Welcome Behind the Scenes – B1 The Magic

Have you ever been asked your top 5 shows of all time?

Which names immediately come to mind? With so many, it's hard not to leave out some classics. The Shawshank Redemption has to be there, right? Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is one of my personal favorites. And what else? Hollywood blockbusters? A live show in Las Vegas? A Broadway performance in New York? Ringside seats at a (kick)boxing title fight? My own mother playing in a local musical? 

Surprisingly, the most entertaining show I have ever attended was in near-home territory: Zaantheater, Zaandam, 2014. My best friend and I went to see Hans Kazan live. Incredible! Almost indescribable. Sitting on the edge of my seat is an understatement—we were amazed every nanosecond. Instead of bunnies like I expected from old TV shows, there were beautiful women in bikinis coming out of a magic hat. What the f***, he's going to saw her in half! Is she still alive? How did he do that? Before I can even ask my friend if he has any idea where we can buy that hat, something crazy already appears. Fire, watch out! Who can disappear that fast? Wait, I figured it out! Okay, I didn't…

Anyone who's seen those shows wants to sneak behind the curtains.

For me, it's not only about magic. After reading a book or watching a movie—especially a series—I'm always left with questions. How did they come up with that idea? Why choose that location? Were there alternative versions of that scene? Who taught Davy Jones to play the piano?

Well, I ask myself those same questions while writing. Welcome to my version of “Behind the Scenes.” Here you can find out how my scenes and characters came to fruition. Who inspired me to choose that name? Where did the idea for that scene come from? Which “hat” did I pull from to describe that charming female character? Fun fact: sometimes I know exactly where the inspiration comes from. Other times, I realize it much later—wait, I've been to that place before, or I saw a similar moment in a movie.

So, without further ado—subscribe and take a peek behind the curtains.

And who knows, maybe one day we'll be lucky enough to rewatch my mom's local musical on DVD. As always, feel free to share your thoughts. Or at least let me know where I can find a similar magic hat.