Credits.pdf

Credits & Inspirations

Introduction All great magic and mentalism is built on the shoulders of those who have come before. It is important that we remember the names of those whose work we find inspiration and joy in. Our privilege is given to us in bringing those concepts, ideas and techniques to life in our performances; our reward is the reaction and applause from the audience. This is, for the most part, applause those who have inspired us can no longer hear. The applause is our reward, and remembering their names is our duty and their reward. This list of credits is far from exhaustive on each ‘premise’ contained on this DVD set; however I have done my best to directly cite those people who have directly inspired me in this work.

Silent Communication This routine is, as far as I am aware, a new premise in the world of mentalism. It was developed in my exploration of the classic E.S.P match-up sequence, informed by a desire to take the generic nature of the ESP cards and transform them into something that would allow for a demonstration driven by personal information. The simple method of edge marked boards can be traced to the early works on edge marked playing cards. However, with the simple nature of the method, it is impossible for me to credit any specific person. This routine has been shared for the first time on this DVD set, but was developed in the early part of 2012.

Dirty Secret Club I developed this routine sometime in 2010 for use in cabaret and comedy club settings. It was inspired by “The OM Billet Box,” named after its inventor, Otis Manning, which was introduced to mentalists in the 1940’s by Theo. Annemann through his writings in The Jinx, and later in his book Practical Mental Magic. This routine allows the performer to secretly exchange a large number of billets. I had made “The OM Billet Box” and was searching for an interesting use within a show I was performing at that time. The premise came easily thanks to a continued focus on making all mentalism driven by personal information. This routine also takes inspiration from Banachek’s “Psychic Portfolio” which I first learned from his Escape From The Asylum Convention - Lecture Notes, in which a handful of billets are secrets exchanged to force a drawing. From these two points of inspiration the routine came together easily and quickly. I exchanged “The OM Billet Box” for a simple switching envelope of my own design based upon the information continued within Practical Mental Magic by Annemann. A version of this routine was first published in my book Distractions in 2014.

Black Ball Location This routine was directly inspired by the modern marvel of minimalist mentalism, “Kurotsuke” by my friend and teacher, the great Max Maven. This appears on Volume 1 of the VideoMind series produced by L&L publishing. My routining was simply an effort to take the fantastic premise gifted to us by Max and make it focus on personal information. It takes inspiration from the “Tossed Out Deck” and “General Card” methodology (see “Touching on Hypnosis” for further credits for these). I am certain that my specific method for locating the black ball (utilising a magnet) is something that has been explored by many others, but I am unaware of the specific routines utilising a magnet in print.

Shape Shifter Drawing Duplication This routine was inspired by the classic drawing duplication premise, dating right the way back to the very early days of Spiritualism. My method and approach to use preshow work was developed in total isolation from outside sources. I simply developed this approach by actually doing preshow work for real people. Each time I observed something working or failing, and I made adjustments to the process. Eventually I developed a reliable and trustworthy approach. The concept of ‘multiple out’ preshow work was something I first developed in 2010 and first published in a limited edition manuscript titled The Ink Blot Test in late 2012. It was clearly inspired by the many magic tricks in which the performer forces to a series of choices (for each of which he has an out). However, as it pertains to this routine, no specific effect or method inspired this preshow approach.

Touching on Hypnosis “Touching on Hypnosis” is a continued exploration of my effect “Touching On Hoy,” which I developed in 2006 and first published in my book The Coral Fang. It takes inspiration from the “Tossed Out Deck” principle, as popularized by David Hoy with his neoclassic routine published in The Bold and Subtle Miracles of Doctor Faust. The basic principle of “Tossed Out Deck” dates back to what is possibly the oldest card trick known: “The General Card.” The earliest reference I have found for this is c. 1700, on p. 79 of the Pieper translation. Inspiration was also taken from the mechanics of Banachek’s “PK Touches,” which is a very different effect. The specific application to a false hypnotic demonstration was influenced by the classic works on false stage hypnosis, and specifically from the information contained within The Mental Mysteries and Other Writings of William W. Larsen Sr. In that book, he details the “Dr Q Hypnotic Act” in which spectators are stooged in a very bold way to simply pretend they are hypnotised. My outcome is very different and removed from each of these sources but nonetheless, each of these sources have played their part in bringing me to the present routine.

Modern Oracle The modern oracle act utilises a flawless envelope to exchange one billet for another. I first encountered this wonderful switch on page 164 of The Secret Ways Of Al Baker published in 1941. The manner in which I utilise information (by cribbing it on the cards and introducing them into the stack) was simply a solution that appealed to me due to its bold nature. It might be inspired by the Q&A routines of old, in which the performer held out a crib beneath a crystal ball. By hiding the information in the visible objects in use the secret is hidden in plain site, much like the crib hidden within the crystal ball or on the performers shirt sleeve. My structure and handling came from repeated performance for real audiences. This routine was developed in isolation, but as with most of my material, it was inspired by the thinking of Michael Weber.

