Mind Reading in the 21st Century

 

Mind Reading or Magic

Mind Reading in the 21st Century... Expectations are high, and there’s also some healthy skepticism. As a mentalist, you had better deliver a strong, visceral experience. I’m not saying you have to claim supernatural powers, but your performance should leave your audience questioning what they’ve witnessed. You simply know things you couldn’t possibly know. In the same vein, good (or great) magic works the same way. Your audience must feel there is no way you could know what you do.  Good "great" magic works the same way. Your audience must feel there is NFW!

Although I don’t advertise myself as a mentalist or mind reader, as that’s not my primary focus, I do have a few pieces in my repertoire that create an experience where I seem to know things I can’t possibly know. Interestingly, the reactions to these “tricks” demonstrate why so many magicians transition from traditional magic to mentalism and mind reading. It’s almost like an automatic upgrade in terms of respect. After all, when people hear "magician," they often picture someone performing at a children's birthday party. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) Let’s be honest, we’re all concerned about our status… at least a little bit.

In the above photo I am revealing the name of the young lady's grandfather.

Derren Brown-Mentalist-Illusionist

Many people know the name Derren Brown, especially those in the U.K. but his reputation goes well beyond his homeland. His reputation is truly worldwide.

Derren Brown is an English mentalist, illusionist, and writer. He is a self-described "psychological illusionist" whose acts are often designed to expose the methods of those who claim to possess supernatural powers, such as faith healers and mediums. Wikipedia

My first introduction to the work of Derek came from his videos, which were heavily magic, manipulation based...with a touch of psychological based "mentalism". His sleight of hand abilities were/are top notch. He could have been a successful magician, but his passion led him to become...Well, Derren Brown.

If any of you are readers of my blog, you know how I emphasize the inclusion of video on our websites. It's our greatest asset to show potential clients a demonstration of our skills. Videos will add credibility to our 5-Star reviews. Some reviews appear to be over the top...the proof is in our live performances.

I sometimes visit other magician's websites, it's good to see what others have to offer. Truly some well-done professional presentations...however, I recently visited a "mind reader's" website and was searching for a video which would demonstrate his credibility of mind reading skills. There was none. The only videos were some short clips of quick "eye candy" which laypeople find impressive, but they had no relevance to mind reading.

To wrap things up I'll leave you with a final thought...If you were a mind reader, why not leave a fragment of evidence.

 Joe Ferranti

Massachusetts Magician 339-927-4710

www.ferrantimagic.com