Derren answers magic forum questions
Source: Tricktv.co.uk
Uploaded: 12 Aug 2002
This was found on
a magic forum which had the opportunity to ask Derren questions - so don't
be surprised if some questions are more directed towards Derren's previous
work as a magician.
(Collated
and edited for your convenience - Si)
MagicColin
I was curious to know about your new book. From what I have read on your
site, it seems that you are going to be revealing your techniques from
your famous Mind Control series. Is this the case? and if so, will you
be going back to your close-up magic, or do you have more 'mentalism'
in the pipeline?
Also, I bought Absolute Magic from you in Blackpool, and I haven't put it down. It is superb to say the least. The information within the covers is incredible, and after reading Pure Effect as well, I look forward to any other publications you will release.
Keep the magic alive.
Colin
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Colin – Thanks.
I won’t be revealing actual methods to specific stunts in the show
- that would be terrible. The book will be for the general public, not
magicians, and will go into a lot of the psychological skills that I use.
No books exist that I know which bring together the various disciplines
I’ve drawn from, so this is an attempt to write one. I don’t
have any more plans to publish anything for the magic community, as I’ve
said what I wanted to say about magic and passed on my card ideas in the
current book and video on sale. Now I’d like to continue to explore
the niche I’ve made for myself, and I shall keep methods to myself.
Derren
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scott perry
i bought your video and it's excellent i'm not sure but if it was up to
me i would probably vote this the video of the year.can you tell me if
you are releasing anything else like this.
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Scott – I’m
flattered, thank you. But as I’ve said to Colin, I’ve no more
plans any more items to magicians. The area I’m in now is so personal,
and so based on performance, that just teaching ‘methods’ would
be very difficult, and pointless. What I wrote in ‘Absolute Magic’
is the closest I can get to teaching what I do. But thanks for asking.
Derren
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Sean
1. Was it your choice to remove certain effects from early publications
of Pure effect ? if so,why did you feel that it was necessary ?
2. Are we to expect a 'Derrens guide to mentalism' video in the future ?
3. Who or what is 'the mystery-machine' ?
4. Who inspired/inspires you to proceed with mentalism and lose your close-up background ?
5. Will UK audiences get to see footage of you in the US as I seem to recall you mentioning a visit there ?
finally,
6. Will the Mindcontrol
series be released on video ? it darn well should be !
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1.) Yes, I removed
two items because they were signature pieces of mine. I got a phone call
from a magician who bought the book and wanted guiding through one of
those effects – he just couldn’t see beyond the instructions
and made me feel quite sick at the idea of him performing the trick. That
sounds harsh, I’m sure, but you get very personally involved in effects
which are performance-based rather than technically-based. Enough people
were telling me that I shouldn’t have published the effects, so I
decided to remove them. I should point out that they were not removed
because they were somehow ‘too good’, or that by tracking down
a copy you’re going to come across ‘the real work’ on my
mind-control specials or anything like that. They were just 2 effects
I was fond of and am currently performing, and it’s important to
me to keep them private.
2.) Maybe when my career takes a downwards slide and I need the cash. Not for a long while, much as there is that I’d like to say.
3.) Ah, well, there you go.
4.) I just found that mind-reading effects had a greater impact than traditional magic. I was after the best type of effects I could find, and gradually ‘mentalism’ came to dominate my repertoire. Then once the TV show came along, it made sense to stick with it exclusively.
5.) Plans are afoot to make a US version of the show. I’ll be heading out there to re-pitch in June. Talks last time were interrupted by Sept 11th, which was a bad time to be out there as a man who can predict the future.
6.) Because the upcoming series (Autumn) will include highlights from the specials, Ch4 don’t want to release any videos until after the series has aired. Otherwise less people would watch the series. Which makes sense.
Thanks for the questions.
Derren
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Olly
Q1)What one video,one book and one gimmick would you keep if you had to
throw all other material away?
Q2) What was the first trick you every bought yourself?(ie. not Paul Daniels magic kit)
Q3) Did you stumble apon your methods yourself, or was you mentored by anyone that taught you such trickery?
