talkmagic.co.uk

So I've got a totally incredible effect in mind, but I need a way to get a spectator to say a particular number, eg any year from history, like 1541.

Can someone point me towards a resource that might contain a way to reliably force the spectator to choose the date I need them to?

Many thanks,
-h.

edit: to be clear, the number is outside my control, for all intents and purposes it is set in stone. I know the number in advance but cannot change it, I need them to somehow choose the number I want them to.

There is room for movement on the selection method - for instance 4 spectators choosing a number from 0-9 would work fine.

If it's absolutely necessary I don't mind having some special sheet of paper that they choose their number from or they choose a row and column or something like that.

But I'd rather it was more organic than that, without the use of props, if possible?

My favourite way of getting a longer number is to use a forcing matrix. You can include multiple specs. I'll drop you a line.

Look up Paul Brook's 'The Gift' - possibly the cleanest method

An easy method I've used in the past is through talk of randomness, and they 'choose randomly' a bunch of raffle tickets

Another one is to have them choose blank Plating cards with numbers on

As for all the above, they each decrease in 'fairness' as they go down, but in my opinion, increase in ease

Beardy wrote:Look up Paul Brook's 'The Gift' - possibly the cleanest method

Thanks for the pointer, that's exactly the kind of thing I was after, I looked up a review of that on here - looks perfect. Will save my pennies

Any other suggestions?

I reccommend the use of an R&S deck.

Ah, an idea! An R&S deck for forcing numbers. 10 cards with 0 - 9 on them....
I'm off to get my spray!

That WMS Roughed DVD has nothing on me!

haha, that would work.

But I always get a funny feeling when introducing unnatural props. A prop, especially a gimmicked one, shouldn't raise eyebrows. I feel that numbered cards would invite attention - which would be fine if they were a normal deck, but not so great for an ID Maybe that's just my paranoia though.

Also I'm intending this as an outdoors effect so cards are pretty much out.

Could do something with the years on coins though maybe...

user24 wrote:But I always get a funny feeling when introducing unnatural props.

You're doing magic, I don't really see cards as being an unnatural prop.

user24 wrote:I feel that numbered cards would invite attention

You're asking people to randomly pick a number, you have 10 cards numbered 0-9. I'd hope they'd pay the cards enough attention to actually pick a number!

user24 wrote:which would be fine if they were a normal deck, but not so great for an ID Maybe that's just my paranoia though.

Yes, that's paranoia.
And who mentioned ID?

could you use an add a number routine to come to the number that you want? Ed Fowler's got a couple of nice ones.

Why not ask two people from different sections of the audience to write down a date of their choosing, a completely free choice. Have both brought up to you, offer them to your on stage volunteer to choose one and read it out.

With a bit of billet work you can force your date, both of the two writers will assume there's wasn't chosen.

Is that verging on exposure?