Creative Thinking
I wonder about life in Egypt. What was the actual experience like? I wish that I could see a visual panorama of it in my mind. It is said early Pharaohs buried their servants alive with them in the tomb. Is an actual magic piece from that exact situation possible? Did it ever happen? Could it somehow be recreated? Not an act but rather an actual way to get out under identical conditions. I also wonder who will be the first illusionist left on the moon or some planet in shackles only to appear back on earth.
When I started in this art it was considered, “The Dead Art.” As I look around today I see it more alive than ever before in my life. Many said I would never see a revival of magic in my life, but we are in one now. Is not an art that dies; it is a natural instinct that is played out in shows and also in real life experiences.
Over the years I have thought about whirl-pools and have checked a few out. This could be a good site for a stunt. One could hang over it in a dangerous act or could float a box into the pool on a rubber raft and have the raft blown out to sink the box with what appears to be the artist inside. This is a great set up for a switch to have the artist appear somewhere else or walking across the water would be a great finish.
Then I think a great act for a switch would be sealed in a coffin in a crematory with the press there to witness it. After being sealed in the coffin it would be pushed into the furnace at once and at the right moment the artist appears with the press. This could be a sensation. The press loves a fun story and in these times everyone could use some human interest stories.
One day some artist will be attached to a space craft by a cable trying to get out from some harness before the cable releases and sends the artist to drift toward a black hole in deep space.
Recently there was a piece on television about a body of a Buddhist monk five hundred years old in excellent condition. They started research to delve into this. They found that there were many of these preserved monks in Tibet at one time before the Chinese Marxist killers came in and slaughtered innocent monks and nuns. They destroyed six thousand monasteries. The monks burned the bodies of the departed monks so the communist would not destroy them. But the one they found was just over the border in India.
The monk was in perfect condition sitting with his chin on one knee. There was a sash round his neck and legs. It was discovered that this was a yoga position and the sash would cut off the air if the person did not stay in that position. So at some point when the monk was off in meditation the air supply would be stopped. Now some would argue over allowing that to happen but I must say any society that allows that choice is something rare. There was also an exhibit of another monk in perfect condition in the same position. From what I saw he was in a box with a glass front. It seems that the monks had a system that included eating a bark that would shrink organs and preserve the body.
This monk had himself buried alive in a box in the same yoga position with a sash. That’s one hell of a buried alive. I always love to learn about demonstrations like that. I am especially interested in the tie that cuts off the air. With available devices today a person could build a slow choking machine could be easily made and incorporated into a trick. I want to be careful here when I speak of this. No one but an expert in danger should attempt anything like this or any of the ideas I talk about. It is very easy to slip into unconsciousness with a tie around the neck. I know from experience. I would like to add that in the world of art Mr. Shirk is the absolute master.
I also have a plan in my files that I drew up called Arachnophobia. I would make a double walled clear plastic skull that locks on the head. There would be channels between the double walls, a maze that eventually leads into the space where your head is. Connected to the top are clear hoses that lead up to container that hold black widow spiders, I suggest about thirty that are pushed into the head case with air. Your job is to get out from some device and get the head case off before you are bitten and people freak out. People will freak out at this bizarre act. The whole device will look like something out of a horror show. The public loves strange devices, I can't impress that enough.
I have a metal circle out side that I had plans for. It is six feet across and about four feet high sitting on four legs. My plan was to install to pipes going up eight feet with a cross piece.
Hanging from this would be a beautiful box. Something that looks different with a trap door at the bottom. In the box would be the world’s largest spider on its own bungee cord and in a harness to keep it safe. A person would be laying flat in the circle on a rope web affair and tied to it. After sixty seconds the spider would drop out on its cord bouncing up and down. This I know from experience will drive an audience wild. The spider will also be on a system which keeps lowering it to you and on you. You will draw an audience with this act and if you perform it well it will build your reputation in work.
This next concept could be very dangerous as pure art but as an illusion it might be a bit safer. The roller coaster to nowhere. The coaster would have one hill up and one down. The end of tracks run out over a huge canyon and the coaster will just fly off into a fall and its own destruction. Now I am just giving you a “for instance” when I give a method. Each car will have a handle in front to hold on to. This bar is key. It is like an oblong chain link. This bar is attached to the car but will break away with a tough pull.
The idea is a clip at the end of a bungee cord connected to a crane is hooked to this bar. You are also shackled and locked to the bar. The idea is to clip the bungee cord to a harness on yourself so when the car goes over the bungee saves you. But if you have a problem you just stay connect to that bar, it will rip out of the car and you will be attached to the bungee by connection to that bar even if you make a mistake. The bar will be a link between you and the bungee cord.
To start the act a second car should be sent off the tracks to fall into the canyon. It should have the bungee cord attached to a handle that will not break away. The car must snap the cord showing it will not hold the weight of the car even if it will hold your weight. This will excite the crowed and build the tension. This act will take some work and money. This act of course would need experts in different fields to put it together correctly. Any of my concepts that I write about I can also build or get built.
The following idea is different but the right creative artist can work this into a master piece. Years ago I bought a clamp that would hold two pipes side by side. It was made from aluminum. It looked very much like a Bean Giant cuff. It already had hinges on each side so I just installed an Ace lock in the center and made a pair of cuffs. I also hammered up the aluminum to give it a rough finish and I had a cuff. There were so many different clamps out there that at the time I wanted to make a creative cuff collection from different clamps. At this time of life I know I won't do it. But if money is tight and you can't buy collectors irons, consider making your own creative entire handcuff collection.
You will truly have an original collection.
Some of the concepts in this manuscript could be very dangerous depending on how they are performed.
Try to visualize spiders in a clear glass head case. This could be filmed from any angle and magnified on a screen. The whole unit Arachnophobia looks like it would be in a horror film. Some people will love and realize the potential of these concepts. Some people will find them weird but they are really theatrical props.
Speaking of wired. According to a segment on television, scientist are working on a bug or disease that can kill one person among many. The bug could be given to a whole city and only the target would be harmed. That is how it was explained. It would be an invisible assassin. Now that is weird and frightening. Yet even in this scientific age of wonders artistry seems to thrive.
Our military has studied the Gecko and wanted to know how their feet stick and release so they can move along so easy. They have duplicated this suction in a small crazy crawler like robot. This will walk right up you wall and across your ceiling. Now I am thinking of a giant mechanical squid like the old sea stories. A one hundred foot giant in a large aquarium. You are chained and dropped in a pool for all to see. The squid puts his suction cups around you as your trying to get out. This is a huge project but it can be done. What a show and if you can, you have an act. Engineers can make sure it works as you need it to.
I have a large box of ideas and other information that I have been making notes on for many years. Some of these go back to when I was a teenager. I will do my best to get them out.
-N. Bigelow