I know these are all
bog-standard questions, but someone had to ask them
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1.) There are no books
or videos I’m that excited about any more, not because they’re
not great, which many of them are, but because I’m trying to go off
on my own tangent. I haven’t bought a magic book or video for years.
Expert Card Technique is, at a push, my favourite. As for a gimmick, the
same applies – I’ve made a few things for myself which I use
from time to time, and it’s those that I’d want to keep. But
nothing that’s commercially available.
2.) It was a coin set where the 2p slid into the (then old) 10p. It was my first realisation that gimmicked items existed. I got it from Davenports when I was about 20, soon after I’d started learning magic. (Initially from Mark Wilson’s Complete Course, which I picked up in a remainder store and have bought for many people since)
3.) I never had a mentor, and knew nothing about the magic scene until very late. For me, the best part of magic is designing methods and effects, and I am lucky enough to have a small team helping me for the TV show (Andrew O’Connor, Andy Nyman, Anthony Owen, and Richard McDougall for MC2&3). Coming up with methods for my live work usually involves long walks and pondering what feel to me at the time like perfect effects. To me this is ultimately more fun than team-work.
"I know these are all bog-standard questions, but someone had to ask them."
Not at all. I appreciate it.
Derren
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Steve Dela
I loved watching your mind control specials and you were also kind enough
to have a picture taken with me at the Blackpool convention! (thanks)
I would like to ask you, What enspired you to start mentalism (mind control)
and do you prefer to work impromptu or do you prefer to use gimmicks to
help you eg.mind spy?
thanks in advance!
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Hi and thanks –
I’ve answered the shift-into-mentalism question above, so forgive
me for not repeating myself. As for using gimmicks, it’s of course
very rewarding to see what one can achieve without any fakery at all,
but I certainly have a few things of my own design which I use to help
me along the way. Ultimately, these issues don’t matter – what
does matter is how you commit to the material, what you decide to believe
you’re doing, regardless of what the actual real-life method might
be. (And no, I don’t have a MindSpy.)
Derren
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Baz94
When was it that you descided to work in mentalism?
I own "The devils picturebook" and loved it. Your skill with
cards is fantastic so at what point did you descide to put down the deck
and start using the magic of the mind?
Thanks in advance
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I guess I’ve answered
this by now. It wasn’t easy to leave the cards behind at first, but
now there are very few card plots which appeal to me at all. By putting
the video out, I could comfortably walk away from cards. But it was a
gradual shift, as I’ve said elsewhere, always looking for the best
type of effect. Ultimately, too, I found it suited my character more.
I like downplaying, talking, turning things into a conversation –
these things tend to get in the way of magic and can make it look amateurish,
whereas they work in the favour of mentalism. As a general rule.
Derren
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Stoogey
How much credit would you give Andy Nyamn and Anthony Owen for your specials?
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I have never heard
of either of these people.
Sorry, weak joke. They take enormous credit. Andy is an amazing performer and actor and has taught me much over the few years I’ve known him. Anthony, too, is a good friend and an excellent producer, with a great knowledge of magic on TV – something I knew nothing about coming into it. Equally, Andrew O’Connor is fantastic at what he does, superb at sorting the wheat from the chaff, and Richard McDougall who has also been heavily involved has a real charm and an eye on the purity of an effect – he was my right-hand man on MC2, which to his credit was up for a Grand Prix at Montreux this year. So they’re all fantastic, with widely differing skills, and working with them is a joy.
Derren
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Russell Allen
You're an inspiration to me, I think you are amazing at what you do. The
thing is I don't know where to learn mentalism or mind reading. Most books
and videos teach other tricks. Where did you learn your mentalism/mind
reading? do you know anywhere where I can, Thanks Derren
Russ
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Thank you – that’s
very kind of you indeed. I really feel that you have to wade through all
the books of tricks and over time you realise who you are and what you
should be doing, and then you find your own path. There really isn’t
a short cut, although it helps to be aware of these issues. I only ended
up doing what I’m doing by starting off with the same books and resources
as every other magician. There aren’t any books that have led directly
to what I’m doing now. You may be able to make up your own miracles
from day one, but in that case you don’t need any books to tell you.
