We spoke to the veteran magician about his new ABC special, "The Magic Maker," and it's all about him helping ordinary people wow loved ones with out-of-this-world feats that deceive the eyes.

Of course, Adam and the network had to figure out who exactly was deserving of getting crowned with an honorary magician's hat ... and he explains how that process worked.

Sounds like Adam and co. did, in fact, hone in on the best sorts of people -- everyone from children's doctors to firefighters and service members ... and even head over heels in love folks.

That last mention is a nod to what looks like an incredible stunt Adam was somehow able to pull off with a guy proposing to his GF ... leading up to it with a walk on water that seems way too real to believe.

That's just one of the many incredible magic tricks Adam teaches others ... and he did it live, on camera. The special was obviously pre-taped, but word is -- all the tricks were performed front and center without any assistance from video editing.