Meet Blaise Serra who moved to LA one year ago from Connecticut to pursue a career in magic.
Was there a particular reason you chose LA?
I was drawn to LA due to the entertainment industry here. Back home, I never met another magician until after I had already begun performing so I didn’t know many like-minded people. When I received a letter from the Magic Castle informing me that my membership audition had been approved and I would have the opportunity to begin performing there, I knew moving to LA was the next step on this path so that I could collaborate with other artists and hone my craft in one of the biggest hubs of entertainment.
What do you miss most from home?
I miss spending time with family the most, as I went from living with my parents to moving across the country at 18 and not knowing many people. Also, here specifically in Hollywood there definitely isn’t the privacy and quiet that I was used to back home. But that doesn’t reflect on all of LA, and right now I love the feeling of being right in the middle of the action and excitement.
What was your first impression of LA and has it changed since?
I was astonished at just the amount of people here! Especially in Hollywood, I wondered if I would ever feel the sense of community I had back in my small town. My impression has changed however, and I now realize that if I look through the sea of tourists I see the same familiar faces each day. I’m grateful for the new friends I have here, like those I’ve met through Brits in LA, which make this big city feel much smaller.
What do you find the biggest difference is living here versus Connecticut?
I think the biggest difference between back home and LA, other than the fact that I’d never seen this much traffic before, is that there is so much to do here! You could go to a different restaurant or entertainment destination each night and still never experience all that this city has to offer.
Do you have a hidden gem in LA that you want to share with us?
This isn’t really a ‘hidden’ gem, but I would urge anyone that hasn’t been to the Magic Castle to jump at any opportunity to experience that incredible place. I love performing there, but I still enjoy going just to get brunch or see the array of talent put on display there every night. In order to go you do need to be invited, but you probably know a magician or a friend of one even if you don’t realize it that can help you to gain entrance to this Mecca of magic.
What would you suggest to others who are thinking about making the move here?
I’ve heard others give the advice of “figure it out when you get here.” While some people have success with that philosophy, personally I don’t work that way. My advice would be to visualize your goals and set a plan for achieving them so that when you arrive in LA you’re ready to get to work. A quote I love by inventor Charles Kettering is “A problem well-stated is half-solved.” If there is something you would like to change or attain, clearly define what it is and a plan of action will begin to take form. Once you can see where you’re going and have stepped foot on the path, it’s much harder to get lost.
Lots of our members join our group Brits in LA seeking out words of wisdom – what is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
My father told me to always be the same person, whether I was being looked at “through a camera lens or a contact lens.” I’m still early in my own journey but I do feel that in a city filled with many people that are trying to transform into what others want them to be, I’ve found that any opportunities I’ve had so far have been due to what I do differently as a magician. Genuine individuality and honesty (attributes that seem to be especially prevalent in Brits) are definitely traits I look up to and aspire to uphold.
Lastly, how can we find out more about you? Are you working on anything at the moment?
I’ve been releasing much more content recently, especially on Instagram. My username on all platforms is @blaiseserra, and my website is www.blaiseserra.com. I worked closely with the 2018 America’s Got Talent winner, Shin Lim, while he was competing. Now he is producing a collection of some of the advanced magic routines and techniques I have created to sell to magicians entitled “The One Armed Bandit,” which will be available at www.shinlimmagic.com this month.
