First Impressions (A utility device for the working professional)
By
Scott Creasey
CONTENTS Introduction The Equipment Handling Switchit Pinscam Nomen Quod Locus Duplicity The Yellow Book Test The Cardless Card Revelation Zenner-Phobia Geographic Impressions Geo-Variations First Impressional Telepathy Traffic Lights Re-Visited Cribs ‘R’ Us The Great No Memory, Telephone Memory Test Psycho-Telephonics Let The Pendulum Swing Banished Fears – Variation on a Theme Mix ‘N’ Match It’s Not a Trick
2
INTRODUCTION
The original red covered First Impression Pad was designed by me in 2001 but I didn’t release it until late 2003, however the design and handling have been refined over the period since, these refinements have subsequently led to the version you now have in your possession. As a result of over almost seven years of constant use in every working environment imaginable, I have developed a number of different handlings, utility moves and pet effects I am proud to say the pad has sold all over the world from the Far East to Europe and has received rave reviews from many of the finest performers in the business. Over the last few years however I have received hundreds of international requests asking me to release some of the handlings and effects I have reserved for my own use. To date I have been reluctant to do so as they are the mainstay of my own working repertoire. However it is becoming more difficult to obtain materials, of the correct quality needed to manufacture the pad to the standard I demand, which means therefore I don’t know how much longer the pad itself will be available. With this in mind, earlier this year (2008), I decided to commit the routines and moves I have developed over the years to paper for the sake of prosperity. The result is this book. I have tried to give credit where I can but to be honest, apart from the obvious exceptions, I haven’t seen most of what is here in print anywhere else, which I have no doubt means it has all been done before and is on the bookshelf of every mentalist out there except me. I will continue to manufacture and sell the First Impression Pad for as long as the materials are available. In the mean time I hope you have as much fun with it as I have. Regards Scott Creasey – Spain 2008
3
The Equipment You have been supplied with a gaffed pad and a supply of refill pages. Photo 1, Double Covers If you examine the impression pad you will notice the front cover is actually two covers made from magnetic sheet. This causes the two to stick together firmly until you want to peel them apart. (photo 1)
Photo 2, Magic Slate Between these two is glued a piece of magic slate. Any pressure on this slate will cause an impression to appear which can then be cleared by lifting and replacing the plastic sheet on the front of the slate. (photo 2)
The magic slate is positioned so that it faces the inside of the front cover THIS IS CORRECT PLEASE DON’T REMOVE IT. It is the positioning of the slate that makes the peek move so easy and means you don’t have to re-open the pad to see the impression (something I have always disliked). The peek is in fact made after the pad has been closed and is being put away.
Basic Effect You hand a pad to a member of the audience and ask her to write down a number between 1 and a 1000. She does so, removes and folds up the sheet of paper, you never touch it. You retrieve the pad; close it and put it away. Then in your most dramatic manner you reveal the number she is thinking of. Very simple and very direct. 4
Handling You can use a ball point pen or a pencil for writing on the FIP both work equally well I prefer a short hard leaded golf pencil. Firstly the short pencil causes your volunteer to press harder, the harder lead also helps and finally using a pencil allows me to use the same pad with a nail writer. Photo 3, The Pencil and Pen It is common knowledge amongst mentalists that if you use a short pencil the person doing the writing automatically presses harder which is a bonus with any impression device. However it is also possible to find short ball point pens which have the same effect. (photo 3)
Method Photo 4, Front cover folded to back As you remove the pad ask someone to think of a number between 1 and 1000, once they have one remove your pencil or pen and flip open the cover of the notepad (both layers) and fold it over completely until it becomes the back of the pad. (photo 4)
This does two things, firstly it exposes the top sheet of the pad but more importantly it positions the magic slate on the back of the pad ready to take an impression.
5
Photo 5, Positioned for writing
Next flip the top sheet of paper right over which will bring it to rest directly over the magic slate which is hidden by one layer of the magnetic paper. (photo 5)
Hand the pad and pencil to your volunteer so that she writes the number she is thinking of on the single sheet you have just flipped over. Instruct her to tear out the sheet and fold it into a small packet, while she does this free up her hands by retrieving the pad and pencil.
Photo 6, Separating the covers Hold the pad in your left hand as though it were a pack of cards, the pencil (or pen) is in the right hand. With the little finger of the left hand pull down on the outer layer of the front cover of the pad (which is against the palm of your left hand), this causes the corner of the outer magnetic layer to separate from its partner (photo 6).
Photo 7, Right hand takes over In one motion as the little finger opens a gap between the two magnetic layers, the first and second fingers of the right hand are inserted into this gap and take over holding the pad (photo 7).
6
Photo 8, second finger kicks outward
The second finger of the right hand is then used in a kicking motion to separate the rest of the magnetic sheet from its partner (photo 8).
This allows it to swing forward where it is taken by the left hand and closed over onto the pages of the pad. Because the inside of the magnetic sheet looks the same as the front cover, it appears that you have simply retrieved and closed the pad. Photo 9, The closed pad The closed pad is then placed back into the left hand and once again held like a deck of cards. (photo 9)
Basically what you have done in the action of closing the pad is separate the two layers of magnetic paper leaving the impression exposed on the back. All you need to do now is glimpse the impression, which is where you have a number of options. My preferred method is this. Without looking at the pad, flip it over in your left hand and at the same time turn the impression towards your body Photo 10. From this position it is taken by the right hand and place in the top pocket of your jacket. It is natural to glance at the pad while you do this which gives you ample time to glimpse the impression. Another option would be to gesture with the pad (watching your angles) while recapping what has taken place; this option gives you plenty of time to look at the impression more than once.
7
Photo 10, Reading the Impression The cover of the pad facing your audience with the spiral binding at the top. Look at the pad (and read the impression) as you insert it into your top pocket. (photo 10)
Once the pad is dropped back into the top pocket you are clean. The whole thing takes a matter of seconds the moves are all perfectly natural and are covered as you speak to your audience. Remember the pad is closed it is no longer in use you have plenty of time to read the impression, so don’t rush.
Reset Resetting the pad takes no time at all and I regularly do it right in front of a close up audience on the off beat whilst chatting. You could simply lift the plastic sheet on top of the magic slate but it can be quite fiddly as a build up of static tends to hold it in place. Also you don’t want to keep exposing the carbon section to the air as it does tend to dry out which shortens the life of the impression area. Here’s how I do it. Photo 11, Resetting the Pad Hold the pad impression side up in the left hand (tilted towards you) and simply rub the thumb of your right hand from the bottom edge of the magic slate towards the spiral binding. (photo11)
This causes the top plastic sheet to ripple slightly and so clear the impression. Once the writing has gone lightly smooth the plastic sheet out by running your thumb gently from top to bottom.
8
All that remains is to reset the covers which is simply a case of holding the pad impression side down in the left hand and opening the cover right over onto the back of the pad. This once again seals the magic slate between the double magnetic covers. It takes a little bit of practice to get the covers to line up perfectly each time but once you get the knack it is simple.
Refilling Originally I made the First Impression pad by gaffing pads I bought commercially as seen in these photo’s, however demand became so great I eventually purchased the machinery to produce them myself from scratch which also allows me to provide refill pages for much less than you could buy them in the shops. When you need refills just contact me via email to order more. To add extra pages you need to fold the back cover right over onto the front which exposes the opening of the spiral binding. Then slightly pull the separate rings of the binding apart. Remove first the back cover followed by the two magnetic covers. Add as many pages as you need (don’t over fill it) then replace first the gaffed covers and finally the back of the pad. The back is the part that locks all the pages in place. Photo’s 12 and 13 should make this clear. Photo 12, Opening the Ring binding
Photo 13, Front and Rear Covers Removed
I have included enough spare pages to enable you to refill the pad two or three times depending on how full you want it and as I have already mentioned extra pages can be purchased direct from me should need more. So there you have it and I am sure once you get the hang of it you’ll be thinking up loads of ideas. The pad is easy to use, can be safely handled by an audience member, resets in seconds and is perfect for close up.
