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00:50 In the next 60 minutes, you'll discover
00:52 how to create magical surprises with everyday objects,
00:56 practical, powerful effects selected
00:58 for their ease of performance and their capacity
01:01 to transform common interactions into unique, surprising,
01:05 and memorable events.
01:07 You'll see each icebreaker performed in a real world
01:10 arena, and then I'll reveal the secrets
01:12 behind each magical surprise.
01:15 Along with each secret of magic, you'll
01:17 see philosophical vignettes that back up the know-how
01:20 with no why.
01:22 These insights transform magic from entertainment
01:25 into an empowering social tool.
01:28 These reactions can be yours.
01:31 Welcome to Icebreakers.
01:35 I'm Michael Ammar.
01:36 When some people hear the word magic,
01:38 they think, I can't do something like that.
01:40 You may be, but I don't see how I could.
01:43 Well, I'm here to say you can.
01:45 I've made my living teaching thousands of magicians
01:48 to perform magic, but this program
01:50 wasn't designed for magicians.
01:52 It's designed for human beings like you, people who live
01:55 and work in the real world.
01:57 So you won't need a bunch of colored scarves
01:59 to stuff up your sleeves.
02:00 Heck, you're not even going to need sleeves.
02:02 All you'll need for these magical surprises
02:05 are the secrets I'll share with you now.
02:09 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:12 [CHATTER]
02:15 Now, some of you may be thinking, yeah,
02:37 if I trick magic cigarettes like that, I could do magic too.
02:41 Well, these aren't trick cigarettes.
02:42 In fact, none of the magic that you'll learn in Icebreakers
02:45 makes use of magic props.
02:48 See, I was born in a small town in West Virginia,
02:51 and I didn't have any access to magic shops,
02:53 and I didn't have any magic props.
02:55 If I wanted to do magic, I had to find it around the house.
02:59 And even now that I have access to all the magic props
03:02 in the world, I still prefer and base my career on magic
03:07 with everyday objects.
03:09 Whether you smoke them or not, cigarettes
03:11 are very common objects.
03:13 As a matter of fact, that's what makes them
03:15 perfect for magical surprises.
03:17 Their presence is so common that they're
03:19 what magicians call unconsciously invisible.
03:23 They're everywhere, so nobody sees them
03:27 until somebody does something magical with them.
03:30 And even small surprises can get big reactions,
03:34 because in the real world, these things just don't happen.
03:37 All you need to do to make the cigarette rise out
03:39 of the pack like this is the secret.
03:43 All you have to do is place the cigarette
03:46 behind the cellophane in the pack.
03:49 If you use a full pack, this won't work.
03:52 So take a few of the cigarettes out
03:54 and just place the pack with the cigarette down.
03:58 When you want to cause the cigarette to rise out
03:59 of the pack, all you have to do is
04:01 put your thumb at the bottom of the cigarette,
04:04 wiggle your fingers, and the cigarette rises out of the pack.
04:07 Now, you won't want to raise the cigarette too far,
04:11 and you don't point the pack at the spectators.
04:14 But if you'll tilt it back, give it a little wiggle,
04:17 just like that's all you need.
04:20 To cause the cigarette to roll across the table,
04:24 first you put a little static on the cigarette,
04:27 then a little static on your hand,
04:28 and it rolls across the table.
04:32 The method here is even easier.
04:35 All you do is blow, just like that.
04:40 Now, what keeps this from becoming incredibly obvious
04:43 is a little bit of misdirection, provided
04:46 by putting the static on the cigarette, the static
04:48 on the finger, just like this.
04:50 This conditions people to look down here instead of up
04:53 at your mouth.
04:54 All you have to do is be sure that your hand follows
04:56 the cigarette and not your head.
04:58 So just snap and point, and it'll roll across the table.
05:04 Now, you may be thinking, OK, I believe you.
05:07 I can do these things.
05:09 Of course I can blow a cigarette,
05:10 and of course I can move my thumb.
05:12 But will this fool people?
05:14 The answer is yes, it will.
05:17 You may think, but this is my boss.
05:20 Well, I'm talking about my husband.
05:21 You're saying this is going to fool them?
05:24 Trust me.
05:25 The reason is these secrets rely more on human nature
05:28 than magic techniques.
05:30 I'm talking about human nature so ingrained
05:32 that it goes beyond nationalities
05:34 and beyond cultures.
05:36 And I'm not the one who discovered
05:37 these patterns of behavior.
05:39 I'm not that smart.
05:40 These little bits of business have been used
05:42 by magicians for generations.
05:45 Here, I'll show you.
05:46 Here it is.
05:52 This book was originally published in 1584
05:55 by Reginald Scott, titled The Discovery of Witchcraft.
05:59 This is an amazing book.
06:01 This was the first book ever published on magic.
