Wait.. how did I do that?

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

Moderators: nickj, Lady of Mystery, Mandrake, bananafish, support

Wait.. how did I do that?

Postby Danny Joseph » Oct 26th, '11, 00:33



Hey forum.

Really discovered something *very* neat today to add to my routine. Yet; I have no clue how it worked when I did it.

So, I was experimenting during some street-hypnosis. A Girl was blind-folded but led to believe (hypnotized) she could `see past the blindfold`. What freaked even me out was; We were able to describe one person amongst the audience, and she could `look` and point to that exact person.

I thought it must be spacial awareness and/or photographic memory (enhanced by the hypnosis) but people actually changed position during the routine.. and some of the discriptions were quite vague (eg: I described a pattern on a shirt which I had to look at for about 10 seconds just to see what it even was.. yet, she knew who I mean't.)


So how was something like this achieved?, Can it be built on?, Has all this been done before?, Surely it would make for a pretty neat remote-viewing illusion.

-Danny.

User avatar
Danny Joseph
Full Member
 
Posts: 86
Joined: Dec 8th, '10, 07:48
Location: Whitehaven, Cumbria, United Kingdom

Re: Wait.. how did I do that?

Postby sleightlycrazy » Oct 26th, '11, 01:16

She could have peeked. Blindfolds, as many magicians will tell you, are far from perfect at blocking vision...!

Currently Reading "House of Mystery" (Abbott, Teller), Tarbell, Everything I can on busking
User avatar
sleightlycrazy
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 1168
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 23:44
Location: California (21:WP)

Re: Wait.. how did I do that?

Postby Danny Joseph » Oct 26th, '11, 01:21

There was honestly no chance of peaking. She was under strict control the whole time. This also worked on two different individuals.

Edit: besides, the blindfold blocked view vision, including downwards. At one point we had someone way way from the crowd and she still pointed into the distance at the guy.
I know the whole thing seems pretty unbelievable which is why I was so shocked myself haha.

User avatar
Danny Joseph
Full Member
 
Posts: 86
Joined: Dec 8th, '10, 07:48
Location: Whitehaven, Cumbria, United Kingdom

Re: Wait.. how did I do that?

Postby hedges » Oct 26th, '11, 09:14

Most likely scenario: if people are standing very close to you, you can tell which way they're facing when they speak, from the sound and other cues such as their breath touching you. Presumably you said something like "I'm looking at someone in the crowd", or otherwise somehow accidentally indicated that they should try to guess which way you're facing. Your head was oriented exactly towards the guy when you were describing him and you were standing very close to your volunteer. I think she was able to determine which way you were pointing using sound and your breath - and if you touched her, perhaps holding both of her shoulders or something, (you mention "strict control") you may have also accidentally indicated the direction by touch.
The great thing about this story is that the method was obvious to your volunteers but (despite suggestions like this one) it's still a total mystery to us! That's hilarious...!

I think this is a variation of "the learned pig" principle, where the animal is asked difficult multiple-choice questions and answers with snorts or hoof taps. Of course, the animal itself doesn't know the answer - it takes its cue from the trainer - who may even be unaware that they are indicating the correct answer by their own actions. The animal just needs to know that if it taps its hoof when the audience tension is at its highest (gasps, screams, leaning forward), or when the trainer raises his eyebrows and nods slightly, it gets a treat.

hedges
Junior Member
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Oct 12th, '10, 11:47

Re: Wait.. how did I do that?

Postby Discombobulator » Oct 26th, '11, 19:10

They say blind people have better hearing, and deaf people have better sight.
Perhaps hypnotised people have stronger 6th senses ?

¿ sɹoɹɹıɯ ʎq ǝuop ןןɐ sʇı
"who? no I dont know him", Derren Brown
"no idea who he is !", Kenton Knepper
"Is he a magician ?", Penn&Teller
Discombobulator
Senior Member
 
Posts: 678
Joined: Nov 15th, '05, 00:30
Location: Newcastle (58:AH)

Re: Wait.. how did I do that?

Postby themagicwand » Oct 26th, '11, 20:47

User avatar
themagicwand
Elite Member
 
Posts: 4555
Joined: Feb 24th, '06, 11:08
Location: Through the looking glass. (CP)

Re: Wait.. how did I do that?

Postby Grimshaw » Oct 26th, '11, 21:06

Discombobulator wrote:They say blind people have better hearing, and deaf people have better sight.
Perhaps hypnotised people have stronger 6th senses ?


That's simply not true though. Their senses are not 'better', they merely pay more attention to them which gives the impression that they're more effective than someone with all five. You have roughly the same hearing ability as a blind person, its just that you perceive things with sound and vision, rather than just vision because....its easier that way. Its why you turn to look at people when they speak.

User avatar
Grimshaw
Senior Member
 
Posts: 850
Joined: Sep 19th, '07, 18:25

Re: Wait.. how did I do that?

Postby JammyT » Oct 27th, '11, 15:13

So you asked her to point out who you were describing and she did, but you don't know how it worked.

Why did you think to ask her to point people out if you didn't know that it was going to work in the first place?

User avatar
JammyT
Preferred Member
 
Posts: 239
Joined: Sep 26th, '11, 14:09
Location: Cornwall, UK (26 : SH)

Re: Wait.. how did I do that?

Postby JammyT » Oct 27th, '11, 15:14

Danny Joseph wrote:I know the whole thing seems pretty unbelievable which is why I was so shocked myself haha.


Yeah it does!

User avatar
JammyT
Preferred Member
 
Posts: 239
Joined: Sep 26th, '11, 14:09
Location: Cornwall, UK (26 : SH)

Re: Wait.. how did I do that?

Postby Lord Freddie » Oct 27th, '11, 17:12

Danny, discard your magic books and study the works of Eliphas Levi and Aleister Crowley and you can then do this kind of thing all the time.

www.themysticmenagerie.com

"You're like Yoda ..... you'd sell out to a Vodaphone advert if the money was right."
User avatar
Lord Freddie
Elite Member
 
Posts: 3657
Joined: Oct 8th, '06, 15:23
Location: Berkshire


Return to Support & Tips

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests