By Peter Turner
Devil Publishing, 2014
I dedicate this book to my amazing son Zachary Dennis Turner. I cannot believe you are six! I love you with all my heart, little man, and I hope you know you were constantly in my thoughts whilst writing this. Love, Dad
Copyright © 2014 by Peter Turner No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system now or to be invented, without permission of the author. First printing: 2014 Devil Publishing
Editing & layout by: Mike Vance,
[email protected], www.magicmike.org
v
Bigger Fish Two
lImer
========~-~=======-------
Acknowledgements Foreword Preface
xiii xv
Introduction
1
A Moment From a Memory in Time
5
Effect
7
Breakdown
8
Credits PDE
vi
xi
19 MDE: How do you create?
20
Seven Keys to the Baldpate-Modernized
23
VS.
Effect.
26
Breakdown
27
Full Performance
29
Credits
32
Additional Ideas
33
Life Equation: Over the Phone/Anyplace, Anytime Pin Revelation
33
Effect.
34
Breakdown
34
Credits
38
Variation #2: Venom Variation of the Life Equation
38
Credits
40
Stealing Information
40
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--------------------------------Cropllology
Impromptu
Credits
Billet-less Pin-Phone Code Guess
42 48
Additional Thoughts
Pray Proceed Revisited
Peter Turner 106
111
49
Effect.
114
Effect
54
Breakdown
116
Breakdown
54
Additional Thoughts
118
Step One: Determine the Number of Odd or Even Digits
54
Added Drawing Revelation
119
Step Two: Finding the Highest Digit...
57
Variation #1: Colour Me In
119
One-on-One Situation - Option #1
57
Original Variation
119
One-on-One Situation - Option #2
58
Additional Thought
121
Group Environment (Highest Digit)
60
Variation #2: Colouring in David Hoy
124
Additional Thought - Highest Digit
61
Variation #3: Beach Force
125
Step Three: The Lowest Digit - "Finger Slinger"
63
Additional Thought
127
Additional Idea
67
Variation #4
128
Credits
68
Credits/lnfluence
129
Step Four: The Difficult Part
69
Pray Proceed 2
130
Additional Thoughts
75
Effect.
130
Full Performance
76
Breakdown
131
Forget Me Not
81
Additional Ideas
135
Additional Idea
89
Full Performance
136
91
At the Center of Ambiguity
141
Effect
93
Billet-less Name Guess
147
Breakdown
94
Effect.
150
Updating the One-Ahead
95
Breakdown
150
Paris Force Variation #1
98
Anagrams
150
Paris Force Variation #2
99
Outs
160
Full Performance
162
Peer Pressure (Name/Place)
Piecing It All Together viii
101
ix
Bigger Fish Two===_~==========-Addilioll.llldcllH
164
Full Performance of Name Guess with Characteristics
170
The Bob Principle
175
Spectator as the Mind Reader
193
Creating False Memories
203
layout; Michael Murray, for being a legend; Olivia
Being Bold
215
Walters, for believing in/ loving me unconditionally (I
I'd like to thank a number of people, including Mike
Testimonial: My Book Test
219
Testimonial: Is This Your Card?
223
Testimonial: Seward's Sister
226
Testimonial: An American Tour
229
Testimonial: Skype Sessions
231
Testimonial: For the Girls
233
Testimonial: It's About That Time
235
Testimonial: Oh, the Mountains!
238
Conclusion
x
Vance, a True Gentleman, for proofreading, editing and
love you); Annemann, for all your teaching; Kenton Knepper, "My dad," thanks for everything, because I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for you; Bob Cassidy, "Uncle Bob," a true veteran, I love your stories. You are one of a kind; and Uri Geller, thank you for taking the time for me!
