SIGNS

MATT MELLO

Copyright 2012 by Matt Mello

All rights reserved.
Effect:

The performer subliminally forces a symbol into a spectators mind.

Introduction:

This effect is exactly as stated. There arent any extra methods going on, just a
pure and real psychological force, which happens to be fairly reliable! Because of
this, I use it frequently in close-up situations, but it can just as easily be performed
on stage with an entire audience!

Its a short manuscriptas all the real work is done in only a few paragraphs
but if you can memorize the brief script, you can use this all the time! This is one
of the few psychological forces I readily use and rely on, and Im sure you will
too!

Presentation and Method:

The performer takes a piece of paper from his pocket and writes something on it
without showing anyone. This is folded and placed into the spectators hand.

On that piece of paper Ive drawn a simple image, which Ill try to
subliminally suggest to you. As long as you follow what I say, everything
should work perfectly!

Please close your eyes, allowing yourself to enter a completely peaceful state.
I want you to imagine youre outside of a maze, walking along the edge in a
giant circle, aroundand aroundand around. And as you loop around one

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last time, a pathway opens, leading you straight to the center of the maze. As
you approach it, youll find that the path forks into three directions.

I want you to choose any of the three extending pathswalking along it until
you reach a small plane at the end. I now want you to get in and fly over the
field. Looking down at the big picture, youll see a symbol in the grass. What
sign do you see?

If everything has gone according to plan, she will see a Peace Sign in the field
below, which will match my drawn prediction in her hand. This is because the
scripting truly implants the image of a peace sign into her mind!

Shell remember walking around and around in a circle; then walking straight to
the center; then choosing one of three paths. When she then flies over, assuming
she has a decent imagination, she can put together that the path she walked and the
symbol youre suggesting is a peace sign!

So if you memorize the script and present it exactly as Ive written it here, theyll
choose peace nearly every time! But there are a couple of small additional
subtleties to suggest this, as well.

In the very first sentence, when I say piece of paper, I make sure to emphasize
PIECE slightly. This probably doesnt make much of a difference, as it happens so
early in the routine, but I still do it. I also outwardly say peaceful. And I end by
asking what sign she sees, which should lead and direct her to peace sign!

When working with psychological effects of this nature, its never going to work
100% of the time, but I find this force to be extremely reliable! Hope you guys
have the confidence to actually take it out and test it yourselves!

Additional Thoughts and Ideas:

--If Im out somewhere with nothing on me, and someone asks me to perform, Ill
usually do this as a fun little experiment. But if Im actually performing, Ill often

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use this as a lead-in to a pseudo-suggestion routinerevealing a peeked card or
word/object. Pseudo-demonstrations always come across more realistic when they
follow the real thing!

--As with every psychological force, Signs has the potential to be used for a very
clean one-ahead routine. When I use a one-ahead, I always prefer that the reveals
are somewhat similar, and around the same level of astonishment. Not one thats a
one-in-twenty choice, and then another thats one-in-thousands.

I also never use a one-ahead for three or four reveals, as I think its too much time
to be writing things and not showing them. Its called a ONE-ahead, so I only use
it once.

This version starts the same, with the spectator closing their eyes, breathing and
relaxing. I draw a peace sign on a napkin, ball it up, and toss it into a glass on the
table.

With your eyes closed, all you can see right now is darkness. But I want you
to visualize that in front of you is a little ball of light. Imagine it as any color
youd like, vivid and bright in front of you. What color do you see?

The suggestions from this would be that youre getting rid of the options of dark
colors, and trying to suggest something bright, a Yellow or Orange are
usually common choices. But since this is your one-ahead, it doesnt really matter
what they say. So after they tell you their color, youll grab a second piece of paper
and write whatever color they name. This is balled up just like the first prediction,
and tossed into the glass.

Now, Id like you to image the yellow orb leading you forward, bringing you
to the outside of a maze. I want you to follow the orb around the edge of the
maze in a giant circle, around and around.

This ball of light is simply used as a guide through the maze. Everything is just like
the original, but the light is leading the way and choosing the path. It allows for it
to be a little more imaginative, and gives you a nice extra prediction!

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Credits:

Banacheks, Psychological Subtleties 1, has a ton of brilliant work when it comes

to working with psychological forces. The first book has a lot of the raw material,
but the other two books in the series also have effects that make great uses of
psychological forcing!

Derren Brown has been a huge inspiration for so many mentalists, and his work
with suggestion techniques is inspiring, as well! His card forces through
suggestions and leading is amazing when you see him at it! His DVD, The Devils
Picturebook, shows him demonstrating them, and can also be learned in his book,
Pure Effect.

If Ive missed anyone in this crediting, or if you have any questions, please send an
inquiry to: mtricks16@aol.com and Ill be sure to make any necessary changes or
answer any questions I can!

Thanks!

Matt Mello