For 40 years, Magicorp Productions has been matching corporate clients with the best magical entertainment for their specific event. Not all corporate events are the same and not all magicians are the same. Someone who is good for one event may be inappropriate for another. But that’s okay, that’s where we come in!
The advent of America’s Got Talent has been both good and bad for us and our corporate clients. On the one hand, increased exposure of good magic on television is always great. On the other, it can sometimes lead to quick desire to hire a performer based on that act, and without additional research.
Why can that be bad? Think of it this way: If someone engages the services of a bad singer, piano player, or band, they say, “When the dance band said they would play oldies, I wasn’t thinking the aria from La Traviata. I will do my research better next year.” But, unlike with musicians, if someone hires a bad magician they will never hire a magician again. Buyers have less ability to differentiate between magicians and what makes them excel at a particular event. If one is bad, they’re deterred from hiring another one because they might not know how to find a better one, or one that better suits their specific event needs. Conversely, if they have a great experience, they can’t wait to do it again. It’s the bad experiences that we do everything in our power to prevent. That’s where America’s Got Talent comes in.
We’ve been receiving an increasing number of calls for corporate groups asking if we can “get that magician who was on Americas Got Talent last night … he was amazing.” Or “Did you see the trick that the guy did on Americas Got Talent – we want him for our conference.”
There are some great performers who go on the show, but the fact is, if they are really that good AND appropriate for corporate groups, we know them and work with them already. (In fact, we have several amazing America’s Got Talent magicians on our roster!) To be honest, there hasn’t been one performer since the show’s inception of whom we’ve learned about from of the show. Why? The world of magic is pretty small, and the magicians on America’s Got Talent didn’t just spring up out of nowhere.
When we get calls about hiring a magician based on their AGT performance the night before, here’s how the conversation usually goes:
CLIENT: There was a magician on Americas Got Talent last night. My boss was blown away and he wants me to hire him for our conference. Can you get him for us?
MAGICORP: Yes we can get him, but that performer might not be the best fit for your specific event.
CLIENT: Why not?
MAGICORP: What you saw on TV was his or her best three minutes, but that does not necessarily mean they have a strong full show, or a full show that matches your event’s needs. Also, don’t underestimate the impact of NBC’s production elements! We want to make sure you get the right magician for your event, not the right magician for AGT.
CLIENT: Are you saying the magician was no good?
MAGICORP: Not at all! We work with many talented magicians who were featured on America’s Got Talent. However, we don’t advise making your decision based on just one or two tricks. It’s sort of like hiring a comedian because they have a few really funny jokes, but it doesn’t mean they have a full hour of great material. Performers on television always do their best stuff to start. Some of the performers have a great full length show and some do not. Without more information, I cannot recommend this performer for your event.
CLIENT: But my boss really wants him.
MAGICORP: I completely understand! Once you see a great performance, it’s hard to think of hiring another performer. But, if you hire this person solely based on the one act, but then the show doesn’t do well, it won’t look good for you.
CLIENT: So what should we do?
MAGICORP: That’s easy, go with someone who already does what you want. We are glad to make recommendations of performers who not only are great performers with plenty of material, but also are right for the demographics and other needs of your audience. That’s always our goal!
CLIENT: If it were up to me, that’s what I would do, but my boss wants the guy he saw last night. What should I do?
MAGICORP: If your hands are not completely tied, we will of course put you in touch with that specific performer. I suggest that you tell your boss that you’ll do some research on the performer, and if that performer doesn’t seem to fit your event, then we will help you find a different one. For your research, ask the performer for several non-America’s Got Talent videos, as well as references of client groups that are similar to yours. (If the performer cannot give you a list, that should be a warning sign.) Finally, and most importantly, ask where you can come see them perform for a similar style audience (you don’t actually have to go!). We can also send you some suggestions of other performers who might fit the event even better, with whom you can compare against the Americas Got Talent magician.
So, next time you see a performance you like on America’s Got Talent, give us a call! That particular performer might be perfect for your event, or they might not be, but either way we are here to help you find just the right performer for you.