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C'Vrlflr rmn , wo
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Let me start this foreword with a quote I sent Peter: "I watched Peter Turner perform, and he's AMAZING! He performed mental mind reading, during which he astonished me with the accuracy of his intuitive powers. He looks cool, modem and he's down to earth. There is no doubt in my mind that he will fascinate you!" Now that you understand my feelings toward Peter, let me share how we became friends. Peter and I connected via email back in 2012. The first impression I got about Peter from the emails was that he was polite, reserved, very passionate, but most importantly, he listened. It's very rare any emails get followed up with telephone calls or personal meetings as I get so many it really would be impossible. Fate decided this would be one of the times we would connect outside the interweb, and a couple of days later we talked on the phone. It was an interesting conversation which led to us getting to know each other more personally. That conversation really helped me understand who Peter is as a person. He is compassionate and really understands empathy; he uses this as the core in his work. One thing that separates Peter from everyone else is that he uses his intuitive skills to create an amazing and emotional experience for the xii
xiii
BlggOl Fish Two
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person he is sharing his abilities with, so that person gets a memory that lasts forever. One thing that stood out to me out of all the things Peter said in that initial conversation which I think would best sum him up: "This for me is as little about telepathy, as it is as much about empathy." He understands the importance of using his feelings to make intuitive decisions. Since our initial conversation we have talked lots of times. We have shared many stories and created memories, and I am proud to say he has taken on board and actively practiced several things I have shared with him. I have no doubt in my mind you will love the thoughts and passion Peter has shared within this book.
Much Energy,
It's astounding for me to look back on my own writings; this is honestly the first time I have picked up Bigger Fish since May 2012. This book for me was the turning point in finding my path, the path which defined me from everyone else! I now understand the power of words and the massive effect they can have on people without me even having to perform an effect! It's unbelievable how much I have grown/matured in my thinking in the last year and a half. It's been one wild journey that has really made my life complete, so thank you for that from the bottom of my heart. I always felt my life was destined for nothing; that is the message a lot of the kids got that grew up where I did. We never had money, computers or the like, but we certainly lived! I think it is this that has essentially helped me appreciate every little thing that is happening in my life right now. I will take you back to the beginning where this all started for me.
URI GELLER,2014 www.uri-geller.com
xiv
I became interested in magic when I was five years old after seeing Lance Burton on the television Christmas day. That moment was life changing; I had been through some hardship that resulted in me living with my Uncle and my Nan, and at the time seeing that was genuinely the only thing that cheered me up! I sat there wide eyed in wonder and realised this was my destined path. xv
_." JiOI' .1
"" tow Ht'nmds, j.lk,,· yourselt back to the moment this
all happened (or you, the moment that seedling was planted and started to grow and spread like an out-ofcontrol fire. Think for a few seconds just how much of an impact that one moment has had on your entire life. All the people you have met, that sense of wonder that's not describable in words that you feel and spread dailyfocus on how it has been there to help you through dark times and created so many positive memories that you will have completely lost count. That's the sense of wonder I got watching Lance perform. It was exhilarating and it is that feeling that spurs me on now to give people a memory that will stay with them forever! I never had props or gimmicks as a child; I had one deck of cards that lasted me a hell of a long time. If a Tarot reader had pulled out those cards and said they had been passed down from generation to generation, the Tarot reader's statement would have been genuinely taken as credible! As I mentioned briefly above, I never had the internet or magic books; everything I ever created I did so off of my own back. I performed whenever I got the opportunity, routines I had created; it was liberating. I didn't have the most savoury childhood and performing was an escape for me; I felt free, connected with everyone I performed for. I felt confident and it gave me the ability to make new connections.
xvi
------------------------------------------~Pe I remember being six years old and performing at the talent competition at my first school, Foxhill, with Scot Robertson. He was a character. He played the acoustic guitar (Oasis uWonderwall and I jazzed with my pack of cards. Whenever there was any dead time with people picking cards, he sang, etc. We won the competition, although it wasn't really a competition as there were only three acts and we all won the same prizes! U
),
Sorry, random tangent there. I left it in because I really want to represent me in this book and how my mind works. I started playing guitar myself shortly after, maybe as a result of being best friends with Scott. Who knows? One thing I do know is I have not seen Scott for over ten years. We are finally back in contact, and maybe by the time you have read this we might have met back up to reminisce over old times. Hell, we might even bust out our old act! At the age of eleven/twelve I had the fortune of going to town on the off chance with my Nan; we visited the Piece Hall market in Halifax, and there I saw a magician performing in a magic stall. The effect he performed I replicated, obviously with a different modus operandi, but it achieved the same effect in a more streamlined sense. I must have been an impressionable little lad as he and my Nan chatted for a few moments, and she carne over and asked me if I
xvii
Peter Tumer
thought
I ~'ol"d mnke it to II{lJi(.lX each Saturday
on my
OWIl.
