Billets

A very detailed description of how Tony Corinda performs his legendary center tear. The effect is as simple and baffling as: The spectator is invited to think of a word and write it on a slip of paper. The paper is burnt and from the ashes, the mentalist reads the chosen word.

This is Number 1 of "Corinda's Selected Effects". From the introduction:

5 novel techniques, 4 variations. A crash course on billet reading/peeking techniques. You get a full peek of the billet every time.

"I can confirm, it contains the best full peek done with a folded billet that I am aware of." - Nestor Dee

"Julien's work with billets is sensational! His techniques are beautiful, elegant and extremely deceptive. This is some of the finest billet materiel available today." - Marc Paul

"Julien has made significant advanced to billet work. This video course contains what I consider to be real breakthroughs. If you are proficient with classic peeks and switches and...

[S]Witch is a great impromptu billet technique, created by Julien during years of performances on cruise ships and in theatre shows. The effect is simple: You ask someone to draw or write anything on a small paper/business card. In only two very fair moves, you can duplicate their thoughts.

Yes we're talking about a switch, but such a good one. It's done in front of your spectator's eyes, and even though you magicians know there is one in play, you can't see it. It is that strong. This method is a real worker, performed hundreds of times by Julien for real audiences. A powerful secret kept underground...

The ClipStick Switch is a clean, original and brand new method for convincingly switching prediction billets in virtual shows.

"Bold, deceptive, simple, clean and ideal for online performances. The perfect technique for these unprecedented times." - Elliott Bresler

"This is a very effective routine for Zoom Shows. Easy to perform and looks really clean! Well done!" - Luca Volpe

"Simple, easy to do and effective!" - Lior Manor

"With all the technical stresses that come with performing virtually, this simple yet powerful reveal is a great addition to a Zoom show. It's foolproof, stress-free,...

A-C B-T is an unconventional instant access billet tear, that is very quick and easy and can be executed with a minimum of fumbling. Two versions are being taught. Ideal for instant access or a delayed read. There are no fiddly moves and the peek pops into view and disappears just as quick.

1st edition 2020, PDF 10 pages.

This is the DeVice peek. DeVice is an original idea of Orko Guha that he has been working on since 2018. It allows one to reveal anything about your spectator with using just a billet and a pen. This is a completely new peek that is quite easy to perform. This peek has been field tested on both stage and in parlor mentalism performances.

1st edition 2019, 30 pages.

Imagine having no props at a gig. Still you can amaze your audience with a powerful mentalism piece empty handed. Impromptu and organic mentalism has fascinated several mentalists for years. Here is a variation to a classic effect of unique number divination in mentalism. The magician borrows a bill from a spectator. The magician has his head turned and he folds the bill into quarters and places the folded bill onto the spectator's hand. With no switches and no delay the magician reveals the unique serial number one by one leaving their spectators amazed.

Powerful performance tips included...

This was considered by W. G Magnuson to be the perfect method for doing a question and answer act. No manila envelopes are used. The performer passes out slips of paper and pencils. He can do this or have an assistant pass the slips out.

Once the slips are passed out, each audience member writes a question on the paper and folds it up. The billets are collected by either the performer or an assistant to speed things up. The collected billets are brought forward and dumped on a table in full view. They are not switched; the actual billets are in full view. The mentalist picks up a closed billet...

Mentalists, here's the last word in question reading, using no chemicals, no stooges and no apparatus.

Any number of spectators write questions or other data on plain white cards, all of which are sealed by their writers themselves in opaque envelopes. Each spectator is designated by a number and these numbers are written on the envelopes. The performer gathers the questions, which are at no time out of sight of the audience, and begins to divulge the contents!. As soon as each question is answered, it is returned to the writer who acknowledges the card as the one on which he wrote and verifies...

Arguably the most convincing - and simple - means of performing a sealed billet reading act.

There has always been a consistent demand for a good billet reading routine that can be presented under practically any circumstance, yet has sufficient effectiveness to accomplish its purpose. This method, we feel, meets these requirements most effectively. The means of presentation are varied and elastic. For instance, unprepared envelopes and slips of paper are passed to spectators to write their questions and name thereon. These are folded by any spectator and sealed within the envelopes. The...

