STORY: South Africa, Collage Of Magic
LANG: English/Natsound
CLIENT: AP Television News
SOURCE: OWM
December, 2006

The College of Magic in Cape Town – an institution for aspiring conjurers. Here, they teach anyone the art of illusion — and this year it has about 90 paying customers. But the school’s heart lies with impoverished children from townships and squatter camps like Langa and Khayelitsha.

For the students who come from the shanty town, a trip to the Victorian headquarters is what they look forward to every week.
David Gore is the schools Director and founder. He founded the college in 1980, at age 19.
At the time he was a part time magician to pay his university fees. It was technically illegal under South Africa’s apartheid laws at the time, but the college’s first class was multiracial.

And thats why he says it was an eye-opener for blacks and whites who had never before worked together. Magic, he says, has proved a leveler of the racial playing field because its skills are not just unrelated to skin color.
About 60 such young people are students this year. Yanga Sidlikque is from Khayelitsha shanty town. His parents died when he was very young and he has been living with his uncle ever since. He says he wouldnt miss Saturday classes for the world.
In the 80s, the school began to expand its work with disadvantaged children, helped by corporate grants and, later, by the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. The rationale was that magic would inspire young people who could use a push on the road to a better life.

David Gore says that through magic, different social groups have the chance to get to know each other, in a country otherwise still divided down racial and class lines. The social mix is evident. Peter is from a wealthier background but every Saturday he too comes learn how to perform and meets those he would never usually even see.

Magic for these kids, teaches patience, discipline and communication skills. Much of magic’s appeal, from membership in a select society to the rapt attention of crowds, is a tonic for young people with little acquaintance with success.

SHOTLIST:
1.Wide shot of School of Magic
2.Medium shot of banner of the school
3.Various of student practicing
4.Set up shot of David Gore, Director and founder of
Magic School
5.SOUNDBITE: (English) David Gore, Director and
founder of Magic School Founder
”What the college of magic is seeking to do is to
bring young people from all social economic
backgrounds, from the wealthier areas, from the poorer
areas, bring them together and through the art of
magic, get them working with one another, together to
face the challenges of South Africa.”
6.Several shots of the main entrance
7.Medium shot of David Gore teaching a trick
8.Medium shot of students listening
9.Several shots of David with students practicing in
the classroom
10.SOUNDBITE: (English) David Gore, Director and
Founder
”What we´re doing with magic, with young people, will
be adopted in other parts of the world, and other
peoplewill use magic and see what a universal language
it is for reaching young people, creating hope,
creating imagination, creating future for young
people.”
11.Zoom-in of the School of Magic facade into one of
classroom windows
12.Wide shot of students with professor Michael Barta
performing tricks
13.Close up of Yanga Sidliki student
14.Various shots of Michael Barta performing with
cards
15.SOUNDBITE: (English) Yanga Sidliki, student
”In the future I can do magic and work, so I´m working
on the other side and on Saturdays when I´m off I can
do magic for people for their parties and stuff. But I
won´t quit magic because it´s very  exciting.”
16.Wide shot of students with professor Michael Barta
performing with coins
17.Close up shot of hands makes a coin disappear
18.Medium shot of Yanga Sidliki and Michel Barta
doing a trick
19.Wide shot of a group of students at miming class
20.Close up of teacher Marian Williamson with Yanga
Sidliki
21.Zoom in of Yanga Sidliki putting a new face and
smiling
22.Various shots of Peter miming with a partner in
class
23.SOUNDBITE: (English) Peter, Student
”I learnt a lot about performance skills and how to
present yourself properly, and how to stand, sometimes
how to speak, how to interact with people, its very
nice, yes I like it a lot.”
24.Various of students at mimic class performing