06:04 And they have chapters that could have been called
06:07 icebreakers.
06:08 Here's a trick.
06:10 Commanding a pot standing fast on the cupboard
06:13 to fall down fence by virtue of words.
06:17 And the animated cigarette that we just learned
06:19 was originally published here as
06:21 commanding life to enter a candlestick
06:25 and walk it across the table.
06:28 Different presentation, but the same effect
06:31 and the same method.
06:32 So will these things fool people?
06:35 These people were fooled so bad
06:37 that it burned you at the stake for some of this stuff.
06:39 So you see, the same principles of human nature
06:45 have worked for centuries.
06:47 All I've done is select the very best for our purposes.
06:51 If you just follow the steps I'm showing you,
06:53 thinking clearly about each point I make,
06:56 you can rest assured that human nature will take its course.
06:59 In fact, I'll prove it again.
07:01 I've got something to show you guys.
07:06 Oh, yeah?
07:07 Yeah, why don't you put your hands out flat like this.
07:09 This one?
07:10 Just move them up a little.
07:11 There you go.
07:12 Now, put both hands in a fist.
07:16 Are you right handed or left handed?
07:17 I'm right handed.
07:18 OK, drop your right hand and you can relax that.
07:21 Can I borrow your ashtray?
07:22 Sure.
07:23 OK, I'm just going to rub these ashes on your hand.
07:26 Actually, I'm not rubbing them just on your skin.
07:29 They're going through your skin to the other side.
07:32 All right, open your hand.
07:33 Show your palm.
07:34 Oh, my lord.
07:35 That's great.
07:36 How did you do that?
07:37 Oh, thank you.
07:38 An important rule in magic is to always
07:41 be ahead of your audience.
07:43 In the effect you just saw, not only
07:45 are you ahead of your audience, but you're so far ahead
07:47 that you actually have to stop and let them catch up.
07:52 Now, I have to admit that ashes aren't exactly a romantic prop.
07:56 This is one of those right time, right place effects.
07:59 And when you see the combination of that special time, place,
08:02 and person beginning to develop, you have to prepare yourself.
08:07 So how long in advance do you prepare?
08:09 Well, in this case, only a minute or two is necessary.
08:11 But some magicians I know like to prepare hours in advance.
08:15 But all you need to do to get ready
08:18 is to secretly get a swipe of ashes
08:21 on the tip of your middle finger and then wait.
08:24 Oh, hi, Hannah.
08:29 Hi, Michael.
08:30 Well, let your hand for me, please.
08:32 Turn them palm down a little further apart.
08:35 Did you catch it?
08:37 See, the action of helping her separate her hands a little bit
08:40 more is so natural that they never even suspect, let alone
08:44 detect, the fact that you've secretly loaded
08:47 a swipe of ash on their palm.
08:50 But you continue.
08:51 Close your hands for me.
08:53 And now I'm going to give her an extra little something
08:55 to think about.
08:57 Are you right-handed or left-handed?
08:59 Right-handed.
08:59 Close your hand tightly.
09:01 Lower your left hand.
09:03 Now, it doesn't matter what she says,
09:05 because I know the ashes are going
09:07 to appear on the palm of her right hand.
09:09 But by asking right-handed or left-handed,
09:11 gives her a little something extra to think about.
09:14 Now, you just take a tiny piece of ash, just like this.
09:18 Not much, because it doesn't really disappear.
09:21 You place it right on the back of her hand, just like this.
09:24 Now, rub the ash in, causing it to penetrate through her hand
09:31 and appear on her palm.
09:35 Thanks, Hannah.
09:38 Simple?
09:39 Yes.
09:40 These effects are so simple, they're bulletproof.
09:43 They can't go wrong.
09:45 They don't have any moving parts,
09:47 and you never leave them in your other set of clothes.
09:50 But that's the art of magic, making
09:51 the simple look marvelous.
09:55 If you put the right frame around these incredibly
09:57 simple ideas, the results will seem marvelous.
10:01 This guy missed the target.
10:07 I know that he missed, because the target told me
10:09 he was aiming right there.
10:11 Since I knew exactly where he was aiming,
10:13 I knew instantly that he had missed.
10:16 Well, I have no idea how well this guy did.
10:28 Oh, well, here he is.
10:29 Maybe he'll tell us.
10:30 Let's see.
10:31 Wow, bullseye.
10:33 Nice shooting.
10:35 Performing magical surprises is a lot
10:37 like being in an archery contest, where you
10:39 don't have to hit the target.
10:41 All you have to do is just shoot.
10:43 Wherever the arrow hits, well, that's where the target goes.
10:46 Knowledge is power.
10:54 You know what you're doing, and they don't.
10:56 That gives you tremendous leverage.
10:59 This way, no matter what happens,
11:01 you can take credit for it, including the unexpected.
