For this next illusion, the magician has assembled a group of volunteers to
witness the magic.
This one will be performed at a completely empty parking lot in broad
daylight to eliminate any possibility of trapdoors, secret panels, mirrors or other
stage trickery.
He arranges the witnesses in a circle around two large sheets. Like the Pied
Piper they follow him and do exactly what he says.
Taking their positions in a circle completely surrounding the sheets
as we walk with him we can see that the area around the circle of witnesses
is completely clear and free from boxes, trucks or other foreign objects.
Except for the witnesses, the assistants and the camera crew.
No one is allowed in this secured lot. Now that the magician is pleased with
the placement of his spectators and satisfied that we have seen 360 degrees
he's ready to make some magic. He gives some instructions to his assistants
commanding them to raise the larger of the two sheets. We can see that aside
from some long poles that are sewn inside to hold it upright the sheet does
not appear to be gimmicked in any way . We continue our walk with the magician
seeing exactly what the witnesses see. Nothing unusual here. Other than a man in
a red shirt and a scary black mask.
We now walk to the other side of the sheet.
There's nothing extraordinary to report here. The magician commands his
assistants to bring the sides of the sheet forming a large three-sided box.
Now to close it up. He commands the smaller sheet to be raised to form the
front of the box.
How much of a trick but there it is a big fabric box in the middle of a
parking lot.
Maybe he's not done.
He tells his assistants to hang on firmly to the large sheets as they
battle the wind.
This is the high cost of doing a trick outside.
One final command for the TV audience to keep our eyes on the box and the
magician prepares to reveal the results of his conjuring. Let's watch
What do you know? A five ton elephant.
Where did he come from? He was definitely not on the witness list.
The girls are impressed.
Maybe the masked magician can do real magic after all.
An elephant appears in broad daylight while surrounded by witnesses. Truly amazing.
We just saw the Masked Magician arrange a circle of witnesses in an empty
parking lot.
Surrounding two large sheets of heavy canvas.
Then the sheets were formed into a box. While completely surrounded the magician.
produced a five-ton elephant.
So how does the magician make the elephant appear from nowhere in the
middle of the lot while encircled by spectators?
It sounds impossible.
It is. Here are the secrets.
First off let's start with the group of spectators.
The secret here is they are all in on the trick.
A magician has no trouble positioning them in a circle since they've been
rehearsed. This 360 degree walk is designed to convince us that the parking
lot is empty and free of wandering elephants.
Next the large sheet is raised. Again we can see the surrounding parking lot
appears empty but appearances are deceiving.
We know he had to be hiding somewhere in this vast seemingly empty lot
But where? We've been looking at his hiding place the entire time.
Don't you remember seeing it? You did. Constructed near a group of trees by the
edge of the lot is a painted Hollywood backdrop and some fake trees.
This is the elephant's hiding place. Sound far-fetched?
It's true,
and chances are it
fooled you .Even though this looks like a setup that a cartoon roadrunner might
use to trick a wily coyote.
It's actually an effective hiding place for the elephant and his trainer.
No one would ever expect a real pachyderm could be stashed away behind
some phony trees in the middle of a parking lot
completely undetected.
But the farther away the camera travels the more deceptive the phony setup looks.
See it now when you know it's there it's much easier to spot. The trick is that
you didn't see it the first time because you didn't know where to look.
This continuous camera angle from the illusion is low and only shows the front
side of the sheet. The trick only works from this perspective because as the
sheet is raised the elephant begins to approach from the rear.
From this high angle you can see the elephant walking toward the sheet as the
fabric box is being constructed. From this low angle the sheet is blocking the
approaching elephant.
The paid witnesses step aside to allow the elephant and his trainers some room to
sneak through the circle.
From the low angle in front there's no sign of the elephant. Two stagehands who
are dressed like spectators tear open the back of the fabric box and the
elephant walks inside. The sheet is held together with long velcro strips.
As soon as the elephant is inside the velcro is quickly resealed.
When the front sheet is lowered it
looks as though the elephant has appeared from out of the blue and that's
the secret to making an elephant appear from nowhere.