9
SWITCHIT What follows is a utility move for the pad I discovered sometime ago. Until now it has only ever seen print within the pages of the limited edition pad I produced in a very small numbers a few years ago. I am including it here for the same reasons I decided to write this book in the first place (see the introduction). It has nothing to do with taking an impression although the smooth surface of the magic slate makes the move easier. The move is simply a billet switch but don’t stop reading, because the pad allows you to start clean, by which I mean empty handed and then finish clean. The moves are natural and covered by the pad. It can be used to switch billets, notes (bills) in fact any small flat item that can be sandwiched between the magnetic sheets which make up the cover. I’ll explain the switch using a folded page from the pad because two of the routines in this book utilise the switch although I am sure you will come up with more. There is a slight amount of preparation which unfortunately means you can’t use the pad to take an impression until after the switch has been made. Let us say for example you wish to switch a list of random numbers for a list of your own. First of all write out your force numbers on the top sheet of the pad, then rip it out and fold it into quarters making the creases sharp so the resulting billet will lie as flat as possible.
Photo No: 14 Force Billet Position
Now fold the cover of the pad over until it becomes the back, turn the whole thing over, split the covers and lay the billet on top of the magic slate with the long folded edge pointing to the left (Photo No: 14). The billet to be switched in has been marked A for clarity.
Holding the billet in place with your thumb reposition the outer magnetic sheet squarely on its mate making sure the two are sealed all the way round. This now traps the force billet safely between the two covers. Close the pad and you are ready to go. 10
To perform the switch, remove the pad and flip the front cover over to the back as though you were preparing to take an impression, however, don’t flip the top sheet of paper over just hand the pad in its opened position to a volunteer along with a pen and ask them to write a number at the top of the page. Once they have finished they are instructed to hand the pad and pen to another volunteer who does the same. This procedure is continued until you have the desired amount of numbers on the top page. The final person left holding the pad and pen is instructed to remove the top sheet and fold it into quarters with the writing on the inside. As they do this you assist by taking the pad (but not the pen) from them to free up their hands. The pad is held in the left hand and using the standard splitting motion the outer magnetic sheet is peeled away from its mate (Photo No: 6 Page 4). The handling now changes slightly. As usual the right hand takes over holding the pad by slipping the first and second fingers between the separated magnetic sheets however in this case the first and second fingers also make contact with the force billet and hold it in place. Photo No 15 Right Hand Grip
The third finger of the right hand is used to hold the outer sheet against the fingers in order to prevent it from swinging free which would expose the force billet Photo No: 15 shows the position of the right fingers.
In this position with your left hand you retrieve the billet which has been folded by the final volunteer, then as an after thought in order to retrieve the pen, you pass the billet to the right hand and place it on top of the pad where it is held in place by the right thumb. Photo No: 16 Billet Held in Place
The pad is held with the top page and exposed billet angled slightly toward the audience which keeps it in view (Photo No: 16).
11
This then allows the left hand to retrieve the pen. The next actions are carried out smoothly and simultaneously. The right hand tilts the pad upwards and inwards towards the body which hides the billet, at the same time the pad is passed to the left hand the left thumb taking over from the right by holding the billet against the pad. The right hand now comes away from the pad and simultaneously slips the force billet from between the magnetic sheets with the first and second fingers. Once the force billet is clear of the pad it is gripped between the thumb and first finger of the right hand. Photo no’s 17 and 18 show the position of the billets during the switch from both the audience and performers point of view. Billet B is the original and A is the force billet.
Photo No: 17 Performers view.
Photo No: 18 Audience View
You now have a couple of options to ditch the original billet. You can leave the pad open and simply put it in a pocket which will allow you to take it out again without the billet. Or and this is my preferred method, because I like to stay away from my pockets as much as possible. You can close the cover of the pad over onto the billet which will hold it in place, and then if you wish to take notes as you received your mental impressions, you can re-open the pad by flipping the front cover along with half the pages over onto the back. This gives you a free surface to write or draw on whilst keeping the stolen billet trapped between the front cover and first page. The switch takes a matter of seconds; you simply retrieve the billet and pen then pass the pad over to join the pen in the left hand which leaves the billet in the right hand where it can be passed to someone else. Practice it in front of a mirror and you’ll see how deceptive it is. Try not to think of it as a move and try not to look at your hands while you do it. 12
PINSCAM In the previous handling instructions I included a very simple effect for revealing a number between 1 and 1000 chosen at random. Although a good effect it does need dressing up a bit, so here is the way I have been using the basic idea in close up for a number of years. It was inspired by a pin number effect performed by Derren Brown during his first series although the actual performance and method is different.
Effect: The performer explains that he was recently approached by a representative from an organised crime gang. These people he explains specialise in credit and debit card fraud including ATM (cash machine) theft. This criminal explained the hardest part of any Debit card theft is to obtain the chip and pin number now in use. With this in mind organised crime syndicates are actively seeking out people with psychic abilities who could read someone’s mind in order to learn their secret number. Obviously the performer explains he reported this gentleman to the police, but suggests an experiment as an example of how it works. A volunteer is asked to think of and remember any 4 digit pin number, something personal to her and something she won’t forget. To assist her memory and for later verification (if needed), the volunteer is handed a pad of paper and asked to write the number down, rip out the page, fold it up and hide it in a pocket or purse. All this is carried out while the performers back is turned. Once the folded paper is safely out of sight, the performer retrieves the pad and puts it away. The volunteer is then asked to visualise standing in front of a cash machine and imagine she is punching in the 4 digit pin number. After suitable byplay the performer reveals the number one digit at a time which is of course verified by the volunteer.
Method: I don’t think I need to say much here, as I stated before this is simply the basic use of the pad to peek a thought of number. The rest is patter and presentation. One point I will make is this, you will be surprised when you ask someone for a 4 digit number that is personal to them, just how many will give you their birthday for example their birthday may be 26th March and they will write 2603. It is worth pumping a little to see if the number with her birthday, if it does then play it for all its worth.
13
NOMEN QUOD LOCUS or Name & Place On one of Bob Cassidy’s videos is an effect with billets Bob calls Name and Place. I love the effect and method and would recommend if you haven’t already done so to read anything Bob Cassidy has ever written. I have however been using my version of this effect utilising the pad in a close up environment since I made the first prototype years ago.
Effect: Two people (preferably a couple) who know each other well are asked to assist in an experiment. It is pointed out that when two people have known each other for a long period of time they very often begin to think alike. One of the couple is asked to think of a famous person in history, it can be absolutely anybody. The other is asked to think of a place in the world, absolutely anywhere they wish. The volunteer thinking of the place is asked to write it down on a pad rip out the page and fold it into quarters. Once completed the pad is handed to the other volunteer who is instructed to write the name of the person and once again rip out the page and fold it up. The pad is retrieved closed and placed in a pocket. Both folded billets are then handed to one of the volunteers who mixes them behind his/her back until nobody knows which is the place and which is the person. The performer then announces that only one, either the place or the person will be used as a target and one will be eliminated. He instructs the volunteer holding the billets to hand him one. This is then openly torn into tiny pieces which are discarded in a pocket. The performer begins to concentrate and starts to receive details about the remaining billet. I am feeling the sun and I can smell the sea, this is the PLACE it seems to be an island. He removes the pad opens to the first page and writes down his thoughts. The page is torn out, folded up and exchanged for the target billet which the performer opens and reads out loud. CRETE, a Greek Island, he tells the volunteer to open the billet he holds and verify the performer also wrote CRETE. The target billet is destroyed and the pieces dropped in the pocket to join the others.
14
The performer then turns his attention to the volunteer who wrote the person, he recaps what has happened so far and reminds everybody the billet with the person on was eliminated and destroyed at the start of the experiment and therefore the name only resides in the volunteers mind. One again the performer concentrates and eventually reveals what the chosen person looks like, whether they are dead or alive and finally the name.
Method: This effect looks complex in print but is in fact a simple glimpse of an impression to gain a one ahead. Bob Cassidy’s original required a billet switch, the ability to umbrella open a billet in the pocket and the destruction of one billet by fire, I wanted a version for close up with no switch, no fire and no pocket fumbling. I also didn’t want to alternate between small pieces of card and a pad when having people write information. The preparation is very simple and can be done under the noses of the audience. Open the pad folding the cover over to lie against the back but before folding the top sheet over in preparation to take an impression, mentally divide it into quarters and put a small pencil dot in the centre of each quarter (Photo no 19) Photo No: 19 Marked page
Page mentally divided into quarters and pencil dot the centre of each quarter. The lines and dots in the picture are of course highlighted for clarity.
.
.
.
.
