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What is the solution to David Copperfield's laser trick?
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Same way that airplanes can disappear. The "live" audience are paid actors in on the trick. They pretend not to see what is actually happening.
The legs may me animated/puppetry or live. But if you watch the hopping down the ramp, look under his torso. The background moves slightly. This leads me to believe they are using green-screen effects, or chroma-key to drop out the legs. Wear a pair of green (or blue, or whatever is chosen as the key color) and your legs will disappear in the post-production editing.
They would have to shoot the same footage without Copperfield in the way. This can be done with computer-controlled servos (motors) on the camera rig. This allows the camera to move in the exact same sequence over and over again, so the director can shoot many takes and splice them together.
So, film one full take with no actors. Notice that the camera moves position. The lights don't move at all, as would be expected in a stage show.
The second take is with the same exact lighting and camera movements, but Copperfield wears colored tights to hide his legs.
The two shots are merged together by the production guys...using the color of the tights as a mask. Most people will focus on the area above the waist, and will not notice that the dimly-lit areas under Copperfield's torso change ever so slightly because the two sets of footage don't exactly match.
The "trick" in these type of illusions is that they only appear on TV or DVD. They won't be performed on a real live stage where you can buy tickets. The audience is in on it.
The legs may me animated/puppetry or live. But if you watch the hopping down the ramp, look under his torso. The background moves slightly. This leads me to believe they are using green-screen effects, or chroma-key to drop out the legs. Wear a pair of green (or blue, or whatever is chosen as the key color) and your legs will disappear in the post-production editing.
They would have to shoot the same footage without Copperfield in the way. This can be done with computer-controlled servos (motors) on the camera rig. This allows the camera to move in the exact same sequence over and over again, so the director can shoot many takes and splice them together.
So, film one full take with no actors. Notice that the camera moves position. The lights don't move at all, as would be expected in a stage show.
The second take is with the same exact lighting and camera movements, but Copperfield wears colored tights to hide his legs.
The two shots are merged together by the production guys...using the color of the tights as a mask. Most people will focus on the area above the waist, and will not notice that the dimly-lit areas under Copperfield's torso change ever so slightly because the two sets of footage don't exactly match.
The "trick" in these type of illusions is that they only appear on TV or DVD. They won't be performed on a real live stage where you can buy tickets. The audience is in on it.
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