Scripting Your Magic: Introduction

Welcome to the magic scripts for my How To Read Minds YouTube video. Within this booklet
you are going to find some pre-written scripts that you can use in tandem with the mind reading
tricks.

Scripting magic is incredibly important, and I must regretfully add that this is something that I
learnt the hard way when I first started out. I used to arrive at a gig, start performing a routine
with no script, and more often than not I’d find myself stumbling over my words to produce a
sub-par performance. This all changed when I started to script my magic tricks.

Scripts eliminate the ‘ums’ and ‘ers’ in your trick, whilst also making it more concise and to the
point. Not only will your spectators find scripted patter more interesting to listen to, it also helps
build your confidence as a performer since you know you’re going to hit all the right points in the
correct order. Don’t get me wrong, you can ad-lib your routine, but you run a much greater risk
of saying the wrong thing. Therefore, if you want to consistently nail your presentation then
learning a script should be a no brainer

The good news is that I’ve done most of the hard work for you. On the pages that follow, I’ve
laid out four presentational ideas and scripts for you to use. I would encourage you to read the
script, add your own patter, and then practise reciting it whilst you perform the trick to yourself.

I hope that this document helps elevate your magic to new levels, and makes you a more
confident showman.

Stay magical,

Oscar Owen

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Table Of Contents:
Scripting Your Magic: Introduction 1
Table Of Contents: 2
Read minds like David Blaine 4
Read minds like Derren Brown 7
The impossible prediction 8
Guess any word, object or number 10

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Read minds like David Blaine

[Magician sits down with the spectator at the table]

Magician: Before we begin, I want to ask you a simple question, are you good at keeping a poker
face?

Spectator: Yes Spectator: No

[Magician takes out the deck and instructs the spectator to shuffle them. He then takes the deck
back, turns it over to confirm that all the cards are mixed - and secretly gets a peek at the top
card.]

Magician: Now as you can see, all the cards are different and mixed. I want you to choose any
card that you like by saying stop.

[The magician does a force to make force the spectator the top card - in this example they have
chosen the Ace of Hearts]

Magician: Wonderful. It is very important that you are certain that your selection is random and
freely chosen. If you don’t think it was, you can take the cards back, shuffle them again and
choose a new card.

[The spectator either keeps their card or chooses a new one. Either way, it becomes clear to
them that their selection is genuinely a free choice. If they choose a new card, you just repeat
the process above. You shuffle the cards → get a peek → and force them the top card.]

Magician: I want you to point at another audience member and show them the card. They will be
your witness, so only you two will know the card’s identity. This is just so that later it won’t be
your word against mine.

[The spectator points to another audience member, and allows them to peak at the card]

Magician: Place the card back into the deck wherever you like.

[The magician allows the spectator to freely return their card and then allows them to shuffle the
deck to lose it].

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Magician: Now, just to recap. You chose a random card from a shuffled deck, I never saw the
card, you then placed it back into the deck wherever you wanted and then mixed up the cards.
Are you certain that everything has been fair? If not, we can start again.

Spectator: I’m certain.

Magician: Brilliant. What I’m about to show you isn’t a magic ‘trick’, rather it’s a demonstration of
something I like to call body language reading. This is a skill that has taken me over five years to
master... [pause] so if it doesn’t work then I guess I’ve wasted half a decade…

[Spectators laugh]

Magician: No pressure then! [This builds excitement]. Here is what’s going to happen. I’m going
to ask you a series of questions, and you can either lie or tell the truth. But if you lie, you are
going to do something to give it away. Make sure you lie at some point though because it makes
it fun! Is that clear?

Spectator: Yes.

Magician: Was your card a number card or picture card?

[Remember you already know their card is the Ace of Hearts, these questions are all about
showmanship]

Spectator: A number card

Magician: You see, that was the truth. Because I just tempted you to lie by saying ‘make sure you
lie at some point’, you do the opposite to try and confuse me and tell the truth.

Spectator: A picture card

Magician: You see that was a lie. Because I just tempted you to lie by saying ‘make sure you lie
at some point’, so you do it immediately.

[At this point the spectator usually smiles because you got it right]

Magician: And that smile confirms it! So we know it is a number card. Now you know about this
strategy, I’m going to have to use something else. So, I want you to count from ace to 10 out
loud for me very slowly. And when you say your number, you will do something to give it away.

