Photography by Elle Muliarchyk
New York film maker and photographer Elle Muliarchyk got in touch with me about a guerilla film she's made with a model I love, Meghan Collison. The film is an experiment to how our "outer shell" affects our lives and fortunes. Elle had been to lots of clairvoyants and believed how she dressed hugely affected what they told her.
Meghan underwent ten drastic transformations using fashion, make-up, wigs and changes of personality. In each disguise she visited many fortune tellers in New York City and Brooklyn. The experiment worked as the psychics gave her completely different fortunes based on what each character looked like. One told Meghan to clean up her act when she was dressed as a hippie but a few days later when she went back dressed as an Upper East side lady she was told that Harvard was in her future! Here are a few stills which were taken whilst filming.
Personally I would have liked to have seen what the psychics actually told her in the film but I'm sure that would have been complicated to get them to agree being filmed. The short film was premiered on the New York Times website last weekend.
I went to see a clairvoyant once in the early Nineties with an actress friend. I didn't really have any questions but I thought it would be fun and I'll try anything once. It turned out to be Michele Knight who has appeared on television a lot since. Michele used to work from a mad little room above a shop in Covent Garden. You went up some non-descript corridor with rickety stairs then Michele's room was a total suprise being entirely decorated in purple with purple velvet everywhere. I thought she was great and her reading was very accurate. She was spot on about my boyfriend at the time and about my career and where it was going. I like Michele very much as a person and we had a real laugh. Michele uses your astrological chart, tarot cards and her psychic ability. I do believe some people have real powers but there are a lot of people who just work on intuition and make the rest up as they go along.
Have you ever been to a clairvoyant and were they right? xxx
15 comments:
And now listen to me in turn. You have touched me more profoundly than I thought even you could have touched me - my heart was full when you came here today. Henceforward I am yours for everything....
Thanks
Hi my dear-I am intrigued by them, and am deciding whether to go to one, but its making the right choice of what one to go to? Is Michelle Knight local, as I'm fairly near you as in East London way? It is certainly fascinating and I must admit to being tempted!!
I have to say I am a total skeptic, so this film sounds right up my street! x
Dear Lady Sophia's lover, what a fabulous quote from Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Thank you for stopping by xx
Dear Sharon, I've just updated the post. Michele was in Covent Garden years ago but she's moved to the country now. She does do readings over the phone and has a website where seemingly other psychics work for her. www.micheleknight.co.uk
Another friend went to one recently and highly recommended them. I can get you the details if you like? xx
Dear Margaret, I'd love to believe it all but I don't. Occasionally I'm astounded which is always good! xx
Hi Christina! There's a Romany gypsy on our market who has a crystal ball, a coin-trimmed headscarf and chain smokes Lambert & Butlers. Locals swear by her.
A old man in India started throwing shells and trying to read my fortune last January on the beach in Tamil Nadu, he said I'd have a baby boy this year. Mmmm, maybe not! xxx
Love the concept of this film. In astrology it helps to know the circumstances of a person's life because each planetary combination can mean different things within defined boundaries.
Oh, it sounds fascinating. I'm interested to know whether psychics really do have "the gift" but I suspect an awful lot of it, quite naturally, is picking up on body language, appearance and other unconscious cues.
I went to one years ago and to be honest, the only thing I remember her saying is that I would have 3 kids. As I don't plan on having any, I'm not convinced she was entirely accurate!
I never go to psychics...anymore. I was told once that something horrible was going to happen 10 years in the future. I worried about it for 10 years and thankfully, it didn't happen! I don't think I can ever put myself under that kind of stress again. I've also tried to stop reading my horoscope. If it says it's going to be a shitty day...it typically ends up being a shitty day. I think I manifest it just by the mere suggestion.
On another note...has Ruth changed her blog to a private blog? I can't read it anymore. It says something about not being invited.
Amazingly I was talking this over at lunchtime today with a friend who was going to see one this evening. I have been to several and 2 have been right. One I went back to a few times. I was living in Miami at the time so cant see her anymore. Interesting experiment and great shots. Xxxx
I've been to a couple of psychics from a little booth on Blackpool's Golden Mile to a local legendary psychic that everyone seems to go to. The Little Booth experience was funny, basically told me that I would meet someone with a name beggining with B, N, L, P, R or S?! but the local legend was really specific, even predicted that I would suffer a trapped nerve which happened just two weeks later!
I am desperate to see a medium I used to know one who was very good.. I always wondered if they judged you on appearance.. of course they do. But now that I have lost someone I am desperate to know what they would say to me.. I want to be convinced that they are ok xx
I went to one amazing one in Bracknell years ago in her home after someone recommended her - she was spot on and recently I had my palm read on a whim after some Reiki - it was interesting and I do want to know more. The booth/public thing as explored in the short film seems more like window dressing for hope because of the selling and obvious nature of the psychic places and also the performance nature of it all.
Lovely post, although I don't believe in psychics etc at all and am firmly of the Derren Brown/Richard Dawkins camp :)
I believe that some successful psychics are extremely talented at 'reading' people (little clues, and their reactions).
However it's fuelled by our great need to believe in something higher than ourselves and as long as it's not taken too seriously, can be quite fun.
There, now I feel quite joyless next to the psychic/clairvoyant believers!
I'm kinda curious but I do wonder, what's to be gained by knowing the future?? A friend goes a lot so I went and he said something about moving to Canada..... well I don't think so..... needless to say that never happened but he also mentioned a woman called Jane coming into my life and the next day one turned up where I worked and made life hell for a year!! In NY a Brit mate and I thought about opening a fish & chip shop in an old fourtune telling place, we were going to call it The Psychic Chip Shop....we know what you want!!!
Dear Vix, that cracked me up! I can just picture her. My best friend calls Lambert and Butlers, Superkings and the like "Bingo snouts" because all the old dears down the bingo smoke them!
Wow! That's mad that he chose you. Very interesting xx
Dear MA, yes but you really know your stuff and you are one if the people that astounded me with your accuracy xx
Dear Alex, I think it's hit and miss. I do believe some people have psychic powers.
Yes the kids thing is a tricky one. I've never wanted any either although I have wondered occasionally xx
Dear Jill, oh no! That's not good. Maybe it's subliminal so best not to bother!
Ruth took her blog down after some family stuff. I phoned her last night and she's put it back up. I know I'd miss her if she went! xx
Dear Dvora, a friend has recommended someone if you want a number?
Yes the pictures are great. I wish we could have heard more about what she was told by the clairvoyants xx
Dear Cameron, that's so funny about all those letters! Talk about ambiguous! The trapped nerve is not so funny! Shame there wasn't anything more fun! xx
Dear Ruth, the one my friend recommended she went to because she lost her dad and sister very close together and he told her stuff he could never have known. I will get the number and maybe you can see him when you come to London. I understand it's a lovely old man xx
Dear Kate, I like hearing positive stories! I haven't felt the need to go to one but I love the look of the places in NY. I think I just love neon! xx
Dear Anon, you could be right and I have to agree but I love it when they say something that they couldn't have picked up. Then my doubts all come straight back xx
Dear Jo, oh no that's awful!! The fish and chip shop idea is genius!! You've made me fancy fish and chips now too! xx
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