Using Magic to Craft a Safety Presentation (Digital Illusions for Changi Airport Group)

When I was approached by the management of Seletar Airport (Under Changi Airport Group), I immediately identified several issues they faced. In essence, they wanted a safety presentation that fulfills these requirements:

1. Engaging
2. Accurate and informative
3. Safety message to be remembered
4. Entertaining but serious

Most safety presentations are conducted with an air of sombreness so that the listeners would see the gravity of the consequences. My challenge was to find a delicate balance between seriousness and entertainment. 

Contrary to the assumptions that magic is kiddy and meant for children, magic has the power to create emotions and bring forth important messages, as long as the "story" is logical and well told.

So without further ado, take a look at how I incorporated magic to create strong memory hooks, used drama to engage the audiences, and embedded audience interaction to reinforce my messages.

Signing off,

Alexander Y (Singapore's Top iPad Magic)

For booking and information about my iPad Magic, drop me an email here:

info@metaillusions.com

Evolution of an Artist: iPad Digital Magic

One of the most unique services my team and I offer is our iPad Magic, in both roving format and theatrical format. Below is a teaser of our most recent customized commissioned project for DHL Asia Pacific Innovation Center:

Posted by Alexander Yuen: A Finer Side of Magic on Wednesday, December 9, 2015

It all began in 2012 when Jonathan (co-founder of Meta Illusions) came back from his stint in a tech start up at Silicon Valley and was invited to be featured in a Singapore Magic production called "M for Magic". Wanting to be different and to push the edge of magic, Jonathan designed routines and wrote specific codes for the iPad to make coins appear and disappear. Combined with strong magic and visual elements, we were proud to proclaim that we were doing magic that no one else in Singapore does. 

Watch the video below:

The magic was so sensational it got picked up by various media including Yahoo! News, Straits' Times RazorTV and NUS Post.

Because of the video, we found ourselves booked and commissioned by a Fortune 500 company to create a special iPad sequence to describe their production processes to the international dealers. Unfortunately, due to the sensitive content, we were unable to share our act publicly.

In December of 2012, we had a call from RazorTv wanting to do an exclusive interview with Jonathan and myself and our thoughts on iPad Magic. Once again, Jonathan and myself went back to the drawing board in a bid to create magic that is different and impactful.

You can see how we grew in terms of our magic as well as programming sophistication. The effects we did were more emotionally captivating and the apps we created were more complex than before.

From 2013 - 2014, we learned newer coding techniques and created apps for our professional usage, especially in the area of roving magic. Jonathan then took a hiatus on iOS magic programming as he took on a new role as the co-founder of another successful technological start up. The last video we created was a Christmas video in December 2014.

It was also during the same time I contemplated releasing some of the existing routines that we do professionally. But I took the leap of faith and released these videos.

The reception was overwhelming, both on YouTube and Facebook. Because of this video, I was chosen as a finalist for HP's YouTube Academy contest, in which I created other digital magic with a HP Laptop. I created a sequence in tribute to Singapore's Golden Jubilee Year in which we celebrated our 50th year of independence.

Also at the same time in June 2015, I was working closely with Esplanade to produce a show for Flipside Festival 2015 which involved digital elements to it. Because of its novel impact, the show was commissioned as the first digital magic illusion show in Esplanade. Read more about this show here!

A snippet of #VirtualXReality last night at #Esplanade for #Flipside. 2 more shows to go on the 2nd June, 7.15pm and 8.15pm. Come say hi! #magic #magictricks #magician #magictrick

A video posted by A Finer Side Of Magic (@alexander_yuen) on May 29, 2015 at 9:24pm PDT

Subsequently, the novelty and wow factor of these digital illusions caught on and I was commissioned to create more content for my clientele.

In December of 2015, I was consulted to design a digital illusion sequence for DHL's Innovation Center in Singapore. This is the first innovation center in Asia. They specifically wanted an illusion sequence that showcased innovation and technological progress.

