The Best Virtual Magic Tricks to Perform Online
By Vanishing Inc. - Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Over the past year, the art of magic experienced quite possibly its most radical transformation ever. Even with hope on the horizon for the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, many gatherings around the world, from corporate meetings to team-building events, birthday parties, and happy hours, continue to happen online. And even as in-person magic shows return in some areas, magic shows on Zoom are still thriving and are likely to continue for the remainder of this year and beyond—if not permanently.
We’re gearing up to present an all-day conference dedicated to virtual magic on March 20. Teaming up with some of the brightest and most innovative minds in the industry, "Connected: Live" will offer everything you need to improve your virtual magic show or get it off the ground—including a variety of mind-blowing magic tricks, tips for building a virtual studio and marketing your show, a discussion of the future of virtual magic, and so much more. (P.S. if you're reading this at a later date, you can download a replay of Connected: Live)
In honor of this amazing event, here are some of our best-selling magic tricks for online magic shows:
If you had told us in January 2020 that, in a year, our best-selling download of all-time would be a virtual magic trick designed exclusively for online meetings or other live-streamed events, we’d have probably called you crazy. But, here we are in March 2021, and Adam Elbaum’s ingenious virtual effect “Bubble Thought” has shattered our previous record and is still rising.
“Bubble Thought” is quite possibly the best virtual card trick we’ve ever seen. It’s simple, easy to follow, and isn’t process-heavy like many other interactive card tricks. Both you and an audience member hold your own decks of cards, mentally select a card, and then cut to each other’s card in your own pack. Yes, they do it with their own ordinary deck of cards.
Adam Elbaum is a genius and there’s not much more we can say. Just check out the full performance above to see why this effect is so popular.
If you’ve been on Zoom, TikTok, Instagram, or Omegle, in the last year, you’ve probably seen "Watch This" at some point. This visual sensation, where a playing card instantly transforms into a watch right in front of your eyes, took the magic community by storm and has been almost impossible to keep in stock.
The ingenious gimmick behind “Watch This” is so easy to use and comes ready to go out of the box. Even better, it offers surprisingly good angles, allowing you to integrate “Watch This” into your close-up shows or street magic set in the future.
In the virtual magic space, performing visual magic is essential. And, it’s hard to find anything more visual than The Piano Card Project.
For the first time ever, Calen Morelli, the innovative mind behind "Dresscode" (another great effect for virtual shows), exposes the true secrets behind making astounding visual card gaffs. Calen is a master of creating hyper-visual miracles and The Piano Card Project offers you a toolbox and conceptual framework for designing your own visual magic.
This exclusive download is designed for all skill levels. It offers a beginner version that can be built in minutes by those with no prior gaff-making experience, as well as advanced versions for more experienced gimmick-makers.
Almost immediately after the pandemic hit, we launched a one-of-a-kind virtual magic series known as “Connected”. The basic idea was to work directly with world-class performers to create exclusive lectures designed to help magicians build engaging and interactive virtual magic shows.
In his download, Dani DaOrtiz teaches amazing virtual card tricks that absolutely floor everyone. Most importantly though, he highlights the specific nuances that enable you to use a simple deck of cards to truly connect with and entertain audiences that are thousands of miles apart.
Karl Hein’s detailed download is a deep exploration of how to properly choose material and structure a virtual event. You will watch his full Zoom magic show before diving into both the methods and a discussion of how to tie everything together to build toward a stunning climax.
Finally, Robert Ramirez offers a quirky and unique selection of mind reading and sleight of hand that will change your thinking on what is possible when performing virtually.
All three downloads are available separately. However, since they complement each other so well, you can also grab them as part of a special Connected Bundle deal where you get three downloads for the price of two!
“I.D.D.” by acclaimed mentalist and memory performer Christopher Rawlins, is a perfect drawing duplication for virtual magic shows. It’s incredibly simple and straightforward. They draw something and you duplicate it.
This is one of a few tricks on this list that wasn’t initially created for Zoom magic shows. However, its delightfully clever method allows you to easily perform it online and also adds an additional layer of deception because being separated by a screen rules out any chance that you’ve peeked at what they drew. You can download I.D.D. now and prepare everything you need to start performing it in minutes.
Joshua Jay’s "Inferno" has been one of the most popular effects in the world ever since it won trick of the year in 2013. With no sleight of hand or complicated indexes, you can make a named card appear inside a matchbox.
Over the last year, “Inferno” has experienced a new surge in popularity because it translates so well over Zoom. Anyone who saw Josh's virtual show “How Magicians Think” got to experience that firsthand.
“Inferno” is a brilliant effect that is super easy to do and allows you to focus solely on providing an engaging performance for your virtual audience. As an added bonus, it will undoubtedly find its way right into your close-up magic set once you return to in-person magic shows.
You can see a full performance above.
"RD Insta Lite" is a brand-new streamlined version of Henry Harrius’ sensational "RD Insta"—the most instant and visual Rubik’s Cube solve ever made.
This revolutionary gimmick comes ready to use out of the box. By removing some of the extras from the original, like the bonus gimmick, stickers and carrying bag, this jaw-dropping effect is now available to you at half the price.
“RD Insta Lite” can be mastered in just a few minutes and comes with a variety of routine ideas and applications for inspiration. It truly offers unbeatable value because it’s not only visual enough for Zoom, but uses a clever method that enables you to hand it out for examination when performing in-person.
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