In theatrical illusion, misdirection is a method of deceit that is able to draw attention of the audience to one object to divert attention from another. The ability to control attention from the audience is the goal of every theater, and the foremost need of any magic act. Whether the magic is of a “pocket trick” variety or a large stage productionmisdirection is the main secret. The term refers to either the effect (the eye’s attention being drawn to the unimportant object) or the sleight-of-hand or the patter (the magician’s speech) which creates the illusion.
It is difficult to say who coined the phrase, however an early reference to misdirection appears in the writing of a renowned 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 for which secrecy is required. The same time, magicianand artist Tarbell noted, Nearly the whole art of illusions is based on the art of misdirection.
Some magicians who have researched and evolved techniques for misdirection includes Malini, Derren Brown, Tamariz, Tony Slydini, Tommy Wonder and Dai Vernon.
Henry Hay describes the chief conjuring process as a manipulating interest.
Magicians can divert attention from the audience in two basic ways. The first is to make the audience look away for a fleeting moment, so they do not notice a act or gesture. The other approach re-frames the viewers’ perceptions, leading them into thinking that some other factor is a significant factor in the accomplishment of the feat even though it has no bearing on the result in any way. Fitzkee explains that the true skill of the magician is the ability of his performance in changing the mind of the audience. Additionally, sometimes a prop such as the magic wand can aid in misdirection.
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Misdirection exploits the limitations of human brains to give the wrong picture and memory. The brain of an average person in the audience can only concentrate on one thing at a time. The magician makes use of this to influence the viewers’ thoughts or perceptions of sensory inputwhich leads them to incorrect conclusions.
Magicians have debated the use of the term, “misdirection,” causing plenty of debate about what it is and how it works. Expert magician Jon Finch identified a difference between direction and misdirection. The first is a negative phrase, and the other positive. In the end, he considers the two as the same thing. If a performer some means, has directed the mind of the audience to conclude that he’s done something he hasn’t done, he’s wrongly directed them into this belief; hence, misdirection.
Tommy Wonder has pointed that it’s more effective, from a magician’s point of view, to concentrate on the purpose of directing the audience’s attention. He writes that misdirection suggests an untrue direction. It suggests that attention is directed away from something. By constantly using this term, it eventually becomes so it is ingrained into our brains that we might start to think that misdirection is directing our attention away from rather than towards something.
Tony Slydini explained that if the magician believes that, the audience will believe it and the magic they can’t see. The trick is to accept what the magician says and follow the magician. resource on misdirection