Tag Archives: singapore magic.

Customized Product Launch by Magic!

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Last December, the team at Meta Illusions were engaged by to present Adidas: TaylorMade’s latest golf iron, RocketBladez.

TaylorMade Golf Iron

Picture: TaylorMade Golf Singapore Facebook

We worked very closely with the marketing team as well as the event producer to come up with the best way to present the launch.

The marketing team for TaylorMade had very clear objectives for this launch, they wanted the attention of the golfers and media personnel to be captured with flashy magic, and the appearance of the golf club was to be at the end where it would end with a bang. The nature of this launch was slightly different from the other customization projects that we were involved with because it was not necessary for us to incorporate the key features of their product in the magic.The rationale was for us not incorporating the key features was that we felt it would be better for their guest to experience it for themselves as there is a hands on demonstration thereafter.

After presenting several proposals and creating different prototypes for the launch, the client decided that the illusion in which we make the model appear with the iron was the best.

Subsequently, we worked on a magic manipulation opening segment so that the appearance illusion could be brought into the performance in a cogent manner. The end result was an energetic manipulation magic act with music ending with a magic appearance of a model showcasing their new RocketBladez iron.

Model appeared by magic!

Model appeared by magic! Picture: TaylorMade Golf Singapore Facebook

Needless to say, the client and the audiences were very happy and amazed with the end result! There were media and reporters who covered the story and news of the latest RocketBladez by TaylorMade. There were several celebrities and top Singapore golfers in the event too!

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Picture: TaylorMade Golf Singapore Facebook

Customization of an act like such does require a lot of time and expertise on magic, but the end result is certainly worth the effort and time. If you have a product that you would like to launch or showcase in a unique fashion, feel free to drop us a call or an email. We would be more than happy to discuss the possibilities of enhancing your product so that it captures the attention of your audiences in a unique and magical way!

 

 

Magic Show for Shopping Malls

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In the month of August, I was engaged to perform for Central at Clarke Quay. Initially, the organizers wanted me to perform Interactive Close Up Magic in which I would walk along the stretch of Singapore River, on the side of Central to perform my magic.

However, after further discussions and understanding why they chose magic instead of other entertainment, I proposed Street Theatre. Their objective was to add buzz and color to Central. In addition to the stalls and music, they wanted a magician to entertain, bring laughter and amazement to the crowd. Understanding this, I pushed for Street Theatre as it would fulfill their objectives more precisely making it a right match of entertainment with setting.

The organizers were initially slightly reluctant as they were new to the concept of a Street Theatre show, but they decided to give it a try on day 1. It was a success!

Day 1: Street Theatre at Central

The organizers were extremely pleased and surprised that I could draw such a large crowd for them! Without a doubt, they were very impressed by the insights I shared and the unconventional proposition to their original proposal.

Finale for Day 1

After the first day, the organizers were sure that this was what they wanted. And we carried on for the rest of the month.

Despite the strong positive feedback, I thought about the organizer’s initial objectives and thereafter, I made adjustments to the setting so that I could:

1) Capture a larger crowd.

2) Do a a bigger show.

3) Add more buzz to the event.

I realized that all I needed to do was to perform facing Central, and let the audience members sit on the steps. This allowed more people to be able to watch the performance and it allowed for more interaction between the performer and the audiences as I am now able to see all their faces and make eye contact with them.

Street Theatre

With a larger crowd, it also becomes harder for a performer to retain and engage every member of the audience. This is especially true in the street setting as the audience members have no obligation to stay and watch the performer (in contrast to a Dinner and Dance function or a paid ticketed performance), it takes a lot of confidence and charisma to draw and retain such a large crowd. In fact, I had fellow magicians coming up to me asking in disbelief,  ”How is it possible for you to retain such crowd without the use of music, staging, lighting and big fancy props?!”

The answer is simple, the show is designed to flow and maximize engagement, the interaction and by-play that are embedded in the show so that it makes each member of the audience feel like they are a part of a unique performance. That is why they do not leave as they are having so much fun in this “play” that I started and they too want to be a part of its ending. This is not an easy task, it took me years to get to this point and till today, I am still constantly improving the act.

The view from the top!

At the end of each performance, I have made many friends who came up to me, shook my hand and took a picture with me, telling me that this is a totally different show from what they have ever seen.

Performing at Central was definitely not an easy task, however, it is very fulfilling to perform for a dispersed crowd and turning them into an audience who would respond to you in unison, creating that buzz and colour to the shopping mall. I personally think that you can add so much more vibrancy and value to a place and event by making sure that the right entertainment fits the right setting, and not relying on the “easy” or “conventional” approach.
That’s all from me! Maybe I will see you as an audience of Street Theatre soon!