11:05 For example, back with the animated cigarette.
11:07 Don't tell them the cigarette's going to roll across the table.
11:11 That way, if you blow too hard and it jumps,
11:13 it's OK.
11:14 If it doesn't do anything, well, that's OK, too.
11:17 Just have fun with it.
11:19 After all, the point of these surprises
11:21 is not to inspire awe, but to break the ice.
11:25 The only mistake you can make is to say whoops.
11:28 In fact, with the right perspective,
11:31 you can turn your mistakes into whoppie.
11:34 [ROARING]
11:37 The Japanese have a wonderful way
11:45 of looking at what other people consider to be mistakes.
11:48 They even have a word for it--
11:50 whoppie, W-A-B-I. I read about it in a book review.
11:56 The title of the book is "They Have a Word for It."
11:59 It's written by Howard Rheingold.
12:02 Whoppie is a flawed detail that creates an elegant whole.
12:07 A flawed detail that creates an elegant whole.
12:10 Isn't that great?
12:11 Goes on to say, "Whoppie is the distinctive aesthetic flaw
12:16 that distinguishes the spirit of the moment in which
12:19 this situation was created from all other moments in eternity."
12:24 So remember whoppie if it seems like you're having problems.
12:28 The way I look at it is I never make mistakes.
12:30 Now, occasionally, I'll get this irresistible urge
12:34 to distinguish the spirit of the moment.
12:36 So I'll slip in a little whoppie at no extra charge.
12:39 But whether you're doing magic or having fun with your friends,
12:44 the rule is never embarrass the people that you're with.
12:48 If you allow yourself to be embarrassed by what happens,
12:52 you will embarrass them.
12:54 So remember whoppie.
12:56 Make light of your mistakes.
12:58 And they won't be problems.
12:59 After all, we're all human.
13:08 And even full-time professionals make mistakes.
13:12 Of course, sometimes I like to create the illusion
13:16 of clumsiness like that.
13:18 But the thing to do is to keep your composure
13:21 and move on to the next effect, like this.
13:23 [VIDEO PLAYBACK]
13:24 [MUSIC PLAYING]
13:27 Is the food good here?
13:29 I heard the food was good, Anna.
13:30 But the silverware is really funny here.
13:33 It just bends and straightens itself back out.
13:37 Look, it just bends right up.
13:41 Then it straightens itself right up.
13:42 But the real bend takes place up here.
13:44 Oh, that's great.
13:48 Wow, if you think that's great, watch this one.
13:50 I need a half a dollar.
13:53 And what we're going to do, we're going to do a half dollar.
13:57 And we're going to cover it with the salt shaker.
14:00 Cover the salt shaker with the napkin.
14:02 And I'm going to make that coin flip upside down right
14:05 under the salt shaker.
14:06 Turned right to tails.
14:08 When I snap my fingers again, it turned right to heads.
14:12 No, really.
14:13 The good trick is to take the salt shaker
14:19 and drive the salt shaker right through the table.
14:26 Once you get a bit of a repertoire,
14:28 it starts to feel great.
14:30 It goes a bit beyond the satisfaction of amusing people.
14:33 It downright builds your confidence
14:35 when meeting people, when you know exactly what
14:38 to do when certain opportunities present themselves.
14:41 You will gain confidence when meeting people
14:43 and be better able to re-script people's impression of you.
14:47 Personalities aren't created.
14:49 They unfold.
14:50 We all have a sense of humor.
14:52 And by using icebreakers, you prove your willingness
14:54 to use yours.
14:56 Here, we've done as you'll probably do.
14:58 We've grouped two effects together.
15:00 In the restaurant arena, it's only natural
15:02 that one effect would lead into another.
15:04 We begin with the bending spoon.
15:07 This is my favorite optical illusion
15:11 because that's exactly what it is, an optical illusion.
15:14 On the optical illusion, you pinch
15:20 the neck of the spoon between the ring and little finger
15:23 right here and bring the end of the spoon
15:25 up to be braced by the thumb.
15:28 Now, if I kept the bowl of the spoon on the table
15:31 and bent this forward, the spoon would bend.
15:34 But what happens, while the front of the fingers
15:37 are moving forward, the back of the spoon, the end,
15:41 falls down secretly inside the right hand.
15:45 The left hand provides all the cover
15:48 you'll need as the left thumb also braces
15:51 the back end of the spoon and you pivot forward.
15:55 I tap the bowl of the spoon a couple of times,
16:00 lift it off the table, and the left hand
16:02 just pulls it through to restore the spoon.
16:05 And then it's restored.
16:13 To vantage the spoon, place the spoon
16:15 near the edge of the table and gesture as if that was all.
16:19 This causes the spectator to lower their attention
16:21 because they think the effect is over.