[Spectator counts from ace to ten]

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[Look at the spectator and point out anything they do differently around their card number. So
you can say something like:]

Magician: So you slowed down at the beginning, indicating that your card is between Ace and
four… I’m going to take a wild guess and say that it was an Ace

OR

Magician: You sped up at the beginning, indicating that your card is between Ace and four… I’m
going to take a wild guess and say that it was an Ace

OR
Magician: You see, when you said Ace, your hands tensed up slightly and you raised your
eyebrows indicating that it was your card.

Spectator: [Excitedly] Yes it is an ace!

Magician: Now think of the colour of your card. Say it over and over again in your head. I’m
getting the sense that it is vibrant. Yes.. it’s the Ace of Hearts.

Spectator: [Amazed] Yes!

Magician: Ah amazing! You had me worried there for a second, because you’re actually really
hard to read. [Turns to audience] anyway it goes to show how we all give things away
subconsciously without even knowing it. Even though [the spectator] was able to keep a poker
face, there were little inconsistencies in her facial expressions and eye movements that
indicated this was her card. Anyway, does anyone fancy a game of poker?

[Spectators laugh]

Why this presentation works: This presentation takes a very simple magic trick, and draws it out
into a longer, more dramatic effect. By presenting it as a ‘demonstration of skill’ rather than a
‘trick’, the audience will genuinely believe you can read people making the overall performance
that much more impressive. The beginning of the script emphasises how fair everything is –
this is important since when they think over everything, they will remember how they had the
option to shuffle the deck, change cards etc. The end of the effect requires the magician to slow
down, think and even struggle on some cards. Not only does this build up suspense and
excitement, but it also again sells the idea that this is a skill-based effect, not merely a trick.

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Read minds like Derren Brown
Magician: Do you know what a miracle really is? Sometimes the simplest of things can become
miracles if the situation is right. Let me show you my favourite example of that.

I’m going to write something behind my back. I’m going to write it behind my back so you can’t
see what the pencil is doing, nor can you guess what it says.

[The magician takes the pencil and writes something behind his back. Once he is done he
places the pencil on the table.]

So this is a letter of the alphabet. Now you couldn’t possibly know what it is, so please don’t try
and guess but just look at me… clear your mind, adn then tell me the first letter that comes into
your head.

Spectator: [Names any letter]

Magician: [Writes down the letter with the nail writer and talks to give himself time. You can ask
questions here such as]] And why did you choose that letter? Did it just come to you? And that
was truly random right? We didn’t set anything up before?

[Magician hands over the prediction]

Magician: Well take a look at what I’ve written here…

[Spectators react]

Magician: It’s a little wonky because I wrote it behind my back. But was that a miracle? Or did I
influence you to choose that letter? You can decide.

Why this presentation works: This is an excellent starting point for a mentalism routine, as the
simplicity and directness of the presentation create a strong impact on the audience. The
inclusion of writing the prediction behind your back adds a clever touch to the performance, as it
justifies your prediction is a bit wonky and not that neat. This script serves as a foundation,
allowing you to build upon it and expand into more intricate and complex routines, similar to the
style of renowned mentalist Derren Brown.

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The impossible prediction

[Before this trick begins, place four of spades and seven of hearts on top of the deck as shown
in the video. Then place the prediction on the table. If possible, I like to perform this trick in a
darkish room. I light a small candle and place it in the middle of the table.]

Magician: I’m sure you have all heard of the word ‘fate’. Believing in fate is the idea that there is
a higher force that pre-determines everything we do. It could be a God, some cosmic entity that
we are yet to meet, or the consciousness of the universe itself. My question to you is, do you
believe in fate?

Spectator: Yes Spectator: No

Magician: Brilliant – I think you will be the Magician: Well perhaps what I’m about to
perfect spectator for this trick. show you might just change that.

Magician: I’m going to show you something quite unusual. Here you can see I have a prediction.
This is going to remain within your sight the entire time. [Magician turns to another audience
member – we will call them Spectator 2] It is your job to make sure that I don’t touch this
prediction until the very end. Is that okay?

Spectator 2: Yes.

[The magician places the prediction next to the candle in the middle of the table so that it can
clearly be seen].

