David Kwong

Magician, Magic Consultant & Founder of Misdirectors Guild, Inc.; Author, "Spellbound"

Travels From Travels From:
Los Angeles, CA, USA
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David Kwong Biography

David Kwong is a magician, New York Times crossword puzzle constructor, and the founder of the Misdirectors Guild, an elite group of magicians who specialize in illusion for film, television, and theater. In addition to his diverse repertoire, Kwong is also a writer, producer, and expert in enigmas and illusions. Most recently, his production work includes ABC's action crime drama "Deception," which he co-produced.

His contributions extend to several other notable productions, such as "Now You See Me," "Blindspot," "The Magnificent Seven," "Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation," and "The Imitation Game." Kwong is a veteran crossword constructor for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Wall Street Journal, known for puzzles marked by clever, outside-the-grid thinking. His TED Talks on the principles of illusion have captivated audiences worldwide.

He is also an author; his book "Spellbound: Seven Principles of Illusion to Captivate Audiences and Unlock the Secrets of Success" has been published by Harper Business. In 2019, Kwong debuted his one-man show, "The Enigmatist," at The High Line Hotel in New York City, which has seen sold-out crowds in multiple cities. His most recent venture in 2020 was launching his interactive online puzzle show, "Inside the Box," which received a Critic's Pick from the New York Times. Kwong is a graduate of Harvard University, where he studied journalism & media in the history department, focusing on the history of magic.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 07/02/2024.

David Kwong Speaking Topics

  • The Benefits of Cross-Pollination

    David champions combining seemingly unrelated fields to yield a synthesis that is fresh and innovative. David demonstrates how he took his three fields of expertise — illusion, puzzles, and cinema — and created an exciting new genre of storytelling in Hollywood. With a glimpse behind the scenes of Now You See Me and a demonstration of some of his signature performance pieces, David discusses the value of fusing together one’s passions and areas of expertise.

  • The Illusion of Cinema

    Both filmmakers and magicians use illusion to tell stories. David Kwong, the magician behind the hit caper Now You See Me speaks about his work as Hollywood’s premiere magic consultant. In addition, David and the Misdirectors Guild have designed illusions for The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, The Immigrant, and Paranormal Activity 4. David will discuss the synthesis of magic and storytelling by expounding on some of the fundamental principles of illusion.

  • Creating Order out of Chaos

    In a world of Twitter and RSS feeds, how can one make sense out of all the scattered bits of information that we are inundated with each day?

    Through a series of "mental gymnastics," David collects vast amounts of data and orders them in his brain. As a magician, puzzle creator, and Hollywood producer, David demonstrates how he synthesizes these seemingly disparate fields via a tour de force of sleight of hand and puzzles.

  • Think Inside The Box: Creativity and innovation within constraints and parameters

    People are at their most creative when they innovate within a given set of boundaries. How does one tell a clever story while obeying the construction rules of a crossword puzzle (e.g. rotational symmetry, word count), the three-act structure of a screenplay, or the sensitive angles of a stage illusion? We are at our most creative when we design a new form for something familiar, and subsequently express it in a novel and compelling way. David will demonstrate some of his groundbreaking puzzles and illusions by way of inspiring a new method of problem solving.

David Kwong Videos

  • David Kwong plays a mind game on Al, Sheinelle, Craig and Dylan
    Magician and New York Times puzzle maker David Kwong, who has a new show coming to the Kennedy Center, stops by Studio 1A and plays a mind game on...
  • Solving Together: A Puzzle Hunt by David Kwong
    Celebrate being together again with the ultimate team-building event! Divide your organization into teams, mix the departments, and enjoy...
  • David Kwong: "The Enigmatist Builds a Puzzle" | Talks at Google
    David Kwong constructed the NY Times crossword puzzle for Sunday, 17 February. In this talk, David reflects on how he constructed the puzzle, and...

David Kwong Books

  • Spellbound: Seven Principles of Illusion to Captivate Audiences and Unlock the Secrets of Success
    Spellbound: Seven Principles of Illusion to Captivate Audiences and Unlock the Secrets of Success

Speaker Lists Featuring David Kwong

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  • What topics does David Kwong speak about?

    David Kwong is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Celebrity, Entertainers, Magician, Performing Arts, TED, Television & Film.
  • Where does David Kwong travel from?

    David Kwong generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
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David Kwong is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as The Benefits of Cross-Pollination, The Illusion of Cinema, Creating Order out of Chaos and Think Inside The Box: Creativity and innovation within constraints and parameters. The estimated speaking fee range to book David Kwong for your event is $30,000 - $50,000. David Kwong generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Kevin Viner, Oz Pearlman, Murray SawChuck, Michael Grandinetti and Adam Trent. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling David Kwong for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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