Virtual Magician on CHCH Morning Live

You might have turned on your favourite local morning show and caught the offbeat, uplifting virtual magic of Graemazing. When the world transitioned in March of 2020, I pivoted from in-person magic shows to virtual performances only. The CHCH team has always been so kind in letting me promote and share magic regularly on the news.

If you are curious at seeing a sample of what a virtual zoom magic show or magic for an online business meeting might look like, I have a great example from Canada Day on CHCH. This clip was my first of 4 appearances sharing virtual magic on the local news.

Bob Cowan and Annette Hamm were so incredible with their improvisation and interaction with the virtual magic tricks. The two of them helped show how much fun you can have in your own home even if we are in a lockdown. Virtual magic shows for online business meetings allow you and your team to be the stars of the show.

There are many benefits to hiring a virtual entertainer for your next online meeting, from sparking creativity, bringing everyone together but most importantly - laughing a little. You can be the office superstar and level up your next Zoom or Teams with a bit of digital impossibility!

4 easy games for your zoom party

You want to host your own interactive and fun zoom experience without breaking the bank. Since March, I have shifted to virtual magic shows over zoom and learned a lot about what works best in a zoom environment. I will give you 4 great options for games you can easily add to your zoom party today!

1. Trivia

Trivia is always fun and interactive with a full team, and it gives you an excellent excuse for office giveaways. An easy way for you to run trivia yourself is just with PowerPoint and some paper! You can build all your trivia questions into slides on a PowerPoint and simply share your screen in zoom. Your attendees can all answer by using a stack of paper and a marker. I suggest using a marker over a pen because it's way easier to read online.

2. Scavenger Hunt

You will be laughing for days after trying a virtual scavenger hunt. This has been one of my favourite games when producing a virtual event when there is a prize giveaway. The idea is to have everyone on camera grab something from their home or workspace and show it onscreen. I have done things like:

• First-person to grab a pack of bacon

• The first person to put on all their winter gear

• First-person to bring an animal

I have learned you need to prepare everyone for what is about to happen, so no one hurts themselves from playing this game - that's real.

3. Improv Games

Boost your team's creativity with some easy improv games that involve everyone! Sometimes improv can sound a little scary, but it's a lot of fun, easy, and you'll be surprised by who on your team turns into a star!

• Pass it on:

To play "pass it on," you start with an imaginary object, describe one thing about it and then pass it virtually to someone else. For example, "I have this shiny red apple and I am going to pass this to Lori." Lori would respond, "Thanks for the shiny red apple. I have a handful of hot goey caramel sauce - here you go Bill!" Bill would then continue the game. End the game when it feels like everyone has had enough.

• StoryTime:

StoryTime is very similar to pass it on, but we will continue with the same story. For example, I will start with, "The day started when Roger Rabbit jumped out of bed, and he fell down the stairs." I would then ask Abbey to continue the story, "Once he hit the bottom of the stairs, the front door swung wide open!" Keep passing the story along until you feel like this game has been exhausted.

4. Board Games

Maybe you have already thought of this one. Dig into your board games and see if you can make them work over the internet! Pictionary, Hangman, Trivial Pursuit, there are a lot of options here.

You now have 4 simple ideas for games that you can easily add to your next zoom party. All of these are completely free and only require your imagination. I think that has been one of the big takeaways from this change in how we do business - stay creative.

"Everything you can imagine is real."

Pablo Picasso

7 Benefits of a Virtual Zoom Magic Show

In Ontario, Canada, we are entering a new year in lockdown. Our first lockdown was a challenge and this second one seems to be testing us all just a little bit more. As a virtual magician, my ultimate goal is to continue to bring joy and entertainment to your workplace. Some companies have not tried a zoom event yet, while others have embraced it. I will highlight 7 benefits of a virtual zoom magic show and how you can be the virtual office superstar.

There would be staff lunches, town hall meetings, brainstorming sessions, watercooler conversations, and more in an old average workweek. In the virtual landscape, we are missing a lot of that staff connection and day-to-day team building. These natural interactions often spark creativity and can help unlock a new thought process. A virtual meeting can seem to be a drag or dull - part of my virtual magic show is to help show you the possibilities of virtual connections.

1. Bring your team together

Do you want a particular reason to bring your team together - more than just a meeting, giveaway or trivia? Having a Vegas-style magic show right in you and your staff members' living room is a sure-fire way to get everyone out to the zoom meeting. After the show is a perfect opportunity to mix and mingle with your co-workers - being freshly energized by powerful magic!

2. Spark Creativity

You always have big projects on the go, and sometimes we experience a creative roadblock. Before becoming a professional magician - I spent ten years working behind the scenes on television. I always found that providing yourself with a new and unique experience is an easy way to hurdle over that block. Experience the impossible over zoom with a virtual magic show, get uplifted and spark some creative ideas of your own!

3. Laugh

Times are tough. People are a little too passionate about social media - we all need to laugh. This one is easy and seems like a no-brainer - we all need to laugh. When I bring this up too - I am not talking about that low-level sarcastic humor - we all need to laugh.

"I have seen what a laugh can do. It can transform almost unbearable tears into something bearable, even hopeful. "

Bob Hope

4. Interactive

You have experienced some virtual events, and they were a little lackluster. At times you might have even thought to yourself that there are better things on YouTube. You're not wrong; with a virtual magic show - the significant difference to most other virtual entertainment options - it's highly interactive. Magic works best with interaction; while you can't pick a card online, I have come up with some very unique solutions. My virtual magic show even has a moment where the magic will happen in your hands, in your home. Sounds impossible - I deal in the realm of impossibility!

5. Not just for the office

With everyone at home - these virtual experiences that would happen in your workplace are now open to your household as well! Remember coming home from work and talking about the inspirational speaker or entertainer you had that day? Now you all can enjoy these virtual experiences together.

6. Learn Magic

In my virtual magic experiences that can run from 10 minutes to 45 - I have sometimes broken the magician's code and shared a magic secret. This is a great opportunity for you and your staff to understand how a magician approaches a problem.

"The art of a magician is to create wonder. If we live with a sense of wonder, our lives become filled with joy."

Doug Henning

7. Be the Office Hero

Escape rooms, trivia, music, acts, beer tastings. There are a lot of options for virtual entertainment out there. There is also a little pressure on you to find the right entertainment for you and your team. I transitioned into presenting magic virtually back in March of 2020 when crowd gathering became a liability. There is a lot of power in a virtual magic show, but I am excited to show you what is possible in the virtual space. This isn't just a person on a camera - it is a fully interactive magical production that can only happen over Zoom. Most importantly, you are the stars of the show.

In 2020 you were presented with a whole lot of limitations. While physical gatherings are still on hold - there is a big world of virtual opportunities. You might be hosting your first virtual event, or you're a digital pro; a virtual magic show has lots of benefits for you and your team. If you are interested in bringing in some high-level, interactive entertainment to your next virtual work function, click on the contact page above and fill out the handy dandy form!

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