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David Avadon excels as a technical advisor for film and television projects. His areas of expertise are magic, pickpocketing and con games. With hundreds of hours spent on film sets, he has a thorough understanding of cinema production.
Avadon has one of the largest private libraries in the country dealing with magic, pickpocketing, carnival, circus, crime, con games and fortune telling. He brings a far-reaching knowledge of these subjects, and an insider's savvy, to every project he works on.
Avadon can be the elegantly skillful hands of your actor. If the script calls for a character to manipulate cards like an expert gambler or perform delicate sleight of hand, Avadon's hands can take on the challenge with dexterity and visual flair.
If your script deals with magic and magicians, Avadon can supply all of the paraphernalia employed by conjurers.
If an actor is required to perform as a magician, Avadon can create imaginative magical sequences. When Avadon is crafting magic for an actor, he has three important considerations: 1. That the sequence be as effortless for the actor as possible. 2. That the sequence have the greatest visual impact on film. 3. That the stunts reset as quickly as possible to speed filming.
David Avadon is the country's premier exhibition pickpocket, and one of the few masters in the world of this underground art. He is an expert in the techniques and lore of street pickpockets. He has brought his know-how to many film and television projects.
If pickpocketing appears in your script, Avadon can stage encounters which are both realistic and imaginative. An example is his work on the caper film Confidence in which Rachel Weisz played a pickpocket. When promoting the film, she credited Mr. Avadon in all of her interviews not only with teaching her the techniques she used, but especially with giving her insight into the psychology of these invisible criminals.
Avadon is sometimes asked to apply his creative skills to unusual problems. For the H.B.O. film, Cast a Deadly Spell, he was asked to invent atmospheric magic, subtle touches of wizardry that appeared in the background to suggest a world in which magic was part of every day life. For Universal Pictures, Mystery Men, he was asked to devise magical weapons, arms which had an element of sleight of hand in their use or deceptive transformation in their design.
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A sampling of clients:
TELEVISION
- CBS Productions
Prop Supplier, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
- Twentieth Century Fox
Magical advisor, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
- Corday Productions
Hand double for gambling sequence, DAYS OF OUR LIVES
- DreamWorks Television
Magical advisor and hand inserts, HIGH INCIDENT
- Stu Segall Productions
Magical advisor and hand inserts, SILK STALKINGS
- Universal Television
Magical advisor and on-camera appearance, METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL (Pilot)
- Spelling Television, Inc.
Magical advisor and on-camera appearance, BURKE’S LAW, two episodes
- Lynch/Frost Productions
Technical advisor, ON THE AIR (Pilot)
- Home Box Office
On-camera card manipulation, TALES FROM THE CRYPT, two episodes
- Viacom Productions, Inc.
Technical advisor, JAKE AND THE FATMAN
- MTM Productions
Technical advisor, REMINGTON STEELE, two episodes
- Papazian/Hirsch Entertainment
On-camera illusionist, SHADES OF L.A.
- Warner Communications Company
Magical advisor, BRET MAVERICK
- Woody Fraser Enterprises
Three on-air appearances, FAMILY CHALLENGE
FEATURES
- USA Entertainment
Sleight of hand coach, THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE
- Lion's Gate Films
Pickpocketing coach, CONFIDENCE
- Warner Brothers
Sleight of hand coach, CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE
- Universal Pictures
Technical advisor, MYSTERY MEN
- Hollywood Pictures
Technical advisor, BORN YESTERDAY
- D.E.G. Films
On-camera card manipulation, BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE
- Home Box Office
Magical advisor and on-camera sleight of hand, CAST A DEADLY SPELL
COMMERCIALS
- HKM Productions
On-camera hand insert, client: AMERITECH
- Johnston Films
Magical advisor, client: MILTON BRADLEY
- Luna Pier Films
Magical advisor, client: DENNY'S
- A. Balch & Company
On-camera sleight of hand sequence, client: SANTA ANITA RACE TRACK
- Spunbuggy Productions
Magical advisor, client: STAR BANK
- Dream Quest Productions
On-camera sleight-of-hand sequence, client: SHOWTIME
- Wager Films
Performed on-camera illusion with Ronald McDonald
for product launch, client: McDONALDS
- Headquarters, a Film Company
Magical advisor, client: U.P.S.
- Ridley Scott & Associates
Magical advisor, client: Lincoln Navigator
MUSIC VIDEOS
- U Ground Productions
Created customized sawing-in-half illusion for Collective Soul,
client: ATLANTIC RECORDS
Read one producer's note of appreciation.
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