Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Pablo Amirá
Art is a lie that makes us realize truth
Pablo Picasso
I first Met Pablo in Greece a few months ago, after he contacted me letting me know that he
happened to be in Greece. We arranged for a meeting and he was kind enough to show me some
of his ideas.
I was amazed to see a young performer being familiar with some Mentalism Techniques that
some even more experienced mentalists do not know.
He then told me about his plans to release soon a book with some of his ideas, which happens to
be the one you are reading at the moment.
Pablo was very kind in providing me a copy of his work before it was released; I started reading
it immediately after I received it.
I love the way performers and inventors mix different concepts in order to create a new effect
or a new presentation; I love it EVEN MORE when that mixture involves psychology, suggestion
or other similar sciences, it fits my style so perfectly.
I offered to write the introduction for Pablo’s new book. It is my belief that you will find within
these pages some if not new ideas (which I bet you will find) at least some inspiration to find
new ways to perform. And even more important, some ways to keep your performances CLEAN
and SIMPLE which in my belief is one of the biggest keys to delivering Mentalism in its highest
degree to the audience.
Pablo, I like your material and I am proud of your work.
To you as a reader, I am sure you will enjoy Pablo’s work, as he has made sure to place it in
simple terms in these pages for you to understand and therefore put it into practice within your
performances.
Nefesch
2010
A uthor’s words
The premise of this e-book is about mentalism that you can perform without carrying any
objects such as paper, pen, wallets, cards, NW, etc.
I want to share 5 effects that I use constantly in impromptu performances and also in other
places such as stage, close up and walkaround.
These are simple ideas, easy to follow effects and bold methods.
If you as a performer had problems with your impromptu routines and you want to live knowing
that you can perform miracles anywhere, consider these demonstrations in your repertoire.
Borrow a few things and create mental experiences for your audience.
I hope that you enjoy these pages and study the real important things such as the psychology
behind each effect and subtleties that you can find.
And more important, add your own experience and the things that you consider as important.
This is the starting point for these effects. Only your creativity is the end.
5. The Frankenstein Experiment: 3 participants will be creating life, and you, astonishing
moments of mindreading.
Each participant thinks in different characteristics of this new creature, and you are able to
reveal it.
A kind of 4th D Telepathy with an interesting presentation behind it.
But one day the final answer came to me, and now it’s evolved into som ething else that I love and enjoy
performing.
Effect
You need
How?
The method is simple in nature. Suggestion, psychological finesses and muscle reading for
knowing the numbers on the coin.
For me this effect is like a way to practice such tools that we as mentalist have (patterns,
psychological finesse and MR). If you think about it, there are real mind powers.
Creating and changing reality in the life (at least for a few minutes) of a participant is a very
important, attractive and powerful tool, and with the first phase of this effect, you can
accomplish that.
First you borrow a coin. But how can you know which coin he will take and reveal it later? Easy,
just ask for it.
But I know that you understand that this action needs to be subtle.
Imagine yourself talking with your participant about this experiment, and asking for a coin
(ambiguous language), and saying with a softer voice, “a quarter” (or a typical coin in your
country).
Just wait the moment that you know that your participant has the coin securely in her hands
and say:
You need to have in your personal subtext something like “I can do it with any coin “, and
immediately say to him:
“Look carefully that I a m not near your coin (coin, not quarter), because, believe it or not, in a
moment I will read your thoughts and know some things about your coin from your pocket”.
(Photo 1)
I see hypnosis as a dual reality experience, because if the participant isn’t in a profound trance,
your audience will believe that the coin was heavier, and the participant after that, really feels
the coin hotter. So even if this phase doesn’t work very well, the audience with feel that this
works wonderfully.
In the Possible Dialogue section, you can see a guideline about the patter, but really the
important thing is just do it with your total confidence, confidence that you need to express
first in your non verbal communication, and also in your verbal communication.
You can use A LOT of different psychological bits and finesses to enhanced the odds and create
that “hypnotic dual reality “.
For example in the “Hot Coin” part:
“And just come back and open your eyes slowly when you don’ t feel the warm th of the coin
anymore” (thanks Kenton!).
If the participant doesn’t feel a change in the coin, you’re secretly put the idea, in your audience,
that he really felt the coin getting hotter, because you said “anymore”.
Understanding language patterns is a necessity here, so even if you don’t know anything about
this, buy Wonder Words by Kenton Knepper,
After the suggestion part, comes the mindreading phase.