16:23 But at that point, you cover the spoon
16:25 from the front with your fingers,
16:27 and you're going to pull it back to the edge of the table.
16:30 And as you get to the edge of the table,
16:31 the spoon simply falls into your lap.
16:34 But without missing a beat, you bring both hands forward
16:36 and up over the table, acting as if you still
16:40 have the spoon before it vanishes out
16:45 over the top of the table.
16:47 To be sure that the spoon doesn't fall through
16:49 between your legs and onto the floor,
16:51 you may want to pull a little piece of the tablecloth
16:54 across your legs so that the spoon is
16:57 caught by the tablecloth before vanishing.
17:03 To pass the salt shaker through the table,
17:05 you'll need a napkin and a coin and a little misdirection.
17:12 You create a shell with the napkin over the salt shaker,
17:19 and it's that which gives you the misdirection
17:23 to delay the vanish of the salt shaker.
17:27 The important thing is to create a shell that's
17:30 going to retain the shape of the shaker,
17:33 whether the shaker is underneath the napkin or not.
17:37 The coin gives you an excuse to remove the salt shaker
17:41 because you say, it's heads up now, but with a snap,
17:45 it turns over.
17:46 I'll do it again.
17:47 A snap, and it turns back over.
17:51 It's during that moment that the salt shaker falls into the lap.
17:56 The hands cross as the right hand picks up the salt shaker
18:00 and moves it back to the edge of the table.
18:02 The left hand comes forward to pick up the coin.
18:05 At that moment that the right hand gets back--
18:08 now lift it high so that you can actually see it fall out.
18:11 You simply relax your grip, and the salt shaker
18:14 falls into the lap.
18:16 Of course, if you do it from this high,
18:18 it provides a bit of an education.
18:20 The point is, lift it, bring it right to the edge,
18:23 and pick up the coin, and then come away
18:25 from the edge of the table so that they don't suspect
18:28 that you may be doing something funny.
18:31 Replace the coin in the middle of the table,
18:33 cover it with the shell as if it were the salt shaker,
18:36 and say, let me do something different this time.
18:38 At this point, you smash the shell,
18:42 reach under the table with the salt shaker,
18:44 and then pull it out as if it passed all the way through.
18:49 Couple of things that you'll want to be sure of
18:51 is in making the shell, sometimes a pointed salt shaker
18:56 will break its way through the top of the napkin.
18:59 Another thing to consider is when you're forming the shell,
19:03 don't allow parts of the napkin to go down
19:05 and underneath the salt shaker, because if you do,
19:08 that'll prevent the salt shaker from falling cleanly
19:11 out of the shell.
19:12 Of course, the restaurant arena is full of potential
19:16 as far as everyday objects are concerned.
19:18 Even the food itself can be used in magic effects.
19:21 Remember when we were talking about human nature?
19:25 Well, when you see something surprising like this,
19:29 it's only human nature to respond to these things
19:32 by saying, how'd you do that, or do that again?
19:36 Just as when a doctor hits your knee with a rubber mallet,
19:39 don't be surprised if you get a reflexive,
19:42 knee-jerking reaction.
19:44 It's just part of being human.
19:46 Since we depend on the nature of human beings
19:49 to make our surprises work, we shouldn't be surprised
19:52 that human nature brings certain responses,
19:56 like a knee jerk.
19:58 Now, just because someone reacts this way
20:01 doesn't necessarily mean they really want
20:03 to see these things again.
20:05 And that doesn't always mean they really want to know
20:08 how these things are done.
20:09 It's just a natural response to something amazing.
20:13 They don't know what else to say.
20:15 And you don't have to reveal the magic
20:17 or repeat the effect in order to give them something to say.
20:20 To get past that moment of amazement
20:24 without having to repeat or explain the effect,
20:28 all you need is something, anything to say in response.
20:33 Tell them the magician union will call in your card
20:37 or say that the doctor has cut you back
20:39 to only one trick per day.
20:41 What I like to tell them is, you know,
20:42 if I tell you that, well, then I'd have to kill you.
20:45 Most magicians deal with this situation
20:49 by simply doing another effect.
20:51 But if someone insists, if they show obvious,
20:56 genuine interest beyond the knee jerk,
20:59 how'd you do that?
21:01 Then show them a little something.
21:03 Tell them how you learned these effects
21:05 and maybe recommend this tape.
21:07 After all, if you want a friend for life,
21:11 teach them a magic trick.
21:13 It's a great gift because you know from then on,
21:16 they'll always have a little fun button to push
21:18 whenever they want to.
21:19 And there's room for fun in almost any situation.
21:23 In the next scenario, we mix business and pleasure
21:27 in a way that only icebreakers can.
21:31 (upbeat music)
21:33 (keyboard clacking)
21:38 - Is Mr. Wiseman in?
