Al Mann - Double Incidence

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POST O"tel.aX 144 • ""EfHOLO. fifE" JERlEY

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"[)()a#t e ~acide,uce 'lliE AME MAJOR AROOA

SERIES

COPYRIGHT

(1986)

by AL MANN EXCLUS IVES

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The late Joseph Dunninger 1s cr edi t ed with having employed a little-known optical principle for the reading of sealed messa ges ! As a sealed message ~ested 00 a table, any table, untouched, its secre tly written message res-ioed totally invisible to the s pectatorf BUT! i n full sight to the ~Dtallst who was standing the s am e distance from it! That ultra secret, possessed only by Dunninger, i;las a mind reader I S dream iCC Ie true. Spec ial optical materials were used which were not read i ly avai l able to the average pecfoL er ... I n DOUBLE INC IDENCE, two methods are g iven that will dup licat e the effect, not with th e same conditions, but with in e xpensi ve paper slif'S, envelopes and cards. These items are easy :_:to find, are un prepared and examinable . In 01-1, Mentalist Richard Osterlind g ives us his fabulo us method wh ereby tr ans pare nt envelopes are- used BUT! Alas! thes e envelop es are tra nspare nt only to the Mentalist while totally opaque to t he on looke rs !

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In OI - 2 , your author g ives you a method by which a message written on an opaque card and f old ed twice, is made to turn it s e lf itlside out, unknown to the spectators and in front of their eyes! 50 th at the sec ret messag e is th en on the outside of the folded cc rd, BOT ! a gain, poor people, the message is only visible to the Mentalis t while it remain s totally occulted to the onlooker s ! ,

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AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

DOUBLE INCIDENCE

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( Richard Osterlind is a by Richard Osterlind p~ofessional Mentalist from Connecticut, plus author and crea tor of fabul ous Me ntalism. During a visit to hi B home. be showed me some amazing gi mmicks of hi s

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invention that he uses in hi s shows that s urpriz;ed

me for their practicability and cleverness. In the following instructions. the rea der can sense the professional touch and advise that comes only with many years of exposure before the public. ) .

EFFECT: The Mentalist passes out small pieces of card (2 x 2 inch bus iness card stock) and small penci l s to the members of his a udi ence .

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Each person is requested to print his/her name on the

t op of the card a nd to list two or three personal thoughts under the ir nam e . Next the Mentalist collects the face down cards in business e nvelopes placing about four cards i n each envelope and open ly sealing each one right in front of those spectators whose cards he has ju st co llected. Each sealed envelope i s placed on the bot t om of the stack until all the cards have been collected. The Mentalist casually .ixes the enve lope s keeping them in sight, as he walks back to the ~ta&e. Hol d ing the s tack of envelopes i n hi s lef t hand the Mentali.~ picks up a clip board and displays it with some papers at.tache&~d explains that he will jo t down his impressions as he progres~e8~.J;.q8g. Now, holding an envelp~ ~ ~ : his temple, th e Ne ntalis t calls o ut a name and asks if there ~ U ·:- 5iiJ'One with th at name present . A spec t a tor responds in the af~tive. The Me ntalist places the e nve lope on the bottom of tbe' ~l.F~ and proceeds to callout all of t he spec tator's hidden tho~ by reading his mind d irectly! A new envelope is pick up' arid . the process is repeated. This can be carried out with as many ~s of the audience as the performer wishes al though five to seven people is usually enough . IE the performer wishes he can call up the spectator after his name is ca lled and have him tear open the envelope and remove his card BEFORE the Mentalist reveals the secret information!!! As a gra nd finale the Mentalist announce s th a t the unopened envelopes will be burnt so that no one can see anyone else's thought. After thi s is done (or if it is inconvenient to light a fire, the envelopes are simply torn up or put away) the Mentalist reads a few mor e thoughts just with the aid of his clip board . The abov e description is entirely accurate and ALL materials a re tota ll y ungimmicked!!!! THE SECRET : Before I explain t he principle used, let me remind the reade r that all great Mentalism secret s are usually based on a bold and simp le means . This is no exception. However, the se c ~et can be kept well hidden if the pe rform er follows the embelli s hme nt s as e xp lained •