The first mindreading moment comes with the revelation of the type of coin that he has in his
fist. You can jazz here of course, and use your theatrical abilities, because you already know
what type of coin he has. After that bold revelation comes the revelation of the date.
Here is where contact mindreading and non- contact mindreading comes into play.
If you don’t know what contact mindreading is, close this e-book right now and get
“Psychophysiological Thought Reading” by Banachek. (You can keep this e-book open), or find
the video “Psi-Series” part 3.
If you divide the date in an ABCD format, it will be something like this:
A: 1 or 2
B: If the coin has 1, obviously 9 is the 2nd one. If the number is 2, obviously it’s 0
C: If the coin is “19XX”, the 3rd one can be 8 or 9. If the coin is “20XX”, the 3° ones can be 0 or
1.
D: If the coin its “198X, can be 0 to 9, the same with “199X” and “200X”.If the coin is “201X”, the
last digit can only be 0 ( at least today ).
So as you can see, the route in A and C are binary, the B depends on A.
D is the more complicated one but more fun also.
My strategy it’s to use MR in A and C (only 2 options), and NCMR for D (0 thru 9).
2
If you feel resistance with the vertical move, it means that the number is 2 and the same in
reverse. It’s very simple but you need practice. You can practice with any effect where you can
force the thought.
With this technique, you can know the A number, and with A you know B, so when you recognize
and read the number you can announce both:
“I a m feeling that you’re thinking in the number 1, am I right? “ If the participant said “Yes”, you
can say: “excellent, so of course (with a little laugh ) the 2 ° its 9 ….. I don’ t need to be a
mindreader to know that”.
With this line you’re implying that you’re really reading the spectator thoughts, and honestly,
that’s the truth.
For the 3rd digit, use the same “cross” technique”, and jazz it a little bit.
In this part your mindreading character comes into play. Act and be as confident as you can. If
you have a mistake, it’s ok, just keep going, you know that already.
So, you know the first 3 digits; let’s go with the fourth digit, the most fun part.
For this one I used NCMR. I used an idea from the Banachek´s book about knowing a thought of
number.
Just ask to your participant to close the eyes. When he has his eyes closed, you just tell him that
when he listens to his thought of number, just imagine in his mind a big red stop sign raising
from the ground and touching the sky, and shout in his mind STOP!! (In my experience, this
visualization needs to be extremely strong and exaggerated, so tell this to your participants).So,
if you pay very close attention to your participant, you can detect when his eyes will move and
his body language will change.
You can go from 1 to 9, or randomly. My personal preference is going 0 thru 9.
Just one time will be enough to detect a few changes in one specific number. If you had trouble
with 2 or more numbers, tell them:
“Good, I think that you’re thinking in X… (Pause a little bit. If X is the number, you had your
climax, but if it isn’t…) or Y“, and proceed again with the NCMR.
This subtlety it’s very interesting, because you can know in advance that Y is the number
(because there ´s no reaction in X), so you can step back and say:
If you fail in the revelation (it’s never happened to me…but) just move on. Perform another
effect, or just put the participant into a trance, and do it in the hypnotic way (“Reverse
Mindreading” by Anthony Jacquin).
Possible Dialogue
Ok Valerie , so you want to see something? Do you want to feel and experience strange things?
Can you do that? ….Ok. Excellent.
Do you know that you have a miracle in your purse? As strange as this sound. Take out your
purse.
Take a coin, a quarter (wait until she takes a coin), or anyone of course and hold it firm ly in
your fist. (Take attention off of the coin at the moment).
Look carefully that I am not near your coin because, believe it or not, in a moment I will read
your thoughts and know some things about your coin from your pocket.
Do you have it firm ly? Ok. Clear your mind, put your feet together and close your eyes (building
compliance).
(Heavy Coin)
In a moment you will feel that this coin has a heavy weight.
An as you are aware of the increasing weight of the coin , you can feel how your hand is pulling
down , and as you feel you hand getting a little tired you can feel the coin becoming heavier
(Suggestions for heavy coin. Just watch and pace). That’s right, more and more. You definitely
feel more weight,
Yes , it’s weird.
You definitely felt the coin getting heavier.
(Hot Coin)
Now, you will feel something more bizarre, because the coin starts to heat up now.
(Strong voice) You can feel right now that this coin is pulsing, almost like it’s breathing,
getting warmer, hotter, more and more. It’s strange, but it’s ok, it’s all in your mind.