 

Signing off,

Alexander

Magic Performance at Running Events

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On the 2nd September at 9am, I headed down to National University of Singapore to perform my Street Theatre show as part of the post race entertainment. That was pretty early for a guy who performs at evening corporate cocktail events. The event I was performing for at that time was RunNUS, they got us to provide magic entertainment.

When Meta Illusions was first contacted to provide a magic performance at this running event, the organizers at RunNUS requested a stage show in which the magician would perform his magic on stage, with the rationale being that the magic would have a wide reach to the audiences. While that is true, my team and I decided that that was not the best form of magic for this particular event. After some discussion with my team, we decided to recommend our Street Theatre performance.

The rationale for this decision was as follows:

First of all, the bulk of the audiences were runners, and it was very unlikely that they would want to sit down for the next 20-30 minutes watching a magician on stage and clapping their hands at the appropriate cues. These runners would want to warm down and move around, and probably run over to the hydration point to hydrate. Hence it is certainly unwise to constrain any of the audience members to the seats to view the magic (if there were any to begin with).

Street Theatre @ RunNUS

Secondly, as emphasized strongly in my other posts (here and here), Street Theatre differs from the other shows in which the audience interaction is a key component of the entertainment. This show is designed to stir and rouse the audience, they will cheer and clap. Therefore given that we had runners who just returned from the race, they would not be too keen to passively sit and watch, they would still have some energy in them to contribute to the show. And we had to capitalize on that.

So in the end, we stuck to Street Theatre for RunNUS and the response was excellent! This is actually my first time performing to a group of sweaty audiences, it was really fun. The energy and the by-play made the show one-of-a-kind, more than a passive magic performance.

I should also mention that I had a very good time performing to my friends who were still in NUS. It was really awesome because while I was in NUS, they have only heard that I perform magic professionally but never had the chance to see it. So it was a very nice feeling to be able to present my magic to my peers = )

Lastly, if you are interested to watch Street Theatre, do check us out this coming Saturday and Sunday at Promontory@Marina Bay during Kite Festival 2012 by ACT3 International and NTUC Income.

That’s right! I will be performing side by side with other international artiste! It will be a fun filled weekend, check out the timings here!

Till the next time,

Alexander ; )

What’s Unique about Street Theatre?

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In the past couple of months, many event producers and magicians have been constantly asking me what exactly is Street Theatre. I see this as is a testament to the uniqueness of Street Theatre. Meta Illusions is the first to introduce such a concept in Singapore.

Street Theatre in NUS Alumni Day

In essence, Street Theatre is a form of performance that breaks the “fourth wall”. The audiences become part of the entertainment, they contribute to the show. And that being said, each show is different as different audience members might contribute differently to a show, hence it is very important for the performer to be experienced and well versed in audience management.

Despite its novelty, we had the privilege to present Street Theatre at many different venues in the past 2 months. In July, Jonathan and I brought our Street Theatre show down to NUS Alumni Day at UTown. There were booths and other activities going on, and Street Theatre fit well in this carnival/festival setting.

Getting the audience in action! (Picture from NUS Office of Alumni Facebook)

In other typical magic shows, the audience members are regarded as passive viewers who would simply watch the magic without adding to the show. In our Street Theatre Shows, Jonathan and I capitalize on the audience members to create a new dimension of entertainment. However, that does not mean we demean the audiences, nor do we embarrass them. For instance, Jonathan has a segment in his show in which an audience member would challenge him to a duel of speed, in which the fastest hands win. You can imagine why each show is different as every unique member of each show reacts differently in these situations.

Alexander and a young member of the crowd

In one of the segments of my own show, I would request the assistance of a young member of the audience to help me. This is the segment of the show that I enjoy the most as it can be unpredictable what the child might do, and more often than not, it brings a big laugh to the crowd.

Street Theatre Finale

So there you have it! As much as I would like to share more about Street Theatre, the amount of study in terms of understanding human interactions and psychology is too much to pen down. And to perform such a show is definitely not easy as the script is extremely malleable and you always need to be on your toes to address the unique situations.

Signing off,

Alexander

Magic with Ipad in Singapore

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Some time last month, Jonathan and I were engaged to entertain a room full of enthusiastic, energetic and excited children from the different schools (some home schooled) in Singapore. They were all young programmers who programmed Apps for Code::Xtreme::Apps::2012.

