Derren Brown - The System

[AndrewT]

I like his shows generally, how the hell does he do the photo trick with the pundits?.... that was class!

he 'directs' them to the only pictures of people with their initials by using trigger words in his instruction to them. Very clever stuff is NLP

Derren Brown doesn't use NLP - that's a bluff. He's much more of a straightforward magician than many people think.

[AdamM]

He does use NLP, as do many traditional illusionists.

[AndrewT]

He does use NLP, as do many traditional illusionists.

He uses suggestive techniques, which predate NLP (which only dates from the early 1970s).

[kinboshi]

He uses lots of different techniques.  Including plants (often a nice hyacinth).

[AdamM]

He does use NLP, as do many traditional illusionists.

He uses suggestive techniques, which predate NLP (which only dates from the early 1970s).

a great deal of NLP is about suggestion.

He's obviously not using exclusively NLP in his stuff, but it's cert5ainly an element.
for example
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr-QtNE9k84
and
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=befugtgikMg&feature=related
are both using NLP techniques fairly heavily

[AndrewT]

Yes, Adam, you're right that there are NLP elements which he uses in his acts, but they're not used to achieve his tricks - they're part of the misdirection (the bluff) to distract you from what he's really doing, which are techniques which are not NLP and are classical magic.

Simply touching a woman's shoulder a couple of times won't get her to think yellow is red.

[kinboshi]

Yes, Adam, you're right that there are NLP elements which he uses in his acts, but they're not used to achieve his tricks - they're part of the misdirection (the bluff) to distract you from what he's really doing, which are techniques which are not NLP and are classical magic.

Simply touching a woman's shoulder a couple of times won't get her to think yellow is red.

It will if yellow is in the sales.

[Swordpoker]

Simply touching a woman's shoulder a couple of times won't get her to think yellow is red.

Actually......although there is a bit more to it, yes it can.

[madasahatstand]

Simply touching a woman's shoulder a couple of times won't get her to think yellow is red.

Actually......although there is a bit more to it, yes it can.

sword, how powerful do you think the power of suggestion is? Are we all open to it and how many of us recognise it when it happens to us?

[Swordpoker]

sword, how powerful do you think the power of suggestion is? Are we all open to it and how many of us recognise it when it happens to us?

Hugely powerful. Tank has linked to a very good example on his 0 STTs thread. (The Zeppelin link)

We all influence each other all the time. We each receive, and act on, hundreds of suggestions every day. We usually don't notice consciously. Hyptotists don't really do anything that everyone else doesn't. They simply refine techniques that we all use on each other anyway and know how to amplify the skills.

[TheChipPrince]

Going to see him in Blackpool in April for the 3rd time, I think he's quite outstanding...

[Hairydude]

What I want to know is the final horse race when the woman wins £13k after thinking she has put on the losing horse?? does he simply bet her £4k on the favourite as an actual gamble(which lucky for her comes in) or does he put £4k on each horse and switch the tickets to give her the winning one??? If he did just gamble that £4k & it lost do you think he would have just said hard luck, or at least give her the £4k back??

[Swordpoker]

What I want to know is the final horse race when the woman wins £13k after thinking she has put on the losing horse?? does he simply bet her £4k on the favourite as an actual gamble(which lucky for her comes in) or does he put £4k on each horse and switch the tickets to give her the winning one??? If he did just gamble that £4k & it lost do you think he would have just said hard luck, or at least give her the £4k back??

Do you really think he would gamble? After going to all that effort proving a 100% system?

I thought it was a nice way to finish...leaving a bit of doubt in everyones minds.

[Graham C]

He gave her the ticket before the race so he couldn't just give her the winning receipt.

[Hairydude]

What I want to know is the final horse race when the woman wins £13k after thinking she has put on the losing horse?? does he simply bet her £4k on the favourite as an actual gamble(which lucky for her comes in) or does he put £4k on each horse and switch the tickets to give her the winning one??? If he did just gamble that £4k & it lost do you think he would have just said hard luck, or at least give her the £4k back??

Do you really think he would gamble? After going to all that effort proving a 100% system?

I thought it was a nice way to finish...leaving a bit of doubt in everyones minds.

But it wasnt a 100% system- not in the final race- if you watched it it only was 100% for 1 person not for all as he had basically assigned a horse to each participant- the only way he could have guaranteed a win in the final race would have been to bet all 6 horses so £4000 X 6 = £24000 to win £13k, hmmmm not a great system methinks but for the good of quality television I think he might have done this... or like I said just took the gamble on the favourite and if it did not win he woulda re-imbursed her