Next Meeting: 15 November 2024 | Theme: Avi Yap / Patrick Kun Lecture | Location: NLB Drama Center

CARTOON VISIBLE PAINTING

“Frozen” was a computer-animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. It was released in 2013 and it won several awards for being the best animated feature film. It was awarded Best Original Song for “Let It Go”. It quickly became one of the most popular computer-animated movies for children.
To my knowledge, there was no magical effect directly related to the Frozen movie, until Hitmitsu Magic came out with “Cartoon Visible Painting”. This one should be a hit for children.
In effect, the back of a square folder is shown to contain a matrix of 16 pictures feauring the 4 main charcters of Frozen. They are Queen Elsa, the snowman Olaf, Princess Anna, and Kristoff. The 16 pictures appear to be in no particular arrangement.
A child is ask to freely name any number from 1 to 16. The chosen number is counted around the matrix and it ends on the picture of Olaf the snowman. Olaf is considered as the chosen character.
The board is turned around to reveal the outline of Queen Elsa instead. This appears to be the wrong prediction. The performer insists that this is the correct prediction.
This picture is then withdrawn from the square folder. It suddenly becomes fully coloured and everyone can now see that it is Olaf the snowman donning Elsa’s dress! The predicted character is correct after all!
As a climax, the folder is turned around to show its back. It has the matrix of 16 pictures, but they are all the pictures of Olaf! The previous pictures of Queen Elsa, Princess Anna and Kristoff have disappeared!
You receive the complete props, plus a QR code to view a short performance of the effect in the Mandarin language. The props are well-made of sturdy cardboard and are nicely designed. You need to take a marker pen and draw the outline of Queen Elsa yourself. Why this outline is not already drawn in when the props are supplied is anybody’s guess.
I would personally like to perform it in another way. I have studied the matrix of the 16 pictures on the back of the folder, and have noticed that Queen Elsa can also be forced using the method of forcing Olaf, except you have to start counting from another side of the folder. A little study of the matrix will enable you to quickly understand this.
Force Queen Elsa, and turn around the folder to show the outline of Queen Elsa as your prediction. Go into your colouring routine for any classic visible painting. Pull out the picture to show a fully coloured picture of Queen Elsa. It is here that the audience realises it is actually Olaf in Queen Elsa’s dressing.
You insist that the child originally picked Olaf, not Queen Elsa. When you have disagreements, turn around the folder to expose the matric of the 16 all Olaf pictures! How could anyone pick some other character originally?
In this effect, you have all the fun of visible painting, plus a sucker prediction!
Highly recommended!