Page 2 - MW-Corona

MW-SPECIAL
Magic and the Covid-19 Virus
Eric Eswin/Wittus Witt: The Corona-virus (CV) has caused a pandemic. Little is known about the way the virus operates and develops. Now it is time to think about how we can or should con- tinue. We have to take 100% decisions with 40% know-how.
Waiting any longer and listening to general statements such as: „This is a serious problem“ does not help anyone and above all, we should only concentrate on the facts.
Everybody has been affected by the Corona virus. It is for sure that it will take at least another 18 months before a vaccine has been successfully tested to kill C-19.
Until then the main thing is „keep your distance“ avoid forming groups of more than 3 people and avoid unnecessary trips.
The greatest risk of spreading the virus is mass events. But even after that, life will not be the same as before Corona if we want to avoid another pandemic and it will come for sure.
How do we magicians deal with this situation? We need an audience for our art like all actors in the performing arts. We are no exception.
Some Options
Performances without a (live) audience
There have already been several attempts by colleagues to broadcast live perform- ances on the Internet, i.e. digitally, on YouTube. Jan Logemann and Gaston are two examples. But the difficulty can be found in the quality of such a broadcast. We are al- ready accustomed to professional pictures, lights, dramaturgy and directing through tel- evision and cinema, that’s why an amateur broadcast – to be very polite – is exhausting to watch.
In general the possibility is good, but it also calls for a more professional approach to technology.
Anyone who has ever appeared on television or watched magic shows on television knows how difficult it is to convey the spe- cial, magical atmosphere that arises in a theatre across the screen.
Workshops and lectures are certainly “eas- ier” to execute. These can be digitally trans- mitted using more modest means. You could experience this in the online “convention”, which the digital magic magazine “Vanish” broadcast on April 5th. The performances suffered from the points mentioned above, but the lectures worked well more or less.
The question remains for the professional: How can you make money with it?
2 Special Magische Welt
Jan Logemann solved this in his first broad- cast with a special link to the YouTube chan- nel that could be bought. The interest in the first broadcast was still quite high (around 600 viewers), the number of the following “broadcasts” unfortunately flattened signifi- cantly. The same applies here: less (perfor- mances) is more.
You don’t have to be on TV every week.
Performances with an audience
If live performances are allowed as early as 2020, they will be completely different. It is considered fairly certain that the seating will be arranged with spaces between the seats. This is not exactly beneficial to create a good mood, but it will be inevitable.
Furthermore, you will have to omit a number of interactions with spectators on stage – or with a face mask...?
Close-up performances will very likely be eliminated. It is tough, but it will also be in- evitable. Since the situation in restaurants will also change (fewer tables, more dis- tance), performances will also be signifi- cantly reduced here.
It becomes even more difficult for street artists. They can probably perform, but not in every possible place, because on the street you also have to keep your distance. So our fellow magicians will have to choose
places where there is plenty of space to still be able to reach many people.
Question
What can the professional (and of course also the amateur) do to continue to exist?
Possible answers
• „Digital“ appearances with good profes- sional equipment, technical wise as well as dramaturgical wise.
• Live performances with a different pro- gram (less or no interaction with the audi- ence).
Events By Magicians for Magicians
This point is one of the most important for most magicians. On one hand, magic art thrives on appearances in front of a “nor- mal” audience, but on the other hand also through conventions and competitions.
Under the aforementioned corona require- ments, both (conventions and competitions) will no longer exist. The exchange among magicians can perhaps continue to take place in small groups, ensuring that the dis- tance is maintained. Although it will be diffi- cult and not without risk to take the necessary measures. And here too, digital communication will increase. This can be quite successful, because this way particu- larly international contacts can be estab- lished more closely than before. Now you have to rely on it!