Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Instead of mentally projecting your mentalism thoughts, type them here.
JC Stardust
Posts: 17
Joined: August 20th, 2008, 11:23 am

Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby JC Stardust » January 12th, 2006, 11:35 am

Hi all,

I have been in Magic for over 20 years and did earn a living for a few of those years doing shows.

I recently, after a friends demand, did a mentalism show. I do have many resources, Max Maven tapes and lecture notes, the desert brainstorm tapes and some other notes from Lee Earl. I did a book test from MMaven and a Video Catalog trick from desert brainstorm. I also ended with a phone call to a outside person with a selected card prediction. It was pretty good, I got a standing ovation. It gave me an idea to be able to offer a full mentalism show. I usually do standard classic cards, silks and rope stuff ... good but I am bored a bit ...

I would love to hear your suggestions for a couple of new numbers I can add ... i was thinking of a wallet effect ... I always wanted to do a good wallet effect ...

Mark Collier
Posts: 430
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Location: Santa Barbara, Ca
Contact:

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby Mark Collier » January 12th, 2006, 11:59 am

Have you read Genii this month? Three wallets are reviewed in Light From The Lamp.

There's no shortage of wallets out there. Decide on the effect that appeals to you and get a wallet that will let you accomplish that (or just get a whole bunch of wallets and use a different one for each effect). :)

Guest

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby Guest » January 13th, 2006, 8:36 am

Sorry for the shameless plug BUT we carry a complete line of effects and books for exactly what you are asking for. You will also find some great material in a set of books that most magicians have - the Tarbell Course.

PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat
AB Stagecraft
http://www.mindguy.com/store
Supplying unique mentalism and magic world-wide

JC Stardust
Posts: 17
Joined: August 20th, 2008, 11:23 am

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby JC Stardust » January 13th, 2006, 11:14 am

You should be ashamed ...

:eek:

Like my message said I have doing magic for over 20 years ... I did get the Tarbell books ... at Tannens in New York in 1982-83 ...

As for web site ... it's not easy to look at ... you should remodel it. Just a suggestion ...
You see I have been on the Net for over 12 years and made a bunch of sites and graphics ...

Guest

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby Guest » January 13th, 2006, 12:12 pm

Dang that was a mean thank you. Ya know, the Cirque De Soliel tent is about a mile away, I may go slap a mime just to get even for Paul.
Steve V

Guest

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby Guest » January 13th, 2006, 3:52 pm

I don't want to pick sides, but Paul's site is pretty straight forward. Can it be better? Sure. Almost anything can, but it looked fine to me. As far as what you should do, seems like you have enough experience to go with the right routines, you started out doing a mentalism show just fine. But if you insist, why not look at some Bob Cassidy ebooks from his website, Richard Osterlind, or Banachek material too.

Anabelle

JC Stardust
Posts: 17
Joined: August 20th, 2008, 11:23 am

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby JC Stardust » January 15th, 2006, 5:13 am

Originally posted by Steve V':
Dang that was a mean thank you. Ya know, the Cirque De Soliel tent is about a mile away, I may go slap a mime just to get even for Paul.
Steve V
I'm sorry if it seemed that I came out showing my teeth but for me to ask a question and to be answered by a spam ... don't get me started ;)

Ok thanks for the link and hope you take my criticism has being positive ...

Guest

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby Guest » January 16th, 2006, 8:21 am

OK JC, rather than give a suggestion of somewhere to actually obtain some pieces of MENTALISM and little Mental Magic, here is some observations. Many magicians, including ones that have been doing magic for many, many years try their hands at mentalism and fail miserably. Performing mentalism is NOT the same as magic, it has a very different focus, a very different mentality of performer AND despite having simialr methodologies as magic, that IS where the similarities stop. There are so many out there fooling themselves into thinking that they are indeed performing Mentalism but when all is said and done their audiences walk away feeling no different than if they watched a magic show.

The truly succesful mentalists out there have not only learned 13 Steps lesson by lesson BUT have taken on a different approach as they did while performing magic and some of our most succesful Mentalists do not even have a background in magic at all. They either began as Psychic shuteyes OR just went into mentalism. That is not to say that performing Mental Magic is a bad thing either BUT they are fundamentally different.

As for the "spam", I did put an appology before the link AND no one forced you to look at the site. Ironically, many look at such web sites to get ideas for their own premises and effects, something you could do as well.

PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat
AB Stagecraft
http://www.mindguy.com/store
Supplying unique mentalism world-wide

Sam Kesler
Posts: 350
Joined: January 21st, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Ed Marlo
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby Sam Kesler » January 16th, 2006, 9:01 am

I have no monetary interest in this whatsoever, but check out Andrew Normansell's latest DVD. I really enjoyed his card stuff. I loved his version of Max's Mockingbird. Easier and has the same impact.

