How to Make a Magic Show on Television work
Every time you watch magic shows on television, have you realized that there are two aspects to it?
The first pertains to you as the audience, meaning your expectations, and the second but equally important perspective is that of the magicians as in the kind of tricks that they should perform and the standards that they must set.
That said it would now be easier for anyone to adjudge as to why the popular magic-based sitcom ‘Masters of Illusion’ did not go down well with majority of viewers. To begin with the tricks that were showcased fell short of creating an indelible impression on the viewer’s mind and secondly the whole idea of skipping the magician’s introduction left a palpable lacuna.
One of the best ways to test the veracity of these points would entail watching magic shows on TV featuring David Blaine and Criss Angel. In addition to being sufficiently spectacular, these shows owe much of their success to the aura of the magician involved.
So what are the ingredients that make a magic show on television a success? Undoubtedly the first requisite would be that of the standard of magic performed and in this regard there should be no comprise on the quality of tricks that are showcased.
David Blaine Magic Show on Television brings in millions of viewers everytime!!
For the show to meet the high standard, the kind of tricks that are showcased should be truly complex and seemingly impossible, for example making the Statue of Liberty disappear.
Basically, such a show should be really high on the ‘WOW’ factor to the extent that it remains the hot topic of discussion for at least the next day or two and leaves a visible stamp on the magician too.
At the same time, the bag of tricks should be such that they can be performed at live shows.
Two of the greatest names in this regard are that of Lennart Green and Guy Hollingsworth, both of whom dominated the small screen for showcasing their magic during the 1990s.
On one hand, such shows inspire youngsters to take up this art but on the flip side it detracts from the surprise element of real-life performances. After all, there is hardly a bigger spoiler for a live magic show than having one of the spectators claim audibly enough – I have seen this before on TV!!
Of course there is a line of thought in the magic community that suggests secrecy in terms of revelation of tricks. In this way, the novelty of the trick remains protected at least until the time it is readily available on the racks for a paltry amount.
However, this is only a short term measure and the moment the trick is up for sale, its charm is lost forever.
When it comes to television, it is the persona of the magician that matters more than the trick itself.
While the minimum that it could entail would be a short biography, stretching it into a proper introduction is likely to stir the audience into taking more than a fleeting interest and entice a better response in the process.
From all this, it is easy to deduce a ‘WOW’ recipe for TV magic, namely spectacular tricks and a heart-warming introducvtion.
