Archive for the ‘Entertainment’ Category

The Link Between Magic and Relaxation in the Workplace

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Sometimes in life everyone needs a break from the ordinary workplace, however; the hustle of corporate life can take a toll on employees. Between board meetings, agendas, reports, and budgets, most people do not have time to relax. A corporate magician may not be able to give everyone bonuses, but they are a valuable person to have on hand. They can’t solve any of your real problems, however; employees will be grateful for your generosity and willingness to give them a break.

A corporate magician is beneficial because the employees will be able to free their minds and get a clean perspective to their work in the morning. Taking a step back, relaxing, and cleansing the mind can actually increase worker productivity in the long run. If employees are constantly worrying about an assignment or project they will ruin the atmosphere of the entire department. Additionally, if someone is having trouble with an assignment, stepping back may give him or her the inspiration they need to complete it.

Corporate magicians are an excellent way to keep a positive vibe and energy in the office. Although the work may be time consuming and tiring, a magician will have everyone laughing within minutes. It is a universal show so anyone would be able to enjoy the performance. Unlike comedians, magicians are not offensive to anyone. It is a universal form of entertainment that is even appropriate for children (in most cases). Everyone deserves a chance to laugh the day away and escape his or her cubicles.

A corporate magician may be exactly what you need after receiving bad news or less than desirable results. Lightening up the mood can substantially reduce the amount of pressure that employees otherwise face. During high-peak times, consider splitting up the day with a break for magic. Rather than staring relentlessly at the computers, employees can take a breather. Relaxation is essential for almost every project, including accounting and computer engineering.

Why Hire an Illusionist Over a Magician?

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

When you are considering the process of hiring a magician, you may want to think twice. Unlike magicians, illusionists are scientists of magic. They are able to perform magic on a much larger scale – such as making tigers and lions disappear. Vitelli is an example of an illusionist; he is able to perform large stunts, tricks, and performances while maintaining professional and proper. Magicians on the other hand might be found on the street or at carnivals. Other illusionists include Kris Angel and David Blaine.

View illusionists like doctors of magic. They have the necessary experience and training to execute these larger than life events. Magicians may be used as assistants, but they could never execute these types of events. For example, Siegfried and Roy were illusionists because of their brave and dangerous large-scale events. Most magicians would be scared out of their minds when stuck in a cage with lions, tigers, and bears! An illusionist combines the art of magic with the science and psychology of illusion.

They are able to perform the illusion because of their scientific and technical background. An illusionist must time everything perfectly, making note of the various calculations and times. One second too late could jeopardize their own life, thus they know what they are doing. An illusionist distracts the audience and controls their minds via misguidance and sleight of hand. Illusionists have the ability to see through people’s minds and manipulate them in order for the stunt or event to go as planned. The audience sees what the illusionist wants them to see; whether it is real or not is up for debate.

Vitelli is an illusionist because of the large-scale Las Vegas type shows and his background. He is one of the few illusionists who have a deep understanding of the human psyche – for better or for worse. While he cannot read our mind, he uses the way our brains work to perform his illusions and events. While not taking advantage of his audience, he uses their innocence to his advantage.

When You Know Its Time to Hire a Corporate Magician

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

In the business world it is not uncommon for employees to become overwhelmed and otherwise tired of work. The corporate atmosphere can be less than desirable during peak seasons, and companies can often feel each other’s stress. Throughout the workplace you can hear the chit chat of cubicles communicating with the outside world and office phones ringing at the same pace as cell phones. We live in a society that is constantly communicating, changing, and adapting to different situations. Corporate America is a way of life for most of our country, however; nobody said it was healthy. Sometimes we must laugh, and Vitelli and Kris Angel know how to brighten the mood.

Hiring a corporate magician is the solution to most of our problems as companies. The fact is employee’s work best when they are not working at all. Everyone needs a break now and then, working 9 to 5 can be stressful enough, and most people tend to bring their work home with them. The corporate pressure makes it so employees are checking e-mail and responding to phone calls long after they leave their cozy cubicle.