Fool’s Journey This simple concept was developed in isolation to any other material. It just seemed like a really simple way to get a big question answered without losing the feeling of mystery. I am sure many readers have developed such things over the years, however I have not seen anything like this anywhere else.

Using an iPhone as a Shiner The blindfold deal was inspired by the great stories of Walter Irving Scott, which I first read about in the wonderful Phantoms of the Card Table: Confessions of a Card Sharp by David Britland and Gazzo. My use of a smartphone in place of a shiner was something that was inspired by a desire to achieve the blindfold deal without the difficulty of traditional methods. A shiner seemed like a great option. After some thought, the smartphone options came to my mind. I then explored this in depth, applying it to different routines. The history of a shiner is a long and detailed one. However, it is impossible for us to say who first introduced a mirror to the card table. One thing is for sure: this nameless card cheat deserves thanks. The routines contained on this DVD set utilising the iPhone shiner concept was developed in isolation. I continue to explore the usefulness of the Phone Shiner concept.

Marked Personality I developed this approach in my early teens, at a time in which I was obsessed with marked cards. It was inspired by the personality surveys that are so often found in women’s lifestyle magazines such as Cosmopolitan. A friend had me undertake one of these personality surveys and I instantly thought about how useful such a thing would be in the performance of a reading. I then connected this to the idea of marked cards since they were never far from my mind during that time. From here the rest unfolded naturally. Many years later Joshua Quinn released a fantastic product called “Ascension” which also used an approach in which an audience member ranked various themes within their life. Joshua’s concept was developed in isolation from my own, since I had not shared it with anyone on a wide scale. Joshua’s routine is brilliant. I wish I had thought of it. If you enjoy my routine I urge you to seek out Joshua’s routine; it really takes this concept into a great direction.

He Will Find You This routine was indirectly inspired by the work of Rene Lavand and Robert Neal. I love the scripting these two men have created for their magic. After reading much work from the pair, I developed this effect. I did this in an effort to achieve some sense of the mystery that their words create in their performance of card magic. I make use of the first approach to “Methods for Determining a Card Thought of ” from the seminal Expert At The Card Table by S. W. Erdnase published in 1902. I also make use of a push off second deal; which also comes from the pages of the same book. Both of these techniques can be traced back further than the work of Erdnase. However, it was in his careful and clear text that I learned of them.

Story Without an End This routine was developed in my early teens while working at the International Magic Shop in London. It was developed in conversation with Kevin Baker, a fantastic and enigmatic magician. I have continued to develop the presentation and the scripting in the years that have followed. The concept of a duplicate stack was a simple solution for my desire to allow the audience members to shuffle the cards more thoroughly than would be allowed in the classic presentation of “Speller Stack” routines. I learned of the stack I use in the work of the great British magician Stanley Collins but I believe it goes back much further than even Collins. Sadly, I have been unable to find a definitive reference for the creator of this stack.

Nailed ACANN Here is a secret reward for those who have read this far. I would suspect there will be very few of you reading this. Well done! Please keep this between us. Don’t go telling everyone about it, or posting about it online. Instead, keep it as your secret reward for your interest in the history of the routines contained on this DVD set. The Card At Any Number routine is accomplished by using the “multiple out” preshow approach shared in the explanation for “Shape Shifter” drawing duplication combined with a standard preshow approach. I preshow one spectator to have two different numbers in mind (which they can switch between during performance). I preshow another spectator to have one card in mind. Before the show I place this card and a duplicate of this card in both positions. I use an impression device to capture the information chosen by the audience members I work with in preshow. I suggest having the spectators “think” of information and write it down on the impression pad using the techniques discussed elsewhere on this DVD. The premise was directly inspired by my friend and teacher David Berglas and his legendary “Berglas Effect” as well as from a concept of Dunninger and Lustig. In their version, they performed the ‘Invisible Deck’ with the deck in its box nailed to the wall. I loved the visual and when I considered the ‘Berglas Effect’ I immediately knew the power of the “nailed deck” visual would prove a wonderful fit.

Premonition Headline Prediction My headline prediction was developed in isolation from outside sources. I simply decided what I wished to achieve with the effect and then approached the most obvious solution: switching the prediction. Many solutions to switching a prediction have been seen in the vast amounts of literature and teaching materials dedicated to mentalism over the years. However, my switch approach was not directly inspired by anything in print. I simply wanted to create an approach that would allow me to make use of normal looking objects that would appear as close to real as possible. After much thought, consideration, and testing, my method and approach was borne. The headline prediction premise goes back to the early days of theatrical mind reading. Its creator is, sadly, lost to antiquity.