In the world of theatrical magic,misdirection is a method of deceit where 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 theatre,and is the primary need of any magic act. It doesn’t matter if the magic is a “pocket trick” variety or a large stage productionmisdirection is the main element. The term describes either the result (the observer’s focus on the unimportant object) or the sleight-of-hands or patter (the magician’s voice) that creates it.
It’s hard to pinpoint who first coined the phrase,however an early mention of misdirection is found in the writing of an influential author and performer named Nevil Maskelyne: Admittedly,it involves spooking the senses of the audience in order to screen from noticing certain aspects that require secrecy. The same time,the magicianand artist Harlan Tarbell noted,Nearly everything about illusion relies on the art of misdirection.
A few magicians who have studied and developed techniques of misdirection includes Malini,Derren Brown,Tommy Wonder,Tamariz,Tony Slydini,and Dai Vernon.
Henry Hay describes the chief act of conjuring as a manipulating interest.
Many magicians divert attention of the audience in two primary ways. One leads the audience to turn their attention away for a short moment,so they don’t detect some trick or movement. Another approach alters the viewers’ perceptions,leading the audience into believing that something else has much to do with the success of the trick even though it has no bearing on the effect at all. Dariel Fitzkee explains that the real talent of the magician is the ability that he displays in manipulating the spectators mind. Additionally,sometimes a prop like magic wands aids in misdirection.
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Misdirection uses the limits of human brains to create a false picture and memory. The mind of a typical spectator can only focus on one thing at a time. The magician makes use of this to influence the audience’s ideas or perceptions of sensory inputwhich leads them to incorrect conclusions.
Magicians have debated the meaning of the term,”misdirection,” causing plenty of debate about the meaning of it and how it operates. Expert illusionist Jon Finch drew a distinction in misdirection from direction. One is a negative word,and the other positive. Ultimately,he equates the two as one thing. If a performer some method,has influenced the thoughts of his audience to the conclusion that he has done something he hasn’t done,he’s wrongly led them to believe this; hence,misdirection.
Tommy Wonder has pointed that it’s more efficient,from a magician’s viewpointin focusing on the positive aim of directing the audience’s attention. He writes that misdirection implies the wrong direction. It implies that attention is diverted away from something. Through constant use of this phraseit becomes ingrained in our minds that we might start to think that misdirection is directing our attention away from rather than towards something.
Slydini said that if a magician believes it,the audience will believe it and magicians are something that they cannot see. Misdirection is true when they believe in what the magician is doing and follow the magician. references