The Safronov brothers: "We are reviving the genre of illusion"

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-12 17:37

"- But this is impossible … - Perhaps, if you believe in it." Such an epigraph from "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll is just a perfect illustration of the show of the Safronov brothers - the # 1 illusionists in Russia.

Ilya, Sergey and Andrey Safronovs began their "magic" path in 2002. All-Russian fame came to the brothers after the program “What? Where? When?”, Where they showed their trademark number“Burning Alive”on the air. Actors and directors by education, they did not stop there, staged spectacular illusion shows, took part in TV projects and, of course, gradually made their program more and more complex and varied. The Safronov brothers received national recognition and the title of "Russian Copperfields" and "illusionists No. 1 in Russia".

Now, after the reality show "The Battle of Psychics", the film about magic and illusion "Wonder People" and the fantastic show "New Year's Teleport 2014", they present a new show - "Empire of Illusions: The Safronov Brothers."

Sergey, Ilya and Andrey Safronov

Blitz "Cleo":

- Are you friends with the Internet?

Ilya: I keep up with the times, so my answer is “YES!”.

Andrey: Yes, on the Internet I watch a lot of different illusion shows, from where I get new ideas.

Sergey: Basically, I watch films and various illusion videos on the Internet.

- What is an unacceptable luxury for you?

Ilya: A dream.

Andrey: Due to a difficult schedule - sleep an extra hour!

Sergey: Rest and sleep.

- Where did you spend your last vacation?

Ilya: Due to the large amount of work I have not been on vacation for a very long time. But recently there was a tour in Belarus, I managed to arrive a couple of days earlier and take a walk there.

Andrey: A year ago I was in Thailand. This year, after the tour, I plan to go to the magical Maldives with my beloved family.

Sergey: In Bulgaria with my family.

- Did you have a nickname as a child?

Ilya: I have always been friends with the guys from high school, so they were afraid to give me nicknames.

Andrey: Ryzhik!)) All of us brothers were called Ryzhiks, despite the fact that I am gray)

Sergey: Such a red-haired guy, of course, had a nickname, guess which one)))

- Are you an owl or a lark?

Ilya: I like to work at night when no one is distracting.

Andrey: Lark.

Sergey: It's hard for me to get up in the morning, but I have two children, so they often wake me up! But if Masha (wife - ed.) Says that dad worked until morning and was very tired, they give me a little sleep. (Smiles.)

- How do you relieve stress?

Ilya: I am a calm person by nature, but if I am angry, I try to just be a little alone.

Andrey: Kisses …

Sergey: I spend time with my family and children.

- What turns you on?

Ilya: People.

Andrey: A new successful experiment, in other words, a good trick just invented and done!

Sergey: Spectators, fans.

- Which animal do you associate yourself with?

Ilya: With a cat))

Andrey: With a panther.

Sergey: Lev.

Tell us about your new show: how does it differ from the previous ones, what is worth knowing about it first of all, what are its features?

Sergey: When such masters as Hmayak Hakobyan, Igor Kio left, the illusion genre disappeared from the field of view of the general public. And we have been reviving it since 2002. Before "Empire of Illusions: The Safronov Brothers" we showed different street numbers, first on Russian TV, and then on Ukrainian. They staged huge large-scale performances in the squares: tanks, trains, planes disappeared. And now, two years later, we come out with our own project. The producers of the show considered that this genre would be in demand by the Russian audience.

Andrey: The viewer believes that the Safronov brothers are the best among Russian illusionists. But which of the three of us is stronger is an open question. And we wanted not only to get together without witnesses and measure our strength, we had to do it openly, in front of the whole world. We complicated this task: we invited the stars and took on the task of teaching them tricks in a week. Thus, the jury evaluates us not only as illusionists, but also as teachers who are able to convey an illusionary gift. This idea formed the basis of the project: joint numbers plus solo numbers of stars.

Ilya: We went through many options for how the project was supposed to look. In the beginning, they just wanted to invite stars and teach them the art of illusion from scratch to masterful level. But then we looked at the busyness of celebrities, at our own difficult schedule and realized that it was very difficult to bring this idea to life. That is why we came up with the concept of "new release - new star". There is also a section called “street magic”, to which it was also planned to attract them: we came up with an original genre of “cinema illusions”. It incorporates full-fledged stunts into the most popular and beloved films.

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- Do you have a talisman?

Ilya: I love different talismans, I have bracelets and a pendant, which I almost never take off.

Andrey: Yes. But this is personal …

Sergey: My wife.

- What melody is on your mobile phone?

Ilya: Standard melody.

Andrey: Therr Maitz - Manta.

Sergey: Standard melody.

- What is your psychological age?

Ilya: I'm always 18.

Andrey: 25 years old.

Sergey: 25 years old.

- What is your favorite aphorism?

Ilya: The one who does nothing is not mistaken.

Andrey: The one who does nothing does not make mistakes and does not make mistakes!

Sergey: The road will be mastered by the walking one.

What interesting projects are you still working on?

Ilya: If you go to our website, you will see the tour schedule, which has already been scheduled until the end of the summer, and the autumn concerts are now at the final stage of discussion. Between concerts, we are preparing a new show, which we want to present to the viewer on New Year's holidays.

What did you want to become as a child, before you decided to be illusionists?

Ilya: Astronaut! This is probably the standard desire for any boy.

Sergey: For a long time I dreamed of becoming a truck driver, then I was fascinated by cinema, and I wanted to become a director. By the way, now, in parallel with the illusion, I am realizing my childhood dream. Together with Alexey Golubev, director and producer, we shot a mystical horror film based on my script. The shooting took place in an abandoned village. Title - “The Lost Place. Psychics . Moreover, the film crew did not even know where we were all going. Everything happened very lively, improvised, we were faced with completely incomprehensible, frightening things … This is my first film child, I am very proud of him and I hope that this winter the film will be released.

You create illusions. But each of us also has our own personal illusions about the future, life, plans, and so on. Some of them eventually break, others only get stronger, and still others become reality. What illusions did you harbor in the past, and what do you still harbor?

Sergey: You know, I have no illusions about the future. I have a clear plan, desires and aspirations to which I am slowly going.

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- Do you have any hidden talents that we don't know about yet?

Ilya: I love to draw, and, as my friends say, it turns out well. But, unfortunately, there is practically no time left for this hobby.

- You are already recognized as the best illusionists in the country, what else would you like to achieve professionally?

Ilya: We have a lot of ideas on TV programs, on our own shows, on various incredible numbers, and it seems to me that these ideas will never end. And most importantly, we have the strength and desire to realize them!

- And on a personal level?

Sergey: Here I will be responsible for all brothers: the main thing for us is a happy family and healthy children!