Stealing someone's information without them knowing is a tool with limitless potential and being able to do it really cleanly and fairly right under the nose of your audience is a super power in itself. Nucleus gives you the ability to do just that.

Inspired from Millard Longman's Acidus Novus, Nucleus is a center tear that is simple to learn, easy to master and looks dead clean.

Features of Nucleus:

• Nucleus always opens to the correct side and in the correct orientation.
• It has a built in feature that tells you whether the paper is right side up or up side down, which is really helpful...

Here is a miraculous, "test conditions" billet reading method that is both fiendishly clever and imminently practical. Leave it to the fertile brain of Bob Nelson to develop a billet test as good as this!

The sitter writes any question on a slip of paper and folds it tightly. She drops this into a glass tumbler. Sitter then takes her own handkerchief and places same over mouth of glass. A rubber band is used to snap around the edge of glass, holding the handkerchief in place.

The glass, containing the spectator's billet, is left standing on a table throughout the test. The performer picks...

The center tear is, without question, the finest all-around method for gaining information written by a spectator. The main advantage of the center tear is that it is always ready to use, a small slip of paper is all that is needed.

In the past, many performers went to U. F. Grant seeking a way to use the center tear effectively. The problem which confronted most of them was how to read the written message without being detected. This problem confronts nearly everyone who wants to use the center tear. And it has been the reason many performers have avoided it.

In this eBook are revealed...

The most comprehensive and authoritative book on sealed billet reading, as employed by mentalists, magicians, and office mediums.

Divided into three sections, this ebook deals with methods used by office mediums (section 1), stage mentalists and psychic entertainers (section 2), and a bonus section on how to maximize revenue from shows with a secret tip for selling 'back of house' books and merchandise (section 3).

SIXTEEN methods are described and explained in detail as used for private office work. Many of these are adaptable to mentalist and magic uses, and can be presented without...

For the first time in this 15 min video (yep 15 mins it's that easy) Scott reveals the business card peek he has been using in his close up mentalism performances for many years. No manufacturing or craft skills required, no peek wallets, no business card cases, no envelopes, no special pens or any other paraphernalia, just your business cards and a pen.

One totally impromptu method, one requiring a one off 30 second set up and three variations to suit all styles.

Drop half a dozen of your business cards in your pocket along with a pen and you are all set to perform drawing duplications,...

One of the easiest and most natural tears you will ever learn.

For more than two years I've been using this practical tear to perform powerful and direct mentalism. For a long time I've kept this completely to myself, but it's come time to share this with all of you.

Imagine a tear where in just two simple tears you get your peek and the dirty work is done. Imagine a tear where you can show all sides of the paper as you tear, meaning no heat is on you because the participant sees exactly what you see. Yet you are easily able to peek 50% of the entire paper. Imagine a tear that is incredibly...

• Introduction
• The Psychology of Peeking
• Peek a Boo
• Envelope Peek
• The Pac-man Peek
• The Lotus Leaf Peek
• Prayer Peek - Pablo Amira
• Casual Peek - Pablo Amira
• The Block Peek - Dee Christopher
• The Fall Peek
• The Clip Peek
• To Justify or not Justify? - That is the Question!
• Seven Keys to the Baldpate (modernized)
• Alternatives to Blank Card Stock

1st edition 2016, 75 pages.

This is a combination of Corinda's Step 6 of his 13-Steps to Mentalism on Billets, and Ralph Read's One Man Mind Reading Secrets.

Part One Technique

• Introduction
• A Few Simple Rules For Working with Billets
• The Centre Tear - Corinda Variation
• The Centre Tear - Punx - Meir Variation
• Centre Tear - One Hand Variation
• Centre Tear - Corinda's Backward Variation
• Centre Tear - Preparation of the Billet
• Centre Tear - Reading the Billet
• Billet Switch - Bare Hand Method
• - Billet Switch (Annemann)
• - The Billet Switch Bare Hand Method (Corinda)
• Billet Switch by Lapping
• Billet Switch - Magnetic Clip...