Now if you flip the marked page over onto the back of the pad in preparation to take an impression the dots are hidden. If somebody writes on this page and is instructed to rip it out and fold it into quarters with the writing on the inside, you will always end up with a pencil dot on each side of the folded packet. That’s all the preparation required. With the pad open, page marked and ready to take an impression, it is handed to the first volunteer with the instruction she print the place she is thinking of, rip out the page and fold it into quarters.
15
As the page is folded you free up their hands by taking the pad and passing it to the second volunteer. This volunteer then writes the name on the top page which isn’t against the impression area, rips it out and once again folds it into quarters. As the second piece is folded you once again free the volunteer’s hands by taking the pad. As they complete their folding you close it to expose the impression which you then peek while you put the pad away. The situation is this. Two volunteers each hold a folded billet one of which is marked and you know the information it contains. The person with the marked billet is instructed to hand it to volunteer number two who then mixes both behind his/her back. During this mixing the performer explains that only one billet will be used as the target and the other eliminated. As soon as the person doing the mixing is happy they don’t know which is which, the performer holds out his hand and asks the volunteer to hand him either billet. A glance at the billet will instantly tell you if it is the one the impression was taken from. If the billet shows a pencil dot on the outside it is the one with the place written inside, which you already know having peeked the impression earlier. If this is the case you immediately rip the billet into tiny pieces (don’t look at your hands) and drop them into a convenient pocket thereby eliminating one billet as you said you would. If however the billet handed to you doesn’t have the pencil marks, you hand it immediately to volunteer number one and then turning back to the volunteer who still holds the marked billet ask them to tear it to pieces and drop them into your pocket thereby once again eliminating it. In either case the situation will be this. The peeked billet will have been eliminated by being torn to pieces which will be safely in your pocket. The remaining billet will be held by one of the volunteers to be used as the target. Now we move into one ahead mode. The performer explains nobody knows if the target billet contains the person or the place but he will attempt to divine which. After a few moments byplay i.e. describing the various features of the place (peeked earlier), he removes the pad from his pocket, flips the cover over onto the back (which hides the original impression) and on the top sheet writes the peeked place. This is then ripped out folded and exchanged for the billet held by the volunteer. The performer unfolds the exchanged billet notes the name but misreads it (aloud) as the place. The volunteer then opens the billet he holds and confirms the performer has correctly divined the target was the place. While the volunteer unfolds his billet to check the performers answer, the performer casually tears the billet he holds to pieces and drops them in his pocket to join the others; he is now clean and also knows the name written by volunteer number 2.
16
All that remains is to explain that because the target billet turned out to be the place, the billet destroyed in the beginning must have been the person. This in turn means the name of the person now only exists in volunteer number two’s head. The performer then goes on to divine the name of the person.
Summary: This effect really does seem complex in print it is however very simple to perform. A couple of points. I know someone will say why not just use a centre tear for the one ahead and yes you can, it works and I’ve done it. The only problem I have with the centre tear is limiting a writing area to a certain part of the paper. The other problem for me is continuity, I have a lot of stuff written down during performance, I also draw pictures as I pick up thoughts etc. In my opinion if I were doing this for real I’d just have stuff written on a pad picked up from my local stationary store and wouldn’t need to switch between small cards, pads, paper with circles drawn on them etc. One final point. If for some unknown reason you can’t see the markings on either billet or you get them mixed up, don’t worry. Try to keep in mind you did tell the audience one would be eliminated and one would be a target. So if you only manage to reveal the peeked information you have still done what you said you would.
The most Requested. Of all the correspondence I have received about the First Impression pad, the most frequently asked question is: ‘How do you use the pad for a real time drawing duplication?’ What follows is my handling which is something that has evolved over years of use. It may seem unnatural to some performers but I must stress it suits my performance style well and I’m sure you can adapt it to suit yours. Most of your angles are covered except if you have someone looking over your shoulder and the handling allows for a very long leisurely peek which is especially useful in low light situations.
17
DUPLICITY Effect: The performer hands a small pad and a pencil to a volunteer with the instruction she draw a simple picture. Once finished she is asked to tear out the page and fold it up so nobody can see what she has drawn. The performer retrieves the pad, tears out the top sheet, closes the pad and using it as a rest, proceeds to do a drawing himself. Once completed this picture is also folded up and exchanged for the one held by the volunteer. When both drawings are compared they are an almost exact match.
Method: Obviously this is just the bare bones of the effect, you can of course dress it up with as much cold reading, NLP or body language patter as you wish, I leave the presentation to you the handling however is fairly straightforward. I have used this handling extensively in a close up situations but it could of course be used in a stand up environment for smaller groups. There is a small difference in handling in order to close the pad which will be explained in the accompanying photographs. Hand the pad to your volunteer set to receive an impression and ask her to draw a simple picture or design. A small note here, you will find when people draw, they tend to move more slowly than when writing which really does help with the quality of impression. Once she has completed her drawing she is told to rip out the page and fold it up with the drawing on the inside. To assist with this you retrieve both the pad and pencil/pen. Photo No: 20 Page Ripped out Now here is where the handling differs slightly. With the pad held in the left hand in preparation to split the two magnetic covers and the pen in the right hand, tear out the top sheet of paper by lifting it up and tearing away from you (Photo No: 20).
The larger movement of ripping out the page provides perfect cover for the smaller movement of splitting the magnetic sheets. 18
Photo No: 21 Pad Being Closed. The torn out sheet is then repositioned so it is held between the first and second finger of the right hand freeing the right thumb. The right first finger and thumb take hold of the pad between the split sheets, which allows the left hand to release its grip and swing the cover (single layer into the closed position (Photo No: 21).
The moves that follow were designed for the way I present the drawing duplication. They work for my style of performance. You are welcome to use them as they are here but it may be better if you adapt them to suit you. As soon as the pad is closed the loose page is placed directly over the cover (Photo No: 22), the right hand then takes the inner left corner of the pad (from the performers point of view) and simultaneously swivels the pad into an upright position and neckties it so the impression is facing the performers body. (Photo No: 23). Photo No: 22 Loose page is placed over the cover
Photo No: 23 Pad Swivelled and Necktied.
In this position the performer instructs the volunteer to imagine the blank page as a large white board he then asks her to imagine duplicating her original drawing on the white board with a permanent marker pen. During these requests the performer has ample time to glimpse the impression at this leisure.
Once you are sure you recognise and remember the glimpsed impression the blank sheet is slipped from the front of the pad and placed on the back right over the 19
impression (Photo No: 24). Next is a subtlety I have used for some time, I don’t even know if it makes any difference but boy it makes me feel good so I’ll include it here for good measure. Once the blank sheet is safely over the impression area I squeeze with the fingers and thumb of my left hand this causes the page to buckle slightly which in turn hides the darker area of the magic slate which may show through during the next move. In this position I turn the back of the pad towards the volunteer and with the first finger of both hands, draw a large square in the air as I ask her to imagine the whiteboard and their drawing as being very big (Photo No: 25).
Photo No: 24 Sheet Covers Impression
Photo No: 25 Drawing an Imaginary Square.
All that remains is to hold the pad so the blank sheet faces you and reproduce the impression you glimpsed earlier. Now without showing it and holding it against the back of the pad, you fold the paper up with the drawing on the inside, put the pad and pen away and exchange folded papers with the volunteer. Finally after a recap and suitable build up the drawings are compared and of course match very closely. There you have it, I’ve used this routine in intimate close up one on one, banquet situations with a table of 20 people and even on stage. It can be adapted for almost any environment. Relax, take it slow, don’t rush the peek and be aware of your angles and it should serve you well.
This next effect is one of my all time favorites for stage and cabaret work and is the first effect of two using the billet switch technique described earlier. Please make sure you are comfortable with the switch before you try this out for real.
20
THE YELLOW BOOK TEST Effect: Any yellow pages from any area, borrowed if you wish is handed to a member of the audience to flip through and guesstimate how many adverts it contains. While she does this the performer hands a pad and pen to another member of the audience and instructs her/him to write any number between 1 and 1000 at the top of the page. The pad is then handed to two other audience members in succession both of whom are once again asked to write numbers between 1 and 1000. The final person to write a number is asked to tear out the page and fold it into quarters with the writing on the inside. Once done the performer retrieves the pad and pen and the folded paper is handed to the person with the yellow pages. At this point the performer turns his back on the audience, instructs the volunteer with the yellow pages to open the folded slip, decide on one of the numbers and turn to that page in the book. With the book open at the selected page, the volunteer is instructed to choose and concentrate on any advert. Without turning round the performer is able to give details of the advert including telephone numbers, fax number, web addresses and what the company names and logo’s are etc. All the details are confirmed as correct by the volunteer who chose the advert.
