Confabulation of Confabulations by Peter Turner

Confabulation of Confabulations By Peter Turner              

                      All  rights  reserved.  This  book  or  any  portion  thereof   may  not  be  reproduced  or  used  in  any  manner  whatsoever   without  the  express  written  permission  of  the  publisher   except  for  the  use  of  brief  quotations  in  a  review.   www.ementalism.com

 

 

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Index     Introduction        

 

 

 

 

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The  Weekly  Forecast    

 

 

 

       5  

The  Brain  Cell  Killer    

 

 

 

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Prediction  Production    

 

 

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Introduction   Welcome  to  my  small  book  of  confabulations!   Use  the  ideas  in  this  book  sparingly  as  they  are   reputation   makers.   Real   world   performers   will   understand   the   value   of   these   effects.   You   will   notice   that   these   effects   don’t   have   presentational  outlines,  that’s  because  it  is  very   difficult   with   a   confabulation   to   know   your   performing   character   or   how   you   want   to   portray  your  effects.  Be  it  Influence,  the  power   of  the  subconscious  mind  or  psychic  —I  think  it   would   be   rude   (and   presumptuous)   to   try   and   offer   presentations   for   such   direct   effects.   You   will  notice  the  effects  are  very  simple  in  nature:   be   attentive!   These   effects   fly   so   far   under   the   radar  they  become  as  real  as  it  gets.  Carry  these   out   with   conviction   and   confidence   and   I   guarantee  that  your  audience  will  talk  for  a  long   time  after  about  how  wonderful  and  impossible   your   performance   was   (which   is   always   a   great   thing)  Enjoy  my  friends,  and  share  the  love.  

 

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The  Weekly  Forecast   Effect   The   performer   leaves   his   client   with   a   sealed   envelope  to  hold  claiming  it  is  a  prediction  that   will   be   of   the   utmost   importance   during   the   show  in  a  week’s  time.     He  leaves  the  client  with  this  set  of  instructions     The   client   is   to   choose   ANY   paper   or   magazine   that   week,   to   look   at   ANY   headline   and   to   choose   one   of   the   words   from   that   headline.   He/she  can  change  their  mind  ANYTIME  up  until   the  day  of  the  show.     The  day  of  the  show  arrives,  and  the  performer   [WHO   NEVER   TOUCHES   THE   ENVELOPE]   performs   his   show   and   then   asks   that   participant   to   open   the   envelope   as   his   finale.     He   has   correctly   identified   which   word   the   client  would  choose!!!    

 

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Method   The   method   to   this   is   extremely   simple,   but   because   of   the   time   delay   it   makes   it   SOOO   deceptive  I  have  used  this  on  several  occasions   for  press  and  promotional  purposes.     I   will   use   the   perfect   example   in   which   this   works.     Say   you   were   meeting   a   potential   client   and   were   going   to   perform   a   series   of     three   effects.   This   routine   is   one   that   I   would   definitely   employ.   Take  a  bank  note,  write  the  serial  number  of  the   bank  note  down,  and  make  sure  you  remember   where   you   place   the   writing   this   is   ultraimportant.   Take   a   business   card   and   write   the   names   of   two   pieces   of   force   information   (whatever  you  want  a  playing  card,  drawing  or  a   series   of   psi   —whatever   you   can   comfortably   force).    

 

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Fold   the   bill   over   the   business   card   and   seal   it   into  an  envelope.     This  is  the  envelope  you  are  going  to  give  your   client.   At   this   point,   you   should   have   realised   what  you  are  going  to  perform  is  a  “ONE  WEEK   AHEAD”.   Hand  the  client  the  envelope  and  ask  them  not   to  open  it  under  any  circumstance.     [BEFORE   WE   MEET   THE   CLIENT,   WE   NEED   TO   LEARN  A  COUPLE  OF  PRINCIPLES.]   The   bank   note   is   the   thing   that   really   sells   this   though,   is   not   essential   but   my   preferred   method.     Here  is  a  good  time  to  talk  about  ...  

     

 

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The  Toxic  Principle     First   brought   to   the   table   by   Bob   King   then   marketed   by   John   Cornelius   (but   has   been   around   as   long   as   dodgy   accountants   have   been   around).     Essentially   if   you   own   an   iPhone   (or   if   they   do   it’s  even  better!)  or  a  scientific  calculator  from  a   pound  or  dollar  store  and  type  in  the  total  you   want  to  force   For  example:   123456   Then  press  “  +  0  X  (  “   You   will   notice   the   123456   disappears,   but   do   ANY   calculations   and   press   the   equals   key,   and   the   total   123456   will   appear   instead   of   the   actual  total  of  the  sum!  You  have  just  made  an   impromptu  add-­‐a-­‐number  calculator.    

