Mentalism *Help*

Aug 25, 2012
174
1
There is a local magic shop I go to quite frequently and one of the guys working there is a mentalist and while I was in there browsing he asked us if he could demonstrate something to us, of course we said yes. He then proceeded to take out the little sheets of paper and he had me write a place and her write a name while his back was turned, he asked her to fold hers up tiny and he asked me to rip mine up and place it in his coat pocket, he continued to guess the name that she thought of and then he thought of the place which there was no way of seeing because it was ripped and placed in his pocket while he had his back turned. My question is where does somebody start with something like this, I have the book 13 steps to mentalism along with a few Derren Brown lecture notes. I know that there are hundreds of mentalism books and dvd's out there but is there anywhere that I could learn this single effect?
 
Sep 1, 2007
3,786
15
If you're only interested in learning single effects, you're not ready to be a mentalist.

If you decide that you'd actually want to take this seriously, then I suggest you start here.
 

Colin

Elite Member
Jan 25, 2013
152
22
I would go back to the magic shop and ask there. Most likely they will be able to sell you what ever you need, (book, dvd, gimmick) or at lest point you in the proper directing.

13 steps is a great starting point and you should also grab a copy of Practical Mental Magic by Annemann but if it is that one particular effect you are after, return to the source.
 
Aug 25, 2012
174
1
I never said I was only interested in this effect and only this effect, I would love to learn mentalism but this is an effect that captivated me into this. Thus being why I want to learn this effect. It's not the only effect I want to learn.
 
Aug 25, 2012
174
1
I haven't quite read through a ton of it.. Would you happen to know the name of where I could look for it in a chapter?
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
I haven't quite read through a ton of it.. Would you happen to know the name of where I could look for it in a chapter?

I think what Steerpike is getting at is that you're thinking about this like a magician, not a mentalist. If you're skipping through 13 Steps already (Which isn't a great starting point, btw. It's like trying to learn math by getting a Calculus text book) and looking for single tricks, then you're not in the right frame of mind to do actual mentalism. You're more in line with mental magic.

Mentalism is not about tricks, it's more like systems. You don't necessarily learn "How to make this bend in a spoon" but rather, different methods that let someone bend a spoon, good times to use those different methods, and then acting skills which let you pull off the bend in a powerful way. Study Practical Mental Magic (Don't just read it once) and study 13 Steps. When you're realizing you could do X, Y and Z to get the result you're after, then you're more along the lines of a mentalist.
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
I haven't quite read through a ton of it.. Would you happen to know the name of where I could look for it in a chapter?

If you aren't willing to take the time to learn the fundamentals of mentalism, you will not be able to properly perform that effect. You are looking for shortcuts to avoid doing the necessary work to become a competent performer. To spoon feed you the page number would be a disservice to you because you would only end up knowing a secret - which I suspect you wouldn't even believe is the method. If you want to learn to be a mentalist, take Steerpike's advice. Learn the fundamentals.
 
Aug 25, 2012
174
1
Thank you for actually giving me a reference instead of beating around my question and lecturing me to the point of no return!
 
Sep 1, 2007
3,786
15
Thank you for actually giving me a reference instead of beating around my question and lecturing me to the point of no return!

Well pardon the hell out of me for trying to help. Kid, I'm actually a mentalist. People pay me to sit around and read minds. Did you ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe, there might be some merit to what I'm saying?

I don't know why I bother sometimes. None of you listen to any advice that isn't a link to a product page.
 
Sep 1, 2007
1,395
8
37
Belgrade, Serbia
Thank you for actually giving me a reference instead of beating around my question and lecturing me to the point of no return!
I understand your pain and frustration, and that you only wanted a name/page of a product. But what you just said is a pretty good way to piss on every single advice given to you on this thread. And it is some gold advice, which you will come to realize further down the road.
 
Nov 8, 2007
1,238
3
If you give a fish a man, he will have a friend. But if you teach a fish to be a man, he will be a friend.
 
Dec 18, 2007
1,610
14
64
Northampton, MA - USA
Give a magician a Nail Writer and he'll find out how to use it in a card trick; give a mentalist a Nail Writer and he'll start a religion. . . become seen as a fisher of man by most, a charlatan by a few but his accountant will assure you, he's not going hungry.
 
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