How to Scale Up Your Magic for Television

I get a surprisingly high number of last-minute consultancy calls with magicians who have just been booked to perform on a TV show filming later that week. When they ask what I think they should perform, I ask which trick they feel most comfortable performing.

My working opinion is that instead of starting from scratch, we should take a deep look at something you have experience performing and make that TV-worthy. It comes from the fact that to be good at my role, I must be cost-effective, successful and the trick can never fail. To me, it makes perfect sense to focus on enhancing something you already perform than to start with a black slate with such little time to prepare.

No other art form would decide to create something from scratch. I can’t imagine Adele deciding to write entirely new material for an appearance on Saturday Night Live. She’d get together with her team and figure out a way to elevate a song she’s performed hundreds of times to a level worthy of television.

There are a few ways to bring ordinary magic tricks to television. My favorite way to do this is through storytelling. I’ll often call this gift wrapping because you’re basically rewrapping the effect with some sexy new wrapping paper and a bow. The way you gift wrap the trick depends on who you're performing it to, where, when, and the performer's character.