To cut a long story short, I had been offered a job as a pitch man in this little market stalL I was in my element! We were very poor at the time, and I remember going to a charity shop and picking up a suit jacket (one of the requirements of working in the stall). It was a purple velvet suit!! I must have looked a sight, but I didn't care. I was creating memories and meeting people. Most importantly, I could read books and watch videos! I quickly realised that a lot of the stuff I had created had been released before; the moves I had worked on that I thought I had invented (for example, the double lift) had been created before. Was I disheartened? No! I was more encouraged. I had created things that people were applying, things pros before me had created. It gave me a sense that we were on the same wavelength, and I was on the right path. I got into mind reading at about fifteen years old when I saw Derren Brown on television. He was amazing, simply the best performer I had ever witnessed, and he did something that had not happened to me for such a long time: he fooled me massively! He is still such a pleasure to watch now. A massive inspiration, I admit for a while I was a Derren clone.
That was eleven YCilrsago-wow, how lime flies! It is a liLtle disturbing to think how fast time passes, and now that we are up to date, let me reference a few words from the foreword of the original book (Bigger Fish). "Firstly, I would like to start by thanking you from the bottom of my heart; not for purchasing this book, but for taking the time to read, accept and hopefully use the effects contained within." Reading this back, there is one word that stands out to me more particularly than any of the others: Time. It is such a valuable thing. That's why I am so, so humbled by the people reading this now. I never understood the power of time, and I want to share a sentiment I use in my show to really show you the power of time. This will make you understand just how much I appreciate your time. (This is an excerpt from a very private-release book of mine: The Book of the Demons.) Performer: "This is for the lady in the group that has recently been feeLing under confident, unappreciated by the people around her. I am not going to say who this is, but you will know who I am talking to. II
(This is great because most females feel this way, so most females will be thinking it is aimed at them. It is almost Hoy-esque.) Performer: "I am going to ask the female thinking this way a simple question, which right now will make no sense, but in a
xviii
xix
/I/;III1/e L promise
i/ will.
If
you could spend just five more minu tes with someone who had passed away that you dearly loved, hugging and talking to them, what would you give for those five minutes?
Several females (at individual limes) approached me and thanked me; one female lold me it was just what she needed to hear and that she instantly felt so much more appreciated.
"J don't want you to answer this out loud, but think about it
It is little of-the-cuff readings that make the biggest
for afew seconds. If J was to give an answer to that question, it would be my Granddad, and the answer would be absolutely anything and everything. " (Straight away, you have struck a REALLY emotional chord by getting them to think about this person, which is going to be used later for good. You also mention hugs and talking, which is also something women favour massively.) Performer: "The reason J asked that question is because that is how valuable five minutes of your time is to someone else. Even though YOU have felt slightly under confident and haven't valued your own time as much as you usually would recently doesn't mean somebody else hasn't; and for that reason all those feelings you just felt a moment ago, someone else feels for you and you suddenly realise you are loved massively. " Notice that I pointed out the feelings they just felt. Because of this it is very easy for them to understand how loved they actually are and how someone else feels. This approach is very, very strong, and just to prove how wonderful this is, I will tell you what happened after I had performed my parlour show.
xx
differences. You can see how it focuses on emotion and making people feel; that is a wonderful thing for anyone to experience. Then to take those feelings and to make them understand someone else's feelings is such a great way to help someone heal. In short, I am consuming something (time) you will never
get back, so again, thank you from the bottom of my heart. If I may, I would like to point out one thing that stood out
as wrong to me in the original book's introduction (in my few words section). "You will notice upon reading, each effect has been described extensively; there is good reason for this. If you cannot figure out how an effect is achieved while reading the description, you will realise just how fooled a lay audience will be." That was immature and wrong. This material is not about fooling people; it's about creating memories that will last a lifetime. Creating an experience as a unit that will be remembered for a lifetime is a thousand times stronger than fooling someone and making them feel psychologically lower than you. The word "unit" in this xxi
I::JIgger ,..,sn_T~===,-
_
paragraph is what is of the most importance. Gone are the days (for me) of separating myself from the audience; we work as a group to discover and experience things that are outside the norm as a collective. It even prevents hecklers!
