Better Animations

This TED presentation by Torsten Reil will really blow your mind. His company NaturalMotion works to create animated characters from the inside out. Instead of animating with key frames or motion capture techniques, these guys use Biology to create a virtual person with bones, muscles, and a nervous system. Then, using what they call "artificial evolution," they teach the character how to react to differing situations. The technique is very powerful. The implications for life-like characters for games are obvious, but Torsten also talks about using these characters for digital stuntmen.

I will warn you, though. If you believe in any of the sci-fi "computers will take over the world" type of stuff, this may freak you out a bit. Seeing the robot trying to escape from chains is pretty weird. Of course, the really weird part is that this presentation is from 2003. Wow!



Here's the direct link to the talk. Make sure to check TED.com for other great presentations. Let me know what you find.

Going The Extra Mile

Think back to when you first began learning magic. Those were the days, eh? You had never heard the names Vernon or Marlo; you thought Han Ping Chien was something that you would order at a Chinese restaurant; and the word "practical" wasn't a part of your magic vocabulary. So what if a trick required you to carry around two handkerchiefs, duct tape, and a jar of peanut butter... you were doing magic, baby!

Of course, as you gained experience, you realized that maybe it was all a bit too much. I mean you could get great reactions with stuff that would fit in your pocket, so why keep lugging around that Mirror Box, right? Slowly but surely you started to weed things out of your repertoire. "If it doesn't fit in the case, it doesn't go in the show." Well, maybe that wasn't your experience, but it certainly was mine.

I remember carrying a car load of stuff an hour and a half away for my first paid show. I made fifty bucks, and I was perfectly content. It didn't bother me to have to run to my car multiple times to bring in all of the stuff. It seemed fine to go off into the corner to prepare a few props before the show. But as time went on, and I started thinking of performances more as business than pleasure, I slowly condensed the show down to a small briefcase... and it isn't even full. Now, I arrive to the show ready to go, and can walk out the door with all of my stuff within minutes of my closing routine. "Pack small, play big" became my motto. It was inevitable.

But lately, I've been feeling a little differently. With all of the things going on in my life, I don't perform nearly as much as I did through college. As a result, I have found my performing priorities shifting: and it's very freeing. Here's a recent example of an effect I recently performed that I would have NEVER thought of trying a couple of years ago. It's called "Supercool" from Jay Sankey's great new Kaleidoscope DVD. The effect is simple: a selected card appears inside a block of ice inside the card case. I don't think I'm giving anything away by telling you that the method requires a bit of advanced preparation. It's definitely not something you'll be using during walk-around. Still, in the right environment, this is a reputation maker.

I'm so glad I went through the extra effort to perform this effect. It was quite an experience for me and something that I'm sure my audience won't soon forget. While I think practicality is essential for a working pro, I also believe we all need to be reminded that sometimes going the extra mile to pull off a one-of-a-kind effect is worthwhile. So, what tricks do you perform on those special occasions?

The Perfect Park by Leon Sooi

This animated short really shows off the power of Blender, an open-source 3D animation program that's FREE to download. Everything in the clip was created from scratch using the program. It's very impressive. The story is cute and engaging, and the animation is top notch. His stylized characters and environments are really something to see.

Here's the description from Leon Sooi's youtube page.

"The protagonist of The Perfect Park, a Perfectionist, is obsessed with parking his car perfectly. Equipped with measuring tools and gadgets, he demands from himself the highest standards in the art of parking.

But perfection is relative the surrounding environment. How can one park perfectly in an imperfect car park?

Directed, Produced, Animated by Leon Sooi
Music Composed by Irvin Duguid"

Blender - 3D Animation

Lately, I've been playing around with an open source animation program called Blender. So far, I've just been following a few tutorials and watching some instructional videos. It's been a fun but scary road trying to learn how to use the application. It's very powerful but not easy. That's not to say that you won't be able to pick it up, but it will definitely take some time and work. The best thing about the program is that it's completely FREE to use, so there's really no risk. If it looks like something you might be interested in, visit www.Blender.org for the download link. There's a huge community of Blender users that will be happy to help you along the way.

Just for fun, here's a few of the projects I've finished so far. They aren't anything groundbreaking, but I learned a lot working on each one.