Method: You should already be ahead of me here, but read that again. If you saw this effect advertised as written above you have to admit you would be tempted to buy it. I am sure if I sold this one effect as a limited edition manuscript for people who already had the pad, I could charge more than you have paid for this whole book. However let’s move on. You know how to do the billet switch so I’ll explain the rest if it’s not already clear to you. Beg, borrow or steal the yellow pages, if you can’t get one at the venue you are working then take your own. Before the performance sit down with the book and find a page at the front (pages 1 – 100) which contains an advert that stands out from the rest. It may be the biggest, the most colourful or even the only white advert on the page. Believe me I have been doing this effect for some time and there is always one that stands out more than the others. Write the details of this advert on a crib sheet. Do the same with a page somewhere near the middle of the book and then again towards the end.
21
On the first page of your pad and using different hand writing, write the page numbers for the adverts you’ve just located, rip out the page fold it into quarters and use it to set the pad for the switch (described earlier). During performance the yellow pages is handed to someone to your right. The pad is handed to someone over to your left. Each person who writes a number will be on your left away from the volunteer with the book. When the last person has written his/her number and torn out and folded the page, make the switch as described and hand the force billet to the volunteer with the book with the request she open the folded page, decide on a number and turn to that page in the book. Now for an Annemann subtlety. With your back to the audience it is natural to glance over your shoulder as you ask the volunteer with the book ‘DO YOU HAVE A PAGE YET’. In that quick glance it is a simple task to note where in the book the volunteer is looking, front, middle or back. This cues you to the correct advert. But how does she choose the correct one. Simple, you instruct her to concentrate on any advert on the chosen page, but to make it easier choose one that really stands out, it could be the biggest, the most colourful or even the only white one. The bigger the brighter the more it stimulates brain activity. All you need to do from there on in is refer to and repeat the correct information from your crib. (See Cribs ‘R’ Us) Obviously you don’t have to use a crib if you are proficient with mnemonics. You don’t of course have to restrict yourself to the yellow pages; any book can be used picture books, maps, dictionary’s the list goes on, as they say you are only limited by your imagination.
22
The Cardless Card Revelation. Effect: A pad and pen are handed to a member of the audience with the instruction she write the name of a playing card at the top of the page. Any card will do, she can write in full or just put the initials and if she doesn’t want to write the numbers out in full it is OK to use numerals. Once the first card is written she hands the pad to someone else who writes the name of a second, different card, under the first. The pad and pen are then handed to a third person who also writes a card and passes it on. This procedure is continued until the first page of the pad contains the names of six different, freely selected playing cards. The sixth person holding the pad is asked to rip out the page and fold it up with the writing on the inside, at no stage does the performer see which cards were written. The folded page is then handed to a seventh person who, while the performer turns his back, is instructed to open up the paper, decide on just one card from the list, refold the paper and slip it in his pocket. At this stage the performer turns to face the audience and in his most dramatic manner reveals the name of the card being thought of. Method: So you are not going out to do a stage show, you don’t have a yellow pages handy but you have your FIRST IMPRESSION PAD and a pen in your pocket. You are at a party with a lot of people and the subject has slowly come around to psychic phenomena etc (steered by you) so you propose a small experiment which will involve as many people as you can. Of course the above effect uses the billet switch described earlier. All you need is a pre-written memorized list of playing cards folded and loaded in the pad. The list of course needs to be one which enables you to pump for the selected card. These are the cards I use. 2 of hearts, 10 of diamonds, Queen of hearts, 3 of spades, 9 of clubs and King of spades. The cards are written in different handwriting, some are just the initials i.e. 2C for 2 of clubs (hence the patter in effect). Proceed as in the effect until the sixth person has ripped out and folded the page. Take the pad, billet and pen from them do the switch and hand switched list of cards to a seventh person asking them it and remember one card.
23
All you need to do now is pump for the card. Here’s the way I pump the cards I use, best scenario first followed by the worst. • • •
Your card is a red one isn’t it? YES! It’s a heart isn’t it? YES! The queen of hearts? YES!
• • • • • • •
Your card is a red one isn’t it? NO! The back is, try to concentrate on the front. (Tongue in Cheek) Its black isn’t it? YES! It’s not a spade is it? No! That’s what I thought. But I’m still getting the colour red, is it a picture card? NO! Strange I don’t know where the red is coming from then. It’s the three of Spades isn’t it? YES!
Or
The worse you will ever get is 3 no’s and one of them you have turned into a hit. This simple effect plays big and involves 7 people minimum. If you use a body language theme you can get everyone trying to spot the give away signals as you question the person thinking of the card, which means you can involve the whole audience. You can set the pad up in advance but I have regularly set it up on the spur of the moment. Simply write the cards on the top sheet of the pad, rip it out, fold it up and set the pad ready. You are of course not limited to playing cards; you could use names of famous people, places or even animals if you can produce a list to pump from. Play with it, the effect is almost complete impromptu and always gets a good reaction.
Number Effects By far the easiest information for peeking from any impression pad is numbers. Even if they are badly written you can normally see what they are, in bad light it is still possible to discern numbers because they are printed and very recognizable, even upside down, to anybody who can count. So dates of birth (written numerically), house numbers, pin numbers and even the total of a mathematical calculation done on paper by two or three different people, can be peeked very quickly. It goes without saying therefore that over the years quite a few of the effects I have come up with for the F.I.P. have involved the peeking of numbers. A few of those effects follow, the first of which is reproduced here from my lecture notes Mental(magic)ism.
24
Zenner-Phobia In this next effect as well as the pad you require a standard set of ESP Cards often know as Rhine or Zenner cards (hence the title). As an added bonus you also get to practice your pencil reading. Effect: A pad and pen are handed to a volunteer who is instructed to write down a number between 1 and 25 (free choice) rip out the page, fold it up and put it in her pocket for future verification. Once done the deck of 25 ESP cards is shuffled by the performer and cut a number of times by members of the audience. When everybody is satisfied the cards are mixed, they are placed in the centre of the table and never touched again by the performer. The person, who wrote the number is now asked to concentrate on it and the performer, with his eyes closed, holds his left hand up towards her while his right hand hovers over the tabled cards (not touching them). After a moment he opens his eyes picks up the pad and pencil and draws a picture on the top sheet which is then tabled picture side down. The person thinking of the number is instructed to pick up the cards and count down to the number she is thinking of turning the card at that number face up. When the pad is turned over the drawing is seen to match the card at the thought of number. Method: Have the ESP deck in your pocket set up in standard stack order (you should know what that is) Hand the pad to a volunteer set to take an impression and have her write down any number between 1 and 25. At this point if you give her a long pencil you can stand back and practice your pencil reading. In fact I always try to get the number through pencil reading first and then use the impression as a standby if I need it. Once the number has been written, ripped out, folded and you know what it is by carrying out the peek procedure, the cards are introduced and shuffled. It goes without saying you false shuffle them yourself. You can then allow members of the audience to give the deck a number of straight cuts which of course doesn’t disturb the cyclic stack. Now all you need to know is the card that ends up on the bottom of the deck after all the shuffling and cutting is completed. You can either peek the card as you square the deck, or if you are using a marked deck as I do, you can work out the bottom card by reading the markings on the top card. So for example after the cards have been 25
cut if the top card is a star, the bottom card will be the one BEFORE the star in the cycle, therefore the bottom card in this case will be the square. Because the deck is made up of five symbols repeated five times and you have them in a set order, if the bottom card, no 25 is a square, then the 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th cards will also be squares. This knowledge allows you to calculate which symbol falls at any given number. So for example let’s assume the number you peeked was 17 and the bottom card is the square. You know that card number 15 is also a square so you just move forward 2 cards in your cycle to know which card is at number 17, which would be (in this case) a circle. And that is what you draw on your pad before the counting begins. Of course the cards dealt to the table are now in reverse order and if you want to continue to use the stacked deck you need to reverse them back again. Here is how I do it. Once the revelation has been made and the effect has sunk in, I pick up the tabled cards and count them from hand to hand reversing the order in the process; these cards are then added to the remainder of the deck. The logic behind this action is for me to find out the number that was written (as if I didn’t already know), from this number I will then do a short numerology reading. I use Zenner-Phobia as apart of a three phase routine using a deck of ESP cards but it is strong enough to stand on its own as a demonstration of direct mind reading combined with remote viewing. Remote viewing is one of my favourite themes; there is some great info on the subject on line which can give your patter an almost scientific feel. Remote viewing is what inspired this next effect and its variations.
