In theatrical magic, misdirection is a form of deception in which the performer attracts attention of the audience to a certain thing to distract it from something else. The ability to control attention from the audience is the goal of every performances, and the most important requirement of all magic acts. Whether the magic is of an “pocket trick” variety or the stage is a major productionmisdirection is the main element. The term refers to either the effect (the observer’s focus on an object that is not important) or the sleight-of-hand or the patter (the magician’s voice) that causes it.
It is difficult to say who first coined the phrase, however the first mention of misdirection is found in the writing of an influential writer and illusionist, Nevil Maskelyne: Admittedly, it is a method of distracting the viewer’s senses in order to screen from being aware of certain information that require secrecy. At the same time, the magicianand artist Tarbell noted, Nearly everything about illusion relies on this art of misdirection.
A few magicians who have studied and developed techniques for misdirection are Leipzig, Max Malini, Tommy Wonder, Derren Brown, Juan Tamariz, Tony Slydini, as well as Dai Vernon.
Henry Hay describes the central act of conjuring as manipulating interest.
A few magicians misdirect audience attention in two primary ways. One causes the audience to glance away for a brief moment, so they aren’t aware of a sleight or move. The other method alters the audience’s perception, distracting them into thinking that some other factor is a significant factor in the performance but it actually has no bearing on the outcome in any way. Fitzkee notes that The most effective magic is in the talent he exhibits in influencing the minds of the viewers. Sometimes, a prop such as the magic wand can aid in misdirection.
Without mastery of Misdirection uses the limits of human brains to present a false image and memory. The mind of a typical audience member can only concentrate on one thing at the time. The magician utilizes this technique to alter the viewers’ thoughts or perceptions of sensory inputand lead them to make false conclusions.
Many magicians have debated the use of the term, misdirection, creating many discussions about what it is and how it operates. The superb illusionist Jon Finch made a distinction in misdirection from direction. The first is a negative phrase, while the other is a positive. Ultimately, he equates both as one thing. If a performer any means, has led the mind of the audience to the conclusion that he has done something that he’s not done, he has wrongly directed them into this belief; hence, misdirection.
Tommy Wonder has pointed that it’s more effective, from a magician’s viewpointto focus on the positive aim of directing the attention of the audience. He writes that misdirection implies the wrong direction. It implies that attention is directed away towards something. Through constant use of this phrasethe idea eventually becomes it is ingrained into our brains that we may begin to see misdirection as taking the attention away from instead of towards something.
Tony Slydini explained that if the magician believe it, the audience will believe it and magic is something they don’t observe. It is true that people believe what the magician does and then follow the magician. source