This is no doubt a very interesting project for Jonathan and I since we both love having a chance to inspire and interact with youths, and more so for Jonathan as he was enthralled to witness the enthusiastic in these children in programming at such a young age. Jonathan lamented in jest that he wished he had such resources for programming when he was that age! :s

In the spirit of programming, Jonathan showcased his Ipad app in which he programmed himself and was featured for M for Magic 2, which you can watch here: Ipad Magic Singapore

 

 

In all, it was a really awesome event in which both Jonathan and I were able to interact and entertain the children in a non-kiddish way in addition to that, we also entertained the skeptical adults and teachers at the back of the room.

 

I think it is amazing what you can achieve by combining technology and magic. Stay tuned to our next project in which we blur the lines of reality by adding Ipad technology into our magic!

 

Signing off,

Alexander

 

Children and Adult Magic?

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Our brand of magic has been distinct from traditional magicians who perform in a childish and clownish manner. From our blog, you will realize that our style is chic, stylish and intellectual. The reason why we have such a disposition is that our magicians are eloquent, sophisticated and highly educated as well. Possessing such credentials are important as there are other skills that come with a good education, such as engaging guests in meaningful conversations, the ability to be flexible in different contexts, scripting well-thought-out acts and especially in providing customization to clients with various demands.

The reason why I am sharing my thoughts on this is because of enquiry I received from Mrs Ganesh a couple of months back in May:

“8th year old birthday. But mixed crowd, so need magic to be high standard and not kid-dish. Pls quote. Thanks”

Other magicians might shrug off the comment about how the magic is not to be kiddish and still perform their standard kids show. But it was apparent to me that it was because of our image and style that we were considered and eventually engaged.

It took little convincing that we were the right choice for an event that required excellent magic, so we worked closely with Mrs Ganesh to find out about her needs and concerns. Essentially, a huge worry of hers was that the magic might be too kiddish and the children would not be engaged by it and the adults may be repulsed by it. We referred her to our blog to for a review of our past events which showcased our style and demeanor.

The event went extremely well as I understood the limitations of the event and had a plan to overcome it. I also performed to the adults as well as the children without having to compromise in style nor “talk down” to them.

I was so delighted to receive feedback from Mrs Ganesh herself the very next morning after the event!

“Hi Alex,

Thank u for doin such a great job in Shyam’s birthday party yesterday. All the guest simply loved ur magic and was talking abt it even after u left. Shyam said that of all the activities yesterday, urs was his fav. esp the one you did with the yellow balls for the close up magic( I did not see that:( ) you were extremely professional and a delight to have in the party. Once again, thank u so much:)

Chandra”

 

(Picture Credits: Mrs Ganesh. Thank you!)

Singapore Magician

Interactive Roving Magic for both children and their parents

One requirement was that the magic had to be entertaining for adults as well. In the industry, it seems almost like a dichotomous choice in which a magician can only perform for children or adults, and not for both at the same time. But I can assure you that that is not the “standard”. While it is common that magicians would resort to kiddish magic in such environments, it was natural for me to entertain the children as well as the adults.

 

Children and adults entranced by the magic!

You can see that both the adults and children were drawn to the magic. That is the benefit of performing magic that is not kiddish. Notice I also do not dress in a “clown” suit filled with an array of colours. While I do not deny that colour captures attention, it only does so for about 5 seconds. An unskilled magician in a colourful suit would still lose his/her audience’s attention if the magic is weak.

Making a “birthday card” for the birthday boy!

You see, like adults, children do not like to be talked down to. They like to be involved and engaged in the magic.

“Hi Alex, the pleasure is mine. Hope the fotos r useful. All my guests luved ur show and kept talking abt it even weeks after the party:) You really did a fantastic job. Wishing u all the best in your endeavour!

Chandra”

I thoroughly enjoyed myself performing for the wonderful children and their wonderful parents! In my subsequent communication with Mrs Ganesh, she is still full of praise of my performance. *Wide Grinnnn*

Signing off,

Alexander :)

Performance for Open Spaces

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For the past couple of weekends, the team at Meta Illusions  (Jonathan, Samuel and myself, Alexander) were engaged for our Street Theatre performance at the NTUC Income Kite Festival (Community Kite Flying).

Samuel doing his finale (Picture credits: NTUC Income Kite Festival)

Street Theatre was the optimum choice of magic entertainment given the set of conditions we had to work with.