When 1 decided to write this book, the first place 1 sought inspiration was Bigger Fish. 1 found it therapeutic reading back and just reminiscing. One "routine" (I couldn't find a better word, but it certainly is more than a routine) in the book is a routine called "Tattle Tale." One of the interesting things about this routine is the power of the story. I have learnt that a lot of the time participants (in a close-up environment) just want to talk about things. I find the power of words a really interesting concept. I performed in a bar in the countryside near my horne, and performed "Tattle Tale" for an elderly couple. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever performed in my life! After that point of realising the power of this story and how much of an positive effect words can have on people, I now close my stage show with the story of the elderly couple. Storytelling in mentalism (or any other art form) is a skill in itself; the tips below are some of the strongest tips I can offer in using storytelling in your own performance. One of the most important aspects of creating an effect with your storytelling is to separate the story and the actions/routine. Ask yourself, are people listening to the story or watching the routine?
xxii
1
It is very difficult for your audience to listen and soak up
the story or to evoke any sort of emotion if you are constantly moving or breaking into the story. It's essential to separate your actions from the story. Someone once asked me three questions that I thought were a really, really strong/inspiring set of questions that I now apply to absolutely every piece I write. These three questions were frequently asked by poet Philip Larkin. 1. Do people believe it?
Remember that what is special with these things is not the method or how simple the method is, but the profound effect it can have on the participant. With me laying myself bare, without further ado, let's get into the material!
- Peter Turner, 2013 Alicante, Spain
2. Do I care? 3. Do I still care? These are an interesting set of questions. Do people believe it? Are you credible? Is what you are selling believable? Do people care? Does it give people an interest in what you are doing, does it make them feel special and is it something that connects them with you or them with someone else? Do people still care? Will it affect them forever? Is it something they will tell their grandkids? Is it an experience that will live within the person WHO GAVE YOU THEIR TIME forever? You can see why this would be a good framework from which to base an effect. This routine seriously does achieve that. Below is just one of the pieces that was inspired by "Tattle Tale."
2
3
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4
01
Effect The performer sits with a group of people and addresses a female in that group. After asking her a couple of questions about her intuitive nature, the performer asks the participant to join in attempting to divine a memory. The participant is placed in a particular frame of mind and she starts to feel answers, and with no prior knowledge of the performer, the participant reveals several pieces of information that include places and names, all of which are confirmed to be true! 6
7
'....... ---------------------...---------------------~PcPotOl Breakclown This is such an amazing piece of emotional mentalism. Don't overlook its simple nature. I have the feeling that after reading this, you will be out performing this at any opportunity you get. I have performed this in my close-up set all around the world for some time now, and it never fails to create beautiful moments. I would go as far as to say that I am that proud of this. It is one of the only pieces I am going to continue performing even when I change my set! Please read this to the end without skipping. It may be a little ambiguous right till you get to the end, but trust me, it's worth it. All you need for this is a watch where the stem pulls out twice. On the first click it just adjusts the date, and the second, the time, meaning if it just clicked out once, it won't have any effect on the time. Set your watch to 7:45 and pull the pin out once and you are set (leave the pin out). (If it happens to be 7:45 in the evening or morning when
you perform this, change the time on the watch to something else.) It is essential that you also know the actual time.