21:40 - Do you have an appointment?
21:42 - My, a perplexing pen.
21:45 Do you know what a perplexing pen is?
21:46 - No.
21:47 - You know what it does?
21:48 - No.
21:49 - Well, let me take this bottle of white out
21:51 and on three, something really amazing is gonna happen.
21:55 - Uh-huh.
21:56 - One, two, three.
22:01 - Ah.
22:02 - No, actually, it's a joke, you know.
22:04 (laughing)
22:06 If I really wanted to do magic, I'd just go, gone.
22:09 (laughing)
22:10 - Where's my white out?
22:12 - It's gone.
22:13 But I think before I left the house this morning,
22:15 I may have picked up an extra bottle
22:17 in case somebody needed one.
22:19 Here, I'll give you that one.
22:21 And here's your perplexing pen,
22:22 but be careful where you put it.
22:23 It makes things disappear.
22:25 - I'll see if Mr. Wiseman is in.
22:26 What's your name?
22:27 - David Luther.
22:28 - Hold on a moment.
22:30 Thanks for coming in, Mr. Luther.
22:32 - Oh, it's been a pleasure.
22:34 - By the way, do you have a card?
22:35 - Oh, yeah, we have some brand new cards
22:37 that we've just come out with.
22:38 They're English cards.
22:41 They're not printed.
22:41 We don't print anything on them
22:42 until we really need them, like now.
22:45 You just print up what you need on it.
22:46 Just merely type on the back of your hand
22:50 and there's your card.
22:52 - Can I have one?
22:53 - Sure.
22:57 If you don't type on it, nothing happens.
23:01 But if you type on it, the card prints.
23:04 (laughing)
23:07 - That's great.
23:08 - It's been nice.
23:09 - Thank you.
23:10 - Have a good day.
23:10 - It just goes to show you,
23:12 if you don't have an appointment,
23:14 you'd better have an icebreaker.
23:15 Now, most effects you don't want to repeat
23:19 for the same audience.
23:20 Yet, we just saw David performing
23:22 the self-printing business card twice in a row.
23:25 We break the rule here because of the demands
23:27 placed on this effect.
23:29 You have to keep giving your business card out.
23:32 I've been doing magical surprises
23:34 with business cards for about 10 years.
23:36 And I know from experience
23:38 that if the method isn't practical,
23:40 you just won't perform it.
23:42 As for the perplexing pin,
23:44 we designed this in order to initiate a conversation.
23:48 By stating, "You've got a perplexing pin there,"
23:50 you immediately arouse curiosity
23:52 and you invite them to ask a question of you.
23:55 This, of course, opens the door for your performance.
23:58 Simply say, "At the count of three,
24:01 "something amazing is going to happen."
24:03 Yet, you don't tell them what.
24:05 You take an object.
24:07 All it has to do is fit inside of your left hand,
24:10 close your hand,
24:12 you start tapping on the back of your hand,
24:14 and the only thing you have to remember
24:15 is don't tell them what's going to happen.
24:18 Keep it vague.
24:19 Simply say, "At the count of three,
24:21 "something amazing is going to happen."
24:24 Because you've closed your hand and positioned it,
24:26 the assumption is something amazing
24:28 is going to happen to this.
24:30 But you start counting.
24:31 One, two, three.
24:33 Now, notice that I don't go one, two, three.
24:36 I actually pivot at the elbow
24:39 and actually ingrain a groove
24:42 as to where the pin's going to go.
24:44 So at the count of three,
24:45 I won't miss a beat when I stash the pin away
24:47 and come back down.
24:49 I'm not surprised that the pin has vanished.
24:51 And then, as a sort of a confession,
24:54 you point it behind your head.
24:55 This causes everyone to look back here.
24:58 Then as you go for it,
25:00 the left hand just places the object into your pocket.
25:04 Now, if you need an extra minute to ditch that,
25:07 you can just say, "Yeah, it was just a joke.
25:08 "I go one, two, three, and I leave it in my collar.
25:11 "But if I really wanted something magical to happen,
25:14 "all I'd have to do is tap and it disappears."
25:19 Keep in mind, though,
25:20 you don't have to have a perplexing pin.
25:22 It can be anything.
25:24 Use your imagination.
25:25 It can be a perplexing pencil,
25:27 a confusing chopstick, a strange straw,
25:30 anything to act as a wand.
25:32 And, of course, anything that can be held in the left hand
25:36 and that will fit inside of your pocket
25:38 is game for the vanish.
25:40 If you hand out a lot of business cards,
25:43 the next magical surprise
25:45 is one that you'll be using all the time.
25:47 All you have to do is have a business card
25:51 which looks blank from the back.
25:53 So if you can see through your business card
25:55 or if it has any sort of embossing on it,
25:57 you'll need to use a different card.
