The Magic Life

2012 · 71 min · Documentary

"The Magic Life" chronicles the journey of three magician hopefuls: a 17-year-old from Beijing who travels to the U.S. to attend magic school, a 25-year-old trying to make rent by performing on Hollywood Blvd for tips, and a 32-year-old New York University MBA graduate who moves to Los Angeles to perform at the world famous Magic Castle. The film depicts the challenges of following an unconventional career path. Forget about parents, family, or friends who may not understand or support your choices - there's almost an invisible societal pressure in terms of what types of jobs are acceptable. "The Magic Life" is about those who are willing to risk everything to take the road not normally taken. Sometimes the risk pays off, sometimes it doesn't.

Directed by Nelson Cheng