And I was specifically told that the big illusion boxes, cutting and squeezing a girl in a box is out of the question.

I had to innovate.

Picture from: http://business.asiaone.com/news/dhl-launches-multi-million-dollar-innovation-centre-singapore

With a short timeline, I not only created an illusion sequence that hit their key messages with a punch but also presented it in a visually alluring manner. See teaser below:

Digital Illusion Show

Since the conception of Virtual x Reality in June 2015, the very first Virtual Reality Show in Singapore, I've been working and updating some of the illusions for my Digital Illusion Show.Some time ago, I was commissioned by DHL to do a fully customized sequence about for DHL Asia Pacific Innovation Center Launch, and here is a short teaser!Enjoy!

Posted by Alexander Yuen: A Finer Side of Magic on Wednesday, December 9, 2015

It is very well received and I am in the midst of collaborating with other artist and agencies on this platform.

You can see how an artist grows in his/her art form. Innovation does not happen overnight, it is all built on and upon previous innovations. No different from magic.

It is coming to the close of 2015 as I am writing this, and when I reflect upon how our Digital Illusions have evolved, I am extremely thankful for the various opportunities and the (paid-off) leaps of faith agencies have with us. I dare say, thanks to our expertise, experience and amazing track record, we've earn their trust. That much, I am very thankful.

2016 is an exciting year ahead with more cutting edge innovations to come. 
 

Have a great Christmas, and see you in 2016!

Signing off,

Alexander Yuen

Customized Digital Illusions: DHL Asia Pacific Innovation Center Launch

DHL launches S$10m innovation centre in Singapore

A couple of weeks ago, DHL launched their first innovation center in Asia, right in Singapore. In order to display their cutting edge innovation, they engaged me to design a series of illusions to showcase some of their capabilities and to tell a story about innovation. 

Posted by Alexander Yuen: A Finer Side of Magic on Wednesday, December 9, 2015

There were a few objectives I wanted to achieve for this illusion sequence:

1. The magic has to be presented in a modern and relevant platform; appropriate for the Innovation Center.
2. The illusions have to be well strung to tell a coherent story.

I spent close to 10 hours wrecking my brains in conceptualizing and designing appropriate illusions for this event. 

After that, a substantial amount of time was spent on practicing and coding.

Painting Sequence: Paint is "splashed" onto the screen.

An effect about Thomas Edison's Lightbulb Invention.

Innovation Idea on reducing carbon prints by making logistics more eco-friendly.

Taking out physical transportation in logistics.

It was an amazing experience for me (and the audiences) to be at the forefront of innovation.

Read more about their innovation center here:

DHL launches S$10m innovation centre in Singapore

Signing off,
Alexander Yuen

Debut Performance at Esplanade: Virtual X Reality

The Esplanade is a renowned arts performance venue in Singapore that showcases art performances and galleries.

Magic hardly gets recognize as an art in Singapore. But this year, I was booked at the Esplanade. I was there to debut my latest show Virtual X Reality. This is a show that crosses the boundaries between what is real and what is unreal. For most magic shows, magic tend to be linear in that there is no real transference of emotions from the artist to the audiences. It is mainly visual surprises laden along the show.

The organizers wanted a show that is light hearted but yet had an artistic element to it. I worked hard to craft out a story for my show, with the subtext of questioning whats real and whats unreal. With the help of director, Jeremiah Choy and circus artist, Jay Che, I refined the story and the magic.

I was pleased with the end result, a show that creates wonder through magic and illusion through technology.

A snippet of #VirtualXReality last night at #Esplanade for #Flipside. 2 more shows to go on the 2nd June, 7.15pm and 8.15pm. Come say hi! #magic #magictricks #magician #magictrick

A video posted by A Finer Side Of Magic (@alexander_yuen) on May 29, 2015 at 9:24pm PDT

I am also very grateful that Esplanade took the leap of faith for my show and gave magic a shot at being recognized as an art form.

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Many other exciting projects for me ahead! Stay tuned!

Signing off,

Alexander Yuen