A Simple Impression Direct Mind Reading

A Simple Impression - Direct Mind Reading ...............................................................3 Introduction................................................................................................................3 Effect..........................................................................................................................4 Method .......................................................................................................................6 Construction...............................................................................................................9 What you need .....................................................................................................10 Opening the Clipboard.........................................................................................10 Concealing the Edge ............................................................................................10 The Insert .............................................................................................................11 Sealing the Clipboard...........................................................................................11 Retrieving the Information...................................................................................12

A Simple Impression - Direct Mind Reading

Introduction
This is really a combination effect, more to show the possibilities than a routine to be slavishly followed. The effect as described is audience tested and will have a huge impact as is. However, the main point is to show the mechanics of how such effects are achieved. The effect involves two classics of mentalism a reproduced drawing and the correct divination of thought of word/person. I hope you find the following useful Chan

Effect
A spectator is asked up on stage. Performer : Hi, Id like to try something with you, it may or may not work; but just relax and dont worry about it if anything goes wrong from now on, its my fault not yours; OK ? Subject : <some positive response> Performer : Now, you drew something, a simple picture, or geometric shape you should have that picture sealed in an envelope somewhere Subject : Yes (pulls heavy brown envelope from their pocket) Performer: Did you show this drawing to anyone? I include that rather noisy group over there (points to the group in the audience which are obviously the subjects friends due to reactions when called on stage) Subject: No < random confirmation/expansion> Performer:OK great. Heres what I want you to do, and keep in mind that this is something thats not guaranteed well both try this and see how we get on OK? Subject : <some positive response> Performer: I want you to THINK about the picture inside that envelope. BLOCK everything else out. The audience, your friends, what youre doing after the show everything. Until theres nothing left - but YOU , ME. and that DRAWING. Are you starting to do that ? Subject : <some positive response> Performer: Fantastic, thats it SLOWLY START TO CLOSE YOUR EYES if it helps, theres nothing here but you me. and your drawing. Im moving over here slightly, Im just PICKING UP a marker and a pad but dont let it interfere with what youre doing. Just KEEP YOUR EYES CLOSED, keep thinking about yourself, the drawing and about MY VOICE. Thats all there is, thats all that matters Im starting to DRAW now, I want you to see your drawing and I want you to imagine me drawing it. Make it strong and bold, almost as if your mind was a projector the image is already there, all I have to do is copy it thats it make it as sharp and FOCUSED as you can <performer draws a large picture on the pad as he talks > Performer: Fantastic.. In a moment Im going to ask you to open your eyes, when I do that I want you to be aware of where you are and what has happened to you up to this point; you will feel safe and relaxed, but I do NOT want you to react to anything you will see If you understand this please nod.

<subject nods> Performer: OK - OPEN YOUR EYES (theatrical click of both fingers) You did great by the way could you please open the envelope with your drawing, show it and describe it in your own words [of course the drawings match round of applause]

Performer: Honestly, that was outstanding Im really loath to let you go, so while Ive got you up here can we try one more thing ? Subject : <some positive response> Performer: Fantastic OK. Ill asked you to think of a relative, but someone whos not here tonight. Can you get THAT persons name in your mind right now ? Subject : <some positive response> Performer: Keep it there, strong and bright and vivid, think of that person and what they mean to you. The first thing Im getting is that the person you're thinking of is female ? Subject : <some positive response> Performer: Now, I dont want TO FREAK YOU OUT or anything but its a very strong feeling almost like a sister ? yes ? the names fairly long - it has 2 letters the same near the middle ? Theres an L in there its at the start - Lorraine ? its Lorraine! Subject : <agrees , is slightly freaked out and sells the effect for you> [huge round of applause you move on to your next effect, or simply call it a night]

Method
Hopefully, the above sounds pretty cool and you want to know the method. Unfortunately the method itself is ridiculously simple, it just requires a bit of showmanship (which probably isnt a PC word so I apologise) on your part. Every wondered what not for the hobbyist disclaimers on professionally available tricks are about ? Generally their about this sort of thing, for this to be 100% effective you have to perform it to strangers. It can be performed in more informal settings; but youll have your work cut out for you. The first thing to do is to select your victim. Ideally - they will have the following attributes, though you can wing it and adjust as you perform this sort of effect more often. 1.They have come with a set of friends (to loudly disclaim ideas that they were a stooge) 2.They are not the natural leader of the group 3.They are not over confident and likely to try and catch you out 4.BUT they are also not likely to clam up and freeze on stage 5.This really covers 3 and 4 they are compliant. OK that sounds tricky, but you will almost invariably start to spot the type after a few performances. Even if you get it wrong; the effect(s) will probably still work it might just involve slightly more work on your part. So, youve selected your victim, hopefully their drinking with their friends either in a bar or at a table long before the show is going to start. You approach them Hi, Im <blah>, look Im doing a bit later on this evening, its sort of a magic thing, and for part of it I need a volunteer would you be up for something like that ? Its nothing heavy or embarrassing, its just I cant ask anyone up on stage unless theyre OK with it beforehand; so if you want to do it, thatd be fantastic Youll do it great, OK look does this make sense to you ? You hand them a clipboard and a (thick) brown envelope. The clipboard has a blank A4 piece of paper attached to it (perforated near the bottom), as well as a small piece of paper clipped on top of that. The small piece of paper has the following instructions on it:

Hi, without anyone else seeing what you are doing - please think of and draw any simple picture or geometrical shape. Make it strong and bold as it may have to be seen from the stage. Then, think of a close relative who is not here with you tonight and write their name on the bottom of the page. Tear off the name of the relative and either destroy it or keep it in your pocket. Then fold the drawing and seal it in the envelope.