Keep your hands closed with your coin and jus t come back (more relaxed voice and
attitude) and open your eyes slowly when you don ’t feel the warm th of the coin anymore.
(Participant with tight fist and eyes open) You feel strange things , right?
Yes , like warmness in m y hand
Excellent, now we will do something amazing, but I need your full attention. (Serious attention)
It’s 50 % m y work, but also 50 % is in your hands. Ok? Ok, let’s do it.
I will look in another direction ; you just take a peek and remember the date in your coin (you
look in another direction, and continue)
(Mindreading)
Remember that I never saw your coin, yes? (Nod your head) Yes , I have it in m y fist.
Great, because first I want to know which type of coin you have. Don ’t say anything out loud.
Di me, penny, quarter (all the typical coins that the participant could take ).
Say it in your mind! (Stare in the eyes) Your coin is a quarter, right? (Wait for answer). Yes
Excellent, you are very good at this.
(Without pausing)
Now think of the first digit in the date of your quarter. (Take the participant’s fist).
Of course it can be “1” (Vertical move) or “2 ” (Horizontal move). Just tell me with your mind and
think vertical move for 1 or horizontal move for 2 .
(5- 7 seconds later) I am feeling that you ’re thinking of the number 1, a m I right? .Yes.
Excellent, so of course (with a little laugh) the 2 nd one is 9. I don ’t need to be a mindreader to
know that (gag).
Now the third number, the same thing. Just think vertical if the number is “8”, or horizontal if
the number is “9”. Think it loudly; tell me with your mind.
I am not sure, is it 8? No. Ok, no problem, just focus more, it’s ok. (Utilize that mistake as a
dramatic build up).
The year of your coin, your quarter its 1998 isn ’t it? Yes!!!
(She opens her eyes, it’s always automatic)
Good job, you are very good at this.
(End )
Ideas
(Photo 2)
2. Find out what the most commonly found years for your coin are. Make a mini index in your
pocket with 3-4 BENT coins of these different dates. If at the end of this effect the date on the
coin matches one of your bent, indexed coins; go for a subtle switch on the offbeat (when people
are reacting to the first effect) and you’ll have another strong ending. Don’t mention the date
again after bending the coin, let the audience find out for themselves. (This idea is from Mauricio
Jaramillo)
As I said in the beginning of the effect that the inspiration came to me in a bus as a creative
challenge.
I know that Derren Brown has a revelation of a borrowed coin, but this effect is different.
Credits to Kenton Knepper and his work in language patterns for mentalists and also in the use
of trances to engage performances, and Banachek for his work in MR.
The secret to creativity is knowing
how to hide your sources
Albert Einstein
I.D.S. (Impromptu Dummy Sequence)
This idea came from an impromptu coin transposition that I performed in my coin magician
times. This it a better use I think right now.
More than one effect, this it’s a sequence where you can prepare an impromptu dumm y billet
for one on one situations preferably and perform amazing Mentalism without prior preparation.
A participant thinks of a drawing in his mind. After a few tries, the mentalist says to him that it’s
better to write in one word the main idea of his drawing on a piece of paper.
The mentalists prepare 2 papers, one for the participant, and the other one stays for a while in
the mentalist’s pocket for later.
The performer tries to sense some ideas of the mental drawing, ending with the revelation of
the thought of drawing.
Effect
You need
How?
Amongst the many different approaches to mindreading, you need to secretly know the
information that you participant is thinking. This one is based on a billet switch and a full peek of
the billet.
Grab a piece of paper and follow me. I am right handed, so change everything if you are
left handed.
The important thing right here is that this ISN’T A MOVE, you are just taking the same paper.
Your subtext needs to be: “where can we put this unimportant piece of paper? Ahh just under
the cup”.
Mr. Cassidy talked to me while I am writing; he said:” Please don’t look at the paper when you do
a switch” (I am a little crazy. And you too.)
So you can put the dummy under the cup (or whatever), maintaining the billet with the
information in your left hand in finger palm.
You can play as long as you want to, creating a mindreading scenario without knowing anything
yet. When you want to know what the participant thought is, just “take your paper” from your
pocket (in reality the participant’s billet), read it boldly with the motivation to say:
You can boldly show the billet to someone, hiding any writing with your thumb (thanks Mr.
