Can you see anything fake about this levitation?

Question

(Can't wait to see what the skeptics come up with!)

http://www.theunexplained.org/movies/mysterious-people/african-shaman-levitation.html

Answer 1

if hes real why wont he dare do this trick in front of premanand or james randi? who are well known skeptics

Answer 2

Oh, he's hovering all right.

But not levitating.

Did you notice from the waist down he's as stiff as a board. Even the clothing isn't moving in the wind.

His legs stay spread the same width apart, and he has to use his arms to balance himself.

Guess his tribe could only afford an ill-fitting harness and it was pinching on something..........

Why didn't the camera man go directly behind the "floater" and film shots of any potential cables above his head?

By the way, I saw on that site a menu bar of items to click onto, and the big one that caught my eye was CONSPIRACY THEORIES.

Maybe it will confirm that Batboy was the inspiration behind Batman.

Answer 3

Yes, he is levitating.

Answer 4

Ok Why at night?

And there are trees around... the first cameraman was directly in front of the shaman person and the other cameran man(like someone esle said didnt have his light on) did actually so the back of the shaman only his feet and head.

Answer 5

It is an illusion and not a very good one at that. He needed loose clothing, fire and darkness to conceal his trick.

Jonquill... great observation by the way. Fire was for the camera man to keep his distance.

Answer 6

Telekinesis maybe?

Answer 7

i think  is fake not only for the levitation part but for the look on hes face he looked scare and why at night why not day and if hes done this before he shoulnt be scare also he moved around to much while he was walking and in the "levitation".

Answer 8

Quotes from the narrator:

"the images that this scene has recorded are scarcely to be credited"   "there is no question that this is a trick or illusion"  

I see no reason to believe this is actual levitation.  The "even documented in the bible" line is supposed to make you think it is more credible, but in reality means nothing.

Note: The second camera man hurries around to the side to show that there isn't anything behind supporting the shaman from behind, but then the shot he gives only shows from the chest up, and is too dark and of poor quality to see anything.

Answer 9

I hope you're joking...

In case you're not though, I will explain. Notice that the "shaman" conveniently does this at night with a cluster of trees and bushes behind him. Notice that the 2nd cameraman does not turn his camera light on to illuminate the scene, and only gets shots of his face, hands, and feet. Finally, look at how the "shaman" wobbles in the air. He's clearly sitting on something. A simple see-saw would suffice in this low budget fake.

The movie crew is in on the illusion. That is why there is not a behind shot or a full-body side shot.

Answer 10

Can I see anything? No.

However, using my background in stage magic, I can say that the shaman is a consummate actor. The levitation effect itself is consistent with using very thin wires, which are available in spite of the fact that the shaman is a holy man. These wouldn't show up in the dark, but would be easy enough to debunk by using a hula-hoop (not the kind that's specifically prepared for magic, but a real one that's unbroken).

The "seesaw" idea is easily debunked because the cameraman on the side would have seen it (assuming they were not in on it... which I'll admit is a possibility). The balancing act he seems to do is an act and nothing more. It may be convincing, but I know the difference between acting and real exertion.

However, failure to debunk in person (which would have validated the video) just chalks this up to "unexplained" because we can't readily prove whether it's true or false.

Answer 11

I wish there was some way to increase the resolution. I see palm plants - not trees -so what would he be suspending from?

A see saw -possibly,but it would have to be pretty thin and long to come through the plants without being detected. He would almost have to be in semi sitting position to be on a see saw and if he was sitting I would expect to see the back hem of his gown lift a bit. very interesting.

Answer 12

I thought be might be suspended from the trees since he had loose clothes to conceal a harness, darkness to conceal the string, reasonably close tall trees and a ring of fire so that the camera man didn't get too close.

I particularly like how he fell to the ground at the end it was almost as if his string was cut, or if the other guy is right - fell off his seesaw.