J C Sum
Encyclopedia
J C Sum (born 5 December 1976) is a Singaporean illusionist and illusion designer. Nicknamed "The Thinking Man's Magician", J C is one of the most highly regarded illusionists and illusion designers from Asia. AsiaOne named him as "one of the most celebrated illusionists in Asia" and MagicSeen called him "The Ace in Asia". The Straits Times stated that he is "Singapore's most famous magician" and The Business Times Singapore, credited him for bringing "magic to the mainstream market in Asia".
In July 2009, J C was awarded the coveted Merlin Award for "Most Original Illusionist 2009" by the International Magicians Society
. In January 2010, J C was presented with a "Special Recognition Award for Contributions to the Arts & Media Community" from the School of Film & Media Studies, Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
J C, along with partner Ning, have been credited for popularising magic in Singapore by the local media and magic organizations.
and Victoria Junior College
.
J C first found his interest in magic at a very young age of 12 years old and began performing professionally at the age of 16. In 1993, J C joined the International Brotherhood of Magicians
, Singapore Ring 115 and took part in the 1994 Close-up Competition where he took 2nd Place with an original Cups and balls
routine. He subsequently won the 'Most Entertaining Magician' title at the 1996 IBM Ring 115 Close-up Magic Competition.
In 1998, his "One-Man-Parade" was published in the March issue of The Linking Ring
, the official publication of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. This collection of original magic effects earned him two coveted Linking Ring Awards the next year.
Throughout his junior college school days and time in national service
in the Army, J C performed shows and was also booked to perform close-up magic weekly at various hotels & restaurants such as Shangri-la, Hilton, Four Seasons, Tony Romas and Lion City Hotel. After national service, he was admitted to the National University of Singapore
where he majored in English Language & Sociology, with a minor in Philosophy. He gave up a 4th year honors degree to pursue magic full-time.
His early influences in magic include David Copperfield
, Dai Vernon
, John Carney
, David Williamson, Darwin Ortiz
, Paul Harris
, Wayne Dobson, Jim Steinmeyer
, Lance Burton
, The Pendragons, Franz Harary
, Frank Garcia, Michael Ammar, Richard Ang, Tang Sai Thong, Michael Lim and Pastor Lawrence Khong
.
By the new millennium, J C was performing illusion shows for corporate & special events across Asia.
Currently, J C performs all his live shows with 'Magic Babe' Ning
. Their equal partnership as a professional magic duo has been acknowledged as "very groundbreaking and refreshing". Channel News Asia highlighted that they represent "The New Faces of an Age-Old Art Form", and acknowledged them as "Singapore's celebrity magic duo". AsiaOne called them "The Hottest Duo in Town". AXN also acknowledged that "...J C Sum and 'Magic Babe' Ning have fast smashed some new grounds in Asian magical realms". As a duo, they have helped put Singapore on the world map with their performances and illusions. They continue to present their illusions shows across Asia.
In August 2008, J C & Ning starred in "Ultimate Magic
" – Singapore's First Permanent Illusion Show at The Arena in Clarke Quay
, the top entertainment district in Singapore. Ultimate Magic featured illusions such as: a version of J C Sum's signature Teleportation, Spiker, Revollusion, Full Throttle, Crystal Metamorphosis, Dreamscape: Realm of the Sandman, Extreme Burn and many others. J C also performs a version of his teleportation illusion where he will teleport into The Arena from different locations. The show has since ended its year long run in August 2009.
In 2010, J C & Ning performed at The Boiler Room in St James Power Station for a one week run. Named Sexy Magic/ Urban Illusions, the show ran from 26 January 2010 – 30 January 2010.
On 27 Mar 2010, J C & Ning also performed along other celebrities in the Earth Hour 2010 concert held at the Esplanade Park, Singapore's premier arts venue.
J C's teleportation mega illusion and new version included in The Arena permanent show was highlighted in The Straits Times in an article that discussed how creative artists protect their intellectual property rights. To protect the secret of this teleportation act, J C has four different vendors fabricate different parts of the teleportation chambers and final assembly is done by his own team.
(now with ESPN Sports Asia), a personalized card routine of the President of Singapore, S.R. Nathan
, and finally making a car appear along with Singapore sports Olympians. Together with a host of local celebrities, the show raised S$2.83 mil for various beneficiaries.