The Knight Billet Revisited is a comprehensive sequel to The Knight Billet, but this eBook is designed as a standalone PDF. You do not need the original eBook to understand or appreciate the material in this release. This is a new variation on the original Knight Billet that makes doing Annemann's billet routines even easier than the original Knight Billet. Yes, you can secretly open this variation on the Knight Billet even faster.

In this ebook, you get step-by-step photos showing you how to fold the billet and step-by-step photos on how to secretly unfold it in a few seconds, with no fumbling, as with the standard Annemann billet. You will...

A break through in billets that you need to know if you do billet effects.

Richard Osterlind is correct when he says that many mentalists stay away from Annemann's billet work because it seems hard to do. For most magicians and mentalists, it is difficult to do. They struggle with opening the Annemann billet in their pockets; they fumble and quickly give up. The basic idea is to switch a billet for a blank one and secretly open it in your pocket or behind a clipboard or book. This can be difficult with one hand, especially if you are using an Annemann billet.

That has all changed thanks to Ron Levy,...

The Center Tear Papers is a collection of graphic, plot lines and scripts to help make the classic center more engaging and meaningful.

"In this book TC Tahoe explains his unique approach to the center tear and how he uses it to create strong and memorable routines that empower and help others. TC's empathy for others is visible in everything he writes, and it's hard to imagine anyone who would not be moved and helped by these routines. Highly recommended." - Richard Webster

"Well done TC. The scripting here is amazing. Using any center tear, it's a journey you take with your spectator. It has taken...

"I use my own Perfected Center Tear all the time. But I have to tell you this; I use a piece of paper from my pad. When I saw how clean Bill's version looked with a business card, I had to learn it too. It is smart to have a variety of methods at your disposal. Dr. Bill's Billet Tear is top notch and as good as it gets. If it means anything from a guy who has been ripping paper up for most of his life, take my advice and get this!" - Richard Osterlind

"Here's a word I think describes the pinnacle of billet...

The origin of the center tear is unclear. Some say it was used by mediums for a long time before magicians found out about it. Theodore Annemann was the one who made it popular among mentalists. Others believe that Martin Sunshine invented it, who passed it on to Theodore H. Arnold who shared it with Annemann. Either way, the principle is one of the most powerful at the disposal of mentalists.

This ebook describes in detail the various phases from the steal, to reading the center as well as other applications and tips.

PDF 11 pages.

From the beginning of mentalism, there have been only two ways that a skilled mentalist can appear to read minds. Either tell them what to think or find out what they're thinking after the fact. In this video, you'll find standard card techniques that will allow you to appear to read minds by peeking secret information that's been written down.

The first effect is a play on the standard Desire effect. Five spectators record destinations they want to go on vacation and one by one using simple card techniques you can peek the information LIVE! Next you'll learn a basic center tear, an impromptu...

Turn your business card into a Swiss army tool that will allow you to read minds and reveal exactly what your spectators are thinking!

This peek comes with a magic square example and a lot of practical advice on how to make it appear that you can read minds.

No funny folds. No goofy handling. You can even let the spectator hold the business card. This video is a course in peeking under the nose of the spectator.

1st edition 2012, run-time 27 minutes

The Bite is a very useful and subtle principle that allows you to mark billets or cards in a unique and exceedingly clever way. The cool part is that the marking is unknowingly done by the spectators themselves without them knowing what is going on. This is perfect because you can have your back turned to them or even be in another room while they are following your instructions.

This idea is not completely new, but pretty obscure and most likely you will be unfamiliar with it. It was first published by Bob Ostin in his 1974 living and dead test entitled 'Vampire'. Later, Tom Stone published...

A sinister workhorse billet combination of Al Mann's Mag-Eye move and Millard Longman's Acidus Novus.

From the introduction:

In 1981 Al Mann devised a billet tear he called the "Mag-Eye" move. He enthusiastically demonstrated it for Bob Cassidy and gave him a copy of the manuscript, Phanta Graphs in which he had first described it.

