box version, but it should be available very soon, too. And yes, it
will be available a'la carte to folks who already own the bottle and just
want the other tube. Price indeterminate.
So, there you have it. Just rub a
lamp and we appear!
OH! You'll notice that there has been
a sudden price increase on the Mospundsow
Bottles. That's for two reasons.
First, in order to keep up with the demand,
we've had to take time out from building illusions to make these silly
things (which we never planned to do). I'll make 'em, but I won't
lose money on 'em.
Second, remember I mentioned a supplier
here a few weeks ago who had jacked their prices way up? We use
their stuff to make the gimmicked bottles. Figures, huh?
Anyway, if you had already placed an order
(which should ship out this week, by the way) you won't be
charged any extra. You bought yours BEFORE the increase.
That's it...back to the workshop...
Something's gone
"Haywire" 07/06/2008 -- We're SO excited about our latest little
project. I want to tell you about it SO BADLY! But, they've
sworn me to secrecy.
Okay, I'll blab...but just a little.
It's called "Haywire" and it's
probably the most FUN prop we've ever created. It's also probably
the most complex; electronics, lights, bells, buzzers, levers, buttons,
more springs than a Slinky Convention ...engineered for comedy from the
ground up. The routine we put together for it even makes MAGICIANS
laugh! (Six of them have already been pre-ordered...and they
haven't even SEEN the thing yet!)
I'm not allowed to tell you yet what it
does, but I will soon. A working prototype has been shipped to a
good client to kick the tires for us. His reaction to the test
drive? "WOW!" Lord willing, we'll have a demo video
for it in a few weeks...and a few on the shelf by the end of August.
I REALLY want to tell you more, but...I'll
give you a clue. There's a picture or two of the prototype of this
goofy thing somewhere on this website. How's that for an Easter Egg
Hunt?
More to come...I promise.
Price of Tea in China? 06/29/2008 -- I hope your Summer vacation hasn't been
shortened (or CANCELLED, like mine) due to the recent rising gasoline
prices here in the States. Transporting anything has become
incredibly expensive!
Problem is, nothing in our workshop arrives
there by magic. Everything from a sheet of plywood to a tiny
stainless steel screw is either shipped, delivered or picked up
somewhere. Our suppliers have hit us hard. One raised their
costs over 15% recently! (Of course, their product line is
petroleum based.) Others have quickly been following suit.
We've been holding the line so far, but it ain't been easy.
Some of our prices will have to be
raised. We're sorry, but it can't be helped. We'll be
squeezing suppliers and crunching numbers during the month of July.
The resulting changes will be posted August 1st.
Personally, I don't care about the
money. I'd happily build this stuff for FREE! I just couldn't
do it for very long...
Sonic Silliness 06/02/2008 -- Reaching into our archives, we pulled out a wad
of song parodies and musical satires that Dan created years ago. (He's
been seriously warped for a LONG time, now.)
Many are rather dated, but the ones
concerning the rising cost of gasoline seem even more relevant now than
when Dan recorded them.
To showcase these
seldom-heard...um..."masterpieces(?)" a Jukebox
has been added to the "Fun
Stuff" section.
Squaring the Circle 05/17/2008 -- We've had numerous customer requests regarding a
square tube for the Mospundsow
Bottle....like in the demo
video.
Mospundsow was originally created for a theme park show in which all the
magic items were found in an enchanted warehouse, so the cardboard box in
the demo clip fit the theme. (That video was one of many created
to show the producers the new effects we were developing.) The
trick was never intended to be mass produced.
The theme park show was eventually cancelled, but Magicians found the
video on the internet. They wanted that trick...NOW! We went
to work.
The molds for the bottle were re-created,
but the cardboard box was cheap, needed replaced often and was just too
cheesy for a marketed version. Butyrate tubing worked well and was
readily available. Woodgrained TuffKote laminate was added to give
the tube a bit more "class" than a solid colored,
plastic-looking tube.
Personally, I have always preferred the square tube. The contrast
between the round bottle and square box just makes the trick seem that
much more impossible! The first problem was manufacturing one that
was durable, but still provided the "flex" necessary to make the
trick easy to present.
The other problem was getting the right "look" for it. I
wanted the new one to seem like it could possibly be actual wine/liquor
packaging...an
expensive gift box. That's what we're working on.
Prototypes have been created. We'll
post photos when they're finished and ready for the world to see.
Sharing the
"Spotlight" 05/10/2008 -- Just had a little something to share with you
folks. Dan Wolfe, Smoky Mountain Magic's Designer, Owner and just
about everything else, was recently featured in the Member Spotlight
section of the I.B.M.
Ring 355 Newsletter.
If you'd like to waste a
few minutes reading his interview, you can find it HERE.
Hitting the Bottle(s) 05/07/2008 -- WOW! The
"Mospundsow" Bottle has become suddenly very popular. (Thank
you, Magic
Café Members!)
Please remember that
our main business is in building stage illusions. Smaller tricks
are built as we have time between projects -- while paint is drying,
glue is curing, as we wait on parts to be delivered, etc.
Since this silly
little bottle trick is rather labor intensive, not many can be produced
at a time. They've got to be made just right or they won't
work at all! THESE, I insist on doing myself.
We are working fervently to get
this trick into the hands of everyone who wants them. More are in the
pipeline, but it will take time. Orders will be filled in the
order in which we receive them. Out-of-stock orders will be placed
at the head of the list when the next batch is complete.
Thanks so much for your patience. Much
obliged! Now, back to work...
A "BLOG?!"
05/01/2008 -- Ever read a fascinating, deep and insightful blog,
only to find that there are only three posts...all written the same
day...two years ago? We hope that this will not be a typical
blog.
It also will not use typical blog
software. Aside from bookmarking the page, you won't be able to
subscribe. It won't feature chats, comments or discussions. We haven't
the time to moderate the inevitable SPAM or inappropriate content.
It WILL be more a collection of news,
announcements, updates, links and information from Smoky Mountain Magic...plus
a few rants, raves, stuff, things and miscellaneous uncategorized
nonsense. Enjoy!