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DOUBLE INCIDENCE

AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

THE Sl'.CRET AND APPARATUS : THE CLIP BOAR D. This is made of see-through clear plexiglass 12 by 14 inches with a number 3 Bulldog c lip at the top and a few 8~ by 11 inch pieces of t yping paper attached. No te how the clipboard size allows for a border of c lear plexiglass around the paper . (NOTE: Fig. 1 shows the AME Photon Shield clipboard which is smaller in size t han the one me ntioned by Osterlind. This is the board that I use and find it suited fo r the e ffect. The reader may adopt any see-through clipboard that he may already have t o the effect. AM ) THE ENVELOPES: These are inexpensive and thin material business size enyelopes that are transparent t o the Mentalists eye. These should be easy t o find. The cheaper kind envelope is preferred r at he r than the more expensiv:e envelope.

THE CARDS: These

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should ,~

Fig. 1

small 2 inch square pieces of card

c ut from business card stock.
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DOUBL E INCIDENCE

AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE

Since the cards are slightly crimped, avoiding the writing from touching the address side of the envelope, it is impossible to see through the envelope. The envelope is slightly bulged and appears to be opaque! All seems as it should. Place the envelope to the bottom of the stack and repeat the procedure with another four cards. Continue until you have collected all the cards. The amount of cards and envelopes used will have to be predetermined before the show.

THE COUP: After all the cards are Fig. 4 s ealed in the envelopes walk back to the stage with the hands mixing casually the order of the envelopes. Now turn the envelopes address side upwards in your left hand as you pick up the clipboard from your table with your right hand. Place the clipboard on top of the envelopes so that part of the clipboard not covered by the attached paper presses down on the envelopes. This action will flatten out the top envelope rendering it transparent making it possible for you to read what is written on the cards in that top envelope! This is shown in Fig. 4. As you do this explain that you will write your feelings and impressions down as you proceed. ask everyone who wrote on the cards to ple ase raise their hand. As you look over the crowd you quickly copy onto the top sheet of the clipboard the information from one of the cards showing. This should appear asif you are writ i ng down some general impressions. If you want to do a cold reading here, it will also do. Now remove the top envelope containing the information that you have just copied down and hold it to your temple. Callo u t the name and ask if anyone with that name is present. When a spectator responds place the envelope onto the BOTTOM of the stack in your left hand and proceed to read his mind! As you are "doing" her/him copy the information from a card in the new top envelope. Therefore you are always working one-ahead! Obviously, you place the clipboard on top of the stack of envelopes each time that you write in order to make the top envelope transparent. At anytime you may hand out the envelope that you hold to your temple and invite the spectator whose name you have called to step forward. Shake the envelope so that the cards fall to one side and hand the envelope to the spectator seams-sid e up (so that the · cards are writing side down) along with a pair of scissors and have him cut the end of the envelope open and remove all the cards and find his own. Since the cards will be lying on top of each other and writing side down and crimped, he or she cannot see that the envelope is t r ansparent. Read his mind while he holds his own card

, DOUBLE I NCIDENCE 01-1

cont.

