Although my acting career has been brief, relegated to one college comedy film and a failed local TV pilot filmed in Dayton…well, and also my most recent Kroger instructional video, it actually began way back in the Fall of 1975 with a little three minute opus called “Brad’s Magic.” The project was a joint effort partially directed by my Dad and partially by my Mom. It was never released theatrically, but simply developed and placed on one Super 8 film spool, currently housed in my basement. The following is a synopsis of the six key scenes of the film…
SCENE 1 – Disappearing Kid and Walking Chair – The first scene of the film shows me entering the living room nonchalantly, sitting in our fancy cream-colored chair and then disappearing. After a second or two – after the audience has become nice and nervous – I reappear, taking it big. Finally I disappear again and the chair itself then walks out of the scene.
SCENE 2 – Cat Into a Teddy Bear – After a couple of false starts where my cat Laddy walks out of the scene, I am finally shown petting him…when suddenly…he turns into my Teddy bear. I continue to pet the Teddy bear as if never realizing that the change had occurred.
SCENE 3 – 45rpm Record Turns to 33rpm Record – This was the most slickly executed illusion of the bunch. I sit at my orange portable record player preparing to play a 45rpm record…when suddenly and without warning…it turns into a 33rpm record. I really take it big (even bigger than in my disappearing act).
SCENE 4 – Animation Interlude – This showcases some of my animation. Although my intention was to make it look exactly like a real cartoon by moving some of my drawings around while the camera stays fixed on the illustration, my Mom screwed this up by not keeping the camera on the drawing, but rather focusing on me. Therefore, it resembled nothing close to real animation. I let my Mom know that I was disappointed after the initial premiere of this film, placing her directing career in jeopardy.
SCENE 5 – Pencil Case Into Teddy Bear – Although the audience didn’t realize it, the first three illusions of the batch were performed with the benefit of trick photography. I decided to perform my final illusion without the benefit of any camera tricks. As you can see from the frames below, I ultra-slickly morphed my blue pencil case into my teddy bear. I would tell you how I did this…but it is unethical for a good magician to reveal his secrets.
SCENE 6 – Kickball – The film ends with some comforting footage of my Dad and I passing and kicking a ball around the backyard on this brisk Fall afternoon. Although I attempt to catch it four or five times, I only actually get a good grasp on it once – at which point I turn to my Mom (holding the camera) to inquire whether she got the shot.
The film ends with the ball in mid-air. There are no credits.
Now without further ado, I present to you the original, glorious production of Brad’s Magic…
You always were quite the magician – like all the times things disappeared from your hands into mine without me even realizing it. I would look down and wonder why I was holding something that wasn’t even mine. Amazing!!!!!
Mom/Barb
April 22nd, 2008
I object to the phallic pornography is scene 4.
Aaron
April 23rd, 2008