How TV Magicians Switch Predictions

The sorts of switches that TV magicians tend to use rarely get discussed by the magic community. It might be because they often happen off-camera. I think it's more likely that most magicians don't know about and use them simply because they're not methods that can quickly be packaged up and sold to them in shops.

The truth is that nothing is more fooling than a successful switch.

I've been toying with the idea of this article for the past few days and really trying to establish which switches I've used the most in my TV magic career. Let's examine the top ones, and then I'll share a simple way to allow the object you switch to be signed by the hero spectator.

We'll imagine we're performing a headline prediction and that the object you or your team are switching is an envelope that you mailed to a hero spectator ahead of time. You asked them to keep it safe for the performance.

It will be key to have one of your production team members openly examine the envelope briefly when they first arrive on the day—do this as early as possible.

You can simply say to the spectator that you're checking that the envelope hasn't been tampered with – this is the truth; if it has been tampered with, you'll need to go backstage next and identically tamper with the envelope you plan to switch in.

Spectator's Back

This is definitely the most popular method of switching. It relies on a two-person team. It's as simple as it sounds: you switch the object behind the spectator's back (I've even seen it done over their shoulder).

Two elements make this sort of switch work.

Firstly, the hero spectator must be engaged with something else. Often, this means they'll be signing a release form or even a guarantee stating they didn't tamper with the envelope at all.

The second, more crucial, element is where the second person comes from and exits the environment. You'll need to select the location for your switch carefully. You might choose a corridor with a corner that a second assistant can stand around – or a nearby door, or even a window or a storage cupboard someone can reach in from.

The first element keeps their focus elsewhere, but this second element is the key to the success of this switch—choose your location and choreograph it correctly, and the spectator won't even begin to suspect a switch is taking place.

Assistants Back

Moving into the realm of methods that can be performed on camera or stage, I'm a big fan of this option. I actually recall seeing a famous magician use it on stage when I was a very young boy.

Once again, it's as simple as it sounds—the magician switches the item behind the back of an assistant. The real benefit here is that the switch can happen much later, and so the final item can be much more precise. An assistant can update what is in the envelope all the way up until they walk onto the stage.

The switch must look natural, and so there must be a reason for the assistant to come on stage and for your hand with the first envelope to go behind their back. Almost always, the best reason is for them to come on to hand you something.

You must be careful to choreograph this so the audience does not see the second envelope hanging or inside a pocket on the assistants' backs.

I've worked on TV projects in which the performer built the most incredible pocket into the back of a jacket that could easily be switched in and out—the opening went all the way up the jacket's back side seam.

You do not need to go to these lengths, though – especially if the assistant is holding something as if it needs to be "presented" to the audience. If they are bringing something onto the stage that should be held clearly for all to see, then they will naturally walk in a way that keeps their back away from the audience.

It is very natural for one of the magicians' hands to go behind the assistant's back as the magician retrieves the main object from the assistant with their other hand.

Like with a lot of great magic methods, it's all about motivation. Come up with a good reason for the assistant to be there at that moment and a good reason for the magician to easily place their hand behind their back momentarily.

The Chair/Stand/Board

A chair or stand makes much more organic covers for a switch than an assistant on stage. What's good about them, still, is that you can seamlessly have an assistant place a chair or a stand on stage. This means you can still be updating the prediction envelope throughout the show.

As audiences, we're quick to notice when a performer takes a prediction envelope off stage, even momentarily. If they place it behind a chair, chalkboard, or music stand, though, we're much less the wiser.

For all of these options, we once again must look at motivation. What's the motivation for bringing these objects onto stage? Almost always, it's either for the current trick or the one before it.

You might have a large chalkboard on stage to write down information during an earlier trick. The must stand might have been needed to hold a sign earlier. A chair might have been required for a spectator to sit down during the performance.

Then, we examine the motivation for the switch itself. Why might your hand momentarily go behind these objects with the original envelope? Perhaps you need to move the chair forward on the stage, retrieve a pen or a microphone from the music stand, or move the chalkboard to the left side of the stage to make space for the final routine.

Sign Here, Please

"Can you confirm for the audience that a few weeks ago, I sent you this prediction envelope? I asked you to keep a hold of it for me and bring it here today. And I also asked you to sign it over the seal line, so no one could tamper with it during the show – which I see you did here."

This wording hides a clever use of dual reality.

The secret? The spectator signed the envelope after the switch took place.

This signature method works for off-camera/stage switching methods.

Essentially, you mail them an envelope and ask them to keep hold of it but make no note of the requirement for a signature.

When they arrive on the day, your team performs the switch as they enter the venue and tells them that the magician would like them to sign over the seal line, to ensure the envelope is not tampered with during the show/shoot.

I find it important to use the term tampered and not switched when speaking with an audience or spectator. Avoid suggesting it could be switched; instead, put in their minds the idea that you might tamper with the envelope but not switch the whole thing—only its contents.

When you bring them on stage or begin filming, the broader audience believes the envelope was signed when it arrived at the spectator's home and not when they arrived at the venue that day.

If you're feeling particularly confident, you can even get the spectator to write the date the envelope arrived at their home on the envelope, too.

It's worth saying that this is not always the method used when predictions are signed ahead of time, but it's one method I like as it's rather amusing.