LEADINGWITH YOUR

HEAD

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DIRECTIONALKEYS

TO THE AMPLIFICATIONOF THE

MAGIC EFFECT

GARY KURTZ

INTRODUCTION

There is no substitute for empirical knowledge, but learning by trial and error is a long, arduous;not to mention, potentially egg-in-your-face embarrassing process. The ideal union, obviously,is one of book knowledge and practical knowledge. So much the better if the book is one ofpractical knowledge.

My goal in writing the following work is to give readers the tools to save themselves valuableyears of experimentation, to open up new paths of thought which they might not haveconsidered, and to help them recognize and avoid some common pitfalls. Once you get thenecessary evil of having to fool people out of the way, you'll be able to concentrate on moreimportant aspects of our craft.

The human mind works in mysterious way, but the mechanisms of perception and theinterpretation of those perceptions follow fairly predictable patterns. This book should give yousome insights into those patterns and processes (at least those which relate to the magiccraft/art) .

The point of departure for this work is that simply reading it is worthless. Claiming anunderstanding of l11e theoretical side of a performance art without ever havinq put it into practiceis a delusion. Somewhat like a virgin claiming he's a great lover simply because he's read TheJoy of Sex. Puttinq the knowledge into practice is so much more gratifying!

Here's hoping this book will lead to some mutually gratifying experiences between you and youraudiences.

Gary Kurtz, Montreal, 1992

LEADING WITH YOUR HEADPSYCHOLOGICAL KEYS TO THE AMPLIFICATION OF THE MAGIC EFFECT

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTIONFurther IntentionsDirectionMisdirectionYOUR PHYSICAL INSTRUMENTCORPORAL SPACE AND STAGINGPHYSICAL MOVEMENT - Basic Strengths and WeaknessesCORPORAL STAGING - Framing for EffectVisual NoiseThe Open PositionPSYCHO-PHYSICAL TECHNIQUESACTIVE AND RELAXED STATESTHE OFF-BEATCreating the Off-BeatRegaining AttentionCOORDINATION OF ACTIONSThe Priority of ActionsEconomy of MotionFOCAL-INTERACTIONAL TECHNIQUESFOCUS-THE EYESFOCAL-INTERACTIONAL MISDIRECTIONThe Eyes-The VoiceFOCUSING ON THE EFFECTThe Yo-Yo DilemmaFocusing on Essential ElementsFocus and The Intention of MagicFOCUS-YOUR AUDIENCE AND YOU-THE EYES THAT BINDPURELY PSYCHOLOGICAL TECHNIQUESOPENNESSSPECTATOR AFFIRMATIONThe Nod TechniqueAffirmation = InvolvementAffirmation and MemoryAffirmation and The Distortion of MemoryThe Nod Technique and Psychological ManipulationRANDOM THOUGHTSPreparing Material For PerformanceFINAL WORDS

@Gary Kurtz, 1992All Rights Reserved

Except by Express Permission from Gary Kurtz

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FURTHER INTENTIONS

A- Controlling and directing an audience's perception, attention, and memory, are majorskills of the magician's craft. Unfortunately, the techniques required to achieve those ends areoften grossly misunderstood; poorly understood; or just plain incomprehensible to the averagemagician. Not that its nessessarily their fault: With the exeption of a few contemporary writers(Burger and Tamariz especially); what information there is in the magic literature is: 1- Scatteredsparcely about in innumerable books; 2· Gleaned only by reading between the lines; or3- So scholarly in its approach it practically negates the fact the theory pertains to a living,breathing performance art.

In my good intentions, may I shed some fluorescent day-glow light in the darkness.

B- As my studying and working in other performance arts has shown, a teacher might explainsomething repeatedly, and the lesson still fails to sink in. Another teacher might then explainexactly the same things in a different way, and it leads to a revelation. Here's hoping the way I'veorganized and articulated the following ideas will lead to some revelations.

I've tried my best to be terse and systematic.

c- In the following pages I am, to a certain extent, creating a new vocabulary to label sometechniques. One of the short-comings in our ability to discuss ideas is an absence ofstandardized vocabulary. The names I've attached to the various techniques are self-explanatory;so devised that even someone who's never heard them before should understand theirmeanings.

E- Lastly, my emphasis is on the two-fold purpose of directing audience perception andattention: Defense and Offence. Misdirection aids in deception. Direction focuses andmaintains attention with the purpose of amplifying, clarifying,and simplifying The Effect.Every technique in the book will serve your defensive tactics as well as your offensive stategy.I can't stress this enough.

Put into practice, these techniques will not only make your magic stronger but, potentially, willmake you a better performer as well.

As in all the other arts, physical techniques are only the first part of being an artist. The resthappens in our heads and in our hearts.

DIRECTION

It is our responsibility, as performers (and in some cases creators), to make our work as easyas possible for our audience to watch and enjoy. It is up to us to make it as dynamic andengaging as possible.

Where would the performance art world be without orchestra conductors, theatre directors,choreographers and movie directors?

Lack of Direction :=: Chaos.

In a magic craft essentially (an sadly) devoid of directors, choreographers, coaches and/ortrainers, no one else is going to do the job for us. This book should help you to become a betterdirector, for yourself and others.

The most beneficial approach to studying and working through this material is to do it with afriend or friends (all of whom bought the book, hopefully). Using visualization techniques, amirror, even video, is one thing; having an outside eye quite another. Working through thismaterial simultaneously with others is more interesting, and guarantess that in the end you'llhave at least one informed critic.

MISDIRECTION

Misdirection has nothing to do with distraction. It has everything to do with controllingaudience attention, at all times.

Direction plays a major role in elevating the "performer of magic tricks" from trickster to magician.Personally, I almost never do a move without misdirection of some kind, even though I amtechnically quite competent. The reason is, in the words of Erdnase: "Not only shouldn't they seeanything, they shouldn't suspicion anything."

For me, misdirection is not a cover for the moves, but a means of insuring that suspicion neverenters the audience's minds.

Only when there is no suspicion can there be a suspension of disbelief. Only when there is asuspension of disbelief, can there be magic.

Enough of this babbling. Let's get on with it!

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YOURPHYSICAL

INSTRUMENT

YOUR PlIYSICAL INSTRUMENT

CORPORAL SPACE AND STAGING

Your physicality has an incredible effect on the audience's perceptions of you:

1- If you work with your hands close to your body, elbows pressed into your sides; whileconstantly looking at your hands, you'll will be perceived as someone who is nervous,introverted, and worst of all, performing for yourself.

2- If you work with your hands well forward, with open and free gestures, with good eye contactwith your audience you'll be perceived as positive, outgoing, and interested in sharing somethingwith your audience (assuming your personality is in accord).

Obviously, the characteristics of the latter will make for a more successful performer.

From a Method Acting stand-point: By consciously working to be more expressive and open inyour physical gestures, stage presence, and use of· stage space, your personality will likewiseopen up (if it isn't already open). Working physically will effect not only your audience'sperceptions. but your own psychological make-up as weill

Coming from a theatre background, it is a personal perception/theory that the position of yourhands in relationship to your body is similar in significance to an actor's position on stage.

Consider the following:

1- Your face and upper torso are your communication centre. The rest of your appendagesshould radiate from that centre.

2- Your hands hanging at your sides have the same strength (weakness) as someone who isstanding upstage right or left (weak stage positions, but good for entrances and exits);

3- Having your hands at waist level, close to your body, will attract slightly more attention. If theyare relaxed the attention they draw will be minimal, but if they are tense they may,unfortunately, attract suspicion);

4- Having your hands well forward in front of you is considerably stronger (like Centre Stage- Theposition is very open; it psychologically creates an impression of fairness; its easy for theaudience to shift focus between your face and your hands, and you can easily move thehands to other (stronger or weaker) positions; and

5- Having your hands in front of you at chest level is the strongest position of all (like DownstageCentre- close and personable- you and your hands framed in the picture).

Obviously, what you do with your Focus and the rest of your body will have a discernable affect,but the above are basics which we'll refer back in coming pages.

