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konjurer Veteran user Iowa 395 Posts |
Presentation can turn the very simple into a miracle. There is a video of mentalist Benji Bruce doing "which hand" at a corporate gig. The reactions were very strong. The plot requires multiple people where each could have the object so the odds are much higher. That alone places this routine in the ranks of many, many other mentalism plots that use a limited set of outcomes such as a smash and stab. Bruce milks the process with new explanations so that each time he eliminates a person from stage he has exposes himself to being wrong; time after time. This provides a nice build up to the final reveal. Finally, the choice is down to 2 people - or one out of 4 hands and which time correctly identifies the hand. Brilliant presentation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_conti......5dzqzkR8
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Clever stuff goes here! |
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Shrubsole Inner circle Kent, England 2455 Posts |
Whatever the actual odds are or how you look at it, you can't take out human nature:
If you state that you will get it right 10 times in a row then do that, it seems impossible to the audience. Do it just once and some bright spark will say "Well it was only a 50/50 guess". Usually followed by "I bet you can't do it 5 times in a row!" Thereby setting the rules to when a human will find it impressive. Do it 10 times in a row and you will be a person with strange powers other do not have. So come on people, we are in the selling make-believe as entertainment business, so give the crowd what they think is impossible unless you do have special powers and they will convince themselves. Job done!
Winner of the Dumbringer Award for total incompetence. (All years)
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ProfessorMagicJMG Loyal user 257 Posts |
To me, more interesting than the fact that this is a 50-50 choice, is the fact that it is a binary duality. I will look forward to your book, and my presentation will probably bring in the concept of dualities, left versus right, acceptance versus rejection, danger versus safety, dream versus nightmare, comfort versus risk, on and on this could go. To make that which hand method very interesting to a spectator, I would think a sure fire method would be to present the whole thing as a mirror of their inner most thoughts and feelings, and make each successive choice about a different duality, building to present a picture that you could do as a reading or as a light entertainment. This could be spun in many different directions. Duality as a concept and as a psychological and philosophical idea has always been fascinating to me, and the simple which hand plots combined with interesting methods could pull the attention away from you the performer and back on to the spectator in interesting ways, but with the eerie connection of your apparent clairvoyance. Which you could probably chalk up to body language or subtle energy vibrations or whatever, that becomes stronger because with each binary choice, you are building more more clear picture of who they really are. And if you really want to engender goodwill, you could present this not as an instance of mind reading, but of your empathic desire to truly come to know the person and make a deep connection; everybody wants to be truly known and accepted for who they are, and this might be a way of revealing this in a safe and comfortable way that is interesting and yet has a very meaningful impact because of the mystical experience.
Specifically, how I see this playing out in my mind is that with each time the spectator hides whatever it is in their hand, your redefine what that particular phase means: for instance the first time you do it it might be about whether the person is an extrovert or an introvert, and the next time it might be about whether the person is judging or perceiving like in the Myers-Briggs test, but then maybe the next time you say It’s about whether you will go to the beach or to the mountains, or whether you’re closer to your parents or your children, and so on and so on. So if you continue to have success is in your predictions, it may be because you are getting a clearer and clearer picture of the person, because their walls are coming down and their “tells” getting easier to read, which means that you’re building a deeper connection, and that as you learn more about who they are, they are also learning more about themselves, and confirming their own identity, which is very comforting and pleasing to people. The which hand test could become one of the most profound experiences of your whole show for that person.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - Clarke's 3rd Law
"Any sufficiently primitive technology can mystify a postmodern audience." - JMG's Corollary to Clarke's 3rd Law |
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John C Eternal Order I THINK therefore I wrote 12945 Posts |
Somehow derren makes it entertaining.
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mindhunter Inner circle Upstate NY 2280 Posts |
Quote:
On Sep 20, 2018, Waters. wrote: Nailed it..... Thanks, guys. Bryn
Bryn D. Reynolds, Author of:
"The Safwan Papers" & "The LOGAR Scrolls" Mentalism ebooks - PM any interest. My artwork: https://darkmountainarts.com |
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John C Eternal Order I THINK therefore I wrote 12945 Posts |
If you have to say Myers Briggs performing which hand you've already made it too complex.