Magician: So watch here as I shuffle up the cards. This is known as a riffle shuffle. [The
magician performs a riffle shuffle keeping the four of spades and seven of hearts on top of the
deck.

In fact, can you please cut the cards in half for me?

Spectator: Yes

[The spectator cuts the cards in half]

Magician: Now just to show you that all the cards are different we are going to flip over both
piles. You see how you have cut to two random cards.

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Spectator: Yes

Magician: Let's complete the cut. [The magician completes the cut and the deals off the top
eight cards]

So here we have eight random cards. These would be different had the cards been shuffled and
cut differently. I'm going to split them into two piles of four. Please point to a pile [you want to
exercise magicians choice here as explained below]

[If the spectator points to the pile on their [If the spectator points to the pile without
with the key cards in you say] the key cards, you remove that pile saying:]

Magician: Brilliant [and then casually Magician:Brilliant [and then casually remove
remove the other pile] that pile]

Magician: Now please point to another pile [the magician employs magicians choice again to
remove the pile that doesn’t have the four of spades and seven of hearts. Now, these will be the
only cards remaining].

Magician: Now there are two cards left. Whatever card you point to is what I have written down
in my prediction, so please choose carefully.

[The spectator chooses a card].

Magician: Interesting. Now before I show you the card you selected, had you chosen any of
these other cards we would have had a different outcome [the magician shows that all the other
cards are different.] But you chose this card here… the four of spades OR the seven of hearts. As
I said earlier, fait is an interesting thing, and you were meant to choose that card, because it
perfectly matches my prediction.

[The magician reveals their prediction and the spectators react].

Why this presentation works: Using the concept of fate to underpin this effect causes the
spectators to question the implication of their own actions. It leaves them with something
philosophical to think over once the performance is over; turning this into a strong and powerful
magic trick that they will remember for weeks/months to come. Since this effect is basically
self-working, it is perfect to do as an opener

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Guess any word, object or number

Magician: Why is it that we like magic, even when we know that it is a trick? We know that magic
isn’t ‘real’ yet for some reason people seem to enjoy being deceived. This is a question that I’ve
thought long and hard about - and I’ve come to the conclusion that the reason people like magic
is because we enjoy that feeling of wonder and astonishment. Well, tonight ladies and
gentlemen I’d love to give you that experience, and show you something that will hopefully
respark that sense of wonder.

I have a deck of blank cards here. I would like you to take a card and draw an object for me. Not
something obvious like a house or a car, but something more random, that I couldn’t possibly
know.

[The spectator takes the blank card and then draws their object]

Magician: Thank you, now please place your card face down here and then take one last look at
it. In fact, I’m going to leave your card sticking out of the deck and tap it in so that there is no
way I can see it.

[The magician taps in the spectators card and gets the peak as explained in the video].

Magician: Excellent. [Slowly] Now please look at me an try and try to send what you are thinking
of to me. Just say it over and over again in your head…

[Pauses]

[Jokingly] Gosh you're much harder to read than I thought. Hmm… oh wait, you gave something
away there…

Am I correct in saying your object is [say something generic about the object they drew e.g.
expensive, small, large, personal, old etc.]

[The spectators will react at this point]

Magician: Excellent, okay [act a little unsure], I’m not entirely sure what it is but try and send it to
me mentally.

[Magician picks up a blank card and draws the object]

Magician: Now this doesn’t always work, but please can you tell us all for the first time what you
were thinking of.

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[The spectator reveals their object].

[The magician looks down at his drawing with some concern, and then says] Like I said, you are
very hard to read and this doesn’t always work… but tonight i think it did [the magician reveals
his prediction and the spectators react]

Spectator: Please do it again!

Magician: Well, once is a trick. Twice is a lesson and it gets rid of that sense of wonder! But let
me show you something else that you are going to love…

Why this presentation works: The brilliance of this script lies in the magician's strategic choice
to feign mistakes or portray difficulty in reading the spectator's mind. By intentionally lowering
expectations and creating an atmosphere of uncertainty, the audience becomes even more
captivated and intrigued. When the magician eventually unveils the correct prediction, the
contrast between the apparent struggle and the astonishing accuracy amplifies the element of
surprise, leaving the spectators in awe and wonderment.

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