 

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[If   you   are   using   an   iPhone   you   need   to   turn   it   onto   its   side   to   get   the   scientific   calculator   to   appear.]   We   are   going   to   use   this   to   force   the   serial   on   the  bank  note  when  we  meet  the  client.   Meeting  the  client   -­‐Performer:  “I  did  tell  you  to  change  your  mind   as   many   times   as   you   wanted   right   up   until   today.   The   envelope   is   in   your   bag   so   I   cannot   touch   it.   What   is   the   one   word   you   committed   to?”   [The   client   will   have   no   problems   saying   the   word   out   loud   as   it   seems   the   most   natural   thing   in   the   world   because   she   has   had   her   chance   to   change   her   mind   right   up   until   that   moment]   Cheekily   ask   if   the   person   wants   to   change   their   mind  at  the  last  moment.    

 

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Now  start  to  talk  to  your  client  about  what  it  is   you   do.   Halfway   through   explaining,   say   you   know  what  I  will  show  you.   Remove   a   business   card   and   write   on   it   the   word   the   client   said   out   loud.   Don’t   be   afraid   to   ask   them   to   turn   their   back   because   you   don’t   want   them   having   any   idea   what   you   have   written   down.   Remove   an   IDENTICAL   envelope   to   the   one   in   which   you   sealed   the   banknote   and   seal   the   piece   of   card   with   the   word   the   client   chose.   Do   this   under   the   table   if   you   cannot  get  the  subject  to  turn  their  back.  What   is  important  is  that  the  client  does  not  see  you   are  not  placing  a  banknote  in  the  envelope.     [An   interesting   subtlety   here   is   to   take   a   banknote  out  that  is  the  same  value  as  the  one   you   sealed   in   the   envelope   in   their   possession   and   to   place   it   upon   the   table;   never   draw   attention  to  it.   Ask   them   to   turn   their   back   while   you   make   a   few  predictions.  Pocket  the  note  and  just  write    

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the  one  word  they  selected  on  the  card  and  seal   the   envelope.   They   see   the   note   and   the   envelope  and  the  business  card.  They  turn  back,   hear  you  writing,  turn  back  around  and  the  note   is  gone  and  the  envelope  is  sealed.   This   will   indirectly   imply   that   you   sealed   the   note  inside  the  envelope!]   Give  them  the  envelope  and  ask  them  to  place   it  with  the  other  one  out  of  sight  for  now.     Use   “The   Toxic   Principle”,   typing   in   the   serial   number   of   the   note   as   the   force   number   into   the   calculator.   Be   bold   and   do   this   right   under   their  nose.  I  have  NEVER  been  called  on  this.     [If   they   have   an   iPhone,   borrow   it;   the   calculator   can   be   found   in   the   utilities.   What   is   lovely   is   that   when   you   ask   for   the   phone,   you   can  always  pretend  you  don’t  know  how  to  use   it,   and   then   type   the   numbers   in   under   the   guise  of  looking  for  the  calculator.]  

 

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All  you  have  to  do  now  is  ask  the  client  to  start   by  writing  a  list  of  five-­‐digit  numbers  down.  Play   up   the   performance   here   as   though   you   are   influencing  them  in  picking  the  numbers.     They   will   have   a   list   of   numbers   that   look   like   this:     12345   67345   78234   55431     Let   the   subject   add   the   numbers   up   on   the   calculator  (or  iPhone).     The   outcome   of   the   client’s   numbers   will   be   the   total   on   the   banknote   (unknown   to   them).      

 

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Write   the   total   on   a   piece   of   paper   in   front   of   the   client.   Force   your   other   two   pieces   of   information.   This   is   of   course   where   your   performance   counts,   as   these   little   convincers   are   going   to   make   you   predicting   the   word   entirely  credible.     All  you  have  to  do  is  ask  the  subject  to  get  the   two  envelopes  out  and  ask  them  to  be  opened!     You  have  a  miracle.   Don’t   think   that,   because   of   the   simplicity   of   this,   it   will   be   rumbled.   Trust   me,   it   will   fly   straight   by.     The   time   delay   is   what   makes   this   entirely   impossible.   It’s   even   nicer   if   you   get   a   third  party  to  open  the  envelopes  because  there   is  natural  confusion  in  which  is  which  when  they   hand  them  across.      