Cassidy), and use this same paper for revealing the
thought. (Photo 1)
Of course you
need to cover all
the little letters
(Photo 1)
So, you in reality are capable in this moment of receive some impressions, because you are
reading the participant’s billet. (Evil laughs)
You are thinking….. How can I use the same billet as a “blank paper” for revealing the participant
thoughts and not be caught?
(Photo 2)
With this you have more room for the revelation and hide the actual word that your participant
wrote.
Now, it’s necessary to hide the little letters.
You can for example:
(Photo 3)
Or just change your mind as an afterthought and reveal the word mind to mind only, discarding
all the evidence, taking the 2 billets out of play.
So you can use this sequence to reveal a thought via drawing, or via words.
After you write your revelation on the participant’s billet, you can give the paper to the
participant to hold, while you take the “dummy” billet and “read” their thought (if you follow me,
you are reading a blank paper), but we can do it as mentalists, right?
You can use the subtlety to “show” the blank paper (just a flash) to another person in the
audience and create the idea that you show the paper with the thought of your participant.
As I said, this isn’t only one effect. You can use your wonderful creativity and come up with
more options and psychological finesses.
Possible Dialogue
Yes Rose, I am a mentalist . I can give the illusion or in a real manner read your thoughts.
Do you want to try something? Of course! (Very open to experience, haha). Maybe we will use
this (show the paper and pen).
Ok, in your mind just think of a simple image, like a house, a boat, something like that, ok?
Say the word also, loudly in your mind, FLOWER, F LOWER (if you see astonishment, just stop
there of course ), or anything that you are thinking of.
(Real Mindreading state of mind, and guessing), (If this phase works, you had another miracle,
but if this doesn’t work)
Ok, I think that you need to focus a little more (with a friendly tone of voice), just write your
though in this piece of paper in only one word. If you are thinking in a boat, just write BOAT, but
it’s important that you write it in small letters, you will understand why in a second.
This piece is for later (false transfer and keep the billet in right hand finger palm).
Ready? Yes,
Just find a good place (offering your left hand in a casual manner) to put this (casually switch it,
with the motivation to put the important billet in your right hand) paper (the paper isn’t
important any more)
Ok, I asked to you to write the word in little letters because it’s necessary that you actually see
in your mind, that word growing more and more. Do it right now.
(Mindreading state of mind) Imagine that word growing more and more. (Increase the drama)
Imagine that drawing now; see it in your mind. Look at me, Do it!
(I will take the classic approach, for me it’s scratching out the word as a floor in the drawing)
Ok, you are doing very good, (Start guessing at this moment)
Your thought its something living , isn’t?
Yes.
Did you change your mind about this?
No, this was m y first thought.
Yes , eyes, hair… a lot. I think that I got it.
(Put the drawing revelation in his palm; take the “participant’s billet” and “read it”)
Check my drawing (as the participant takes your drawing, just pocket the blank paper, or just
swallow it).
Interesting , right?
Did you enjoy this mindreading experience? (Cool presupposition and also a good line to start a
conversation)
(End)
Ideas
1. As you can imagine, this sequence can be used with other cool ideas, such as Q&A, direct
mindreading about private information or Tervil-esque predictions.
2. The revelation of a “word that can be drawn” is my favorite with this one.
So I start this experiment without anything, just creating a scenario where the participant can
really feel that I am connecting with his thoughts. I try to sense a few things, and if the
participant (not me) cannot do it without any visual stimulation, I take the paper, tear 2 pieces,
and proceed with the sequence.
3. In the beginning, I can use a psychological force (or just statistics) and use that excellent
verbal subtlety:” Just think, flower, flower, flower, or anything that you had in mind”
If my participant its thinking of a flower, you have the best mental effect, but if it isn’t, just move
on.
I think that we (as mentalists) must work harder on our knowledge in theatre.
Imagine you as a child, playing with your mom. Then suddenly she said to you: “My little
monster”, while she’s laughing and giving you hugs. How do you respond? …. But she called you
monster…. Why?
Because the text here isn’t important, the important thing here is the subtext.
The subtext is the implied message or subject of something that is said or written.
Maybe we need (me first, of course!) to believe in our purpose as a Mentalist (entertain, create
mystery, astonishment, create real parapsychological experiences, etc.) a little more and work
harder in our subtext.
Understand who we are, and communicate our message more clearly and credible.
Have no fear of perfection - you 'll never reach it
Salvador Dali
Chronoincidence
I wanted to have a personal effect in m y watch that didn ’t need a writing
procedure, so I came up with this, and it has served me very well.
