Matt Mello Signs

SIGNS MATT MELLO

Copyright © 2012 by Matt Mello All rights reserved.

Effect: The performer subliminally forces a symbol into a spectator’s mind.

Introduction: This effect is exactly as stated. There aren’t any extra methods going on, just a pure and real psychological force, which happens to be fairly reliable! Because of this, I use it frequently in close-up situations, but it can just as easily be performed on stage with an entire audience! It’s a short manuscript—as all the ‘real work’ is done in only a few paragraphs— but if you can memorize the brief script, you can use this all the time! This is one of the few psychological forces I readily use and rely on, and I’m sure you will too!

Presentation and Method: The performer takes a piece of paper from his pocket and writes something on it without showing anyone. This is folded and placed into the spectator’s hand. “On that piece of paper I’ve drawn a simple image, which I’ll try to subliminally suggest to you. As long as you follow what I say, everything should work perfectly!” “Please close your eyes, allowing yourself to enter a completely peaceful state. I want you to imagine you’re outside of a maze, walking along the edge in a giant circle, around…and around…and around. And as you loop around one 2

last time, a pathway opens, leading you straight to the center of the maze. As you approach it, you’ll find that the path forks into three directions…. “I want you to choose any of the three extending paths…walking along it until you reach a small plane at the end. I now want you to get in and fly over the field. Looking down at the big picture, you’ll see a symbol in the grass. What sign do you see?” If everything has gone according to plan, she will see a “Peace Sign” in the field below, which will match my drawn prediction in her hand. This is because the scripting truly implants the image of a peace sign into her mind! She’ll remember walking around and around in a circle; then walking straight to the center; then choosing one of three paths. When she then flies over, assuming she has a decent imagination, she can put together that the path she walked and the symbol you’re suggesting is a peace sign! So if you memorize the script and present it exactly as I’ve written it here, they’ll choose peace nearly every time! But there are a couple of small additional subtleties to suggest this, as well. In the very first sentence, when I say “piece of paper”, I make sure to emphasize PIECE slightly. This probably doesn’t make much of a difference, as it happens so early in the routine, but I still do it. I also outwardly say “peaceful”. And I end by asking what “sign” she sees, which should lead and direct her to peace sign! When working with psychological effects of this nature, it’s never going to work 100% of the time, but I find this force to be extremely reliable! Hope you guys have the confidence to actually take it out and test it yourselves!

Additional Thoughts and Ideas: --If I’m out somewhere with nothing on me, and someone asks me to perform, I’ll usually do this as a fun little experiment. But if I’m actually performing, I’ll often 3

use this as a lead-in to a pseudo-suggestion routine—revealing a peeked card or word/object. Pseudo-demonstrations always come across more realistic when they follow the real thing! --As with every psychological force, Signs has the potential to be used for a very clean one-ahead routine. When I use a one-ahead, I always prefer that the “reveals” are somewhat similar, and around the same level of astonishment. Not one that’s a one-in-twenty choice, and then another that’s one-in-thousands. I also never use a one-ahead for three or four reveals, as I think it’s too much time to be writing things and not showing them. It’s called a ONE-ahead, so I only use it once. This version starts the same, with the spectator closing their eyes, breathing and relaxing. I draw a peace sign on a napkin, ball it up, and toss it into a glass on the table. “With your eyes closed, all you can see right now is darkness. But I want you to visualize that in front of you is a little ball of light. Imagine it as any color you’d like, vivid and bright in front of you. What color do you see?” The “suggestions” from this would be that you’re getting rid of the options of dark colors, and trying to suggest something bright, a “Yellow” or “Orange” are usually common choices. But since this is your one-ahead, it doesn’t really matter what they say. So after they tell you their color, you’ll grab a second piece of paper and write whatever color they name. This is balled up just like the first prediction, and tossed into the glass. “Now, I’d like you to image the yellow orb leading you forward, bringing you to the outside of a maze. I want you to follow the orb around the edge of the maze in a giant circle, around and around…. This ball of light is simply used as a guide through the maze. Everything is just like the original, but the light is leading the way and choosing the path. It allows for it to be a little more imaginative, and gives you a nice extra prediction!

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Credits: Banachek’s, Psychological Subtleties 1, has a ton of brilliant work when it comes to working with psychological forces. The first book has a lot of the raw material, but the other two books in the series also have effects that make great uses of psychological forcing! Derren Brown has been a huge inspiration for so many mentalists, and his work with suggestion techniques is inspiring, as well! His card forces through suggestions and leading is amazing when you see him at it! His DVD, The Devil’s Picturebook, shows him demonstrating them, and can also be learned in his book, Pure Effect. If I’ve missed anyone in this crediting, or if you have any questions, please send an inquiry to: [email protected] and I’ll be sure to make any necessary changes or answer any questions I can! Thanks! Matt Mello

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