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PHYSICAL MOVEMENT-BASIC STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES-

The very Basics:

I\ J

\ I I\ I I\ I I\ I I\ I I\ I IT

ADVANCING(STRONG)

RETREATING(WEAK)

All fairly apparent, J hope. In general, strong movements advance and/or rise; weak movementsretreat and/or lower. Seeing how everything is relative: Obviously, the energy and intention yougive movements will effect how they are perceived (more on this later), but in generalforward/upward movements simply grab more attention.

Concerning Side to Side Movement:A movement from right to left (audience view) is stronger than a movement from left to right(audience view). This rule can be explained by the fact that, in our occidental culture (withapologies to the oriental), we read from left to right. Consequently, a movement from left to rightis ordinary and acceptable. A movement in the opposite direction (right to left) "goes against thegrain", and consequently is more noticeable/stronger.

Important Note: The performer's movement on stage is mirror image. Thus your right to left=the audience's left to right(normal), and your left to right "'the audience's right to left ("against the grain").

Rent movies showing "good guys"and "bad guys" walking on screen; or a plane taking a familyto a peaceful tropical vacation/another of a plane (With a different family), crashing into amountain: Compare directional trajectories of the opposing actions (each with their inherentpsychological intents) for proof of this theory in cinematographic practice. (Or just take my wordfor it.)

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Use this information to your advantage in staging your effects for maximum impact (strongmovements and positions when you want to attract attention), and structuring for deception(weak movements and positions when you want actions to attract less attention). Could Istate it more simply.

Toss in Active and Relaxed States and The Coordination of Actions (both discussed later), and you've got Movement(uses and misuses) pretty much taken care of.

CORPORAL STAGING· FRAMING FOR EFFECT

First Example:The Misers Dream: You're holding the champagne bucket in your left hand (relaxed and at yourside). With your right hand you reach forward and produce a coin (strong movement andposition). After the effect has registered, you pretend to drop the coin into the bucket (weakposition-hands low and to the left). Thrust your bent left elbow forward in front of you andproduce a coin from it (strong central position). Relax the left arm as you display the coin youjust produced (strong display position). Supposedly drop this coin into the pail (hands again lowand to the left). Produce another coin from the air in front of you. Display it. Drop it into the pail.Look at your right knee; thrusting it forward and centre just before producing a coin from behindit... Display the coin in front of you ... And so on ....(These examples illustrate how the effecUproduction is strengthened through corporal staging, and how dropping thecoins into the bucket (an unimportant element to the effect) is de-stressed using the same principles.]

Second Example:Producing a Card From Your Pants' Pocket: Your pocket is in a relatively weak position (low andto the right). How do we make the production stronger?

Assuming you have a card palmed in your right hand: Move your left hand forward anddiagonally to the left (your right hand being effectively upstaged) and dramatically riffle the cards.Follow the imaginary path of the card to your pocket; your right hand reaching into your pocketan instant before your eyes look there. Now, swing your right hip to a central position, lifting itslightly, as you pull the card out. Turn the card dramatically around (attention focused there: theeffect registers). Bring the card to chest level, well in front of you (strong final position-theyappreciate the effect and you).

Third example:The order in which you have three cards chosen and revealed: The first spectator should be onyour left; the second on your right; and the third directly in front of you. After the selectionprocess, perform your first revelation of the left spectator's card. Move from him to the spectatoron your right (right to left movement, from the audience's perspective, is stronger than amovement from left to right). Perform your second revelation. Move to the third spectator (astrong central position/frontal focus for a strong final effect.)

[This example illustrates how applying the staging principles to the eHect's structure can get you optimal impact.)

Last example:

Question: Why is it better to have an assisting spectator on your right side? Answer: So you the"subject" come first in the "sentence" the audiences "reads" on stage.

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A plea to close-up magicians who work standing: Stop doing (or minimalize the number of)effects performed on the table (on a close-up pad). Get your effects up to chest level in a "frame"which includes you (and not your crotch) as the backdrop. The reasons are obvious.

Before moving on to considerably more interesting fare, consider two more definitions:

Visual Noise

Visual Noise is a fairly self-explanatory phrase: Its tiring, even annoying, to watch: A performer(unconsciously) gestures Wildly, as he paces back and forth; constantly shuffling and riffling hisdeck of cards; adjusting his tie, socks and undershorts; all the while talking a blue streak. Itcreates confusion (and confusion certainly isn't magic), and sets up a barrier to effectivecommunication.

Odious fact of human nature: People pick out faults more easily than they notice virtues.

With a (magic) performer constantly and senselessly on the move, the audience doesn't knowwhat to watch: Should they be watching his hands to make sure he's not "doing somethingfunny"? Or should they, as social humans do by instinct, look at him when he's talking? But ifthey look at him when he's talking he might do something "funny" with the cards.... Vice versa.Versa Vice... They tire of the ping pong match ... systems shut down ... they begin praying (to themulti-demoninational generic God) that the show will soon be over.

Be "crazy" and energetic, but do it with intellegence.

Don't split audience attention between you and what you are doing.

The Open Position

What I refer to as the Open Position, is a position where the audience can see, in their peripheralvision, all of the elements in play. Their attention isn't split, because they can see that everythingis fair and above board. Whenever possible we should handle our props well away from ourbodies, very openly, and with as little extraneous movement as possible. Props should onlyattract attention when we direct attention to the props. The audience must know that we're notdoing anything "funny". This is imperative when interacting and communicating with people.

Tamariz, and Otto Wesley are perfect examples of manic, "wild man" performers. But, my God,do they know exactly what they're doing at every second they're on stage! Therein lies thedifference between a professional and an over enthusiastic amateur. Professionals know thewhat, why and how of what they're doing, at all times.

More on this subject when I discuss Openness.

Footnote: A magician approached me at a convention in Germany, stating he'd learned something from me the yearbefore which was "really impressing" his audiences. other magicians gathered around, expecting a miracle. He removedhis deck of cards, held it out in a perfectly extended and relaxed Open Position; and stated that this was impressinglaymen enormously. He then put his deck away, leaVing the other magicians utterly dumbfoundedl

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PSYCHO-PHYSICAL 'TECHNIQUES

PSYCHO-PHYSICAL TECHNIQUES

ACTIVE AND RELAXED STATES

Active/Passive.....Tension/Relaxation ....The Yin and Yang of Performance

In the same way a script for a play or movie will have high and low points built into it, so shouldmagic routines (though admittedly, the structure and composition of some is considerably betterthan others). Every sequence of actions (from the over-all big picture to the smallest details) iscomposed of strong and weak elements.

It is up to the actor/magician to analyse, interpret and amplify,these inherent dynamics.Strong Elements become stronger when deftly juxtaposed with Weak Elements; and vice versa.

Active physicality creates tension/attention < = > Relaxed physicality relaxestension/attention.

With your fluctuation between active and relaxed states, between tension and relaxation, therewill be a sympathetic reaction in the audience. Audiences will intuitively sense and react to youractions, without really being aware of it.

Physically match the psychological state you want to project to your audience.With proper mental motivation and intention on your part, your body will naturally follow.

Lead with your head, and your body will follow.

On a smaller scale, the implications of these ideas are crucial in sleight-of-hand:

All secret actions should be performed with the least amount of energy/thought possible.Secret moves need to be analyzed and practised so they can be done with the the above inmind.

The time to create tension/attention is before and after, not during, a move.

In balancing more than one visual image/action, Staging and Corporal Staging must besupported by Active and Relaxed States. In performing a false transfer of a coin into your lefthand, for example: At the completion of the move, when moving your left hand forward/up andyour right hand back/down, you must activate the left hand and relax the right. If not, theintended weak element remains in the audience's peripheral attention.

If you are palming something, there has to be a complete relaxation: Of the hand, the wrist, theelbow, and the shoulder. If not, the audience will sense the discrepancies.

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On a different scale: If a magician's assistant has a more commanding stage presence than themagician: Major problems.

On the other end of the scale, to get the maximum impact out of a magical effect there (usually)has to be a build-up of tension just before the final climax. You can't, for example, limply tossa scarf in the air to show a bowl of water has vanished, and expect maximum applause. It hasto be done with energy and accent.

To create tension/attention: Project strongly. Position your weight slightly forward on the ballsof your feet (or lean forward in your chair). Manage your gestures for optimum Openness andenergy. Direct your focus and body position so the energy lines flow in the direction you wantattention to go. Think "energy".