Geographic Impressions Effect: A pad and pen are handed to a volunteer with the instruction she write down a two digit number and not let anyone else see it. She rips out the page, folds it into quarters and keeps it hidden in her fist. The performer then removes from his pocket an envelope with the title ‘Remote Viewing Test no 612 – Target sites 1 – 20’ or something to that effect. A folded sheet of paper is removed from the envelope and is seen to be a map of the world. A number of countries on the map (20 in total) are labelled with a number i.e. 18. England, 20. Russia etc.
26
The performer explains that during military research carried out in the field of remote viewing at the height of the cold war, random map references were generated by computer for test subjects to concentrate on. As we don’t have a computer however my assistant here (pointing to the volunteer who wrote the number) has kindly, without knowing it, used her built in computer, commonly known as a brain, to generate a random map reference. The volunteer is then instructed to concentrate on her number. If the number is 20 or below she is told to stick with it, however if it is higher than 20 she is asked to mentally add the digits together to give her a new total. Once she understands and has a number in her head, she is asked to look at the country represented by her number on the map. The performer can turn his back while she does this. When the volunteer has her country clear in her head, the performer commences a mental journey, as though he is flying across land and sea. He slowly but surely homes in on the target and reveals the volunteers secret destination. Method: The number is peeked. Need I say any more? The whole effect is the standard peek given in the previous instructions dressed up with a remote viewing theme. The envelope is printed up from your home computer and the map can be of anywhere. A map of the world with 20 countries numbered, or a map of you own country with 20 cities listed, you could even have a map of your local area with various landmarks numbered. With the map open on the table and the number peeked all you need to do is locate the relevant country and the rest is acting. For a more impromptu version of the effect try this. Geo - Variation 1: Hand the pad to a volunteer set to take an impression, once she has written the number, ripped it out and folded it up, take back the pad but don’t close it for the peek yet. On the top sheet write a list of 10 countries and number them 1 – 10. Rip out the sheet turn it over and on the other side write a further 10 countries and number them 11 – 20. Explain that her number represents a map reference and if it is 20 or below she should stick with it but if it is above 20 to add the digits together.
27
Hand her the list of twenty counties and ask her to remember the country written next to her number. As she does this you close the pad and put it away peeking the info at the same time. The rest is pure acting. Geo - Variation 2: Using mnemonics it is an easy matter to remember a list of 20 countries and their corresponding numbers. With such a list committed to memory the effect can be taken further. When your volunteer has written a number and you have retrieved the pad, rip out the top sheet then close the pad and perform your peek. Put the pad away and on the loose sheet you just removed write your 20 memorised countries (10 on each side). However because you already know her number and are using mnemonics to remember your list, it is a simple matter to put whichever country you want by the number she has chosen. This means you can add a real kicker to this simple effect. Here’s how. Go to your local travel agent and pick up a glossy travel brochure for the country you want to force. Rip out one page which shows a destination within that country, (it should be obvious where it is, e.g. Paris, France) fold it up and keep it in your wallet. If for example she wrote the number 52 (5+2=7) you make sure you write France in position 7. After you have done your remote viewing bit and the revelation has sunk in, you start to act a little strange, and while you tell the audience you are thinking on holiday and that you were looking through some brochures a few days ago, you remove your wallet, you explain that as you went through the brochures you were drawn to one destination and ripped the page out so that you would remember to drop into the travel agent and book a holiday. By this time of course you have removed the page from your wallet unfolded it and dropped it on the table. Of course with a simple two digit number peek and a list, you are not limited to countries. You could list: • • • • •
The top 20 movies The top 20 Male movie stars The top 20 Female movie stars The top 20 Songs The top 20 of anything
But why stick to 20, if you have enough space or are using a flip chart on stage you could have a list of 30, 40, 50 or more. The variations are endless.
28
Let’s take the number peek one stage further. My all time favourite effect is Bob Cassidy’s Fourth Dimensional Telepathy, which of course is Mr Cassidy’s version of Annemans original. I am assuming if you are reading this you have a major interest in Mentalism and therefore when I talk about Bob Cassidy (a legend), Annemann (the original legend), a Shaxon Flap (Alan Shaxon yet another Legend), you understand what I am talking about. I am not at liberty to give you Mr Cassidy’s method for Fourth Dimensional Telepathy and in fact wouldn’t if I could because I still use it from time to time. I have used Cassidy’s version for years it has been in my cabaret/standup act since I read his first published version years ago. Then I did away with dumping the billet and instead used unfolded business cards and a Shaxon Flap in conjunction with a window envelope. However for those of you, who are still with me, think of this. I like continuity in my act so for me to have things written by audience members on a pocket pad and then switch to them writing on business cards didn’t make sense or feel right. So here is what I do and I call this:
First Impressional Telepathy Ladies and gentlemen, they say the pen is mightier than the sword. The problem is there are only three legitimate ways to express yourself using a pen. One is through numbers, the second is through words and the third is through pictures. We are going to try an experiment using all three of those forms of expression. A pad and pen are handed to a lady who is asked to write down her birthday using numbers only. For example my birthday is 26th of March so I would write 26/3. When she has finished she is instructed to rip out the page and fold it in to quarters with the writing on the inside. The pad is handed to a second person who is instructed to write down the name of a pet they had as a child, rip out the page and fold it up. The pad is handed to a final person who is asked to do a drawing. While the final person is doing the drawing small envelopes are handed to the first two people who are told to seal their folded pages inside. Once the final person has ripped out the page and folded it, she is also given an envelope to seal the paper in. The sealed envelopes are handed to someone else for save keeping and all three thoughts are revealed by the performer ending with a drawing duplication done on stage with the final person. 29
Method: What can I say. One ahead. The first person is handed the pad set to take an impression she writes her birthday in numbers and rips out the page, the pad is handed to a second person who writes the name of a childhood pet and rips out the page. Finally the pad is handed to a third person who draws a picture. The peek however isn’t made until the last person has finished her drawing, has ripped it out and is sealing it in an envelope, which is when the pad is retrieved, closed and put away. The time lapse is a natural disconnect and because the peek is of a number, (date of birth written in numbers) the information is very hard to miss even in low light. The volunteers rip out the pages themselves, they fold them and they seal them into ungaffed envelopes. Everything is clean and appears very innocent. The envelopes are collected by the performer and miss-numbered as he does so. Envelope number one, which contains the peeked date of birth, is numbered 3, envelope number two, which contains the childhood pet, is numbered 1 and the final envelope which contains the drawing is numbered 2. The envelopes are then handed to a fourth person for safe keeping. The performer then takes up a large pad (if working stage or cabaret) and writes down the date of birth peeked earlier, but he doesn’t reveal it yet. He places the large pad face down on the table and asks for envelope number 1 (which should be the date of birth but is in fact the childhood pet). He opens and miss-calls it as the date of birth whist reading and remembering the name of the pet. He picks up and shows the large pad confirming he read person number ones mind. The same procedure is carried out with person number two. The name of the childhood pet (just read) is written on the pad and the performer asks for envelope number two (really the drawing). He opens it miss-calls it as the pet looks at and memorises the picture. Again he shows his pad to prove he has read the mind of participant number two. This time however the procedure changes. The performer already knows what the picture is so asks the person who drew it to join him on stage and on the way collect her envelope. She is asked to screw it into a ball and throw it over her shoulder, after which she is handed a large pad and instructed to re-draw her picture, the same but bigger, so that everyone will be able to see it.
30
As she does this the performer takes up another pad and duplicates her drawing. When both drawings are shown they are a near perfect match which is a perfect end to a three phase routine. I would recommend if you haven’t already, that you read all the versions of Fourth Dimensional Telepathy that Bob Cassidy has published over the years. This effect is worth its weight in gold. Extra Note: I seem to remember years ago reading that Bob Cassidy had performed fourth dimensional telepathy using an impression device but had steered away from it over the years due to the unreliability of getting a decent impression. And I agree with him to some extent. If the lighting is very poor it can be a problem, I haven’t encountered that problem yet with the First Impression Pad but have no doubt I will do eventually. Of course I concede that to do it this way you need an impression device in your pocket, which is of course no substitute for being able to walk into a stationary store and buy a few index cards, some envelopes and spend 30 mins making the props to do Bobs original. But hey! For a formal show where I have some control over my working environment I’ll go with my pad. You could of course take this effect to the next stage as a Q & A routine. Hand the first impression pad set to take an impression to a person on one table (in a banquet situation) ask them to writes some information and then pass the pad on to the rest of the people at the table for them to also write information. On the other tables the same procedure is carried out but using ungaffed pads. Each person folds their page and dumps them in box or bowl which is then taken to the stage. This of course gives you your one ahead start in a Q & A setting.
