Dallas magician Trigg Watson was a consultant on Netflix’s new magic show
The next time you will be surprised watching magic for humans on Netflix, know that the magician extraordinaire from Dallas, Trigg Watson, participated in these mind-blowing tricks.
magic for humans, now in its second season on Netflix, features magician Justin Willman as he explores themes like love, self-control, and the passage of time through the art of magic. It’s not as heavy as it sounds, thanks to Willman’s ability to add likability, charm, and humor to his performance as he wows people on the street (and literally anywhere else you could imagine) with some really ingenious illusions. These illusions are where Watson comes in.
Watson had known Willman for a few years, and the two had developed a mutual respect and kinship as performers. When magic for humans received a commission for a second season, Watson was asked to join a select team of magicians to help create the illusions featured on the program. For nearly four months, the Dallas magician, along with a team of some of the best magicians working today, perfected jaw-dropping tricks day after day in a Glendale, California warehouse that served as a magic workshop.
“I’m not used to getting instant feedback from really bright, creative minds,” Watson says. “So I can come up with a great idea that I think will be a perfect fit for the show, and then swing my chair around and say, ‘Hey guys, can you watch this for a second? And then get instant feedback. Like, ‘I love this. I do not like it. Well, I have a better idea if you do it this way. And then say, “Very good, great, thanks guys!” And then swivel back in my chair and go straight back to work”
“You have to be very comfortable working under pressure and also taking risks.” -Trigg Watson
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While Watson says there was an element of guarded secrecy about how each magician created their own act, that didn’t stop a fruitful collaboration between the consultants coming together to design acts for Willman. Watson went further by comparing the combined effort of magicians to that of comedy writers assisting a late-night host, where each person brings their own point of view and perspective to the group, but their own acts are prohibited from their co-workers.
Gaining experience as a consultant was one of Watson’s goals, as it allowed him to learn the intricacies of creating television magic. The fast-paced production schedule and learning what the illusion will look like on camera are things the magician is eager to master. Watson’s hope is to one day have his own television show, so learning how to adapt his stage act into a different format has proven invaluable to him.
“I’m used to working for years and polishing a piece slowly over time,” Watson says of his individual act. “And with a show like this, the production schedule doesn’t allow for that level of perfection. You have to be very comfortable working under pressure and also taking risks.
Risk-taking is an important factor in Watson’s magic. Not content to adhere to the traditional standards favored by other working magicians, Watson thinks outside the box when designing and developing his own illusions. By introducing modern technological elements to replace the time-tested card game with an iPad, for example, Watson is able to present an exciting experience to younger audiences who might otherwise not have attended a magic show.
Consultation on magic for humans has undoubtedly been a highlight of Watson’s career, but no matter what part of the world his act takes him to or where he gets the chance to visit, Watson is always looking forward to doing his local magic show. at Checkered Past Winery.
“Knowing how much magic I created working on this show inspired me to apply the same creative energy to my own stage performance,” says Watson. “So I always continue to refine my own show, and I really use my show at Checkered Past Winery as a place to refine and develop new material.
