Derren Brown: How did he do it?

[HAL9000]

Derren's Brown's lottery prediction on Wednesday has baffled many viewers.

Brown will reveal the secret to the illusion on Channel 4 at 9 PM on Friday (11th Sept).

Meanwhile, anyone care to speculate how he did it?

[Sue]

I don't see how it can possibly have been an "illusion", assuming that he did actually publicly state these numbers in advance of the draw and that is on record?

Edited to say: Ooops sorry, I wrote the above before I looked at the link, obviously he didn't actually predict them but somehow inserted the "correct" balls before they were shown after the draw.

:-$

[bigbadwolf]

I know exactly how he did it. It's alarmingly simple and was done in Japan last year.

[woofmarkthedog]

I know too, only I can't remember....oooh he's so clever

Remind me !

W**F

[Mick Mac]

LOL Woof.

[PS - I laughed, and my wife looked at me, looked at the screen and looked back at me like I was a sad f*ck.]

[PeckhamRose]

He did not turn the balls round AT THE TIME the numbers were called up on BBC1. Someone dressed in black on the black background or something?

[Mick Mac]

Apparently he wins the lottery every week, but like BBW hes is barred for being too clever.

[buggie]

PeckhamRose Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> He did not turn the balls round AT THE TIME the

> numbers were called up on BBC1. Someone dressed in

> black on the black background or something?

someone in black would have shown up against the bare brickwork behind him!! Heard someone suggesting they may have been projected onto the balls... v clever idea as for a 10 min programme there's now 2 days of free advertising for Friday's show!

[chez]

I was really hoping he'd guess them all wrong.

[Mick Mac]

Well chez, we all guess them wrong every week, although each week one person seems to get it right and guess what, this week it was Derren Brown, and heck, as if he needs the money. Unfair.

[woofmarkthedog]

Ok to put you all out of your misery.

He records 22 million shows , thats one show per numeric permutation.

They then broadcast the "correct" show of Derren "winning"

He wins 3 million odd, so the show costs ?19 million ( tickets @ ?1 each ) in real terms to make plus recording costs.

See ....ehhh....good illusion .....it took a minute to figure it out & i dont do suduko's either.

W**F

*If you ask I'll explain the Lehmans collapse next *

[ontheedge]

missed it did he get all the right numbers

[Jeremy]

Of course he got all the right numbers!

But only revealed them after they'd been announced. So not as impressive as we all thought it would be.

The split-screen camera theory seems plausible... the hidden inkjet printers maybe possible too. I'm pretty sure we can rule out projection, as I don't think you can project a black image onto a white background. He obviously can't have recorded all possible outcomes (I know woof was only joking, but apparently some people actually believe this is possible).

It's obviously just a good illusion, but I have a feeling he'll try and dress it up as something more.

[Mick Mac]

ontheedge Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> missed it did he get all the right numbers

No - he only got one right - same as me.

[buggie]

how he did it .... got sent this link elsewhere and seems plausible - reminds me of

"Ocean's 11".

[buggie]

Ooooo - that's not linking to what it did before!!

[buggie]

Correct link!

[HAL9000]

One way to perform this illusion:

The prediction balls are prepared using a white or clear light-sensitive plastic or ink.

Six blank balls are placed on a stand.

Outside of the audience's field of view, an Ultra Violet or Infra Red laser printing projector is focused onto the blank balls.

The illusionist uses a piece of card, ostensibly to write down the winning numbers, but in fact to hide his right hand while it enters the winning numbers onto a hidden key pad as they are revealed.

Once all the numbers are drawn, a computer sorts them into ascending order and directs the laser to project onto each ball an image of the appropriate number which immediately becomes visible.

The illusionist then turns the freshly laser-printed balls towards the audience to reveal six balls each imprinted with a winning number.

Voil?!

All the necessary materials are available on line - see links:

http://store.sundancesolar.com/enbeaduvsenb.html

http://www.matsui-color.com/ColorChangingPaint_PlasticColorChangeUV.html

http://mhest.com/supparticles/Color-changing-inks.pdf

http://www.amazing1.com/uv_lasers.htm

[HAL9000]

buggie Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Correct link!

That explanation seems too obvious to me - I'd be very disappointed if it were true.

Derren Brown has always claimed that he doesn't use trick photography. This would be a first for him.

However, the displacement of the ball on the far right of the stand could have been caused by thermal expansion during laser printing. If the balls were heat-printed from left to right then one might expect the last ball to pop up slightly.

[reggie]

notice that derren goes quiet as the numbers are released...hmm why?

Methinks that the studios mics are then silenced so that the shuffling around isnt heard

then turned on again when the balls have been switched

if he spoke during this period his own mic might pick up whats going on just to side of him on the split screen

the sound of the TV was probably fed to the viewer and not heard in the studio

[Jeremy]

HAL, I like your laser idea. More plausible then hidden ink-jet heads, and silent too.

Although if he used the split-screen method, then reggie's observation would seem relevant.

[woofmarkthedog]

I still rest my case as the strongest.

Digital TV is so cheap these days and god, just look at the sets

Cheap...

W**F

[brum]

Playing it back on Youtube, I think the switch from the frozen screen back to 'live' happens as Derren repeats back the numbers, somewhere between him saying 23 and 28 - its at that point the first ball suddenly 'elevates' and also there's a fraction-of-a-second skip in the tape.....

[KalamityKel]

It's magic! ::o

[HAL9000]

Derren Brown performs notoriously inscrutable illusions. Nothing is ever what it seems with him - even his revelations leave one with more questions than answers. There's always a twist.

If the majority of viewers got the impression that it was a split-screen video effect then that is probably part of the illusion. Give him some credit.