In the world of theatrical magic, misdirection can be described as a method of deceit that is able to draw attention of the audience to one item to distract them from something else. Managing audience attention is the aim of all performances, and the most important prerequisite for all magic shows. It doesn`t matter if the magic is an “pocket trick” variety or an extensive stage production that relies on misdirection, it is the primary key to the success. The term refers to either the effect (the the focus of the observer on an object that is not important) or the sleight-of-hand or the patter (the magician`s voice) that creates it.
It`s difficult to determine who coined the term, but an early reference to misdirection can be found in the writing of an influential magician and author, Nevil Maskelyne. it consists of misleading the spectator`s senses, to hide from being aware of certain information in which confidentiality is essential. At the same time, the magician, writer, artist and performer Harlan Tarbell noted, Nearly the whole art of sleight-of-hand depends on the art of misdirection.
Many magicians who have studied and developed misdirection techniques includes Malini, David Blaine, Tamariz, Tony Slydini, Tommy Wonder, as well as Dai Vernon.
Henry Hay describes the central conjuring process as a manipulating interest.
Some magicians divert attention of the audience by using two fundamental ways. One causes the audience to glance away for a brief time, so that they aren`t aware of a act or gesture. The other approach re-frames the perception of the audience, lulling them into thinking that something else is a significant factor in the performance even though it has no bearing on the result in any way. Fitzkee explains that the real talent of the magician is in the skill he exhibits in influencing the minds of the viewers. In addition, sometimes, props such as the magic wand can aid in distraction.
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Misdirection uses the limits of the human mind to give the wrong picture and memory. The brain of a typical person in the audience can only concentrate on one thing at a time. The magician makes use of this to manipulate the audience`s ideas or perceptions of sensory input, leading them to false conclusion.
Some magicians have debated the meaning of the term, “misdirection,” causing a great deal of discussion regarding what it is and how it works.
Expert magician Jon Finch
drew a distinction between misdirection and direction. The first is a negative phrase as opposed to the other, positive. In the end, he considers the two as the same thing. If a performer some means, has directed the minds of his viewers to believe that he`s done something that he`s not done, he`s wrongly led them to believe this; hence, misdirection.
Tommy Wonder has pointed out that it`s more effective, from a magician`s point of view to focus on the positive aim of directing the attention of the audience. He states that misdirection is the wrong direction. It implies that attention is diverted from something. When we keep using this term it becomes it is ingrained into our brains that we may begin to think that misdirection is directing our attention away from rather than towards something.
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Tony Slydini explained that if the magician believes that, the audience will believe it, and magic is something they don`t perceive. The trick is to believe what the magician does and then follows the magician. more info on misdirection
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