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Stunninger Inner circle 2819 Posts |
Continuing my review:
The Slip-Cut, Double Turnover Peek (pages 148 - 163) The the rich history and evolution of peeks in the field of mentalism includes, but is not limited to CTs, b****t, s*******, w***** e********, p*** w*****, h*** c****, business card p****, and more. Some are easier to execute than others. Some are more deceptive than others. Some are good for drawings and little else. Some require significant advance preparation, others don’t. And on and on. Most of us have our favorites. Many of us continue to seek the holy grail. Scott introduced us to the Slip-Cut Turnover Peek in MMM volume 1. It was, and remains one of the most useful full b***** p***** I’ve ever seen. In SECRETS he shares refinements made to the handling since the original was released. Both the original and the latest version require only a stack of 25 or so double blank playing cards (or business cards), an elastic (rubber) band and a sharpie. No other preparation. No gaffs or gimmicks. No folds or tears. No limiting writing to a certain area of the card. No concern about the spectator watching your eyes and where you look at a certain time. Scott has clearly put an incredible amount of thought and consideration into the decisions he has made to develop and refine the handling, resulting in what I believe is perhaps the most sophisticated full b****** p**** ever created. As someone who has spent thousands of hours alone with little cards and pieces of paper developing my own p*****, let me explain why I use the word sophisticated to describe this p****. The combination of deceptiveness, ease of execution and usefulness, using the most simplistic of materials - unprepared, blank cards, is, in my opinion, unsurpassed and nothing short of remarkable. Scott presents the Slip-Cut Turnover Peek using drawing duplication effect, but as he explains in the book, it is a utility move that may be used to secretly gain access to most any information. This is so good. I can’t recommend it highly enough. The BMW of full billet peeks. |
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Stunninger Inner circle 2819 Posts |
Continuing my review:
The Peek and the Pendulum (pages 164 - 166) Effect: The participant is asked to write the name of a friend on a blank card, which is then sandwiched in the middle of a stack of blank cards. The stack is then secured with an elastic band. The mindreader takes out a pendulum, explaining and demonstrating how it works. The cards are separated into three stacks. The pendulum is used to select one stack. The cards in the selected stack are then spread out and using the pendulum they are eliminated one by one until only a single card remains. The spectator is asked to look at that card and confirm it is the one she wrote on. It is. The mindreader then reveals the sex of the person she is thinking of, and finally that person’s name. |
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Stunninger Inner circle 2819 Posts |
Continuing my review:
Psychic Reality (pages 167 - 171) After a performance, if someone asks you, “When did you discover you have this gift?”, how will you respond? Scott suggests, “The answer you give could have a serious bearing on your credibility and impact future bookings.” He then offers two versions of his approach to answering the question, along with additional insights. Very helpful essay. |
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Stunninger Inner circle 2819 Posts |
Continuing my review:
Now for a Magic Trick (pages 172 - 183) A magic trick? Well, yes and no. An effect using a written prediction, several colored die, and a cloth bag. Scott credits the origin of the basic effect to a magician, and then evolves / transforms the effect into one of mental magic, then again into a psychic reading. Two different handlings are taught for the written prediction, one using a stack of double blank cards. The second, more minimalistic, using a single business card. With multiple methods at play, this is a very neat effect. |
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Stunninger Inner circle 2819 Posts |
Continuing my review:
Commercial Mentalism (pages 184 - 186) An essay on the value of taking the knowledge you already have and using your creativity to create routines that are unique to you. |
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Stunninger Inner circle 2819 Posts |
Continuing my review:
Remote Tarot (pages 187 - 192) Nothing I could write about this effect would be more powerful than this quote which appears on page 187: “Remote Tarot is worth thousands of dollars all on its own. It can be done anywhere, at any time. It can be done in person, over the phone, or on Zoom (which is where I’ve used it most.). It’s practical, easy to use, and enables you to give valuable advice wrapped up in an incredible demonstration of apparent mind reading. Thank you so much for sharing it with me.” Richard Webster . |
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Stunninger Inner circle 2819 Posts |
Continuing my review:
Getting the Gigs (pages 193 - 197) This chapter provides insights and some excellent, actionable ideas in response to the question, “How do you get work as a psychic entertainer?” As someone who has worked as a full time performer for more than 25 years, I imagine Scott could write an entire book on this subject alone. That could be quite valuable. This chapter covers some great ideas, but it left me wanting more. More details, insights, examples and stories about what has worked, what hasn’t worked and why. |
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Scott Special user UK 799 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 5, 2021, Stunninger wrote: Bill, As someone who has worked as a professional entertainer for more than 25 years yourself, I'm not sure I could tell you anything you don't already know. As I said in the book "I hate the business side of show business but it is a necessary evil". I wish there was a magic formula for conjuring up gigs, but you know as well as I do, the secret to success that all the marketing guru's out there are selling, is as elusive as the Holy Grail. Cheers. |
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Stunninger Inner circle 2819 Posts |
Scott,
I haven’t worked as a professional entertainer for 25 years, I was referring to you and your experience. Apologies if my wording was confusing or unclear. What you wrote in this chapter is great. I was only saying I’d love to learn more about your marketing experiences. Agree that what many of the marketing gurus teach may be questionable, as they don’t have the real world experience and track record that someone like yourself does. Bill |
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Oscar999 Elite user 401 Posts |
Not to derail the awesome "running" review we're getting from Stunninger, but I'd like to weigh-in on the marketing comments.
