The 5th Dimension Star

A number of years ago we thought we had hit the big time when it was reported in a national magic magazine that we had been nominated for a prestigious spot on the new Las Vegas Walk of Fame, alongside the likes of David Copperfield and Frank Sinatra.

The official nomination list confirmed the news, there was our name – Fifth Dimension.

We had only recently returned from a trip to Las Vegas where we watched all the great magic acts there and we were lucky enough to meet with a number of them. But we’d no idea we had made such an impression that we’d be worthy of a star!

But, alas, it was a case of mistaken identity as the nomination was for a 70s pop group of the same name.  Luckily, celebrations were not quite in full swing and it wasn’t the dawning of a new age for us.

Never mind – one day – you never know!

Penn and Teller

I have been impressed by the encouragement that Penn & Teller have given to all the artists who performed on their recent TV shows.  After all, P&T are at the top of their game and it should take a lot to impress them.  But they have been so generous in their praise and encouragement, and you could visibly see performers grow in confidence as a result of this.

The eminent psychiatrist Rudolf Dreikurs claimed: “The most important skill for raising a child in a democracy is the ability to encourage that child” (1971). Are we so different as adults that we no longer need encouragement?  I don’t think so.  I think adults and children both need lots of encouragement as they journey through life.

So, as business leaders, what can we learn from this?  Simple…continue to encourage those who work for you and with you.  We all need encouragement from time to time to help us feel appreciated and worthwhile.  When was the last time that you were encouraged by someone?  When was the last time you encouraged someone else?  By creating a culture of encouragement (even through difficult times) we can create an atmosphere that helps people to reach their full potential.

Jeff

Inspecting the glass box

I was hunting through some old photos the other day and came across the two grainy pics you see here. It shows myself, Bill and Jeff inspecting an illusion on the stage prior to the start of the Penn and Teller show in the Rio in Las Vegas a few years back. We were on a bit of a bus mans holiday as we went to watch as much magic as possible, managing to take in 14 different shows.

One of the highlights was without doubt going to watch Penn and Teller. They allowed the audience onstage to inspect the boxes being used in their opening illusion – and we didn’t need to be asked twice.  When they then came on stage Teller was promptly locked inside the glass box which was then locked inside the wooden crate from which he then successfully escaped.

checking out the wooden crate

Needless to say despite having inspected the boxes very carefully we found nothing – to be honest we didn’t know what we were looking for so wouldn’t have known if we’d found anything anyway – if that makes sense.

A fantastic night of magical entertainment where we enjoyed being fooled over and over again.

Ivor

Keep alert – expect the unexpected

When delivering our Health and Safety presentations, one of the things we always mention is to expect and plan for the unexpected. When talking about this the other day, it brought to mind an incident that happened to me in my first job as a rent boy after leaving RGIT (now RGU). Before I go any further, let me explain: by rent boy I mean that my first full time job was collecting rent, door to door, from elderly tenants of Aberdeen District Council (now Aberdeen City Council).

During my first month I doubled up with Ernie, the guy who was retiring and whose job I was taking over. This allowed me to be introduced to the tenants, and they therefore knew me when I called on them the following month.

And so, the next month all was going well until I knocked on the door of a small cottage…
“Who’s there?” asked a woman’s voice.
“It’s me, I’ve come to collect your rent,” said I.
The door opened, and I found myself facing the barrel of a pistol: “You’re not Ernie.”

She had a point. 

Several minutes later, after trying to show her my ID whilst keeping both hands in the air (not easy, I’ll tell you!), she relented, lowered the gun and let me in.

Expect the unexpected, we say. Well I certainly didn’t expect that!

Ivor

Things are looking up for Jeff

Being the vertically challenged partner within Fifth Dimension, getting a suit that fits can be magic in itself!  I have admired (and dare I say) looked up to Ronnie Corbett and was delighted to meet him a couple of years ago in a restuarant in Edinburgh. 

