Hey guys,

I'm just curious, have any of you every hired a professional playwrite to develop a script for an illusion show. I realize as a magician you would have to work pretty closely to make sure the technical side of the performance was correctly handled, but I think it could work.

Incidently, I am just thinking of trying this route. I'm not a writer looking for work. I just want to see if it even a feasible idea or a dead end with a lot of frustration at the end of the road.

Thanks,
Richard

Jim Steinmeyer is amazing at this!

Jim is solid, also try David Regal. Gread writers and strong magicians.

Thanks for the advice guys. I've e-mailed Mark Wilson and Paul Osbourne since I know they have done a lot of work with theme park shows, but for some reason I didn't think of Jim Steinmeyer or David Regal. Maybe it is because I know both of these guys have done a lot of work outside of magic in TV and theater. It kind of intimidates

Thanks,
Richard

I've done this a few times and plan on doing more so in the future. It can be a great way to go, especially as far as getting someone else's perspective goes. I just always make sure to work closely with the writer to ensure that our creative visions are the same. Good luck!

I just sent an e-mail to Jim Steinmeyer. My guess is he will be way out of my league, but who knows?

Thanks,
Richard

Hi Richard,

I have done some writing for illusionists myself. Drop me a line if you are still looking for help.

Chris.

For those who do write scripts for their own shows, it's never a bad idea to have a script writer take a look at it and tweak it. Especially if you do comedy- most of the best (non-magician) comedians have people who write their bits.

There's also a few differences between novel writing and script writing- while "regular" writers are great at constructing images on a page, experienced script writers have worked with the dynamics of an audience and know how to build tension and anticipation. They can also make dialogue sound, well, natural- something many writers can find really difficult to do. Even writers with no magic background can give you a fresh perspective on your act.

Remember- the pros use choreographers, set and prop designers, lighting designers, costume designers, even directors- professionals will polish your act. It's their job to make your job as professional as possible.

-Erik

Well said!

Great discussion here. It is awesome to see others realizing that to be a success you need to surround yourself with other success-minded people. It is also great to see that others understand that to be a professional means that you seek other professionals to assist you in areas that you may not be good at. If you know nothing about cars, why try and fix one yourself. Go to a professional. The same should be said of your magic and your magic business.

Kyle

I always wanted to write up a storyline for a magic act. I figured since I don't have the financial backing to build the illusions I have routines for, why not design a storyline for other magicians. I have posted up here at the Magic Café as well as using my contacts on myspace to try and see if anyone would be interested in any of my ideas. I have had some suggest writing an e-book. But doing this, I would think, would be a bad idea due to someone who isn't a magician actually wanting ideas just to learn how things are done and not really wanting to try them out.

Where else could I go?

Richard,

When you get an answer from Jim Steinmeyer could you please let us know what's his price for writing.
I know it will depend on a lot of things, but I thought it would be good to know.

Thanks in advance.

Oliver.

We haven't talked yet except through e-mail, but will be having a phone conversation soon. He says is difficult to set a fixed price until he understands the complexity of the project (which is 100% understandable). What I am hoping for is to have a show structure and patter and/or music suggestions for each effect. I want to theme everything together and try to have a consistant plot arc throughout the show, so I think it would be best for me to have a show written as a whole. Of course, the reason I am asking Mr. Steinmeyer for help is because I really don't know what I'm doing and I need someone who is a true expert to guide me in the practical ways of actually producing and professional stage show.

Thanks,
Richard