I perform this piece in casual performances and even on stage.
The mentalist invites 2 people to a coincidence experiment in time. (Peter will be the first
participant and Ana the second one)
Peter is invited to do some mental relaxation exercises and also to focus on a time.
Ana is invited to take off her watch and move the stem freely and stop turning when she feels
something strange happening inside her.
After that, the second participant freely stops the movement of the stem, the 2 times are
revealed and match perfectly!
Effect
Coincidence. A freely thought of time matches with a time freely selected on a watch.
You need
How?
The method for this effect is broken into parts. Basically there are 2 forces and a subtle dual
reality.
The first participant apparently only thought of any time (or wrote it on a paper if you want, it’s
not necessary), but that’s not the whole truth.
You invite the first participant to do some mental relaxation (this action is an excuse and a
motivation to talk secretly to the first participant), so you grab your 1st participant and create
some distance between him and the audience.
You invite to him to think of any time, but you also ask him to TELL YOU the thought of time.
It’s very important that you use the correct words, so I will give you a guideline, but you need to
work on your own patter, memorizing the important words (or all the dialogue as actors as we
are, I believe) and just do it, you know that better than me .
Of course, it’s necessary to choose correct participants also. My preference is to go with a man
and a lady, both nice looking and willing to participate and create a miracle. You can use your
own watch or borrow a watch (even better). I use the man for the mental relaxation and
selection of the time, and the lady to turn the stem. You can use also other options.
So you have your 2 willing participants in play.
When you talk with Peter, you can say something like:
“Ok Peter, the mental relaxation exercises are very simple. But first tell me a time . 2:45? Ok.
Just focus on that ti me in your mind. Imagine a big clock and see your thought of time. Don ’t tell
anyone your thought of time , ok? Because Ana could hear it and the effect is lost. “
So, the 1st participant its thinking of a time, doing the mental relaxation process and facing in
another direction , while you tell your audience the truth… well, half the truth.
“Peter is there (you point to him), doing a mental relaxation exercise . I asked him to think of any
time , and visualize it in his own mind. He will not tell anybody his thought, especially Ana,
because with Peter’s thought and Ana’s action, we will see something marvelous”.
Onstage, I can give a marker and a pen to Peter, and create another psychological layer.
When you are talking with Peter, and you know that the thought of time is 2:45 (for example),
you can say to him:
“Ok, just write in big letters 2 :45 or 14: 45, it’s your decision, ok? And as you are relaxing your
mind, visualize a big watch with your time ”.
Afterwards, when you talk with your audience you can add:
“Peter wrote an hour. He freely thought of any time and decided how he would write it, it was
his decision”, so with this the dual reality is created.
Your audience believed that he thought of and wrote the hour on the paper, and even decided
how he would write his thought, when you really know what the time is.
You take the borrowed watch, and use some line to direct attention a little bit about another
idea, while you are setting the watch. For example:
“You can see that if someone turns the ste m they can change the hour. 24 hours in a day, 60
minutes in each hour, 1440 different possibilities to one.”
In this moment you have the watch set to 2:45, and with a gentle push you can put the stem in
the first position, ready to force the hour.
Now you can invite your 2 nd participant to just connect with her intuition, and turn the stem until
she feels something, and just stop. She can do this action behind her back or just in front of you.
It’s important to tell her that when she stops turning, she must say out loud “Stop”, or “ I
stopped”.
As you your 1st participant is concentrating, and the 2 nd participant is turning the stem, you can
create a good scenario and talk with the audience while this is happening.
When she is finished, you just take the watch, push the stem (she can do it also) and let the
watch rest on her hand.
You can conclude, doing a good false summary, creating new memories, such as:
“Peter is thinking of any ti me and she turned the ste m, pushed in the stem, and she had the
watch on her hand”.
You tell the 1st participant to name for the first time the thought of time, (or show the paper).
And after that the 2 nd participant reveals the freely selected hour via turning the stem.
If you think about the effect, there are really 3 different realities, the effect for Peter, for Ana,
and the most astonishing for the whole audience
You can finish with a line for Peter:
Ok, your name? Peter. And you? Ana... Please give them a strong applause.
Are you a couple? Yes
Excellent, this will work. Each one of you will take part in this memorable moment in time in
different ways. Let’s start with you Peter.
