MovieChat Forums > Wizard Wars (2014) Discussion > Production Timing

Production Timing

posted 10 years ago by bing-57
8 replies | jump to latest

As I watched the second episode and the host mentioned a magic shop and a props shop on site, I started wondering just how much time the players had. I mean, round one is two amateur teams against each other. They may have had a few hours to build things before filming.

But, for the second round, it seems like the winning amateurs and the professional magicians were each given their items cold. They'd have to have three or four hours in the work room to develop an act, build all the props, and practice the timing of their act.

What do Penn and Teller do during those four hours? To us, it only takes a commercial break. But, how long does this show really take?

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What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

[–] TheApostle 10 years ago

Yeah, this show doesn't work. It's seems like a fake competition with not so great magic.

How much time do the contestants have? How much money? They don't even show a minute of them working out the routine.

What makes the wizards special? And besides P&T who the hell are those so-called judges?

[–] bing-57 10 years ago

> How much time do the contestants have? How much money? They don't even show a minute of them working out the routine.

The best I can imagine is that they bring in 12 amateur magicians on, say, a Tuesday morning. They get paired off in teams of two and each two teams are given the same objects. The 6 teams are set loose in the workshop and have until midnight Tuesday to build something and practice.

Wednesday morning, teams 1 and 2 are introduced to Penn and Teller and perform their magic. The winning team is sent back to the workroom with new props. Teams 3 and 4 come out and do the same. Ditto for 5 and 6.

The rest of Wednesday, the three winning teams and the three professional teams build their magic act.

On Thursday, the six remaining teams play against each other.

> And besides P&T who the hell are those so-called judges?

They are credited as "magic critics". I did not know such a thing existed. Hopefully, they have some talent as real magicians. Otherwise, I want that job!

--
What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

[–] illiniman14 10 years ago

This is kind of what I was thinking. This show could learn a lot from Chopped - I'm not sure you can give time limits for the production phase but maybe you can at least put a clock on them to show just how much they've worked to make the trick what it is.

Second, there needs to be more time on the judges discussing between themselves what is going on in their minds (and let's be honest, Teller is a great magical mind but he's pointless to have as a judge if he won't speak) rather than just having Penn talk about what they think and then give their judgment.

[–] bing-57 10 years ago

> and let's be honest, Teller is a great magical mind but he's pointless to have as a judge if he won't speak

Oh, he speaks all the time. In fact, people who know him say that he almost never shuts up.

His gimmick is that he won't talk in front of the cameras or in front of an audience. He claims that Penn speaks enough for both of them and he sticks to that idea.

Although, I've heard him speak at a performance before. It's just that he was off-stage at the time, speaking as the voice of a robot or something. He will also speak onstage if his mouth is covered by a prop.

So, I'm sure that he is an active participant in the judging decisions and is probably rather vocal about it.

--
What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

[–] raptorshark 10 years ago

I think the more I watch this the more I just want it to be "Fool Us". I don't care about the contestants looking at crap in the stock room, building their routines, etc. Would rather just see a stream of performances going head to head. Pairing them up is cool, but forcing them to create a trick using specific props (like spam & super soaker) is dumb.

In response to the OP I just figured they developed their new trick in advance, and that footage is just cut into the show before their performance.
edit: my bad, in ep2 they actually outright say it was filmed earlier.

[–] davelanger 10 years ago

I am guessing their work on both tricks before the show even if one of the teams will never get to do their trick they worked on for the 2nd round.

[–] jaredd 9 years ago

Penn revealed on a recent Late Late show that they had 4 days to prepare. This makes sense once you notice that all the workshop footage is completely bogus (they are wearing their stage clothes, hair and makeup, and the "work" they do is just monkeying around doing nothing productive).

So they are told the items, work on their act for 4 days with obvious help from the stage crew, then show up for the silly workshop footage and of course the main event with the audience.

[–] noway234-1 9 years ago

Well that makes sense. I mean just looking at it you can tell they record each episode on seperate days and only 1 episode a day (Based on what the judges wear and on the different audience members) so they couldn't really expect 2 teams to create a 5-10 minute magic routine, set it up, rehearse it, put it on the stage and perform it in a few hours, then to do that again with the Pro's. They'd basically be making the audience sit in that studio for 12-15 hours, at best so having the people plan the act days in advance does make sense.