In theatrical magic, misdirection is a form of deception that is able to draw attention of the audience to one thing to distract it from another. Managing audience attention is the goal of every performances, and the most important prerequisite for all magic shows. It doesn’t matter if the magic is the “pocket trick” variety or an extensive stage production, misdirection is the central element. The term describes either the effect (the the focus of the observer on the unimportant object) or the sleight-of-hand and patter (the magician’s voice) that causes it.
It’s hard to pinpoint who was the first person to coin the term, but the first mention of misdirection is found in the writings of a renowned magician and writer, Nevil Maskelyne: Admittedly, it involves spooking the viewer’s senses in order to screen from being aware of certain information for which secrecy is required. Around the same time, the magician, writer, artist and performer Tarbell noted, Nearly the whole art of illusions is based on the art of misdirection.
Some magicians who have researched and refined misdirection techniques include Jon Finch, Max Malini, Tommy Wonder, Derren Brown, Juan Tamariz, Tony Slydini along with Dai Vernon.
Henry Hay describes the chief act of conjuring as a manipulation of interest.
Many magicians misdirect audience attention by using two fundamental ways. The first is to make the audience look away for a fleeting moment, so they aren’t aware of a trick or movement. Another approach alters the audience’s perception, distracting them to believe that something else is a significant factor in the accomplishment of the feat but it actually has no bearing on the result in any way. Dariel Fitzkee explains that the most effective magic is in the talent he exhibits in influencing the spectators mind. In addition, sometimes, props like magic wands aids in the misdirection.
Without skill in
Misdirection exploits the limitations of the human mind to present a false image and memory. The mind of a typical audience member can only concentrate on one thing at a time. The magician makes use of this technique to alter the viewers’ thoughts or perceptions of sensory inputand lead them to make false conclusions.
A few magicians have debated the use of the term, misdirection, creating a great deal of discussion regarding what it is and how it operates. The exceptional magician Jon Finch made a distinction between direction and misdirection. The first is a negative phrase, while the other is a positive. In the end, he sees both as one thing. If a performer, by any means, has led the mind of his audience to the conclusion that he’s done something that he’s not accomplished, he has incorrectly guided them into that beliefwhich is why he has misdirected them.
Tommy Wonder has pointed that it’s more effective, from a magician’s point of viewto focus on the positive aim of directing attention to the audience. He writes that misdirection suggests the wrong direction. It implies that attention is diverted from something. Through constant use of this phraseit becomes ingrained in our minds that we may begin to think that misdirection is directing our attention away from rather than towards something.
Slydini explained that if a magician believes that, the public will believe it, and magic is something they don’t observe. It is true that people believe what the magician does and then follows the magician. read more info about misdirection here