25:59 But the setup is very simple.
26:01 All you do is take half of your business cards
26:04 and turn them face to face.
26:07 That's the entire setup.
26:09 As you take out your business cards,
26:11 thumb over half of them,
26:14 then square them up,
26:16 turn those over,
26:18 and thumb over the other half.
26:20 Obviously, if you thumb too far,
26:23 you'll reveal the printing.
26:25 But if you take them out,
26:27 you just say, "These are inkless business cards."
26:30 Square them up, turn them over.
26:33 They're printed without ink.
26:36 They have every reason to believe
26:38 that these are, in fact, blank business cards.
26:41 Then, to print them,
26:43 all you have to do is place them onto your palm,
26:46 close your fingers,
26:48 turn your hand over, and push with your thumb.
26:53 That's all you have to do.
26:54 But if at the same time
26:56 you type with your fingers,
26:59 the impression is
27:01 that the business card literally prints
27:03 through your hand.
27:05 Of course, every time you do this,
27:06 you're going to get requests to get another business card.
27:09 And that's the reason that we've set them up
27:11 so that you're always ready to go.
27:14 You don't have to concern yourself
27:15 over whether or not you're taking them out
27:17 one way or another.
27:18 Just take them out, thumb them over,
27:21 square them up, thumb them over again,
27:24 then take out the blank business card.
27:26 You'll always be ready to go.
27:29 There is one little touch here
27:31 that can be added by placing the card on the fingers
27:34 instead of the palm.
27:36 If you place it on the fingers,
27:37 when the fingers close and the hand turns palm down,
27:40 the card comes out blank.
27:42 See, this way,
27:44 you can pass the card through your hand a couple of times
27:47 before finally placing the card onto your palm,
27:50 closing your fingers,
27:52 then pushing with your thumb as you type
27:55 to print the business card just like that.
27:59 Place that stack of cards in your pocket
28:01 with half of them face to face,
28:03 and you'll be ready at a moment's notice
28:05 to transform a common interaction
28:08 into a unique and memorable event.
28:12 These next two icebreakers were designed
28:14 with one thought in mind, impact.
28:17 And for that reason, we have the magic take place
28:20 in the hands of the spectators.
28:23 Set this to one side. It's still warm.
28:25 Still warm. Hold out your hand one more time,
28:28 and I'll tear the head of the match off.
28:30 Okay?
28:31 Hold on to the stem. Close your hand.
28:34 I'll take the head of the match.
28:36 I just wave.
28:38 Open it one more time.
28:40 And there you go.
28:42 Wow! That's fantastic!
28:44 You don't have to wear a lampshade on your head
28:47 to have fun at a party.
28:49 In fact, where I come from,
28:50 if you wear a lampshade on your head,
28:52 it'll make some people wish they could turn you off.
28:55 If you come to a party and you start pulling out magic props,
28:58 colored scarves, even if you pull out a deck of cards,
29:02 it'll look like you came to the party
29:04 with your lampshade on.
29:06 That's why I carefully selected magic
29:08 that only uses everyday objects,
29:10 objects that are perfectly natural
29:12 for the environment you find them in.
29:14 At a cocktail party, matches are natural.
29:18 What's more, the flash is dramatic,
29:20 and the magic literally happens inside their hand.
29:23 Nothing is more personal.
29:26 There's not a greater feeling in the world
29:28 than that moment when you realize
29:30 you've given someone that gift of amazement.
29:33 You simply got to do it to understand.
29:38 No matter how clearly we captured the effect for you on video,
29:42 there's no way to communicate
29:44 that jaw-dropping, mind-boggling moment of realization
29:49 when the spectator opens their hand
29:51 to discover the magic.
29:53 Give this experience to someone just once,
29:56 and you'll be looking for every chance to do it again.
30:02 Secretly take the match that's hidden
30:04 and pinch the head off
30:07 and drop the stem out of sight.
30:10 Just keep the head pinched between the index finger and thumb,
30:14 hidden, as they tear the match out.
30:18 Okay? Have them place the matches down
30:21 as you take the match.
30:23 Now I'm going to pinch the match you just tore out
30:26 at its bottom with the head
30:29 hidden between the right thumb and index finger,
30:32 and I pull.
30:34 I show the match head that I tore off the previous match
30:37 and the stem of the match that she just tore out of the book.
30:42 Hold out your hand.
30:43 I place the match into her hand
30:46 with my index finger covering the extra head.
30:50 I close her hand to make sure that she doesn't open her hand prematurely.
30:55 I show the match head.
30:56 I may even want to place it on the back of her hand
30:59 to make sure that it's locked in and established.
31:02 The head is here. The stem is in her hand.
31:05 Now you're just going to repeat the fake-take vanish.