To relax tension/attention: Exhale. Relax your stage presence. Let your shoulders and chest sinkslightly. Take a step back and/or rock your weight back on your heels (or sink back in yourchair). Think "relax",

Use your head: Use your body!

Lead with your head, and your body will follow. Lead with your body,and the audience will follow.

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THE OFF-BEAT-BlINDSPOT IN THE AUDIENCE'S PERCEPTION·

Every time there is a surprise, the spectators' minds stop working momentarily. Surprise!Whenever the audience is reacting in surprise to a magical occurrence, laughing at a joke, orrelaxing because they think a trick is over, their attention lulls: The Off-Beat.

Depending on the strength of the set-up and resultant surprise, this Off-Beat can last anywherefrom a half second to six seconds (usually closer to one second than six). That's one to sixseconds for you to do your secret move(s).

This is the misdirection for the final loads in the Cups and Balls (the surprise reappearance ofthe small balls under the cups creating the moment in which you load the oranges); the coverfor Slydini's Lap Recoveries; Bob Read's Bottle Production, Don Alan's "Lump of Coal" ; theprincipal misdirection for Goshman's Coins Under the Salt Shakers; Fred Kaps' Chinese CoinRoutine" and my own routine "Relentless".

Remember: Any secret moves must be done in a physical relaxed way.

If you don't perform your "moves" in a relaxed way, you risk pulling audience attention back tothe action, or at least having the audience suspect that something happened. The surprise ofthree little red balls having appeared under a cup simply isn't sufficient to cover an apparentmuscle spasm in a performer's left arm and shoulder as he loads an orange.

Point already made: Physically support the psychological state you want to produce in youraudience. Relax!

The only way to develop a finely tuned sense of the Off-Beat is by performing, and feeling youraudience's attention on you at all times.

Like comic timing, you have to feel your audience out, and sense the natural fluctuations. Aftera while you'll know, like a comedian knows in advance how an audience will most likely react,when the natural off-beat will occur, and how long it will last. Obviously, certain things will geta stronger reaction, and thus give you a stronger/longer off-beat.

Armed with an understanding of the mechanism of the off-beat, you'll then be able to incorporate.it into the structure of routines as you develop and rehearse them.

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CREATING THE OFF-BEAT

Creating the Off-Beat Moment is similar to the joke format. You build certain expectations, thenhave an unexpected twist which throws them off track. They laugh (they relax).

Your relaxation, of course, is the impetus.

Various Techniques:

1- Create interest/expectation (script/suspense/body language); relax that expectation (ease thesuspense/relax your body), and you have your moment.

2- Take advantage of the surprise created by a previous effect and use this moment to secretlyprepare for your next effect. Hit them with the next effect, then use the off-beat to set-upfor the next effect. And so on, and on, and on.

3- Have a joke or funny line to say at just the right moment (by far my favourite, easiest to use,not to mention most entertaining technique); or

4- Make them think the effect is over (successfully, or in failure).

The Francis Carlyle Card to Pocket is a perfect example of the latter:

The signed card (which you've secretly glimpsed) is on top of the deck and an indifferent cardis in your pocket. After explaining that you have made the card appear in your pocket, youcleanly show your hand empty, then pull the odd card half way from your pocket, miscalling itas the selection. They believe its already there: Off-beat. You palm the selection during therelaxation, then (as their minds start to work again and wonder if it really is the signed card) youpull it from your pocket: "And that was how you signed your name on it wasn't it?"

You've created the perfect moment to palm the card- when they think its already in your pocket.

Another example:

Performing a One Hand Top Palm: Lean forward on the balls of your feet (active), with the deckforward in an Open Position: "At this point you may be expecting me to find your card, right?""Well, I'm not going to....": Rock back on your heels; relax your hands to waist level and palm thecard.

Deck is taken and displayed in left hand as your right hand drops to your side (coordination):"I don't have to find the card...He does...."

Expectations are created by the initial statement and posture. and then relaxed when you tell them you're not going tofind their card anyway. You've created your moment with a psychological, as well as physical, relaxation.

One of John Ramsey's favourite techniques for creating the moment was to create suspicion, andthen dispel it. The audience's surprise that their suspicions were unfounded, created the momenthe needed to do the move for real.

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Example:

Performing a silk vanish with a pull, you have the pull in your left hand, and are almost finishedtucking the silk inside. On the last few tucks you make an awkward movement, as if havingpalmed the silk in your right hand. You notice the audience's suspicion, then lean forward andshow your right hand empty (at the same time relaxing your left hand to your hip, letting the pullgo under your jacket): The Moment. Having convinced them that you're not cheating, you moveboth hands well in front of you, clasp then together, pause, then open both hands showing thesilk has vanished.

REGAINING ATIENTION

Ideally, you don't want your audience to be aware that their attention waned for an instant. Youwant to get their attention back, with everything appearing to be as it was before their attentionlapse. On another level, as in comedy, you don't deliver your next line until the audience isfinished laughing at the previous one. At the same time, you don't'wait until the laughter hasdied down completely either. You have to stay on a roll.

So, you control the audience; not the other way around.

Example: A coin vanish.Under cover of the natural surprise of the production of a coin, you relax your hand a beat andlap the coin. Move your hand forward to the centre of the table again: "Look. Once again..." Youdeliver the "look" quite emphatically, drawing attention back. Simulate tossing the coin into yourleft hand (ala Goshman), then mime the action of tossing the coin back and forth at yourfingertips, the movements getting smaller and smaller until you freeze with the fingertipstouching, then separate them showing the coin to have vanished again.

Another example: The Top Change.You've just produced a card in a dramatic fashion. Look at it: "The 6H...That was your card, yes?"On "yes" you bring your eyes up to meet the spectator's, performing a Top Change (The Eyes),establishing an Open Position immediately afterwards (hands well separated). Move the card wellforward: "It was?" Focus all attention on the card as you snap it: "That's right, it was...•Dramatically turn the card face up: •...It isn't any more!"

The first example illustrates how you can regain attention with a continuation of an action, thesecond, how you reveal the next climax from an Open Position.

It is to y.our advantage to use psychological convincers to reinforce the idea that all is as it wasbefore the attention lapse, whenever possible. Using Spectator Affirmation (discussed later),mime simulation, miscalling cards, or using audible illusions can all reinforce those ideas, givingyou a time delay between when the move was actually done, and when the magic supposedlyhappens.

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COORDINATION OF ACTIONS-CASTING THE SHADOW-

As mentioned in the introduction, misdirection has nothing to do with distraction. Misdirectionis Direction of Attention.

The human eye is attracted by motion. Simple fact. But, the human eye can really only focus onone movement at a time. Using the principle of the Coordination of Actions one action(secondary) can pass unnoticed in the shadow of another action (primary).

THE PRIORITY OF ACTIONS-HELPING YOU DEFINE YOUR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ACTIONS-

Having already discussed Corporal Space and Staging, Movement Strengths, and Active andRelaxed States, you will already understand the logic behind the following examples of primaryand secondary actions:

1-A hand moving forward will take precedence over a hand relaxing back (Strong vs. WeakMovement).

2-A hand rising will attract more attention than a hand dropping down to your side (StrongMovement/Position vs. Weak Movement/Position).

3-Any action which is active will command more attention than an action which is passive (ActiVEvs. Passive).

4-Any action which you invest with importance will take precedence over an action which yOLdo automatically, without thinking (Strong Intention vs. Disregard)

5-Anything attractive, colourful, flashy or well lit, will draw more attention that somethingcommonplace and seemly unimportant (Visual Appeal vs. Dullness).

For every movement you want to pass unnoticed, all you have to do is find a strongeaction to counterbalance it. The only difficulty sometimes is to find a primary action which islogical and motivated.

The basis of the principle of The Coordination of Actions (first verbalized by Tony Slydini) is thaboth actions begin and stop at exactly the same time.