AN AL

~IANN

EXCLUSIVE

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A DESIGN DUPLICATION METHOD:

Let' s take a closer loo k at Richa rd Os ter l inct's envel ope t rans parency me th od . His idea of p l acing seve r a l question cards in each envelope i s a stroke of ge niu s . In all the previous writin gs involving transparen t envelopes, on ly one qu e st i on card wa s s ealed in each envelope. The wise spectator cou ld a ut omatically assume or suspect the me t hod . In t he f o llowin g de s i gn duplication met hod, o nl y o ne design card wi ll be s ealed in e ac h envelope . but he re we will show the aud i e nce that the e nvelopes are opaq ue . Th is test can be done at the end of Fig. S t he question answering sess ion. Ge t some blank face playing cards from the magic dealer. Buckle these cards along the long a xis as shown in Fig . 5 . Pass th ree cards out a nd have three pers ons draw a d es ign on the fa ce ( co nca ve side) oE the card and tell t hem to turn the cards face down. They a re then t o ~ea l t h e cards in white coin e nvelopes . (Fe lt tip blac k pens are bes t f o r the drawin gs . ) The c r imp on the cards will rend e r the en velopes opaque as the drawings do not t ouch the inside of the envelopes ! But once the enve l ope is flatte n out with the aid of t he see-through c lipboard th e design s will show through. Aft e r th e reve lations th e enve lopes a r e afia in opaque and can be shown to th e audience sayin g , These envelopes are totally opaque as it is plain to see . The hum a n eye can not pe netrate the envelope . But the mind can." ::;, The ahove revelations should be don e one - ahead. Hol d one envelope to your temple reminding the auu ience that the envelopes are opaque and that you neve r lo o k at them. but actually you call ou t the design that shows through the envelope under t he clip board! Then call the next one as you e xchan ge envelo pes , etc.

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Ama zingly even if the cards are flattened out by the writer before he writes or seals Fig. 6 th e card, the card will r etain enough of a c ri mp t o rend e r the envelope opaque. The per fo rme r can make s ure that th e designs will not s how pr ema turel y by s impl y buckling and riffling the sealed enve lopes with hi s thum b a s s hown in Fi g . 6. The riffling will restore t he crimp to the ca rd. A little prac tic e will conv ince th e rea der that th ese me thods a r e most p ract ical an d easy to master. The use of slates or blackboards adds to the drama of the prese ntation.

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POST OFfiCE 10X'44 • FAlElHOLD. NEW JERSEV on21

by Al Mann IN EFFECT a person i s asked to write two or three ","'ords or names on an opaque piece of card and then to fold it twice. The card is placed tent-fashion in front of the Mentalist who then picks it up and places it on top of his

head and then reveals the hidden message. The still folded card is t hen torn up and discarded or is given back to the writer. Gentlemen, what you are about to learn is a method by which the 'Wonder 'Worker takes a twice folded card and secretly turns it

inside out right under the scrutiny of the sitter's eyes which are two feet away from you (or 10 feet) as he/she sits across the table from you. The written message will end up outside the card BUT will remain occluded to the sitt e r while in sight to the Performer!

THE CARD: The card measures a pp roxinlately 2~ by 3 inches. It is of index card stock, white or any color and it is opaque . It is prepared ahea d of time by drawing two or three lines on t he upper half for the writing as shown in Fig. 7. The card is then prefolded from the bottom up, exactly in half so that the message ends up inside, .End then folded into quarters from left to ri gh t or r igh t to left to form a tent which is placed after t he vip writes, in front of the performer ••

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Please note that the bottom half of the card is left blank. Do not write anything on this bottom section.

Fig. 7

The fold ed card is shown in Fig. 8. Please note that the folded center is closest to the performer Fi g _ 8 whil e the loose ends are pointing away from the performer as the card rests tent fashion in front of the performer. This serves two purposes; First the card is in the correct po si tion fo= the move that follows, and secondly the performer can not be accused of peeking through the folds of the card. :'iOTE ALSO that the secret writing is located under the t op fold of the card. In thi s position no one can see the message and the 1'1ental Worker does no t know what the message is. PRESE ~ TATION

AND METHOD: A t e st ha s been pco posed, so yo u take out t he pr eEolded card and ask the VIP t o writ e something on the lin es ; a name, number, word, etc . Caution him not to let anyone se e l1is th ough ts. Show th e VIP what he is to do after the secret writi ng , that i s to fold the ca rd twice and to plac e it tentEa sh ion i n fro nt of you.

