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Hi all

I have searched the forum but couldn't quite find exactly what I was looking for, which is as follows:

I am a performer of close up magic, but would like to do a mentalism effect for some coworkers. I would like to do an impossible prediction. In essence a prediction of a scientific result. Ideally something of the form of a prediction which can be sealed but in view at all times. I would like to know what you would recommend in terms of the cleanest/easiest way/product for achieving this, as I am relatively unfamiliar with mentalism techniques. I work with a very clever (and cynical) bunch of people so you may bear that in mind!

Thanks in advance

The Ostin Clip,

There is a good one by John Riggs with the Billet in a Balloon

midge25 wrote:The Ostin Clip,

There is a good one by John Riggs with the Billet in a Balloon

Billet in Balloon can be done without the Clip. . . I've used it for years (Air Tight Prediction).

I know that magicians have done predictions for years and if you just think about it, you already know several ways of doing this and getting a big reaction. One of the more famous bits was when Karrol Fox screwed Edsel Ford (memory serving) with a card trick that apparently went wrong, only to have a plane fly by with a banner that Read "Mr. Ford will Pick the Jack of Clubs" or some such. I don't think you want to go to that expense, but you can do similar things using the newspaper and placing a classified ad that predicts a given outcome; the method being little other than a force or combination of forces.

If you want to do the sealed envelope type deal I'd suggest you look into the Kismet Envelope popularize by the late Ted Lesley, it will give you 3 total outs for a card prediction or 3 different photos, etc. and yet, it comes off looking exceptionally fair and clean.

WARNING: you will now have a whole bunch of people suggesting a list of current popular flavors when it comes to this idea as well as those telling you to pick up Corinda and Practical Mental Magic. While they are great reference books I really don't recommend Corinda if you aren't seriously looking at moving out of traditional magic and into Mentalism. PMM has some excellent "Mental Magic" routines in it that would be fitting a Magic Show. There are some other sources like SYZYGY but I'll not go down that path due to costs and how some folks now days, seem to take a dump on yesteryear ideologies when it comes to sharing and working with one's fellows.

Thanks guys. I think that using such a clip might not be exactly what I'm after. I'd like to have the prediction made a long time in advance, and essentially tamper-proof.

Unfortunately I can't use a force; I have no idea what the outcome will be, and I can't force it (and would be in bad taste to do so as I would then have to reveal the 'actual' answer). I also can't really use multiple outs as the 'outcome' spans a continuum.

Yes the first thing I did was look through Corinda - the only thing that seemed to be feasible/appropriate would be a billet knife, but I really wanted to see if there was something cleaner/less conspicuous.

could you find out if anyone has done this scientific research before? and use their outcome as the likely outcome of yours?
i guess not... otherwise your coworkers would already know the likely outcome...

I always think that prediction methods fit under 2 categories:
1) You already knew the outcome
2) You made the prediction after the outcome was revealed

A force would fit under option 1.
Option 2 could include nail writing or switching predictions.


The only way you could make the prediction a long time in advance and make it tamper-proof would be to use option 1.
But i am glad you said "essentially tamper proof", which of course means to me that it either appears tamper proof to spectators or is tamper proof until it is opened.

I'm not sure about specific or detailed methods, but have a think, could you find away to alter a "tamper proof" prediction, could you switch the "tamper proof" prediction, either before or after opening it.

FTHO: In a nutshell I know the range of values that the result is likely to take, but further than that, I would be guessing. If you want to know a bit more about what it is, PM me!

Yes - category 1) is a no go. To give you an idea of the kind of thing I am after, here is one thing that I have found so far: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEseb2tosgY

Hi Swest,

I will PM you....

the video you posted seems VERY dramatic, and possibly a bit over the top.

The impossible thing about a prediction should be that you knew it in advance, as far as an audience is concerned having it inside one envelope is probably enough.
I think the Impossible Envelope routine adds confusion, as there is so much going on, I also think it implies "i've put it inside an envelope, inside another envelope, inside another envelope because i don't want you to think that i tampered with the prediction in some way", which will probably just make an audience think "i wonder if he tampered with it in someway and then put it inside lots of envelopes to make it seem impossible to have tamped with it".
Essentially i worry that it might put an idea of a method into their mind.
I'm possibly over thinking it!
I do think it could work quiet well in a piece of comedy mentalism... really making the whole "Russian Envelope" seem really funny...

How do you want the prediction to go? do you want it to be a performance piece, and very dramatic? or do you want it to be very casual?
As you will be doing it at work it seems to me that casual is the way to go (but i may be wrong, and it probably depends on your character).

I would consider having an envelope somewhere in full view but out of reach, and then look into methods for switching the contents of the envelope, or loading the envelope secretly.
I've read a nice method by Bryn Reynolds in The Logar Scrolls which allows you to steal the contents of a sealed envelope to glimpse them, then return to the envelope and it is still sealed. Perhaps you could use it in the opposite way, and actually insert the prediction into the envelope while handing it to someone else to open.

Or you could just find a nice way to switch the envelope.

Cheers,

Sam

Swest wrote:Hi all

I have searched the forum but couldn't quite find exactly what I was looking for, which is as follows:

I am a performer of close up magic, but would like to do a mentalism effect for some coworkers. I would like to do an impossible prediction. In essence a prediction of a scientific result. Ideally something of the form of a prediction which can be sealed but in view at all times. I would like to know what you would recommend in terms of the cleanest/easiest way/product for achieving this, as I am relatively unfamiliar with mentalism techniques. I work with a very clever (and cynical) bunch of people so you may bear that in mind!

Thanks in advance

The more cynical and clever are my best audiences because they are the easiest to fool. They look for complicated diabolical methods. So go the easiest and most straight forward it will get them everytime, although they don't like to admit it. The key is in how you handle them. Don't try to outhink or outsmart or even fool, all those 'attitudes' will present a challange and they will rise to the challange. Instead try to have fun and entertain.

You may notice this advice is the exact same I would give for any audience...except perhaps children because they are the smartest of them all when it comes to magic, they just don't know enough to know what is impossible and what isn't.

Swest wrote: Thanks guys. I think that using such a clip might not be exactly what I'm after. I'd like to have the prediction made a long time in advance, and essentially tamper-proof.

How is something inside a balloon not tamper proof?

Naked mentalism 3 has exactly what you want.

Simply the best headline.prediction there is!

One envelope. One prediction that NEVER CHANGES and from the moment you write your prediction you.NEVER touch the envelope or its contents again!

It's that clean!

Art