In 2006, J C starred in Singapore's first street magic television series, as part of Jack Neo
's popular Top Fun variety show for Channel 8, MediaCorp
Studios. The series was created specifically for J C by MediaCorp Studios. The segments were subsequently compiled and released as a VCD/ DVD titled Street Illusions, distributed by TS Group in Singapore and Malaysia. The same year, he also appeared in 3 episodes of a variety television show performing street magic for the Shanghai Oriental Television Station, China.
In 2007, J C starred in Magic in Motion, a 24-part Street Magic series produced for Singapore Press Holdings
' MediaBoxOffice (SPHMBO).
In February 2009, J C, together with 'Magic Babe' Ning appeared on Channel 8's "Five Stars Carnival" for a series of segments which showcased their grand illusions.
In May 2009, J C and Ning made an appearance on cable television. J C and Ning were the first magicians ever to appear on "Asia Uncut", an English talk show that airs on the Star World
cable network. They presented Ning's signature "Straight Jacket Striptease" and "Light & Space" illusion.
Subsequently in July 2009, J C and Ning also appeared on AXN EBuzz for their "The Impossible Record" event.
In Aug 2010, J C & Ning represented Singapore on "Duel Mahakarya Magician" on RCTI
, Indonesia TV. They performed alongside Indonesia's top magicians and other international magicians including Peter Marvey
, Marc Spelmann and Omar Pasha. The live TV show was watched by 20 million viewers.
In 2011, J C & Ning were chosen to star and host one of the two Singapore's first 3D television show. The show was to showcase Singapore's Arts & Culture and J C & Ning's brand of magic. The 3D TV Special was commissioned by Singapore's Media Development Authority
and will be showcased at Broadcast Asia trade show 2011.
J C & Ning are also the first ever Singapore artistes to be booked to perform on the famed long-running TV show, Le Plus Grand Cabaret du Monde in Paris, France. The show is broadcast internationally and the episode will air on 31 Dec 2011.
, the heart of the business district in Singapore
.
On the day of the mega illusion, bad weather early in the day caused major delays in set-up and even damaged one crucial illusion apparatus that was repaired just in time.
On 24 September 2008, J C & Ning successfully staged "South East Asia's Biggest Magic Event at the Singapore River" by teleporting 3 people across the iconic Singapore River in 2.5 seconds. The mega illusion was part of the F1 Singapore Grand Prix Season and was witnessed by more than 5000 spectators. Named "The Impossible Journey", the starting point was 3 separate teleportation chambers, each on a see-through platform, atop a see-through stage at the Central
river promenade. The destination was a teleportation platform across the Singapore River on the Read Bridge almost 250m away.
On 27 June 2009, J C & Ning set a new world record with their performance of 15 grand illusions in 5 minutes. Entitled "The Impossible Record", the magic act was the closing finale for Singapore River Festival 2009. The event was officiated by Singapore Book of Records and International Brotherhood of Magicians
. The event was witnessed by over 3000 people and is the first ever magic record to be adjudicated by Singapore Book of Records.
On 22 Aug 2009, 16,000 people witnessed J C & Ning teleport a Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI from the Volkswagen showroom to the stage in 8.5 seconds.
On 12 Dec 2010, J C & Ning vanished five audience while they were elevated 24 ft (7 m) high up in the air in front of over a 1,000 strong audience at the Asian Civilisations Museum. The illusion stunt was called "The Aerial Exit", and it was the grand finale of the National Heritage Board's 2010 "Explore Singapore" campaign.
J C's next mega illusions include the teleportation of a large inanimate object, reading the minds of 1000 people, vanishing a train and an illusion that will showcase Singapore's racial harmony. He was in talks with Sentosa years ago to make the Merlion tower vanish but the project got canceled due to the SARS outbreak.
The prediction was sealed in a giant red packet which was locked in a clear container and suspended high above ground in front of mega nightclub St James Power Station's main entrance on 22 January 2010. The chest was under tight security for 5 days before J C & Ning revealed the 4D prediction "live" on 27 January.
Before their prediction was shown to be correct, it was revealed that they had also sealed a cheque of $10,000 made out to the Children's Cancer Foundation as a personal donation to the charity. It was later revealed that the donation did not come from the winnings of the lottery as they intentionally bought a "null" number of "0000" to reaffirm their stand of not condone gambling and not using their skills for unethical gain.
