In the world of theatrical illusion, misdirection is a form of deception where the performer draws audience attention to one item to distract them from the other. The ability to control attention from the audience is the main goal of any theater, and the foremost requirement of all magic acts. It doesn’t matter if the magic is the “pocket trick” variety or the stage is a major production, misdirection is the central element. The term describes either the result (the eye’s attention being drawn to an unimportant object) or the sleight-of-hands or the patter (the magician’s speech) which creates the illusion.
It’s hard to pinpoint who was the first person to coin the phrase, however the first reference to misdirection can be found in the writings of a renowned illusionist and author, Nevil Maskelyne. it is a method of distracting the spectator’s senses, in order to screen from noticing certain aspects for which secrecy is required. Around the same time, magician, writer, artist and performer Harlan Tarbell noted, Nearly the whole art of illusion relies on the art of misdirection.
Magicians who have researched and evolved techniques for misdirection includes Malini, Tommy Wonder, Derren Brown, Juan Tamariz, Slydini along with Dai Vernon.
Henry Hay describes the central conjuring process as a manipulation of interest.
A few magicians divert attention of the audience by using two fundamental ways. One leads the audience to turn their attention away for a short time, so that they do not notice a trick or movement. The other approach re-frames the perception of the audience, lulling them into thinking that some other factor is a significant factor in the performance but it actually has no bearing on the result in any way. Dariel Fitzkee explains that the real talent of the magician is in the skill he exhibits in influencing the minds of the viewers. Sometimes, a prop such as the magic wand can aid in misdirection.
In the absence of misdirection, even the most adept sleight-ofhand or mechanical device is not likely to create an illusion of convincing magic. There’s no doubt about it, misdirection is the bedrock of nearly all powerful illusions.
Misdirection makes use of the limitations of human brains to present a false image and memory. The brain of an average audience member can only concentrate on one thing at a time. The magician makes use of this technique to alter the viewers’ thoughts or perceptions of sensory inputand lead them to make false conclusion.
A few magicians have debated over the usage of the term, “misdirection,” causing a great deal of discussion about what it is and how it works. The accomplished illusionist Jon Finch identified a difference between misdirection and direction. One is a negative word, and the other positive. Ultimately, he equates the two as the same thing. If a performer, through any means, has led the thoughts of the viewers to believe that he’s done something he hasn’t accomplished, he has incorrectly directed them into this beliefwhich is why he has misdirected them.
Tommy Wonder has pointed out that it is much more effective, from the magician’s point of viewin focusing on the purpose of directing attention to the audience. He states that misdirection is an untrue direction. It implies that attention is diverted from something. When we keep using this termthe idea eventually becomes it is ingrained into our brains that we begin to think that misdirection is directing the attention away from instead of toward something.
Tony Slydini explained that if the magician believe it, the audience will believe in it, and magic is something they don’t see. The trick is to believe in what the magician is doing and follow the magician. more info on misdirection