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INCIDENCE cont.

AN AL MANN EXCLUSIVE •

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Do Dot touch the folded card. Ask the VIP to concentra te on first letter of the first word. You take on a pensive mood a moment and then with your right hand (if you are r i ght - handed) the card with your opened hand AND KEEP THE OPENED HAND OVER CARD. This is shown in Fig. 9.

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The hand is flat on the table._

has actually happened is that the teotcard is now flattened out so that it is now only once, BUT your audience is not aware of Your sitter does no t know if the card was flattened out by the blow or crushed into a ball. Fig. As soon as you strike the card, you say, -I got it! I now know the first letter of the 9 first word! Please now concentrate on the second lette.r of the first word." Of course you do not know anything yet, you are just pretending. So you put on that pensive .ood again and then strike the card again BUT wit h your left hand. The card is now covered by both of your hands and of course the card is totally out of sight. This is shown in Fig. 10. You have again stated, "Great, live got the second letter of the first word, please concentrate on the third letter of the first word. I am beginning to get a good picture of your thoughts." "There is a third letter? Correct?" (If not, then ask him to concentrate on the Qext word, or whatever.) Y6u·. again pose pensively and then aake a grabbing motion with your right __..J---->..~ iteM forming a fist as you say tll've got it!" _ .......__ fist is shown in Fig. 11. In the Fig. left hand has been separated a bit 10 . ,the fist BUT in actual practice the remains covering the knuckles ·of the

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Fig. 11

A most amazing thing has happened when you close d your right hand into a fist. Firstly, your audience assumes that all you have done is to cup your hand around the crushed wadded ball but that is not the cas e . What has actually happened is THE FOUR TIPS OF YOUR RIGHT HAND FINGERS HAVE GONE BETWEEN TH E FOLDS OF THE NOW ON CE FOLDED CARD! This action is automatic. All you have to do is to close your hand into a fist. The move i s done at a regular speed not too fa s t and not too slow. A little practice is all you need.

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AN AL MANN EXCLU SI VE

DOUBLE INCIDENCE 01-2

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The reason why your fingertips go between the folds of the c a rd when you make a fist is because pressure on the card i s lifted as you close your hand and the card opens up by its own r esilience. This is shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 13 shows what the right hand looks like from below. At this moment the p osition of your hands are: Your right hand is closed into a fist with your fingertips stuck into the once -folded card while your left hand is partially covering your fi s t and both hands are still on the table. Now you ask the VIP to please concentrate on fig. 12 the fourth letter of the first word (or on the second word or what have you). Whatever, you are n ov.l going to raise both hands over your head without

s eparating your hands and during th e action your left hand is going to flip down the half of the card that i s l oose while your right hand is going to open up a nd flip the other half of the card over. By this secret action, you have flipped both ha lves of the card over so that now the written me s sage is on the outside and next to your right Fig. palm. The hidden card is _ folded only once in half and you,r hands are held high over your head 13 as shown in Fig. 14. All the action is of course secret and covered by the left hand. Next you take the billet with your left han d and fold it into quarters so that the mes sage ends up underneath the tent-folded billet. Yo u can safely place the tent billet on you r head for a moment and then take it with your right hand and challenge a nyone to tell you what the secret message is by looking at it. What you are telling the audience is that the card is opaque and that Fi 8 · the human eye can not see through it. 14 You then place the billet next to the s i tter's eye (allowing Lhe billet to open out so that the writing i s facin g you) and d uring this ~ove you can easily read the message! The next best thing to do is to tear up t he card and divine the message. But if you wish t o return t he card to t he s itte r YOll must make th e word s jump from th e outside o f the card to the inside and t hat you do by executing th e move fr om the Fig. "Opener Eff ec t 1l in the Te ss eract. This is 15 s hown in Fig. 15. You si mply flip your wrists and the ma g ic happens. Re fo ld the billet after s howing th e message and g ive it to th e sitter.

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