From the mainstream to the avant garde and specialized, Ben Robinson is credited as a consultant in two recent books and a student documentary.

In hit author Donna Tartt's new (2002) novel The Little Friend (seen left) Robinson is the very first person thanked at the end of the book for research on Houdini.

At right, noted parapsychologist George P. Hansern mentions Robinson three times in the first two pages to his 2001 master opus on trickster theory and the paranormal. Students at Ithaca College taped an interview with Ben Robinson discussing his past as a street performer, and used many quotes from the magician in their final proposal. Robinson has helped dozens of filmmakers, researchers with TV episodes (CSI Miami, CNN News, The Daily Show) and independent film directors depicting the art of magic.

From Ben Robinson's article Advertising Abracadabra: "Often the conceit of magic is made plausible by a company message or brand name. In 2001 I consulted to America Works Inc. to get their message across with magic. I trained their sales team to make the slogan I created "America Works Magic!" appear on a letter opener that was left with the prospective buyers of their workforce services. America Works helped people get off welfare by acquiring job skills, then placed these eager and dependable employees in client companies."

Ben Robinson is called upon by the arts and entertainment industry, as well as by government agencies and corporations, to deliver important messages, design unique special effects, create memorable events, and seal deals.

He specializes in corporate communications, conjuring attractive messages that reach intended targets. Notably he has:

• captured Times Square press event for the Delta Society;
• convened an international biotechnology forum of science pioneers and policy makers at UC-Berkeley;
• secured a multi-million dollar license for a European manufacturer of U.S. airplane designs;
• raised the response rate for a Italian fashion firm from less than 5% to over 95%;
• represented New York's HipBone Records for international licenses of its souful underground dance music.

Notable achievements:

FOR THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY:

•  Designed sideshow illusions for MacArthur Award-winning Director Martha Clarke's off-Broadway show,The Hunger Artist.
• Taught Diane Keaton to pull a rabbit from a hat for her film The Lemon Sisters.
• Coordinated the stars of New York's downtown avant-garde for Lincoln Center 's galaLive Art - Downtown Comes Uptown.
• Created a frighteningly-realistic mutilation illusion in a video installation by multi-media artist Kate Teale.
• Designed a dis-embodied living head to sing in the off-Broadway show The Frankenstein Musical.
• Directed the magic sequence for Hershey Amusement Park's ampitheatre show.

FOR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES & CORPORATIONS:

• Advised the U.S. Department of Treasury on security measures to eradicate counterfeiting and to spot concealed weapons.
• Assisted the Italian Trade Commission in pitching entrepreneurial ventures to American investors.
• Helped publisher Charles Shain pitch Newsweek Magazinefor multi-million dollar advertising accounts.
• Enhanced marketing lecture delivered world-wide by Ted Bates Advertising Vice President.
• Planned entertainment for The Japanese Travel Bureau's client events, including the New York celebration of Tokyo's oldest bank.
• Assisted noted toy-and-game designer Mark Setteducati in styling Jumbo's best-selling Magic Showcase.