The primary (stronger) action will automatically cast the secondary (weaker) action in shadow

A simple example:Something as simple as a False Transfer of a ball from your right hand to ycur left, embcdle:this principle. First, try the following wrong ways:

1- Perform the False Transfer, keeping the left hand motionless, as your right hand moves awa'after having supposedly deposited the ball. Now move your left hand forward. Two perceptiblaction, yes? In this case the right hand's retreat (supposedly weak) action actually draws morattention than the left hand;

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2- Perform a False Transfer, and freeze the right hand as the left hand moves away. Stop movingthe left hand, then drop your right hand to your side> Still, two perceptible movements, yes?

Now try the following correct way:

3- Display the ball in your right hand. Start moving both hands together at the same time.Perform the False Transfer, afterwards actively moving the left hand forward as you relax yourright hand to your side. Stop the left hand's motion at the instant (and not before) the right handreaches its final rest position. The primary left hand action commands full attention throughout.

Considerably more complex combinations of movements can be handled in exactly the sameway. Define your objective (what you want your audience to see and not see), then consider theproblems and develop "balanced" solutions.

Example (micro-coordinations):You've just palmed the four Aces from the bottom of the deck into your left hand and want toproduce them from your pocket: "Here, give the cards a shuffle... Oh, wait, you may want to mixthese ... in there as well!"

With the cards in left hand palm, hand the deck to a spectator with your right hands as you relaxyour left hand to your side (Coordination: Both hands starting and stopping at exactly the sametime): "Here, give the cards a shuffle..."

Drop your right hand, bringing both hands together clasped in front of you (full body relaxation).After a beat, raise your right hand in a palm out gesture, bringing all eyes up with it (left handswinging back to your side): "Oh, wait...."

Open the right side of your jacket and look inside, as you bring your left hand to waist level.Look up at the audience as you reach your left hand into your inside pocket, closing the jacketslightly around the hand as you do. Re-open your jacket and focus attention down so they seethe cards coming from inside the pocket. Display the cards in both hands, chest height andforward in front of you: "You may want to mix these in there too...•

Point: Even the smallest left hand actions are shadowed throughout. Top of previous paragraph: A new meaning to theterm "hand/eye coordination".

An extravagant example: Magician Changes into Tiger; Magician Reappears in Back of Theatre

The cage is centre stage, there are steps leading up to it. The magician (in a costume borrowedfrom Catwoman's African cousin) climbs the stairs, blows a kiss and enters the cage. A largecolourful cloth is pulled down over the front of the cage. Two brightly dressed assistants spin thecage forward into a brightly lit spotlight right at the edge of the stage as another (dressed-in­black) stagehand calmly pushes the stairs (containing the supposedly-caged magician) back intothe dimly lit upstage area, and offstage.

If the stairs were pushed off-stage before the cage was spun forward, it would be "noticed" and remembered by theaudience. With the Coordination of Actions the viewer completely forgets there were stairs or a "stagehand" involved.

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There's a short jungle-music dance sequence to build suspense. There's a flash of fire over thecage; the cloth is pulled off, revealing that the woman has changed into a roaring tiger.

The theatricality and build-up make the audience further forget about the "stairs and stagehand". This build-up, thesurprise of the transformation, and the ensuing applause, all give the magician time to get to the back of the theatre.

A shot is fired at the back of the theatre and the magician makes her reappearance illuminatedby a spotlight. '

A Challenging Example: The Card Under Spectator's Glass (across the table).

This is a good example because the "problem" in my handling of the Card Under the Glass isthat the right "loading" hand has to move invisibly forward at least three or four feet before it canload the card. The solution is in the staging, motivation and intention of the Primary andSecondary Actions.

A card is selected, signed (optional), remembered by everyone present; then replaced andsecretly controlled to the top via your favorite method.

Locate (preferably before this point) a glass that is near the left center side of the table, ideally,one which is at least two and a half feet away from you, and in line with spectator who is at leastanother foot and a half directly beyond it. Move into position around the table to a strategicposition of alignment (to perform the effect for one spectator in particular). This performer/glass)spectator alignment is crucial. As you're aligning yourself, you say:"O.K. To make this much more interesting, I'm not going to find the card, he is... •.This set-up psychologically disarms the audience. and shifts attention from you to the spectator.

Turn the deck face-up and demonstrate the following words, cutting the deck at varying depth:as you talk to the spectator across from you:"I'm going to ask you to cut the cards... Wherever' you cut, that will be exactly his card.... •

As you say "his card", take the face-up deck in right hand Biddle Grip and gesture towards thselector. Replace the deck into your left hand, Side Stealing the selection into your right hancDrop your right hand to your side as you gesture with the deck to your "assistant" (coordinatioof action). Focal-Interactional Misdirection at this point:"How's that sound?..."

All attention stays on the spectator assistant, as people contemplate his response and predicament.

Lean forward; extendinq your left hand forward towards the spectator (flipping deck face-dowrand bring your right hand to rest beside the glass (the glass nesting in the L of the thurrcrotch): The right hand naturally falls beside the glass because you have to lean so far torwarNo thought whatsoever is put into the right hand's action. Judge your distance beforehand arit will happen automatically. All attention is on the spectator as you continue:"Honest to gosh. You cut; no matter where you cut. .. that will be his card ... Guaranteed."

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The Primary Left Hand Action is larger, more active, and invested with attention{intention. The Secondary Right HandAction is lower, relaxed and done without thought. The attention/expectation being on the spectator. shadows bothphysical actions.

The spectator cuts. With your left first fingertip you touch the face card of the portion he cut off:"Right there? ... That is his card, right?....

The spectator looks at the card, everyone looks at the spectator: You straighten up, gentlydragging the glass over and on top of the card. The action is perfectly coordinated. Both handsand body move simultaneously backwards to a rest position in front of you.

You don't want to move your left hand back, then move the glass as you straighten up. Everything happens at once {andas relaxed as possible}.

After the denial, verify the miss with the selector, then show him the top few cards of your packet(your hands up at chest level, insuring no one sees the card under glass in their peripheralvision):"The card here then?..The next one?.. Next one? ..."

Turn to the spectator assistant, doing a subliminal "give me" gesture towards his packet (he'llautomatically return his packet) I as you maintain his eye contact, saying:"I guess you screwed up..."

Walk around the table to the selector (getting even further from the card under the glass):"Its O.K. I'll make up for his inexperience ..."

Assuming you glimpsed the selected card's identity earlier, cut the deck and miscall the cardyou cut as the selection. An effect in itself. Immediately continue by removing the supposedselection and performing a Rub-a Dub-Dub Vanish:"Even better though. .. I rub the card on mypant-leg, make it invisible ... Toss it through the air andmake it appear underneath his glass on the other side of the table!"

At the end you're at least ten feet from the card under the glass. You point very drammatically towards it! Its a miracle.

The above example illustrates one of the difficulties of writing this book: Its next to' impossibleto give an example that uses only one technique!

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ECONOMY OF MOTION-STREAMLINING WHAT THE AUDIENCE PERCENES·

Simplicity is the ultimate goal. Anytime you can eliminate extraneous movement, do so.

Prep/pocket management is an essential part of planning routines. Know where everything is,and find the most efficient way of introducing props and getting rid of them.

Don't pick up props or accessories until you need them.

The natural Off-Beat at the end of a routine is most often the best time to put away the propsfrom the previous effect, and get out the new ones. Done this way, the audience never noticesthe exchange. This is critical in eliminating dead-time, especially on stage.

Direction and the Coordination of Actions can be invaluable in simplifying what the audiencenotices and remembers.

The examples given under the last section already demonstrate this. Several actions were madeimperceptible, primarily to aid deception, but they also simplified the effect as it was seen by theaudience.

Additional Examples: You should never see a dove worker ditching the silk he produced the birdfrom (what does it have to do with the Effect). You should never notice a good assistant enteringor leaving the stage (unless you want to make a big deal of an entrance or exit). The assistantis there when the magician needs him, invisible when he's not. The staging has to be designedso that the magician on stage provides the Primary Movement/Action which shadows theSecondary Movement of the person entering and exiting. The scale is different, the principles thesame.

If its not important to the effect, make it invisible.