     

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The  Brain  Cell  Killer   ***THIS  IS  A  REAL  FOOLER***   Effect   The   performer   asks   several   audience   members   in   the   first   half   of   his   set   to   add   random   numbers   up   to   generate   a   random   five   digit   number.   This   total   is   written   and   in   full   display   the  entire  time.     During  the  first  half  of  the  show,  other  random   events  take  place  (these  could  be  ANYTHING).     After   the   intermission   the   performer   returns   and   repeats   the   above   procedure.   At   the   end   of   the  performer’s  set,  he  points  out  the  ten  digit   number   on   the   board   and   asks   if   it   means   anything   to   anyone   in  the   audience.   There   are   a   few   seconds   silence   and   the   performer   looks   dismayed,  and  then  out  of  the  crowd  someone   shouts   that   it   almost   looks   like   a   telephone   number,  but  is  missing  the  first  digit.    

 

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The  performer  adds  the  0  to  the  start  (making  it   a   telephone   number)   and   asks   everyone   in   the   room   to   take   their   phones   out   and   call   the   number.   They   do   and   when   they   listen   to   the   answering  phone  message,  it  is  the  performer’s   voice.   The   performer   proceeds   to   thank   everyone   in   the   show   and   starts   to   reel   off   one   by   one   the   random   events   that   have   occurred   throughout   the  entire  show!!!   Method   This   relies   on   several   little   subtleties   placed   together  to  make  a  large  undetectable  subtlety.   Firstly,   to   get   the   telephone   number   in   England,   a  mobile  telephone  number  looks  like  this:   “07892623180”   What   I   do   is   remove   the   0,   so   now   it   is   7892623180,  and  then  I  split  it  in  half.   78926  –  23180    

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We  are  going  to  use  the  Toxic  Principle  outlined   above  to  get  four  randomly  chosen  participants   to   arrive   at   the   first   five   digits   (78926)   during   the  first  half  of  the  show.  While  performing  the   first  half  of  the  show,  you  need  to  focus  on  the   things   that   seem   irrelevant   (under   the   radar),   for   example   the   attire   of   a   lady   that   comes   on   stage   or   a   participant’s   name.   Mentally   collect   pieces   of   information   that   seem   non-­‐ predictable,  the  more  random  the  better.   Finish   the   first   half   of   the   show.   While   backstage,   call   your   answerphone   and   select   the  option  to  record  a  new  message.     This  is  where  you  are  going  to  be  very  devious.   The   only   thing   you   need   to   focus   on   is   what   is   going   to   happen   in   the   second   half   of   the   show.   You   need   to   successfully   think   of   how   to   force   3   items,   OR   alternatively   save   any   pre-­‐show   information  you  have  till  the  second  half  of  the   show.   This   is   another   subtlety   that’s   going   to   make  this  ultimately  impossible.    

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While   recording   a   new   message   say   something   along  the  lines  of:   “It’s  two  ‘o  clock  in  the  afternoon  the  day  of  the   show.  Hopefully  if  I  have  done  this  correctly,  the   audience   at   the   (insert   venue)   will   have   successfully   generated   my   telephone   number   from  the  hundreds  of  thousands  out  there.  This   is   a   miracle   in   and   of   itself!   But   what   really   interests   me   is   I   believe   I   will   meet   a   lady   in   (Insert   description   here),   and   during   the   first   half  of  the  show  (Insert  random  events).     The   second   half   of   the   show   will   be   a   little   different   in   nature,   but   I   believe   that   (insert   whatever   information   you   have   from   pre-­‐show   or  are  going  to  force).  Thank  you  for  coming  to   the  show!”   TURN   THE   PHONE   OFF!   (This   is   really   important)   Come   back   out   on   stage   for   the   second   half   of   the   show   and   MAKE   YOUR   PREDICTIONS   HAPPEN.   This   little   subtlety   will   kill   off   any    

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suspicion   any   skeptics   may   have,   because   you   are   on   stage   the   entire   time!   Finish   by   getting   four   people   to   generate   another   five   digit   number   (23180),   the   second   half   of   your   telephone  number.     Leave  the  numbers  side  by  side  and  at  the  end   of  the  show  ask  if  the  number  on  the  board  (or   pad)   means   anything   to   anybody.   There   will   almost  always  be  someone  to  shout  that  it  looks   like  a  mobile  number  missing  the  0.     Ask   everyone   to   take   out   their   phones   at   the   same  time  and  to  dial  the  number  on  the  board.   On   the   count   of   three,   everyone   is   going   to   press  call.   1  .  .  .  2  .  .  .  3     Everyone  presses  call  at  the  same  time  and  lifts   the  phones  to  their  ears.  Because  the  notion  of   being  on  the  phone,  everyone  will  naturally  stay   quiet   and   listen   to   the   message.   Stare   out   at   your  audience’s  faces.  

