Hi, there.

I was watching the first series of Derren Brown 'Trick of the Mind' The other day when I noticed a routine that I completley forgot about.

Effect:
Derren teaches a 'Party Trick' to a spectator, a packet of smarty's are opened and the spectator has 5 seconds to count the smartys using the method taught to him by Derren moments before, he then gets the number correct. But not only that the spectator is also able to tell the exact number of Blue smarty's without looking again.

The whole routine can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xynisIsz6bc&list=SL at 13mins 32sec

The routine is also reminisant of his other button routine.
The question I have is, Does anyone know where I can find the technique used? I am well aware that Derren tends to cover up simple techniques by telling storys and disgusing them as something they are not so I am not sure weather the technique is real of made up. Ether way I would still like to learn the effect and any assistance would be appreatiated. I have been unable to find any other information on the subject.

regards, nin1994

A few, ok maybe all the mentalists on the Café will freak out if you ask how to do a DB effect. When I first started in mentalism all I would ask my mentor was how DB did a lot of his effects. I won't tell you how he does either one but I will say that they are two entirely different methods. The one with the smarties can easily be done if you are a metalist. Ps the more I learnt the more I'd come across ways of doing the same thing pps someone tipped it in Inner thoughts once. Happy hunting.

I love the Derren Brown counting routines. Particularly would love to find a way to do the button routing in a casual setting (I am almost certain that is a stage effect.) The smarties routine - aside from switching in a cold pack (why not?) I have a guess but I haven't followed up. I wonder if I bought a dozen bags and counted the contents of each what I might find...

I have never seen anybody repeated this routin, but many who told "I know how DB did it", lol