Hi All,

I am a long time reader of the forum but this is my first post so please be gentle. Does anyone know the name of the effect (or any similar audience participation effects) to the one Katherine Mills performed on the 4th instalment of her Mind Games series - the Jurassic Park trick.

Loved the way the whole audience was involved and thought something similar with the production of say someone's telephone number as the outcome would be excellent.

I have read a lot of add-a-number type pad tricks and have looked at a few chair tests using the S**** G******* but would like to get something more hands off like what was shown on TV where the audience choose a seat at random, choose an envelope, and then find out the prediction is in their hands at the end of the show but completely hands off.

Hope this is clear.

Thanks in advance.

Troy

Try emailing Derren Brown

Because you asked nicely, I'll share a little with you. Indeed, Brown had a similar effect using (presumably) similar methodology. Brown's version seems largely influenced by an earlier effect created by David Berglas. Brown's version and Mill's version are their own, but the Berglas method is covered in the Berglas Book by Britland. The mainstream effect which is somewhat along these lines is Eat at Joes. This can be found in Bruce Bernstein's excellent book, Unreal.

However, Doug Dyment has a version which is said to improve on Bernstein's, which is plausible, since Bernstein's method is slightly flawed in my opinion, despite its obvious success with the public. The underlying methodology for these types of effects, might too, grow out of Barrie Richardson's excellent, and lazy, chair test in Theatre of the Mind. There is also another application of Richardson's principle to be found in Bernstein's, Unreal. It is among his Bank Nite variations.

I agree, it is a very good premise. A little googling will show Max Maven having four spectators choose envelopes in the fairest of all manners. The cards within the envelopes are revealed to spell "FISM." Maven's method involves being really quick witted, I think. Hope some of this can steer you in a good direction.

Thanks for the info professorjinksy. I really appreciate your time and knowledge. Will look up the recommendations you memtion.

Thanks again,

Troy

Isn't it nice to see a question asked and hints given, without the usual bullying on this section. Well done to all of you.

Troy comes across as an honest truth seeker. Obviously not a newbie just seeking secrets.

It ain't easy coming in here.

I think it would be interesting if we could all see our first posts.

I've been savoring Eat at Joes for some time but was directed recently to Doug Dyman's "The Real Thing" which does in fact improve on BB's concept as it allows a more hands off execution.

Great stuff. Can't wait to perform it at a corporate event I am being flown out to in Seattle next month.

Doug Dyment - sorry for the typo

My pleasure. Hope it helps.

Thanks guys for the welcome and the advice.

Troy