Prediction Alternative

Struggling with an effect? Any tips (without giving too much away!) you'd like to share?

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Prediction Alternative

Postby FTHO » Nov 20th, '16, 12:17



Hey guys,

I'm looking for a little help... I've been working on a little routine which uses some blank business cards.
At some point I reveal a prediction from my wallet which is also written on a blank business card.

I have been thinking it might be nice to have the prediction written on something other than a blank card - just to add some more distance between method and effect.
I'm having trouble finding something to write on which looks casual and makes sense...

If I was a professional magician I'd probably use one of my business cards... but I am not...
I could use someone else's business card, or a train ticket, or a receipt, or something which is naturally occurring in my wallet. But I wonder if those things are a bit tacky?

Do you guys have any suggestions?

I'd like to keep it casual, but not be tacky.

Cheers,

Sam

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Re: Prediction Alternative

Postby Mandrake » Nov 20th, '16, 14:11

Would a lottery ticket be worth thinking about?

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Re: Prediction Alternative

Postby magicofthemind » Nov 21st, '16, 11:05

An envelope, addressed to yourself, stamped and postmarked. You could either write on the back or have the prediction in a dated letter sealed inside.

Barry

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Re: Prediction Alternative

Postby Lady of Mystery » Nov 22nd, '16, 14:43

A £5 note perhaps or maybe a receipt?

I used to do a routine where I'd have the participant think of a name which would then match the name of the waiter on a restaurant bill that I had in my purse.

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Re: Prediction Alternative

Postby FTHO » Dec 2nd, '16, 15:18

Thank you all for your suggestions.
To be honest, I'm not feeling inspired.


Lottery tickets could be interesting, I can't see me carrying an envelope in my wallet, but I do like the idea of the prediction being sealed inside.
A receipt could also work.

I want it to look like I intentionally wrote down this "prediction" just for them. I worry that writing on one of the above examples seems too casual? Like I thought about it at the last minute and quickly scribbled something on the back of a receipt. If I wrote it on a blank card it seems more intentional to me.

Maybe I should try turning this around? Have the prediction on a blank card and use a few train tickets for any writing during the actual performance.
I want the performance to see casual, and off the cuff, but for the prediction to seem like I intentionally made it - does this make any sense?



This is a routine I currently perform using just blank cards, and it works well. I'm just trying to experiment with a potential improvement. The method involves some "funny writing", it occurred to me that if I write on a blank card and the prediction appears on a train ticket (for example), then it adds some extra distance between the method and effect (the train ticket was never near the pen).
I expect that consciously people wouldn't really notice the difference, but perhaps they would subconsciously be more convinced if I add this extra barrier between method and effect.

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Re: Prediction Alternative

Postby FTHO » Dec 2nd, '16, 15:24

One other option I considered...

Change the theme, and allow the theme to suggest the prediction medium:

I currently do an effect in this set which is based on "language". I also recently read a great premise which involved audience members generating a sentence by naming a random noun, verb and adjective. This sentence has then been predicted and turns out to be a quote from a well known author. It occurred to me that I could use the premise from that effect for this prediction effect (which would fit in with the language theme).

This would allow me to use a "Quote of the Week" card for a prediction.


I think that could work REALLY well. But, one of my favourite things about this routine is how easily I can adapt the premise.
For example, I work with a lot of mathematicians, so one day I performed this and predicted their "favourite sum", and made the rest of the set about maths.
I can turn this into any theme I like, and when I find out a persons interests, if I can rework this set to fit their interests then I like to do so. I obviously wouldn't be able to do that with a "Quote of the Week" card, my premise would be inflexible.

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