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Melanie Kerr: BILL, YOU ARE ONE OF THE TOP CRAFTERS OF MAGIC ILLUSIONS IN THE WORLD. BUT YOU ALSO STARTED OUT PERFORMING, DIDN'T YOU?
Bill Smith: As a kid my two hobbies were magic and woodworking. It was a natural to build my own stuff. I performed the typical kid's parties, Cub Scout meetings, etc. as a teen. I joined the Long Beach Mystics a 16, which had a great influence on my magic. Other Mystics were Mark Kalin, Dirk Arthur, Kevin James, Mike Caveney, Stan Allen, so it was an influential group. I worked the Magic Castle quite often and then did a few cruise ships. My act was comedy and audience participation. I had a duck named "Gaylord", most of my "duck" material I gave to David Copperfield, he still uses some of the lines today.
Melanie Kerr: HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTO MAGIC?
Bill Smith: As a kid I use to buy jokes (by mail order) to play on my brother and sisters. One day I got a magic trick along with the jokes. I really got interested in Jr High. I was on the talent show with a magician (my friend and I were doing a "Laugh In" skit) When the magician was not around, we went through his stuff. I was really intrigued with the silks, feather flowers and secret boxes. After that, I started buying magic instead of jokes.
Melanie Kerr: HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE BUSINESS OF CONSTRUCTING ILLUSIONS?
Bill Smith: My company, Magic Ventures has been in business for 21 years. I started it in Long Beach Calif. (after 10 years with the Blackstone Jr. Show), we moved up to Vegas 8 years ago.
Melanie Kerr: DO YOU USE ANY OF THE CAD (COMPUTER PROGRAMS) FOR YOUR DESIGNS?
Bill Smith: We only use CAD drawings if the customer requires them. On past projects for Disney, Universal and Caesars Magical Empire we had to. For the most part, I just do simple drawings on graph paper. CAD drawings are good if you are doing he same parts over and over. Every time we build something it is a little different.
Melanie Kerr: WILL ILLUSIONS EVER BECOME TOTALLY COMPUTERIZED?
Bill Smith: I think Illusions should stay fairly simple. We did use a computer/digital shadow effect for a project we did for Disney Cruises.
Melanie Kerr: YOUR LIST OF CLIENTS READS LIKE A "WHO'S WHO LIST OF MAGIC". HAVE YOU EVER WORKED WITH ANYONE ON THAT LIST WHOM YOU REALLY COULD NOT DEAL WITH?
Bill Smith: I have had a few clients that were hard to deal with in the past, out of professional courtesy, I won't mention them. My biggest challenge was when I built a Spirit Paintings for Orson Welles. It was fun working on a project for such a genius. He was very demanding but fair. He use to call at all hours of the night to talk magic.
Melanie Kerr: HAS ANYONE EVER DESIGNED A PROP YOU HAD TO REFUSE TO BUILD?
Bill Smith: There have been a few projects that I passed on that were too outlandish. I also will not take anything on that is too dangerous.
Melanie Kerr: IN RECENT YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL NETWORK TELEVISION SPECIALS REVEALING MANY OF THE STAGE ILLUSIONS THAT YOU BUILD AND WE MAGICIANS PERFORM. DO YOU THINK IT HAS HURT THE INDUSTRY OR MADE NO IMPACT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER?
Bill Smith: Any exposure hurts magic. I think people should learn the secrets the way the most of us did, by going to a library or a magic shop.
Melanie Kerr: WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE OF MAGIC HOLDS IN THIS THE MILLENIUM?
Bill Smith: I think the future of magic is solid. I am not sure it will be as big as it has been these last 10 years, but the good acts will always work. |