31
The following effect also appears in my lecture notes Mental(magic)ism using a peek wallet and some business cards, however it is perfectly suited for the First Impression Pad
TRAFFIC LIGHTS REVISITED Some years ago Peter Arcane, who for those who don’t know him yet, is an excellent mentalist, brilliant thinker and good friend of mine, sent me a set of laminated cards he had designed for use with a peek wallet. As Peter often does (and as many of you will know) he produced the cards and sent them to me with no instructions, in the belief that if you sit down with the props and work out how to use them yourself, then your presentation will be truly original. This in fact is a sound idea and one which if all magicians followed would eliminate the poor imitations of the Copperfields, Pendragons, Blaines and Derren Browns of this world. However I digress. Amongst the laminated cards was one on which were printed 3 circles one above the other in three different colours, from top to bottom they are green, orange and red, the card and circles represented a traffic light. I looked at this card for some time and couldn’t think what I could use it for so eventually discarded it to my work in progress draw where it remained for a number of years. Then in 2007 Peter Duffie produced an ebook entitled Miraculous Minds, (Scotland Goes Mental) and there in print was an effect utilising the traffic light card called ‘The Traffic Light Personality Test’ by Peter Arcane. Basically the effect in Peters own words is this: ‘A colour freely chosen by a spectator is divined during an entertaining personality test’. The laminated card is handed to a volunteer they put a cross through the colour of their choice, the card is then slipped unseen into a wallet and through a series of psychological questions the colour is divined and a personality reading given in the process. The effect is simple and very effective and I thank Peter for allowing me to explain it here. However, I am always on the look out for effects I can do impromptu without having to carry specially prepared props with me so I took Peter’s effect to the next stage. You don’t require anything more than your trusty First Impression Pad and a pencil or pen. 32
Effect: The performer removes from his pocket a pad and pencil and on the first page writes the following colours, RED, BLUE, GREEN AND YELLOW. He rips the page out and on the back writes the names of the following shapes, CIRCLE, CROSS, SQUARE AND STAR. The pad and pencil are then handed to a volunteer who is instructed to first decide upon any of the four colours written on the sheet of paper and write it at the top of the page on the pad she is holding, then under the colour to draw any of the shapes. She is then asked to rip out he page and fold it up. The performer explains that psychologists are able to give very accurate personality readings by studying colours and shapes chosen by a person at random. He explains that: RED: Represents passion and emotion. BLUE: Represents calmness and logic. GREEN: Represents a down to earth stability. YELLOW: Represents happiness and a positive outlook. He also explains: CIRCLE: Represents going with the flow the cycle of life. CROSS: Represents need for change a cross roads. SQUARE: Represents a need for stability in life. STAR: Represents ambition a need for more. After a moment of contemplation he proceeds as follows. I see you as a calm person someone who thinks logically about things and isn’t controlled by emotion. That isn’t to say you don’t get emotional, on the contrary I feel below the surface there’s an insecurity that sometimes holds you back, as the saying goes ‘still waters run deep’. I also feel your need for stability in life not necessarily financial or material stability although these are important factors, but more like the need for a solid foundation where home and relationships are concerned.
33
I am going to hazard a guess and say you are thinking of the colour BLUE and the SQUARE. When she unfolds her paper it is seen the performer’s deductions are correct.
Method: Do I really need to explain? No I didn’t think so. Simplicity itself, she writes the colour and draws the shape under it on the pad which you have set to take an impression, the wallet is put closed and put away as you get you peek. The rest is a psychological profile based on the meanings given above for the various colours and shapes. With a bit of cold reading thrown in this simple and basically impromptu effect stuns. Thanks Peter for the inspiration. Extra Note: The First Impression Pad was of course invented purely to take impressions in a real time setting and that is where it excels. However as you have already noticed in the preceding pages, over the years I have come up with variations and moves that make the pad more versatile. Some years ago I decided it would be really nice if I could just put the pad and a pencil in my pocket and at the drop of the hat perform a full 20 - 30 min stand up act. I am finally at the stage where I can, and have, I’ll give you a few mix and match ideas at the end of the book. However firstly I’d like to show you a different way to utilize the pad which many of you may find useful.
Cribs ‘R’ Us Because the front covers of the pad lock closed, it is the perfect place to hide a crib sheet or even a pre-written page which can be switched in the process of ripping it out. This is great for doing a telephone memory test which I do as part of my memory techniques lecture, but how about a super fast magic square. Firstly however, where to put the crib? There are a couple of ways of adding a hidden crib to the pad. One is to simply take a post it note slightly smaller than the pad itself, write the information you need on it and stick directly over the impression area (see photo no: 26). 34
Photo No :26 A standard Post It note cut to size and positioned over the Impression area. This is a handwritten crib
In this position you can use the pad for taking notes etc during performance or get a number of people to create a random page number in a book for example, then rip the page out and had it to the person with the book and when you close the pad split the cover in the usual way exposing the crib on the back. On the crib of course you have previously written the first word on every page of the book. The only problem with putting the crib over the impression area is that although an impression could still be taken through the crib, you wouldn’t be able to read it, however just as a means of hiding a crib, this method is the easiest to use. Now I’ll give you my preferred position for the crib and two very strong presentations of a Telephone Directory book test. In this version the Crib is cut to size and using post it glue or any non permanent repositionable adhesive on the top edge of the crib only, is stuck on the duplicate pad cover between the two locking sheets, opposite the impression area. It is positioned so that if you split the sheets and open just the top layer you will be looking at the crib in the proper orientation for reading. (See Photo: 27)
Photo No: 27 Front cover of the pad split open for reading. The photo shows the correct orientation and positioning of the crib.
35
With the use of a computer and printer it is possible to fit a vast amount of information on a small crib. The one in the following Illustration is in fact the crib I use for my telephone directory tests and contains 80 different 9 digit telephone numbers. Actually in this photograph I have removed the telephone numbers and replaced them with my own mobile number 80 times just as an illustration. (See Illustration No: 28)
1
Illustration No 28 shows the crib I use for my telephone directory tests. It was produced in Excel, each telephone number typed in the table and then scaled down to font size 7 in Arial. This is the font size I can read comfortably, however if your eyes are better than mine you could go smaller and therefore enter a lot more information.
2
3
4
1
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
2
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
3
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
4
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
5
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
6
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
7
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
8
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
9
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
10
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
11
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
12
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
13
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
14
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
15
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
16
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
17
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
18
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
19
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
20
670719700
670719700
670719700
670719700
We will get onto the telephone directory tests shortly but first you will need to master the altered handling of the pad in order to read the crib and keep it hidden during performance. The crib in this situation is not exposed on the back of the pad when the pad is closed whilst splitting the covers. In fact if you did it that way it would be a mistake as you would expose the crib, which would magically appear stuck the front cover of your pad. Not a bad effect but not what we are looking for. You would be best to follow with pad in hand so the following moves make sense. The pad is held in the left hand (if like me you are right handed) with the cover (both layers) facing upwards. However this time it is held slightly further down in the hand with the left forefinger extended above the wire binding (See Photo No: 29) In this position if you flip the cover (both layers) open exposing the first blank sheet, the forefinger of the left hand will stop the cover falling over onto the back of the pad. (See Photo No: 30)
36
Photo No: 30
Photo No: 29
This is the way the pad should be opened when you want to take notes during the telephone directory tests. If you open it this way as a matter of course, when the pages are split and the crib exposed, everything will appear as normal and you will maintain continuity. From the open position in order to close the pad all you need to do is tilt the hand holding the pad towards you, which will allow the cover to swing closed under its own weight. The handling to expose the crib (and incidentally the impression area) replicates the above procedure with one slight exception. With the pad held as in Photo No: 30 the first two fingers and thumb of the right hand grip the cover (both layers) at the lower right hand corner (See Photo No: 31). In this position the fingers of the right hand push to the left as the thumb simultaneously pulls to the right. This causes the two magnetic layers of the pad to split in a sliding motion (See Photo No: 32). It is now a simple matter to flip just the top layer of the cover open where it comes to rest against the extended forefinger of the left hand, which stops it falling over onto the back of the pad which would expose the impression area. In this position everything looks normal from the audience point of view and if you keep your hands close to your body, as you would if you were writing, the angles are more or less covered. Only someone looking over your shoulder would see the exposed crib and impression area. (See Photo No: 33 Performers view).