The stunt created much media and online buzz resulting in the term "magic babe ning" being the No. 1 searched item on Yahoo Singapore on 21 Jan 2010. Their successful prediction was also one of the top stories on Google News Singapore as well as the top entertainment story on 29 Jan 2010, 11am. Popular comedy TV show, "The Noose"
did a satirical news story on the prediction (Season 3/ episode 3) in which J C & Ning made a special cameo appearance.
The Mind Heist is a one-off event, touted as “the ultimate social magic experiment”. The 100 random individuals involved will comprise of news and media representatives & members of the public. Singapore Book of Records & the International Brotherhood of Magicians will be present to adjudicate and officiate the proceedings of the stunt.
The world record breaking feat will also be J C & Ning's first ever mega illusion to be streamed live on the internet; anyone from any part of the world can witness the mind-reading attempt.
J C has written four books on illusion design and presentation. His first publication 'Illusionary Departures' published in July 2004 has been sold to almost 500 fellow magicians in 32 countries – including the UK, US and Japan. J C was also one of the featured lecturers for the Southern England Magic Convention 2009 where his latest book "Urban Illusions" was launched. In 2011, J C's illusion books were re-published with updated editions and made available to worldwide magicians via Murphys Magic Supplies, the largest wholesale magic company in the world.
Besides books, J C has also released DVDs on magic and illusions together with Ning. In 2011, J C & Ning released two DVD sets. "Behind the Illusions" in particular, was highly acclaimed and made the best-seller list on Murphys Magic Supplies.
J C and Ning also released a limited edition poker deck, "Pentad Deck" in Dec 2011. The deck commemorates Ning & J C's half a decade milestone as "Asia's Most Lethal Combination in Magic." The card deck was designed & hand-drawn by an artist based in Japan.
J C's published works & DVDs include:
J C was a Spirit of Enterprise Nominee 2007 which recognizes individuals/ business with exceptional entrepreneurial spirit. He is highly influenced by Jack Trout
's & Al Ries
' 'Positioning' marketing strategy which he adopts extensively in his businesses.
J C and Ning are also currently the highest paid magicians in Singapore.
In March 2011, J C was invited to speak at the first TEDxNTU event where he was the closing speaker. At the event, he shared his thoughts on creativity in his talk entitled "Behind the Magic: The Value of Being Different".
In July 2009, J C was awarded the coveted Merlin Award for "Most Original Illusionist 2009" by the International Magicians Society
International Magicians Society
The International Magicians Society is the world's largest magic society as recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records. The IMS began in 1968 and now has over 37,000 members worldwide...
. In January 2010, J C was presented with a "Special Recognition Award for Contributions to the Arts & Media Community" from the School of Film & Media Studies, Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
J C, along with partner Ning, have been credited for popularising magic in Singapore by the local media and magic organizations.
Early career
J C studied at Victoria SchoolVictoria School
Victoria School in Singapore is a government secondary school for boys, founded in 1876, at Siglap Link, about one kilometre from affiliated Victoria Junior College....
and Victoria Junior College
Victoria Junior College
Victoria Junior College is a Pre-University co-educational institution in Singapore. It was established to replace the Pre-University classes of Victoria School in 1984. It stands on Marine Vista, about 5-minute walk to the East Coast Park. It in the East Region of Singapore...
.
J C first found his interest in magic at a very young age of 12 years old and began performing professionally at the age of 16. In 1993, J C joined the International Brotherhood of Magicians
International Brotherhood of Magicians
International Brotherhood of Magicians is the world's largest organization for professional and amateur magicians, with approximately 15,000 members worldwide. The headquarters is in St...
, Singapore Ring 115 and took part in the 1994 Close-up Competition where he took 2nd Place with an original Cups and balls
Cups and balls
The cups and balls is a classic performance of magic with innumerable adaptations. The effect known as acetabula et calculi was performed by Roman conjurers as far back as two thousand years ago...
routine. He subsequently won the 'Most Entertaining Magician' title at the 1996 IBM Ring 115 Close-up Magic Competition.
In 1998, his "One-Man-Parade" was published in the March issue of The Linking Ring
The Linking Ring
The Linking Ring is a monthly print magazine, published by the International Brotherhood of Magicians. It is also available in electronic form to members of the IBM. All members of the IBM are entitled to receive this periodical. It was first published in 1923...
, the official publication of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. This collection of original magic effects earned him two coveted Linking Ring Awards the next year.
