In theatrical illusion, misdirection is a method of deceit that draws audience attention to one item to distract them from something else. Controlling attention of the audience is the goal of every performances, and the most important need of any magic act. If the magic is of the “pocket trick” variety or a large stage productionthat relies on misdirection, it is the primary secret. The term refers to either the result (the observer’s focus on an object that is not important) or the sleight-of-hand and patter (the magician’s speech) that creates the illusion.
It’s difficult to determine who coined the phrase, however an early reference to misdirection appears in the writings of an influential author and performer named Nevil Maskelyne: Admittedly, it consists of misleading the viewer’s senses to hide from noticing certain aspects in which confidentiality is essential. The same time, the magician, artist and author Tarbell noted, Nearly everything about illusions is based on the art of misdirection.
Some magicians who have studied and refined misdirection techniques are Paul Rosini, Malini, Derren Brown, Tommy Wonder, Juan Tamariz, Tony Slydini, along with Dai Vernon.
Henry Hay describes the central act of conjuring as a manipulation of interest.
Some magicians misdirect audience attention by using two fundamental ways. One leads the audience to look away for a fleeting moment, so they do not notice a sleight or move. The other method alters the viewers’ perceptions, leading them into thinking that some other factor has much to do with the success of the trick when it really isn’t a factor in the result in any way. Fitzkee explains that the most effective magic is in the skill of his performance in changing the mind of the audience. In addition, sometimes, props like magic wands aids in misdirection.
Tommy Wonder has pointed that it’s more efficient, from a magician’s viewpoint, to concentrate on the purpose of directing attention to the audience. He writes that misdirection implies an untrue direction. It suggests that attention is diverted away from something. By constantly using this termit becomes it is ingrained into our brains that we begin to perceive misdirection as directing attention away from rather than toward something.
Slydini said that if the magician believes that, the audience will believe it, and magic is something they don’t observe. Misdirection is true when they believe in what the magician is doing and follow the magician. reference to misdirection
