We all know the story. Before March 2020, we thought nothing of going to a live show or conference. But all of that came to a screeching halt with the arrival of COVID. As we all got used to working from home, something incredible happened – the invention of the virtual magic show.
Employers were eager to combat Zoom fatigue and inject some joy into their teams that were in computer comas. Thus, companies all over the world started hiring magicians to perform live virtual magic shows for their employees. These shows are streamed direct to each employee’s home office, dining room table, basement room, or wherever they choose to “clock in” each day. Magicians who were not able to perform in-person quickly pivoted to creating online versions of their shows – many of which are just as phenomenal and jaw-dropping as if you were watching them on stage at your local theater. Thus, just like an incredible magic trick, the world of online shows was born!
With literally hundreds of virtual performances under ours belts by this point in our new normal, we have found that there are five key elements that make for a fantastic virtual event that your attendees will be talking about for years to come:
1. Interaction
The first question we always hear from clients is, “How is a virtual magic show different than watching a Youtube video of a magician?” The answer lies in interaction. The magician will interact with several members of your team – chatting, joking, and enlisting in help for their illusions. A great virtual magic show will have at least 50% interactive content and the remaining will be stand-alone magic that is purely for the audience’s viewing pleasure. Your team needs and should feel like they are PART of the show and in a great virtual magic show – they definitely ARE the most important part of the show!
Often, audience members are nervous to be part of a show. It’s that same feeling of sitting in a live audience and avoiding eye contact with a performer when they come out to the crowd. It’s hard not to think, “Am I going to be made fun of?” or “Am I going to look stupid?” or even “Ugh, I hate the sound of my voice on a microphone!” Rest assured, the virtual audience doesn’t need to worry about any of that! Our virtual magicians aim to make their volunteers look great and enjoy themselves.
Lastly, a great interactive virtual magic show will engage the entire audience with tricks that everyone can do at home! Whether that’s using their phone calculators, or phone cameras, or doing a card trick along with the magician – it’s alway the best when the magic happens right in the hands of each audience member.
2. Customization
A very important ingredient to great virtual entertainment is for the magician to customize the show to your brand. The magician will take the time prior to the performance to learn a little bit about your group and the event that is happening, so they can understand the audience’s context. Additionally, in some platforms, the magician will be able to place your company’s logo on screen and have a custom backdrop branded for your company. That way during the entire show, there is no doubt that this show is happening live and just for your team!
3. Professional Production
A great virtual magic show will have a high-level of production to prevent the feeling of a magician on facetime in his basement. The great shows have professional lighting, sound, and camera equipment. Also, a great virtual show will have a sleek studio set up with a clean and attractive backdrop and of course, no kids or dogs making noises in the background. Lastly, and this might be obvious, the magician will need to have an amazing, almost magically-strong, internet connection!
If you are producing a large-scale or important event, Magicorp offers an “Enhanced Production” upgrade. This allows you to significantly elevate your production quality with co-branded company graphics, pre-recorded videos, side-by-side on-screen interaction, and more. Think of a visually-appealing TV show rather than a meeting. The package includes a dedicated producer to direct your virtual event remotely and handle all pre-production needs.
4. Clean, Hilarious Humor
It’s been a long 12 months for all of us, so we all deserve much-needed laughter. A great zoom magic show should first have you smiling and laughing and THEN be amazed by magic tricks. No matter how amazing or impossible card tricks can be, you don’t want a solid hour of just that. You want a show that is appropriate and hilarious for all attendees, even those who sneak their kids in!
5. Amazing Magic
All that being said, we are talking about a magic show here, so of course mind-blowing magic tricks are definitely needed! A great virtual magic show should continually amaze you with a multitude of tricks that seem impossible. The beautiful thing about magic is the feeling of wonder that it sparks in the audience, and the same effect will happen through your computer screen!
As the world begins to reopen, the industry will be adding hybrid events that can cater to both an on-line audience and the live audience. Don’t worry – magicians are already configuring their shows to be hybrid. In the meantime, you know the 5 qualities to look for in your quest for the perfect Zoom magic show. Now, it’s time to pick out the perfect magician to add a sense of wonderment and a whole bunch of joy to your next virtual event!