This is a rather lengthy review, the short of it is hire Howard because you won’t be disappointed. I first came into contact with Howard Blackwell while searching for a magician to help with proposing to my then girlfriend (because she absolutely loves magic tricks; and she is now my fiancée). I reached out to numerous magicians/illusionist in the Georgia and South Carolina area on several websites and Howard easily stood out from the rest. What originally caught my eye was the detail and thought that he put into his message; he did far more than merely quote a price, in fact, Howard very much so tried to sell his services. He described in careful detail his experiences and skills and even provided video links as proof. But by far the most noticeable detail was his grammar. I am by no means a stickler for perfect grammar but when it comes to business, I expect someone who wants me to purchase their product to have a sense of pride in their work. It is a noticeable difference when someone uses the proper forms of “their, they’re, there, its, it’s, accept, and except.” I received many quotes, ranging from $50 to $3500, Howard’s was not the lowest but it was a fair price. When I considered the cost comparison, what I kept falling back to was, “you get what you pay for.” Beyond the simple makeup of the messages, Howard was accessible and prompt with his communication. Being in law enforcement, I work rather unorthodox hours, often I would email Howard at 3am and he would almost always reply by 8am. He understood the discreet nature of what we were planning and agreed to stick to email as the most secure method of communication. He was very thorough in his portion of the planning, providing written details of the magic tricks and video clips for reference. Howard reassured me several times of the plan to make sure that no detail was left out; he truly understood and appreciated that this was a one-time only event, no do overs or repeats allowed. Howard understood that I would be extremely nervous the day of the event (and he was absolutely correct) so just days before he sent a lengthy and detailed script for what would unfold on the day of the proposal. Although we encountered some hiccups and obstacles in planning, Howard was flexible and willing to work with me to bring this event to fruition. By the day of the proposal there were no questions or unknowns, we even had a backup plan in case of rain. The idea was that my then girlfriend and I would stumble upon Howard in Chippewa Square in Savannah, GA. Howard would be performing a magic show and we would watch, my then girlfriend would become a participant, and at the end of the show through means of a trick, I would propose. The day of the event, Howard was extremely friendly, kind, outgoing, and he played his part phenomenally. Howard arrived early and was setup in advance of what we had planned, which is something I admire. He was also prepared for the sudden stint of rain which appeared just as we arrived at the event site, too late for the first contingency plan but he came prepared with umbrellas as a second contingency plan. Howard was also able to get the assistance of a photographer and a local news crew, which saved me the hassle of trying to find someone to film the event. (The proposal was even featured on the evening news that night, which was astounding and earned me many brownie points.) Howard was dressed in a black tuxedo which appeared neatly pressed, free of any wrinkles or lint; he was cleanly shaven and had a fresh haircut. His personal appearance was extremely professional. Howard worked very hard to lighten up the mood, not only to get me off edge, but also to sell the random-magician-performing-in-a-park story. He had the perfect balance of humor, friendliness, and professionalism. The magic show itself was great, in no simple way, it was amazing. At the time we were a bit distracted but even days later we realized details of different tricks that baffle us. In fact, it was not until minutes after the proposal that my now fiancée and I realized that the card she guessed was the one Howard had placed in the envelope at the end. Howard is extremely skilled at his craft. We truly appreciate the variety of illusions/tricks/mind boggling that he performed, some simpler than others. When we told our family about Howard’s tricks, they were in disbelief, though I don’t think the true effect of the tricks are gained unless you witness them in person. In the end, I got far more than I paid for, Howard was worth more than I could have paid, his help was invaluable. I would recommend Howard to anyone who is looking to amaze and dazzle any audience with illusions and tricks. Before contacting Howard, I was worried that I would only find someone who fits the profile of a stereotypical used car salesman with cheap tricks and gimmicks and reeks of crude jokes and underwhelming performance. I am so glad that I met Howard, he is a compliment to magicians as a whole, he is an extraordinary illusionist and just a plain good person. Who knows, we may hire Howard again in about a year :)
This is a rather lengthy review, the short of it is hire Howard because you won’t be disappointed.
