Derren Brown Show

[Garrette]

I've seen him use these techniques. There is no question whether he does or doesn't. Just check out some of his work in youtube. It's clear he uses these techniques and there is no other way of him 'knowing' these things.

You are incorrect, and mummymonkey is correct. He is not the only one who does those things, and others don't claim NLP. DB, in fact, denounces NLP in his latest book.

ETA: Re-reading my post, I see that it comes across as harsh. I don't intend it that way. Your conclusion that Derren Brown actually uses those techniques is reasonable if, as I surmise from your age (posted on your profile), you are unfamiliar with magic and with the things Derren Brown has written.

Two important points that I hope you learn sooner rather than later are these:

1. People deceive other people, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not; sometimes with ill intent, sometimes not.

2. The fact that you can't think of how something is done does not mean someone else can't think of how to do it.

Best wishes

 

[Garrette]

And my apologies, c4llum, for not saying it before:

Welcome to the forums. It's good to have curious and confident youngsters here.

 

[c4llum]

And my apologies, c4llum, for not saying it before:

Welcome to the forums. It's good to have curious and confident youngsters here.

cheers!

 

[themagicwand]

That's just staged and if not then he should take the $1M challenge because if that's real than he has paranormal powers.

Thank you. That just made me laugh so hard I nearly died. You don't know magic do you?

 

[dezrah]

Thank you. That just made me laugh so hard I nearly died. You don't know magic do you?

But that's our job, as skeptical magicians, isn't it? To educate the public about what is possible with trickery and performance? There are a lot of people who assume that if they can't figure out how it's done, it could be "real".

Expose? No. Educate? Yes.

 

[edd]

I'm increasingly of the opinion that exposure would often backfire anyway. If someone ends up thinking they know how it's all done, when they see something they can't explain would they be more likely to make exactly the error dezrah describes?
I've overheard numerous people walking out of a Derren Brown show thinking they know how something was done, when really they were quite a long way off the mark. Maybe a little knowledge is a dangerous thing

 

[thaiboxerken]

There are a lot of people who assume that if they can't figure out how it's done, it could be "real".

Or that it was editting..SFX, etc.

 

[Locutus]

Given Derren Brown's popularity in the UK, his friendship with people like Dawkins (notorious for his despising of charlatans) and many of his programmes that are about debunking spiritualism and the existence of 'real' magic, I don't think that he "cheats" on his tricks. He's an accomplished mentalist for a reason: he drives people crazy trying to work out how he does it.

 

[MikeSun5]

Derren Brown's show is obviously dressed up for television, but I doubt he uses camera tricks and stooges as much as some have suggested. And sometimes, his "explanations" are part of the misdirection. I have a video of a young DB doing a lecture where he really shows off some impressive mentalism on a tiny stage. He does a routine called Reminiscence that is absolutely amazing whether you know the method or not.
It's not like that video proves he doesn't "cheat," I'm just saying he's good enough to not have to.

 

[edd]

Derren Brown's show is obviously dressed up for television, but I doubt he uses camera tricks and stooges as much as some have suggested. And sometimes, his "explanations" are part of the misdirection. I have a video of a young DB doing a lecture where he really shows off some impressive mentalism on a tiny stage. He does a routine called Reminiscence that is absolutely amazing whether you know the method or not.
It's not like that video proves he doesn't "cheat," I'm just saying he's good enough to not have to.

Seconding this. If he required camera tricks he'd not be currently on tour with a stage show.

And the risks of using stooges are too great - you do not want to be caught using a stooge when you can do things a more reputable way.

 

[Azrael 5]

I cannot see the youtube links "In my country",I know what the blank paper effect is but what is the other one being mentioned with 3 women?

 

[firecoins]

And the risks of using stooges are too great - you do not want to be caught using a stooge when you can do things a more reputable way.

what makes you think stooges are not a reputable method? You certainly don't want to get caught using any method.

 

[firecoins]

Seconding this. If he required camera tricks he'd not be currently on tour with a stage show.

.

Copperfield used camera tricks and his stage shows generate millions. Its a perfectly acceptable method.

