Misdirection & Magic

In theatrical magic,misdirection can be described as a method of deceit in which the performer is able to draw attention of the audience to one item to distract them from another. Managing audience attention is the goal of every theater,and the foremost requirement of all magic acts. It doesn’t matter if the magic is the “pocket trick” variety or an extensive stage production,misdirection is the central secret. The term describes either the result (the observer’s focus on an object that is not important) or the sleight-of-hand or patter (the magician’s voice) that creates it.

It’s hard to pinpoint who first coined the term,but the first reference to misdirection appears in the writing of a renowned performer and author,Nevil Maskelyne. it consists of misleading the spectator’s senses,in order to screen from being aware of certain information in which confidentiality is essential. At the same time,the magicianand artist Harlan Tarbell noted,Nearly the whole art of sleight-of-hand depends on this art of misdirection.

A few magicians who have researched and evolved techniques of misdirection includes Jon Finch,Max Malini,Derren Brown,Tommy Wonder,Tamariz,Slydini,as well as Dai Vernon.

Henry Hay describes the chief act of conjuring as a manipulating interest.

A few magicians can divert attention from the audience in two basic ways. One causes the audience to look away for a fleeting moment,so that they do not notice a sleight or move. The other approach re-frames the audience’s perception,distracting them into thinking that something else can be a factor in the accomplishment of the feat but it actually has no bearing on the effect at all. Fitzkee says that the true skill of the magician is the ability he exhibits in influencing the mind of the audience. Sometimes,a prop such as the magic wand can aid in misdirection.

Misdirection is the cornerstone of almost all successful magic. Without misdirection,even a mechanical device or the most proficient sleight-of-hand is not likely to produce an illusion of real magic.

Misdirection uses the limits of human brains to present a false image and memory. The brain of a typical audience member can only concentrate on one thing at a time. The magician utilizes this to manipulate the perceptions or ideas of the audience of sensory inputand lead them to make false conclusion.

A few magicians have debated the use of the term,misdirection,creating a great deal of discussion about the meaning of it and how it functions. Proficient illusionist Jon Finch drew a distinction between misdirection and direction. One is a negative word,and the other positive. In the end,he sees the two as the same thing. If a performer some method,has influenced the minds of the audience to conclude that he’s done something he hasn’t done,he has wrongly led them to believe thisand,consequently,misdirection.

Tommy Wonder has pointed out that it is much more effective,from a magician’s viewpointin focusing on the goal of directing attention to the audience. He writes that misdirection implies an untrue direction. It implies that attention is directed away from something. By constantly using this term,it eventually becomes so ingrained in our minds that we may begin to see misdirection as taking the attention away from instead of toward something.

Tony Slydini explained that if the magician believes that,the public will believe it and magic is something they don’t perceive. The trick is to accept what the magician says and then follows the magician. read more