Ok, David Blaine did that cool-looking electrified stunt. But, this is different; I’m going to teach you how to make a bolt of lightning strike anywhere. An actual bolt of lighting — for real — striking the ground wherever you like at the exact moment you choose.
This is the kind of stunt I would happily pitch in a writing room to big name magicians. Instead, I’m sharing it on this newsletter. Is part of the reason I’m so willing to share this because it’s unlikely any of us can afford to produce this stunt? Absolutely. Do I still want you to book me to consult if you do bring this stunt to life? Absolutely.
By sharing this with you, I hope to share how many of the most incredible magic stunts get conceived; someone saw a cool YouTube video one time.
To be absolutely clear — I’m about to share the scientific method for making a lightning bolt strike the ground on cue. Here we go.
The How & Why of Magic Stunts
Commissioners like big stunts because they allow the channel to see where their money is getting spent, and it’s great for marketing and retention. People stick around because they know a big stunt is coming at the end of the show. The retention problem isn’t exclusive to magic. Graham Norton added his big red chair game to the end of his show when his team realised viewing figures were dropping off during the musical performance. The red chair gave viewers a reason to stick around.
