Troy is back on TV with his new series. Some magicians are not happy with the methods Troy uses in the TV magic show.

Magicians love to apply their own knowledge of magic when watching a TV magic show. Because of their view of magic from the 'inside', many magicians focus on the method of each trick shown, rather than enjoying the magic as theatre. Some magicians have complained that Troy is performing magic tricks that can't be replicated by a solo magician in a live situation and that this is a form of cheating.

Does Troy use camera tricks or stooges?

Here's Troys reply to these accusations:

'This series the main goal was to make it feel as if you are there watching the effect. The element that can't be controlled is that you are still watching it through a TV screen, which does make it easy for someone to dismiss the effect as though it can't be done without the aid of cheating. But I can hand on heart say, no camera tricks, not one stooge or actor was used in the making of my show……everything that you experience at home is exactly what the spectator I performed for experienced when we filmed it…. Do I perform easy things HELL NO, but floating light bulb on stage is not easy either….(if you get my drift).. Every single piece of magic that I do is a well thought out idea, with the right layers to create an amazing effect. I hope you guys enjoy the rest of an amazing series.' – Troy von Scheibner

 

When we as magicians watch magician Troy in action on TV, it's easy to believe own knowledge of what's possible is the last word on how a trick can be done. If we can't work it out, it's a short jump to think that a stooge or camera trick must have been used. That's human nature. We don't know what we don't know, so the easiest route is to conclude that cheating took place.

There's a difference between a camera trick and framing.

We all know what a camera trick is but what about framing? Framing is a way of controlling the attention, focus and perception of the spectator viewing the magic. Magicians use this all the time in live performance both on stage and in close up conditions. On TV it's exactly the same. Attention is focused by the magician, angles are controlled and the audience is given a 'point of view'. That's a valid method for a magician to use. When you watch magic on TV at home, you see everything, so the show needs to recreate the framing that you would have if you were there with the spectators being shown the magic by Troy.

There's no need to use stooges or camera tricks when Troy has such a talented creative team of magicians working to present magic as it should be. So much care and detail goes into meeting this standard. It's summed up well by Alan Rorrision who consulted for the Troy Series:

'I love when someone looks at an effect and thinks "OK the only method I have for that is to cheat it, so that is how its done". Thankfully [that] is a pat on the back for our team that fooled even you and the ego. Troy von Scheibner is great to work with. Very long and hard hours with great attention to detail where put in to make sure we could pull it off. But I guess the old saying is true. 'For those who believe no explanation is necessary. For those who do not non will suffice.'