It would be an interesting exercise to trace the influence of new technologies and media on magic throughout the last 125 years. Overall, I would guess that magicians have been pretty quick in picking up new developments – like electrical power, magnetism, cinema, radio, and television, tape recorders, records, CDs, the internet and mobile phones, to name just a few – and making use of them in their trickery. One of the biggest recent trends in technology is 3D printing. More than a few experts predict that this will revolutionize many industry branches. Be that as it may – why don’t you try to come up with an idea for an early 3D trick?
I mean, now. Just give it five or ten minutes. I won’t go away!
O.K., what have you come up with? Here’s my first take: Present a 3D printer and start it, but cover the product you are creating. Now, with utmost fairness, f***e the white Knight from a full checkerboard on a spectator. For dramatic impact, throw the Knight into a strong shredder you have conveniently at hand and turn it into sawdust. In line with your story on industrial automation and on-demand delivery, let your spectator take the freshly printed figure from the 3D printer: whew, it’s another white Knight! Replace it on the checkerboard and marvel together at the magic of modern machinery and masterful mentalism.
Right, this may need some good scripting and doctoring still, but hey – it’s magic going 3D printing!
ZZZAUBER 