Friday, May 16, 2008

Haunted Cell Phone

The Effect:
You Borrow A Spectator’s Cell Phone (Or Camera) And Take A Picture. As They Examine The Picture, They Notice A Spooky Image Lurking In The Ackground!!! (Works With Any Image You Want To Appear, Or Even With A Video Instead Of A Picture).

The Method:
This Effect Is Accomplished Through The Aid Of A Special Gimmick That You Are Going To Make. The Gimmick Consists Of A Clear, Long Strip Of Plastic That You Are Going To Palm In Your Hand. On The Tip Of The Outermost End Of The Plastic, You Are Going To Draw Whatever Picture You Want To Appear On Their Phone In A Black Permanent Marker. As You Borrow Their Cell Phone, You Secretly Slide The Plastic In Front Of The Camera Lens. Then, When You Take A Picture, The Secret Image Will Appear On The Screen Like It Was Right There In The Room! Making The Gimmick Making The Gimmick Is A Fairly Simple Process. First, You Need To Get A Straight, Clear Piece Of Plastic. What I Do, Is I Go To The School Supplies Section Of Any Store, And Look Through Their Folders. Inevitably, You Will Find A Perfectly Clear, Plastic Folder. It Shouldn’t Cost More Than Fifty Cents Or So. Then, You’re Going To Take Some Scissors, And Cut Out A Piece In The Shape Of A Rectange, With The Two Short Ends Each Being About Half An Inch To An Inch Long, And The Two Long Ends Being About Three Or Three And A Half Inches Long. Now, You’re Going To Take Your Black Permanent Marker (Any Color Works, I Just Prefer Black), And About An Eighth Of An Inch From The Top Of The Plastic, You’re Going To Draw Whatever Image You Want To Appear On Their Phone. Let It Dry, And Your Gimmick Is Ready To Go!

Presentation :
To Actually Perform This Effect, All You’re Going To Do Is Have The Secret Gimmick Palmed In Your Right Hand (If You’re Right Handed) With The Image Towards Your Fingers. Ask To Borrow Someone’s Phone, And As You’re Taking It From Them, Take It With Your Right Hand, Secretly Placing The Gimmick Directly Behind The Phone. Now, Transfer The Phone To The Left Hand, Maintaining The Placement Of The Gimmick By Pinching It To The Phone As You Change Hands. Now, As You’re Examining Their Phone And Trying To Find Out How To Work It, Secretly Adjust The Gimmick If Necessary So That The Image Is Directly In Front Of The Camera Lens. Now All You Have To Do Is Take A Picture! After You Take A Picture, Hand Them Back Their Phone, Retaining The Gimmick In The Palmed Position. You Don’t Have To Worry About Anyone Seeing The Gimmick, Since It’s Clear. As They’re Looking At The Image On Their Phone, Slip The Plastic Into One Of Your Pockets, And End Clean!

Ideas And Tips :
*I Always Present This Effect In A Very Serious, Somber Way. *Before Snapping The Picture, Tell Them That You Sense A Presense In The Room. *You Aren’t Limited To Ghastly, Spooky Images…You Could Use This Technique To Reveal A Selected Card, Or Anything Else You Want…The Possiblities Are Endless!!!