It’s good to be inspired by someone and want to imitate them for
a bit, that’s a very human thing, but your goal must be to be inspired
to go your own way and think originally in line with whoever you are.
That’s what I’d want. If you were only inspired to try and copy
me I’d feel that I’d done a bad job.
Hope that makes sense. Thanks.
Derren
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Chris
I know this does seem a little rude to ask of future plans, but I was
curious of your point of view on how you see the future of your career
developing. You did if course leave behind the sleight of hand side of
Magic for the more psychological side, so I am therefore curious as to
how you plan to develop your career in this area, in the future.
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I intend to continue
as I am, but trying to keep ahead of the game. Touring and big theatre
shows are in my plans at the moment, and enjoying what I’m doing
as much as possible with a good business acumen.
I appreciate your interest – thank you.
Derren
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Magic Singh
Do you remember regional day at Cardiff the sikh guy all the way from
London.
Just asking hows it
going and when will your forth show will be shown
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I remember – there’s
a great history of turban-wearing mentalists and I hope you embrace it
with all the flamboyance it deserves. It’s all going well thank you,
and the series will air in the Autumn. Ch4, probably Friday nights.
Derren
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james
in EVERY forum I have EVER been on, there are always people who wanna
be just like you saying stuff like, where can i learn how to do that trick
derren brown did..... so for all those people i would like to ask, what
would you say the top five books were that got you were you are today?
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As I’ve said,
I stopped reading magic books once I got into what I’m doing now.
And never had a huge library back then. So I can only talk about the books
that got me going at the start and shaped me early on – I’d
say Ortiz’ Strong Magic, and then the Mark Wilson book and Expert
Card Technique which got me started. I don’t mean to sound dismissive
of the great and fascinating body of literature, but ultimately you have
to go off on your own and leave it all to one side. Then it becomes a
genuinely creative process. But the reading to recommend is always the
old classics – Corinda, Anneman etc. Hope that’s OK. Thanks.
Derren
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Arcane
Was it your intention to come up with an effect (coin in hand) - which
would create as much hubbub, amongst both laypublic and performers as
Blaine's Levitation?
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Not specifically, but
it’s always my intention to do the best I can. I’m not sure
what hubbub it caused, but I do like it. I’ve heard a few magicians’
bizarre speculations on method, which I suppose is flattering. Thanks.
Derren
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Conjurer
I believe you started magic at 18 after seeing a hypnotist perform, what
books did or vids did you start with when you started in magic? Were you
always a close up worker or did you ever try stage or street magic? And
what advice would you give to becoming professional in magic?
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I guess I’ve answered
the book/video question now. I have never tried stage magic or street
magic. I’d be utterly unsuited to the latter. Only recently have
I had to create a cabaret act and a theatre show. The nearest I ever got
to it was my stage hypnotic act. As for advice to someone wanting to go
pro – get yourself a residency. You can do this by going into loads
of trendy bars and showing yourself to the manager, but there’s a
better way. Ask if you can perform for a group of your friends when they
go out to eat and then get chatting to the management about the residency
idea, pretending you are a hired pro. Your friends are told to really
react to your tricks, you buy them all drinks, the manager takes your
card, and perhaps he gives you a call when he has a big party come in.
If not, get another group of friends to call the restaurant, saying they
want to book a table but want some entertainment. The manager calls you
(hopefully), you offer to do an evening around the tables – and then
with the money you get, you can buy your friends their dinner, or part
of it. Meanwhile you have pushed for the residency again, and you should
get it. And pick a place where corporate people come to eat. You’ll
do the residency in order to get the customers to book you for their own
events – so make sure they are the sort of people who can pay you
decent money for decent events, and make sure you look and act the part,
with a clear style.
Best of luck, and thanks.
Derren
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psymetry
Did you study for a degree of some kind to enable you to learn you psycholgical
skills?
