Volition By Joel Dickinson.pdf




Effect: A single folded prediction is passed to your participant to hold. The participant is shown three objects, they are then told in advance that they will decide where the objects will be placed. The participant makes their choices where these objects will be placed and they can even change their mind. The magicians prediction matches perfectly. The participant really does decide which object goes where and the prediction unquestionably matches their three free choices. In my opinion this is the best take on the free will principle. This adds additional elements, dimensions and subtleties which make it deceptive and very clean. This is simple, there are no cheesy props and there is no equivoque. In Joel's take on the the Three Will Principle your participant is told about the decision they will make before the effect begins and his choices are his own.

REQUIREMENTS: You need five business cards in total. On three of these predictions write the word OTHER, on one you will write THIS and on the final one you will write the word THAT. On the design of the card with the word THIS you will make a small mark on the design of the card, for example a small pencil dot. This should not be visible to your participant. If however you are using blank double sided cards a nail nick will suffice. You will need a manila envelope the size which holds business cards comfortably. You will also need a prediction, the prediction will read:

"I am holding THIS You are holding THAT and the OTHER is in the envelope" I usually write the prediction on a business card and fold it into four and secure it closed with a paper clip. Though the paper clip is not essential.

SET UP: Before performing... Place the cards with THIS and THAT in your left trouser pocket with the words facing away from the participant. Place the three OTHER cards in your envelope along with your folded prediction. PERFORMANCE: Remove your envelope from your pocket once you are ready to perform. Place the folded prediction on the table. Whilst placing it down explain "I won't touch this again until we are finished". You will now remove the business cards being sure to not flash the words. Mix these cards with the words face down whilst explaining "In a moment you will select one of these cards to place in the envelope, then one for you and one for me, so which one do you want for the envelope?" Your participant will now select a card, tell your participant to not look at its face but to slide it into the envelope and place it in their pocket. As you explain this you will casually switch the two cards in your left hand for the two cards in your left trouser pocket. This is done as you gesture for the

participant to place the envelope in their pocket. It's very easy and takes just a moment. I do this as I state "place them all the way in to your pocket". As my hand goes in I leave my two cards behind and remove the two cards which are sat in my pocket. Don't look at your hands, instead focus on your participant's. This should b practiced until don smoothly. I now pass the two remaining cards to the participant whilst telling him or her not to peek at the other side and to mix them and to pass one for me to keep and they will retain the one which they are left with. Once they have done this give them the option to change their mind. You will now watch for the pencil dot/marked card, whoever is holding the marked card you know they are holding the card with the word THIS and they will read the prediction. The prediction has a double meaning. Before reading the prediction I have a nice bit of script which cements the prediction wording. If you are holding the marked card then you will read the prediction whilst stating : "I placed my prediction down and I said I wouldn't touch it until the end. Now you've made your choices. I am holding a card, you are holding a card and a card is in the envelope. Think about this, you made the choices and you could have placed these cards anywhere, I'll read my prediction now..." All you are left to do now is read the prediction aloud and ask for your participant to verify what you are saying is accurate. Whilst you read the prediction a nice subtlety is to point towards yourself as you read the words 'I am holding THIS' and then point towards your participant as you read 'You are holding THAT' and as you read "the OTHER is in the envelope" you will point to your participant's pocket. I now place the prediction in my pocket and have all cards revealed and read aloud. If you are not holding the marked card your participant will read the prediction but before they do you will state :

"I placed my prediction down, I said I wouldn't touch it again and I really won't but before you read it think about this, you made the decisions as to which card will go where didn't you. Please read the prediction aloud.." Your participant will now read the prediction, simultaneously reveal the word on each card as your participant reads the prediction.

THOUGHTS: The wording of this, that and the other work very well within the prediction and add another little layer of trickery. It feels right to say those words, therefore whoever says the words make it appear natural. The script it's self does not have to be followed exactly, make it work best for you. The switch is very simple and takes a matter of seconds. Try it, it's very cheeky, easy to do and satisfying.


