729: David Goldrake - When His World Collapsed

On October 15, 2015 during a rehearsal overseas, David Goldrake’s double levitation illusion went horribly wrong. After his (now) ex-wife, Abbey, had levitated into the air, David then “floated” up behind her then suddenly he saw the floor rapidly moving toward his face.

In this episode and seven years after this accident, David feels a bit more comfortable talking about this life-changing moment, the things that led up to it, and suggestions to illusionists on how to be prepared and take necessary precautions.

We recorded this episode while in Atlanta, Georgia and attending the I.B.M. National convention this past summer. With so much other content that has been recorded and some that were broadcast due to their timely nature, our chat is a little late getting out, but the content and stories are timeless.

As we begin our chat, we talk about “video mapping.” David Goldrake was one of the first illusionists in Las Vegas to make use of “video mapping” which is in common use today. We chat about this before going into the story behind the tragic accident. David is quite frank and open about all the details including what happened, why it happened, the insurance for hospital bills, plus suggestions to others on why it is important to check your gear before a show and even rehearsals. David wanted to set the record straight because Joshua Jay reported Abbey’s point of view in his book, “How Magicians Think: Misdirection, Deception, and Why Magic Matters.” The story told in this podcast might be an alternate view of the accident and what followed.

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688: Losander - Master of Levitation

From Germany, Dirk Losander has contributed to the zeitgeist of magic with his “Floating Table” that will forever remain in our history of brilliant creations. Losander is well-known in the magic community as a magic creator, dealer, and performer. Many magicians personally know Losander having met him at conventions and seen him perform on stage and heard his creative lectures, too. Living now in Las Vegas, Nevada, Losander and Luna Shimada operate the Las Vegas Magic Theater where they perform and often feature other international magicians on their stage.

In this week’s episode, we talk a bit during the early part of our chat about his theater and how it was developed. There are many clubs and magic performing venues popping up across the country and perhaps some of Losander’s advice might help those seeking to open their own venue. We also talk about how his fascination with levitations and how he thinks and creates magic.

The Magic Word

A Podcast for Magicians, About Magicians, Hosted by a Full Time Professional Magician, Scott Wells

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