31:09 With this little head pinched between the index and middle finger,
31:13 you fake like you take it and vanish the match head.
31:17 Again, you'll want to immediately show them where the match head went.
31:22 Now some people don't like holding out this extra head of a match.
31:27 For those of you who are uncomfortable leaving the match head hidden in your right hand,
31:31 after you execute the fake-take,
31:34 what you may want to do is reach into your pocket for a little woofle dust.
31:38 Leaving the match head behind as you come out,
31:41 sprinkle a little woofle dust on it
31:43 to cause the head of the match to completely disappear.
31:47 Now it doesn't have to be woofle dust
31:49 because I realize dusty woofles are pretty hard to come by.
31:54 That's okay as long as you say something.
31:59 After all, what you say creates a frame around the effect that you're presenting.
32:04 And just as different picture frames are more appropriate for different pictures,
32:08 each of these icebreakers can and should be presented in many different ways.
32:13 Presentational frames that I've put around the magic,
32:16 the things that I say, well, they're appropriate for me,
32:19 but that doesn't mean they'd be the best things for you to say.
32:22 What you should say, well, that depends on who you are.
32:25 By being true to who you are,
32:27 being creative is the easiest thing in the world.
32:31 Walt Disney, when asked what the secret to being original was, said,
32:35 "The more like you you are, the less like anyone else you can be."
32:40 So let who you are come through in what you say
32:44 and the results would have to be original.
32:48 As long as I've got some matches out,
32:50 let me show you a trick that I've just recently learned.
32:52 This is great.
32:53 All it takes are two matches pinched between the index finger and thumb of both hands,
33:00 creating two unbroken circles, solid through solid.
33:09 One straight through the other, passing straight through just like this.
33:17 Solid through solid.
33:19 Here, I'll try it again.
33:20 Do you have a pencil over there?
33:22 Hold both ends tightly.
33:24 Now there's no way that I could cheat, and yet,
33:27 I casper through a castle wall.
33:30 Solid passes straight through solid.
33:34 Thank you, Hannah.
33:37 What's great about this icebreaker is that even when you know how it's done,
33:41 even when you do it yourself, it looks like magic.
33:46 Now, some of you are going to be able to do this trick a little more quickly than others,
33:50 and you may find wooden matches to work better for you, which is what I use,
33:54 although paper matches work exactly the same way,
33:58 as long as you remember the crucial secret,
34:00 which is pinch the base of the head of the match and press it into the pad of your index finger.
34:08 When you do that, it sticks to the pad of the finger long enough for you to move away.
34:15 That's all you'll need to do so that when you approach with the other match at a right angle,
34:22 and you come down on it like this, all you have to do--
34:24 I'll do it in slow motion--
34:27 is let it go, tapping again to prove you're inside,
34:32 and then do the exact opposite to come back through.
34:36 Only do this a couple of times, penetrating through, then back out.
34:41 Of course, a great way to conclude is always to have the spectator themselves hold a pencil, a pen, a straw,
34:48 cause the final penetration to take place involving the spectator themselves.
34:53 Now, this is the sort of effect that takes a little bit of practice.
34:57 I realize that some of you may be thinking, "Well, I don't like to practice,"
35:01 but that's just because you haven't had a chance to put those few minutes of effort into perspective.
35:07 Let's say that one or another of these magical surprises takes 15 minutes to learn and perform properly.
35:13 What do you get in return for those 15 minutes?
35:17 Well, my experience with thousands of students, a great many of whom I periodically see,
35:22 is that these are the sorts of things that turn into lifelong memories.
35:28 These are home movies of my wife's grandfather, Willard the Wizard.
35:32 As you can see, Willard was the classic tent show magician performing grand illusions,
35:37 but he was best known for an effect which only used a short piece of rope.
35:42 It was his favorite effect, taught to him by his father almost 50 years before this film was made.
35:48 Willard proved you don't need a full tent show to amaze people on a personal level.
35:53 Icebreakers are simple effects with common objects,
35:56 but they can have a powerful and long-lasting impact on the people you share them with.
36:00 So spend a little time with these things, because you can do them.
36:04 Learn them now, and you'll probably remember them the rest of your life.
36:08 Perform them, and people will probably remember you the rest of their lives.
36:13 A few minutes, when weighed against decades of amazement and wonder,
36:18 becomes a lot easier to tolerate.
36:21 The results, so amazing, and the effort, so incredibly small.
36:27 [music]
36:32 I can break this rubber band, put it right back together.
36:38 Wow.
36:40 Well, looks like you two are ready for midterms.
36:42 Hey, Miss Hill, you have to check out this trick.
36:44 Oh, Katie, you do magic?
36:46 Let me show you this trick.
36:48 Break it, and then put it back together.
36:55 Impressive.