I'm no guru... but I am a professional marketer, that sells millions of dollars worth of financial and investing software programs through targeted email marketing campaigns. And my experience tells me that what you need above all else is to "find your people," the ones that like what you do, will buy what you do, and continue finding reasons to engage, and sell them over and over. All the gurus' advice in the world, will never tell you anything more true than that. Now, to get back on subject, I recently ordered Secrets through Lulu.com and Stunniger's reviews have me anxiously awaiting the arrival of that book. Oscar |
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Stunninger Inner circle 2819 Posts |
Oscar, sounds like wise marketing advice. Thank you for sharing that. Glad you find my review helpful. It’s easy to review something as good as SECRETS.
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Scott Special user UK 799 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 5, 2021, Stunninger wrote: Doh! sorry, I mis-interpreted that. I think if I wrote a book on my experiences with marketing it would have to be listed under a comedy of errors |
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Scott Special user UK 799 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 5, 2021, Oscar999 wrote: Oscar, sound advice and I think you summed it up beautifully when you said "find your people" which is in fact the Holy Grail of marketing. However what I think most budding performers waste a lot of time, money and effort looking for, is the magic formula for finding those people in the first place. But of course there is a market for that elusive magic formula and if there's a market for it, someone will find the people to sell it to. I know, I know I'm getting cynical in my old age. |
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Oscar999 Elite user 401 Posts |
Scott, I think cynicism is a by-product of wisdom
Oscar |
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Stunninger Inner circle 2819 Posts |
Continuing my review:
Smash but no Stab (pages 198 - 211) This very clever effect puts a new spin on the classic theme, presented as a demonstration of how intuition can be used to protect us from danger. In this case, the collective intuitions of three volunteers and the choices they make, ultimately protecting the performer from danger. There is a very real perceived possibility of danger, yet Scott has ingeniously made this effect entirely safe. The props needed are quite inexpensive, with the main prop a one time cost that will last many years. As with many effects he’s released in recent years, Scott has identified the major drawbacks of the classic smash and stab routine, and engineered a new approach that removes those drawbacks while at the same time scripting a routine that is very entertaining and mystifying. |
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Stunninger Inner circle 2819 Posts |
Continuing my review:
Just Before I Finish (pages 212 - 214) Scott tells the story of meeting a psychic in Spain, getting to know her, and how she influenced his thinking. There’s also mention of a new book in the works by this psychic which reveals some of her methods. |
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Stunninger Inner circle 2819 Posts |
My review concludes:
Conclusion (pages 216 - 220) Scott tells the story of how he started out as a performer at a very young age, with the aim of wanting his audiences to perceive what he did as real, but no one did (he wasn’t performing mentalism back them). In this chapter Scott shares specific things he started to do less and less of over his career, ultimately eliminating completely, as well as what he increasingly added and evolved over time in the pursuit of believability. As with most wonderful books, I’m a little sad I’ve come to the end of this one. What fun to read and review. There’s a great deal of wisdom shared in these pages. This is hands down the best book I’ve read on the psychology of believability in psychic entertainment. If you want your audiences to believe what you do just might be real, this is the book to read. Highly recommended. 10/10 |
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Scott Special user UK 799 Posts |
Stunninger,
Well what can I say high praise indeed, I really enjoyed reading your ongoing reviews, thankyou very much for taking the time and making the effort to share your thoughts with others. One thing, Can I quote you please? |
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Stunninger Inner circle 2819 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 10, 2021, Scott wrote: Of course! |
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Scott Special user UK 799 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 10, 2021, Stunninger wrote: Thankyou. If you've enjoyed Stunningers review but haven't got your copy yet, you can get 15% off the list price on all my print on demand books, when you use SHOP15 at checkout. This discount offer ends at midnight on the 15t of Jan. Here's the link for one last time https://www.mentalmagicism.com/books.html Cheers guys. |
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