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FOCAL-INTERACTIONALTECHNIQUES

FOCAL·INTERACTIONAL TECHNIQUES

FOCUS· THE EYES

Focus is integral to the successful performance of magic. It is a combination of physical andpsychological elements. Concerning psychological elements: Its human nature to. look atsomeone when they talk to you. Its also human nature to look at something when someone elseis looking at it (curiosity perhaps- we need to know what they're looking at).

Keep in mind that what follows takes into account many of the principles I've already discussed,and will be important to additional ideas which will be discussed later.

Focus has three major purposes:1- To misdirect/direct attention away from yoursecret moves;2- To direct attention to important elements, especially the magic effect; and3- To establish contact and maintain a relationship between you and your audience.

I will be dealing with all three of these points in the following pages, but first:

"When you want the audience to look at something, look at it yourself. When you want them tolook at you, look at them..."

-John Ramsey

Now, consider the following additional points:

First point: From the beginning of your performance you have to establish and then maintainstrong eye contact with your audience. Otherwise, how can you expect them to look up at you,when you look at them.

Second point: The human eye takes time to focus and register something (in a live performancewhere the eye has to focus on different depths of field). You have to be aware of how long ittakes the audience to see and register what they've seen. Only then can you direct their attentionelsewhere. .

Keep this in mind especially when considering how long it takes a magical climax to register.

Third point: In misdirection you need to apply the focus shift a split second before you do themove. If you do the move too soon, attention may not yet have left your hands; if you do it toolate, their eyes may have returned to your hands before you finish the move. Timing.

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FOCAL-INTERACTIONAL MISDIRECTION

THE EYES-THE VOICE

As already mentioned, to focus attention to something, look intently at it yourself; to get theaudience to look at you, look at them.

To use additional Verbal Direction to get the spectators' eyes up away from your hands or propsat crucial moments, there are several tried and trusted methods:

The Name: Its human nature for us to respond to someone when they call us by name. Wesimply can't resist. Aside from its usage in misdirection, its simply good interpersonal relationsto use a person's name as often as possible.

Questions: Asking someone a question is almost as good as using their name, especially if thequestion is ·You sir, what's your name?" Asking questions occupies the spectator's mindmomentarily, as he/she interprets, and then answers the question. Additionally, the otheraudience members will turn to listen to the person responding to the question.

Requests: Using a persons name, then asking then to do something will also occupy their mind,as they interpret and then carry out your request. Depending on your request, they could beoccupied for a long time. The other audience members will also be inclined to watch the"assistant" carry out their actions.

Interesting Patter: I hate the word patter, but anyway ... If what you're saying is interesting,entertaining, and funny, you'll have their full attention.

Audience Involvement: The fact is, people simply enjoy watching their friends interacting(reacting) with an entertainer. This is a major part of close-up magic, so I try to involve as manymembers of my audience as possible (to varying degrees). It gives incredible possibilities forentertainment and misdirection (as the examples below will illustrate).

Additional Techniques:Physical Contact: Another guaranteed way of getting someone's eyes up to meet yours is totouch them: On their shoulder, by taking hold of their arm, or by leaning your shoulder on theirsas you talk (the touch serving as an accent to the point you are making). In addition to themisdirective uses, touching people is obviously a very strong interpersonal communicationtechnique, assuming you understand the subtleties of it.

The Head Turn: This is a technique I use constantly. The technique is this: Turn your headsharply away (because you want to be extremely fair) while a spectator does something (peeksat a card in the deck, for example). When you turn your head back front again to address thespectator(s), all eyes will zoom in to yours. The focus shift to your eyes is considerably strongerthan in a normal focus shift! Try it.

In using the Focus for misdirection, your interaction with your audience is your misdirection.Hence the title of this section: Focal-Interactional Misdirection.

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Example:Albert Goshman vanishing a coin and having it appear under a salt shaker:

Goshman looks at the coin in his right hand, flipping it over: "Heads this side...Tails the other...•Looking at the spectator on his left as he performs his famous simulated toss:"You know what the problem is? ...."

Glancing down at his left hand as he opens it, showing the vanish:"No middle...."

Looking up at the spectator: "Say please..."She says "please". He looks at the salt shaker. She laughs, lifts it and finds the coin. (Off-beat:he reloads the shaker). .

Another example:Three cards are selected, and controlled to the bottom of the deck (via the Hofzinser SpreadCull: refer to The Complete Works of Derek Dingle for a technical description). The cards arethen palmed in your left hand, later to be replaced.

1- Spread the deck and ask a spectator to touch one. Focus on the card he touched as youseparate the spread (so he knows you're going to show the exact card he touched). Turn yourhead sharply away (Openness) and raise your hand to show his selection: "Touch any card youlike ... This one? Alright. Look at it and remember it....

Lower your hands, and perform the Spread Cull as you snap your focus back to the spectator:"A clear picture of it in your mind, yes? "

The cull done, you glance back down at the spread, openly square it and dribble the cards fromhand to hand.

The instant that it takes you to cull the card is covered by the "Head Turn" focus shift and question. The rest of the timeyou're focusing attention on how fair you're being.

Get a pinky break above the selection as you look up at another spectator: "You sir, What's yourname? Steven? You haven'tplayed yet... Do you shuffle cards? ...." These lines, and the attentionthey shift to the spectator, give you more than ample opportunity to Bottom Palm the selectedcards.

7- Hand the spectator the deck with your right hand as you drop your left hand to your side(Coordination of Actions): "Give them a quick little shuffle then. .....• .

8- Take a step back, and mime the action of an overhand shuffle (your left hand with its palmedcards remaining palm towards you, obviously): 'Shuffle, shuffle...•

9- As they begin to shuffle, relax your body (hands casually clasped together in front of you, lefthand over right wrist) and step beside one of the other spectators, leaning into him, directing allattention to the person shUffling, commenting on their shuffling technique.

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All your attention goes to the person shuffling. Your physical posture is relaxed, and at the sametime facing/directing attention to the shuffler.

10- Step forward, extending your right hand to take the deck back: "That's shuffled enough.... •

11- As you replace the deck into your left hand, doing an Erdnase bottom palm replacement,look straight at the spectator: "Good job, Steven. Good job....•

12- Having done the bottom palm replacement, extend your hands well forward, dribbling thecards from hand to hand (Open Position): ·Shuffled, shuffled, shuffled. By you, notme....Obviously not a chance in Hades a normal human could know what or where that cards, isthere?....•

You can now go on and do your most spectacular revelation.

Further examples:Any other example given in this book.

Focal-Interactional Techniques work hand in hand with every other technique described in thissection of the book. Combine all these techniques and you have the perfect means to direct(focus) attention away from secret moves; by doing what is most important to aperformance: Interacting with your audience.

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FOCUSING ON THE EFFECT

On the technical level, Ramsey essentially said it all: "When you want the audience to look atsomething, look at it yourself. II I haven't much to add to that, aside from what I already did in myoriginal "points to consider". I do, however, have considerably more to say concerning otherlevels.

THE YO-YO DILEMMA

Magicians, as performers, are tied down to their props; having to share the stage with themagical occurrences: Fact.

Singers and comedians are on stage projecting to their audiences all the time. They don't haveto project out/direct attention to the coins appearing at their fingertips/relate back to the audienceagain/focus attention back to the magic. As a magician, you don't want to be looking at yourhands all the time, but at the same time you don't want to be looking at the audience all the timeeither (unless, perhaps, you're performing on a large stage, and even then it would probablyhelp). If we don't draw attention to the magical occurrences, the effects may be weakened, orlost.

The answer lies in analyzing your performance pieces to know when you need to direct attentionto the magic. All other times you should be projecting out and relating to your audience, so theyremember you.

Every effect has different demands. Sometimes it is as important to prove what we are not doing,as it is to prove what we are. (lilt is our responsibility to eliminate the stupid solutions that mightcome into our audiences' minds." -Tarnariz}, Know what's important to the effect.

To help evaluate what is important to an effect, consider the elements in play.

FOCUSING ON ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

For example:The coins which will travel from your hand to the spectators', the rope in the Cut and RestoredRope Trick, the Four Aces in the Four Ace Trick, the woman who changes into the tiger, thecage full of doves which will vanish from under the sec.. :.

These object/elements are the actors, so to speak. There are lead actors, and there aresupporting actors. A play can be ruined by supporting actors who are upstaging the leads.

