In the world of theatrical magic, misdirection can be described as an art of deceit where the performer attracts attention of the audience to a certain item to distract them from another. Managing audience attention is the goal of every performances, and the most important prerequisite for all magic shows. Whether the magic is of the “pocket trick” variety or the stage is a major production, misdirection is the central secret. The term refers to either the result (the observer’s focus on an object that is not important) or the sleight of hand and patter (the magician’s voice) which creates the illusion.
It’s difficult to determine who coined the term, but the first reference to misdirection appears in the writing of a renowned magician and author, Nevil Maskelyne. it involves spooking the senses of the audience to hide from detection certain details for which secrecy is required. Around the same time, magicianand artist Tarbell noted, Nearly all the art of illusions is based on this art of misdirection.
Some magicians who have researched and refined techniques for misdirection includes Nate Leipzig, Malini, Tommy Wonder, Derren Brown, Juan Tamariz, Tony Slydini as well as Dai Vernon.
Henry Hay describes the chief conjuring process as a manipulation of interest.
Many magicians divert attention of the audience by using two fundamental ways. One leads the audience to turn their attention away for a short moment, so that they aren’t aware of a trick or movement. The other method alters the viewers’ perceptions, leading them to believe that some other factor has much to do with the performance even though it isn’t a factor in the effect at all. Fitzkee explains that the most effective magic is in the talent that he displays in manipulating the spectators mind. Additionally, sometimes a prop such as magic wands aids in confusion.
Absent misdirection, even most adept sleight-ofhand or mechanical gimmick is unlikely to make an impression of strong magic. To be sure, misdirection is the key of nearly all powerful magic.
Misdirection exploits the limitations of the human mind to create a false picture and memory. The brain of a typical spectator can only focus on only one thing at a given time. The magician makes use of this to manipulate the viewers’ thoughts or perceptions of sensory inputwhich leads them to incorrect conclusions.
Many magicians have debated the meaning of the term, misdirection, creating plenty of debate regarding what it is and how it works. The great magician Jon Finch drew a distinction in misdirection from direction. One is a negative word, while the other is a positive. In the end, he considers both as one thing. If a performer, through some means, has directed the minds of the audience to the conclusion that he did something he hasn’t done, he’s wrongly directed them into this beliefwhich is why he has misdirected them.
Tommy Wonder has pointed out that it is much more effective, from the magician’s point of viewin focusing on the purpose of directing attention to the audience. He writes that misdirection suggests wrong direction. It implies that attention is directed away from something. When we keep using this termthe idea eventually becomes it is ingrained into our brains that we might start to think that misdirection is directing the attention away from instead of towards something.
Slydini explained that if the magician believe that, the public will believe it and magic is something they don’t perceive. Misdirection is true when they believe in what the magician is doing and then follows the magician. reference
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