Iñaki & Thinking Paradox®

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 READ THIS...

We recommend you to watch the instructional video first

before to read this pdf.

Thinking Paradox©
www.thinkingparadox.com

Original idea: Iñaki

Design: Adrián Carratalá.
© text: Adrián Carratalá, Manuel Leal, Eduardo Latorre.
© Drawings: Antonio Santos.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permis-
sion of the publisher. TV rights are not included. For permission requests, write to: team@thinkingparadox.com
INDEX

Information and links of interest > Page 5

STAGE

The heavy shadow > Page 11

The heaviest mineral on Earth > Page 13

The fish that thinks he is a whale > Page 15

A bucket full of stones > Page 17

CLOSE-UP

Soft glass > Page 21

Thor’s Hammer > Page 23

Rubik’s cube gag > Page 25

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INFORMATION AND LINKS OF INTEREST

Where to find the materials

As you can see on the explanation video, in order to make the gimmick you just
need 3 materials: a clear rigid vinyl sheet, good quality double-sided adhesive
tape and some adhesive tape.

(1) Adhesive tape

You can find clear adhesive tape on any office supply store.

(2) Clear double-sided adhesive tape

We recommend Scotch by 3M, because is one of the most transparent and

strong tape available. You can find them on any office supply store, or also you
can buy it online:

Amazon Spain > https://goo.gl/xbn6XA

Amazon USA > https://goo.gl/1NDAfZ

If you make a gimmick for a large item, it needs to be glued with extra strength,
so for those cases you can also use Scotch Transparent Mounting Tape (Indus-
trial Strenght). You can find this mounting tape on hardware stores and on DIY
stores, but you can also buy it online:

Amazon Spain > https://goo.gl/RtwPfz

Amazon USA > https://goo.gl/FZeCkp

(3) .010” or .015” Clear Rigid Vinyl Sheet

These kind of plastic sheets are used in the lettering market. They are known
as Vinyl or PVC (polyvinyl chloride) clear rigid sheets. They are really cheap, and
they can be found at any studio or workshop where illuminated signs are made.
But they are also available online here:

Spain
https://goo.gl/utTei8
https://goo.gl/ChJxQv

USA
(.010”) > https://goo.gl/KFne5N
(.015”) > https://goo.gl/wQT61o

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 4

5
Other useful materials

(4) Clear plastic boxes

You can use these boxes on a great number of routines. Please, note that the
bottom should be completely flat. There are different sizes and shapes, and they
can be bought here:

Spain > https://goo.gl/NZQuBM

Tap Plastics USA

https://goo.gl/SSWr6f

Amazon USA
https://goo.gl/4eUWXU
https://goo.gl/uGhquy
https://goo.gl/yhhB7u

Walmart USA
https://goo.gl/Ebg6aV
https://goo.gl/WfY1xB

The container Store USA

https://goo.gl/18fDCV
https://goo.gl/z44eoz
https://goo.gl/RCaALW

Shop Pop Displays USA

https://goo.gl/b3s3bw

(5) Table with a smooth surface

When performing close-up or walk-around magic, it will be easy to find tables

with a glass surface, but when performing stage magic, the best choice is:

Spider > https://goo.gl/XEm6Vm

IKEA España > https://goo.gl/8g9QEZ
IKEA USA > https://goo.gl/TcBJfG

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STAGE
The heavy shadow

Effect

At the stage there are a chair and a table, and on the table there is a transparent
box. On the front part of the stage there is a light, which is projecting the shadow
of these items on the back of the stage. The magician asks for a volunteer and
sits her next to the table, and then he asks her to examine the clear box. When
done, he places the box on the table again and he tells her to close her eyes
and try to lift the box, without opening her eyes. At the same time, the magician
projects the shadow of his finger on the shadow of the box. Without him actually
touching anything, it looks like his shadow is holding the box’s shadow in place,
and the audience watches in awe as the woman is unable to lift the clear box.

Materials

You will need a table with a smooth surface, a chair and a gimmicked transpa-
rent box.

Procedure

Place each element on stage as we show you on the image, and make sure you
place the light on the right angle, so the audience can see clearly the items’ sha-
dows on the background of the stage. Then show the empty box and place it on
the table, and ask for your volunteer. Tell your volunteer to sit down and extend
her arm until she places her palm over the box, and then instruct her to try to
lift the box when you ask her to do so. Now go stand on the place we show you
on the image, and touch the shadow of the box with the shadow of your index
finger. When you ask her to try to lift the box, she will be unable to do so, thanks
to the gimmick. After a couple of seconds, tell her to stop trying and to open
her eyes, so she can check that you are far from her and the box, and thus you
couldn’t hold the box in place. Now go to the box and lift it up yourself, by tur-
ning the gimmick off. This effect works great as part of a PK touch style routine.

11
The heaviest mineral on Earth

Effect

The magician shows a transparent little box to a spectator. This box has an Iri-
dium stone inside, which is the heaviest metal on Earth. When the spectator
tries to lift the box, she won’t be able to do it, apparently due to how heavy the
Iridium is. But later the magician reveals that the stone was actually made of
rubber foam, and the weight was just due to suggestion.

Materials

A gimmicked clear plastic box, and a foam rock by Goshman.

Procedure

The rock is inside the clear box, and the box is placed on the table. You can be-
gin the effect by doing a suggestion test with all the audience, like for example
the one with the balloon on one hand and the rock filled bucket in the other
(light and heavy hand), as that will let you choose the member of the audience
who is most prone to suggestion. Ask her to get on the stage and tell her about
the Iridium stone inside the box, and how it is the heaviest material on Earth.
Ask her to try to lift the box, and after a couple of seconds, tell her to stop tr-
ying. After that, explain that everything was just due to suggestion, pick the box
yourself (using the tiny tab) and lift the box. Now open the clear box and show
everyone that the so called Iridium is just a rubber foam rock. If you want, you
can also throw the rock to the audience before telling them that it is made of
foam, as a gag!

