5 Tips for Live Virtual Magic Shows Performance to Impress Audience

We live in a difficult period, and while many live concerts have ended, the new world of virtual shows has risen to the fore. Here are some key takeaways from our experience doing a variety of virtual magic shows on various platforms over the last couple of years. You're probably thinking why you should be interested in a magic show on zoom.

NEVER FORGET YOUR BASICS WHEN DOING VIRTUAL ZOOM MAGIC SHOWS

If you're a working illusionist, don't be scared to do basic classics that might work better in this virtual medium than the highly sophisticated tricks you're used to (but looks terrible on Zoom). When performing for non-magicians, you're not attempting to impress them with your vast magic vocabulary. You've been hired to make people happy and believe in the impossible. The more easily a technique appears to be, the more impossible it appears.

WHAT’S BETTER FOR VIRTUAL PLATFORMS? VISUAL VS. INTERACTIVE

Question with a twist! Both of these are critical. Many illusionist have said in recent years that they are revamping their entire stage routine to include no audience engagement or that having a live audience is impractical with virtual platforms. That, however, is just not the case. The crowd is present, and they are enthusiastic about live interactive magic. Many professional illusionists are sending props to their clients to use at home, sending downloadable cards or tokens to follow along with that viewers may print at home, or just using common household items to make viewers physically engaged.

FRAME YOURSELF COMPLETELY

There are no hard and fast guidelines for framing yourself or deciding what to put in the background. Many magicians employ green screens, ironed and clipped sheets, curtains, or even their own bookcases in their own homes. The important point is that all of these decisions are purposeful and clear. Garbage, strange furniture, unrelated magic tricks, or dirty socks should not be present in the backdrop (unless your magician character would have these in their home). Everything on screen should relate to your performance or be character driven.

LIGHTING IS EVERYTHING IN A VIRTUAL SHOW

Your audience must be able to see you and your props! Include the following phrase in your vocabulary: Lighting with three points. Three point lighting is a technique for illuminating a subject while reducing shadows surrounding it, allowing the subject to be concentrated within the frame. You now have three direct lights on yourself instead of one. This does not have to be difficult, and you do not need to purchase a lot of new and expensive equipment.

KNOW YOUR PLATFORM

Because neither Facebook Live nor YouTube Live offer the same level of interactivity in video chat as Zoom, it's one of the most versatile applications for virtual performances. Zoom allows a larger number of individuals to join a "meeting" than Facebook Messenger or Google Hangouts. You may also mute everyone in the audience, unmute certain volunteers, pin a video, share regular audio or even just computer audio to play music but not pick up background noises with Zoom's built-in features. One of the nicest features is the ability to "spotlight" yourself so that your camera maintains the main focus even when the audience's sound is turned on.