How do copperfield fly?

Answer 1

He's suspended by not one or two thick and easy-to-see wires, but instead by a big amount of thin wires, such as fishing lines, which are separated by some space, making them hard to see and are connected to the "corsette" under his clothes. Wires are attached to the belt area of that corsette, covered with sweather, with one end and with the other end - to the lifting device above the stage, that can roll to the left and to the right of the stage. Notice that he never flies forth or back - because lifting device has simple design. His sweather has wide folds in the belt area, which look cool - this is the place where wires are attached to the corsette, and it's not flexible as a usual fold of textile - there are steel supports under them. Thus, the wires are situated not very close to the body, so David can move his arms from one side of the wires to the other (from front side - to the back side and vice versa) Background of the stage in one of his flights is wery "flashy" and moving - it makes it harder to see the wires. But you won't see them even with usual background if the camera is far enough. When he flies inside a plexiglass box - the shield of plexigass on top, which the girl walks on - is more narrow than the box, which means there are spaces for wires on the sides of it. When the girl walks on the box, if she sperads her hands to the left and to the right - she will touch the wires, that go from the box. When hoops are carried over David to show there's no wires - if you trace the way of hoops, you'll notice they are not really carried over David's head. They are flipped in such manner, that they don't touch the wires. If you draw a straight line from david to the top of the stage, you'll see it's never crossed by the hoops. There are "fake" moments in flying illusion, that were shot after the trick and added after: every shot, after the beginning of the illusion, that shows David closer than during the flight, where he's not flying, and moving around the stage freely between the lift-offs was shot afterwards for more effect. The girl that David lifts into the air in his hands is a stooge - otherwise she would see (from a closer distance) or accidentally touch the wires going from David's sweather's belt area. That also explains her funny name and smart answers. As they said on TV , In the last scene with David flying away with a hawk on his arm they used David's wax figure specially made for it, and then given away to a wax figure museum, because it had to fly too fast and too high for the ultimate effect, which is dangerous for a real person. A thin fishing line can lift about 6.kg. If you need to lift a man whose weight is 80kg, you'll need 14 strings of wire- 7 on each side. Add some strings for safety. And make sure the weight is distributed evenly - otherwise wires would tear. The wires are attached to the corsette in two spots - left and right sides of the belt section, but separately to the lifting devise on top - there must be some space between wires so that they become invisible at a distance. If you don't make enough space between their upper attachment points - you'll get a usual thick and well-seen cable. And don't do this at home. No, really, - Don't! Do proper things. If you wonder why noone flies like this nowadays: because now we have laser-pointers that can easily show all the wires, if you point at them.