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I am struggling with how to make people fall, crunch, whatever, by no more than a gesture from the magician in empty space.
I frankly believe that I have created a decent setup for this effect, by triggering 'mysterious states' that I have anchored during previous tricks, to make them more susceptible to my suggestions.
What I do not understand, however, is how I can get the person to react on my movement, that he is unable to see, feel and hear.
I watched Derren Brown doing this a few times (Messiah and mindcontrol), but I cannot see how he gets the person to fall at the exact moment he reaches out his hand, behind the person's back, and than pulls it back in.

Does anyone know how to achieve this specific effect, or where to get useful information on this?

Are you able to make them fall? If so, then just watch for the exact moment when they are about to fall, and then make the gesture. It will look like they are falling because of your geture, but really you are reacting to them falling. Hope that makes sense.

It's in Ormond McGill's New Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnosis.

Are you able to make them fall? If so, then just watch for the exact moment when they are about to fall, and then make the gesture. It will look like they are falling because of your geture, but really you are reacting to them falling. Hope that makes sense.

I haven't tried it yet. Mainly because I thought the grasping movement in the air would be a key in this effect. Your advice sounds very likely indeed. In fact, I have studied Brown doing this in slow motion, and if he really does it like you say, he performs it with such precision that I cannot spot it. But again, this occurs to me as, perhaps, the only reasonable explanation.

It's in Ormond McGill's New Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnosis.

Thank you! I will certainly look for that one.