It’s kind of ironic that the man whose name is synonymous with magic isn’t even a magician. David Blaine is actually an illusionist, endurance artist, and extreme performer – all in one. It’s just that we tend to lump all those crazy stunts into one big category we call “magic.” But the truth is, he relies on genuine, good old fashioned awe.
Photo by Erik Pendzich, Shutterstock
Unlike magicians, he despises the use of trickery with TV camera angles and CGI fakery. What’s worth mentioning is that although he’s not an actual magician, he did innovate the way magic is seen on television. How? He made it so that the focus was on the spectators’ reactions. Blaine’s idea was to turn the camera around to focus on those watching, instead of on him, the performer. The result: the audience watches the audience. It’s pretty cool when you think about it.
Let’s look at his stunts over the years, shall we?