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Waters. Special user 703 Posts |
Quote:
On Sep 24, 2018, John C wrote: Only for ISTJ’s |
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John C Eternal Order I THINK therefore I wrote 12945 Posts |
Quote:
On Sep 24, 2018, Waters. wrote: WHAT? |
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Waters. Special user 703 Posts |
It’s a poor attempt at Myers Briggs humor. Nothing personal against ISTJ’s.
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Steven Keyl Inner circle Washington, D.C. 2630 Posts |
I thought it was funny.
Steven Keyl - The Human Whisperer!
B2B Magazine Test! Best impromptu progressive Ace Assembly ever! "If you ever find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause, and reflect." --Mark Twain |
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mindhunter Inner circle Upstate NY 2280 Posts |
Quote:
On Sep 20, 2018, Lior wrote: I concur. This is the presentational angle (mostly eye nystagmus) I go with in my routine. Bryn
Bryn D. Reynolds, Author of:
"The Safwan Papers" & "The LOGAR Scrolls" Mentalism ebooks - PM any interest. My artwork: https://darkmountainarts.com |
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Marc O Special user The Netherlands 755 Posts |
After seeing Ted Karmilovich Penguin lecture everything fell in place....
Now I use 2 persons, making it a test between them two. In the end I show them that all of there choices where allready known to me. |
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Greg Arce Inner circle 6732 Posts |
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On Oct 12, 2018, Marc O wrote: I've always loved the idea of using 2 persons in the process... and proving I knew what would happen all along. I believe I once pasted something out of my book, Lost In Thought, an effect I call Four Eyes. Here it is again: FO(U)R EYES THE WHAT: The performer shows a little box that contains both a half dollar and small plastic ball. He brings up a young lady and a young man. He has the young lady pick either object, but not show the object to anyone. The performer is able to instantly tell her what object she picked. Now the performer and the young lady play a game of hide and seek... she continues to hide her object in either hand and the performer tries to guess which hand... he guesses right every time. After several correct guesses, the performer has the young man pick up the object that was left by the lady and put it openly in either of his hands. The performer makes the stipulation that if he puts it in his right hand then she must put her object in her left and vice-versa. The young man decides openly and the performer has a third spectator open up a prediction that has been in full view and the prediction details not only the outcome of this game, but what object the lady originally picked. THE HOW: For those that have Charles Gauci’s Eye to Eye then you already know how you guess which hand contains the object. You can probably also guess that both objects in that box will work for the guessing game. First, my compliments to Mr. Gauci for having provided such a well-made gimmick and idea. I was instantly attracted to it when I saw him perform and lecture on this effect. As with everything I see, I decided to tweak it a bit and make it a longer premise and routine. The routine I described above is the one I use to open my stage show. I felt that it was a fooler, had me in the midst of the audience already and, at the same time, was a bit intimate. I also liked the fact that later on in the show I could explain that some people thought the routine was just a fifty-fifty shot, but that in reality it was a series of fifty-fifty shots that could have gone wrong at any time. Here’s what you’ll need: Mr. Gauci’s Eye to Eye effect, or any similar ones out there that allow you to know what objects the spectator holds in their closed hands, but I feel Gauci’s is the best out there. Two different objects that have the properties needed to allow you to know what hand holds the object. A small box that will hold both objects in separate sides of the box. And some metal shavings that have been colored to look like small fragments from the box. My box is a small wooden box that has a lid which nests on top. It is a pretty fragile box that I painted red. I filled the box with a yellow sponge that I then carved out two spots to hold the half and the ball... each object is in its own space and inches away from the other object. When you open the box, the objects look like two rings sitting in a ring box. Directly below the area where the ball sits, I have cut out a hole about the size of a quarter on the bottom of the box. I also carved away a bit of the sponge so that there is just a small wall of sponge directly beneath the ball. I then took some thin sheet metal shavings and painted them red. These shavings look like tiny fragments that might have fallen from the box. When the ball is set in its place, if you put the shavings directly beneath the hole in the box, they will be attracted up and stick to the sponge. If you remove the ball, the shavings will fall down. That’s the secret of knowing what object was picked. Not an original idea from me... it’s been done before to know what objects are pulled out of a box or holder. For the predictions: I have two Himber wallets that each contains two predictions. One wallet contains these predictions – (1st prediction) THE LADY ORIGINALLY CHOSE THE HALF DOLLAR SO THE MAN GOT THE BALL. NOW HE HAS THE BALL IN HIS LEFT HAND AND SHE HAS THE HALF IN HER RIGHT, (2nd prediction) THE LADY ORIGINALLY CHOSE THE HALF DOLLAR SO THE MAN GOT THE BALL. NOW HE HAS THE BALL IN HIS RIGHT HAND AND SHE HAS THE HALF IN HER LEFT. The other wallet has these two predictions: - (1st prediction) THE LADY ORIGINALLY CHOSE THE LITTLE BALL SO THE MAN GOT THE HALF DOLLAR. NOW HE HAS THE HALF IN HIS LEFT HAND AND SHE HAS THE BALL IN HER RIGHT, (2nd prediction) THE LADY ORIGINALLY CHOSE THE LITTLE BALL SO THE MAN GOT THE HALF DOLLAR. NOW HE HAS THE HALF IN HIS RIGHT HAND AND SHE HAS THE BALL IN HER LEFT. I know that sounds like a mouthful, but it covers all the solutions. I originally wanted to give them the chance to place the objects in the same hand, but that caused me to have too many outs to worry about. This ending is enough and has gotten great reactions when I’ve performed it. Back to the routine: I always try to pick a couple... like a wife & husband, boyfriend & girlfriend, etc. When I bring them up, I put the girl to my right and the guy to my left. In my stage show, I liked to sit at the edge of the stage with them so it looked casual and intimate. I would open the box and display the objects inside to the audience. After that display, I would turn to the lady and say, “In a moment, I want you to pick one of these objects, but I really want you to decide which object you would like before picking it out. Make a strong decision as to which object you want and go for it. Please keep the box turned so no one sees which object you picked... especially me. Tell me when you’ve picked your object.” I turn away from her so that the audience can see that I cannot see her actions. Some times I turn to the man and have some light banter with him as the lady picks her object. When she calls out that she is done I turn around. At that moment there are times when I already know what she took because she moved the box in her actions and I see the red shavings. If I don’t see them I don’t take it as a positive that she removed the half. To make sure of the decision I pick up the box, without really looking at it, as I place it near the guy and say, “This will be for you... later.” Having done that I can now see which object she took, but I don’t immediately reveal it. Oh, here is something that happened so maybe you can learn from this experience: In one show, while I had my back turned, I heard the lady pick up the object and close the box... I then heard a brushing sound. I realized she had seen the little pieces and brushed them off the table to clean it off. I think it was an involuntary reaction on her part, but luckily I caught that or I would have been wrong from the start. So listen to everything that is happening around you. Back to the action: Since I now know what object she picked, I can now pull out the appropriate wallet. I always keep the wallet that has her holding the half on my right side. I pull it out and say this, “Oh, and here is a prediction for the end of this little game.” I hand that wallet to someone in the front row to hold. I then look up at the audience and say the following: “Now some think that I placed those two objects randomly into the box, but that is not so. Those objects reveal a bit about a person’s make up... let me tell you how. If the person picks the ball they tend to go for the fun side of life... not a hundred percent, but a little more than most.” “For instance, a person that picks the ball could be working on some important tax papers one night and suddenly get a call from a friend who has tickets to Gigli 2. The fun person would say, ‘Sure, let’s go out. I’ll take care of this another day.’” “The person that picks the half has more of the business side of life in their system... not a hundred percent... just more than most. That person, if they were working on important papers, might get a call from a friend that says, ‘I just got tickets to Johnny Depps’ new movie, and it’s a private screening, and we can have dinner with him after the show!’ Well, the half person would say, ‘Sounds great, but I really have to get these papers done. Maybe next time.” As soon as I finish that line I turn dramatically towards the lady and say, “So now I have to figure out if you are a fun person or a business person.” I study her for a bit and make some comments. If she has family or friends in the audience you can hear them snickering or making comments. I suddenly say, “You know, you look like a person that has a lot of fun in life... but I think you decided to be more business-like tonight... show them the half.” She reveals the half and I get my first round of applause. I continue by saying, “Now that I know a bit about you let’s play a little game. I want you to take the half behind your back and decide which hand to keep it in. When you’re done, bring back both hands and keep them closed in tight fists. Try not to give me a hint as to which hand contains the half.” She does this and I usually turn away a bit so that no one thinks I’m trying to get a peek at her. When she comes out with both hands, I face her... we both have our sides to the audience, I say to her, “I want you to pretend that you have a tiny voice you can send down your arm and into your hands. This tiny voice will whisper in my ear, ‘It’s in this hand’ or ‘It’s in this hand’, but I really want you to imagine that voice and how it’s sent down your arm, into your hands and then whispers in my ear.” When I say those things to her, I mime with my closed fists and put my fists right next to my ears as if I’m hearing a whisper. These actions allow me not to go near her or touch her hands... she does all the actions I need by pretending to whisper in my ears with her closed fists. So I usually do the guessing game about three times... not much more than that. Also, as of lately, I tend to use two of the Gauci gimmicks so I know exactly which hand has what... I don’t want to guess as to what I think is happening. Those that have it will know what I mean. Okay, back to the action. I’ve guessed correctly, three times in a row, where the object is hidden and I turn to the guy and say, “You have the final word here. In a moment I want you to decide whether you will put the ball in your right hand or left... but, mind you, whatever you do then the young lady has to do the opposite. So if you put the ball in your left hand then she must put the half in her right or vice-versa. And you will do this out in the open so we can all see what you decide on.” So he decides, let’s say, to put the ball in his right hand and the lady then puts the half in her left. I go over what has happened, including the fact that things would have ended differently if the lady had chosen the ball to begin with. I reach forward and open the wallet that is being held by the spectator. I ask them to pull out the one paper that’s inside and read it out loud. As they read the paper, I point back and forth between the two spectators to show the correct elements within the prediction. So, as they read, “The young lady first chose the half so that means the young man got the ball.” I point from right to left at the proper objects and who is holding them. For the sake of completeness, I always code which side I open the wallet by what the lady is holding in the end and which hand. So, if she has the ball in her right hand then I open the wallet from the right side and so on. Of course, you can figure out which way would be best for you to remember which wallet or envelope to take out in the beginning and which side to open. Also, you could set this as a multiple out premise and have four predictions hidden somewhere and then point out the correct one when it is time. I feel that’s not as strong as having what appears to be a prediction that’s been out for practically the entire routine. This is a brilliant effect by Charles Gauci and I hope I've given you an idea on how to add impact to this effect. And for those that wonder, I titled the effect Fo(u)r Eyes because of the four outs that are needed to do this version of Eye to Eye.
One of my favorite quotes: "A critic is a legless man who teaches running."
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Cryptghost New user 65 Posts |
Some great ideas here, thanks for sharing, I am studying a good routine that makes into a more Mentalist approach, while I do not want to go into techniques I am working on an idea that incorporates elements of Banacheks Psychological Subtleties and Max Maven.
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magicmind Inner circle My fence has 20, 3218 Posts |
I began collecting a few of these effects this year. V2 and then the book by Manos, weber effect of the same style. I have mindhunters other masterpiece and cannot wait to read this one!
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Papa Legba Special user home-an unremarkable spiral arm of an insignificant galaxy 750 Posts |
Greg, that's a beautiful routine. thx.
Does anybody know if 'eye to eye' is available to buy anywhere, or perhaps it's in one of Gauci's books or lectures?
Use the FORCE Luke.
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mindhunter Inner circle Upstate NY 2280 Posts |
Quote:
On Oct 15, 2018, magicmind wrote: Thanks... I'll have a new collection out this winter. Some great thinking in this thread, guys. Bryn
Bryn D. Reynolds, Author of:
"The Safwan Papers" & "The LOGAR Scrolls" Mentalism ebooks - PM any interest. My artwork: https://darkmountainarts.com |
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Steven Conner Inner circle 2720 Posts |
Greg provided a great routine.
Steve
"The New York Papers," Mark Twain once said,"have long known that no large question is ever really settled until I have been consulted; it is the way they feel about it, and they show it by always sending to me when they get uneasy. "
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aligator Inner circle Canada 2044 Posts |
Sorry, but this time I am in disagreement with many gentleman that I revere. We can't agree all the time. I consider presentation a personal strength but I continue to believe that which hand has no place in a mystery performance. It is strictly for informal parties and one on one as far as I am concerned.
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Mindpro Eternal Order 10586 Posts |
While I like Greg's effect, I tend to agree with you, but many that "which hand" appeals to are not actual entertainers and rarely stage performers. Sure you can find some that have done it, but there is so much more and better material to choose from that is much more impressive and impactful to an audience..I have yet to see a performer do which hand that wasn't more impressed and doing it for themselves than truly for their show, audience or market.
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