They read the text. Do you have a pen with you ? <yes or no> If no No worries use mine If yes again no problem Depending on how confident you are, you then either walk away or turn you back. If you picked 100% right, the subject will retire to a quiet place and follow the instructions. If not, they may stay where they are and follow them. Either way, you return or turn around after you know theyve finished. OK now were going to make the clipboard invisible. Have you finished ? great. They start to hand everything back to you, Hang on no, you need to keep the envelope put it in a pocket or somewhere safe Did you ? use your pen in the end ? <yes> Ignore me Im always losing pens, you start to get paranoid about it after a while <no> Yeah, thought it was mine just wanted to make sure I wasnt stealing your pen on you So youve mentioned the pen, and the envelope the clipboard has been returned to you silently and has not been mentioned, after all they have been at pains to keep the instruction sheet attached to it which obviously belongs to you. Afterwards all that they will remember is that they drew something which you could not have seen. They may not even remember writing down the word which you will later ask them to recall with the obscure sentences: OK. Ill asked you to think of a relative, but someone whos not here tonight. Can you get THAT persons name in your mind right now ?

Before we get to the construction of the clipboard, if they just write down the name that youre going to reveal later how do you know their relationship to that person ? That requires a bit of work on your part. Pay attention to your subject/victim. A married woman aged twenty plus to forty who writes down a currently fashionable name will be thinking of one of their children. A married man on his own will most likely write down the name of his mother or his wife. Again, you can tell from type of name that was written and looking at the company he is currently keeping. A single man or woman will most likely write down the name of one of their siblings or of their mother. The same logic applies to grandchildren and grandparents. If you do not feel confident as to the relationship between the subject and the written name you can either pump I see a young person or simply reveal the name. There is also a reason for asking for a simple picture or geometric shape to be drawn population stereo types. Even if people arent aware of these they will think about it later and conclude that if you ask someone to draw the above they will most likely draw: 1.a house 2.a circle 3.a stick figure 4.a triangle This is 100% true, and it will re-emphasis the vague false method presented. Most importantly it will make the revealed name look totally impossible I can see how he would have got the picture of a house I would have guessed that but did he know your sister was called Lorraine ? Have you seen that guy before anywhere ? The clipboard is slipping further and further away.

Construction
OK, before you read the following and start to baulk at how obvious and simple it is, I want you to keep in mind two things. 1. The description that follows is a working prop that I have placed in the hands of countless victims. 2. There is a huge difference between visible magical props and mentalism props Looking at point 2 when a magician presents you with a prop, youre naturally suspicious. It probably has glitz edges (it may even come from The Mysterious Orient) , and you know that when you put that oversized die in there something odd is going to happen to it. Not because youve seen the hidden mechanism; but because you know its a magical prop. Its probably more expensive and better made than the things you got in your Sootys Pointless Magic Set one Christmas but its still a dodgy box. So, its well made its mechanism is hidden to controlled casual inspection; but its really just a puzzle. Its not magic the guy with the top hat knows how the box works and you dont you begin to suspect that its because he paid more money for it or possible he has comprising pictures of Sweep and Sue. Mentalism props arent used in the same way; they are either genuinely invisible (swami gimmicks, silver bullet etc.) or they are presented as ordinary everyday things such as clipboards often BEFORE the fact. Youre handling of the clipboard should be such that it is a convenience rather than a prop. Its something to lean on while writing thats it.

So, onto the clipboard

What you need

1.The cheapest plastic covered clipboard you can find. The ones I use cost me less than 2 quid which almost place them in the disposable prop range 2.A craft or Stanley knife 3.A metal ruler 4.Some paper glue (like PrittStick or UHU) 5.Some carbon paper 6.Some sheets of A4 paper 7.A maker pen which approximately matches the colour of the plastic on the clipboard (after youve made the clipboard - you can use the marker pen in your act to recreate the drawing, so it doesnt go to waste)

Opening the Clipboard

The clipboard will consists of a piece of cardboard sealed in plastic, the plastic being heat sealed around the 4 sides of the cardboard.

Were going to take our knife and metal ruler and cut off the seal on the bottom of the clipboard. Its not big, and its not clever and you might want to ask to bill payer first before you dial but thats what were going to do.

Concealing the Edge

OK, so now weve opened the clipboard but if someone looks at it edge on from the bottom (which btw they wont) theyre going to spot it -so we best cover our tracks. So, we take our marker and colour the bottom edge of the cardboard to match the surrounding plastic.

The Insert
The insert consists of a sheet of A4 paper with a piece of carbon paper attached to it. (the right way around, youll only make this mistake once). Take a sheet of A4 and put a strip of paper glue on the top of the page.

Then, place a piece of carbon paper (carbon side down) and attach it to this piece of paper.

Take this combined carbon/normal paper and insert it intro the clipboard as far as it will go.

Sealing the Clipboard

So the insert is in, take the paper glue and apply it to the cardboard inside the clipboard near the bottom edge (both sides). Now seal the clip board by squeezing down the open edge onto the cardboard

Retrieving the Information

Once your subject has finished, take the clipboard to a quiet corner and open it up from the bottom end remove the insert and youll see exactly what was drawn/written.

Thats it have fun Chan