During our chat, I asked him if he had a tailor and if he would be willing to give me his number.  Ronnie was more than happy to do so and immediately recited it from memory!  I then visited the tailor (based in London) who did most of Messers Corbett & Barker’s suits for their television shows.  Several meetings and fittings later, I am now the proud owner of a tailor made suit from Ronnie Corbett’s tailor – I wonder if he is a specialist in short cuts??????

I would be topping the bill. I was on last as a dynamic big finish. I needed something spectacular.

I told the show’s producer that for the big finish I would predict a major news story from the front page of the newspaper produced the day after the show. As the show was going out over midnight and newspapers are printed the night before it would be possible to have the paper for the 1^st November delivered to the show.

So two weeks in advance of the show I sent an envelope containing my prediction to the administrator of Glamis Castle. She dutifully had it stored in her safe until I asked her to open it live on the show.

On the night, I was nervous to say the least. Lorraine Kelly was the main host and introduced Uri Geller who proceeded to duplicate a picture previously drawn by one of the celebrity guests and hidden from his view. Impressive.

Soon it was my turn in the spotlight. I actually had three predictions in the sealed envelope. I asked the Lord Provost of Dundee to mentally choose a playing card- he said the Four of Clubs. My prediction in the envelope said the Four of Clubs.  I then asked Grampian TV personality Kate Fraser to think of the name of a pop group – she said Altered Images. My prediction in the envelope said Altered Images.

So far so good.

For my big finish, they had a motor-cycle courier transport the next day’s Dundee Courier straight off the press to the Castle. The show’s director was wetting himself. He had no idea what was going to happen, but was depending on me for a big finish to the live show.

I asked the Glamis Castle representative to read out the prediction I had sent her 2 weeks earlier. She said, “A foreign vessel lies in an oily grave”.Lorraine Kelly asked one of the other presenters to read out the headline of the newspaper that had just been delivered – it said something dull about the Prime Minister.

The stage manager was standing close by with his headphones on in order to get messages from the Director. Because he was close enough, I heard the scream via those headphones. He was shouting “The B—–D’s got it wrong”.

I calmly asked the presenter to describe the main photograph that was on the front page. He said that it was a Russian oil tanker, which had run aground in the Moray Firth.

I said, “So that would be a foreign vessel lying in an oily grave”. It went very quiet, then, as realisation set in, I got a huge round of applause. Afterwards, Uri Geller came over and asked how I did that.

But as he didn’t show me his I wasn’t going to show him mine.

Bill

Thumbs up for Fifth Dimension

Travelled up to Invergordon to deliver some magically enhanced safety sessions onboard the Noble TVL this week.  This involved a very comfortable bus ride upto Invergordon in a very plush minibus then a boat trip out to the platform which was sitting about a mile offshore. 

We then had to step into a cage which held no more than 3 people whilst it was hoisted the 100 or so feet up to the platform floor by a crane.  I can only imagine how scary that could be during bad weather.  However it was a beautiful day and we were treated to some stunning views of Invergordon.

Our sessions lasted for 45 minutes and were designed to remind the crew of the importance of safety for both Maersk & Noble and received great feedback with one manager commenting that it was the best team talk presentation he had ever experienced!

I later heard that another chap had commented that it was “better than the usual S*%*!”

Working within Fifth Dimension, you never know where you are going to end up!  Today it was with 2 other guys in a cage!!

Jeff

Pick a card, any card.

Had the pleasure of entertaining Gabby Logan (sports presenter and all round nice lady!) at the Northern Star Business Awards recently.  Gabby was meeting guests in the VIP suite when I was asked by the organiser of the awards to perform some magic for them.  The experience was great fun and Gabby raved about us throughout the evening and was even happy to pose for a photo where she asked ME to pick a card!

Coverage in the press was good too with the Press & Journal saying “Fifth Dimension got the evening off to a spectacular start by entertaining guests as they arrived”.

I love my job!!!  And now Gabby has my number!  Will she call????????

Jeff