I will ask to you to just do a simple thing. A relaxation mental exercise, just join me (take Peter
aside a few meters)
(Talking with Peter) Ok Peter, the mental relaxation exercises are very simple . But first tell me a
time. (With an uninterested voice)
2:45.
2:45? Ok. Just focus on that time in your mind.
Imagine a big clock and see your thought of time. Don ’t tell anyone your thought of time , ok?
Because Ana could hear it and the effect is lost.
Excellent, just close your eyes and keep concentrating.
Ok, you can see that if someone turns the stem, they can change the hour. 24 hours in a day, 60
minutes in each hour, 1440 different possibilities to one.
(At this moment, set the watch at the thought of time, and slightly push in the stem)
(To Peter) And as Ana is turning the watch’s stem, just concentrate on your thought and believe
that you can send her the time.
(Build the dramatic moment) There is 1 in 1440 possibilities, very i mprobable but not impossible .
I STOPPED!!
(To the audience) As you can understand , with this de monstration I take a lot of risks.
But I want you to remember 2 things.
First, that improbable things aren’t impossible, if you believe and work hard, you can
accomplish anything.
And second, I want you to remember this m ysterious moment that you are about to see.
(To Peter) Peter, for the first time tell the audience in a loud voice what your thought of ti me is .
2:45!!!
Ana , please turn over the watch and in a loud voice tell everyone the time on your watch
2:45!!!
(Applause Pose with your participants) Well done Ana, well done .
Peter, don’ t tell anyone how we did it.
(End)
Ideas
2. Because the theme of this effect is coincidence and preferably you will use a couple, you can
ask the first participant to think and tell you an important time that they as a couple have.
After the coincidence revelation, you can add something like:” I see in your mind Ana that this
time is important. Peter, can you tell to us why this is an important time?” He tells everybody
why, and you finish with a lovely moment. (I hope so….haha)
3. In a few performances I’ve used my own watch. My watch doesn’t have the 2 positions of the
stem, so I just t give my watch to the 2° participant and instruct her to turn the stem behind her
back.
She obviously feels the turn, but she doesn’t change the time, because the stem is pushed in.
Next I take the watch and “push in” the stem.
I learned the watch “force” from an effect on a video by Luke Jermay called “Synchronicity”.
I understand that this force appears to have been developed by Bev Bergeron.
I know thanks to my friend Matthew Shepherd that this dual reality idea appears also in a Max
Maven DVD, but i came up with this “relaxation exercise” idea independently.
Also (as I understand) my routine has similar points with Osterlind´s Watch Routine.
Thanks to Kenton Knepper for his dual reality concept and thoughts.
Without m ysteries, life would be very dull indeed.
What would be left to strive for if everything were known?
Charles de Lint
OHP (Open Hand Prediction)
My take on the classic “Open Prediction“ plot.
In the hands handling, any deck, no prior setup
The mentalist claims that he will do a very special thing, predict the future in an open way for
one participant. The open prediction is the 5 of clubs.
The participant it’s invited to do a simple procedure with his intuition, and put a card face down
in a face up deck.
The mentalist checks the face down card, revealing the 5 of clubs.
The participant enjoys a strange moment and the mentalist a good applause.
Effect
Precognition. One face down card matches with the mentalist’s open prediction.
You need
How?
The method it’s very simple, but needs to be broken down in steps
” You will do this , it’s very simple. Just take the cards and deal the cards face up onto m y hands
like this, and whenever you like, whenever you feel something in your intuition, please stop”.
When you say “ take the cards”, you turn the top card face up.
When you say “like this ”, take 2 cards back to back, taking the 5 of clubs with the indifferent
face up card.
The situation is: Your waiting hand has a face down 5 of clubs with an indifferent face up card on
top of it. The participant has the deck. (Photo 1)
(Photo 1)
(Photo 2)
When the participant stops the dealing process, you say:
When the card is placed face down, you need to get a little finger break below the face down
card.
After that, the participant freely flips all the other cards face up, meanwhile you can say:
(Photo 3)
Now, you need to switch the face downs cards in a subtle manner.
I do it via a simple Slip Cut (you can use a stylish Top cover pass, but I don’t bother).
In my presentation I invite the participant to stop somewhere in the middle, so a simple slip cut
is the best solution for me.
Slip cut the face up card with the guide of your pinky break , and with this simple move, you
place the indifferent face down card on the bottom, and put the 5 of clubs face down in the
middle.