36:57 Now, I hope you'll agree with me about the value of practice,
37:00 because the icebreaker I'll share with you now
37:03 takes a little more effort than some of the other icebreakers.
37:06 But by the same token, I perform this magical surprise more than any other effect I know,
37:11 because it only takes a second.
37:14 Because rubber bands are incredibly common,
37:16 and everyone knows that when a rubber band breaks, it's broken.
37:21 But if you're an icebreaker, you can put yours back together.
37:29 Now, what I love about this particular icebreaker is that there's nothing extra,
37:33 there's nothing hidden, all you use is one rubber band.
37:38 The only thing that you have to remember is to select a band that's thin enough
37:43 so that when the two strands are pulled tightly,
37:46 they'll actually seem to be one, just like that.
37:50 Because all you do is double the rubber band over for its entire length.
37:55 There's a rather quick way of getting set up into this,
37:58 and it's a bit involved, so you might want to rewind and watch this a couple of times.
38:03 Begin by looping the rubber band around the index finger and thumb of the right hand.
38:07 The left thumb pushes one strand against the other,
38:11 pinch, off of the right thumb,
38:15 and then widen that side of the X.
38:17 These are the looped ends.
38:19 When they close off, as you pull the thumb out of the way, just like this,
38:25 these are the looped ends down here.
38:27 Now the rubber band has been doubled over for its entire length.
38:31 Now, if you get too many twists in the strands to create the illusion of a single strand,
38:36 just keep the looped ends pinned, let go with the right hand,
38:41 the twists will disappear, then you can pick it back up again.
38:45 So loop them around the index finger and thumb,
38:49 pinch, off the thumb, close it off,
38:53 and at this point, the left little finger comes in, holds the band,
38:58 and I let go with the right hand.
39:00 This is my waiting position.
39:02 As soon as I get someone's attention, I'll then reinsert the right index finger,
39:09 pick the band up, maybe I'll bite it, or maybe I'll just pull it apart.
39:14 What's interesting is that when you pull that little piece of a band,
39:17 that little piece snapping off will create the exact impression and sound of a band breaking.
39:23 Then you let that looped end slide down between the pads of the fingers.
39:28 I'll leave the little fingers in to make sure that the strands stay against one another as I show.
39:35 To restore the band, I close like a drawbridge, as if I'm going to put it right back together.
39:40 I let go of everything except this looped end as the left hand opens the band out,
39:47 and you create the impression that the band goes back together where it broke.
39:55 Of course, there's a lot of difference between knowing how a trick is done and being able to do it.
40:00 The idea behind this tape is not just to expose these secrets,
40:04 but to inspire and enable you to do these things.
40:08 So let's work on your personal performance.
40:11 Now that you've watched the whole tape,
40:13 gather the items you'll need for the surprises you liked the most.
40:17 Go to that part of the tape and watch the performance and explanation with the items in your hands.
40:23 Rewind and rewatch until you completely understand the entire sequence.
40:29 Then turn the machine off and think.
40:33 Think about who you might perform this for and where you might perform it.
40:37 In your mind's eye, visualize and verbalize how you'll go into it and how you'll come out of it.
40:44 Think about what your body will say as well,
40:47 because we all send and interpret nonverbal communication, whether we realize it or not.
40:53 In this respect, our body begins talking before we do.
40:59 Walking through the movements a couple of times in front of a mirror or a video camera
41:03 tells you exactly what you'll look like as you perform these effects.
41:08 So check yourself in front of a mirror a couple of times,
41:11 then call yourself an icebreaker and go out there and do it.
41:16 In magic, we have a saying called "tipping your mitt,"
41:20 which is what you do when you slip open a suitcase,
41:23 when you leak the gaff, when you tell it like it is.
41:27 So let me tip my mitt and tell you why I'm so eager for you to go out
41:30 and start performing these icebreaking magical surprises.
41:35 I want you to try these things because I know how it turns out.
41:40 If you'll just give them a try, it won't take you any time to find out what I'm talking about.
41:46 And when you do, you'll be tearing through the rest of these icebreakers like there's no tomorrow,
41:50 and you'll develop a passion for things magical.
41:54 Some of you, I'm compelled to say, will get downright crazy about it.
41:58 And for those people, there are more icebreakers coming.
42:02 And we have other magical surprises available at the end of this tape
42:05 for those of you who want to take that next step.
42:11 The last time they drew a line in the sand here at the Alamo, there was actually sand here.
42:18 Stepping across that line was a matter of life and death.
42:22 That's not the case with the icebreakers. It's a matter of fun and amazement.
42:26 So step across that line and discover the magic of icebreakers.
42:30 Because we all experience times when we want to meet someone new,
42:34 when we want to make a special impression, when we want to be particularly memorable.
42:39 And in each and every one of those cases, all you have to do is remember the icebreakers.
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