I first came into contact with Howard Blackwell while searching for a magician to help with proposing to my then girlfriend (because she absolutely loves magic tricks; and she is now my fiancée). I reached out to numerous magicians/illusionist in the Georgia and South Carolina area on several websites and Howard easily stood out from the rest. What originally caught my eye was the detail and thought that he put into his message; he did far more than merely quote a price, in fact, Howard very much so tried to sell his services. He described in careful detail his experiences and skills and even provided video links as proof. But by far the most noticeable detail was his grammar. I am by no means a stickler for perfect grammar but when it comes to business, I expect someone who wants me to purchase their product to have a sense of pride in their work. It is a noticeable difference when someone uses the proper forms of “their, they’re, there, its, it’s, accept, and except.” I received many quotes, ranging from $50 to $3500, Howard’s was not the lowest but it was a fair price. When I considered the cost comparison, what I kept falling back to was, “you get what you pay for.”
Beyond the simple makeup of the messages, Howard was accessible and prompt with his communication. Being in law enforcement, I work rather unorthodox hours, often I would email Howard at 3am and he would almost always reply by 8am. He understood the discreet nature of what we were planning and agreed to stick to email as the most secure method of communication. He was very thorough in his portion of the planning, providing written details of the magic tricks and video clips for reference. Howard reassured me several times of the plan to make sure that no detail was left out; he truly understood and appreciated that this was a one-time only event, no do overs or repeats allowed. Howard understood that I would be extremely nervous the day of the event (and he was absolutely correct) so just days before he sent a lengthy and detailed script for what would unfold on the day of the proposal. Although we encountered some hiccups and obstacles in planning, Howard was flexible and willing to work with me to bring this event to fruition. By the day of the proposal there were no questions or unknowns, we even had a backup plan in case of rain.
The idea was that my then girlfriend and I would stumble upon Howard in Chippewa Square in Savannah, GA. Howard would be performing a magic show and we would watch, my then girlfriend would become a participant, and at the end of the show through means of a trick, I would propose.
The day of the event, Howard was extremely friendly, kind, outgoing, and he played his part phenomenally. Howard arrived early and was setup in advance of what we had planned, which is something I admire. He was also prepared for the sudden stint of rain which appeared just as we arrived at the event site, too late for the first contingency plan but he came prepared with umbrellas as a second contingency plan. Howard was also able to get the assistance of a photographer and a local news crew, which saved me the hassle of trying to find someone to film the event. (The proposal was even featured on the evening news that night, which was astounding and earned me many brownie points.) Howard was dressed in a black tuxedo which appeared neatly pressed, free of any wrinkles or lint; he was cleanly shaven and had a fresh haircut. His personal appearance was extremely professional. Howard worked very hard to lighten up the mood, not only to get me off edge, but also to sell the random-magician-performing-in-a-park story. He had the perfect balance of humor, friendliness, and professionalism.
The magic show itself was great, in no simple way, it was amazing. At the time we were a bit distracted but even days later we realized details of different tricks that baffle us. In fact, it was not until minutes after the proposal that my now fiancée and I realized that the card she guessed was the one Howard had placed in the envelope at the end. Howard is extremely skilled at his craft. We truly appreciate the variety of illusions/tricks/mind boggling that he performed, some simpler than others. When we told our family about Howard’s tricks, they were in disbelief, though I don’t think the true effect of the tricks are gained unless you witness them in person.
In the end, I got far more than I paid for, Howard was worth more than I could have paid, his help was invaluable. I would recommend Howard to anyone who is looking to amaze and dazzle any audience with illusions and tricks. Before contacting Howard, I was worried that I would only find someone who fits the profile of a stereotypical used car salesman with cheap tricks and gimmicks and reeks of crude jokes and underwhelming performance. I am so glad that I met Howard, he is a compliment to magicians as a whole, he is an extraordinary illusionist and just a plain good person. Who knows, we may hire Howard again in about a year :)