Throughout his junior college school days and time in national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the Army, J C performed shows and was also booked to perform close-up magic weekly at various hotels & restaurants such as Shangri-la, Hilton, Four Seasons, Tony Romas and Lion City Hotel. After national service, he was admitted to the National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
where he majored in English Language & Sociology, with a minor in Philosophy. He gave up a 4th year honors degree to pursue magic full-time.
His early influences in magic include David Copperfield
David Copperfield (illusionist)
David Copperfield is an Emmy Award-winning American illusionist, and was described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history. Copperfield's network specials have been nominated for 38 Emmy Awards and won a total of 21 Emmys...
, Dai Vernon
Dai Vernon
Dai Vernon , aka The Professor, was a Canadian magician. His expert sleight-of-hand technique and extensive knowledge garnered him respect among fellow magicians. His influence was considerable in the magic world, and he was a mentor to numerous famous magicians...
, John Carney
John Carney (magician)
John Carney is a professional sleight of hand artist, author and comic actor. He has won Hollywood’s Magic Castle award for Magician of the Year seven times. In 1988 and 1991, he was an award winner at the world FISM magic championships...
, David Williamson, Darwin Ortiz
Darwin Ortiz
Darwin Ortiz is a magician, who is an authority on gambling and card manipulation.Ortiz was born and raised in New York City where he had a keen interest in card tricks since childhood. In 1974, he dropped out of NYU Law School and pursued card magic full-time...
, Paul Harris
Paul Harris (magician)
Paul Tomas Harris is an inventor, magician, and writer. Described by the magic magazine Genii as "the most innovative magic mind of our day," Harris is listed in Magic magazine as one of "the 100 [magicians] who shaped the art [of magic] in America".He has invented many original tricks...
, Wayne Dobson, Jim Steinmeyer
Jim Steinmeyer
Jim Steinmeyer is an internationally respected designer of magical illusions and theatrical special effects. His best known illusions include Origami, Interlude, and Walking Through a Mirror. He is also an author, consultant and producer....
, Lance Burton
Lance Burton
Lance Burton is a stage illusionist. He has appeared on numerous television programs, and also performed for Queen Elizabeth and President Ronald Reagan...
, The Pendragons, Franz Harary
Franz Harary
Franz Harary is an American magician and inventor who has appeared on television shows such as the first episode of NBC's The World's Greatest Magic, where Harary vanished the Space Shuttle....
, Frank Garcia, Michael Ammar, Richard Ang, Tang Sai Thong, Michael Lim and Pastor Lawrence Khong
Lawrence Khong
Apostle Lawrence Khong is the Senior Pastor of Faith Community Baptist Church in Singapore...
.
By the new millennium, J C was performing illusion shows for corporate & special events across Asia.
Current Live Shows
Magic Babe Ning
Ning Cai , better known as ‘Magic Babe’ Ning, is a Singaporean magician and entrepreneur. She has been recognised by Channel News Asia as "South East Asia's First Professional Female Magician" and when she first burst onto the entertainment scene, she was acknowledged as "Singapore's Only...
. Their equal partnership as a professional magic duo has been acknowledged as "very groundbreaking and refreshing". Channel News Asia highlighted that they represent "The New Faces of an Age-Old Art Form", and acknowledged them as "Singapore's celebrity magic duo". AsiaOne called them "The Hottest Duo in Town". AXN also acknowledged that "...J C Sum and 'Magic Babe' Ning have fast smashed some new grounds in Asian magical realms". As a duo, they have helped put Singapore on the world map with their performances and illusions. They continue to present their illusions shows across Asia.
In August 2008, J C & Ning starred in "Ultimate Magic
Ultimate Magic
Ultimate Magic is Singapore’s first permanent illusion show at The Arena @ Clarke Quay, the top entertainment district in Singapore. The show was Singapore’s only magic attraction and it was officially endorsed as a live attraction by the Singapore Tourism Board.Produced and managed by Concept:...
" – Singapore's First Permanent Illusion Show at The Arena in Clarke Quay
Clarke Quay
Clarke Quay is a historical riverside quay in Singapore, located within the Singapore River Planning Area. The quay is situated upstream from the mouth of the Singapore River and Boat Quay.-Etymology:...