In magic, we're in control. Give the audience as few things to follow as possible. Make sure theEssential Elements get all the attention.

Analyze each of your routine/effects to know which objects are integral to the effect, and whichare accessories.

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Example:The Four Ace Trick. The Aces are the Essential Elements, the rest of the indifferent cards aresecondary (keeping track of four Aces is hard enough. Sixteen cards?). As you make the Acesvanish one by one, focus all attention on the Aces. (treating them separately, makes it eveneasier to follow). After the Aces are gone, completely forget about the indifferent cards.

Example:The Cups and Balls. What better example? Three cups, three balls, a wand, two hands, and yourpockets! The way I've dealt with this is to put full attention on what is happening to the balls. Nofancy wand spins or juggling with the cups. By making the other elements secondary, the effect'is made clearer andsimpler. The wand is used to make the balls vanish, yes, but the wholeemphasis is on the balls vanishing. The cups are where the balls appear, but its the balls whichappear. It is the balls that keep reappearing under the cups after they've been put away into mypocket (no big deal made of the pocket). Its the balls they think will reappear under the cups,which change to oranges.

A final example:Illusions: The boxes must be secondaryl The assistants who are going to vanish, levitate, or betransformed, the important human elements, have to be pushed to the forefront. The effects willbe much more memorable.

The fl."wer the elements the audience has to follow, the better. There may be many elements inp Il\)' but... Take the initiative by "telling" the audience what is important, and what isn't.

FOCUS AND THE INTENTION OF MAGIC

The expression "Intention of Magic" was coined by AI Schneider. It denotes the snap of thefingers, the riffling of the cards, the magic pass, or the extreme concentration, which makes themagic happen. (Notice that asking the spectator to "blow, not spit" is not on the list.)

Regardless of what magicians think about Uri Geller, he was/is a great showman, who fullyunderstood the use of the Intention of Magic. He'd concentrate for up to ten minutes to get aspectator's key to bend, or their watch to stop ... Talk about Intention of Magicl And, everyone(O.K., almost everybody.....) believed!

The Intention of Magic pinpoints in time when the magic supposedly happens (dislocating it intime from when the actual deception took place). More importantly, it serves as a theatricaldevice for building tension and heightening the audience's attention and expectations.

Admittedly, magic passes, wands and potions are not something intelligent adults actually believein but, Intention of Magic is a major part of the suspension of disbelief.

Before we can suspend an audience's disbelief, we have to give them something to believein.

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FOCUS - YOUR AUDIENCE AND YOU· THE EYES THAT BIND

Performing is a two way street. The audience looks at you because you are on stage (or theperformer in a close-up situation), but to establish a relationship you have to look at them.

"Never trust a person who doesn't look you in the eyes...... •-Mr. Common Sense

Close-up magic is a very special performance art (real close-up magic, not magic conventionclose-up), in that you get to be personal with every member of your audience (at least youshould be if you want to leave a lasting impression).

In performing stand-up you don't have the same contact, but to be successful you still have toestablish a personal relationship with the audience. Following, are a few techniques andthoughts on establishing contact with a larger audience, some of which you may already know,others of which you may not:

First of al/, try the fol/owing theatre exercise: Stand in a large room and imagine a large audiencein front of you. Imagine you recognize someone in the front row. Project to them, imagineestablishing eye contact and talking to them. Try the same thing with someone ten metres away;then with someone thirty, and then fifty metres away. Each time its a friend you haven't seen inmany years. Feel how you have to project much stronger to your friends in the back row. Don'tforget the people at the sides, either. Everyone in this audience is a friend. Now, think about this,feel this, when you're on stage.

You can't talk to and relate to a sea of faces, but you can establish contact with individuals inan audience. If you focus on, and talk to, those individuals as if they were a friend, the rest ofthe audience will feel the same kinship. (Watch a great comic and see how he/she is oftentalking directly to individuals in the crowd.)

When you walk out on stage, stand for a second and see your audience, pick out a smiling face,and smile back. Once you've established contact and made a few friends in the audience, referback to them, and make asides to them. Again, these individuals are your through-line to the restof the audience.

If you have members of the audience up on stage as volunteers, treat them with respect. You'llget respect in return, from them and the rest of the audience.

When you talk to the entire group treat them as a group of people you know. This will put you,and them, at ease. The idea is to make each person in the audience feel that you are talking tothem personally. On stage, with lights blinding your eyes, you can't see past the front rows, butyou know they're there. Try and contact as many of them as possible.

Part of having strong stage presence is your physical bearing, but a large part is projecting yourpersonality, warmth and charm through your eyes.

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PURELYPSYCHOLOGICAL

"fECHNIQUES

PURELY PSYCHOLOGICALTECHNIQUES

OPENNESS

What I call as Openness refers to an attitude of performing everything as openly andcleanly as possible; showing the audience, through words and actions, that you're goingout of your way to be fair and above board.

Example: Slydini's Knotted SilksThe spectator's themselves tie the knots. Tony tugs on them, and asks nO.K? O.K?" He goes outof his way to make sure that the spectators are a hundred percent satisfied that the silks are tied.Then the magic happens!

Due to all the proving and re-proving of the fairness, the audience was completely off-guard during the second it tookTony to do the necessary moves.

Every time you have a card selected, peeked, or forced, you should do it with your head turnedaway. Any time you can have a spectator do something, or have them personally involved insomething, the impression on the audience is going to be stronger.

On a psychological level, Openness has an incredible effect on disarming the audience'scritical faculties. Instead of the audience trying to figure things out, you take the initiative,circumventing their suspicions before they even arise. You can imagine the effect this has on theaudience, and how they think of you and your relationship with them.

You gain control by relinquishing control and putting it (supposedly) into the hands of youraudience.

Example: The Classic ForceSpread the cards between your hands, asking the spectator to take any card. As soon as yousee their hand approaching, turn your head and deliver the force card into their hand. As soonas the card is in their hand retract your hands slightly, continue spreading the deck betweenyour hands and ask: "Do you have one?."

After their response, take a step back, keep your head turned away, and ask them to look at,remember it, and then shuffleir their card back into the deck.

It is much easier to Classic Force a card (among other things) with your head turned away. You put the audience offguard. Without looking, how could you possibly influence their choice? Asking them if they'd already chosen a card,points up the fact that you weren't looking. Keeping your head turned while they look at the card and shuffle it back intothe deck diffuses their suspicions further and reinforces (falsely) the impression that you were always looking away.

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The 'head turn" and "closed eyes· techniques can be applied to any riffle, dribble, orpsychological stop-type force, not to mention free selections, with the same psychologicalresults.

Another Example: A Vernon Key Card Placement

First the physical technique: A left little finger break is held below the Key Card, which is three­quarters of the way down in the deck. Ask someone to select a card and remember it. Squarethe deck, maintaining your break, then begin cutting off small packets of cards and droppingthem into a pile of the table, asking the spectator to replace his card whenever he likes. Whenthe spectator drops his card you cut to your break and drop the Key Card (and cards above it)on top; then continue cutting off and dropping small packets onto the tabled pile until the entiredeck is exhausted. The spectator squares the deck: Your Key Card is set.

Now consider the impact of my having added the following techniques:

Turn your head sharply away as you ask the spectator to select a card. After you feel himremove the card you ask: ·You have one?....•

The line subtly reinforces the fact that you can't see if your head is turned,

Keeping your head turned away: "Good. Show it around, remember it.....•

With your head still turned away begin cutting off small packets of card and dropping them tothe table: "....Then place it back into the deck whenever you like ....•

You'll have to do some experimentation here, See how far you can turn your head aside and still see the packet on thetable in your peripheral vision. Even when you can't see the deck clearly, you can detect the movement of the spectatorreplacing his card. This is the crux of the SUbterfuge.

When you see the movement of the spectator replacing his card, cut to and deposit the KeyCard on top; then continue cutting and dropping small packets until all your cards are gone:"Have you put it back?.....Yes?"

Again, the line convinces them that you can't see; and that you have no idea where the card could be.

"Then square up the cards on the table and give the deck a quick little shuffle .... •On the last line is delivered you turn and demonstrate the squaring action, then mime the actionof a quick overhand shuffle. (The chances of a quick overhand shuffle separating the selectionand the Key Card are very slim.)

The over-all impression on the audience: ??

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A Detailed example: An Ambitious Card Routine.

The First Rise:

The spectator selects and signs a card. Performer spreads the cards face-up, asking for the cardto be replaced. Once the card is replaced, attention is directed to its position in the centre, thenthe card is openly pushed in (and angle-jogged). A Tum-over Pass is executed as the deck isbrought up to the left fingertips, in front of the spectator's eyes (because you want to be as fairas possible). Focal-Interactional Misdirection during this:"Now at this point, Steven, how far down from the top of the deck would you say your card is?"

He gives his response, convincing himself, and the rest of the audience, that the card is in themiddle (Spectator Affirmation).

Very openly (hands well forward towards him) perform a double turn-over, showing an indifferentcard on top of the deck:"Well, one thing's for sure...lts not on top, is it? .."

Repeat the double turn-over and hold the deck loosely on your extended and motionless leftpalm as you perform your magic gesture (Intention of Magic) over the cards. With all attentiondirected to the cards, deliberately turn over the top card to show the selection has risen to thetop. I

The effect you'll get out of this handling is much stronger than if you held the deck tightly in your hand with your elbowspressed into your sides and the deck two inches from your stomach.

The Second Rise:The second move is Vernon's Tilt: Move close to a person on your right, displaying the selectionat your right fingertips. Perform Tilt, with the express intention of showing her that the card goesinto the middle: "Watch. The 5C, yes? ..lnto the centre of the deck....• Relax your left hand,moving it forward into an Open Position, so she is looking at it from behind: ·You saw the card

. ?go In, yes .....

In this case, you involve one spectator specifically. She verifies for everyone. the truth of what you say (SpectatorAffirmation.

"I just pass my hand over the deck though, and it comes back...to the top...•Hands well forward, deliberately perform a double lift to show the card is back on top.

The Third Rise:"Even slower this time...• Pick up the double card and bring it to the right edge of the deck, inpreparation for the turn-over. Draw attention to it: "..The 5C... " Deliberately, flip it over, take thetop card and move your left hand forward, so several people are seeing the deck from behind.Insert the card into the deck, near the bottom (supposedly the same actions you performed thelast time). Very openly push the card in. They see everything from all sides: •..Right near thebottom of the deck this time. Right near the bottom, yes? Yes? .."

Here, everyone verifies the truth of your statements (Spectator Affirmation).

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Perform your magic gesture, then turn over the top card: "And still it comes....to the top.'

The Fourth Rise:During the Off-Beat following the previous effect get a right thumb break below the bottom twocards. Swing cut the top half of the deck (with selection face-up on top) into your left hand:"I don't know if I can do this any slower, but /'11 tIy.....

Direct attention to the cards, as you use the right hand packet (held in Biddle grip) to openly flipthe selection face down. With your extended right fingertip, upjog the selection (secretly loadingthe two cards below the break on top), and rotate your left wrist to show the face of the selectionto the person on your right one last time (because you want her to be absolutely sure it is thesigned card): "Very clearly, the (selection), yes?......•

Your desire to be completely fair is your motivation for doing the move. Spectator Affirmation affirms this.

J

With your left first fingertip pull the selection flush on top of the deck, and rotate the left handpalm up again, side-jogging the top card (supposed selection). Openly insert this card into thecentre of the right hand packet (leaving it upjogged); turn your body slightly to your left andopenly insert the upjogged card and right hand packet into the centre of the left hand packet(the left little finger pulling down on the lower half of its packet to form a break into which thecards can be inserted:"...which goes into the middle, which goes into the middle here, yes?......

Openly, hands extended well forward, the spectator on your right seeing everything from behind,square the cards.

Extend your left hand even further, asking a spectator to turn over the top card himself:"Turn over the top card yourself......And YOU'll see that it's ... not on top....•

Perform a double lift to show the second card. Then, using the double card in your right hand,flip up the next card, displaying it face up on top of the double card in your right hand:"Not on top. second from the top, or even third from the top...... •

Place the card the spectator is holding face up onto the other cards in your hand, then openlyflip all three cards face down.

Perform your magic gesture (Intention of Magic), then have the spectator turn over the top card:"I simply cast my shadow over the cards, though. .. If you turn over the top card now......

The effect produced by trois phase is incredible. You went out of your way to show them the card went into the middle.They themselves turned over the top card. The selection wasn't on top. You did nothing. but pass your hand slowly overthe cards. A second later they again turn over the top card and the selection is there!

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The Fifth Rise:During the strong Off-Beat produced by the previous effect, take the selection back from thespectator and perform a Top Change, immediately extending your left hand to the spectator(Open Position-Regaining Attention), asking her to cut the cards:"A last time....Cut the cards yourself....."

Drop the card in your right hand (supposed selection) on top of the lower haff:

"Covet the card yourself.....Square the cards, yourself.....Snap your fingers, yourself.... Tum overthe top card yourself....." !!!

They did everything themselves!

The above examples illustrate how, by adopting an attitude of Openness (doing nothingdifferent technically), you can greatly amplify the effect on the spectators.

Most moves which require misdirection take a split second to perform. The rest of the time youshould be in an Open Position. By stressing and re-stressing the Openness all they rememberis the Openness, and that you went out of your way to be fair and above board.

How's that for a lasting impression?

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SPECTATOR AFFIRMATION

If a magician (whose profession it is to deceive people) says something, there is- always aquestion in the spectator's mind as to whether he is telling the truth or not. But, audiences willautomatically take the word of a fellow spectator.

To amplify the Magic Effect, we should get the audience to confirm what we say and do asoften as possible.

The Nod Technique

Every time you want a verbal and visible response from a spectator, shake your head ·yes· or"no" in conjunction with what you say or ask. When you emphatically shake your head thespectator will automatically shake his head (unconscious sympathetic reaction) and come outwith the desired verbal response.

An effective technique to know for stand-up, cabaret, and stage performances. Even if theaudience can't hear exactly what the spectators say, they can see their heads nodding "yes" or"no".

AFFIRMATION = INVOLVEMENT

Using the first two rises of the previously described Ambitious Card routine as examples,compare the following two scripts to see which involves the spectators more:

Example A

Magician: "Place your card back into the middle of the deck. Good. Your card is somewhere inthe middle of the deck; obviously not on top....But I snap my fingers, and it comes backto the top...•

Magician: "Once again. Your 5H. Into the middle of the deck. I snap my fingers and it comes backto the top again .....•

Example B

Magician: "Place your card back into the middle of the deck, wherever you like. There?...Now atthis point Steven, how far down in the deck would you say your card is? ..."

Spectator: "About middle....."Magician: "About twenty-fifth or twenty-sixth? ..."Spectator: "Well, maybe twenty-eighth."Magician: "Thanks for being specific. Anyway, one thing is sure...Its not on top, is it?... "(Nod

Technique)Spectator: "No."Magician: "I just wave my hand over the deck though, and it comes.... to the top!"

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Magician: "Once again. Your 5H, yes?· (Nod Technique) "Into the centre of the deck. You see itgo in, yes?.... " (Nod Technique)

Spectator: •Yes. •Magician: "Even I saw it go in....But I wave my hand and once again it comes back...to.the top!"

Fill in the text yourself for the rest of the previously described routine.

The spectator verifies everything that you say and do. They are actively involved. You'll have to agree that the EHectproduced by Example B will be considerably stronger.

As the above examples illustrates, not only is this a good technique for amplifying the Effect, italso makes the performance much more engaging and entertaining. The spectators cannotsimply sit back and watch passively. You actively involve them. The surest way to makepeople remember your performance is to involve them in it.

AFFIRMATION AND MEMORY

An additional benefit of the Spectator Affirmation technique is that people more stronglyremember what they say than what they are told. Consequently Spectator Affirmation is a goodtechnique for making them remember the important points and impossible conditions of theroutines we present.

Example:

In my routine "Relentless", there is a sequence where a bag appears on the purse frame. Afterhaving done the switch, the supposed frame (really the purse) is held forward:"Lets get back to the purse now... You remember the purse?" (Nod tech.) "The purse we got thecoins from?" (Nod tech.) "The purse without the bag?" (Nod tech.)

Each time. they say "Y6S' the image of the purse frame burns deeper into their minds. When the bag finally appears onthe purse (Open Position-no additional moves what-so-ever), the eHect is stupendous.

Example: The Vernon Key Card Placement already described. The re-cap.

"Now, my head was turned the whole time, yes? (Nod tech) You took out any card (Nod tech.);showed it around, put it back into the deck wherever you liked? (Nod tech.) .... At least I hope youput it back. For all I know you could have put it into your pocket and just told me that you put itback.... You did put it back, didn't you? (Nod tech) Good. And then you,yourself, shuffled? (Nodtech.) Up until now you've done everything yourself, yes?...."

The spectator states that everything is true. They'll remember these conditions when the climax of the effect occurs, andWhen they talk about the performance later they will inevitably have a tendency to exaggerate.

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AFFIRMATION AND THE DISTORTION OF MEMORY

A variation of the above mentioned technique is the use of the Affirmation technique tomanipulate the audience's memory of what actually happened when you recap what occurred.By getting them to verify false information along with other information which actually is true(Example 1); or by getting them to verify a sequence of events in the wrong order (Example 2),you can effectively make them remember things as being more impossible than they actuallywere. In essence, you get them to lie to themselves: They remember what they said, and notwhat they saw!

Example 1: My "Amplified Ace Assembly".

In the following recap text, which builds up to the final climax of the routine, there is one factwhich is not true, but everything else is true, and he verifies the lie because he is uncontrollablyshaking his head "yes" to every other statement. Note: The spectator didn't put the threeindifferent cards with the Ace by himself, I did, but notice how the false verification is thrown inwith the other information:

"Now you picked the Ace of Spades, yes?... Then you picked three other cards, right? .. You putthem with the Ace and you yourself put the cards into your pocket, yes?... I haven't once comenear you or your pocket, have 1? ...No. And I'm still not going to. Reach in yourself. Take out thecards you yourself put there!.. .."

The assisting spectator, and other people, will remember that they did everything themselves. When the final climaxarrives, and when they talk about the effect later!!

Example 2: A Mentalism Effect

Prior to the performance you approach an audience member and ask them if they would like toparticipate in the show. You bring out a stack of envelopes and ask them to sign the flap of thetop one (the actual top envelope is prepared for the Flapless Envelope Switch-the secondenvelope which he signs contains a bill whose serial number you have memorized). You askthem to lend you a twenty dollar bill. You fold the bill into quarters, insert it into the top envelopeand perform the switch as you hand him the signed envelope, asking him to seal it. Stop himbefore he can seal it, and off-handedly ask him to sign his name on the bill as well, and thenseal it inside the envelope and place the envelope into his pocket until later.

Later, during the performance, you ask the spectator to stand:"Now earlier on tonight, I asked you if you'd mind helping me out in the show, yes? You saidyou'd be happy to, so here you are. Now just so everyone knows, I want you to verify this: Earliertonight, you signed your name on an envelope, yes? You took a bill out of your wallet,' you signedyour name on the bill; you yourself licked and sealed the bill into an envelope, yes? And no oneelse, especialfy not me, has touched that envelope since you sealed your bill inside, is thatright?.....•

Obviously, the recap contains some distortions of the actually sequence of events, but everything is true, and the wayyou word it makes it sound like you never went near, let alone touched, the bill. You then do the serial number readingto very strong eHect.

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THE NOD TECHNIQUE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MANIPULATION

The Nod Technique can also be used to manipulate peoples thought processes and to "putwords into their mouths". More than any other technique in the book, it can really only be learnedby doing, but the following example illustrates:

After forcing a card, an object from a transparent change bag, or the page in a magazine (forexample), you give the spectator a chance to change his mind (supposedly):

"You're happy with your choice?"Nod Technique "Yes" as you speak the line. Spectator nods "yes" with you. Physical action ofnodding and saying "yes", reinforces his psychological state.

"You can change your mind if you want to. Do you want to change your mind?"Subtle Nod Technique "No" as you speak the line; your intonation suggesting that you doubt hewould want to, and want him to clarify. Spectator nods and says "no" in sympathy; physicalaction of which reinforces his mental state.

After he says "no":"You don't want to change your mind then?"Nod technique: An emphatic "No". You implant the definite "No" that you want him to verbalize.

"You're perfectly happy with your choice..."Nod technique: An emphatic "Yes". He grows even stronger in his convictions.

"You've made your choice. You're perfectly happy with it.. .." Nod Yes. "/ gave you a chance tochange your mind... But you insist on sticking with your first choice.... Alright then..... "

Openness and Spectator Affirmation are two of the most effective techniques I know to amplifythe Effect. If you begin putting these concepts into practice, you'll have already received muchmore than your money's worth from this book.

Think Openness. Think how you can stress and re-stress that you are going out of your wayto be fair.

Get the audience to confirm and verify what you say and do as often as possible,structuring your wording and using the Nod Technique, so they can't help but agree.

Work with your audience's minds and intellects, not just for their eyes.

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COMINGTO THE END

RANDOMdTHOUGHTS

PREPARING MATERIAL FOR PERFORMANCE

There is an enormous difference between practice and rehearsal. You can practice moves androutines; you have to rehearse a performance.

In analyzing and constructing our performances we have to keep in mind that its not what wesay and do that counts, but what the audience sees, hears and remembers that we did. Thus,our preparation has to be with the audience in mind.

What exactly is the effect you want the audience to see, and how can you amplify it?

What is the over-all impression you want your audience to have of you, and how can youstrengthen that impression?

Why should the audience care? What is establishing and holding their interest? What's in itfor them? These are the most important questions you have to ask yourself.

In creating presentations: Try making the assumption that magic is inherently boring (nottrue- tricks can be boring, magic will always be fascinating), and then try to create emotionalhooks, plots and audience involvement which would be interesting even if there wasn'tmagic. Toss the magic back in and you'll have something with twice the interest built in.

The over-all structure of the performance, the dramatic curve, the audience involverneru, thefocal-interactional techniques, every action, and every moment has to be thought out, motivated,and planned. I improvise extensively in performance, but, if nothing spontaneously brillianthappens, I know I still have a solid structure to fall back on.

Being prepared means confidence and freedom.

Tape your performances in front of an audience (either audio or video). Sit down and take notes.What works best for the audience? What doesn't work (that you thought would)? Is there deadtime you can eliminate? What needs to be improved? Keep the material that works, andconcentrate on improving the weaknesses. Don't fix what isn't broken. Its simply an excuse toavoid addressing more serious problems. Rehearse your improvements, then repeat the wholeprocess again.

Some performances will always be better than others. From my experience in theatre:

Proper rehearsal guarantees that a even a bad performance is good.

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FINAL WORDS

You may already intuitively understand some, or many, of the concepts I've described (fromperformance experience you simply know what works). However, having an intellectualunderstanding as well, will save you a great deal of time in perfecting: 1) Material which isalready in your repertoire, but still has some flaws, or 2) New material you're developing forperformance.

Concerning new material, the only way you finish a performance piece is in front of an audience.If you've thoroughly analyzed a work-in-progress beforehand, when you finally perform it you'llfind perhaps only two flaws, instead of ten (due to your miscalculation of how the audiencewould think and react- due to human unpredictability, there's simply no knowing exactly). Havingthe intellectual understanding gives you the problem-solving tools to more quickly eliminate theremaining flaws.

Every idea I've discussed within these pages is inseparable from every other. This has been thedifficulty in breaking them down for analysis (and even in deciding which to talk about, andwhich to leave out). Most of the techniques work in collusion. Whatever the problem you set outto solve, you should find a solution through one or a combination of the techniques I'vedescribed. In some circumstances I'll use as many as four techniques simultaneously (I don'ttake any chances).

I hope these ideas will inspire you to care and think more deeply about Magic, and, mostimportantly, to expand your definition of technique to include the performance techniques I'vedescribed here.

My work concerning this project is finished. As I stated in the introduction, though, the contentsof this book are worthless unless they are put into practice. I'd hate to think I wasted my time.

The rest is up to you.

Much success.

Gary Kurtz

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