Snowman

Tutorial may be found here: http://gryllus.net/Blender/PDF/Snowman245.pdf






Burlap Teddy Bear

Tutorial may be found here: http://www.cgcookie.com/articles/2009/05/18/creating-a-teddy-bear-part-2






Octopus

Tutorial may be found here: http://www.biorust.com/tutorials/detail/77/en/





Intro to Character Animation

Tutorial may be found here: http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation






Abandoned Mine Ride

Tutorial may be found here: http://www.blendernation.com/tutorials/blender-3d-beginner-tutorial-a-ride-through-the-mines/


I'd love to see what you're working on if you're into this kind of thing. Send me a link.

Alex Elmsley's 1002nd Aces

For my money, this is the best ungaffed Ace Assembly around. It's just beautifully constructed with no overproving or awkward sleights to get in the way of the magic. For the record, the vanishes of each of the Aces aren't from the original Elmsley routine; they are just little embellishments that I added for fun. The routine can be found in The Collected Works of Alex Elmsley Vol. 1 or from Elmsley's Tahoe Sessions DVD set.

Steve Beam's "Back To Aces"

Steve Beam is one of my favorite magicians. His Semi-Automatic Card Tricks series has been a source of inspiration for me for years. There is so much good magic hidden within those pages. If you've never seen him perform live, you are really missing out. He has a unique sense of humor that you'll never forget.

The following trick, "Back To Aces," is from Steve's book Counter Attack. It is available from his website (www.SteveBeam.com). It's a great read.

Storytelling Through Dance

The art of storytelling is something that has always interested me. Obviously, this is a big reason why I am such a fan of movies and theater. But it was also the storytelling that drew me to professional wrestling when I was a child. More than the spectacular slams, the stories are what kept me a fan for all of these years.

More recently, I've been turned on to storytelling through dance. This is in large part to Fox's So You Think You Can Dance that is currently in it's fifth season. The program showcases dancers from all backgrounds and disciplines performing every genre of dance imaginable. I began watching back in season one with my wife. At first, I only really enjoyed the flashy hip-hop routines. Now, however, I have a real appreciation for every type of dance I see. My favorites, though, tell a story. Nowhere is this better exemplified than this routine which aired last week.

The dance (choreographed by Mia Michaels) tells the story of a young addict. Kupono Aweau plays the part of addiction, while Kayla Radomski struggles to free herself from him. It's a very moving and powerful piece that illustrates how performers can tell a story to the audience without uttering a single word.

Reswindled on Taiwanese TV

It's such an honor to see other people performing my material. Here's a clip of Lu Chen performing my effect "Reswindled" on a Taiwanese TV show. The four of a kind production in the beginning is called "Color Blind." It belongs to my friend John Guastaferro and can be found on his Brainstorm DVDs produced by L&L Publishing. (John G's site)

TED- Ideas Worth Spreading

TED.com is one of my favorite sites on the net. Short for "Technology, Entertainment, and Design," TED is a great place to go any time you're looking to broaden your mind. This talk by Harvard Psychologist Dan Gilbert is one of my favorites. In it he discusses some of the common flaws in the way we think. It's a very entertaining and enlightening presentation. Check out TED.com for more great videos; they update the site regularly.

The Uncanny Valley

Masahiro Mori's Uncanny Valley theory is a very interesting concept. If you're not familiar with it, the idea is simple. Mori designed robots. He realized that the more human-like he made them look, the more they appealed to people, but only up until a certain point. Once the robot started looking "too human," people were turned off.

Here's a quick example: take a look at this picture. Charlie Brown is a simple cartoon character; he looks like a human but no one would mistake him for an actual person. His head isn't proportioned correctly, his eyes are just dots, and he only has four fingers. Still, we're all drawn to him. After all, he's cute!

Now look at this picture of Osaka University's Repliee Q1 robot. She is obviously much more realistic. She has skin, hair, and correctly proportioned features, but I wouldn't call her cute. In fact, it wouldn't be a big step to liken her to an animated corpse.

But why isn't she as likable as Good Ol' Charlie Brown? Doesn't it make sense that the more something appears to be human, the more love and empathy we should feel for it? Well, according to the Uncanny Valley theory, we cut Charlie Brown a lot of slack. Our minds focus on the qualities that make him look like a human being. However, when something looks so close to human that it's almost real, we focus on the subtle things that differentiate it from a real person and we're a little freaked out.

The reason it's called a valley and not a cliff, by the way, is because theoretically it is possible to create a character so human-like that we will no longer be able to distinguish it from an actual human. We just haven't reached that point in technology yet. Some say we never will. What do you think?