, the top entertainment district in Singapore. Ultimate Magic featured illusions such as: a version of J C Sum's signature Teleportation, Spiker, Revollusion, Full Throttle, Crystal Metamorphosis, Dreamscape: Realm of the Sandman, Extreme Burn and many others. J C also performs a version of his teleportation illusion where he will teleport into The Arena from different locations. The show has since ended its year long run in August 2009.
In 2010, J C & Ning performed at The Boiler Room in St James Power Station for a one week run. Named Sexy Magic/ Urban Illusions, the show ran from 26 January 2010 – 30 January 2010.
On 27 Mar 2010, J C & Ning also performed along other celebrities in the Earth Hour 2010 concert held at the Esplanade Park, Singapore's premier arts venue.
J C's teleportation mega illusion and new version included in The Arena permanent show was highlighted in The Straits Times in an article that discussed how creative artists protect their intellectual property rights. To protect the secret of this teleportation act, J C has four different vendors fabricate different parts of the teleportation chambers and final assembly is done by his own team.
Television & Broadcast Media Projects
J C's first television break came in the 2004 President's Star Charity where he performed a series of illusions including his 'Crystal Striptease' illusion with former radio personality Jamie YeoJamie Yeo
Jamie Yeo is a TV host, actress, radio deejay and model, known for co-hosting the ESPN/Star Sports Castrol Football Crazy and Maxis Football Extra television shows in Asia and portraying Tammy in the TV show Growing Up, arguably the role that made her famous.Yeo was born in Singapore on April 17,...
(now with ESPN Sports Asia), a personalized card routine of the President of Singapore, S.R. Nathan
S.R. Nathan
Sellapan Ramanathan is a Singaporean politician who was the sixth President of the Republic of Singapore. Usually referred to as S. R. Nathan, he was first sworn in on September 1, 1999. In 1999 and 2005, he was elected President in uncontested elections. In 2009, he surpassed Benjamin Sheares to...
, and finally making a car appear along with Singapore sports Olympians. Together with a host of local celebrities, the show raised S$2.83 mil for various beneficiaries.
In 2006, J C starred in Singapore's first street magic television series, as part of Jack Neo
Jack Neo
Jack Neo Chee Keong , PBM, credited as Jack Neo on screen, is a Chinese Singaporean film and television actor, host and director...
's popular Top Fun variety show for Channel 8, MediaCorp
MediaCorp
Media Corporation of Singapore, better known as MediaCorp, is a group of commercial media companies in Singapore, with business interests in television and radio broadcasting, interactive media, and, to a lesser extent, print publishing and film-making....
Studios. The series was created specifically for J C by MediaCorp Studios. The segments were subsequently compiled and released as a VCD/ DVD titled Street Illusions, distributed by TS Group in Singapore and Malaysia. The same year, he also appeared in 3 episodes of a variety television show performing street magic for the Shanghai Oriental Television Station, China.
In 2007, J C starred in Magic in Motion, a 24-part Street Magic series produced for Singapore Press Holdings
Singapore Press Holdings
Singapore Press Holdings Limited is a media organisation in Singapore with businesses in print, Internet and new media, television and radio, outdoor media, and property. SPH has over 4,000 employees, including a team of approximately 1,000 journalists, including correspondents operating around...
' MediaBoxOffice (SPHMBO).
In February 2009, J C, together with 'Magic Babe' Ning appeared on Channel 8's "Five Stars Carnival" for a series of segments which showcased their grand illusions.
In May 2009, J C and Ning made an appearance on cable television. J C and Ning were the first magicians ever to appear on "Asia Uncut", an English talk show that airs on the Star World
STAR World
STAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
cable network. They presented Ning's signature "Straight Jacket Striptease" and "Light & Space" illusion.
Subsequently in July 2009, J C and Ning also appeared on AXN EBuzz for their "The Impossible Record" event.
In Aug 2010, J C & Ning represented Singapore on "Duel Mahakarya Magician" on RCTI
RCTI
RCTI is Indonesia's first privately owned television network and is based in West Jakarta. RCTI broadcasts Indonesian Idol as well as sinetron , films, news and current affairs, reality shows and religious programs...
, Indonesia TV. They performed alongside Indonesia's top magicians and other international magicians including Peter Marvey
Peter Marvey
Peter Marvey is a magician and illusionist best known for his combination of sleight of hand and large-scale stage illusions.-Biography:In his early childhood, Peter Marvey was fascinated with any form of flying, whether the flight of birds, stage "flying" or aviation. He expressed his passion by...
