Legerdemain- 16mm, sound, 3 16mm projectors with a live

Shadowgraphic intervention created & performed by San Diego Artist Michael Proft -12 minutes

Legerdemain addressed the relationship of magicians and early cinema. Magicians played an important role in disseminating cinematic technology as they used the cinematograph in their acts and brought their spectacles to far reaching audiences around the globe. Legerdemain, meaning sleight-of hand, used shadowgraphs to create enchanting optical illusions.Legerdemain employed several types of shadows produced through images including elaborate Indonesian and Chinese Shadow puppets as well as simple bold shadow figures made using transparencies from intricate stencils that were hand-made by San Diego artist and projectionist Michael Proft. The Cinematograph (cine projector) melds with live-shadow-play interaction. The train was largely responsible for bringing moving images to audiences during the early years of cinema and serves as a propeller of ideas through space.

2010 Venues that hosted Legerdemain

San Francisco Cinematheque- The Victoria Theatre, Multi-Media Event entitled: "Apparent Motion", San Francisco, CA

Cafe Oto, London, England

Abandon Normal Devices Festival for Media Art, Cournerhouse Green Room, Manchester, England

The Horse Hospital, London, England

Star and Shadow Cinema Co- Presented by the National Glass Centre, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England