 

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The   reason   this   works   so   well   is   that:   A)   They   generated   the   telephone   number   (convincer   one);   B)   You   were   on   stage   the   entire   time,   so   there   is   no   way   you   could   have   logically   recorded   the   message   at   half   time,   because   random  things  happened  in  the  second  half,  too   —things  there  are  no  way  you  could  predict.                        

 

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Prediction  Production     This  is  a  fantastic  way  to  make  any  —and  I  mean   any—  prediction  come  from  inside  a  locked  box,   the  principle  I  accredit  to  Docc  Hilford,  as  that‘s   the   first   place   I   saw   this   fantastic   idea.   I   have   incorporated  some  dual  reality,  twisted  the  use   of   the   effect   and   added   some   verbal   nuances   I   hope  you  enjoy.     Effect     A  locked  box  is  introduced  at  the  very  start  of  a   show  and  handed  to  a  member  of  the  audience.   The   show   is   played   out,   and   there   are   several   random   events   that   happen   throughout   the   show  (they  really  could  be  anything).     The   box   is   opened   at   the   end   of   the   show   and   inside   is   a   little   black   bag.   The   subject   is   asked   to  open  the  bag  and  state  what  is  inside   “A  white  handkerchief.”    

 

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The   subject   is   then   asked   to   remove   the   contents,  and  she  is  to  read  what  is  inscribed  on   the   handkerchief.   It   is   all   the   random   events   that  took  place  throughout  the  entire  show!     Method     I  am  sure  everyone  here  has  heard  of  prediction   chests?  They  cost  thousands  of  pounds/dollars,   and  are  at  the  best  of  times  none  practical.     This   method   will   cost   you   next   to   nothing   and   you   may   already   own   the   things   needed   for   this   to  work.     —A  locked  money  box     —Two,  small,  white,  silk  hankies     —One  thumb  tip     —One,  little,  black  marble  bag/glasses  bag     Take   one   of   the   hankies,   write,   random   letters   and  numbers  with  a  sharpie,  place  it  inside  the   marble   bag   and   seal   the   bag   into   the   locked   box.      

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Hand  out  the  box  at  the  start  of  the  show.     Now,   this   is   simple,   but   a   little   BOLD:   at   the   interval  of  your  show,  write  all  the  random  info   that   has   happened   throughout   the   show   onto   the  other  handkerchief  with  a  sharpie,  and  load   it  into  the  thumb  tip.     Introduce   the   keys,   ask   the   person   with   the   locked   box   to   come   up   onto   the   stage   hand   them   the   keys,   and   tell   them   to   open   the   box   and  to  bring  out  the  contents.     While  they  are  doing  this,  put  on  the  thumb  tip   while  bringing  a  pen  out  of  your  pocket,  stating,     “This   box   has   been   in   this   lady’s   possession   throughout   the   entire   duration   of   the   show   (while  gesturing  towards  the  audience  that  your   hands  are  empty).”  Ask  the  subject  to  open  the   bag,  but  NOT  to  remove  the  contents.     They  open  the  bag.  Ask  them:       “Can  you  please  state  what  is  inside  there?”    

 

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They  will  respond,  “A  hankie”.     Hold  your  hands  out  (as  though  to  display  they   are   completely   empty),   take   the   bag   off   of   the   subject   (thumb   inside,   fingertips   on   the   outside),   pull   the   thumb   tip   off,   pull   out   the   little  white  hankie  a  little  and  ask  the  subject  to   pull  out  the  rest  of  the  handkerchief.     The   bag   hides   the   thumb   tip,   which   is   thrown   off   to   the   side.   Anyone   who   has   read   Koran‘s   medallion  will  know  this  next  line:   “Can  you  please  read  out  what  is  INSCRIBED  on   the  hankie?”     That  audience  will  believe  it  is  stitched  in!     What   really   sells   the   fact   the   prediction   was   there  from  the  start,  is  that  you  ask  the  subject   what  is  inside  the  bag  before  you  ever  touch  it.     (This  little  nuance  has  fooled  a  good  number  of   performers  I  know.)      

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