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Hi everyone,

I have been working on the a new effect recently called "Second Choice". Its my version of the classic " A sucker is born every minute plot". Its very basic and simple and I would love to hear what all the mentalists here think about it, thanks.

Effect: At the start of the first half you take out two small pieces of paper and two envelopes. You write "£100" on one and leave the other one blank. Then you hand them both to a spectator and get them to mix them up. From this point on wards you never touch the paper again. You explain that if they choose the piece of paper which has £100 written on it then they get the money and if they choose the one which has nothing written on it then they still get a prize. They can then choose one of them and burn the other one, and they will always end up with the smaller prize (box of chocolates or whatever you want).

Any sort of feedback would be appreciated, thank you.

The reaction would be better with real money (a £50).

Otherwise your only risk was burning a piece of paper.

Ste Porterfield wrote:The reaction would be better with real money (a £50).

Otherwise your only risk was burning a piece of paper.

It seems like the performer risks loosing the money.

I understand what you're saying but I just feel the effect would be stronger if the money is visible from the outset.

Most "pick an envelope" effects use real money. As an anology I can't imagine that a £5 b*** s****h to a piece of paper saying "£50" would be as strong as it changing to a real £50.

I'll be perfectly happy if the majority disagree with me (as often happens here ) but I think real money will just look better.

Ste Porterfield wrote:I understand what you're saying but I just feel the effect would be stronger if the money is visible from the outset.

Most "pick an envelope" effects use real money. As an anology I can't imagine that a £5 b*** s****h to a piece of paper saying "£50" would be as strong as it changing to a real £50.

I'll be perfectly happy if the majority disagree with me (as often happens here ) but I think real money will just look better.

I do agree with you but one plus side to this routine is that you don't have the moment at the end where you take the money out of the envelope is quite a flashy "Better luck next time" sort of way.

Frankly I think this is always a weak effect because the spectator already knows it is a trick, I don't care if you are doing a mentalism show, they know it is a trick, they also know they are not going to get the 100.00, so the ending of the secondary prize is not only anti-climatic but very predictable.

Whilst I completely agree about the predictability of the trick, I still think the spec enjoys the participation and the "challenge".

And don't all people in the company of a performing magician "know it's a trick"?

I'm going to be a bit Penn and Teller here but if I'm correct, this effect couldnt be achieved using the same method if real money was involved.

Please tell me, if the amount was written on the card using a pencil, could this still work?

Alec

Judging from the layman i know who saw the Jon Archer trick on P & T they seem to think rather than a fixed trick they think its some sort of derren brown bluff/psychological trick and say "i'd have gone for so and so envelope to catch him out"

So maybe if you add words to the envelopes and say its about people's behaviour and choices in public or something it makes people think its more of a challenge they can catch you out on rather than a trick.

Ahh, Alex - I see what you've done there!

jon_kent wrote:Judging from the layman i know who saw the Jon Archer trick on P & T they seem to think rather than a fixed trick they think its some sort of derren brown bluff/psychological trick and say "i'd have gone for so and so envelope to catch him out"

So maybe if you add words to the envelopes and say its about people's behaviour and choices in public or something it makes people think its more of a challenge they can catch you out on rather than a trick.

Great idea. I have based this routine as well upon an effect performed by Derren in "The gathering" which allows you to turn it into a whole routine and add some jokes.

Alec Kobain wrote:I'm going to be a bit Penn and Teller here but if I'm correct, this effect couldnt be achieved using the same method if real money was involved.

Please tell me, if the amount was written on the card using a pencil, could this still work?

Alec

I think pen would be better

Use cheques!!

You can write one out for £6b in the name of the spec and leave the other blank.

Sorted!

Alec Kobain wrote:Use cheques!!

You can write one out for £6b in the name of the spec and leave the other blank.

Sorted!

Wow! Great idea . Would you mind if I added this to the routine if I credited to Alec? Thank you.

Great thinking!