Chop Cup

JFrankA · 6th October 2009, 07:41 AM

Here's a pretty neat magic video I thought I'd share.

http://vimeo.com/6782769

Enjoy!

...err, I don't know how to embed vimeo vids.... sorry.

AgeGap · 7th October 2009, 03:39 AM

I did wonder where the magicians body was. I thought he was hung by his feet.

Andrew Wiggin · 7th October 2009, 06:58 AM

Really awesome what can be accomplished when you have total control of the viewpoint. I love this kind of thing.

A.

athon · 7th October 2009, 08:51 PM

I don't get it. Sure, the background looks cool...but the cup trick itself relies on the film being edited. No more clever than any other film special effect, really.

Am I missing something?

Athon

Oliver · 10th October 2009, 03:53 AM

Originally Posted by athon

I don't get it. Sure, the background looks cool...but the cup trick itself relies on the film being edited. No more clever than any other film special effect, really.

Am I missing something?

Athon

Seconded

Stray Cat · 10th October 2009, 05:54 AM

I think you may be looking at the finger instead of the moon

http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/34986.html

JFrankA · 10th October 2009, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by Stray Cat

I think you may be looking at the finger instead of the moon

http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/34986.html

Very well put.

athon · 11th October 2009, 01:36 AM

Great - why explain something, when you can offer a cryptic response instead.

Again, I'll admit I might be missing something. Sure, it's a cool illusion, given the perspective of the background. But no more or less cool than a lot of other film-based illusions I've seen. And the trick itself is simply a film edit, rather than a fast and clever hand.

If it's more than that, then fine - the very fact I've missed it means it's pretty impressive, IMO. But otherwise...meh.

Athon

JFrankA · 11th October 2009, 05:11 AM

Originally Posted by athon

Great - why explain something, when you can offer a cryptic response instead.

Again, I'll admit I might be missing something. Sure, it's a cool illusion, given the perspective of the background. But no more or less cool than a lot of other film-based illusions I've seen. And the trick itself is simply a film edit, rather than a fast and clever hand.

If it's more than that, then fine - the very fact I've missed it means it's pretty impressive, IMO. But otherwise...meh.

Athon

Sorry about that.

It's not the magic itself. It was the false reality created. You go through most of the vid seeing it's world one way, and at the end, you see that the way you have been seeing it is wrong and manipulated by the point of view you're in.

So in this case, the magic is the misdirection and the perspective is the effect.

Stray Cat · 13th October 2009, 11:52 AM

Agreed and also just to add that we should always remember that the magic doesn't happen in the fingers of the magician, it happens in the mind of the viewer.

Hope this isn't too cryptic for Athon

athon · 13th October 2009, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by Stray Cat

Agreed and also just to add that we should always remember that the magic doesn't happen in the fingers of the magician, it happens in the mind of the viewer.

Hope this isn't too cryptic for Athon

Don't worry - I found my decoder ring.

I'm not saying it isn't clever misdirection. I do think it might be a bit of a stretch to call it 'magic' (forgiving, of course, the fact that magic isn't distinct category of performance). And to be honest, I didn't catch myself saying 'wow' after it, like I do with a lot of illusions.

But, each to their own.

Athon

Stray Cat · 13th October 2009, 07:46 PM

Well to be fair I don't think it's a "wow" trick either... I think it's a clever use of perspective and optical illusion, if the subject had been anything other than a 'magic trick' do you think your response would have been any more positive?
I don't know you, but I presume (maybe wrongly) that you are a magician?

For instance this is the same effect, but to me used in a much more impacting way:

Apologies for the geometry overlay... I was trying to figure out the construction method at the time.

Infact much of Julian Beever's work is quite fantastic:
http://www.crystalinks.com/julian_beever.html

Wallmott · 20th October 2009, 04:24 PM

great video.

Senex · 21st October 2009, 05:39 PM

Only slightly off-topic. I used to do a chop cup performance with a conspicuous stainless steel cup. When I switched to a "guilless" coffee cup looking mug it worked much better.

Just don't get drunk amd leave it at a party many states away. When you get the courage up to tell them you will mail them money to send your cup back they might have already given your expensive cup away at a church fair.

Garrette · 24th October 2009, 07:44 AM

Hmmmm....... a coffee mug Chop Cup...... I'd like one of those.

I've got a very nice Cups & Balls set replete with CC, but I've come to the conclusion that using the CC requires more skill than not using it, in the sense that it's too easy to rely on the gaffe and forget the presentation and misdirection.

I think that's why I never went pro and earned a multi-million dollar gig in Vegas. It's the Chop Cup's fault.

aofl · 29th October 2009, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by Garrette

Hmmmm....... a coffee mug Chop Cup...... I'd like one of those.

I think Paul Gertner describes how to make one in Steel and Silver.

Originally Posted by Garrette

I think that's why I never went pro and earned a multi-million dollar gig in Vegas. It's the Chop Cup's fault.

That's the same reason I never became a porn star. Damn Chop Cups.

A

6th October 2009, 07:41 AM	#1
JFrankA Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Hartford, CT Posts: 2,327	Chop Cup Here's a pretty neat magic video I thought I'd share. http://vimeo.com/6782769 Enjoy! ...err, I don't know how to embed vimeo vids.... sorry.
	__________________ "No matter where you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai "We are all made of star-stuff." - Carl Sagan "Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious." - unknown "More truth is in a single issue of Mad than a year of Time." - Gord in Toronto

7th October 2009, 03:39 AM	#2
AgeGap Graduate Poster Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,804	I did wonder where the magicians body was. I thought he was hung by his feet.
AgeGap Graduate Poster Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,804	__________________ Cool Uri Geller site by Steve Knight

7th October 2009, 06:58 AM	#3
Andrew Wiggin Muse Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: A small planet named for it's dirt. You'll find it filed under 'mostly harmless' Posts: 578	Really awesome what can be accomplished when you have total control of the viewpoint. I love this kind of thing. A.
	__________________ "Everyone takes the limits of his own vision for the limits of the world." - Arthur Schopenhauer "New and stirring things are belittled because if they are not belittled, the humiliating question arises, 'Why then are you not taking part in them?' " - H. G. Wells

7th October 2009, 08:51 PM	#4
athon Kowalski Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Upside the Inside Posts: 9,182	I don't get it. Sure, the background looks cool...but the cup trick itself relies on the film being edited. No more clever than any other film special effect, really. Am I missing something? Athon
	__________________ "Whether you're soar-away Sun, or BBC 1, misinformation is a weapon of mass destruction." 'Mass Destruction', Faithless

10th October 2009, 03:53 AM	#5
Oliver ~The Rascal~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 16,228	Originally Posted by athon I don't get it. Sure, the background looks cool...but the cup trick itself relies on the film being edited. No more clever than any other film special effect, really. Am I missing something? Athon Seconded
Oliver ~The Rascal~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 16,228	__________________ εχΧọή MФBĪLE CǾNFĮŔMS GLФв∆L ΨĂЯMΐNĢ

10th October 2009, 05:54 AM	#6
Stray Cat Muse Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: The Land That Time Forgot Posts: 670	I think you may be looking at the finger instead of the moon http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/34986.html
	__________________ It's only my madness that stops me from going insane!

10th October 2009, 09:00 AM	#7
JFrankA Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Hartford, CT Posts: 2,327	Originally Posted by Stray Cat I think you may be looking at the finger instead of the moon http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/34986.html Very well put.
	__________________ "No matter where you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai "We are all made of star-stuff." - Carl Sagan "Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious." - unknown "More truth is in a single issue of Mad than a year of Time." - Gord in Toronto

11th October 2009, 01:36 AM	#8
athon Kowalski Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Upside the Inside Posts: 9,182	Great - why explain something, when you can offer a cryptic response instead. Again, I'll admit I might be missing something. Sure, it's a cool illusion, given the perspective of the background. But no more or less cool than a lot of other film-based illusions I've seen. And the trick itself is simply a film edit, rather than a fast and clever hand. If it's more than that, then fine - the very fact I've missed it means it's pretty impressive, IMO. But otherwise...meh. Athon
	__________________ "Whether you're soar-away Sun, or BBC 1, misinformation is a weapon of mass destruction." 'Mass Destruction', Faithless

