In the world of theatrical magic, misdirection can be described as an art of deceit in which the performer draws audience attention to one item to distract them from another. The ability to control attention from the audience is the goal of every theatre, and is the primary 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 secret. The term refers to either the result (the the focus of the observer on the unimportant object) or the sleight-of-hand or patter (the magician`s voice) that creates the illusion.
It`s difficult to determine who first coined the phrase, however an early reference to misdirection can be found in the writing of an influential author and illusionist named Nevil Maskelyne: Admittedly, it is a method of distracting the senses of the audience to hide from being aware of certain information for which secrecy is required. Around the same time, magician, artist and author Harlan Tarbell noted, Nearly all the art of sleight-of-hand depends on this art of misdirection.
Many magicians who have researched and refined techniques of misdirection include Malini, David Blaine, Tamariz, Slydini, Tommy Wonder as well as Dai Vernon.
Henry Hay describes the central conjuring process as a manipulating interest.
Magicians can divert attention from the audience in two basic ways. One leads the audience to glance away for a brief time, so that they don`t detect some trick or movement. The other method alters the audience`s perception, distracting them into thinking that an extraneous factor is a significant factor in the performance when it really does not have any bearing on the effect at all. Fitzkee explains that the true skill of the magician is the ability he exhibits in influencing the spectators mind. Sometimes, a prop like magic wands aids in distraction.
Misdirection is the foundation of nearly all successful magic. Without it, even the a mechanical gimmick or the most skilled sleight-of-hand is not likely to make an impression of true magic.
Misdirection makes use of the limitations of human brains 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 uses this technique to alter the viewers` thoughts or perceptions of sensory input and lead them to make false conclusions.
A few magicians have debated the use of the term, misdirection, causing plenty of debate about what it is and how it works.
The distinguished magician Jon Finch
made a distinction in misdirection from direction. One being a negative term, and the other positive. Ultimately, he equates the two as the same thing. If a performer, by any means, has led the mind of the viewers to believe that he did something which he has not accomplished, he has incorrectly directed them into this belief and, consequently, misdirection.
Tommy Wonder has pointed out that it is much more effective, from the magician`s point of view in focusing on the purpose of directing the audience`s attention. He writes that misdirection suggests an untrue direction. It suggests that attention is directed away towards something. Through constant use of this phrase, it eventually becomes so ingrained in our minds that we begin to perceive misdirection as directing attention away from rather than toward something.
Tony Slydini said that if the magician believes it, the audience will believe it, and the magic they can`t see. The trick is to believe in what the magician is doing and then follow the magician. resource on misdirection