, Marc Spelmann and Omar Pasha. The live TV show was watched by 20 million viewers.
In 2011, J C & Ning were chosen to star and host one of the two Singapore's first 3D television show. The show was to showcase Singapore's Arts & Culture and J C & Ning's brand of magic. The 3D TV Special was commissioned by Singapore's Media Development Authority
Media Development Authority
The Media Development Authority is a statutory board of the Singapore Government, under the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts .-History:...
and will be showcased at Broadcast Asia trade show 2011.
J C & Ning are also the first ever Singapore artistes to be booked to perform on the famed long-running TV show, Le Plus Grand Cabaret du Monde in Paris, France. The show is broadcast internationally and the episode will air on 31 Dec 2011.
Mega Illusions
On 18 August 2007, J C successfully presented the largest single live illusion ever staged in South East Asia, "The Impossible Teleportation" Mega Illusion. He teleported himself in 5 seconds, from street level while surrounded by more than 9000 spectators and reappeared on the roof of a skyscraper, 50 floors above, within a ring of witnesses. The Mega Illusion was staged at Raffles PlaceRaffles Place
Raffles Place is a geographical location in Singapore, south of the mouth of the Singapore River. Located in the Downtown Core and the Central Area, it features some of the tallest buildings and landmarks of the country.-History:...
, the heart of the business district in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
On the day of the mega illusion, bad weather early in the day caused major delays in set-up and even damaged one crucial illusion apparatus that was repaired just in time.
On 24 September 2008, J C & Ning successfully staged "South East Asia's Biggest Magic Event at the Singapore River" by teleporting 3 people across the iconic Singapore River in 2.5 seconds. The mega illusion was part of the F1 Singapore Grand Prix Season and was witnessed by more than 5000 spectators. Named "The Impossible Journey", the starting point was 3 separate teleportation chambers, each on a see-through platform, atop a see-through stage at the Central
The Central
The Central is a commercial and residential building located on Eu Tong Sen Street, opposite Clarke Quay along the Singapore River in Central Area, Singapore...
river promenade. The destination was a teleportation platform across the Singapore River on the Read Bridge almost 250m away.
On 27 June 2009, J C & Ning set a new world record with their performance of 15 grand illusions in 5 minutes. Entitled "The Impossible Record", the magic act was the closing finale for Singapore River Festival 2009. The event was officiated by Singapore Book of Records and International Brotherhood of Magicians
International Brotherhood of Magicians
International Brotherhood of Magicians is the world's largest organization for professional and amateur magicians, with approximately 15,000 members worldwide. The headquarters is in St...
. The event was witnessed by over 3000 people and is the first ever magic record to be adjudicated by Singapore Book of Records.
On 22 Aug 2009, 16,000 people witnessed J C & Ning teleport a Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI from the Volkswagen showroom to the stage in 8.5 seconds.
On 12 Dec 2010, J C & Ning vanished five audience while they were elevated 24 ft (7 m) high up in the air in front of over a 1,000 strong audience at the Asian Civilisations Museum. The illusion stunt was called "The Aerial Exit", and it was the grand finale of the National Heritage Board's 2010 "Explore Singapore" campaign.
J C's next mega illusions include the teleportation of a large inanimate object, reading the minds of 1000 people, vanishing a train and an illusion that will showcase Singapore's racial harmony. He was in talks with Sentosa years ago to make the Merlion tower vanish but the project got canceled due to the SARS outbreak.
The Impossible 4D Prediction
On 27 January 2010, J C & Ning successfully predicted in advance the winning 4D lottery numbers that they made one week before. Named "The Impossible 4D Prediction", the stunt is a new psychological illusion stunt, different from past Mega Illusions.The prediction was sealed in a giant red packet which was locked in a clear container and suspended high above ground in front of mega nightclub St James Power Station's main entrance on 22 January 2010. The chest was under tight security for 5 days before J C & Ning revealed the 4D prediction "live" on 27 January.
Before their prediction was shown to be correct, it was revealed that they had also sealed a cheque of $10,000 made out to the Children's Cancer Foundation as a personal donation to the charity. It was later revealed that the donation did not come from the winnings of the lottery as they intentionally bought a "null" number of "0000" to reaffirm their stand of not condone gambling and not using their skills for unethical gain.
