Huh, I never thought about "consulting magician" as a career. Sort of like the professional songwriters who work for music labels, ghostwriting for dozens of bands.
Given that these exist, I wonder how many magicians with a signature trick got it from a consultant instead of inventing it. Are a few people creating all the world's magic acts?
You should watch Jonathan Creek - a murder mystery series about a consulting magician. Pure fiction but rekindled my childhood interest in magic. I'm currently, slowly, teaching myself card magic now. Starting with The Royal Road.
Given that these exist, I wonder how many magicians with a signature trick got it from a consultant instead of inventing it. Are a few people creating all the world's magic acts?