When you are sitting with your participants, make sure you know the actual time (this is ultra-important). The easiest way to do this is to sit in a room with a clock on
8
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the wall, or double check your mobile telephone just before going inlo this routine. Address a female participant: Perfonner: "Has anyone ever told you that you have an intuitive nature surrounding you?" Let the participant respond. It really doesn't matter what the answer is, as you are going to give the same answer regardless. I always use a female, as they tend to try a lot harder and to have a better imagination for this. Performer: "Have you ever had a moment when you just had a feeling about something, a knot in your stomach, and your feelings were true? (Let them respond.) "Have you had a feeling about a certain person and it turned out your instincts were correct?" Let them respond. It really doesn't matter what they say. If you get someone who is being a flat-out nightmare to work with, move on to someone else at the table. I have never had this happen yet. Perfonner: "Would you be comfortable your intuitive powers?"
if we explored
some of
If they say No, don't breach their request by trying to
force them; just move on to someone else at the table. I have never had someone say No, but what is important about the last question is that the participant 9
#:jIgger I-Ish rw~o~~=~ __ ._~====~
_
psychologically feels sornething is about to happen. If it wasn't, why would you ask the question? Look at your watch. You are about to miscall the time. Performer: "By my watch I make it (state the real time). Does everyone here have roughly that?" Let everyone see the watch face. Remove the watch from your wrist, pull out the stem to adjust the time and start to swivel the stem while saying: Performer: "In a moment, this is what I would like you to do: take the stem of the watch and spin it between your fingers. You are going to do this until I ask you to stop turning it." Whilst saying this, you need to secretly (but as quickly as possible) change the time to 7:45. It needs to be this time exactly, as it is going to be important later on. When you have the watch set to 7:45,address the participant. Performer: "Y ou are going to be doing this while the watch is face down. Can you hold out your hand for me?" (Remember, this is all done in one smooth motion; your actions and scripting should work together flawlessly.) As the participant extends their hand, everyone's focus and attention will be on them. Remember, the audience and the participant don't have a clue about what is to happen, as the effect has not started yet, and therefore they will not be looking for you to adjust the watch to a certain time or to employ any sneaky moves.
10
reach forward to place the watch into the participant's palm, nudge the stem in half a step (setting it to adjust the date, not the time). This will now mean the participant cannot adjust the time from 7:45, yet when they turn the stem, they will believe they are adjusting the time.
As you
(There is a beautiful alternative to having to adjust the time and to push the stem to the date setting, which allows you to move straight into placing the watch into the participant's palm after showing them a time. This is created by Steve Palmer [UK] should you want to search it out, but it is currently unpublished. This is great for anyone that has big fingers [like me] and is genuinely a really cool addition to this routine, as it makes the routine from the starting blocks really, really clean.) Place the watch face down into the palm of the participant and address them. Performer: "I want you to close your eyes for me. Take a few deep breaths in and out. Really relax every single muscle and let your mind just slip into a relaxed place. "Imagine the temperature of this place, the relaxing sounds. I want you to keep your eyes closed and to focus on a time when you thought something positive was going to happen and then it happened. "Imagine the feelings you experienced, just keeping your eyes closed while I talk to the group." 11
f:jlggsr t-tsn I WO
Peter umor
----=---
something beau lifu1. I believe it is one of the greatest things you can share with a group. For ease of remembrance, I am going to name this the Young and Free Ploy.
hairs will stand up on the back of the neck, and by opening their eyes, it confirms that that is exactly what has happened. While using this script, drop your voice into a calming and relaxing tone.)
Address everyone else at the table:
Wait for everyone to open their eyes.
Performer: "I invite you all to join (name participant's name) in closing your eyes.
Performer: "It feels wonderful, doesn't it?
(Wait till they have done this.)
"This is exactly how (say the name of the participant with the watch) is feeling right now, and she is going to explore something amazing while in this frame of mind.
This is where
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going to employ
"I would like you all, in your minds, to travel back in time to your childhood. "Imagine seeing a younger version of yourself standing outside in one of your favourite childhood places. Imagine the sounds, the smells, the ambiance that surrounds you.