The stunt created much media and online buzz resulting in the term "magic babe ning" being the No. 1 searched item on Yahoo Singapore on 21 Jan 2010. Their successful prediction was also one of the top stories on Google News Singapore as well as the top entertainment story on 29 Jan 2010, 11am. Popular comedy TV show, "The Noose"
The Noose (TV series)
The Noose is a Singapore comedy TV series produced by MediaCorp Channel 5 which has aired in Singapore for four seasons in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011. Although the name of the show plays on the word The News, the literal gallows humor of the program's name is unlikely to be missed by viewers in a...
did a satirical news story on the prediction (Season 3/ episode 3) in which J C & Ning made a special cameo appearance.
The Mind Heist
On 7 Jan 2012, J C & Ning will attempt to set a world record by officially being the very first illusionists in the world to capture the thoughts of 100 random people in one sitting.The Mind Heist is a one-off event, touted as “the ultimate social magic experiment”. The 100 random individuals involved will comprise of news and media representatives & members of the public. Singapore Book of Records & the International Brotherhood of Magicians will be present to adjudicate and officiate the proceedings of the stunt.
The world record breaking feat will also be J C & Ning's first ever mega illusion to be streamed live on the internet; anyone from any part of the world can witness the mind-reading attempt.
Illusion Design & Products
J C designs many of his own illusions for his shows. He also designed "The Impalement Cage" Mega Escape that Ning attempted on 5 July 2008 at Clarke Quay. His favourite original illusions are 'Full Throttle', a motorcycle production, and 'Revo-llusion', an illusion with a giant industrial fan.J C has written four books on illusion design and presentation. His first publication 'Illusionary Departures' published in July 2004 has been sold to almost 500 fellow magicians in 32 countries – including the UK, US and Japan. J C was also one of the featured lecturers for the Southern England Magic Convention 2009 where his latest book "Urban Illusions" was launched. In 2011, J C's illusion books were re-published with updated editions and made available to worldwide magicians via Murphys Magic Supplies, the largest wholesale magic company in the world.
Besides books, J C has also released DVDs on magic and illusions together with Ning. In 2011, J C & Ning released two DVD sets. "Behind the Illusions" in particular, was highly acclaimed and made the best-seller list on Murphys Magic Supplies.
J C and Ning also released a limited edition poker deck, "Pentad Deck" in Dec 2011. The deck commemorates Ning & J C's half a decade milestone as "Asia's Most Lethal Combination in Magic." The card deck was designed & hand-drawn by an artist based in Japan.
J C's published works & DVDs include:
- One Man Parade, The Linking Ring (March 1998)
- The Magic Notebook (1998) – Lecture Notes
- One Man Parade, The Linking Ring (November 2002)
- Illusionary Departures (July 2004)
- The Event Illusionist (December 2004)
- Equilateral (August 2006)
- Beyond the Stage (January 2007) – Lecture Notes
- Urban Illusions (2009)
- Pack Flat Illusions for Kid's & Family Shows (2011)
- The Event Magician Volume 1 (2011)
- The Event Magician Volume 2 (2011)
- Urban Underground (2011) - DVD
- Behind the Illusions (2011) - DVD
Business
In Singapore, J C is recognized as a creative entrepreneur & marketer for making magic a successful career and business. He is the founder & creative magic producer for Concept:Magic, which produces his shows, special projects and manages magic talents. He is also the co-founder (along with 'Magic Babe' Ning) and executive producer for Mighty Magic Factory, a Kids' Educational and Entertainment Company.J C was a Spirit of Enterprise Nominee 2007 which recognizes individuals/ business with exceptional entrepreneurial spirit. He is highly influenced by Jack Trout
Jack Trout
Jack Trout is among the world’s most famous marketing gurus. Over the 40 years of marketing consultancy work, Jack Trout has engaged in hundreds of assignments all over the globe...
's & Al Ries
Al Ries
Al Ries is a marketing professional and author. He is also the co-founder and chairman of the Atlanta-based consulting firm Ries & Ries with his partner and daughter, Laura Ries...
' 'Positioning' marketing strategy which he adopts extensively in his businesses.
J C and Ning are also currently the highest paid magicians in Singapore.
In March 2011, J C was invited to speak at the first TEDxNTU event where he was the closing speaker. At the event, he shared his thoughts on creativity in his talk entitled "Behind the Magic: The Value of Being Different".
External links
- Official Site of J C Sum
- J C's Blog – Backstage Business: The Art, Science & Business of Magic by J C Sum
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