13
The fish that thinks he is a whale

Effect

The magician hypnotizes a fish, making him believe that he is actually a whale.
A spectator, of course, does not believe this, so she checks it out by trying to lift
the fish bowl. Surprisingly, she is not able to lift the fish bowl, as the fish is now
as heavy as a whale; but when the magician wakes the fish up from the hypnotic
trance, he is able to lift the fish bowl easily.

Materials

You will need a live fish, a pendulum and a gimmicked fish bowl. It is necessary
that the base of the fish bowl is completely flat, and it is recommended that it is
one of those round fish bowls. You can also use a large glass with a flat base, or
one of those square fish tanks. Those fish tanks have a pretty large flat base, so
it is really hard to lift them up.

Procedure

Enter the stage with the fish bowl on your hand and come close to a spectator.
Give the fish bowl to her and ask her to follow you back to the stage. When there,
the spectator herself places the fish bowl on the table, and you show a pendu-
lum, getting yourself ready to hypnotize the fish. When the spectator tries to lift
the fish bowl again, she won’t be able to, at least until you wake the fish up and
lift the fish bowl yourself, turning the gimmick off.

15
A bucket full of stones

Effect

The magician shows an empty small metal bucket with a handle, he places it on
the table, and then invites a spectator to get on the stage and sit next to the ta-
ble. The spectator extends her arm and takes the bucket by the handle, holding
it but without lifting it yet. The magician tells her to imagine that the bucket is
getting filled with rocks, one at a time, until it is completely full, in her head. And
after she imagines it, the spectator tries to lift the bucket, but she is not able to
do it anymore.

Materials

You will need a gimmicked metal bucket with a flat base. If you want, you can
make your own bucket adding a handle to an ice bucket.

Procedure

Begin the experiment by performing the classic suggestion test “light and heavy
hand” with all the audience, which will let you pick the spectator who is most
prone to suggestion. Sit her next to the table and ask her to extend her arm and
grab the handle. Then, ask her to close her eyes and to imagine that the bucket
gets filled with rocks. After a couple of seconds, tell her to try to lift the bucket.
She won’t be able to.

17
CLOSE-UP
Soft glass

Effect

The magician places a card case on a glass table and then puts his hand under
the glass, making it look like he is grabbing the card case through the glass itself.
A spectator tries to lift the card case, but he is not able to do it while the magi-
cian is holding it from under the table.

Materials

A gimmicked card case and a table with a glass surface.

Procedure

This is the same handling as the basic routine that we explain on the instruc-
tional video, but it adds a presentational detail: you pretend to be holding the
card case from under the table, through the glass surface. As a bonus, you can
also have a gimmicked glass on the table, and after the first effect is done, lift
the deck of cards, put it inside the empty glass, and pretend that you are holding
the glass under the table now. This way, it gives the feeling that you can hold
anything from under the table.

21
Thor’s Hammer

Effect

The magician starts talking about the different characters from the Marvel Uni-
verse, focusing on Thor, God of Thunder. After this, he shows a picture of Thor’s
hammer that he has stored on his cellphone, and then he places his cellphone
on the table. The magicians makes some comments as how only the purest
hearts can lift Thor’s hammer, and then the spectators try to lift the cellphone.
One by one, they all fail, until the magician, the true owner of the “hammer” (the
cellphone), is able to lift it easily.

Materials

You will need to make a gimmick the size of your cellphone case. In order for
it to work properly, your cellphone case has to be stiff and completely flat. You
should take into account that if the camera from your cellphone makes a bump,
it could be bad for your gimmick.

Procedure

Download a picture of Thor’s hammer on your cellphone and show it to your

spectators. When you place your gimmicked cellphone on the table (screen with
picture facing up), it will stick. Also one of the advantages of performing Unlifted
with a cellphone is that due to cellphones being so slim nowadays, it is very diffi-
cult for the spectator to get a good grip in order to lift it.

Other ideas

You don’t like the Marvel Universe? No problem! You can also use a picture from
Excalibur and tell its legend as patter. Another fun idea is placing the cellphone
on the table with the screen locked, and seemingly forgetting it when you stop
performing. When one of your friends try to pick up your cellphone, he will be
surprised as he will be unable to lift it. Of course, you tell him that this is because
your phone is blocked. Just do the unlock pattern (turning the gimmick off at the
same time) and lift it up yourself like it’s no big deal.

23
Rubik’s cube gag

Effect

The magician proposes a speed contest, in which the participants have to solve
a Rubik’s cube. On the table there are 2 Rubik’s cubes, one of them is completely
mixed and the other one is solved already except for one more move. You ask
the spectator/participant which cube would he like to solve, and obviously she
will chose the almost solved one. After the stopwatch starts counting, you win by
solving your mixed Rubik’s cube in a matter of seconds, meanwhile the specta-
tor is not even able to lift his own Rubik’s cube. Everybody has fun.

Materials

You need 2 Rubik’s cubes. One of them is gimmicked (the best side is the white
one, so the gimmick does not get noticed)

Procedure

First, mix your Rubik’s cube by doing 4-5 movements that you can remember
to undo later on. It will look really mixed, but you will know how to solve it in a
matter of seconds. On YouTube you can find hundreds of tutorials for solving
the Rubik’s cube, and also to make it look like it is thoroughly mixed, even if it is
almost solved. The gimmicked Rubik’s cube is already solved, except for one las
move, and this is blatantly obvious for the spectator. You can do the “mix” of his
cube right in front of him, but the moment the cube is placed on the table, it gets
stuck. The rest is all patter.

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