1. There was no stage or platform for performance.

2. Minimal to no audio amplification devices.

3. Having to conduct a performance in an wide open space.

4. Having to conduct a performance amidst other competing activities.

5. Having to gather, entertain and unify a crowd that comes from different walks of life and with different agendas.

Given such conditions, magicians would typically fall back on the “usual” close up magic performance in which the magician will rove around the entire area performing their close up magic. While this seems to be a “safe” form of entertainment, it is not the best form of magic in such settings. The reason is that despite the versatility of Close Up Magic, it does not fulfill the condition of unifying a crowd. For Close Up Magic, the magician would typically perform to groups that are already unified (i.e. friends and families). Also, given the small range of Close Up Magic, in which the magic typically happens in the spectators’ hands, it does not allow the magician to play big and attract other curious onlookers due to the bad visibility. In contrast, the Street Theatre type of performance allowed us to have a greater reach, which enabled us to garner the attention of large crowds who attended the event.

Rousing the crowd

A stage performance would also not be ideal because of condition 4: There are other activities going on. A stage performance  would demand the attention of all the guests and they would not have much of a choice in deciding which activity should they engage in. In addition, a stage performance requires technical arrangements such as a sound system and a platform for performance, both of which are barriers to the unification of a crowd. With such devices, a “fourth wall” is created, thus, inhibiting any audience member from participating in the performance.

Unifying the crowd and breaking the fourth wall

It is undeniable that not all events would impose such limitations, but there are several that come to mind, like post-marathon/race events, garden or park performances, festivals and carnivals, open houses etc. Meta Illusions’ Street Theatre fulfills all the above conditions and limitations. We are trained to thrive in such environments. When all the fancy boxes, lighting and sound systems are stripped away, the strength of a magician lies in his/her raw abilities to engage and hold the crowd with powerful magic and an even more powerful personality. I am very proud to say that my team and I do exceedingly well in such conditions.

The NTUC Income Kite Festival (Community Kite Flying) has been challenging but very fulfilling. It was breathtaking to see beautiful-looking kites flying high in the sky and families of different demographics coming together to spend quality time together and enjoying family-friendly performances!

Bringing smiles to adults and children
Fantastic family fun! (Picture Credits: NTUC Income Kite Festival)
Minimal props but maximal personality and entertainment

If you have an upcoming event and are fretting as to which form of entertainment to feature, I hope this article would be of value to your decision. Also, Meta Illusions offers a free consultation because we believe that each and every event is unique and has different requirements and constraints that need to be catered to. The different forms of magic we provide can be tailored to suit the different limitations and conditions of your event. So hesitate no further and drop us a call (97459753) or email us at: info@metaillusions.com !

P.S. We are performing at Tampines Ave 10 this coming weekend for the 3rd installment of Community Kite Flying, catch us in action!

Signing off,

Alexander ;)

A Unique Wedding Dinner

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The 19th of May 2012 might have been an ordinary day for the rest of the world, but for newly wedded couple, An Chyi and Herng Huei, it was their wedding night.

Special thanks to An Chyi and Herng Huei for the pictures!

Performing specially for the newly wedded couple

Even though I am frequently engaged to perform for wedding dinners, every single one of them leaves a warm, fuzzy feeling in me. I should also mention that this wedding dinner had a special theme: Alice in Wonderland. Therefore, to add that magical touch to the wedding, I was engaged to perform for the guests and to fill the atmosphere with amazement.

Performing for the couple’s VIP table
Close Up Magic

There were several tables that preferred me to perform in Mandarin. And thankfully for my team and I, we are all effectively bilingual. This is also a common challenge to most wedding performers as the audience demographics are diverse and the performers need to be strong and flexible in terms of performance material.

The moment of amazement captured in a picture

I was also pleasantly surprised to meet my friend, Bernice and her fiance! Even though Bernice had seen me perform my magic on several occasions, she was delighted to have me perform at her table.

It is always a good feeling to know that you added that touch of magic to a couple’s special night, and I am also very happy to share some positive feedback from the lovely couple:

“Dear Alexander,

Thank you for your wonderful performance on our big day. We received great feedback from our guests – they loved you! :)

Thank you once again Alexander!

Best Wishes,

An Chyi and Herng Huei

From Taiwan”

Brings me great joy to know that I was a part of their unforgettable celebration!

So if you are planning a wedding and would like to add that special touch of magic to your wedding night, do drop us an email at info@metaillusions.com or give us a call (9745973). We’ll be more than happy to discuss such possibilities and work with you every step of the way!

Signing off

Alexander Yuen

Magic Entertainment for Weddings?