 

[MikeSun5]

Copperfield used camera tricks and his stage shows generate millions. Its a perfectly acceptable method.

Apples and oranges. Stage magic needs certain types of angles and stooges to work. Most mentalism doesn't require it. Again, DB may use that stuff, but he doesn't need to. Copperfield does.

The only thing they really have in common is that sleazy raised eyebrow thing they both do.

 

[yairhol]

I cannot see the youtube links "In my country",I know what the blank paper effect is but what is the other one being mentioned with 3 women?

I'm at work now and can't watch the video but from what I remember DB approaches 3 ladies sitting and he joins them. They hardly say anything and he suddenly knows about their sign and about the type of men they like and all sorts of things. They agree with everything he says.


The first video where he pays people blank papers, they 'count' it and the transaction is finalized and DB walk a way - I just can't believe it's real. If I was working in a store and someone came in, bought something and asked where the subway was (no matter how he asked it), that wouldn't make me suddenly be willing to receive blank paper, count it (count what?) and put it in the cashier. Sorry, no way.

 

[yairhol]

I'm going to chime in with the other magicians here. Just because you don't know the method, doesn't mean there isn't one. For instance: Derren is well known for using effects that don't always pay off, but when they do, they seem impossible. (Try his books "Absolute Magic" and/or Pure Effect for a fantastic background on his magic and thinking)

In fact, most mentalists use material that has a high risk/reward ratio. In my own show, I end with an effect that doesn't work 9 times out of 10. It's done with humor, so if it fails, I still get a great close with laughs and applause, but when it hits, it's simply amazing. The audience is left with the false dicotomy of real powers or stooges .

Some people have been guilty of using stooges in the past, but with the wide range of absolutely incredible stooge-less effects available and the high risk of getting caught, only the lazy would bother "faking" it.

Final case in point: A routine by Banachek called "Psycokinetic Touches". One spectator closes his eyes, and on the other side of the stage, the magician touches a 2nd spectator somewhere on their body. The first spectator is able to accurately describe the location and amount of touches, and even claims to have felt the touches themself. Impossible without stooges? Nope. I do it all the time.

And no, I won't tell you how it's done. ;P

I saw that once live at a show by some magician. AMAZING!!
I can't even start to imagine how it's done.

 

[yairhol]

Here's an article complaining about DB:

http://www.simonsingh.net/Derren_Brown_Article.html

 

[MikeSun5]

Here's an article complaining about DB:

http://www.simonsingh.net/Derren_Brown_Article.html

That's like 6 years old. Derren Brown has said, even on his website, that his routines consist of "psychological illusion, perceptual manipulation and persuasive technique." He's never claimed to be a psychologist, although he does claim to utilize NLP (which we all know is bogus). That's all part of the misdirection.
His setup usually includes intensive screening of participants to ensure a decent effect. Also, he's extremely patient. One of the things he did on his show was flip a coin so it landed 'heads' 10 times in a row - without camera tricks. He admitted it took him many hours to get that footage, as he had to flip thousands of coins to get that to happen (odds were against him, after all). Those two tactics can yeild surprising results. I don't know all of his tricks, nor would I shout them out here if I did. It's just lame when people can't see this stuff for what it is: good entertainment.
Personally, I doubt very much that he used stooges on that Paying with Paper routine. If you don't know, you don't know... Just say that and don't claim it's camera tricks and stooges. Because seriously, you don't know.

 

[Bob Klase]

Copperfield used camera tricks and his stage shows generate millions. Its a perfectly acceptable method.

Not really. Copperfield only used them a couple times fairly early in his television career. Although whether it's acceptable would depend on exactly how you define 'camera trick'- it's a tricky question.

 

[Chris H]

Go to any of Derren Browns shows and you'll see that he goes to extraordinary lengths to prove that stooges aren't used. Every audience member is selected via a throw of a soft toy or frisbee. He's good, but I don't imagine that magic boy is a world champion frisbee thrower, and as a magician, I'm more than convinced that no stooges are used. Copperfield however...