Some time later, after playing around with the move, Bob devised a substantially different approach and a handling that allowed secret access to a much larger area of the billet. Bob also gave Al some of his ideas regarding the proper type of paper that had to be used to insure that the move worked smoothly as well as a presentational gambit that justified the use of a pre-folded billet.

Al was...

Arising from the ashes of many countless peeks and tears is the astonishing billet peek known as the "Phoenix". This peek was too large for just a DVD or a casual manuscript, so instead "Phoenix" has grown into this complete course on peeking, methodology, justifications, ethics, etc…

The "ash" that the "Phoenix" has risen from has got to be Scott's quest for a perfect billet peek that would replace the "classic" center tear. There have been a few peeks that have come before. But each peek has its strong and weak points. Perhaps you like this one best.

The Obsidian Oblique peek...

"This is brilliant" - Bob Cassidy

David Numen describes his thoughtfully engineered center tear variation. He uses many photos to communicate the subtleties clearly.

As an application for his center tear David describes a Living and Dead Test.

And as a bonus he teaches you a wonderful book test. In terms of what the audience will see and recall this is pretty much similar to the Canasta Book Test in effect but quite different in method. A page number and a line number are chosen freely by two spectators - both choices unknown to the performer. A third spectator is asked to select a book (or they...

". . . I have found most uses of billets that I've seen to be painful exercises in self-deception on the part of the performer, as to what the audience finds convincing or entertaining. But when I saw Bob Cassidy do his billet routine for an audience of more than a thousand, those silly bits of paper were reduced to virtual non-entities. By the time the routine reached its conclusion he was on stage, standing back-to-back with a spectator, engaged in what was apparently a full scale drawing duplication - with no billets or envelopes anywhere in sight or awareness." - Jamie Ian Swiss, Genii, The Conjurors' Magazine, January 2005

Secrets of the billet king as told to the author.

Most modern mentalists were first introduced to billet technique in the pages of Theodore Annemann's Practical Mental Effects, which describes a single-handed switch, a two-handed version, and variations with a thumb tip. The techniques are very effective, but require a good deal of practice and careful handling to perform undetectably.

The Moldavian Switch is a technique that effectively removes the "difficulty factor" from billet work. With its several variations it can be used to present any of the many billet routines and effects published during the last hundred years. You...

As Al Mann himself states in the opening line of the introduction, "This manuscript contains 'the perfect billet test!'". A simple paper fold plus a simple move places into the hands of the mentalist a new weapon, an Ultra Exclusive Secret-giving the art of thought-reading a new polish and technique never before possible! Of course as always Al Mann was not satisfied to just give you the one effect. The Nihon Venture contains equally brilliant varations and re-workings. Included is:

• Tear Retaxo
• The Ying And The Yang
• Memory Giant
• Immolated Moola
• The Telephone Scenario

This is the best and most exhaustive work on billets. It is a treatise on the history, methodology and technique on the use of torn billets in the mentalist’s art of thought reading. It starts with an in depth study of the history and evolution of the Center Tear and goes on to detail more work on billets than you could use in a lifetime. The Thirteen Chapters are:

• Initium
• Blue Ribbon Effects
• Facts
• Prophesy
• Qanda Central
• The Covert Tear
• Tear And Read Methods
• The Young Lions
• Pyramid Power
• Sans Tear Methods
• Pre-Torn Missives
• Sealed Messages
• The Day Of The Sit-Tores ...

A clever way to read billets, invented by Al Mann.

Note that this manuscript comes unbound in a package of loose sheets, the way Al Mann stored them. You can bind them anyway you like, or leave them unbound, perhaps only hole punch them and put them in a binder.

11 pages

From the forward by Al Mann: The Mag-Eye catapults the center-tear method of thought reading into the space-age! The technique given here makes obsolete most of the former writings on the center-tear. Including the author's own. Such is progress. But bear in mind that occasionally the mentalist will have need of resorting to the original method of stealing the folded center piece as some spectators write a message and fold it and bring it to you for a test. At this writing only two persons know the secret of the Mag-Eye move. Only three persons know the secrets of "Cistella" and only one has...