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Several weeks ago, Samuel and I were privileged to be engaged to perform Close Up Magic and interact with the family and guests of the very lovely bride, Pei Shi, and bridegroom, Pui Chuan. Magic in this wedding was customized so that it flowed in conjunction with the sequence of events.

First, we performed and mingled with the guests during the cocktail reception. This is the segment where guests are streaming in and drinks are served. The guests are not yet seated and would mostly be standing. Hence, the kind of magic that we did was largely in-the-hands magic that did not require the use of a table. Also, because of the interactive features of our Close Up Magic, we were able to break the ice between the guests of the husband and the guests of the wife as both sides shared a common experience of magic and were able to make small talk about the magic they witnessed.

Cocktail Reception Magic

After our first segment, the guests were ushered into the dining hall. Typical Chinese wedding dinners often start later than the stated timing. Hence, in the next segment, Samuel and I went to the various tables in the evening to perform. This segment allows the guests to be entertained while waiting for other guests to arrive. We performed our magic and interacted with the guests all the way till the march-in, and thereafter the emcees took over.

Close Up Magic for Weddings

The magic garnered very positive responses from the lovely wedding couple as well as their guests. We were very touched to receive affirmation for our work. The wedding couple even wrote us a testimony:

“Our greatest thanks to Alexander and Samuel for making our already special night even more special! Alexander is very accommodating and flexible towards our requests. He is always ready to offer help and suggestions when we were planning our program. Our guests really enjoyed the magic. It was a really good time-filler. Thanks guys!!”

Indeed, we did our jobs as magicians and performed magic as it was intended to be in a wedding setting. We acknowledged that we were not the highlight of the wedding, so we did not propose a full-blown stage performance, which might take away the limelight from the wedding couple. Instead, we took on a supporting role and allowed the bride and bridegroom to shine on their very special night. I am very glad that we achieved our objectives and made the couple look special as they ought to be.

Performing magic for children

On a side note, it is also important to engage a magician who is well-versed in performing for children. This is especially true in a wedding setting because more often than not, there will be children present among the wedding guests. You will need a strong and experienced magician who has the abilities to handle children. Despite our “corporate” image, Samuel and I have been performing magic for children for at least 4 years! This equips us with the necessary skill set and abilities to handle them, as well as entertain them. You can be assured that we do not perform magic that is crass or kiddish for children.

One common problem for some Singapore magicians who cater to weddings is that they do not have the necessary skill set to appropriately deal with children at these weddings. This becomes an issue when they perform for children who are slightly more active and curious. This curiosity could break the flow of the magic (if the child wants to examine the props) and possibly disrupt the flow of the wedding (child getting upset over not being able to examine the props). Hence, it is integral to get the right magician for the event.

I hope this article is useful for soon-to-be brides and bridegrooms. I have had several emails inquiring the feasibility of magic for weddings. Suffice to say, magic may not be the best form of entertainment for all weddings, depending on the concept and venue. Please consult us if you do wish to have magicians for your wedding, or would like to discuss the feasibility of doing so. Meta Illusions offers a free consultation, so do not hesitate to contact us here at http://www.metaillusions.com/contact-us/ or give us a call at 97459753.

 

Signing off,

Alexander Yuen : )

 

P.S. if you wish to find out a little more about wedding magic, check out this blog entry too! http://www.metaillusions.com/2011/12/14/magic-for-a-wedding/

Another Positive Review for my Magic Show!

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Two weeks ago, I was engaged to do a show for the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS). The show was held in NUS Guild House and it was a wonderful performing experience as I entertained the guest during the cocktail reception as well as the dinner.

A picture request from a guest

The truth is, the performance was only half the experience. I enjoyed working with Maggie who is the Secretariat of the CEO, in advising the best kind of magic entertainment, the best timing for the entertainment and the pros and cons for certain placements.

I am really happy that the client and the audiences enjoyed the performance and most importantly, enjoyed working with me. In fact, I am really pleased to share a feedback by the client:

“Everyone enjoyed your show! The Magician who supported SERIS on 30th March 2012 at NUS Guild house brought additional colours to the group of SERIS crowds. He exercises professionalism in his work, flexible in the timing and provides supportive suggestions during the show. On behalf of SERIS, we would like to thank Alexander YUEN for his professional support!”

- Maggie Keng, Secretariat of the CEO, SERIS.

So awesome! This literally brighten up my day! =D

To find out more about having magic in your next event, check us out at: http://www.metaillusions.com/our-services/

Or you can drop me an email directly at:

alexander@metaillusions.com

Signing off,

Alexander Yuen