Personality
So, that guy is a “HORSE” type of personality?
Effect
The performer asks a random subject to think of an image, ensuring that they do not choose something obvious like a car, but something more obscure. After asking for the subject’s full name and what this person aspired to be when they were younger, the performer is able to correctly draw what the subject has
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in mind and learn more about the subject’s personality in the process. The subject writes nothing down and there is no pre-show work.
Method
All you need to perform this effect is a foldable
clipboard folder and four children’s flash cards (I use a car, hat, boat and umbrella).
Lay the clipboard open on the table and glue the four cards on the left hand side of the clipboard, near the
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top. This is the left inside of the clipboard when it is opened towards you.
Once you have these cards secured, close the clipboard. You’re ready to perform. In performance you will lay the clipboard in your left hand and reach to open it like a book with the right, rather than opening it as you would a conventional book. Keep hold of the front flap with the right hand and use the left hand to swivel the bottom half (the back) of the clipboard around.
The left hand completes the rotation so the CLIP is now face up and the flash cards have faced the floor the entire time (hidden from view.) Practice the move slowly so that you get it right, without flashing, before you progress to full speed.
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The move should be performed on an offbeat while approaching the audience.
The photo at the left is what the subject sees in performance. The photo on the right is what the audience sees.
In a real performance of course a pad of paper would be under the clip to write on.
The pad of paper was removed for clarity of the photos only.
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Performance
“We are drawn to certain people based on a number of subtle factors. Childhood dreams, societal influence, artistic perception, all play parts in making up our personality. Psychology has developed various tests in which seemingly simple choices tell us much about a personality. I’d like to get to know someone better by using such a simple test tonight.”
Have someone come up to help. Position them so that they sit facing the audience.
“In a moment you are going to think of an image at random. Please don’t do this yet. I need you to follow my instructions precisely. Relax and when I ask you to open your eyes please
do so. Until then, keep your eyes closed and just stay relaxed.”
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Pick up the clipboard, performing the move whilst walking towards the audience as you say
“By asking just a few simple questions, one can differentiate what sort of choices a person will make. Now before you open
your eyes, let me say that when you get the opportunity to select an image please keep a solemn face as you do so, so that
no one knows what you are thinking about.”
Awaken the subject and them they may open their eyes but “stay relaxed.”
“Can you please state your surname out loud? (Write down
the response on the pad of paper on the clipboard.) Now
what did you aspire to be when you were younger?”
Lift the clipboard towards yourself as you write this response, so that the subject can see the flash cards.
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The audience only sees you writing.
“I would now like you to think of an image but as your personality is a little more of an imaginative nature than the average person, please don’t think of something obvious such as a car, but something a little more obscure like an umbrella.
But please don’t pick THAT as I’ve stated that one.”
I name these two cards from my flash card set on the secret side of the clipboard. I place the car in last
position and the umbrella in first. I casually point over the top of the clipboard above each card as I name them. The audience of course is unaware of such references.
“Please nod when you have chosen one.”
Wait for the nod and then close the clipboard by
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from the audience. Set the clipboard aside and out of view. Out of sight, out of mind.
“Just in your mind alone, nothing out loud please, think of the image that was picked and its relevance for existence. For example if you picked an umbrella the image would be a
barrier, to protect oneself from the rain.”
There are only two choices the subject could make as two of the four flashcards have been named. The two flashcards not named that I use are a HAT and a BOAT.
“This image is a combination of straight lines and a sort of curve...I hope its waterproof...is it?”
If the subject replies affirmatively or with something such as, “I hope so!” then you know the image they have in mind is the boat. If the person looks confused or
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says, “Sure, I guess so...it could be” then you know they are thinking of a hat. Your comment seems to be an aside and unimportant, as if you are commenting on the image coming to you.
In truth their reaction tells you all you need to know. Another way to approach this is more obvious to the subject, but not to the audience.
“The image you chose...see it as a word written out...hmm...it doesn’t have a letter “O” in there does it?”
Of course if the answer is affirmative then their thought is of a boat, and if not, they are thinking of a hat.
In any event, don’t just blurt this out.
Walk over to a pad or easel and draw whichever image they are thinking about. I usually explain why I believe this subject might have picked the image and how it has relevance to what they wanted to be when they were
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younger. The focus needs to be on tying their childhood desire to the image that they chose.
You can treat all this also as a reading, their choice of image tells you something about the subject, as well as how this relates to their desires as a child.
However you do not state that you already know what image the subject chose. You claim to be making a drawing based upon the subject’s personality.
For instance, if you now know the person is thinking of a boat, and they mentioned they wanted to be a fireman as a child, you talk about how their grown-up choice would likely be the opposite of a fireman. For instance, a fireman tends to have a special helmet or hat.
This suggests that their current choice would not have a hat and that their hair might be blowing around freely. Firemen must use heavy protective gear, and so as this
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was their childlike choice their more grown-up choice would likely be for more freedom and much less
clothing. Rather than fire, they might just want warmth. Perhaps they are a warmer personality now and not as angry or fiery in nature as they were when they were younger. They might like things to be less dramatic and calmer now. You would say all of this as you are
drawing the boat on water.
The audience can see what you draw but the person you are reading cannot see the picture you are making yet. When you are finished drawing, ask what image it was that the subject chose to hold in mind.
The audience will respond enthusiastically. Show the drawing to the subject saying
“Sometimes you have to draw out the personality of people to get to know them a little better!”
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This double meaning will be taken as merely cute perhaps, but it indirectly tells the subject that you used the drawing and choice they made as a way to get to know them better.
“Now that we know a little bit about your personality I would like to take things to the next level and try something
more impressive.”
Continue to a second effect that is more impressive to the audience and that fools the subject as well.
The subject will leave feeling like you have read their mind in the end based upon what you learned about them in this first personality test.
The focus on learning about a person based on choices they make is the premise of most readings, be it
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then that this is what is happening from both the reality of the audience and that of the subject.
Obviously the effect is less of a psychic miracle to the subject, but it is of more interest to the subject as the focus is on the subject’s childhood dreams and
personality.
Both audience and subject feel engaged and impressed in this presentation, albeit for quite different reasons.
Credits
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