MovieChat Forums > The Carbonaro Effect (2014) Discussion > Is this show staged?

Is this show staged?

posted 9 years ago by eholzapfel26
16 replies | jump to latest

I realize everything on TV is staged to various degrees, and most "magic" illusions require a great deal of set-up on the part of the magician, but what I'm asking is do his tricks on this show appear as miraculous to Carbonaro's targets as they do to the TV audience, and are these real people he's pulling them on as opposed to actors?

I ask because so many of the reactions don't seem realistic. The most common reaction would be, "Oh! Your doing a trick!" But no one seems to say that, instead they act stunned as if the illusion they are seeing must really be occurring or that Carbonaro's humorous, yet completely ludicrous explanations somehow make sense.

Another thing (as some of the reviews point out) there usually doesn't seem to be other people in the stores he's working at or any normal set of circumstances that might occur in a place of business.

So, are all the normal reactions of his targets just edited out? Do they choose to only air complete morons who don't seem to realize when a magic trick is occurring? Are normal interruptions by other customers and things that might occur in a place of business edited out?
Or is the whole thing "edited" to the point where there's nothing entertaining going on here? i.e. The illusions are just TV camera effects and the reactions (wherein lies the greatest entertainment value) are just being performed by actors?

If the latter is the case, then there's really no point in watching, is there?

[–] mefanch 9 years ago

I have the feeling most of the reactions are genuine.

Like you say, everything is staged, and for these illusions that has got to be true; but that doesn’t mean the reactions are. I’ve seen others say that most of the people that are the marks, are hired - say by temp agents, but don’t realize what they are hired for. They think they are going in to work reception, messenger, etc. So they aren’t “in” on the act.

I don’t think the most common reaction would be, “hey you’re doing a trick” though. I figure it’s not as hard as most would think. If you go to a magic show, you expect magic. If you’re in a bar and someone says, “hey watch this trick”, sure you expect it. If you go into a convenience store, office, etc. you aren’t looking for an illusion. And when he plays it strait, just adds to it. But, He probably does take lots, and lots of “takes” as some people probably do get it, and then for the episodes only shows the best reactions. I’m fine with that.

[–] eholzapfel26 9 years ago

If the marks think they're showing up for a job, that's fine, their reactions would still be real. That same scenario was used for many of the pranks on the old Candid Camera shows - they'd use people coming to a job interview or arriving for their first day of work.

As far as reactions - I know if someone pulled a bowling ball out of a little box, or made dried fish flakes turn into living gold fish, or made a duck decoy become a real duck, or got locked in a car trunk then came out of a hotel lobby, my reactions would be... "Oh, you're a magician!" or "Oh, your doing a magic trick - will you tell me how it was done?"

I know if I witness something that defies the known laws of reality I initially look for the plausible explanations first (such as, is this an illusion being performed by a magician? Am I being pranked? Am I on a hidden-camera show?)

I would not accept something as "real" that I know cannot occur when I know there's an entire industry built around the idea of creating illusions & special effects - yet shocked belief and immediate acceptance of illogical, laws-of-physics-defying explanations seems to be the reaction of most of the people on the show.

[–] thereffman 9 years ago

......it's on TruTV, and you're asking if it's staged? I hope you don't dress yourself daily and your handler takes away your internet privileges. The reactions don't look genuine in the least and if you think they do then there is not a doctor in this world that can cure whatever disadvantage you have.

Twitter: FBSportsguy

[–] Ramroseirez 8 years ago

That's what they ARE saying, that they think it's staged, they are just checking with what everyone else thinks. And I believe other shows on TruTV aren't staged, like Impractical Jokers. But hey that's just my opinion.

[–] royfinkle 8 years ago

Umm... you're clearly giving way too much credit to your average person in Atlanta (not to pick on Atlanta, that's just where the show's recorded. The world is full of idiots like them). I'm guessing that the entire show is 100% real. I'm also guessing that for every clip they air, well over 100 fall to the cutting room floor because it's just not fun or funny to see someone call him out. Most people are shockingly gullible; just look at how many people belong to religions and cults.

[–] classyshaymin 8 years ago

There are no stupid questions. But there are plenty of A-holes that are so insecure in their lives that they feel the need to insult and/or ridicule someone for asking!

[–] once_again 8 years ago

......it's on TruTV, and you're asking if it's staged? I hope you don't dress yourself daily and your handler takes away your internet privileges. The reactions don't look genuine in the least and if you think they do then there is not a doctor in this world that can cure whatever disadvantage you have.

You are a nasty person to insult people. IMO, the reactions look very genuine. Go back under the bridge you troll.

[–] russ-43978 8 years ago

I simply love people like this who comment on something they know NOTHING about. I produce "The Carbonaro Effect" and have worked on it since the pilot episode, and can say that we've NEVER faked a reaction from anyone. This show is 100% legit reactions to Michael's magic. As someone else posted, we do air a tiny amount of the people we shoot... but I can also say that many people fall for these tricks because they simply can't believe that they're on a TV show.

As for people commenting on how few people are in these locations... we do this on purpose. Our cameras are locked down in "hides" and therefore can't move if a shopper stands in front of them. With this in mind, we usually shoot on weekdays and discuss with the business owners to shoot at times when they're not swamped with customers.

However, if you watch episodes where Michael shot at a Toy Store... or at the Thrift Shop... we struggled all day with too many customers walking through our shots.

[–] thereffman 8 years ago

How pathetically sad are you to go onto an anonymous forum and lie about being an exec on such a *beep* show. Even your fantasy world is nothing but Down's Syndrome.

Twitter: FBSportsguy

[–] russ-43978 8 years ago

Well, is it any worse if I'm actually an exec on the show? But hey, at least I'm not spending my time discussing gambling gaffes from second-rate movies, right?

[–] thereffman 8 years ago

You'd be better off spending your time doing just that. You're a complete embarrassment, please delete your account.

Twitter: FBSportsguy

[–] andsn 8 years ago

I don't think it is staged. They just go through as many people as they need to in order to get the reaction they want. In other words....there is no reason for it to be staged so it wouldn't make sense plus the reactions seem authentic. I like the show...but my one critism is if you have seen one trick/reaction you have basically seen them all. But it is still pretty entertaining nonetheless. Two thumbs up from me for the idea and their ability to pull it off. It just depends on what mood I am in that determines whether I will watch it or not.

[–] thereffman 8 years ago

I could buy that premise, but this is TruTv, I know the costs for shows like this are next to none but I don't think they have the manpower and resources to waste days of filming to get the 2-3 scenes they're looking for. For example, just look at the fact that 90% of his acts happen in an area where there is not a single other person visible, and if they are they are way in the back. The entire thing is staged, it is very, very apparent.

Twitter: FBSportsguy

[–] darkness_surroundz 8 years ago

IS THE POPE CATHOLIC?

[–] MudgeMalog 8 years ago

I have a problem with the cameras. How come nobody sees or questions the cameras' presence? Some settings might make sense that there are cameras, but some it would make no sense. And I don't think the cameras are hidden because there is camera follows the people and zooms in and out, and is different angles from different sides of the room.

I want to believe the show is real, but if I had to guess, I'd say the shocked people are all actors.

You think I'm crazy? Perhaps we're all a little crazy. I know I am.
-Hugo Simpson

[–] eholzapfel26 8 years ago

Perhaps. As to the camera question, they can do a lot with hidden cameras these days (allow them to pan, swivel & zoom, etc. without being noticed), and they'd probably set up multiple cameras around the designated area.