VOLITION v2: This is currently my favourite impromptu business card effect to perform, it's unique, impossible and leaves your participant and spectators with a memorable effect. Three business cards are passed face down to a participant to mix. After deciding which card will go where, your participant's actions where predicted well ahead of time. Your participant is given complete control of the cards, they are informed before hand that each card will go to a different location. This is as fair as it gets. This is self contained, no special gimmicks are required, it's impromptu and this leaves your audience with no logical explanation. Method: You require five business cards or double sided blank pieces of card. You will have words wrote on the backs of these cards. Three will have the word 'POCKET'. One has the words 'Right hand' and the other has the words 'Left hand'. The card which contains the words reading 'Right hand' will require a marking on the design side of the card. I place a large nail impression on the top left and bottom right corner of the card. That way it's easily located. SET UP: Place the cards with the words 'left hand' and 'right hand' in your left trouser pocket with the words facing away from your participant. Place the three 'Pocket' cards in a spare pocket, or an envelope or where ever you want to store them. PERFORMANCE: For the duration of this effect you need to stand directly opposite your participant. Remove the three 'pocket' cards and pass them to a participant

to mix. Explain 'one card will be placed in your pocket, so pass me the two cards and which ever you're left with place in your pocket'. Place your left hand out to retrieve the two cards which will not go in your participant's pocket. You will now secretly switch the cards in your left hand for the two in your pocket. This is very easy to do and happens under the guise of an instruction. State to you your participant 'Please place your selected card in your pocket'. You will simultaneously demonstrate placing the card in your pocket which will be the moment to secretly switch the two cards in your hand for the cards in your pocket. As your hand goes in to the pocket simply ditch the two cards and come back out with the alternative cards. Don't draw attention to the fact your hand is in your pocket, focus your attention on your participant's actions. You will now hand the cards to your participant and state 'You consciously placed that card in your pocket, your next decision will happen any moment. Without looking at the back of the cards please mix the cards and separate the cards once it feels like the right moment.' as you state this final sentence you will simultaneously and casually place both of your hands out in a palm up gesture. As your participant separates the cards they will be left with one card in each hand. You will now watch for the marked card and if it ends up in your participant's left hand you will proceed by stating. 'Now without changing the order of selection you have made please place the cards on my hands.' Your participant will now automatically place the card which says right hand into your right hand and the card which reads left hand into your left hand. All you are left to do now is reveal these results. Here is the script which I use: 'Nobody could have known you would have selected this card for my right hand, and this card for my left hand or that card for your pocket. What if you did know all along. In my right hand this card reads right hand and in my left

hand it reads left hand. And you placed one of these cards in your pocket, please remove it and read it aloud.' Now let's take a look at the alternative scenario, which will leave the right cards in your participant's correct hands. If this is the case casually drop your hands from the upward gesture and state : 'You did all the mixing and you made decisions both consciously and subconsciously. Nobody could have known where these cards would end up wouldn't you agree? What if there is somebody who did know, and that person is you. In your right hand would you please turn the card over and read it aloud. Now, in your left hand please read the card aloud and finally remove the card from your pocket and read that aloud.' Take your applause. A nice subtlety is to have the two cards in your pocket ready to switch, but start the effect with three blank cards and a pen. Then tell your participant you are going to write down three surprise predictions, one on each card which will be revealed at the end. You will write the word 'pocket' on each card. However your participant will believe you have wrote three different predictions, this helps strengthen the effect at the end when your participant's try to back track the effect.

THOUGHTS: After sharing this effect with a good friend of mine he has had cards laminated for a longer lasting version of this. These business cards will fit in your wallet so you are always carrying an impromptu effect. This effect will work well on a stage as a suggestion based effect. This is. Lovely little effect and I hop you enjoy performing this. Many thanks for supporting my work. Joel (www.tadaa.co.uk)