The thoughts of Online Magic Shows, a Virtual magician and zoom meetings hadn’t crossed our minds. Little did we know that the world was about to change!
Back in March 2020, the world was thrown into chaos, by the global pandemic. Everything was starting to stop. Theatres were told to stop performances, Bars and restaurants were closed and parties and events were put on pause (including weddings). It was a worrying time for many people. The entertainment industry was hit very hard as live entertainment couldn’t happen. The guidelines that were put in place were restrictive to many businesses.
However, to fill the gap for entertainment everyone started to watch videos online. This is fine for a passive experience, but for fully interactive audience participation it needs to be a two-way thing. Video conferencing turned out to be the lifeline for everyone’s social activities.
What are online magic shows?
Online magic shows are exactly what they say. They are amazing magic shows, with a virtual magician, which remain interactive via a video conference program. Before 2020, who had actually heard of a zoom meeting?
Online virtual magic shows are live entertainment. Just because it is online magic, you shouldn’t think that it isn’t worth your time. In fact, one of the bonuses of a virtual magic show is that distance isn’t a barrier. You could be watching a Las Vegas magician via Microsoft teams, where previously you would have needed to fly 11 hours to watch them.
An interactive online magic show, maybe just your friends and family watching or you could be joined by other audience members from around the world.
How many guests can watch an online magic show?
Virtual magic shows can work with anywhere between 4 and 100 guests (or connections). A zoom magician would have experience in controlling the virtual event. Muting the audience’s microphone to focus the audio on the virtual experience, instead of your great uncle asking “can you hear me?”.
As A virtual magic show was very experimental in 2020, some of the numbers that work for connections were guesswork. Now a few years on, an experienced virtual magician will know what works for their virtual events.
What is the best time for a Zoom magic show?
Your virtual magician will guide you on this. It could be that you have hired a magician for private parties, which would be the time to suit you. Or you may have bought tickets to an online event hosting a virtual online magic show. You’d then be waiting for the time slot just like a theatre show.
What kind of clients does a virtual magic show work for?
A virtual magic show will work for most audience members that can’t get to a physical magic show. All types of interactive magic and mind reading still work via a zoom call or Microsoft teams. It’s even possible to create an incredible magic illusion show for a corporate event as multiple cameras can be used.
What is the difference between an online magician and a real-life magician?
A close-up magician at a live event would walk about performing to guests. Doing some of their best magic and card tricks in your own hands. Getting you to think of a playing card and produce it from an impossible location. Placing sponge balls in your hands for them to vanish. It’s the physical tactile elements that define the difference between a real-life magician.
A professional zoom magician will be set up with live video production equipment. Probably using different camera angles and intro video clips. They can also use camera angles to help with their effects. This is probably the most defining element of a zoom magician. Their virtual magic shows can contain off-camera moments that improve their performance. Whereas a real-life magician would need to misdirect you to finish the effect.
A good example of camera angles is this video that is not edited and is filmed as it happens. Dr Matt Pritchard has created this vanishing illusion where he places the video camera on the train that is circulating the elephant.
Witnessing incredible online magic.
As a member of a local magic circle, our programme for the year brought in lots of online magicians. It was all on zoom meetings. Every 2 weeks we had a guest zoom magician, and we even held zoom magic competitions. It got the magic community thinking in a slightly different way. Between 2020 and the middle of 2021 I got to experience the most incredible zoom magic show and see magic from around the world. One name I’d known became a virtual magician, which I got to see on my kitchen table!
Although I do much prefer in-person magic. An online virtual magic show has certainly got it’s place.
A Different kind of Virtual magic show
To finish off with a recommendation, I would point you towards The Magician Online. An online magic show with a difference. You need to purchase tickets for the event and prior to the event, a box is posted to you with items needed for the show. I won’t spoil the surprise, but leave you with the link and the trailer.
