Magician Andi Gladwin's hunt for pirates becomes documentary 'Stealing Magic'

Magician Andi Gladwin, owner of Vanishing Inc., one of the world's largest online magic stores, discovered his original magic tricks were being pirated and sold online in 2017. Instead of legal action, he personally tracked down the thieves across Serbia, Belgium, France, and Egypt, confronting them face-to-face. His quest caught the attention of video game developer Randy Pitchford, who helped turn it into the documentary 'Stealing Magic'. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2024. Gladwin emphasizes that the issue is not just financial—he fears piracy stifles creativity in magic. The documentary has drawn interest from US lawmakers and computing experts.