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Magical: How Magic and its Star Performers Transformed the Entertainment Economy
Are you ready for some magic?There are solo magicians today who are making over $20,000 per performance, while those in the big leagues routinely bring in over $20 million a year. How did they get there and what are the keys to their success? What skills and techniques do they possess and deploy that can be easily adapted for your own personal use? In this book, you will learn of the key attitudes and practices that propel their success, as well as the path they have paved for other magicians and performers hoping to gain an entry into this competitive yet lucrative industry.
We look at the magic industry through the lens of two of its most celebrated performers, Penn and Teller, who are not just as magicians and entertainers, but smart entrepreneurs running a global entertainment business. In parallel, we look at how the field of modern magic has evolved since its inception, what the outlook is for its future in our global, interconnected, always-on economy. We consider the successful careers of legendary magicians like Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, Harry Houdini, Dai Vernon, Doug Henning, and others, and how they have shaped the growing magic industry and made it a force to be reckoned with.
Through shows like Penn and Teller Fool Us, America’s Got Talent, Britain’s Got Talent, and The World’s Best, and through social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube, contemporary magicians have an unprecedented opportunity to make themselves known to a global audience. The success secrets followed by the likes of Penn and Teller, David Copperfield, David Blaine, Criss Angel, and newer stars like Shin Lim, Dynamo, and Ryan Hayashi, both as professional magicians and business owners, can be applied by entrepreneurs, business people and self starters everywhere who want to make a mark in their careers. Through constant efforts at design, experimentation, prototyping, and field testing with peers and live audiences, these performers have been fine tuning their craft for decades. With their passion, perseverance, commitment, and unique and creative ways of identifying and solving problems, these trailblazers show the way for a better - and more magical future.
In this book, you will not only learn how these stars successfully overcame their challenges, but also how YOU can transform your approach to magic and business.
Special Low Pre-Order Price. Order today!
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR MAGICAL
A modern synthesis of magic that every conjurer should keep in their knowledge bag of tricks.
- Ryan Hayashi, International Stage Magician, Motivational Speaker, Samurai Entertainer, and Winner of the FU Trophy, Penn & Teller Fool Us.
Entertaining, fast-paced, and full of ideas that will challenge your assumptions and beliefs about magic, and it's connections to popular culture and business.
- Laura Vanderkam, Bestselling Author of What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast and Off The Clock.
A rollicking ride into the business of magic. The connections to innovation, creativity, persistence and service excellence are engaging and insightful.
We look at the magic industry through the lens of two of its most celebrated performers, Penn and Teller, who are not just as magicians and entertainers, but smart entrepreneurs running a global entertainment business. In parallel, we look at how the field of modern magic has evolved since its inception, what the outlook is for its future in our global, interconnected, always-on economy. We consider the successful careers of legendary magicians like Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, Harry Houdini, Dai Vernon, Doug Henning, and others, and how they have shaped the growing magic industry and made it a force to be reckoned with.
Through shows like Penn and Teller Fool Us, America’s Got Talent, Britain’s Got Talent, and The World’s Best, and through social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube, contemporary magicians have an unprecedented opportunity to make themselves known to a global audience. The success secrets followed by the likes of Penn and Teller, David Copperfield, David Blaine, Criss Angel, and newer stars like Shin Lim, Dynamo, and Ryan Hayashi, both as professional magicians and business owners, can be applied by entrepreneurs, business people and self starters everywhere who want to make a mark in their careers. Through constant efforts at design, experimentation, prototyping, and field testing with peers and live audiences, these performers have been fine tuning their craft for decades. With their passion, perseverance, commitment, and unique and creative ways of identifying and solving problems, these trailblazers show the way for a better - and more magical future.
In this book, you will not only learn how these stars successfully overcame their challenges, but also how YOU can transform your approach to magic and business.
Special Low Pre-Order Price. Order today!
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR MAGICAL
A modern synthesis of magic that every conjurer should keep in their knowledge bag of tricks.
- Ryan Hayashi, International Stage Magician, Motivational Speaker, Samurai Entertainer, and Winner of the FU Trophy, Penn & Teller Fool Us.
Entertaining, fast-paced, and full of ideas that will challenge your assumptions and beliefs about magic, and it's connections to popular culture and business.
- Laura Vanderkam, Bestselling Author of What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast and Off The Clock.
A rollicking ride into the business of magic. The connections to innovation, creativity, persistence and service excellence are engaging and insightful.
196 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 14, 2019
11 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Bharat Rao
9 books2 followersBharat Rao is an educator, writer and speaker. He is an Associate Professor in the area of Technology Management and Innovation at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering. He has researched, written, and consulted extensively in the areas of innovation, marketing and technology strategy. An electrical engineer by training, he earned a Ph.D. in Marketing and Strategic Management from the University of Georgia, and was formerly a postdoctoral research associate at Harvard Business School.
Besides magic, he is keenly interested in photography and travel. He lives in New York City.
Besides magic, he is keenly interested in photography and travel. He lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 21, 2019
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
Bharat Rao performs a feat of magic in this book: he teaches about the roots, history and evolution of stage and close up magic, informs about some of the seminal performers and what made them stand out, explains everything so even a lay person can follow along and showcases attributes, techniques and qualities that one could use for the betterment of their own professions and lives. He balances all of this while keeping the writing clear, easy to follow and fun! His writing is polished without ever drawing attention to itself. After finishing the book I had to look up some of the recent performances that were described and watch them on Youtube.
Joel Daffurn turns in an excellent narration with a nearly audible smile as he explains with a flourish some of the tricks and performances that have stood out. He has an infectious enthusiasm in his voice and easily carries you on the journey of the text.
If you have any interest in or appreciation for performance magic then you are in for a treat.
Bharat Rao performs a feat of magic in this book: he teaches about the roots, history and evolution of stage and close up magic, informs about some of the seminal performers and what made them stand out, explains everything so even a lay person can follow along and showcases attributes, techniques and qualities that one could use for the betterment of their own professions and lives. He balances all of this while keeping the writing clear, easy to follow and fun! His writing is polished without ever drawing attention to itself. After finishing the book I had to look up some of the recent performances that were described and watch them on Youtube.
Joel Daffurn turns in an excellent narration with a nearly audible smile as he explains with a flourish some of the tricks and performances that have stood out. He has an infectious enthusiasm in his voice and easily carries you on the journey of the text.
If you have any interest in or appreciation for performance magic then you are in for a treat.
July 11, 2019
Magical
I really liked this ebook as I discovered it by accident. It is about time someone took the time and energy to write about the subject of the business of magic.
I really liked this ebook as I discovered it by accident. It is about time someone took the time and energy to write about the subject of the business of magic.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews