Anyone who is familiar with the effect, "Watch It Too" from Banachek's Psychological Subtleties, something I keep wondering about: what is the effect a demonstration of? Is it just influence over the participant, or am I (as usual) missing something?

It can be whatever you want it to demonstrate. The main point is to take his idea and then go off in your own direction for your OWN routine, not to take his. Use his as a base to build upon your own version. If you want to make it about you influencing others - then do so, if you want it to be about someone holding a special charm that gives them the "power", then let it be that. If you want it to show how anyone that puts their mind to it can do it.....you get the point. If you just want to do the effect without worring about what it is demonstrating and let the audience figure it out you can just perform it as a magic routine too. All of that would be fine.

My main point is not to take word for word, move for move what you have read but instead take the basic idea and then go off on your own tangent with it to develop something that is YOU. What works for Banachek will not work for others, but the idea that he had will if it is customized to your own persona.

PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat

Thanks Paul,

You said it well.

Psychological Subtleties was never meant to be a book of tricks. Despite the fact it does contain many. It was supposed to be exactly what the title says it is. All the little subtleties that a real mentalist uses to make the tricks look like real magic. The way you move, the way you speak and so on can all influence the spectator so an effect can become a real miracle. On top of that, all throughout I speak of having backups for psychological effects and give many many examples. There is nothing stronger than putting a playing card on the table, tell someone to name a card and that card being the card they named. No it will not work all the time, but when it does you have a true miracle. When it does not, you resort to some other hanky panky.

Secondary to making people think about what they are performing and how, I also wanted to give a fairly comprehensive list (although it keeps growing) of psychological tests that are out there.

Thirdly I wanted it to take mentalism in a new direction. One where we really do use psychology and can say so and do not lie when we say so. One where the magic is secondary or a backup to the psychology. Take a look at Derren Brown, he mentions my book in his. Derren has taken this thinking to a whole other level.

If I had a wish list, up top would be to see a mentalist actually perform a successful show solely based upon psychology and no magic. We are moving further in that direction. Not there yet, but closer.

For those that pick up my book and read just the effects, you are missing the real work. The real secrets are in between the lines so to speak. By reading the book you will find out how to cause a spectator to close the hand you want him to so an effect of equivoque with the hands is much stronger. These are the type of things I was hoping to share.

Just try out my Word Game when you are doing a book test, center tear or some such with any word and you will see how strong this is. (this is the effect where someone truly just thinks of any letter in any word and you tell them the letter with no tricks so to speak). It overshadows getting the word sometimes, and when it does not, it certainly adds to the impossibility of getting a word.

Hence back to the original question, what is the effect about? The book was not about effects. In this particular circumstance it was about the thought process behind an effect and how it evolved. The presentation can be whatever you want it to be.

I sold Penn & Teller my bullet catch method. They turned it into the killer routine it is. In fact they have three presentations for the effect. To me that is incredible. For one trick, three presentations. The trick they do now is not mine, yes the method is, but not the trick they are doing.

Anyway, I hope this answers your question. If not, please feel free to email me privately and I will be happy to help you feel your way around a presentation that will work for you, I prefer the influence route myself. But even without a set direction, the effect is funny and entertaining.

Anyway Rob, I want to thank you for thinking, that is what it really is all about.

Regarding the "growing" bit, and also referring to what is mentioned in mr Wells foreword in the book (if I don't miscall things) - are we talking a follow up of some kind?



Just saw a video of Milton Erickson ("Now you asked for an induction demonstration" or similar title) and this is pretty darn close to what you ask for. Among the more spectacular (visual) things were several arm-raises.
I pretty much know zipf about hypnosis, so this may be every day stuff, but it was fascinating to say the least. He no doubt uses a lot of "outs" also, depending on if the subject follows his suggestions or not.

/Matias

Dear Matias
Where can I get the video of Milton Erickson?

Yaniv Deautsch

Banachek's Psychological Subtleties is realy a great book.
I have read it many times.
But it is just the tip of the iceberg.
From my experience, there is much more that you can do with psychological forces and as such.

Yaniv Deautsch

Yaniv, about the tape, I'll get back to you once I know how to get it. I watched it at a (psychoterapist) friends house.
/Matias

Did you know that they gave the honorific title of Wizard to Milton Erickson ? Think about it... Wizard is a title given to the best psychotherapists in the world ! How many magicians or mentalists would merit this title ?

Milton Erickson often used magick tricks as metaphors in his work.

conclusion : Milton Erickson is one of my idols !

Best,
Fred

Dear Matias,
I'm still looking for information about the tape.

Yaniv Deautsch

Yaniv, I still haven't seen my friend, but I guess I can call him tonight. I'll send a private message to you "off board" after.

/Matias

Am I alone in thinking PS isn't Banacheks finest hour?

Yes you probably are alone. Remember PS was never meant to be a book of effects...there are many great subtle principles and techniques contained therein from which you may build masterpieces.

Actually PS is Banachek's finest hour.

I would have to think hard to come up with a text that inspires thought as much as that one. While we as mentalists use lots of methods, it is the psychological subtleties that bring about a real magical experience. And no I am not talking about the "tricks" in PS, but the ideas, the way of thinking.

Unfortunately, mentalism follows the same trend as magic in regards to innovation. New tricks are created one after another, but there is little new thinking. Little in terms of approach. Little in terms of the fusion of method and presentation, which is something that PS presents you with.

Ultimately for mentalism, and for some presentations of magic, development in the understanding of the audience's mind is the next step.

-Alain Bellon

Martin, I suggest you read Banachek's post above.

I would like to thank Banachek for his fine work with "Psychological Subtleties." I totally agree with his goal of eventually presenting mentalism purely through psychological methods.

In Watch It-Too, he suggests a line that he says would be perfect for a "Robert Cassidy type character." Thank you again, Steve. I used it last night and it blended right in. Please feel free to write lines for me whenever you like! (If there is another "Robert Cassidy type" character out there, please send me your address- I have some bills of yours and I need to send your wife home.)

Best Regards-

Bob (

Sorry, Bob. Looks like you're SOL.

Hi Sludge,
If I am alone then so be it,but you are wrong to make the assumption that I purchased PS expecting a book of effects.Quite the opposite.I was hoping for ideas that would enhance my effects in a way that "WONDER WORDS" did. I was dissapointed in this respect. Don't get me wrong, there is some very worthwile stuff in there, not least WORD GAME which,if you don't already have WW is worth the price of the book,but I fail to see what Banachek has added to such hoary old chestnuts as 37 force etc.To include such ancient playground stunts lowers the tone of the whole enterprise.
I speak as one who considers PK TIME PK TOUCHES and PK SILVERWARE to be perhaps the finest mental triumverate out there.