Walking on Water!

Originally posted by Sparkie the Wondersnail
I would guess that it is probably a suspended plastic mesh that disappears in the water, this would allow the give that appears as he steps and allow anyone underwater to look up and not see the supporting mesh and still allow people to swim underneath.

To me, it looks like if there's anything holding him up, it seems to be a bit more sturdy than mesh alone. His feet don't give as much as you'd think they would if they were stepping on a plastic mesh.

But if that's not it, the only other realistic option would be plexiglass... and some here seem to think that this could not be pulled off with plexiglass, unless the audience was involved. So I don't really know how did it... a damn good trick. But based on the overwhelming majority of his other tricks, I seriously doubt he's tapping into anything supernatural. I think these guys just spend years and years practicing their "craft" so to speak...they just spend so much time studying people and how people think etc, I think they're just experts on the way the mind works and they use that knowledge to pull off illusions. To me, the fact that it's not "real" magic takes very a little away from the enjoyment of watching these guys perform.

[edit on 12-6-2006 by firebat]

just a quickie -- but to me at least his lrft stride seems to be always far shorter than the right - that could be just the way he walks

also -- when the girl swims below -- that co incindes with his longest stride by far -- i dont believe in co incidence

as for cameras -- yup i noticed the round mask on the camera -- no other film using underwater photography i can recal uses such a mask on the water proof housing -- so why does he ??

good call to they guy who spotten that first

Anyone ever seen bruce almighty? On the dvd there is a doccumentry and for the bit where he walks on water, they held a pecie of glass in water then put water on top, and even used similar camera angles to that, thats what hes done!

Also if he was walking on water, the bottem of his trousers wouldn't bet wet, they would be dry as he would be on the surface

This particular magician is one of the best I've seen personally....

I've even known a few magicians, and have a good understanding of some of the illusions (don't ever call them "tricks" to a magician...unless it deals with cards)...but this guy is seemingly supernatural...a real talent (and a nutjob, )

This dude's a Scientologist he's a clear or above

Could have been a platform attached to the cameraman in front of him. This would work. Of course everyone is in oohs and ahhs to even take a peak at the camera man.
Because cris himself is the diversion. Nobody ever looks at the cameraman.

He's clearly walking on a strong, see-through plank of sorts, thus enabling someone to swim undernearth (the camera shots are as much as part of the illusion as everything else).

Parlour tricks, nothing more...... Fun to watch I guess if you like late Saturday afternoon cable TV.

This may just be my opinion,.. but I CANNOT believe there are people on this board who actually consider believing these stunts to be genuine, and without trick. It is all an "Illusion"! It is not real, though it's purpose is to appear that way. They're fun to watch, but simply because you can't fathom how something like that can be faked doesn't mean it can't. The purpose is to fool you into believing. If the trick sucked,.. there'd be no way to convince you to pay to see it!

I can understand if you're fooled somewhere on the street,... but watching television? I think we've all seen what cameras and editors are capable of. Of course they're not going to release a program in which you can see the glass, or wires, or anything else that might give it away. It would ruin the purpose of the program!

Then you might want to consider what would happen to a person who was truly capable of walking on water, or levitating. He/she would end up in a cage somewhere to be studied. Well,... maybe not in a cage,... but don't you think his/her abilities would be studied night and day by the government and independent labs in order to harness that power? Anyone capable of any of these "magical" things would think twice before they showed up on TV. I know that's the last thing I would want,.... to be discovered, studied and used. Freedom would be a thing of the past.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying walking on water, levitating, etc. is completely impossible (it "might" not be). The mind is wonderful, capable of incredible things (hypnosis, telekinesis, seeing the future/past, etc.) yet I can state with a 99.99999% (I'm not using "100%", because I like to think that anything might be possible) certainty that the guys you see on TV -performing- don't really know how to do those things without using props, a paid audience, and good editing.

P.S. He's using two methods. plexi/glass, and wires. He's suspended by wires when you're watching it from his perspective. You can tell, because his foot is touching the water, but instead of moving forward he stays in the same place. His foot sort of slides across the surface. When you're looking from the cameraman's point of view, he's walking on plexi/glass. You can tell, because his steps are more sure. He's moving forward at a slow/normal pace with each step. Definitely a trick,.. and I wouldn't even say it was well done!



[edit on 12-6-2006 by 2manyquestions]

Hey, I know. Let's all worship him like he was a demi-god or something. Something holy. Let's kill people if he tells us to.

What's the guy's real name, anyway?