If you'd like to learn more about the Uncanny Valley and how it applies to games, here's a well produced youtube video that provides a nice summary.

Malone On Marlo

My wonderful wife purchased the new Malone on Marlo DVD set for me as an early Father's Day present this year. Let me tell you: the set is awesome! If you're even mildly interested in card magic, this is something you will definitely want to pick up. There were plenty of items that I immediately added to my arsenal. Bill Malone did a great job of representing Marlo material and there really is something for everyone. The items range from the self-working to tricks that require advanced sleight of hand.

Of course, Bill performs it all flawlessly. His performances are high energy and completely entertaining. However, the real treat are the explanations where Bill not only clearly describes what you just saw performed but also a bunch of alternate handlings, ideas, and even a few extra effects. There were so many little things thrown into the explanation portions that you may want to take notes or at least give the set a second go through.

I consider myself a well-read magician, but there were quite a few effects that were completely new to me. Others I was aware of, but Malone definitely brought them back to my attention. Here are just a few of my favorites:

Open Prediction- This is by far the best ungaffed method I've seen for this venerable plot. It looks so clean and it's dead easy.

Think Touch Turn- This was included on Bill's first set with L&L Publishing, On The Loose, and it has been a real worker for me ever since.

Miracle Ace Cutting- This is a Marlo classic that you probably already perform. If not, you should: it's one of the most legitimate looking Ace cutting sequences around.

A Comedy Classic- A super commercial routine with a built in comedy finish that will blow your audience away.

Leipzig Would Have Loved This- I'll let the video speak for itself. I really liked this one.


An Unexpected Prediction- This one is fun for both the performer and the audience. It's based on Vernon's Trick That Cannot Be Explained, but it has a little structure that makes it much more workable for those new to the plot.

Mental Reverse- This is real fooler. The spectator "thinks" of a card from a small packet. The cards are fairly lost in the deck. The spectator names their card and it is immediately found reversed in the center.

Logical Faced Triumph- This is just one of a handful of routines that really "got me" at first. There are plenty of times in the set where you'll swear the move is getting ready to take place only to realize that it's already done. Here's a quick performance:


It has often been said that Marlo's material wasn't commercial, but I would defy anyone to make that claim after watching this set.

-Available from www.VanishingIncMagic.com

High Spots

I can't talk about magic without mentioning my book High Spots. It's been in the works for a few years and was recently published by Joshua Jay and Andi Gladwin's new company Vanishing Inc. Magic. The book includes twelve original items straight from my working repertoire. Each routine is designed for the real world; there are no pipe dreams. Here are just a few comments from satisfied readers:

"Caleb Wiles is the real deal. His methods are devious, his presentations are clever and fun and he's got loads of natural abillity. Add to that solid magical thinking and you'll know why I've been recommending High Spots to all of my friends." -David Williamson

"Caleb's Reswindled is my new favorite version of Reset." -Paul Harris

"Caleb Wiles is a clever, logical creator of magical effects. His approach is fresh, yet practical. I'm a huge fan." -Joshua Jay

"Caleb Wiles knows how to structure an effect. He combines fantastic plots with clever methodology to create some incredibly fooling magic." -Andi Gladwin

"The magic of Caleb Wiles is both strong and refreshingly novel. He combines contemporary 'high tech' themes with strong plots. The result is both high commercial effects that both entertain and mystify. Caleb's new book is a must have for card enthusiasts." -Mike Powers

"High Spots is not only a bargain at $20 in today's inflated market, but is a bargain in the sense that it contains card magic you are going to look forward to showing your audiences." -Steve Bryant

"Vernon, Marlo, Houdini, and Silly Billy couldn't hold a candle to Caleb Wiles... because they're dead... except Silly Billy." -Tyler Wilson


I really worked hard on all aspects of the book. The routines have all been audience tested, the descriptions are clear, there are plenty of illustrations, and the credits are extensive. Andi Gladwin and Joshua Jay did a remarkable job on producing the final product and I couldn't be happier. The book is available from CalebWiles.com or VanishingIncMagic.com. Check it out and let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing from you.

First Post

Welcome to the new blog where I'll be discussing a ton of random stuff. My main interests include magic, movies, pro wrestling, video games, and lately 3D animation. I'll probably be talking about all of those things at some point or another. Stay tuned...