"Keeping your eyes closed for just a few more seconds, (again repeating the name of the participant), I want you to concentrate on amplifying the feelings you got when you were in this scenario, and I want you in your own time to open your eyes when they are at their strongest. "
"I want you to imagine what it would feel like to be free again, to not have to worry about bills or the social stresses set by society, to be relinquished of any responsibility for a few seconds.
(This is again the Confirmation Principle. When the participant opens her eyes, it suggests to the rest of the group that she has amplified her intuitive abilities.)
"Imagine seeing a cheeky smile on your younger self as you imagine running through your favourite childhood place and the wind blowing through your hair. You're running wild and free, as free as a bird. I want you all, excluding (name participant that is holding the watch), to take afew seconds, and when you feel the hairs stand up on the back of your neck, open your eyes. "
Performer: III want you to take hold of the stem of the watch between your thumb and forefinger and to start to turn it. Keep turning the stem while I am talking to you and just forget about the speed at which you're turning the stem. In fact, pay no attention to it; just listen to my words. III have one memory that means more to me than any other memory in my life. It is a memory that I will never forget.
(As you can see, there is a subtle use of the Confirmation Principle at the end of the last script. It suggests that the 12
13
________________________________~~peMrTumer "You are goillg 10 leLl me whnt my I/Iemory is, right down to the specifics. You're worrying right now, thinking, 'How could I do this?' "If you trust yourself and go into this with an open heart, then I promise you something amazing might just happen. "So I will get the ball rolling. I am with a family member in this memory. Don't rush into committing to anything. Take your time, feel it in your heart and then tell me what the relation is of that family member. " (This is where you are going to prompt them to tell you parts of a memory. For now, let them create the memory. This is just an example of one of the possibilities.) Participant: "Your Granddad." Performer: "Ok, take a few seconds, and really feel it in your heart. What was his name?" Participant: "Derek." Performer: "You honestly are doing amazingly. Do you feel you can continue? (Let them respond.) "In this memory, were we inside or we outside?" Participant: "You were outside." Performer: "What were we doing outside?" Participant: "He was teaching you to ride a bike. "
14
(This is where you really solidify things. You need to put
emotion into you story, so I suggest building a memory that is slightly upsetting. You are going to need to improvise slightly; this is very easy, as they have given you a structure. This is where you will take the memory they created and make it a little more vivid. Smile when you say the following lines.) Performer: "I am going to stop you right there, (name of participant). Please push in the stem on the watch and keep the watch face down. You genuinely felt the stem of the watch push in? (Let them respond.) "There is no way that you, nor I, could know the time you set on the watch. (Let them respond.) "Let me tell you about the memory. This memory was about one of the most important men ever in my life: my granddad. His name was Dennis, not Derek, but you were very close. "I lived on Hillcrest Avenue at the time. What was really great about this memory was that I remember staying up late and him taking me out after my friends had gone in to get ready for bed. We went out at that time just so I had no pressure with them watching me. "I was really embarrassed, as I never had a Mum or a Dad to teach me how to ride a bike. I lived with my Nana Pat. My
15
I'
wo
-----------------------------
granddad came over every couple of weeks, and litis was a particularly special week for me. "My granddad held the back of the bike as we went up and down the avenue a few times. After a couple of failed attempts of trying to balance, my nan appeared at the door and shouted over: 'Dennis, bring (use your name here) in. tr« 7:45 (call out the time you set the watch to) and it's time to get him ready for bed. ' "No sooner had those words escaped my nan's mouth than my granddad looked up; he forgot to keep hold of the bike. Off I went on my own, riding my bike for the very first time ever! "I was so proud of myself. Ifelt the wind blow through my hair and I was free. I probably wouldn't have remembered the time if my nan had not shouted, but it's a memory I certainly shall never forget. "I know what some of you may be thinking, that maybe I am just agreeing with (name the participant)." Lean over toward the participant and speak so the rest can hear, but suggest with your body language as though you are just talking to them. Performer: "I think you and I both know I am not, and you really did feel all of those things. There is only one way I could confirm that (name participant) really did intuitively pick up on that memory, and feel the name and all the additional details.
