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Practical Examples
Project Illusions' Successes |
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CASE STUDY 1:
INSPIRATIONAL KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Briefing: To create an inspirational and entertaining 10-minute stage presentation for the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation for its 20th Anniversary Fundraising Dinner. This black tie event was attended by 600 friends of the organization. The goal was to embody the objectives of the Foundation in an inspirational presentation that would encourage audience members to contribute to the Foundation’s causes.
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Project action: A custom presentation of three illusions was created to convey the following ideas: 1) that any process of change is complex 2) we are all a part of this complex formula 3) therefore we all have the power to affect change. Specific objectives of the Foundation were woven in as elements in the illusions. During the magic, allusions were made to man’s impact on the environment. The central message was that if everyone simply chooses to do their part, together we can make the impossible happen. |
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Client reaction: Melanie Shepherd, Director of the Foundation, said, “The presentation was innovative, interesting and thought-provoking. We received very positive feedback about it from our guests, remarking on the imaginative and unique interpretation Christopher gave. His work was excellent and helped make the evening most memorable. The event was a great success for DSWF, raising over £75,000 for our wildlife projects.” |
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CASE STUDY 2:
CREATIVE THINKING SALON
Briefing: To lead a salon for the Department of Foresight and Innovation in the multinational architectural and engineering firm, Ove Arup & Partners, Ltd. The salon’s objective was to hold a discussion on creativity in a forum attended by six key players from diverse areas within the organization.
Project action: Each attendee came prepared with a person, invention, or situation that they felt was an example of creativity. From this opening discussion, a presentation unfolded using magic as the tool to propose and analyze examples and methods of creative thinking. Afterward, the presentation was put under the microscope of the attendees as a catalyst for a further discussion of what exactly ‘creativity’ is, what the conditions are that nourish it, and even to question whether it’s always desirable…
Client reaction: Dr. C. Luebkeman, Director for the Department, has the following response to offer, “What we experienced was far more than masterful illusion. Christopher’s session was extremely thought provoking in a very positive way. The surprise was that he engaged the issues at both deeply philosophical and temporal levels simultaneously… I was very impressed by the way he engaged the group. He did not ‘act’ in front of us; he pulled us into a world which we created together. I have no hesitation in recommending him to other organizations.” |
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CASE STUDY 3:
CHANGE MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP
Briefing: To present a workshop for the 2004 Vibe City Simulation. Vibe City, run by City University, is part of postgraduate and professional development for public health practitioners in London. The audience was composed of 50 representatives from various sectors of public services management. Particular emphasis was requested to highlight the importance of diminishing perceived departmental boundaries, and connected to that, a general “you can accomplish the impossible” message.
Project action: As a chapter of this day-long management training event, a presentation was created that used a series of illusions to destroy preconceived assumptions that the spectators held about a variety of everyday objects. These magic demonstrations were used metaphorically to symbolize elements in the audience’s working world. As a result, the audience’s assumption about the ways in which they saw their organization were also challenged. Topics also included: goals in managing change, breaking the moulds of stakeholder identity, and examples/benefits of lateral thinking. The workshop was also blended with inspirational illusions and quotes that were presented in a way to encourage the spectators to use these new effective ways of managing.
Client reaction: 90% of evaluations said the Project Illusions workshop was “very successful” in showing them that they can affect change in new ways. Mr. John Eversley (Senior Lecturer in Public Health and Primary Care) who is the directive force behind the Vibe City event said, “The presentation was trailed as ‘The Magic of Management’. It had both an immediate and a longer-term effect on the participants. They learned from both the medium and the messages. The idea of using magic to learn, reinforced a message that learning is not confined to books and academic settings; that complex ideas can be expressed in simple metaphors or symbols.” |
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CASE STUDY 4:
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR
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Briefing: To create a programme for the Facial Surgery Research Foundation (Saving Faces), whose work includes spreading awareness of issues surrounding facial disfigurement. The audience was to be composed of 15-17 year-olds who were finishing O- and A-Levels (UK equivalent to American High School) and were soon to commence either explorations towards further education or work experience. The primary objectives in the workshop were to communicate the messages 1) that you can achieve what you once thought you couldn’t, and 2) things may not be as they first appear. The client requested that the workshops be as interactive as possible.
Project action: A workshop was created that opened by exploring broader issues of human potential and the importance of questioning our assumptions. Then magic demonstrations were conducted that showed the importance of “switching places” with another person to be aware of the emotional journey ‘behind the face’. An experiment was conducted where all students learned a simple magic trick; the knowledge of which demonstrated how their wrong assumptions at first crippled any possibility of making the trick possible. |
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Client Reaction: Following a successful pilot launch of the Saving Faces School Arts Project, the Foundation submitted applications for further funding to provide for installations of the workshop in 30 schools throughout east London during 2005. Fran Ridout, who is organizing the School Arts Project said, “(The students attending the workshop) most certainly enjoyed the presentation and ended up showing a lot of empathy for the disfigured... The ‘magic lesson’ went very well and it achieved our "it only seems impossible" objective. The other magic enforced the message well and kept the students interest.” Subsequent research of the pilot project (one week and two months after the workshop) confirmed that the attendees had high retention of the core messages explored in the workshop. Ridout says the workshop was “very successful” in communicating their message in a way that made a lasting impression on the participants |
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