11th October 2009, 05:11 AM	#9
JFrankA Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Hartford, CT Posts: 2,327	Originally Posted by athon Great - why explain something, when you can offer a cryptic response instead. Again, I'll admit I might be missing something. Sure, it's a cool illusion, given the perspective of the background. But no more or less cool than a lot of other film-based illusions I've seen. And the trick itself is simply a film edit, rather than a fast and clever hand. If it's more than that, then fine - the very fact I've missed it means it's pretty impressive, IMO. But otherwise...meh. Athon Sorry about that. It's not the magic itself. It was the false reality created. You go through most of the vid seeing it's world one way, and at the end, you see that the way you have been seeing it is wrong and manipulated by the point of view you're in. So in this case, the magic is the misdirection and the perspective is the effect.
	__________________ "No matter where you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai "We are all made of star-stuff." - Carl Sagan "Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious." - unknown "More truth is in a single issue of Mad than a year of Time." - Gord in Toronto

13th October 2009, 11:52 AM	#10
Stray Cat Muse Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: The Land That Time Forgot Posts: 670	Agreed and also just to add that we should always remember that the magic doesn't happen in the fingers of the magician, it happens in the mind of the viewer. Hope this isn't too cryptic for Athon
	__________________ It's only my madness that stops me from going insane!

13th October 2009, 03:56 PM	#11
athon Kowalski Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Upside the Inside Posts: 9,182	Originally Posted by Stray Cat Agreed and also just to add that we should always remember that the magic doesn't happen in the fingers of the magician, it happens in the mind of the viewer. Hope this isn't too cryptic for Athon Don't worry - I found my decoder ring. I'm not saying it isn't clever misdirection. I do think it might be a bit of a stretch to call it 'magic' (forgiving, of course, the fact that magic isn't distinct category of performance). And to be honest, I didn't catch myself saying 'wow' after it, like I do with a lot of illusions. But, each to their own. Athon
	__________________ "Whether you're soar-away Sun, or BBC 1, misinformation is a weapon of mass destruction." 'Mass Destruction', Faithless

13th October 2009, 07:46 PM	#12
Stray Cat Muse Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: The Land That Time Forgot Posts: 670	Well to be fair I don't think it's a "wow" trick either... I think it's a clever use of perspective and optical illusion, if the subject had been anything other than a 'magic trick' do you think your response would have been any more positive? I don't know you, but I presume (maybe wrongly) that you are a magician? For instance this is the same effect, but to me used in a much more impacting way: Apologies for the geometry overlay... I was trying to figure out the construction method at the time. Infact much of Julian Beever's work is quite fantastic: http://www.crystalinks.com/julian_beever.html
	__________________ It's only my madness that stops me from going insane!

20th October 2009, 04:24 PM	#13
Wallmott Student Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 44	great video.
Wallmott Student Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 44

21st October 2009, 05:39 PM	#14
Senex Graduate Poster Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: An autobody repair shop in Connecticut Posts: 1,835	Only slightly off-topic. I used to do a chop cup performance with a conspicuous stainless steel cup. When I switched to a "guilless" coffee cup looking mug it worked much better. Just don't get drunk amd leave it at a party many states away. When you get the courage up to tell them you will mail them money to send your cup back they might have already given your expensive cup away at a church fair.
	__________________ I cannot call to mind a single instance where I have ever been irreverent, except toward the things which were sacred to other people. Mark Twain

24th October 2009, 07:44 AM	#15
Garrette Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,964	Hmmmm....... a coffee mug Chop Cup...... I'd like one of those. I've got a very nice Cups & Balls set replete with CC, but I've come to the conclusion that using the CC requires more skill than not using it, in the sense that it's too easy to rely on the gaffe and forget the presentation and misdirection. I think that's why I never went pro and earned a multi-million dollar gig in Vegas. It's the Chop Cup's fault.
Garrette Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,964	__________________ My kids still love me.

29th October 2009, 05:27 PM	#16
aofl Critical Thinker Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 306	Originally Posted by Garrette Hmmmm....... a coffee mug Chop Cup...... I'd like one of those. I think Paul Gertner describes how to make one in Steel and Silver. Originally Posted by Garrette I think that's why I never went pro and earned a multi-million dollar gig in Vegas. It's the Chop Cup's fault. That's the same reason I never became a porn star. Damn Chop Cups. A
aofl Critical Thinker Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 306	__________________ Have you ever considered the cesspool of your minds? The best thing is not to be born. But who is as lucky as that? To whom does it happen??!! An evil mind is my only consolation! - Theodore When you're out of slits, you're out of pier. - Crow