I agree with 2manyquestions, I cant beleive either that people on this board really think he is a person with special ability. All you folks need to up the meds !!! WTF !??

First of all, not EVERYBODY here believes that this guy has some sort of link with the super-natural. I'm not willing to definately conclude that it was a plexi-glass plank. While that may be the probable answer, there's no way to know for sure and that's why I like this guy. You can still get a kick out of his stuff, even if you know it's not real.

Originally posted by firebat
First of all, not EVERYBODY here believes that this guy has some sort of link with the super-natural. I'm not willing to definately conclude that it was a plexi-glass plank. While that may be the probable answer, there's no way to know for sure and that's why I like this guy. You can still get a kick out of his stuff, even if you know it's not real.

I didn't imply that everyone on this board believes in his tricks. I said I'm surprised there are people who do. I believe it was both a plank and wires. They didn't use them at the same time. They used one or the other, depending on the perspective from which the audience is watching it. I have no problem with you getting a kick out of the tricks. They're fun to watch! I was just surprised that 'some' people on this board choose to believe he's got supernatural powers.

Hey guys. Not sure if anyone saw this:

www.youtube.com...

but he gives away his levitation techinique. Maybe it's similar to the water walking...he does take his shoe off...meh. But this should hold you over for now.

Originally posted by Arcane Demesne
Hey guys. Not sure if anyone saw this:

www.youtube.com...

but he gives away his levitation techinique. Maybe it's similar to the water walking...he does take his shoe off...meh. But this should hold you over for now.

Good find!

Here what I think, it a really good magic trick but that what it exactly is it a magic trick if you can make someone belive in what you doing they WILL belive it that my $.02

i go with 2manyquestions

you guys no nothing about magic or illusion. even though criss angle claims he hasnt met any of the people he really has.

in the magic business is called a stooge. criss angel is more like a stoogefreak. all the people u see on tv during the big illusion are stooges (people paid to act amazed) along with actors.

im prett sure he was on a plexiglass platform. no more than 4 inches wide. it stretch the whole length of the pool an only a couple inchich underwater. that would make it strudy enough an would allow the girl to swim underneath him.


notice know one crosses between the"invisible line" there all in close proximity but dont cross that certain line.

he also uses lots of camera trick. even the "camera man he never met" has regulations not to go over certain areas he also doesnt pass the "line"

another thing that looks great but a smart person would notice is the girl going underneath him.
i mean come one. they guys in the middle of a magic trick hes trying to show a whole pool setting why the hell would u go undderneath him. even just to be funny that would be rude and or uncalled for.
shes a paid stooge that was told to swim under it.




diagram

pool

[_______________________________________]

notice how the people are all ina a circle around him, but not in front or behind.
even though camera tricks make it seem so

if you still believe in Magic (illusions being more than illusions) then don't spoil it for yourself. It's no fun knowing all the tricks in the book (Not that I know all the tricks in the book). It's like finding out Santa Clause is not real. I hate to be the one to tell you it's all tricks, but if that's what it takes to end this?

Prove they're not tricks. What you give are accusations and ideas. Unfounded ideas at best. You said it's not real, prove it.

If you believe them to be tricks then duplicate for all to see, even Houdini believed in this idea. Not to hard to use ones own equiptment to replicate these achievements. Let's see them.

Nothing wrong with believing in the unbelievabable to an extent.

Let them have their magic. What's it to you? You take it personal? Prove it otherwise. That's the only way to end this debate.

You are making the accusations, back it up.

Dude, we get the whole concept of a polycarbonate sheet. We don't need your diagram. As for the positioning of the people in the pool, I did see at least one person cross in front of him. Yes I'm sure he is walking on something transparent but let’s not trivialize it like its sooo simple.

Yes these are illusions but they are very elaborate illusions taking lots of equipment, money and painstaking practice to do as well as he does it. Saying that he is not walking "on" the water because he submerges his feet an inch or two is splitting hairs.

Anyone that thinks the guy is actually doing this stuff better re-examine themselves. It is an illusion done for entertainment purposes. That's his job, to entertain and make people think. Give the guy some credit. He is good at what he does and spends hours upon hours perfecting these stunts to go as smoothly as they do. Many of the illusions he does are purchased from guys who specialize in developing them. From what I’ve read, he and others pay thousands of dollars for one single illusion and then they modify it to fit their particular act.

I enjoy watching Criss perform and even though I know he is doing an illusion, I am still amazed and entertained. That's what it's all about.