37
Photo No: 31 The fingers and thumb of the Left hand grip the bottom right hand corner of the cover (both layers)
Photo No: 32 The fingers push to the left as the thumb pulls to the right splitting the magnetic covers in a sliding motion
Photo No 33: Top layer of the front cover flipped upwards to rest against the extended forefinger of the left hand. The hidden crib exposed in the correct orientation for reading with the impression area exposed above it.
Once again with the pad held as in Photo No: 33 with the crib and impression area exposed, it is a simple matter to close the pad by tilting the hand towards your body allowing the single layer to swing back down to its partner, which locks everything safely away.
38
THE TELEPHONE DIRECTORY EFFECTS Many years ago I purchased a booklet written by Val Andrews which I think was called the Val Andrews ungaffed book test. The idea was excellent and after a couple of months playing with it I thought I’d give it a go in my stand up routine. I presented it at a local golf club dinner and actually used the club visitor’s signing in book which was kept on reception. A page and line number were chosen at random and I revealed the persons name which appeared in that position. Not a bad effect and one which received a very favourable response. However after the show, as I was packing away, the club secretary approached me, shook my hand and congratulated me on my performance. Everything was unbelievable he said, apart from that thing you did with the signing in book. I asked him what he meant and he told me it seemed logical to him that all you had to remember was 20 different names one on each of 20 different pages. That was enough for me; if one person could work it out using pure logic then so could many others. It could of course have been my presentation but one person was enough so I never performed the effect again. However the concept stuck in my head and about five years ago I came up with the following variation. Before I go further I would like to say I have never seen this variation written up anywhere else but as I have stated before that doesn’t mean it never has been. If it has then I apologise to the author but this variation came to me independently as I was looking for ideas to go with my pad.
The Great No Memory, Telephone Memory Test Effect: A local telephone directory is handed to a member of the audience who is asked to have a flick through and make sure it is a standard directory. While this is being done the performer states he has tried to memorise the first 20 phone numbers in each column on every page of the directory, a total of 80 numbers per page which means with a 1,000 pages in the book that is 80,000 different numbers. He would have tried to remember every number on every page but only had a couple of hours before the show so had to limit himself to the first 20 numbers in each column.
39
A page, column and line are randomly selected by different audience members, the volunteer with the directory is instructed to turn to the selected page and count down to the chosen line in the correct column. When she finds the number she is requested to keep her finger on it. The performer then concentrates for a few seconds and writes down a telephone number on his pad. He then reads out the number he has written stopping after every couple of digits to get confirmation from the volunteer with the directory that he is correct. Of course he is which confirms he has in fact been able to remember approximately 80,000 different telephone numbers. Method: This is another of those effects I could probably sell on its own as a manuscript for the same price as this book. It is conceivable that this effect could be done without the need for a hidden crib. The fact is that although there seems to be a choice of nearly 80,000 numbers, there are in fact only 80 possibilities. OK so that’s 60 more possibilities than the Val Andrews original, but even so with a working knowledge of mnemonics and a bit of time and effort, you could do it without cribs of any kind. However the title of this effect is ‘The Great No Memory, Telephone Memory Test’ and it uses the first impression pad and hidden crib. I present this effect as the climax to my memory techniques lecture where I actually teach the basics of mnemonics and sell my lecture notes, which explain the technique in more depth. Now before I start to get letters about ethics, my lecture is first and foremost entertainment which incorporates some genuine memory stunts. The telephone directory test as the climax is to demonstrate just what the human mind is capable of if trained properly. For those of you who say it is impossible to do legitimately, I say you are wrong. Google search on Harry Lorraine buy his books and see what he was able to do in front of a live audience and you will change your mind. But I digress. The basic handling is this. The telephone directory (which is ungaffed) is handed to a member of the audience and The First Impression Pad is opened to the first blank page (See Photo No: 30). Another member of the audience is asked to call out a number from 1 – 4 inclusive, and it is explained this represents a column, as each page of the directory has 4 columns of numbers. This number is openly written on the pad. A different member of the audience is then requested to call out any number from 1 – 20; this number it is explained represents a line number which is also openly written on the pad to the right of the first number. 40
We’ll say for arguments sake the first number called was 3 and the second number called was 12, the numbers would be written on the pad and would appear as in Photo No: 34
Photo No: 34 The column number 3 with the line number 12 written to the right of it. These numbers are called out by audience members and are written openly.
You are not trying to hide the number it is written openly as a reminder for the person with the telephone directory. The first page is torn out (the pad closed) and handed to the volunteer with the directory. It is explained to her and the audience that the first digit of the number given by a member of the audience, in this case 3, represents a column, the second number given by a different member of the audience, in this case 12, represents a line number and the combination of those numbers, in the case 312 represents the page number. The volunteer is therefore instructed to turn to page 312, go to column 3 and count down to the 12th telephone number and keep her finger on it. The performer now re-opens his pad, splitting to the crib (See Photo No: 33) circles the appropriate number and then writes it down in full ON THE CRIB ITSELF a couple of digits at a time. Before I explain how to complete the crib, let me explain the psychology of writing on the crib itself. It only takes a second to circle the correct number which means in the heat of performance you won’t loose it. Once circled I write the first 2 or 3 digits at the top of the page (on the crib) as big as possible, then under them 2 or 3 more and then below them the final digits. This makes it very easy to read the number back a few digits at a time and because you are actually writing the numbers on the pad, 41
anybody who catches the odd number subconsciously by pencil reading (which does happen) won’t find anything amiss. Once you have made the crib for the directory you are going to use, you can fit between 4 and 6 copies to a page of A4, so by printing and cutting up two A4 pages you will have enough cribs for at least 12 performances. For continuity I always rip the crib out of the pad, screw it up and put it in my pocket while the audience is showing their appreciation at the end of the effect. If you didn’t remove the crib and wanted to perform something else, the audience would expect to see the telephone number just called out written on the top sheet of the pad. Ripping out the crib also sets the pad ready to take an impression, so for an encore you could do a drawing duplication. I’ll explain how to ditch the crib later but first the crib itself. If you refer back to illustration no 28you will see the crib consists of a table with four columns numbered one to four at the top. These four columns represent the four columns on each page of a standard telephone directory. Down the side of the table are the numbers one to twenty, which represent the twenty numbers counting from telephone number one, at the top of a column down to the twentieth telephone number. To complete the crib is a bit time consuming but should take no more than an hour and once done as long as you stick with the same directory you won’t need to do it again. So starting at column one, line one of your crib the telephone number entered would be as follows. Go to column 1, line 1 on page 11 – look up this telephone number in your directory and type it into column 1 line one. The next number across would be Go to column 2, line 1 on page 21 – look up this number in your directory and type it into column 2 line 1. The next number across would be Column 3, line 1 on page 31. And then Column 4, line 1 on page 41. You get the idea
42
Keep going until you have completed the very last number which would be the telephone number which appears in column 4, line 20 on page 420 of your directory. To ditch the crib after the revelation has been made is simplicity itself. Remember you are still holding the pad as in Photo No: 33. In this position take the crib between finger and thumb of your free hand (remember it is only attached at the top edge) and rip it out as though it were a single page from the pad itself. Make sure you rip the page towards yourself which keeps its back to the audience. Immediately screw it into a ball with the writing on the inside and ditch it in your pocket (or on the floor), as you simultaneously tilt the pad towards your body which closes it and locks the covers together. So there you have it. A simple and direct method to convince an audience you have remembered the first 80,000 telephone numbers in your local directory. Thanks to Val Andrews for the original inspiration. By now many of you will have your brains in top gear and will be a mile ahead of me. For those of you who haven’t we can take this idea a stage further.
