Magic, mentalism, stage hypnosis

[GeneticJen]

Only just noticed this part of the forum. The most obvious interest I'd be happy to discuss with others would be magic, mentalism and stage hypnosis. I do all three, mostly for corporate clients and a handful of celebs. I don't know where I'd start with regards to an essay. Too many things to discuss. Q/A format works better. I'd say ask anything you like, but certain answers may be limited depending on exposure or how it affects my own performances/material. Also, different areas of my career are performed using differen stage names. I won't answer anything that exposes those or links them together. Questions about sleight of hand, misdirection, magc history, cold reading, muscle reading, performing, creating etc are all welcome.

Magic, mentalism and stage hypnosis are fascinating realms of art/entertainment. If I can shed light on anything for you, I'll try my best.

[Animavore]

After reading Derren Brown's books I'm aware of the basics but I still have a few questions. I just can't think of them right now due to the hangover so I'm book-marking this for later.

[GeneticJen]

Try to remember that Derren has made a career out of providing bogus explanations. His typical pattern is to present something which could be magic or psychic etc, then explain it with something completely possible which is almost always not the real way he does it. Twice the mystery.

By the way, what book is it? As far as I'm aware he hasn't published a book on the basics of anything and I'm pretty sure I have all his books/lecture notes ... If he has, my mega library is missing something and I won't rest until it is discovered.

[Animavore]

The book is Tricks of the Mind. He has sections on how to hypnotize, sleight of hand, cold reading, memory tricks, NLP and a great final section on scepticism and atheism.

[GeneticJen]

Ah, that's a great book. A mish-mash of everything for the general public. And I love it when he's open about skepticism and atheism. I was thinking you meant a book that teaches the basics of a certain realm of magic/mentalism for people who want to learn, like the Royal Road To Card Magic, or 13 Steps etc.

It's good because the less skeptical public read it to find out more about the man and the mystery, and end up learning more about skepticism too. Always a good thing, bravo.

[Feck]

Why does hypnotism work ? Does stage hypnotism work just because certain people in the audience are "up for a laugh" anyway ? and need little convincing to act it out .

[devogue]

How did David Blaine throw the cards at the card window, and then one was stuck on the inside?

[Animavore]

Ah, that's a great book. A mish-mash of everything for the general public. And I love it when he's open about skepticism and atheism. I was thinking you meant a book that teaches the basics of a certain realm of magic/mentalism for people who want to learn, like the Royal Road To Card Magic, or 13 Steps etc.

It's good because the less skeptical public read it to find out more about the man and the mystery, and end up learning more about skepticism too. Always a good thing, bravo.

I started this book as someone who believed in certain woo and by the time I'd finished it all of that was dashed against the rocks. TGD was the very next book I read after that although it nearly wasn't. I had just finished The Ancestor's Tale and I have a thing about reading two books in a row by the same author. I hmmmed and hawed about it for a couple of mins then I spotted Derren's book and as a fan I bought it. Then when I got to the further reading section at the back Derren had TGD as his favorite book so I had to get it straight away.

[Feck]

How did David Blaine throw the cards at the card window, and then one was stuck on the inside?

[Animavore]

How does this dickhead do this?



I need closure.

[devogue]

How did David Blaine throw the cards at the card window, and then one was stuck on the inside?

What? He had glue on his forehead?

[FBM]

How did David Blaine throw the cards at the card window, and then one was stuck on the inside?

What? He had glue on his forehead?

[Pappa]

Why does hypnotism work ? Does stage hypnotism work just because certain people in the audience are "up for a laugh" anyway ? and need little convincing to act it out .

There was an article in the News Scientist last week about some differences between the brains of people suceptible to hypnosis and those that aren't....

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg2 ... rance.html

[FBM]

M'kay. How did he (almost) get the numbers right about the how many pieces each of his opponents would have remaining?



I'm suspicious about how and why he took the envelope from the guy after he opened it.

Looks like sleight-of-hand with the paper when he returned and 'helped' the guy spread out the paper. Starting around 6:05...

[GeneticJen]

Ok, I'm not going to answer "how does this trick work?" questions. The main reason is that the whole thread will turn into just that over and over again. Very boring. The other reason is that each post would be huge. Just on the card through window premise, I've just written down on a notepad 23 methods I'm aware of (5 of them being my own), from the top of my head. And I certainly do not know every possible method that other performers are using. We'd be here forever.

Why does hypnotism work ? Does stage hypnotism work just because certain people in the audience are "up for a laugh" anyway ? and need little convincing to act it out .

Why does it work? You need a psychologist to try and answer that one. Fake hypnosis is certainly possible with people who are "up for a laugh". I avoid these people, and ditzy idiots. The easiest people to hypnotise are the ones who say to me, "this won't work on me by the way, I have a strong mind." It always works on them. People must see hypnosis as science-fiction mind reading or something, where having a weak mind means someone can break in, and having a strong will means you can keep them out. Hypnosis isn't about controlling someone against their will, it's about suggestions and having them do what they themselves decide they are going to do. It works much better on these skeptical, "strong-minded" types, and less with people who don't care or won't pay attention.