A corporate magician can solve the issues surrounding stress. When the company as a whole becomes stressed out, it is channeled throughout the office. Whether it is the managers, staff, or interns – everyone can feel the stress flowing down hill. People work better when they are happy and in a joyful mood. Productivity speeds up when employees enjoy going to work. When it becomes a routine and boring, employees begin to lose interest and motivation. Corporate magicians solve the problem by giving them an hour of entertainment. Employees often remember the magician for weeks, discussing how fun the event was with coworkers.

A corporate magician can also prove to the employees that management cares about their well-being. Sometimes people feel like their work is unnoticed and they are just a robot. A magician can rejuvenate the most dysfunctional organizations. As a team, if everyone is in a better mood, then the entire office will feel better.

Are You Smarter Than a Magician?

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Chances are you have seen a magician, such as Vitelli, Kris Angel, or David Blaine. Whether it was live or on television, magic has a way of reaching everyone. While you may credit their skills to endless hours of practicing or natural born talent, they undoubtedly chose the profession because that’s all that they were good at. WRONG! While Magicians may seem goofy, joyful, and entertaining, most of them are smarter than the average human being.

Okay, that is not saying much, however; in order to become a true professional Las Vegas magician one must have talent, logical thinking, and research abilities. In order to perform a magic trick one must carefully plan the procedure. Believe it or not, but most magicians are brilliant. How else could they escape a lion cage without opening the door or being eaten? Consider the risk that is involved with every maneuver. Magicians and illusionists alike utilize a variety of art and science skills.

Magic is a form of art, as the magician is performing in a theater, stage, or other venue. The way in which the stage, lighting, chairs, and props are setup is done purposely with an artistic style in mind. Everything is positioned as such that it all works together. How the audience is seated is directly correlated to the timing and positioning of the illusion. Magicians must ensure their stunts are executed with the utmost accuracy and precision to avoid error.

While science and art are important, there are a variety of skills and techniques a magician must acquire in order to perform any trick. Their techniques are a secret, however; most magicians utilize the human psyche as part of their methodology. In order to perform the tricks, the audience must be focusing on a particular aspect of the stage – usually a distraction. Those pretty dancers do more than dance; they serve as the main distraction for the magician. The distraction allows the magicians to perform their illusion without scrutiny.

Types of Illusions a Magician Must Be Familiar With

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Magicians often perform more than just magic, their routine is analyzed and hand crafted to deliver a unique experience to their audience each time they perform. Their entire show is based on creating illusions, which distort reality in an artistic manner. Illusions are universal and can be shared by generations and across borders. Magicians do not have to worry about offending anyone, because true magic is not offensive. Illusions are based on the assumptions our brain makes without us knowing any better.

Magicians thrive on our perceptions and how we perceive certain elements of everyday life. For example, when someone uses a dummy our first reaction is to think the dummy is talking because its mouth is moving. The ventriloquist is able to deceive us by talking with his mouth closed and looking innocent. Illusions take advantage of our brain’s organizational system, including our depth perception and other auxiliary senses. There are different types of illusions, including optical, auxiliary, and tactile.

An optical illusion has to do with how we perceive something to look. This occurs when our brain processes information but the magician purposely deceived our vision. The precept does not match what we see, and therefore we become distraught. Optical illusions occur naturally throughout our day, however; it is easier to notice man-made optical illusions because they are not normal. Certain magicians will utilize tactile illusions such as the phantom limb, the thermal grill illusion, and the cutaneous rabbit illusion. Magicians such as Vitelli, David Copperfield, and David Blaine have been known for performing this type of magic.

Despite the type of optical illusion, the magicians perform these routines in order to provide entertainment for their audiences. Creating magic is hard work and requires an extensive amount of training, education, and experience. A magician will never become famous overnight, such idols as David Copperfield and Vitelli took years to gain public acceptance. Magic is both an art and a science: it is beautiful yet scientifically probable.