Psycho-Telephonics You have probably realized by now that if we combine the impression taking properties of the pad, with the hidden crib, it is possible to transform the last effect from a demonstration of memory, into a mind reading effect. Here’s how. With your crib in position set the pad to take an impression and on the set page draw two lines next to each other. Draw the one on the right longer than the one of the left. (See Photo No: 35) Hand the pad to a volunteer and have them write a number from 1 – 4 on the first short line explaining it represents a column, as in the previous presentation. Have them hand the pad and pen to another person who is instructed to write a number between 1 & 20 on the second longer line. Once again as per the previous presentation, explain this represents a line number in the column. (See Photo 36) The last person is also instructed to rip out the page and hand it to the person with the telephone directory.
43
Photo No: 35 Two lines drawn to take numbers. Once short one longer.
Photo No: 36 Numbers written on the lines by two volunteers
When the page has been removed and handed to the volunteer with the telephone directory, you retrieve the pad and close it. It is important that you explain to the volunteer very clearly that the first number on the short line represents a column, that the second number represents a line within that column and finally that they need to combine the numbers to make a page number. Once the volunteer understands and has found the target telephone number you open the pad to the crib as in the previous presentation. However this time you will also see the numbers written by the audience members, reproduced on the impression area of the pad, albeit upside down from your perspective. (See Photo No: 37) Numbers are easy to read upside down and you will know which is which because the column number will be written on the shorter line of the two.
Photo No: 37 Pad opened to the Crib which also exposes the impression area. The volunteer’s numbers are seen here printed upside down.
44
All that remains is to continue as in the presentation for the Memory test, but because you don’t know the target page, column or line number, this effect becomes pure mind reading. Once I have circled the appropriate telephone number and written the first few digits on the crib, I clear the impression device while continuing to talk to the volunteer with the directory. The impression area is cleared as follows: Whilst talking to the audience grip the cover with the impression area on between the fingers and thumb of your free hand near the wire binding. Gently bend the cover towards you slightly and at the same time run your fingers and thumb across the impression area. The bending and rubbing causes the plastic sheet which covers the carbon coating to buckle clearing the impression in the process. (See Photo No: 38)
Photo No: 38 The impression area is cleared by slightly bending the cover whilst running your thumb upwards across the plastic sheet.
Once the impression area is clear, I continue writing the telephone number. Once the number has been revealed, the crib torn out and ditched and the pad closed, you are reset to take an impression. I am sure you can come up with many variations on a theme using these techniques.
45
Over the years since I made the conscious decision to perform exclusively as a Psychic Entertainer, I have worked quite a number of psychic/Tarot parties as well as doing one on one readings. As such I am always on the look out for small ways to enhance a reading, get the audience involved and give myself an edge which allows the audience to suspend their disbelief for a while. The next idea is something I have been using at psychic parties for a number of years. I must stress this effect is something I use at psychic parties or in an intimate gathering where I have been asked to show something of a psychic nature I haven’t tried it yet as part of a close up mentalism set, but you could.
Let the Pendulum Swing Effect: The performer removes a pad and pen from his pocket opens the pad and on the first page draws a circle split with a horizontal and vertical line (See Photo No: 39). These he explains are the yes no lines used in conjunction with a pendulum for the ancient mystical art of dowsing.
Photo No: 39 The circle split by two lines one vertical one horizontal. Used with a pendulum for dowsing.
The pendulum is introduced and a volunteer is shown how, in her own hands, it swings in a circle over the drawing when she thinks NO and in a straight line either up and down or from side to side when she thinks YES (See Photo No: 40).
46
Photo No: 40 Volunteer causing the pendulum to swing in a circle over the picture for no and to and fro for yes.
Once it is clear the volunteer is able to make the pendulum swing in either direction merely by thinking about it. The top sheet of the pad (with the circle on) is flipped over to the back and the pad is handed to the volunteer with the instruction she write the first name of someone close to her on the blank sheet, rip it out and fold it into small packet with the name on the inside. This she drops on the table and once again takes up the pendulum which she now holds over the folded paper. (See Photo No: 41)
Photo No: 41 Pendulum held over the folded paper while the performer asks questions.
While holding the pendulum over the paper, the performer asks her various questions which she is told only to answer in her mind and let the pendulum swing in the appropriate manner. She is asked for example: Is the name of the person you wrote a man? Is this person a relative? Is this person a blood relative? Is this person older than you? After a suitable amount of questions have been answered, the performer reaches forward, retrieves the pendulum and holds it in his closed fist. 47
A few moments of concentration pass before the performer opens his eyes looks at the volunteer and tells her the name of the person she is thinking of. Method: The pendulum is an amazing bit of Magick, you really need to try this on someone to see the reaction it gets. Yes the scientists tell us the pendulum swings because of unconscious and unseen muscle movement, but hey that doesn’t stop it being amazing. Of course you simply draw a circle and two lines on the first page of the pad (See Photo No: 39) and instruct the volunteer in the use of the pendulum. Once they have it swinging according to their thoughts, flip the page with the circle drawn on over onto the back of the pad, which of course sets it to take an impression. Ask your volunteer to print the first name of someone close to them, rip out the page and fold it up. As they do this close the pad and put it away making your peek I the process. The rest is pure showmanship. The movement of the pendulum itself is enough to amaze most people, but revealing the name as a kicker will convince them you truly have a gift. Banished Fears - Variation on a theme: A variation of the previous effect and one I have used quite a bit, is to tell the person when the pendulum swings in a circle it means NO, which is a negative thought and in a straight line it means YES, which is a positive thought. When they have the hang of it ask them to write down something they fear in life and fold the paper up etc. Instruct them, while holding the pendulum over the paper, to concentrate on their fear and let the pendulum swing in a negative motion. After a few seconds tell them to visualise any positive thought and allow the pendulum to change direction and swing to and fro. Repeat this procedure two or three times finally revealing what it is they fear. You can finish with a positive anchor by telling them the next time the thing they fear arises, they should visualise the pendulum swinging in circle and in their mind change the swing to the more positive two and fro motion. Constant use of this visualisation will eventually banish the fear for good. Enjoy.
48
Mix ‘N’ Match I mentioned earlier in this book that a few years ago I set myself the challenge of being able to drop the First Impression Pad and a pen in my pocket, and at the drop of a hat perform, a 20 – 30 minute act. So with minimal set up and no extra props here’s 20 – 30 minutes (depending on your patter) On both sides of a page somewhere near the middle of the pad, write a list of 20 destinations for ‘Geographic Impressions’ see page 26 On another page write the names of 6 playing cards (in different handwriting) rip the page out and fold it into quarters. Use it to set the pad for ‘The Cardless, Card Revelation’ see page 23 Drop the pad and pen in your pocket and you are ready to go.
•
Start with a psychological force, (I like the Circle inside a triangle) drawn on the pad.
•
Move onto ‘The Cardless, Card Revelation’.
•
Next comes ‘Geographic Impressions’. (Reset the impression area afterwards while re-opening the pad for)
•
‘Duplicity’
Of course by adding any of the props already mentioned in the various effects, you could build yourself a full act round the pad for either close up or cabaret performances. Practice the moves; try out the various effects, Mix ‘N’ Match build a routine that works for you. But most importantly of all enjoy.
49
It’s Not a Trick So we are at the end, however before I go I would just like to make one small point. ‘It’s not a trick’. The pad is a utility device; it should not be presented as an integral part of the effect you are performing, use it as you would an ungaffed pad. Pay no real attention to it and it will become invisible, use it close, it put it away. The fact is it is handled freely by the audience anyway which subconsciously proves its innocence. Final Word: The First Impression Pad is something I am very proud of and has served me well in the years I’ve been using it. I have been approached by a number of dealers all of whom have offered me varying sums of money to buy the manufacturing rights and all of whom I have refused. I would appreciate it therefore if you’d treat this prop and the information in these pages with respect and keep them to yourselves; after all you’ve paid good money for it. I wish you all the best. Regards Scott Creasey – Spain 2008
50
ALSO AVAILABLE PROPS THE FIRST IMPRESSION PAD THE SWISS ARMY WALLET SUDOKU – WORDSEARCH (The Ultimate Challenge)
LECTURE NOTES ESCAPE THE RESTRAINTS OF REALITY MENTAL(MAGIC)ISM (Also available in electronic format)
BOOKS FIRST IMPRESSION PAD – THE BOOK (Also available in electronic format)
MIND BLASTERS – ENGLAND GOES MENTAL (Only available in electronic format)
Coming soon
REMOTE VISION
For further information email:
[email protected]
51