Obviously you need to direct attention when you do the slip cut. I do it via a simple question:
” What did you feel when you put the card face down?” or
“What do you hear in your ears’ mind?” Or
“What is your grandpa’s last name?” (Joking of course).
At this moment, do the move without even thinking
about it.
This is the situation now:
Your hand, indifferent card face down, face up cards, 5
of clubs face down and face up cards (Photo 4)
(In this case, maintaining the ace of clubs on top keeps
the cards the same way as the participant saw them
before)
(Photo 4)
Your open prediction is correct, and everyone starts going crazy and starts a new religion
based on your miracle (this part is optional).
Possible Dialogue
I will do something with your deck that’s look strange but isn’ t, ok? Mm... Ok
I will predict the future, but don’t worry, I am not a psychic reader, I am a mentalist.
So I will predict a playing card that will be in your future.
And also there will be a strange prediction, because I will do it in an open manner.
I predict ( just take any card and put it around the middle, spot the 2 nd card from the top, and
make your open prediction) …the 5 of clubs . Ok?
Ok... Mentalist
You will do this, it’s very simple. Just take the cards (here is when you take the double card and
put it on your hand) and deal the cards face up in m y hands like this, and whenever you like ,
whenever you feel something in your intuition , please stop.
(The participant deals the card and stop near the middle)
No... Interesting.
Tell me, what did you feel when you put the card face down? (At this moment, just do a slip cut)
Why did you change your mind at the last second? Did you feel influenced by me at all?
Blablabla
Thanks, but you know, for me the future doesn’t exist... (Turn that moment into a conversation)
Idea
1. You can use the Dual reality idea in Chronoincidence to create a miracle…
Just think about it.
I know that the idea for the Open Prediction is from Paul Curry.
My inspiration was the effect itself. Excellent premise.
Verbal or Non Verbal?
I love scripting my routines and play with words and patterns (Mr. Knepper knows about that),
but one day this simple study created an explosion in my mind.
7 % Words!!!!! Wow
Also when I began to study hypnosis, I thought that words were magical, and with just a few
learned patterns you can suggest a trance state.
But I learned that your body language and HOW you say things is more important than WHAT
you say.
In the end, it’s what you are saying in silence that matters.
Effect
You need
Read my
How? mind!!
Well, if you know the classic 4D telepathy routine, you are one ahead of me
(pun intended).
There are a few differences that make this routine more practical and
entertaining for me (subjective, of course)
1. No envelopes
2. No “visible compromise” in the force.
3. Logical sequence.
4. A chance to fail
Sound strange, but you know what I am talking about.
As you know, the classic approach to this effect (Annemann) needs a force.
In this routine I used a psychological force for the gender of the new creature.
You need 3 participants, pens and paper. Paper for the billets, but also for the impromptu board
that you need.
You present the premise, borrow a cup or hat, and hand out the 3 billets.
The first participant decides on the gender. Of course it can be male or female, so for example,
if you want to suggest “male” you can say:
“Ok, you will decide in your mind if this new life will be male (snap your fingers and a subtle
pause), or fe male right now. Have you decided? Yes Mr. Mindreader. Excellent, just write it on
that paper, because I want to check later. Fold the paper in quarters and put a big “1” after you
fold it, and put it in the cup “. Now you are one ahead.
In the psychological force part you can play with psychological finesses and stack the odds in
your favor. Another thing that you can say is (if the 1st participant is female and heterosexual):
“Ok, you will decide in your mind if this new life will be male (snap your fingers and a subtle
pause), or fe male. The most likely one for you “.
Sounds strange, but my experience has proven that it works.
Ok, now you have the first billet with a big “1” that says Male (in this case). Now you move on to
the 2 nd participant and say:
“You will decide on the na me of this creature , so of course you need to know what her decision
was (pointing to the first participant) , so quickly just open the paper and read what’s she wrote
. It’s important that you put a name that’s very manly or very fe minine . We don’ t want to a have
a person with personality problems (gag)”.
This last line is very important, because in a moment you will read this paper as paper “1”, and
with only the name you’ll know the gender of the creature. Ambiguous names can be a problem.
(Photo 1)
Just grab your paper and use it as a board. Create a mindreading experience for your first
participant and say:
“I know that the first one is a 50/ 50 chance, but I don ’t want to rely on chance “.