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Not really. My Law
degree, though, did give me an ability to consider things in a certain
way that maybe I wouldn’t have had before. A certain detachment,
perhaps. Otherwise it came from doing a lot of magic but not within the
context of a magic ‘scene’ – I didn’t hang around
magicians and never really have. Many thanks – D.
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juliette
When will you be in/appearing in sunny Blackpool again?
Do you believe in parapsychology?
Which hypnotist did
you see all those years ago? Was it Richard "Lorde" Payne?
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When will you be in/appearing
in sunny Blackpool again?
No plans.
Do you believe in parapsychology?
I presume you mean the paranormal – erm, no, not really. Besides, we have to find the limits of our ordinary sensory perception first before we decide what’s extra-sensory.
Which hypnotist did you see all those years ago? Was it Richard "Lorde"
Payne?
No, never heard of him – it was Martin Taylor. Great show.
Thanks, D.
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Dr Omni
I'm a stage hypnotist who is now also developing a mentalism act. I have
been booked to do my first mentalism show at a hotel in Spain on 1st June.
Having read something of the vast literature on mentalism, I'd first like
to thank you for your two excellent videos ("The DB Lecture"
and "The Devil's Picture-book") as well as the book "Absolute
Magic", which are great contributions to the genre. (Looking forward
to getting "Pure Effect", which I haven't seen, when it's reprinted.)
Here are my questions:
(1) Would you draw a sharp distinction between contemporary mentalist methods (such as those of Banachek, Kenton Knepper, and yourself), based on psychological forces, verbal misdirection, the "invisible compormise", etc and the traditional "nuts-and-bolts" methods of swami gmmicks, billet switches and funny envelopes described in Corinda and Anneman?
(2) For someone entering the field of mentalism for the first time, is it a good idea to use more "psychological" or "nuts-and-bolts" methods, or a combination of the two?
(3) Is it better for a mentalist to give the impression of a multitude of "psychic" abilities (including telepathy, clairvoyance, PK, and precognition) or just to give a more modest impression of being able to do telepathy only?
(4) Would you agree
with those mentalists who argue that drawing duplication and the Q&A
are the most powerful mentalism effects as far as the audience is concerned?
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1.) I think it a mistake
to try and master these supposed ‘psychological’ techniques
before having a good grasp of solid mentalism. Then the psychological
methods can flesh out and increase the impact of work which is technically
already solid. And I’m sure than Knepper, Banachek et al would agree.
That, I think, is the relationship between the two broad areas of contemporary
mentalism.
2.) I don’t know what you mean by ‘better’. There is only your character and what you choose to do with it. Do whatever you want to do, but commit to it and believe in it.
Thanks – D.
3.) Maybe if you’re just talking about traditional mentalism that every traditional mentalist goes out and does. But I try not to think about that. So, no. Anyone that is arguing that has already decided to do other people’s material and only draw from the standard arsenal of what we have seen in the past. Meanwhile there are a few people who don’t think like that – and they invented the first drawing dupe, the first Q&A act, the first bending spoon.
Best – D.
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DaleShrimpton
I have noticed that quite a few of your effects seem to be based on items
created By Anneman, and was wondering if he was a major influence.
and if so, who else has done their part in creating the character you
portray so well.
( sorry a bit licky that last bit!!)
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Licky’s good.
Anneman was a troubled genius, and there’s very little mentalism
that isn’t based on his work. The Jinx is a charming and wonderful
read. He wasn’t a conscious influence, but I’m sure he played
a part. As for character portrayal, that’s a difficult one to answer.
I’ve always had a penchant for Victorian Gothic, and naturally went
down that route when I started to think seriously about character. Then
Ch4 wanted to keep the show modern, so a nice balance was struck. But
I don’t think you can take character points from other people –
they have to come from within. Equally, there are plenty of unconscious,
cultural references and aesthetics which we all adhere to or indulge in
from time to time, all of which play their part too – but I don’t
know what they are in my case. I have found that if I try and adopt a
character choice or mannerism, it’s ludicrous. The things that come
naturally, and don’t feel like ‘character’, are the ones
that resonate.
Interesting. Thanks.
Derren