"My memory l1appeILed a liLLIeafter 7:45 in the evening. You turned the stem of the watch until we both lost track of the time .... What time have you subconsciously set the watch to?" Get ready to watch your participant's reaction. She will flip over the watch, and when she states aloud 7:45, this is all you need to confirm that the entire memory took place and that she did, in fact, receive it! After the demonstration, it is important to prove the watch is, in fact, working Gust to knock that theory out of the ballpark should anyone question it). Don't point out that the watch is working. You should just imply. This is done very simply. Wait till everything that has happened has sunk in. Then when it has sunk in, reach forward to take the watch back, but don't bring it toward your body. Hold the watch in your hands and ask for the time. When you get the time, tilt the face forward slightly so people can see that the time changes (this will prevent anyone from thinking it doesn't move), and then pop it in and casually let them see it working as you move your hands back toward your body. This just puts the cherry on top of the cake. This routine really shows you the power of the Confirmation Principle. These small principles are often overlooked, but can be so powerful that they take a simple routine and turn it into a miracle. You will notice that I let them take a near hit on the name. I think it is much more credible, as that psychologically
16
17
I II
II II 1\
----------------------------makes it ,'PPL'.lJ' V \ry early 011 that you are nol just agreeing with them, The secret to making the rest of this seem credible is to build in actual pieces of your own memory around the memory they created. So for example, when I reiterated the memory back to the participant (in the above example), I added that I lived at Hillcrest Avenue, which I really did. I did learn to ride a bike there; I did grow up with my Nan. It was mostly true, and because it was true, I could tell it
with conviction and gain credibility even before the watch was turned over. The improvisation process is really easy. Let's take a look at another example of a memory they could create and how you would improvise around it.
P8mr
I L1mB'-----
I approached ou r dad, and he look us to Litllemoor Park, which was about a five minute walk from our house. We played football and completely lost track of time until our Nan phoned. She was mad and proclaimed, "It's 7:45. The boys should be in bed now." I think you get the picture. Please do not ruin this by presenting just like this. It is just a summary, an example. The more emotion you put into telling the story of the memory, the better it will come across. This is a real example of just how powerful presentation is in mentalism. If you can make your eyes water, use it, talk more softly and, when you talk about the memory, remember it is the first time you have talked about this memory. It doesn't matter if you look like you are searching for the details, as it adds to the credibility.
Family relation: Dad
Never underestimate the power of using the participant as leverage. Let them change their mind, let them feel and
Name: Paul
let them create.
Inside or Outside: Outside
Credits
What were we doing: Football
Banachek - Psychokinetic Time Bev Bergeron - Predicting Time
I will keep this very brief just to give you the idea of how simple this is Gust a paragraph to summarize). Phil, not Paul (let the participant have a near miss). We were on Hillcrest Avenue. I saw my dad, and as I didn't grow up with him, it was a complete shock. My brother, Sam, and 18
Kenton Knepper - Wonder Words Barrie Richardson - Theater of the Mind Gene Urban - Desert Brainstorm, Vol. 3
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PUE
VS.
MOE: How do you create?
----------------------------~--------------~p~,'umer intention. The intention was to achieve whal J envisioned as closely as possible.
Take your time to really think about A Moment From a Memory in Time." It really proves that a method is the last thing that actually matters when it comes to performing. There are two main kinds of ways to create material, P.D.E.'s or M.D.E.'s. 1/
This next routine is one such instance.
P.D.E.'s = Performance-driven effects M.D.E.'s = Method-driven effects A performance-driven effect is where the method is minimal; the performance is what you are focusing on. The scripts, the story and the mood you create when performing are what counts. This is the way I create material. I focus on what I want to achieve and envision playing it out in my mind. When I create this way, it doesn't matter what the method is to achieve said vision. I try to create as little compromise as possible and to make the method as streamlined and simple as possible. A method-driven effect is an effect where you have a really clever (for the sake of being clever) method and then try to fit a performance around that method. This makes it very difficult for the presentation to be as strong or clever as the method, and often the presentation doesn't sit very well. When you read some of the pieces in this book, you may think the method is clever, but that was never the 20
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