The show of the year The Magician on The Skywalk is perhaps one of the most meticulously made Taiwanese television series. The open audition saw up to 2000 people; the director Yang Ya-che even invited golden award-winning Gwei Lun-mei as a performance instructor for the younger actors. And she seems to have done a pretty good job, as much of the younger cast in the series deliver performances only a little short of impeccable. Casting director Hu Nai-ting agreed, “We have an amazing cast. Everyone, from 8 years old to 80, is fantastic.” 

 

Gwei Lun-mei as a performance instructor / PTS

 

Gwei Lun-mei as a performance instructor / PTS

 

The story of The Magician on The Skywalk takes place in Zhonghua Market and revolves around the many families that live around it, with the characters’ age hence ranging anywhere from 3 years old to 90. In addition to the “golden trio” boys and the main cast; the perfection-seeking production team had toddlers as extras running around on the set to secure more lifelike scenes. 

 

As much as a hassle it was, when they saw the results, the crew admitted, “it made it look so much more realistic!” One of the scenes included everyone on the skywalk magically starting to dance; the single-shot manoeuvred over 200 people. Everyone, not excluding the main cast and side roles, had to dance a huge flash mob. It was quite a feat to pull off for it required hours and hours of practice for everyone in addition to renting a dance classroom. When the shooting day finally came, the assembly of all the kids with everyone yelling and dancing could only be described as pandemonium. 

 

The crew also pointed out that the set had to be put together very early that morning; as simple as the moves may seem, it was incredibly challenging to coordinate them. “Some of the senior actresses had a hard time. They had shoes that didn’t fit well, which increased the difficulty of their dancing.” But seeing everyone on the set collectively sparing no effort for that single shot, the crew also said that it was “very moving!”.

 

The Magician on The Skywalk Behind the scenes / PTS

 

Wu Ming-yi, the author of the original novel, said, “I was hoping to see some of the spirits of the original. But this turned out to be something brand-new and unfamiliar.” The director, Yang Ya-che said, “As the show is soon to air, I would like to extend my deep gratitude towards Mr Wu Ming-yi. Allow me to selfishly speak for the thousand crew and actors who worked together by saying that this series is our collective reflection of the book devoted to the author Mr Wu.” 

 

Yang expressed that the show hopes not only to lead towards the once legendary Zhonghua market but also towards that forgotten dream of every adult and children alike. Played by Kaiser Chuang, the magician, as in The Magician on The Skywalk, tells the young protagonist, “Only when it’s gone do you realize that it once belonged to you.” The director hopes that this show would make its audience feel that even though life has its grief and at times we find ourselves lost; never forget that the dream you once bore will always be yours, and it will forever remain incandescent. 

 

Five years in the making, The Magician on The Skywalk is led by director Yang Ya-che, Golden Horse awarded best art supervisor Wang Zhi-cheng, Golden Horse awarded best cinematographer Chen Ke-chin, best designer Wang Jia-hui, best sound effects composer Tu Du-Chih, and best Golden Melody Awarded music producer Kay Huang. The story centres on the people who live around the Zhonghua Market, with a magician connecting the lives of nine kids after one of them meets him on the skywalk in Ximending. The kids who witness the incredible magic later find themselves in possession of a magical power that would later change their lives. 

 

▼The Magician on The Skywalk official trailer.

 

 

The Magician on The Skywalk airs on PTS and myVideo on February 20.