Write &%MALE (scribbles as a correction from a mistake and MALE, this subtlety can help you in
a moment) (Photo 2) on the board, and say:
(Photo 2)
Now comes a bold moment. Just act trying to find (not too long) paper 1, but just take paper 2,
flash only a little part of the paper, open it and read it. (Photo 3)
(Photo 3)
If you receive applause at this point, great, but if you feel that someone is thinking that you are
using just chance and everyone can do that, just claim to know and utilize that thought:
“I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that a 50/50 chance isn’t too impressive. But
this is on a crescendo, just for building up the suspense”.
And from this moment on you change your focus and start reading the thought of the 2 nd
participant. You already know the name.
“Oh, I knew that I should have stuck to m y first thought”, and explain that first you wrote
FEMALE and next you changed your mind. You can also say some funny lines:
“Oh , but its only one difference”, and gets another laugh, and you just move on.
Look at the 2 nd participant, give him a mindreading moment and write “Roberto” (or whatever
you peek) on your “board”.
Give the board to him and act as if you took the 2 nd paper, when in reality you took the paper
with the number “3”. Act as if you read “Roberto” while you are reading the hobby, and reveal it
dramatically.
At this moment, I recommend that for dramatic purposes, you start to exhibit demonic behavior
(just a joke… or not?).
You can of course build up the last revelation (as in the classic routine ), grab the last billet
from the cup , burn it or just put it in your pocket, and reveal the last bit of information with
your board.
A happy conclusion to
mindreading on the street
Possible Dialogue
A lot of people think this, but really Frankenstein was the mad scientist behind him.
Do you want to play a mind game about this? Applaud if you want to (applause) ... no, I said
applause come on (More applause)!
Cool, we will use paper, pens and a cup (borrow all these things) .
(To the first participant) Ok, you will decide in your mind if this new life will be male (snap your
fingers and a subtle pause), or female right now.
Have you decided? Yes Mr. Mindreader.
Excellent, just write it on that paper, because I want to check later. Fold the paper into quarters
and put a big “1” after you fold it, and put it in the cup
(To the 2 nd participant) You will decide on the na me of this creature , so of course you need to
know what her decision was (pointing to the first participant), so quickly just open the paper and
read what’s she wrote.
It’s important that you put a name that’s very manly or very feminine.
We don ’t want to have a person with personality problems (gag), fold the paper and just draw a
big “2 ” on the outside, and finally put it in the cup.
(To the 3rd participant) You will decide on a hobby for this imaginary life . You don ’t need to know
the name or the gender, so quickly think of one , and just for proof write it here (pass them a
billet) , fold it , draw a big “3” and put it in the cup . Ok
As you can see, I can’t see through the paper, so the only way that I could know the information
is reading your thoughts , correct? Yes
(Mindreading)
Just look at me (looking at 1st participant’s eyes), I know that the first one is a 50/50 chance,
but I don ’t want to rely on chance
I think…. (Give the paper to the participant)
Ok, so what number did you write on the paper? One Mr. Telepathic.
(Take paper 2, read the name and deduce the name) Male? Yes
Look what I wrote.
(Applause moment) I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that a 50/50 chance isn’t too
impressive. But this is on a crescendo, just for building up the suspense.
Just look me (looking at 2 nd participant’s eyes and take a serious posture) this is a strange
name isn’t? Well, yes
Ok… (Write the name on a paper). Why did you choose this name? (Anything to take off attention
from the billet) Ahh , Roberto. Yes
(Applause moment)
And you, the last one, the most difficult one. Just think about this idea in your mind (take your
time)
That’s weird… (Write the last info on your impromptu board)
1. You can add one more paper and create 3 secure moments of mindreading.
2. Rather than having each participant numbered his own billet, you can do it (as in the original),
but boldly write “3” in the first billet , “1” in the second one , and “2” in the last one.
3. Another out for the FEMALE-MALE: Write “FEMALE” in such a way that you can cover with your
thumb the “FE” on Female.
So if the participant says: “Female”, show the revelation freely, but if the participant says:
“Male”, cover with your thumb the “FE” on Female.
Material that’s inspired me and I am still studying (and recommendation of course): 13 Steps to
Mentalism by Corinda, Practical Mental Effects (or Magic) by Theo Anneman and all the books
and DVDs from my Credits (Banachek, Kenton Knepper, Bob Cassidy, etc)
You can check all the Kenton Knepper products in his website:
www.wonderwizards.com
pabloamira@gmail.com