100% Commercial, Volume 2 DVD - Mentalism - On this volume Andrew shares with you the following routines:
Mock - A streamlined application and presentation of a Max Maven idea, made easy with no risk or fishing to achieve a mind-boggling result. You simply cannot fail!
Dr X - One of the most direct and unbelievable openers ever conceived! A number of jumbo cards are displayed It is explained that they have been selected for psychological reasons. The spectator names any one of them and it is the only one that is marked on the back! Absolutely incredible and 100% practical.
Double Decker - A stunning presentation piece, demonstrating super-power memory plus the revelation of a card simply THOUGHT OF by a spectator!
The Janus Game - Packs small and plays big! A deck of card is distributed amongst the audience, where they are thoroughly mixed and then are randomly turned face up and facedown, culminating in an astounding prediction.
Rising Sun - An experiment in creative visualisation. A spectator is asked to imagine a country and the performer divines the mentally selected destination.
Doodlebug - This has to be the ultimate! The most perfect drawing duplication ever! The performer and a spectator stand back to back and at the same time draw a design and you've guessed itthey both match! No forces. No ifs! No buts! This item alone is well worth the price of the DVD.
High Five - A stunning hands-off direct mind reading item. The spectator thinks of a randomly selected card with the deck in their own hands, yet the performer instantly reveals the card. Uses any regular deck! The performer's back is turned as the card is selected! The deck is also thoroughly shuffled!
Diabolical Prophesy - An unfathomable prediction that you will not believe! Perfect for close up, cabaret or stage.
Devil's Triangle - Coincidence? Influence? Or Telekinesis? You decide!

Necromancer
Posts: 224
Joined: January 22nd, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby Necromancer » January 16th, 2006, 4:02 pm

Hello JC,

It isn't a "spam" if it was solicited. And in this case, it was. You asked for help, and the fact is, Paul does offer some excellent material. And you really shouldn't have been offended by his reference to Tarbell -- lots of magicians have it, but would never have dreamed of checking out its mental material.

If I were to recommend anything to you, though, it wouldn't be another trick. It would be guidance on how to put a good mentalism show together -- unlike the way many magic shows are unfortunately constructed, it should not just be an assemblage of tricks. Chuck Hickock's Mentalism Inc. is just such a resource.

Best,
Neil Tobin
Neil Tobin, Necromancer

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
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Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby Richard Kaufman » January 16th, 2006, 6:20 pm

Hey, JC, if that's the way you respond when people offer you help (and that may include offering to sell you stuff), then don't ask for help anymore.

Spam is, as Neil pointed out, junk mail that enters your e-mail box without you having requested it. Paul's response wasn't junk mail, it was done to help guide you in your search and answer your question.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

JC Stardust
Posts: 17
Joined: August 20th, 2008, 11:23 am

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby JC Stardust » January 17th, 2006, 8:48 am

Originally posted by Richard Kaufman:
Hey, JC, if that's the way you respond when people offer you help (and that may include offering to sell you stuff), then don't ask for help anymore.

Spam is, as Neil pointed out, junk mail that enters your e-mail box without you having requested it. Paul's response wasn't junk mail, it was done to help guide you in your search and answer your question.
Maybe I was a bit hard on this but I hate spam and people pushing their merchandise.
In this case I guess it was OK.

Again i am sorry if I offended anyone.

Guest

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby Guest » January 17th, 2006, 4:21 pm

JC,
Since you are from Montreal, you would likely know a friend of mine, Phil Matlin. Phil can tell you all about who I am and what I do and as I mentioned to you before, just looking at ideas of what is available can get your creative juices flowing and as for my selling material, when someone writes to me about what they are looking for I am not worried about discussing methods with them or even letting them try something to see if it works for them or not before they pay for it. I also send essays from my book to people if requested, no charge for that either. You asked for ideas and I gave you some direction and advice, that was it. I never said BUY this or THAt because it is the be all to end all.

PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat
AB Stagecraft
http://www.mindguy.com/store

JC Stardust
Posts: 17
Joined: August 20th, 2008, 11:23 am

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby JC Stardust » January 23rd, 2006, 7:41 am

Ok, since I posted this email I did buy a few things.

Like Sam Kesler suggested I did get the DVD he has mentioned. It does contain a "simplified" version of the mockingbird. A great Max Maven effect but the fact that the trick is a bit on the complicated side scares some mentalist away from it. It seems interesting. I also bought a wallet and a nice prediction card trick that goes with it.
I also got Max Maven's Prism book. A nice compilation.

I will get back to you on my findings and my evolution.

Thanks to Sam Kesler for the suggestion.

Guest

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby Guest » January 31st, 2006, 1:12 am

Originally posted by Paul Alberstat:
OK JC, rather than give a suggestion of somewhere to actually obtain some pieces of MENTALISM and little Mental Magic, here is some observations. Many magicians, including ones that have been doing magic for many, many years try their hands at mentalism and fail miserably. Performing mentalism is NOT the same as magic, it has a very different focus, a very different mentality of performer AND despite having simialr methodologies as magic, that IS where the similarities stop. There are so many out there fooling themselves into thinking that they are indeed performing Mentalism but when all is said and done their audiences walk away feeling no different than if they watched a magic show.

The truly succesful mentalists out there have not only learned 13 Steps lesson by lesson BUT have taken on a different approach as they did while performing magic and some of our most succesful Mentalists do not even have a background in magic at all. They either began as Psychic shuteyes OR just went into mentalism. That is not to say that performing Mental Magic is a bad thing either BUT they are fundamentally different.

As for the "spam", I did put an appology before the link AND no one forced you to look at the site. Ironically, many look at such web sites to get ideas for their own premises and effects, something you could do as well.

PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat
AB Stagecraft
http://www.mindguy.com/store
Supplying unique mentalism world-wide
I just want to THANK Paul for this post... ;)

Guest

Re: Need suggestions for a new Mentalism show

Postby Guest » January 31st, 2006, 9:52 am

You're welcome.


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