Matrix Levitation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iicRMrYe3nE

The Matrix
METHOD: This effect is basically accomplished through the aid of a gimmick that

consists of a dual leg/back brace that locks out at just under 90%, which will help support

your body weight, combined with several mechanisms to shift your center of gravity

away from your upper body, allowing you to stay balanced while leaning backward at an

impossible angle. Simple, huh?

Making the Gimmick: To create the gimmick, you’re going to need (or at least

need access to) several things.

1. One or two (depending on your height) 5 gallon heavy duty plastic buckets (wal-mart,

lowes, k-mart…etc.).

2. A drill. (wal-mart, lowes, k-mart…etc.).

3. A hinge that locks out. (wal-mart, lowes, k-mart…etc.).

4. A jigsaw. (wal-mart, lowes, k-mart…etc.).

5. Steel toe boots. (wal-mart, lowes, k-mart, shoe stores, sporting good stores…etc.).

6. 2 pairs of the heaviest ankle weights you can find (no lighter than 10 lbs, totaling

40lbs…4x10=40) (wal-mart, lowes, k-mart, sporting good stores…etc.)

7. Some socks. (If you don’t know where to get socks, stop reading this book, and go

buy a helmet…which can be found at wal-mart or k-mart or sporting good stores).

8. Six nuts and bolts. (wal-mart, lowes, k-mart…etc.).

9. A sharpie marker. (wal-mart, k-mart, gas stations…etc)

10. Some elastic bands large enough to fit around your leg. (wal-mart, k-mart, sporting

good stores…etc.)

11. Some sandpaper. (wal-mart, lowes, k-mart…etc.).

12. Two pairs of pants, one a size or two smaller than the other (Pants-R-Us)

And last but not least

12. A measuring tape. (wal-mart, lowes, k-mart…etc.).

Probably the most random shopping list you’ve ever seen. But don’t worry, it’s going to

start making sense in a minute. Hopefully. The first step in making this gimmick, is to

create the leg/back brace.

Making the leg/back brace-

1. The first thing you’re going to do is take your own personal measurements for the

leg/back brace. You want to take several separate measurements. First, you want to take

the width of your waist. Not all the way around, just from one side of your hip to the

other. Then, measure the length from just under your armpit, to your hip bone. This will

be the back brace part of the gimmick. Now, you’re going to draw out the exact

measurements of your back onto the bucket, except for this piece, and this piece only,

you’re going to add about an inch and a half to the length. What’s going to end up

happening is that you’re going to draw a rectangle with the two shorter sides being the

width of your hips, and the two longer sides being the length from your armpit to your

hip. Cut out this rectangle with your jigsaw, and sand the edges with the sandpaper until

they are smooth and have no sharp parts. Now, you’re going to do the do the exact same

thing (measure, draw, cut, sand), except you’re going to do it with the measurements

from the top of your buttock to your knee pit (the part just behind your knee), and from

your knee pit to your ankle. You’re going to end up with three separate pieces.

2. Now, You’re going to hinge the two leg pieces together. So, take the hinge, mark

where the holes need to be on the plastic pieces, drill the holes, and hinge the upper leg

part to the lower leg part with the hinge and nuts and bolts. Make sure the hinge is facing

the right direction. It should be attached so that it acts as sort of a knee between the two

leg pieces. (Note that the leg pieces should wrap comfortably around your own leg, with

the hinge directly behind your knee, and locking out in the position your leg would be in

if you were sitting down in a chair).

3. Now, you’re going to connect the leg piece to the back piece with the nuts and bolts

the same way you connected the two leg pieces, minus the hinge. You want this gimmick

to be attached to your strongest leg, so adjust it accordingly. Since most people are right

handed (right legged?), I’ll describe it from the right leg perspective. You want to

overlap the two pieces about an inch or an inch and a half, the upper leg on top, and

drill/bolt them together with bolts about an inch from each side. Since this is the right

leg, you want the right side of the gimmick to be completely flat, and the left side to be

the side that has the back brace section sticking out. You would simply reverse this for

the left leg.

Attaching the Gimmick- Now, you’re going put on your smaller pair of pants, and lay

the gimmick flat against the back of your leg OVER the small pants. Take the elastic

bands and wrap two of them around your lower leg, and two around your upper leg,

helping to fasten the gimmick in place. Now, you’re going to put on your regular pants

over top of the gimmick, and the small pants.

Adjusting Your Center of Gravity- Don’t go and try the effect yet, because, unless you

have very good balance, your center of gravity is too far towards your upper body, and

will just make you fall over and get hurt. You need to do a few things to help push your

center of gravity more towards your lower body, allowing you to balance more easily.

The first thing you’re going to do is attach all 4 ankle weights to your gimmicked leg.

They should be stacked one on top of the other, running from your ankle to just under

your knee. Walking to be uncomfortable, but for an effect like this, it’s well worth it.

It’s going to be hard for you to walk with 40+ pounds strapped to one leg and not the

other at first, but you’ll soon get used to it. Then, you need to take two socks, fold each

of them in half, stack them on top of each other, and place them in the heel of your right

(if your gimmick is on your right foot) steel toe boot. This is going to cause you to stand

sort of tiptoe on this one foot, shifting your center of gravity more towards your leg. The

combination of the heavy steel toe boot, the tiptoe positioning of your foot inside the

boot, and the ankle weights will be enough to shift your center of gravity more towards

your legs, and allow you balance better.

Performance- Now you’re ready to perform. With everything in place, have two

spectators hold your hands (one on each side of you), and slowly lower you back. You

want to do this very, very slowly. Not only does this give the illusion a more realistic

feel, but it helps to prevent the gimmick from snapping, and not only ruining your hard

work, but embarrassing you and possibly causing you SERIOUS injury. As soon as

you’re bent back in position and you can feel yourself being supported and balanced by

your right leg, tell them to open your hands, and allow you to let go of them. Slowly,

slowly, slowly let go of their hands, showing that you’re suspended in mid-air. Keep this

position for several seconds, and then slowly lift your left leg into the air. The funny

thing is that lifting your left leg straight out actually helps you balance by shifting your

center of gravity even further towards your legs. Keep this position for as long as you

want, being careful to keep your balance and not fall (falling could break the gimmick,

and possibly break YOU). As soon as you’re ready to get up, call for your assistants to

come over, grab your hands, and help you get back to your feet.