James Galea lives by illusions and sleight of hand.
So it came as no surprise to discover his love of magic had its origins in the same.
The Australian first learned magic from a man who took him under his wing and taught him some ''weird and wonderful'' things.
Only five years ago, Galea discovered the man was not a magician but a professional con man.
''That makes sense of why I had so many gambling routines as a teenager.
''I knew how to steal a watch better than most.''
Whatever the man's intent, it instilled in Galea a love of magic that has not diminished.
When he was 14 years old he started entertaining at children's parties and while he was at high school was doing corporate events.
''I was learning my craft. Then it turned into a profession very quickly. I haven't had any other job since I left school.''
Galea, who grew up in Sydney, admitted it was not a ''normal'' career path.
''Saying I'm not going to go university, I'm going to be a magician: there was that kind of scepticism.''
For Galea it was the old cliche ''it's not you who chose it, but the industry chooses you'', he said.
''It was an obsession for me. As a kid going through it's all I ever wanted to do.''
Given the dedication the career required it was good he was obsessed.
''You just practice and practice for eight hours a day to make things work, to make things look normal like stealing a watch or dealing cards.
''Why the obsession I can't explain, but it's certainly something I was drawn to and loved every part of the way it became part of my life.''
From 17 he began his professional career, after being discovered through clips on YouTube, working in Japan doing live magic shows and then working on luxury cruise ships, including those which docked in Dunedin.
But for the past seven years Los Angeles has been his home, although he is now spending some time in Sydney.
He has appeared in countless television shows, starred in his own television series, Urban Magic, and starred in the Discovery Channel series Breaking Magic. Galea has also headlined at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The World Famous Hollywood Magic Castle and The Melbourne International Comedy Festival, to name a few.
When he needed a change in direction, he came up with a ''crazy idea'' after talking to some friends in the magic world who thought it would be cool to do something together.
''It's quite a lonesome art, the art of magic, doing big shows all around the world and it's just you.''
But he did not want it to be a run-of-the-mill show.
''I had this crazy idea not just to do a show on the same bill but to work together to create something greater than the sum of our parts. To not just do trick after trick.''
So Galea devised Band of Magicians, a show in which a group of magicians used their skills together, something that had not been done before, he said.
''To be able to do something that not one of the magicians could do [alone].''
It opened up a whole new world for the magicians, he said.
''It's like a pianist or guitarist getting a new guitar or piano and finding out they could do all these new things they never thought possible.
''It's really exciting for us.''
Galea and the rest of the ''band'', fellow Australian Adam Mada, Ben Hanlin, from England, and Brett Loudermilk, from the United States, have been described as part of a new wave of magicians putting to rest notions of a magic show just being a tuxedoed man pulling a rabbit out of a hat.
In the words of Ellen De Generes, who invited Galea onto her show: ''This magician I think you will LOVE LOVE LOVE. He's not like other magicians. He's not creepy''.
Instead the ''band'' performs separately and together with a light, sound and video show.
''It's a very exciting show to be part of. We use some exciting video as well, and quite spectacular lighting. I don't want to give away too much.''
To Galea, magic at its heart was still the same, in that it was all about amazing and entertaining an audience.
''That hasn't changed, that is what we strive to do. For us, as entertainers, that is what it is all about.''
While they were all very competitive, it worked in their favour as only the best acts the magicians came up with made it to the stage, he said.
''That is the fun part of it, too. My favourite act in the show is one the four of us all came up [with] together and seeing the audience enjoy that.
''I've never heard those sounds from an audience before. That is a pretty special thing to have.''
But to get to that point the group has to do a lot of practice, which is hard when they perform all around the world.
''You have to have your things together when you are all in one place.''
However, the excitement for what they could achieve together overruled the difficulties, he said.
''The illusions and magic are things that can't be done by other magicians. That is the fun part for us.''
Each magician has his own specialty. For Galea it is card tricks and gambling.
''The good thing [is]
there are different magicians doing different things.
''There is some pretty wonderful pieces that haven't been done in New Zealand before, but I can't give away too much.''
For most of the team, it will be their first visit to Dunedin (their New Zealand tour starts in the city) and Galea has only had day leave in the city while working on cruise ships.
''l've been to Dunedin, it's beautiful. I'm looking forward to spending more than just seven hours there.''
